A Good Place and Time

In the Appalachians

I grew up in Wilkes County, North Carolina, in the 50's and 60's. I called it the foothills, but flatlanders call it the mountains. My parents, however, came from Watauga County, and most of my relatives still live there. I definitely consider my heritage Appalachian, because that's the lifestyle I lived.

Mother's churn

In fact, my lifestyle would have fit a much earlier time period. In some ways, it was more like the 1800's. However, we did get a radio when I was about five and had electricity and a refrigerator as far back as I can remember, so maybe early 1900's. Yet, we had a well in the backyard for several years. I can remember when Daddy put running water into the house. He always did any work himself. It was still a few more years before he installed a bathroom to take the place of the outhouse, but we didn't have a hot water heater for years. Mama cooked on a wood stove until I went to college. They remodeled the kitchen and got an automatic washer and dryer when I talked of inviting friends home with me.

Old Wilkes County Court House

Wilkes County was without a doubt behind the times then. I didn't know any difference when I was growing up. Now, I appreciate that fact. It grounded me in old-fashioned principles, like living up to your word, doing your best in everything, relying on God, never thinking you are better than anyone else, treating others as you want to be treated, and accepting responsibility. I wasn't the only one either. In looking at my classmates today, many have these same values. 

I learned to improvise, brainstorm, and view things from different angles. Living like this gave me a love of history, folk studies, and reading. It also gave me a wealth of experiences and information to draw from when I write, especially for my historical novels. I feel truly blessed.

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