Out the windows: trees, farmland, small-town downtowns, dirt roads, overcast sky. A hollow, long-reaching whistle signals our coming and our passing. The movement of the car is rattling smooth, huge heavy wheels hold to the rails and every now and th...

In our November/December issue, I wrote in my column that no matter where we are here in the Blue Ridge, we are on battle ground, hallowed ground. We've become so disconnected in time from the Civil War that in our minds it becomes another historical...

Note to self: when going on television, wear something with a lapel or a pocket, or both.

Last week I was back in the studios of Blue Ridge PBS for their winter 2009 pledge drive, and after some entertaining and acrobatic microphone placement maneuvers,...