Hello All- I am an Appalachian, middle-aged, Christian mother who sees the world through new lenses. Breast cancer has presently introduced herself to me on my 51st trip around the sun.
I Am Who You Say I Am
My name is Amy Adkins.
I grew up in West Virginia and then relocated to the Carolinas, eventually returning in 2018 for my new Appalachian experience.
At first, I breathed in the change of the seasons and the snowy mountains. Then, I began fishing for trout in the cold rivers of West Virginia. Check out what can be pulled out of our rivers and streams. www.wvdnr.gov. For the most part I’ve learned how to avoid the black bears and rattlesnakes while out hiking to my next adventure. I’ve found joy in my home and new hobbies. I look at it all through a simpler, wiser, more appreciative lens.
I graduated from Marshall University in 2006. My three daughters are now adults and live in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Georgia. They are emphatically the sun and moon of my world. I was recently blessed to remarry a big “Beech Fork Boy” who in truth gifted me 3 bonus kids, 6 grandchildren, and a host of family that has become my own. I share my personal accounts about my Appalachian life.
My Childhood
I grew up in a 200-year-old log cabin, at the top of a hill in Ona, West Virginia. My dad began to build on around 1977 and continued until I left in 1991. He did this check to check and never a loan. We rode around in a Ford pickup truck and later had four-wheel drive Dodges and Chevys. I learned to ride my bike on the side of grassy hills and a steep gravel road. I hated it and wished we had little shiny sports cars and smooth sidewalks.
Why Now
I’m bringing to light some of the social issues I have encountered as a resident of my beautiful state. We call it West “By God” Virginia here. As a Christian I always struggled with that phrase. My skin crawls whenever I hear the lord’s name used in vain. I am not sure of where the “By God” section came from. I choose to believe it means we made our own state with the help of our Lord. We are the heart and soul of Appalachia. I want to talk about my Appalachian life. I want to hear about other’s Appalachian lives. In any event, some of my experiences are hard to talk about and even more difficult to hear. But conversely, most of the lore will be celebrated.
What to Expect
Send me your stories or pictures or recipes or ideas or solutions. I plan to publish new content each week. My first post is titled Enduring Trauma and Revealing Secrets in the Holler. Please check it out! https://kle.sxx.temporary.site/wp-admin/post.php?post=24&action=edit
I forecast to post local interviews with guests and footage from some of the adventures I go on by summer 2025.
My Contact Information:
Please feel free to contact me or send your story to me at amywiddifield@yahoo.com