Blog Archive

From Hollers to Hilltops, Morningstar Shines Bright The wild people and wonderful stories of West Virginia have a unique voice in Mike Morningstar. The state native (and legend in many parts) will bring his folksy and straightforward storytelling to Greenbrier County, performing at Stuart’s Smokehouse in Alderson, WV on Sunday, June 2 at 9pm. Mike […]

Wisdom from the Woods –Life lessons learned from being around distrustful people. I’m not sure what life event causes someone to become wary of the world but I suspect it’s very draining to live that way. Always seeking clues for motives that don’t exist is a relentlessly disappointing endeavor. In the end, no one wants […]

Wisdom from the Woods –Life lessons learned from being around a kitchen full of seasoned country cooks. While enjoying ramps this spring, I had a revelation. Ramps have a bad reputation. The indigenous delicacy represents the wonderful spirit of West Virginia perfectly. It’s an uncommon delight that grows wild in the mountains and leaves a […]

Wisdom from the Woods –Life lessons learned from being around snobbish people. Living simple makes lots more sense. The greatest advantage West Virginians have is how ignorant we let people think we are. Dumb folks wouldn’t have the good sense to live here. It’s just a shrewd ruse meant to keep the riffraff away. How […]

“Wisdom from the Woods” –Life lessons learned from being around hospitable people. Acts of kindness aren’t random at all. I’d sooner be needy, hungry and broke down in WV than anywhere else in the world, ‘cause I know someone is gonna help me, feed me and fix me, probably all in the same dang day. […]

Wisdom from the Woods” –Life lessons learned from being around thoughtless people. Kindness becomes valueless when given to worthless people. If equivalent effort isn’t applied at both ends of a king gesture, it profits no one. Certainly, the giver gets satisfaction from doing something good, but diminishing returns over time quickly bankrupt a person’s cache […]

“Life Lessons Learned from being around wary people.” The plunge hurts a little, but I respect anyone who cuts the cord and doesn’t leave you hanging. I’ve learned, it’s better to keep your feet close to the ground than have higher expectations of an average person who is incapable or reaching too far. – Jim […]

My yard is a beautifully landscaped oasis of flowers, ivy, and lush green hostas as far as the eye can see. At least, that’s what the yard was like when I bought the place. It was a big part of what made me fall in love with the house, but I didn’t think about the […]

I miss my neighbor’s rooster. Wait. Let me start again. I am not a morning person. I don’t return a “Good morning!” with a “Yeah, what’s so good about it?!” (OK. Maybe just once.), but I’m not chomping at the bit to see the sun rise, either. Lately, I have been wearing out the snooze […]

I’d like to share with you the story of one of 6 test drives I undertook recently. At first it was all very predictable. Before I picked a vehicle to take out, he showed me the different trim packages and explained why theirs are better than all the other cars on the road. Sure, sure. […]