snow on the mountain

Here's a photo taken yesterday from the parking lot at Grabeels IGA. There was snow up on the mountain yesterday morning and into the afternoon. There was a heavy frost down here in downtown Rose Hill last night. We'd had two light frosts in town last week.

e-commerce training

This photo was taken this month inside the computer center in the Rose Hill library during an e-commerce training workshop. The instructor is Mikki Barker of VECTEC's Abingdon office. She will be teaching another workshop at the Rose Hill Library, titled "Internet Marketing," on November 19, 2008 from 9AM - noon. The workshop is free, open to the public, and no registration is required.

broadband revolution in the Tri-Cities region

There's a great article in today's Kingsport Times News stating that, "GoTriCities has launched a multimedia Web site that aims to revolutionize the way Tri-Cities residents view local video content. The site, www.Kingsport.tv, is the region's first Internet video resource that aggregates news, entertainment, cultural and business videos in one place... the motto 'Video Anytime Anywhere' highlights the site's convenient model where a viewer can access content online at their leisure, for free, without a subscription or appointment. The site works with most modern browsers and works better with broadband Internet service than slower dial-up service."

Sounds pretty nifty to me! I'll be checking it out.
Joan

Here's part of a February post -

"Kyle's Ford TN is not too far away from Rose Hill, just over 30 miles. It's probably alot shorter distance "as the crow flies." My ancestors lived in the Kyle's Ford TN/ Blackwater VA vicinity, and I just love that whole area. It appears there's a real push for some eco-tourism development in Kyle's Ford. They're touting a retreat center, several cabin/cottage rental facilities, seasonal canoe rentals, a market, and a cafe. Check out the website at http://www.clinchriverecotourism.com/. The online menu for the cafe is pretty nifty. It appears that you can get a cheeseburger for only $1.69! Want some fries with that? French fries cost only 79 cents! I'll bet you get excellent service with a smile too. Sounds like the perfect destination for one of my scooter tours this Spring. Okay, who wants to go with me to get a cheeseburger and some fries in Kyles Ford? At those prices, I'll even buy your lunch!"

I did go to Kyle's Ford this Summer and saw the cool cottages and ate in the cafe and such. It was jolly great fun. I posted one photo of folks playing in the river. Here's a photo showing the bridge over the river.

The leaves are just barely beginning to turn a touch here and there. Pretty soon, and all the local backroads will be awash in Fall splendor. The evenings are getting shorter and the nights a bit cooler now.

Kyle's Ford

This photo was taken in the Summer when I was on a local Kyle's Ford eco-tourism scooter ride. We've two special rivers right around here, the Clinch River and the Powell River. Here's folks enjoying the river on a hot, sunny day.

"Rose Hill Train" song

THIS certainly deserves a blog entry. It's a song about Rose Hill!! My Dad recently purchased the 'Papa Joe' Smiddy CD titled "Hop Up Ladies." There's a song about ROSE HILL on this CD!

Seems like maybe I heard someone telling me a while back that 'Papa Joe' Smiddy married a Rose Hill gal sometime 'way back yonder when.'

Who can tell us the rest of that story?

Anyway, here's some information about the song and the CD.

Fans of the musical stylings of the College’s own Chancellor Emeritus “Papa Joe” Smiddy have a new CD to add to their collection. "Hop Up Ladies,” the latest recording by Smiddy and his Reedy Creek Band, is packed full of traditional favorites like “Wise County Jail,” “Uncle Joe” and “Shortnin' Bread.”

Smiddy, who came to the College in 1954 as the school’s first biology instructor and ultimately served as chancellor for 27 years, is also a first-rate musician and storyteller. Smiddy, 86, still performs at area venues like the world-renowned Carter Fold and his annual music festival at Natural Tunnel. And he still draws standing-room-only crowds.

While many of the tracks are well-known Smiddy tunes, one song was recently written to commemorate Smiddy’s service in World War II and to honor family members who kept the home fires burning in Lee County, Va. “Rose Hill Train” recounts the efforts of Ross Stickley, Grannie Stickley, Uncle Jim Rosenbaum and Uncle Fred Stickley, who was a prisoner of war. An Army sergeant, Smiddy was stationed in the Pacific during the war.

The CD features Papa Joe on the claw-hammer banjo, Jerry Keys on the five string, Sam Mallory on the mandolin, Susie Keys on the bass, Keith Williams on the fiddle and Smiddy’s son, Dr. Joe Frank Smiddy, on the guitar. Sam Mallory and Susie Keys join the Smiddys on vocals.

Perhaps the CD’s liner notes say it best: “We hope that this music will inspire you the listener to tap your toes, clog one, sing a hymn, or maybe even take up the banjo.”

"Hop Up Ladies” is available for $14 at the UVa-Wise Bookstore and at area Double Kwik Markets. All proceeds benefit the UVa-Wise Foundation. To order your copy, call the Campus Bookstore at (276) 328-0210.

Rose Hill industrial shell building

The IDA's new shell building in Constitutional Oaks is moving right along.