Open Letter to My Blog

Dear Blog,

Do you remember me? I used to visit here every day but lately my visits have fallen off. Not because I don't think of you. I've just been other places, and many of these other places did not have internet access so I could not stop by and let you know where I've been or what I've been doing. I promise to do better now that the past two crazy weeks are done.

Here's proof that I wasn't just goofing off:

Even with the busyness of storytelling these past weeks, I still managed to find time to make pickled (more like candied!) crabapples with my granddaughter Grace:

 

Here's Grace, checking out the progress on the new log room we're building (slowly building):

 

 

The "cow house in Morgantown, which we saw after my performance there. Calling all Holsteins!

 

At Jackson's Mill for the WV State Storytelling Festival, with a portrait of Stonewall looking over us:

 

On the way to Dixie (WV) early Friday morning. The fog was just beginning to rise as the sun filtered through.

More cows! At Dixie Elementary's Appalachian Heritage Day a youngster tries her hand at milking:

 

 

Our friends Ron and Wendy Perrone of Three Rivers Avian Center were also at Dixie Elementary to present their educational program on birds of prey.

 

We took a different route home from Dixie, traveling Route 16 to Route 4 to Route 36 to Route 119 to Route 33. At the junction of Route 36 and Interstate 79, we came upon this sobering reminder of a tragedy that occured on August 31st:

 

 

This was where two state troopers were killed by a young man they'd pulled over for erratic driving and possession of a possible stolen vehicle. The shooting resulted in a massive manhunt and another deputy was wounded and the young man was shot and killed. So tragic, and so unnecessary. Words cannot describe how it felt to see this extemporaneous memorial. Just so very sad. For everyone impacted by such an incomprehensible event.

 

We were up and out early again on Saturday morning to drive to Moundsville. It was taping day for my voice-over for a video to be made about the historic Cockayne Farmstead in Glen Dale, just outside of Moundsville. It felt just right to do the recording in the "winter kitchen" where Sam Cockayne, the last owner and resident of the house, spent his last years.

 

After an excellent lunch at Young's Cafeteria, we headed back down the Ohio River.

 

 

Alien-looking orbs sit in a construction site between Sistersville and Moundsville, WV. Apparently these are part of a major natural gas processing plant being built to handle all the gas being produced by the Marcellus shale drilling in the area. That's just my guess though and I'd welcome any clarification.

 

 

 

 Our next destination was Sistersville to prepare for the WV Storytelling Guild's Ghost Stories concert at the Gaslight Theater. Owner Terry Wiley made the stage look perfect for the event, reflective of a 19th century writer's studio and the kinds of props he or she might have had on hand for story inspiration:

 

 

I especially liked this rocking horse:

 

 The concert was excellent; I'll post more about it later. We headed back home afterwards, and after a stop for groceries (at 11:00pm--really, who does that?) we were home just before midnight.

Today, dear Blog, I rested! We got up at 10:30, ate breakfast around noon, spent much time on the porch, working a jigsaw puzzle and drinking coffee, then watched a movie. Now Larry is sleeping and I plan to join him as soon as I post this.

And I promise to be a more faithful visitor in the days to come. Really.

Susanna

Copyright 2012 Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.