One of the fun things about living in a National Park site is the wildlife. The Cumberland Gap wildlife has been abundant and fun this summer. And no, I don’t mean the locals partying at the Pinnacle at midnight. These are the animals I have seen at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park this summer. Although …
From National Parks
New Every Morning
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 This summer, on the mornings that I don’t work, I walk to Middlesboro, Kentucky. I usually head out sometime between 7:30 and 8 and it takes me about 45 …
Saving a Hoary Bat
A couple of weeks ago I was instrumental in saving a hoary bat. I was walking to work on a Saturday morning and saw what I assumed to be a curled up leaf on the road. It was a big leaf, so I stepped a little closer to see it. When I came up to …
Middle Creek National Battlefield
Tom and I recently stopped by to visit Middle Creek National Battlefield in Prestonburg, Kentucky. We were heading to Ohio via US 23 and looking for interesting things to explore. Pikeville, Kentucky was our first stop. Pikeville is the county seat of Pike County. Despite only having 8,000 residents, it is the biggest city around …
Hanging Out in the Tri-State Area
One of the things that Tom and I really enjoy about the Tri-State Area is all the opportunities we have for hanging out. We recently had a ranger who left because of “Appalachian Isolation.” He had some reasons to feel that way, but it isn’t something that Tom and I have experienced. We are more …
Teacher Workshop and a Busy Weekend
Last weekend we had a teacher workshop on Saturday at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. That, alone, would have made the weekend busy, but there were many other things going on as well. On Thursday the Levitt Concerts in Middlesboro returned. This is a 10-week series of free concerts held in downtown Middlesboro. This first …
Cumberlands Everywhere
I recently had a visitor tell me she was so glad to be here in Cumberland. Could I please tell her how to get to the tunnel that had a canal through it? This part of the world isn’t known for its canals, so I asked a few questions, hoping to understand what she wanted. …
Tri-State Outdoor Fest
In July, Tom and I worked at the Tri-State Outdoor Fest as representatives of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. We had done this two years ago, but our job was a little different this time. The Tri-State Outdoor Fest is a celebration of all the things there are to do outdoors in the Tri-State Area. …
Boone Trace Commemoration
One Saturday in June, Tom and I joined Ranger Layton in a park vehicle to drive to Boonesboro, Kentucky for the finale of the Boone Trace Commemoration. 2025 marked 250 years since Daniel Boone and his axemen cleared and marked the trail leading into Kentucky. The Boone Trace Commemoration started on April 23 in Kingsport, …
Relaxing with Friends and Activity
Last week I wrote about the work Tom and I are doing at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. This week I am writing about relaxing. Relaxing and doing chores. Relaxing, doing chores, and hiking. Well, you know what I mean. One of the really nice things about coming back to Cumberland Gap is already knowing …