November
It's cloudy. It has been for two days, or I should say, this is the beginning of the second day. I saw birds swarming in little swirls in the air this morning. I'm not a real bird expert, I can't tell you what kind they are. Now the only thing besides the evergreens hanging onto their leaves are the oaks. Most look a rusty brown, but, some are still a little scarlet. With the blessing of rain this week, those will be on the ground soon. It's November. I like the sunsets in November just as the dark takes the sky because you can see the out line of the trees on the ridges. So the nights are cold? The days can be too. November hides it's own beauty. It's there, all you have to do is look. It's not all that depressing, not for me. I kinda like it.
The Appalachianist
The Appalachianist
posted by Hill Billy Rave | Wednesday, November 12, 2008
18 Comments:
I don't mind November. I can't seem to find the beauty in March though.
What is it with March, Murf?
Just seems like the blah area between the beauty of a snowy winter and the emerging green of spring. Usually the snow has melted and everything is just brown.
When I flew into Detroit in the month of April it seemed a little blah. Everything was flat and there were no leaves. Minniapollis on the other hand had about as much green as we did that day. Ft. Mcoy, three hours south didn't have any leaves either. Well, I guess I can see what your talking about.
I think beech trees will keep their leaves all winter. The other deciduous trees lose their leaves in winter with a large majority of them falling into my yard.
Oh yes. I forget that we're flatter...and we talk strange. ;-)
I began reading your posting with the intent of teasing you when I read about the birds, and then, I realize the beauty of the posting and just fell silent and read. I enjoy your observations on nature and, of course, the mountains. I was thinking about going to Cherokee this weekend with my daughter and her family. I know it is late, but I was hoping the leaves would still be there. We may still go to the mountains. I enjoy the Cherokee Babtist Church at Cherokee. I know religion is much attacked now, but when I read phrases like "the dark takes the sky," it reminded me, in the way the mountains remind me, of a greater power than I. There is an interesting play in November of light and shadow and green and dark as winter approaches that has its own beauty. It is unique among the months. Thanks for the post. Bill
Murf, I hear there is an effort to "green up" Detroit by planting trees. I guess that may have to wait for spring.
Gunner, I think they do. Their not as common though.
Bill, the leaves are gone. Not much of them left. I really didn't mean for anything to be poetic there, as much as I just wrote some thoughts. Your own words seemed poetic. But you can't look at the earth with an accute eye and not think of a Greater Power.
I think we are buying all the ones that are being torn from the ground around you. :-)
Your love of women in boots must be nature and nurture. Your statemate Kellie Pickler was sure sporting a pair (of boots that is):
http://tv.yahoo.com/the-42nd-annual-cma-awards/show/43828/photos/1
Oooh! Thanks Murf, that link made my day a little brighter.
Interesting about the clay burials, App, I've never heard anything like that before. A quick search on Google Scholar turned up zip, so I'm guessing not much (if any) research has been done on them.
Breaks my heart a little that the few that were found were destroyed, but the fact that the gentleman's letter described keeping one for research makes me a little hopeful that it could be sitting in a museum basement somewhere.
The archaeologists mentioned in the letter stated that burials were usually in the fetal position for the mound builders...I've also read about remains being in a prone (face-up) position as well, but nothing like the clay cremations.
I'm guessing this is not something endemic to the Cherokee?
It could be a group that came up with it on its own based on resource needs and availability...but that seems pretty labor intensive for regular burials. Since they haven't found a lot of them, its possible that it was reserved for elite or 'special' members.
I wonder if there is some mention of how far down they were plowing when they found it...hmm.
But a lot of groups were traveling around that area, it could be a small colony of another culture group coming in and settling. That would depend on how strict territory boundaries were enforced.
Were strict were the Cherokee in this respect? Or have the mountains always been a pretty free-wheeling, come and go as you please kind of place?
As always, more questions than answers, which is what I am finding more and more with anthropology : ( sad times.
Pipsqeak, I've not read it yet. But, that area was heavily populated by the Cherokee. Dates are another thing. Outsiders could seek refuge of course as well as others would marry in...Usually captives. But, someone was here before the Cherokee. They ran someone off, and that was a long time ago. Maybe Gulahiyi has a source. My buddy Twister is from there, he might know something of the location.
Sad times...Cheer up. Who's Scoobie Doo without a mystery?
I figured you would appreciate that link, freak. :-) You're quite the renaissance man, AI. Oogling over chicks in boots and chatting about the Cherokees.
What kind of boots? Combat boots? You like them alternative, hard-core girls, App ; ) ...Although, I figure you have a different perspective on women in combat boots than I do...the ones I used to see weren't in the military.
Yeah, there were South Appalachian Mississippians who came up from South Carolina...and then there is the Siouan culture which is made up of several tribes who were in the piedmont and other places and even moved into the Mississippian's Town Creek after my people left.
Read a little bit of the Appalachian Summit book - it was trying to trace the roots of the pre-Cherokee peoples...and my thesis people are there, but so are other groups.
It's a interesting what you said about the Cherokee running them off...are there some legends surrounding this? From what I have found (which is little) my group seemed to leave prior to the Cherokee (or their ancestors) moving in...and that's why a lot of the modern Cherokee at the time of Contact had no idea what the mounds were or who had built them.
When did the Cherokee culture begin?
Now, to go get me some Scooby snacks...
There is nothing freakish nor alternative to women wearing boots. And, no it ain't combat boots either. I saw Martina McBride wore them too. Too bad I can't tell you what the lady sings. No, Murf, nothing freaky about that. Now Revolutionary War Shoes on the other hand...
Pipsqeak, yes they did expel someone from here, but possibly cohabitated with others in the general area for a period of time. The Cherokee built quite a few of the mounds, but not all. As I was told by Pat Lance Holden, most likely not the Cullowee Mound, which is gone now. There are/were tunnels under Western Carolina University. Very small tunnels. You ought to get James Mooney's Myths and Lore of the Cherokee and "Qualla, stories of the Middle Cherokee" by a man named Middleton. Author, if I remember right.
There were several groups of the Cherokee that migrated in after the invasion. That was surely in archaic times. They were not a culture, but a stock of people and they absorbed some people along the way too. It's a genetic Cherokee Trait, I believe, to be present oriented.
Judiculla Rock dates back 7000 years. Pat always told me it was an old earth.
Who is your "group"?
Hey, you're a military guy. You of all people should appreciate a hot pair of Revolutionary War shoes.
November sunsets in the mountains, with the trees bare, are beautiful! Nice thoughts!
More books to read over the winter break, it's good though - I am looking forward to quiet research with no multitude of papers and tests...it will be a nice break.
My group is the South Appalachian Mississippians...hopefully, fingers crossed, UNC will let me look at their skeletal collection from Town Creek. They had a lot of the Mississippian stuff (and just general prehistoric NC native remains) but they have been repatriating them back to the tribes for burial. Which is understandable and good...but I need to look at bones. So we will see how it works out.
Just glad this past week is over and I can sleep in tomorrow and then work on more papers...grad school is awesome.
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