Fragments From Floyd

Fred,

caught your show this morning. excellent. the idea of finding your geographical place resonates with me. after 20 years in the af, moving every 2-3 years, i moved here to sw va. i had known that my great-grandfather moved to nc from va, but hadn't known where in va. looked it up and was surprised to find he was from christiansburg. further research led me to my great*5 grandfather's gravesite at the Hall's United Methodist Church on North Fork Road in Ironto (he was a co-founder of the church).

so, in some sense, this is home for me too.

by the way, on our last ride through Alleghany Springs, we spotted the viney gazebo. thanks for the pointers.

salmon sense.... i liked that. i share your love for these mountains too. living away from them for 10 years about did me in i think. i hope to stay married to them forever too.

rock on fred!

Fred-
I listened to your broadcast this morning as I drove from Waynesboro, Va to Charlottesville- where I am in grad. school. I completely identify with your sense of "coming home" to Virginia. I grew up in Kansas and Missouri and knew even as a child- that was not the place for me. I went to College at Mary Baldwin- just over the River and through the woods in this pristine and beautiful place just within the Appalachin mountains. I now drive daily over Afton mountain and the natural beauty I witness every day of the changing seasons, and the response to new weather is spiritually fulfilling. There are days, when I drive over Afton mountain that the valley below is filled with white fog and I, above them, driving am in brilliant sunlight- amazing. I love the sounds of the birds in the otherwise silent morning and the sounds of the frogs and nightlife when it is dark... anyway...
What a well-written essay! And what a neat site- your photos are EXCELLENT- I have been experimenting with a new Nikon SLR and a crappy digital but seeing your work intimidates me~
Crystal Scott-Whitlow

We loved the broadcast, Fred and can strongly identify with feeling Virginia is definitely our home - visually, spiritually and involving all our senses!

Your love of this land fortunately comes out in your wonderful writing and photography.

Fred,

I found your comments this morning at once both beautiful and bittersweet. As a transplanted Australian, and almost yearly shuttled from one place to another as a youngster, I have lived a kind of bifurcated life in which the sense of 'home' and 'place' has always eluded me. Really, such a sense has never been much more than some idealistic lure of what might be--a kind of existential horizon, I suppose.

However, Central and Southern Virginia have always been an antidote to this un-homely way of living and being for me. Happily (and this is why I was especially moved by your thoughts), it appears that we will be moving in your direction before very long; and I am sure that the experience you described so wonderfully this morning will also be true for me and my family.

Thanks. KG

phooey ... I came late to the party and missed hearing you. From the comments above, it sounds like it was a good one, too. Guess I better pay closer attention next time. *grin*

Was uplifted by your essay on Friday and so wanted to share it with my husband. We came here less than a year ago and while we left Maine reluctantly, we are drawn close to Floyd County. Why such a long wait to see your writing?

Glad to find your site. . .

Appreciate you sending the link my way.

I thoroughly enjoyed your discourse, and even though I've never been particularly wedded to any one place, (having moved constantly throughout my life), your description of HOME made me yearn for that singular connection; that knowing. What started as a testament to the search for that place called home, soon became an ode to your affection for your beloved. That "til death do us part" ending was especially poignant, and it perfectly concluded your vow of dedication to this place you call home.

This was great stuff, fred. Always is, and I surely do appreciate you taking the time to share it with us.

It was only by the merest coincidence that I happened to hear your essay as it was broadcast on Friday, April 30. There have been few times when I have so fully identified with a writer's sentiments. I would love to read the essay or hear it again, and to share it with my wife, but I understand that I will have to wait until it is published sometime next year. If you have a mailing list that you will use to announce the book's publication, then please add my name to that list.

I also missed the broadcast last week, Fred. Can you tell us where we can read it? Or do we have to wait for Da Book, hmmmmm?