The Uwharrie Mountains

The Uwharrie Mountain Range runs through the counties of Stanly, Randolph, Davidson, and Montgomery Counties and has foothills in Anson, Union, and Cabarrus Counties of North Carolina. Scientist believe they were formed around 500 million years ago and were likely a coastal mountain range at first. At that time they stood about 20,000 feet at their peaks. By comparison, the highest peak in the Rockies is under 15,000 feet, and the Rockies are between 55 and 80 million years old.

Today the Uwharries are in the Carolina Piedmont, almost 200 miles from the coast. They are no longer tall, because erosion has worn them away over time. The highest peak sits atop High Rock Mountain and is a little under 1,200 feet. The mountains still hold artifacts of the native people who inhabited them for years.

This area is also part of the Uwharrie National Forest, which was cleared at one time for its timber and as farmland. However, in 1961, President Kennedy designated it as a U.S. National Forest, and the woodlands have come back. In fact, during deer season, hunters abound there.

In my soon-to-be-released, second historical novel, Sown in Dark Soil, the Uwharrie Mountains are mentioned as ones familiar to Leah on her journey west. However, she finds the Appalachian Mountains much more stunning when she gets to the Boone area.

(As with Cleared for Planting, all my profits from this book will go to a scholarship fund for missionary children.)

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Indians of the North Carolina Coast

Many small Native American groups lived on the coast of North Carolina. Over the years, some of the tribes became a part of other groups, and the names even changed, so information may seem uncertain or confusing.

These Indians belonged to the Algonquin language group. Some of the tribes in the Manteo area were the Roanoke, Hatteras, Mattamuskeet, Machapunga, and Croatan. You may remember the famed Lost Colony had carved "Croatan" on a tree before they disappeared, and it's always been a mystery as to exactly what that meant.

All of the groups fished, hunted, and gathered, and the Atlantic Ocean furnished many of their needs. Most of them also cultivated crops. They lived in huts or longhouses. All of the tribes lived on the mainland and visited the Outer Banks from time to time, except the Croatan. They were the only group to make their homes on the island.

Life was more difficult, because the different groups often warred against each other. Of course, the events that changed their lives the most came with the white man. You can learn more of these groups and how they lived at places like Roanoke Festival Park.

Roanoke Festival Park
1 Festival Park, Manteo, NC
252-475-1500
FestivalParkInformation@ncdcr.gov

Open March 1 - December 31, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (closed holidays)

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In God We Trust

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

Around July 4th, we often look at how this country began. History classes have taught most of us that this country was founded, at least in part, by those seeking a place of freedom to express their faith in God. With a little research, I can cite example after example of our founding fathers giving God the praise and glory.

The phrase "In God we trust" first appeared on our coins in 1864, toward the end of the Civil War. The tragedies of Americans fighting and killing Americans made people realize they needed God more than ever. The words were added to the paper money in 1955 and was signed into law by President Eisenhower, who still remembered the horrors of World War II. 

In 1814, during another war, Francis Scott Key penned a similar phrase, as he wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner," which would become our national anthem. In the last stanza, we sing, "And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust.'"

Does America still trust in God? Or have we turned from our Creator and Sustainer? In all the great fallen civilizations, their decline came with moral decay. Is that where the United States is headed? Christians are at fault for not being the witnesses and disciples we were commanded to be. We became complacent, thought everything was just fine, and didn't heed God's call. We didn't pass our faith on to future generations the way the Bible tells us. Many thought just taking their children to church was enough. Shallow faith leads to little faith, which eventually becomes no faith.

It's time for Christians to stand boldly, but in love, for what is right with Christ guiding us. If our nation keeps going down the path it seems to be headed, there will soon come a time when you will have to decide whether to profess your faith and suffer the immediate consequences or keep quiet and suffer the eternal ones. In that day, there will be no lukewarm Christians. 

Yesterday we celebrated our Independence Day. We appreciate our freedom, and the freedom to worship is an important one. Faith (or lack of it) cannot be legislated; it is a matter of the heart. Let's begin to fervently pray that America's heart will turn back to God. Then and only then will we be able to maintain our greatness in the world and the blessings we've been enjoying.

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Designing a Cover

Although I've worked with a different editor on each of my two books, I've had the same graphic designer, and I really like her. I appreciate her flexibility and her eagerness to get things right. She wants to satisfy the author and the readers. I have a little bit of an art background - perhaps just enough to be dangerous. At least I've dabbled in many forms of arts and crafts. I usually envision what I want and look to the expert to guide the design.

