HEARTS OF APPALACHIA PROJECT

Christmas at the Little Church Shared by Kelly from WV Church Christmas wasn’t fancy, but it was steady. The little church would be full in a way it never was the rest of the year; coats piled on pew ends and babies passed from arm to arm. Someone always ran the wood stove too hot, so folks near the front fanned themselves while the ones in the back kept their coats buttoned. The piano was a little out of tune, but nobody minded. The children practiced for weeks, whispering a

When the Barn Looked Like It Was on Fire Shared by Linda By daylight, it was just another familiar barn along the river. I was walking with my nephews when we saw the field light up ahead of us, and for just a second my heart jumped. From where we stood, it looked like the barn was on fire. I stopped short, staring, trying to make sense of it. The glow was strong and steady, lighting up the night in a way that didn’t feel right at first. But as we got closer, I realized what

A memory of Christmas morning before daylight I don’t remember anyone ever sleeping late on Christmas morning. Somebody always woke up first, and once that happened, it didn’t take long before the rest of us were up too. The floor was cold, and you could see your breath if you stood still too long, but nobody cared much about that. Mamaw would already be moving around, not fast, just steady, like she always did. Papaw usually came in behind her, rubbing his eyes and pretendin

When Christmas Came in the Mailbox Long before Amazon trucks rumbled down our hollers, Christmas arrived in a much quieter way — tucked in the mailbox between the electric bill and the coal company coupon. It was the Sears Christmas Wish Book , better known across the mountains as the Wish Book . That catalog didn’t just show things. It showed possibility . Mama would set it on the kitchen table like it was made of glass, smoothing the cover with her apron. The kids circled l