On this West Virginia Morning, we explore an Appalachian Mardi Gras tradition, spay and neuter subsidies for pets and women's representation in stories of the early United States.
Temperature Blankets Tell A Story And Deviant Hollers, Inside Appalachia
Ciera Pike explains the meaning of a growing temperature blanket she's been working on.Wendy Welch/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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A good blanket will keep you warm — but a handmade temperature blanket can convey a message to a loved one. This week, we talk to crocheters who make and share their art.
Since 2018, there’s been an explosion of LGBT writing about Appalachia. The editor of the new essay collection “Deviant Hollers” tells us about it and more.
And there’s an alternative to invasive bamboo, and it’s native to the region and found by rivers.
New Book Explores Queer Appalachian Life And The Environment
A Bamboo To Call Our Own
Henderson Guitars For The Next Generation
Temperature Blankets Record Life
Karen Long is making a blanket of 2024’s high temperatures for herself.
Photo Credit: Wendy Welch/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Temperature blankets are a popular project among crocheters. They began as a way for artists to document the daily temperatures of a year, using red yarn for record highs and shades of blue for the cooler days. But the tradition of telling a story through textiles goes back to ancient times.
Folkways reporter Wendy Welch had the story.
Henderson Guitars For The Next Generation
Jayne Henderson builds her own future as a guitar and ukulele maker.
Photo Credit: Margaret McLeod Leef/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Guitars by Wayne Henderson are prized by players who are willing to wait up to a decade to get their hands on one, but his daughter, Elizabeth Jayne Henderson, grew up wary of following in her father’s footsteps.
But Jayne decided to carry on the family tradition, but in her own way. Folkways reporter Margaret McLeod Leef had this story.
New Book Explores Queer Appalachian Life And The Environment
Courtesy “Deviant Hollers,” edited by Zane McNeill and Rebecca Scott with foreword by Stephanie Foote.
The number of books and articles about Appalachia’s LGBT communities has grown with recent works like Neema Avashia’s “Another Appalachia” and Willie Carver Jr’s “Gay Poems for Red States.” Now, a new collection of essays explores the intersection of queer Appalachian life and the environment. The book is titled “Deviant Hollers: Queering Appalachian Ecologies for a Sustainable Future.”
Mason Adams spoke with the book’s editor Zane McNeill.
A Bamboo To Call Our Own
Volunteers in southwestern Virginia are trying to revitalize river cane.
Photo Credit: Roxy Todd/Radio IQ
There are more than 1400 varieties of bamboo in the world.The most common variety in the U.S. is Golden or fishpole bamboo from China, but America has a native species, too. It was once commonly found in Appalachia near rivers and streams.
The species was nearly wiped out, but a group of mostly volunteers is working to restore the plant in southwestern Virginia.
Roxy Todd reported.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Jeff Ellis, Blue Dot Sessions, John Inghram, Paul Loomis and Frank George.
Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from folkways editors Mallory Noe Payne and Jennifer Goren. You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @InAppalachia.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
On this West Virginia Morning, Jefferson County rejected a proposal for Mountain Pure Water Bottling Facility last week, and our reporters get together with Brad McElhenny to discuss some of the major issues they covered from the Legislature last week.
On this West Virginia Morning, we explore an Appalachian Mardi Gras tradition, spay and neuter subsidies for pets and women's representation in stories of the early United States.
Audio for this episode will be available later.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, WVPB reporters Briana Heaney and Curtis Tate are joined by Brad McElhinny of MetroNews for our weekly reporter roundtable.
This week on Inside Appalachia, it’s been five years since the COVID-19 lockdowns. An album made during that time is getting a re-release on vinyl. Also, a Kentucky tattoo artist practices traditional tattooing and traditional music. He says they’re not too different. And, what keeps people so fascinated with cryptids?