On the first book, Cleared for Planting, the initial cover design didn't look anything like what I'd imagined. I had not pictured Emma in Cherokee dress on the front. I was so surprised that I didn't like it at first. The mountains at the top was what I'd thought would look good but not Emma. However, the more I considered it, the more I liked it. It did go with the book, since Emma had been captured by the Cherokee and lived with them for several months. It also stood out as different than most other novels at the time, and that could be good for sales. And, it was attractive. Hannah was willing to do another design and said she had other ideas, but I told her I'd decided to go with this one. I had grown to love it. As it turned out, this was a good decision.

With Sown in Dark Soil, Hannah sent two possible drafts. One showed Ivy, the older Morgan sister, and the other showed Leah, the younger one. I didn't like either. Ivy looked at least in her thirties, and she was nineteen in the book. With fair skin and braided hair worn in a Scandinavian style, Leah didn't look anything like she was described in the novel, and I'd seen this picture used on other book covers. Hannah agreed to work on another and sent me several stock photos to consider. I narrow it down to two possible choices right away. One showed two young women sitting on a sofa. With a little editing, they could look like Leah and Ivy. The other showed a woman standing in front of a field, and this could very much be Leah. I favored the last one but asked four other family members what they thought. They all separately agreed that the second one was the best. Hannah then inserted mountains in the background and worked up the cover you see here. There's a scene in the book, where Luke shows Leah the mountain farm, that this goes with so well. I love it! I hope you will, too. 

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Magnolias

Magnolia blossoms come from a flowering tree, and its so prevalent in the South, it has almost become a Southern symbol. It's the state flower of Mississippi and Louisiana. Most magnolia blossoms are white, but there are other colors, like pink, purple, red, or yellow.

The plant is ancient and it's believed to have existed before bees. Its fossils have been dated back as far as 95 million years. The tree is indigenous to parts of Asia and the Americas, but it's now grown in many other places because of its beauty. There are websites and information available to help you pick the right magnolia for you and your location. Care guides are also easy to find.

Remarkably, there are both evergreen and deciduous magnolias. There's also many hybrid varieties. The trees like sun to partial shade. They do better if planted in a damp cool season, as opposed to hot and dry, because the root system will be healthier. They don't need pruning, but you can do so if desired. Actually with a minimal amount of care, magnolias provide an abundance of beauty.

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Charleston by Carriage

A slow-paced, guided carriage ride through Charleston, South Carolina's historic district is a good way to learn about its history. Charleston is a city that should be savored and taken at a leisurely pace. 

The city is an old one - the oldest in South Carolina. It was established in 1670 and names Charles Town in honor of King Charles II of England. The town formed around the harbor on an inlet where the Ashley and Cooper Rivers empty into the Atlantic Ocean. It's a city filled with rich history, distinctive architecture, and Southern hospitality. By 1680, Charles Town was the fifth largest city in North America. In 1783, it changed its name to Charleston.

The old Southern homes have been well-preserved, and it's easy to image earlier times. Traditional wrought iron railings and fencing were often donated to be made into weapons and ammunition during the Civil War. They were usually replaced with wooden structures, some of which were painted black to resemble the original iron works.

The area has a long growing season, and the vegetation is lush. Mid-summer temperatures can be steamy, but winters are mild, and springs and falls are comfortable. The favorable conditions encouraged agriculture, and Charleston was a hub of business and social activity for the surrounding farms and plantations.

Although most of the traditional Charleston homes are white with black shutters, Charleston is painted in a rainbow of colors. In fact, the oldest home there is the Pink House, built around 1700. Rainbow Row has houses in a kaleidoscope of colors. A carriage ride will give you time to enjoy it all.

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Craigdarroch Castle

The impressive home contains 39 rooms in its 25,000 plus square-feet, covering four floors. There's 87 steps in the stairs to the tower where you can view the city of Victoria, Canada, the Olympic Mountains, and the bay. The Victorian mansion, built between 1887 and 1890, is a fine example of what became

known of as a "bonanza castle," an opulent home built by a wealthy industrialist. It is believed to have cost around half a million dollars when it was built - an unheard of cost for that day. It included granite shipped from British Columbia, tile from San Francisco, and an oak staircase preconstructed in Chicago. The mansion originally sat on 26 acres and included a formal, English garden. Not bad for a Scottish immigrant!

Robert Dunsmuir came to the area as an immigrant from Scotland and made his fortune from the coal on Vancouver Island. He amassed huge wealth, as his home reflects. From the detailed stained glass windows and exquisite woodwork to all the modern conveniences of his day and elegant furnishings, the house is a wonder to see. Robert died in 1889, leaving his entire estate to his wife, Joan, and she lived in the home until her death in 1908.

Today the castle is owned by the Craigdarroch Castle Historical Museum Society, a private, non-profit organization. It is open to the public for an admission fee. In fact, the historical site has around 150,000 visitors a year, and, despite this fact, isn't all that well-known. It's certainly a site worth visiting.

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