And Now For Something Completely Different.

There is in this area of the world a natural beauty that has to be experienced. Part of our joy is when visiting friends and family, who we have told of the beauty, pull into the driveway and before getting out of the car sit for long minutes realizing they never imagined what we were talking about. But there is more to these mountains than the natural wonder. We have been transported to a completely different existence.

It's the people. Diversity with a capitol "D". Not the ethnic diversity which springs to mind, but rather an individual, a "this is who I am" diversity. As with the beauty, the people of the area must be known to be fully appreciated. Whether it's the thirty dollar a visit medical doctor down the road (doesn't take insurance) or the ex-hippy establishment (now there's and oxymoron) in Floyd or the executive officer from the largest sock company in the world or the farm family whose people have been here for generations or the furniture designer who gave it all up to open an art gallery or "Granny" whose pet groundhog "Boomerang" was eaten by the dogs belonging to the nice lady next door or the orthopedic surgeon who purchased over fifty acres and dedicated it as a common nature trail for everyones use, there is a commonality.

We got lost (on purpose) coming back from Radford the other day. When we stopped at a little store in Snowville and I asked, "Where am I?" the answer was "In the best place on earth." I, without thinking replied, "No, I live in the best place on earth, Groundhog Mountain." And that's what we all have in common; here we all live in the best place on earth. Not the most convenient, six miles to the nearest store, twenty five to any serious shopping, not many jobs and those available low paying, but the roads are good and the air is sweet and the scenery indescribable and the people, the people are.