Blue Ridge Country May/June 2022 - 18

COUNTRY ROADS
30 Years Ago
in Blue Ridge Country
" Daffodils in bloom are
nothing less that a pure, bright
promise-a promise I crave and
count on every year. How much
hope did the women who
planted these forgotten clumps
take from them? In times when
disease could wipe out a family
in the space of a few days,
when there were no electric
lights or washing machines,
supermarkets or rototillers to
ease the lot of a mountain
woman, who can imagine how
it felt one morning at
first light to open
the door to
empty
the ash
bucket
and see
that first
wondrous yellow
bloom? "
-The late Elizabeth
Hunter, in her " From
the Farm " column
in the May/June,
1992 issue.
T
wo new films document
how the
Blue
natural heritage
played
Ridge's
a
vital role in human history - and is still
shaping our lives today. In " The Story of
the New River, " Blue Ridge PBS and the New
River Conservancy partnered to explore
how this long and winding ancient river,
May/June Skywatch: Jupiter Jumps Venus, then Mars
E
arly mornings are often a quiet,
reflective time. Stroll outside away
from city lights with a pair of binoculars
and take in the planetary sights of the
early dawn sky.
The first few mornings of May see a
continuation of a special sky event that
began during the last few mornings
of April. Jupiter, the second brightest
planet, slowly approaches, then passes
the brightest planet, Venus. Look to
the southeast about 60 minutes before
sunrise to see these two worlds almost
in collision. On April 30, Jupiter lies
18 BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
MOVIES ON NEW RIVER, NATIONAL FORESTS
Shovels, Films Dig into
Mountain History
NC Foothills Conservancy looks to unearth town from the 1500s.
hat lies beneath the ground in Oak
Hill Community Park and Forest in
Burke County, North Carolina? Volunteers
and archaeological crews with the Exploring
Joara Foundation are digging to find out. The
Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina,
which acquired the 652-acre tract through
multiple transactions over the years, will
use the information to incorporate Native
American culture and history into the park's
educational programming. The foundation
has been researching the nearby " Berry site "
in present-day Morganton, which archaeologists
have confirmed was a major town of
Mississippian Native Americans. In the mid1500s,
the Spanish built Fort San Juan there,
the earliest known European
settlement in the interior U.S.
exploringjoara.org/
W
At Oak Hill, in North
Carolina's Burke County,
crews are seeking bits of
history on a 652-acre tract.
which has sustained life for thousands of
years, is so important to protect for the
future. blueridgepbs.org/ local-productions/
documentaries/new-river/
" The Great Forest " follows conservationists
through the Pisgah and Nantahala national
forests in western North
Carolina, two of the most biodiverse
and visited national
forests in the country. The
film, sponsored in part by the
nonprofit MountainTrue and
still in production, explores
what's at stake as the U.S. Forest Service develops
a plan for how these public treasures
will be used for decades to come.
thegreatforestfilm.com
-CAT MCCUE
Saturn
May 29
immediately to the left (east) of Venus,
but on May 1, it has jumped to its right
(west). (Remember, these two worlds
are nowhere near each other in space,
being separated by 435 million miles.)
Keep following Jupiter over the next
four weeks as it slowly moves westward
away from Venus and towards Mars.
On the mornings around May 29,
much as it did Venus four weeks earlier,
it jumps the much dimmer, but still
noticeable Red Planet.
Viewing from our place along the
Blue Ridge, we see this planetary interApr
30
+ May 1
Venus
Jupiter Jumps Venus,
then Moves to Mars
Looking East-southeast in May,
60 minutes before sunrise.
Jupiter
+
Mars
play because our world, with us on it,
constantly changes its orbital perspective
with Venus, Mars and Jupiter.
What a great way to start your day!
-JOHN GOSS
Southeast
http://www.blueridgepbs.org/local-productions/documentaries/new-river/ https://exploringjoara.org/ http://www.thegreatforestfilm.com http://www.BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
Blue Ridge Country May/June 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country May/June 2022
