Kudzu

 

Kudzu is an aggressive vine that has the ability to grow a foot a day and smother everything in its path. This native of Asia is a legume and was introduced to the United States in 1876, and now covers more than 2.8 million square km of the South.  Some sources call it "the vegetable form of cancer!"    http://www.jjanthony.com/kudzu/

Our Relief Society President, Cathy McClanahan, had the brilliant idea of making wreaths out of kudzu vines... an economical resource [FREE] consistent with our theme of "provident living."

First we stripped the leaves off kudzu vine and wrapped it around re-bar stakes to form various shapes: ovals, hearts, and stars.  We let the vine dry for two weeks and during this time gathered embellishments found in nature:  Sugar cane seed, teasel, cucumber tree pods, walnut hulls, pine cones, and chestnuts.

When we finished decorating our wreaths, we were very pleased.  This is mine...now hanging on our front door.  Each element has a history and fond memory:

• The Sugar cane seeds were gathered at The Breaks Interstate Park the day Cathy took me to the annual molasses stir-off.
• Cucumber tree seed pods picked up on a day hike in Burke's Garden when John Thomas visited from BYU-Idaho to research his Heninger family history.
• Chestnuts from the church parking lot
• Teasel, found in abundance everywhere-- whose root is recommended as treatment for Lyme disease
• Walnuts from Cathy's front yard
• The bow donated and tied by Teresa Reynolds...Debbie Clifton's mother

-- I love Autumn and all the colors of fall --

October Surprise...

October 30, 2012

We awoke this morning to our southwest Virginia's response to

"Superstorm Sandy" that slammed the east coast overnight.

Cold air coming east from the jet stream collided with the warm winds of the tropical storm

and dumped more than 10 inches of snow on our doorstep  in a rare October blizzard.

A winter wonderland for this Arizona boy.

The mission told all of us to stay indoors, so our Young Elders helped

us call Branch members to check on status of power and heat.

Only those living on mountain tops lost electricity initially:  Keen Mountain,

Compton Mountain and Horne Mountain folks.

However, at 8:44 PM power went out in our neighborhood and we cuddled in layers of clothes
to keep warm all night. We awoke Halloween day...32 degrees outside, 53 degrees inside.

Cleo Van Dyke, our landlord, left her husband's bedside
 who is convalescing from three brain cancer surgeries, to bring us a propane space heater.
What wonderful people they are.
Much to our relief, central heat and running hot water returned 24 hours later.

Hurricane Sandy is being dubbed the "Storm of the Century" and has left millions

without power, transportation, and normalcy.  New Jersey and New York hit the hardest.

We feel so protected.

Our apartment deck railing is about as wide as a gymnastic balance beam

and this is the most snow accumulation we have seen in the 13 months we have been in Virginia.

[ We hoped Elder Butler was able to make his snow angel that eluded him all last winter! ]

Yesterday was autumn

Today is winter

Tomorrow we hope for sunshine!

The Late Unpleasantness...

Our mission travels take us all over southwest Virginia.

We marvel at the number of monuments we find honoring the Confederate effort in what is known as:

"The Northern Aggression"

"The War Between the States"

or most Southernly tactful of all...

"The Late Unpleasantness"

Never is it referred to as "Civil War"...because as one southern belle put it,

there was nothing "civil" about it!

Honaker, Russell County, Virginia

Town center

480 miles...

Look what 480 miles and a determined, dedicated daughter brought to our house!

Caroline Ruth .. 7 months of happiness



President Pitt invited Kimberly to participate in Zone Conference,
dedicated to the topic of "Divine Companionships."
Jonah thought the Pembroke Stake nursery was fun too.

After missionary training, we built sand castles at Cedar Bluff Critterville.

Jonah demonstrated his balance and skill as a tight rope artist.

Lots of fun chatter with Grandpa...and then ... 
another 480 miles and a very tired momma took everyone back to Tuscaloosa.
Hugs and smiles...never to be forgotten.
Thank-you, Kimberly!

Burke's Garden...

 

 This week Cathy McClanahan took me for a day hike on the Appalachian Trail in Tazwell County above Burke's Garden.  We found vivid tree fungi of the brightest orange.

Some history of the church in this area

The Church News reported 175 members of the church living in Burke's Garden in 1843, with Jedediah M. Grant appointed to preside over the Virginia Conference--as mission districts were then known. Missionaries serving in Virginia during this time usually traveled without "purse or scrip," meaning that they had to rely on the hospitality of the local people for food and lodging. Missionaries found it easier to live this principle in the rural areas rather than in the cities because of the hospitality of the country people, resulting in a predominantly rural membership.

In 1857 missionary David O. Rideout reported that "'Mormonism' is spreading in this county [Tazewell County] fast amidst great persecution." He reported being tarred and feathered while attempting to spread the gospel. Missionary work stopped at the outset of the Civil War in 1861 and did not resume until the Reconstruction era.

J. Golden Kimball was called as president of the Southern States Mission from 1891 to 1894 and labored in several rural Virginia counties. http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/print/58732/United-States-Information-Virginia.ht...

Cathy is making great effort to take me on this hike in all four seasons so I can see the change and beauties of nature.  In winter the trees were bare, the ground covered with ice and snow.

[See blog post:  December 22, 2011]

Luna moth with a five inch wing span that I brought home from girl's camp.

Another beautiful speciman of the south.

Cathy McClanahan

Stalwart Relief Soceity President of Richlands Branch.

Born in Buchanan County...daughter of a coal miner.

Professional educator and life long learner...who loves her dogs, history, and hiking.

Indeed, one of the brightest and yet most humble people I have ever met.

What a priviledge it is to have become her friend.

Sage Hill Road, Virginia

  

Summer blooms...

 Outside our apartment we have three flowering trees.

First came forsythia...busting with bright yellow blooms right before Easter.

In May the snowball tree was in full bloom with clusters of white orbs.

And now...in late July the Rose of Sharon takes center stage.

Needless to say, I am facinated with all the flowers and greenery of the South.

What a privilege it is to be in Virginia,

where women "look like cream puffs and get things done like Sherman tanks!"

Certainly, they know "how to cope!"

[Excerpts from Maryln Schwartz' book: A Southern Belle Primer]

Knowing my facination with flowers, a dear friend, Cathy McClanahan,

brought me this "dinner plate dahlia" from her sister's garden.

And this bloom, she tells me, is only a medium sized one!

Transfer Day...

Elder Nathan Stoven from Sandy, UT left us on July 11th

to support the singles ward in Roanoak. He served in Richlands four transfers...

which is about six months.  The night before he left

he asked Elder Hunt for a special blessing...sort of like a Grandfather's blessing.

It is amazing how close we become to these young Elders,

and how much we appreciate their energy and dedication to the work.