One of the things that Tom and I have always enjoyed doing is playing board games. I grew up with a family that played lots of games: Yahtzee, Aggravation, and Chutes and Ladders were just a few of our favorites. When we would get together with extended family – cousins – we would play more …
From March 2016
Prophets and Moguls, Rangers and Rogues, Bison and Bears
“Prophets and Moguls, Rangers and Rogues, Bison and Bears” is the title of a new book about the history of the National Park Service (NPS). 2016 is the 100th birthday of the National Park Service, so I read the book eagerly. I thought it would be easy to find a book about the history …
Gorges State Park, North Carolina
On our adventure day last week, Tom and I, and our nephew Devon and his girlfriend Darien who were visiting, headed to Gorges State Park in North Carolina. Devon said he had never been to the Smoky Mountains, so we drove the two hours west to the mountains. Gorges State Park is a relatively new …
Dogwood Tree Legend
The dogwood trees are, indeed, blooming here in South Carolina. In the south, the dogwood trees are a special symbol of Easter, because they usually bloom in early April. With Easter early this year, there was some discussion about whether or not they would bloom in time. But suddenly, from bare branches last week, the …
Battle of Kings Mountain
This week we move on to a Revolutionary War battle that hits Tom and me where we live: the Battle of Kings Mountain. If you read this blog at all, you know that we have now spent almost three months volunteering at Kings Mountain National Military Park. There are only a dozen people that know …
The Ghost of Kings Mountain?
We had a first this week at Kings Mountain: a visitor brought in an unusual picture she took out on the trail. Could it be the Ghost of Kings Mountain? The other pictures she took with her phone camera, those directly in front and behind this picture, were perfectly clear and recognizable. But this one …
Mary Jo’s Cloth Store
“We’ll just go to Mary Jo’s.” When Tom and I first arrived at Kings Mountain and got the assignment to build our topographic map, we realized that we would need a large piece of felt. The cloth that had already been purchased was a broadcloth and the velcroed soldiers wouldn’t stick to it. We needed …
March is Springing Up
March is springing up all over North and South Carolina. For the last three months we have been enjoying daffodils bravely pushing against the cold. But now the redbud and pear trees are blossoming and the wildflowers are coming out. Sunday was technically the first day of spring. In Ohio it was a date that …
When Jesus Doesn’t Meet Expectations
Sometimes, as we go through Holy Week, we wonder how the cheering crowds on Sunday could turn into jeering crowds by Friday. The same people who shouted “Blessed be the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” also shouted “Crucify him!” The words seem like opposite responses to the same person. But they …
The Overmountain Men
Before I move on to the next battle in South Carolina, we need to discuss the Overmountain Men. These men were central characters in the Battle of Kings Mountain but some background is needed so you can understand who they were. I have already discussed the difference between the regular army and the militia – …