Monday, August 4, 2014

Celebrating the Beauty of a Trip "Back Home"


Welcome, all!  I'm so glad you came to sit a spell with me as I share my first ever post here on Appalroot Farm!  Can you tell I'm just the least little bit excited?!  I've got so many ideas and inspirations that I'm looking forward to sharing with you.  Let me tell you, it has been a challenge and a half to pick which one to start with!  But all things have a beginning, you know.  And the beginning sounds like as good a place as any to begin this blog! (After that sentence, I know you're thinking, "Bless her heart, this lady must be a case!")  Of course, in our case, the beginning I'm speaking of is Appalachia.  If you're reading this blog, I'm just going to assume that some part of your past…or, if I may, your "beginning," is rooted somewhere in those beautiful southern Appalachian mountains.  So, first and foremost, I'm going to encourage you to get back to those roots…literally!

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to do just that...revisit my Appalachian roots in person.  I am so blessed to still be able to travel to my grandparents' little farm tucked away in a very special corner of the Eastern Kentucky Appalachian foothills. So many days of my childhood were spent playing on that farm on one of our many trips back "home" with my mom and dad.  My dear mamaw and papaw are now gone, but my aunt (who I just have to stop and say is the very epitome of all things good, gracious, and oh so sweet about southern hospitality) still resides at the old home place.

Me with Aunt "Oh So Sweet" on the old front porch in Kentucky
And now one of the best parts of still going back is getting to share the beauty of those hills with my husband and children.  I mean, really...have you ever stopped and noticed just how breathtakingly beautiful Appalachia truly is...I mean really noticed?





Maybe you've been there what seems like a thousand times, maybe you were born there, maybe you haven't been back since you were a kid, or maybe your roots are there but you've never stepped foot in Appalachia.  Whatever your situation may be, I hope you will get an opportunity to visit Appalachia soon to take note of that beauty in person...but if not in person, maybe at least in heart, through this post and others you may read.  There is nothing like a trip back to remind yourself what a lovely region it really is.  What a special gift God gave us to be rooted in such a pretty and stunning place...so don't forget to celebrate that by returning as often as you can!



And, I don't know about you, but when I travel somewhere, I like to take something back home with me as a souvenir.  So why not capture a little piece of Appalachia's beauty to take home with you on your next trip? One of my favorite things to do is add little touches of mountain culture to my home's decor.  Those little touches sure can be like a big old hug if I'm having a bad day.  One fun and simple way I've added a touch of my Appalachian heritage to my home is with photos done in canvas prints.  The great thing about this idea is that you don't have to be particularly crafty to pull it off…and it's relatively easy to capture some great shots with just a few pointers.  And even if you find yourself with nothing but your iPhone on your next trip to Appalachia…'cause let's face it, not all of us are professional photographers (and that includes little old me)…there are still ways to capture a "decor worthy" photo.  This easy to understand article has some great tips for iPhone photo taking http://www.macworld.com/article/2155302/ten-rules-for-great-iphone-photography.html.

Here is my canvas print "tribute" to my Appalachian roots.


This display hangs in my family room where I can enjoy it often.


Okay, you're probably wondering what's up with the photo on the left.  No, you're right, it's not in Appalachia.


 My sweetheart of a husband (who I oh so lovingly have dubbed "city boy," even though he was born and raised in a smaller town than I was) is from northern Ohio…and of course he just couldn't be left out.  That photo is from his hometown, and the other two are from my mamaw and papaw's old farm in Kentucky.



 I kind of like how it's a blend of the two of us up on the wall.  It's like my version of home decor fusion cuisine…or something like that!

Anyhow, if you want to try the canvas prints for your own Appalachian photos, there are so many places where you can order them.  Snapfish is a great site with a canvas option http://www.snapfish.com/snapfish/home-decor/personalized-photo-canvases.  But many store photo departments offer canvas prints as well, including Walmart http://photos.walmart.com/walmart/storepage/storePageId=Wall+Art.  And you can personalize the effects to match your taste…black and white, sepia, color, etc.  And bonus...there's no frame you have to purchase! It's the little things that count now, you know!


So I hope you have fun putting together your own canvas prints of a special place you know about, or just happen to discover on your next trip to the mountains! I would love to hear from you, so don't forget to drop me a comment and let me know what you find to be the most beautiful and "photo worthy" scenes and aspects of Appalachia.

 Oh, and let me know how your trip "back home" went, too!

Hope you'll join me next post as I continue to share more tips, ideas, and inspiration for celebrating our unique (and don't forget BEAUTIFUL) mountain heritage!









6 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed reading your post, I too grew up in Appalachia and have a passion for the people and the mountians of home. Do you mind me asking what county this was? Your aunt looks so familiar to me. Looks like Magoffin where I grew up...

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    1. Yes, Becky, it is Magoffin! I am so glad you enjoyed the post! Hope you'll come back and read more as I post in the future. You can follow Appalroot Farm on Facebook at www.facebook.com/appalrootfarm
      It was good to hear from you! :)

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    2. Becky she taught many years along with her brother at Magoffin Co. High School. Have in clues now? One more clue she taught English and her brother taught Science.

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    3. Have any clues now?

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  2. Becky, Thank you for taking me with you! I'm not able to travel and I feel like I was right there with you! I can't wait to travel down "south" as we aleays called it ir as mom and dad called it " goin home!" Thank you!

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    1. Oops! It's actually, Lorene...but Becky's name is mentioned a few times above, so that is an easy thing to do when typing. :) Lord knows I've done that a thousand times myself when writing something! I'm so glad you enjoyed the post! Blessings!

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