Saturday, June 23, 2012

Sweet Tea and Front Porches

Summer in Appalachia. It's a beautiful time of year and it makes you stop and think how lucky we are to live in this area.  What could be better than sunshine, mountain breezes and crisp cool lakes and streams?  Unfortunately, some have not discovered the natural beauty of Appalachia, it's an often overlooked area.  The culture of Appalachia was built on the backs of hard working ancestors who were not afraid of long hours and back breaking work, and that attitude continues with a new generation.  Appalachians are becoming more appreciative and taking more pride in our region and what we have to offer.  Afterall, our music, food, culture and natural bounty are some of the best in the world. 

It's our duty as residents of this area, whether born and raised or transplanted to teach outsiders about our region and to promote it and take care of it.  Introduce someone to bluegrass or a fried apple pie or take a friend from out of town hiking on the AT.  This region has so much to offer and it's up to us to sustain it and help it grow.  It's not fair to keep all this to ourselves, the rest of the world needs to see what a treasure we have. 

So next time you are traveling or hosting out of town guests showcase our region.  Let them experience the best of what we have to offer, quaint down towns, gorgeous trails, rivers, and lakes and some of the best music and food around. 

Stop and appreciate the June bugs, mountain air and the twang of a banjo, be proud to be Appalachian!