Friday, May 13, 2011

JUST A LITTLE OLE COUNTRY PLACE


KENTUCKIAN -- MISS FAYE

"It's just a little ole country place," were the words that tumbled out of Miss Faye's mouth as I complimented her on her charming home. "I've been living here for sixty years raising chickens, gardening, smoking hogs for meat, canning and doing general farming. My husband and I did pretty much everything to make it work."


Miss Faye smiles when she talks about her place in Appalachian country. She is eighty-two and gets around well except for a hip that bothers her. She had spent the morning weeding before I stopped by to talk with her. 

Her  home place is a tidy place, very peaceful, with no surrounding neighbors. It snakes along a dirt lane that is lined with her outbuildings. 

Her home was a shack, she says, when she and her husband  moved into the place sixty years ago. They fixed it up and added an addition on the end. It is a one story with a "sittin" porch on the front of the house. She can sit on any one of the several older pieces of furniture that line her porch -- a couple of rockers, a porch swing or a bench -- all looking very comfortable. 

Every part of her home looks homey and serene. Her wood outbuildings are beautiful with a natural patina -- built by her husband years ago. Lots of flowers parade around her yard -- pods of iris' were in full bloom today.

MISS FAYE'S ROOT CELLAR


The hillside root cellar across the lane from her home was built by her and her husband right after they moved to the land. The large rocks surrounding the cellar were found around their place and moved to the cellar area.


She told me that she used to can and store the jars in her cellar each year along with such root crops as potatoes. She no longer gardens  so the cellar is not used for food storage anymore.

MIS FAYE'S SMOKE HOUSE


Hogs were raised as food for the table. They built a smokehouse to smoke their meat. Above is a photo of the smokehouse they built. An old zinc washtub hangs on its exterior wall. Large strap hinges have kept the wood door straight and working over the years. Flower pods crisscross around the structure. 

MISS FAYE'S DIRT LANE



A dirt lane curves through their land adding softness to the landscape. Her old earthy barn dominates the other outbuildings.

MISS FAYE'S CHICKEN COOP


In the above chicken coop, Miss Faye raised chickens. She says that farming is a lot of work. Her husband has passed away. Work around her place is taken care of by her son. Her grandchildren help her run errands. She is fortunate to have a wonderful helpful family living nearby. Families helping each other is common in Kentucky. 


I think of this place as I ride back toward home. I realize this place is real -- not some magazine article on country living. There are many stories that reside in such a place -- real stories of life. May such places continue to be. 


28 comments:

  1. Miss Faye's little place has as charming an aura as she does. I'm glad you shared her with us.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I could smell the fresh mountain air just looking at the pictures. How blessed this family is to have lived in such a beautiful place for so many years. It is my dream to have a home with a porch and a red roof, and chickens to give fresh eggs. Thank you, thank you for sharing these pictures and Miss Faye's story.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for telling me about life down that dirt lane. When I'm traveling I always wonder what's down that road there or that one over there? I usually don't have time to turn off and explore but my curiosity continues to pester me.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Auntea -- You are right in saying that the place has fresh mountain air. And it is truly a lovely quaint place. Make your dreams come true in Kentucky -- barbara

    ReplyDelete
  5. Chandler Arts -- I'll do my best to bring other stories out of the back-roads of Kentucky. I've adopted this place as I am originally a Midwesterner. Thanks for the comment -- barbara

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tess -- there truly is such a thing as southern hospitality -- Miss Faye is an example of it. Thanks for the comment -- barbara

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love reading your blog posts, they make me homesick, but none more than this post!

    I don't know Miss Faye, but I've know ladies like her and enjoyed visits to their homes. Nothing pretentious about them...simple decor and delicious food offered in humble surroundings...now that is the life!!

    I'm a former Ky gal. Hailing from Western Ky, south of Paducah. Thanks for a great blog!♥

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ky Gal -- I bet you do miss KY. People like Miss Faye are part of the southern culture.

    I imagine you do get back to the Paducah area once in a while to get your fix of family and friends.

    Thanks for the very nice comments -- barbara

    ReplyDelete
  9. Miss Faye is my new role model. I have a hip that drives me to distraction, but I get out and weed like her. I love these photos. Takes me back to the places I used to know. Miss Faye looks like a relative, maybe my grandmother, who knows. Thanks Barbara, I always get a lift at your "place." Dianne

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love this!!! It reminds of the farms that both my grandparents had many years ago. Agri-business, as they call it, is no replacement for the family farms that our country was built upon.

    ReplyDelete
  11. This home looks just like my Grandmother Bird's house, when I was growing up. A great post.

    ReplyDelete
  12. My what a lovely post, Barbara! And a lovely Miss Faye. I feel like I know her.

    Apologies if I have done multiple comments. Google was acting out this a.m. and insisted on giving me Anonymous as a "handle."

    Elora

    ReplyDelete
  13. Elora -- It was a beautiful day and Miss Faye matched the day -- barbara

    ReplyDelete
  14. Farmchick -- I bet your Grandmother Bird lived in KY. these types of houses are so charming. -- barbara

    ReplyDelete
  15. Kay -- agi-business has driven small farmers out along with corporate developments. I feel for the land when I see real estate signs offering it up for development. Thanks -- barbara

    ReplyDelete
  16. Dianne -- Ahh maybe she is related -- if not she can be a role model as her flower gardens are beautiful like yours are. Thanks for the nice comments -- barbara

    ReplyDelete
  17. Reminds me so much of my grandparent's place. What a wonderful person and place to spend some time. Thanks for sharing it.

    ReplyDelete
  18. NCmountainwoman -- Places like Miss Faye's are disappearing from our landscape. I imagine you have similar places in North Carolina. thanks for stopping by -- the blogspot problem wiped out all my comments! Oh well, they provide a service free to all -- barbara

    ReplyDelete
  19. What a sight for sore eyes!
    A real place oozing the character of those who lived and loved in and around it :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Wonderful portrait and story today.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Jayne -- Miss Faye is part of the real people that I meet here in Kentucky. No pretensions just smiles and friendliness. -- barbara

    ReplyDelete
  22. Birdman -- Thanks for the comment. It was an enjoyable afternoon that I spent with Miss Faye. .. barbara

    ReplyDelete
  23. I saw this post earlier and had trouble leaving a comment. I love the post, the lady reminds me of my own grandmother. Heavens, she looks like me. Pretty scary huh? Canning, kitchen garden, chickens, I've done it all. That's how things used to be isn't it? You are so fortunate to have ladies like Miss Faye in your life. My old friends call me Miss Dianne. ha ha

    ReplyDelete
  24. Dianne -- The southern use of Miss when addressing a woman has a certain respectful ring to my ears. One could say it is sexist but I disagree. I am a dyed in the wool feminist and feel that some traditions are great to retain. Miss is one of them along with strawberry shortcake in the summer, mistletoe at holidays, and picnics in the spring.

    You have done it all in the sustainability line. Now, an advanced degree. You live life to the fullest and how wonderful is that! -- barbara

    ReplyDelete
  25. Thanks for taking us along to see this lush spot. And when I was in a store in North Carolina last month, I was addressed as Miss Sharon. :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Sharon -- I hope you like the tradition of being called Miss. To me it is very respectful. -- barbara

    ReplyDelete
  27. Miss Barbara,
    Thanks for allowing us to know a little about Miss Faye. Thanks for taking the time to let her show you her place. I know she had to enjoy that.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I enjoyed reading about Miss Faye. She has so much 'how to" knowledge that has been lost to many today.

    ReplyDelete