January 2015

Appalachian Storyteller Festivals

Ray Access — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 23:40:19 +0000

Storytelling is an Appalachian art form. Before the Internet, before television, before telephones and radio, before even newspapers made the scene, storytelling was one of the best forms of entertainment. People huddled together on the front porch, around a wood stove, at the general store or anywhere a few people could congregate to hear someone tell a fresh tale.

Ray’s Got His Way with Weather

Ray Access — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 23:30:07 +0000

Nevermind the local news weather forecast, his fans proclaim, Dr. Ray Russell and his team have a knack for predicting our crazy Southern Appalachian weather. Learn more about him here!

History Comes Alive Through Stories

Ray Access — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 23:20:05 +0000

Gary Ray grew up in Weaverville, North Carolina, the son of a tobacco farmer and local builder. His daddy, Frederick Prince “Dan” Ray, had a hand in many of the buildings that grace the Appalachian city of Asheville. Gary was the middle son of three children who lived a stone’s throw away from his grandparents and spent weekends and holidays with a slew of relatives on both sides.

Chop Wood, Carry Water

Ray Access — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 23:10:43 +0000

Zen masters tell their students: “Before enlightenment: chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment: chop wood, carry water.” Chopping and stacking wood, as well as carrying water, are acts that are at once both art and science.

Asheville Cabins of Willow Winds

Ray Access — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 23:00:53 +0000

An Exceptional Stay in a Vibrant Appalachian City!

Pop It: The long and short of popcorn

Ray Access — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 22:40:40 +0000

Appalachian settlers either got their first taste of popcorn from their Native American neighbors or, more likely, they brought it with them from the east, where their ancestors first learned about the food from the first Indians they encountered on that long-ago first Thanksgiving.

Mountain State Brewery

Ray Access — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 22:30:13 +0000

Brewing is burning it up in Appalachia. And West Virginia, in the heart of the Appalachians, has a microbrewery and beer distributor of its very own too. Mountain State Brewery opened its doors in 2005 and now boasts three locations in Morgantown and Thomas, as well as a brewery and pub in Deep Creek, Maryland.

Socks: Good as New and Newer Trends

Ray Access — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 22:20:26 +0000

The art of darning, particularly popular with thick, woolen socks, has rapidly deteriorated over the centuries. Now that cheap, easily replaced socks are widely available, one doesn’t need to spend hours recreating the original curved toes of a sock or reinforcing the rapidly thinning swerve of a heel. Instead, we just go buy new ones when a hole appears.

Appalachian Ski Lodge Roundup

Ray Access — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 22:10:34 +0000

Curious about ski options around central Appalachian? Look no further!

Robert Lee Coleman: Appalachian Bluesman

Ray Access — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 22:00:56 +0000

Appalachian Bluesman

The northern hills of Georgia, shining bright with the blue ridges of the southernmost tips of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is not necessarily known as a hotbed of blues music. But in its day, Macon and other Georgia towns were just that. And no one delivers the blues from the Blue Ridge better than Georgia native Robert Lee Coleman.

Classic Blues Meet the Mountains

Red Birds, White Snow

Ray Access — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 21:50:33 +0000

It’s not uncommon to see bear and wild turkeys in the months leading up to the winter, but the sights that stick with you are the flashes of red against the backdrop of winter woods.

Movies Made in Appalachia

Ray Access — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 21:43:44 +0000

Nearly everyone will recognize The Hunger Games movie but so many other movies were filmed in here in the Southern Appalachians. Here are a few of them!