“Day, a long while ago I rocked on the front porch. Sipped cool lemonade.
Neighbors pass by they smile, stopped and talk of the corn wither on the day.
Now these times have changed since my young life, I never thought I’d see the day. There’s houses in the corn field and falin’ down barns. And the old dirt road was paved. And the old dirt road was paved.”
Lyrics from “Stone Walls” by Three Tall Pines
I spent the first twelve years of my life living on a dirt road in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. My grandparents lived across the road, and my great grandmother lived up at the top of that same dusty road. My entire world existed in less than a square mile. We walked to and from church most Sundays. We ‘d spend summer afternoons eating watermelon my Papa had grown in his garden, or eating homemade ice cream made by my Mimi. Neighbors and family would drop by to visit, talk and tell stories. The sugar maples in the yard made a perfect leafy canopy. I lived a beautiful life there on that little dirt road, but we moved to the big city when I was twelve and the things that made life special changed. I wasn’t able to play in the woods and climb trees like I had before, and it took a long time to make friends with our new neighbors but we did. I never forgot the feeling of belonging in my small town, or my small town roots.
The world seemed simpler then. My life on that dirt road gave me a great appreciation for family and neighbors. I didn’t know it then, but that was the feeling of community. The people and stories of the foothills are a part of me. The resilience, creativity and industriousness of the people who have come to live in this region are what make this place remarkable. I want to share these stories and the bonds that tie us together. There is such a sweetness of a life well lived here in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Why Shug’s Local Honey? It is a name that sounds incredibly sweet. Honey is one of the most natural, ancient and pure things in all of the world. It crosses cultures and languages and history. It is much like story telling, family and friendships. These elements are common to every group, civilization and tribe on the planet.
I’ve never created a magazine, and I’m certainly no expert, but I love to write and help everyday people to tell their stories, especially if they are creating a remarkable product or doing a service that isn’t being recognized like it should. I believe in local businesses and the artist, musician or entrepreneur with a dream. I don’t pretend to know much about magazines, but I love opportunities to learn. If you have a story you would like to share, or know someone who is doing great work here in the foothills, please feel free to contact me by email. I would enjoy sitting down to talk for a while.
Most Sincerely,
Catherine M. Ware
Contact me at catherinemooreware@gmail.com
Shug's Local Honey 