Tag: Mountains

Mabry Mill

Meadows of Dan, Va

— Spur of the moment is a very good way to make travel plans and that is what my wife and I did on Sunday afternoon. A one hour ride into the Blue Ridge Mountains and we felt one step closer to total comfort and satisfaction when we arrived at Meadows of Dan, Va. Meadows of Dan is a highway stop at the intersection of Virginia US-58 and the Blue Ridge Parkway. This community is comprised of a few tourist stores which sell the normal “goodies” along with fresh fruits and vegetables which are grown locally, along with a couple of gas stations, a fire station and a couple of “country cookin” restaurants……….

The head waters of the Dan River is near Meadows of Dan

About a half mile north, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, from Meadows of Dan is a place named Mabry Mill. Here is the home of a grist mill from the early days and is probably one of the most photographed buildings in the world. The likeness of this mill is on millions of calendars, collector plates, nick nacks, and other paraphernalia. The Mabry Mill complex includes a replica of a settler home, a working black smith shop and other displays of old mountain life. The grounds are beautiful and very well groomed.

During the summer months local musicians sometimes gather to have jam sessions. These folks are non-professionals who just enjoy playing and singing traditional mountain and Irish music. This Sunday was no exception. There was guitar, banjo, “bull” base and mandolin. Also there were a few sheets of plywood laid on the grass to create a dance floor. Have you ever seen folks from an audience move to the dance floor to do impromptu “clogging” and “flat footing”????………… All that I can say is WOW……………………and America is still alive.

Mabry Mill is somewhat of a rest stop on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Along with the historic display, Mabry Mill has a restaurant so that you can restore your energy level from your day of playing tourist.

Mabry Mill

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February 28, 2025
The Dan Valley

The Dan Valley/Dan River Basin is not an overly large area. Actually it is comprised of about 3300 square miles. The basin is about twice the size of Yosemite National Park in California. The area is somewhat mountainous, lots of rolling hills and has an abundant water supply with many rivers and lakes. The terrain is wooded and dotted by small farms.

The valley is populated by folks of German, Irish and Scotch decent. Generally the residents are hard working, patriotic and loyal to each other.

Over the years the residents have made a living off of the land. Most have been, and a lot still are, small farmers. Farming is a tough way to make a living so as the population grows the younger folks tend to commute to the surrounding cities for jobs.

The Dan Valley lies between four large metropolitan areas of North Carolina and Virginia. In North Carolina it is the Piedmont Triad … composed of Greensboro,Winston Salem and High Point … and the Research Triangle which is composed of Raleigh,Durham, Chapel Hill and Cary. In Virginia there is the Roanoke/Salem area and the Richmond area. These metro areas have a combined population in excess of 5 million people.

In the middle of all of this is the Dan Valley/Dan River Basin with a few thousand hard working folks who would like to join their neighbors in the 21st century. Maybe you should look at this area as a place to locate your business and a place to raise your family.

Danville, Va is the largest city in the Dan Valley. Other towns are Martinsville, Va, South Boston, Va, Madison, NC, and Eden, NC. For years, the largest industries were agriculture, furniture and textiles. Today the employment situation is in transition.

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Recommended Links
The Dan River Basin
A Little History

Old men rule!

..An old prospector shuffled into town leading a tired old mule.

..The old man headed straight for the only saloon to clear his parched throat.

..He walked up and tied his old mule to the hitch rail. As he stood there, brushing some of the dust from his face and clothes, a young gunslinger stepped out of the saloon with a gun in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other.

The young gunslinger looked at the old man and laughed, saying, "Hey old man, have you ever danced?"

The old man looked up at the gunslinger and said, "No, I never did dance… never really wanted to."

A crowd had gathered as the gunslinger grinned and said, "Well, you old fool, you’re gonna dance now," and started shooting at the old man’s feet.

The old prospector –not wanting to get a toe blown off– started hopping around like a flea on a hot skillet. Everybody was laughing, fit to be tied.

When his last bullet had been fired, the young gunslinger, still laughing, holstered his gun and turned around to go back into the saloon.

The old man turned to his pack mule, pulled out a double-barreled shotgun, and cocked both hammers.

The loud clicks carried clearly through the desert air.

The crowd stopped laughing immediately.

The young gunslinger heard the sounds too, and he turned around very slowly. The silence was almost deafening.

The crowd watched as the young gunman stared at the old timer and the large gaping holes of those twin barrels.

The barrels of the shotgun never wavered in the old man’s hands, as he quietly said, "Son, have you ever licked a mule’s ass?"

The gunslinger swallowed hard and said, "No sir….. but… I’ve always wanted to."

Old Men Rule

There are a few lessons for us all here:

Never be arrogant.

Don’t waste ammunition.

Whiskey makes you think you’re smarter than you are.

Always, always make sure you know who has the power.

Don’t mess with old men; they didn’t get old by being stupid.

I just love a story with a happy ending, don’t you?

I do not know who to give credit for creation of this piece. If you have information, please inform me or if there is some reason for me to take this down…I will do so.

Gnarly Old Tree Holds Secrets

Today was a very nice fall day…One of those days where a long sleeve shirt was very comfortable with out the need of a jacket.

I decided to walk for about an hour in the woods. There is something about spending time in the woods that is so relaxing for me. Maybe there is something in my “genes”.

My family has lived in these woods for over 200 years.

I found this gnarly old tree while walking. As many times as I have walked through these woods, I do not remember seeing this old tree before. It seemed so out of place but at the same time seemed to be in control. .

The base tree is ancient and worn out. There are big holes in the tree where it has rotted and hollowed out….but at the same time there is new growth coming from the base root area.

Actually new growth has sprung from this old tree on two separate occasions. To the right is an outgrowth of about 8 inches in diameter…..Then around the base is a few outgrowths of about 2 inches diameter. That makes for three generations of life.

This old tree does not give up. This old tree has lived on my land for who knows how long. It is a mystery to me that I do not remember seeing it before. Maybe this gnarly old tree holds secrets.

The tree is dying and at the same time is trying to replenish life in the woods. Maybe this old tree is my map of life.

Tag: Mountains

Mabry Mill

Mabry Mill

The Dan Valley

Old Men Rule

Old men rule!

Old Men Rule

Gnarly Old Tree Holds Secrets