“The moon got fat, then thin, and fat again.” (page 184)
The National Geographic Society has a page with a clear and simple explanation of how the moon goes through its phases.
“We’ll be playin’ at the Blue Ridge Music Center all afternoon.” (page 186)
The Blue Ridge Music Center is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway, very close to the Virginia-North Carolina state line—and also close to Galax, the site of the Old Time Fiddlers’ Convention.
During the warmer months the Center hosts numerous concerts of old-time mountain music. It also contains an excellent museum devoted to local music and musicians.
Virgil’s carving (pages 192-193)
Wood carving is an old tradition in Appalachia. In times past, of course, it was done entirely with handtools. More recently, the artists have added chainsaws and various electric tools to their repertoire.
The video below illustrates the techniques of carving a larger-than-lifesize raven with a chainsaw and other tools.
Amanda Crowe, the subject of the following video, was a notable Cherokee wood carver.
“We’ve played most venues on The Crooked Road” (page 195)
The Crooked Road is a 330 mile driving trail through nineteen counties in the mountains of Southwest Virginia that connects nine major venues and over sixty affiliated venues and festivals that visitors can enjoy every day of the year.
“Conservation Police Officer: (page 197)
Formerly known as Game Wardens, Conservation Police Officers are charged with “enforcing the laws related to hunting, fishing, and boating; educating the public; and offering assistance in a wide variety of enforcement activities.” They are part of Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources.
“…reintroducing native plants and eradicating invasives.” (page 197)
Foremost among the native plants which foresters are trying to reintroduce is the American chestnut. These efforts are being led by the American Chestnut Foundation, which has been working since 1983 to restore a variety of the American chestnut which is resistant to the blight that has killed billions of trees since its introduction in 1904.
According to the Virginia Department of Forestry, invasive plants have two characteristics: (1) they are not native to an area, which is generally defined as not present before European settlement; and (2) they have some detrimental effect on the environment, economy, or health.
“It’s a violation of the federal Migratory Bird Act…you must be over 21 and have a permit to band a wild bird.” (page 199)
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which has been in effect since 1916, prohibits the taking (including killing, capturing, selling, trading, and transport) of protected migratory bird species without prior authorization by the Department of Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”
“When I was in the Wildlife Biology program at Lees-McRae,” (page 199)
Lees-McRae College is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, in the town of Banner Elk. The college offers a Bachelor of Science degree Wildlife Biology.
“Ultimately, it led to my career as a videographer…” (page 199)
Kevin has made a career filming wildlife around the world. He is probably a member of the International Association of Wildlife Filmmakers.
Suzann Albright 