Late this spring, KT and I took a road trip back to the mountains of Southwest Virginia where I was born nearly 60 years ago. We talked about nothing and shared pretzels & water with my adorable and ever-so-intelligent grand dog, Dribble.

We set our sites on the mountains and to Mimi’s house, where we visited with brother Buck, wife Susie and their fabulous kids & grandkids. Awesome- perfect timing! What a blessing for cousins to re-connect. Larry arrived after lunch and chimed in on the family chatter.

Mom lives in the house that Dad moved from down the road in 1962. She does amazingly well for 91 1/2 years old and is feeling much better than when I visited her last year. She was delighted to hang with Katie, cook some of our favorite foods and spend a little time bonding with Dribble.

Mom loves her family and is always thrilled for her children to come home.

KT and I visited the Historic Crab Orchard Museum and Pioneer Park near Tazewell, VA so I could show her the 1805 log cabin of our ancestor, Major David Peery.

Other landmarks were photographed on that sunny afternoon, including Falls Mills Dam, the N & W railroad yards built as a result of the Industrial Revolution and a few remaining historic buildings that witness the boom days of Bluefield, West Virginia.

The 12 story grand old West Virginian Hotel built in 1924 was the tallest building in southern West Virginia.

A stop by the old City Hall and a climb to the third floor of the beautiful building, revealed Gary Bowling’s House of Art. We chatted with Gary and found his heart’s passion immersed in local art and in the preservation of a once busy railroad town. He shared with enthusiasm about the scheduled restoration of the old Granada Theatre and I’m thrilled!

The Federal Building

Appalachian Power Company Building

The West Virginian Hotel

Each return to home leaves me with a bit more understanding of the culture and heritage of the Bluefields! Follow along on Facebook !