Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 49

mountains of southwest Virginia, where
she'd grown up. Each summer, we'd
spend a week at Aunt Lyd and Uncle
Sullins' house.
Even though we lived in the Roanoke
Valley, there was something about the
mountain air of Abingdon. It was cooler
in the mornings, more comfortable in
the afternoons and offered perfect sleeping
weather, even on August nights.
Aunt Lyd and Uncle Sullins lived at
the top of Rodefer Street, in a rambling,
two story frame structure, cooled by
nothing more than open windows with
sturdy screens.
Several apple trees were on their land,
and apples always were on the ground,
waiting for me and my solid plastic bat.
Those apples and that bat enabled
me to occupy countless happy hours in
Abingdon.
I played entire games, imitating the
players of my favorite team, the Pittsburgh
Pirates.
I'd go through the Pirates' batting
order, grabbing an apple in one hand,
tossing it into the air, then gripping the
bat before the apple dropped into the
strike zone. I'd swing from the left or
right-hand side of the plate, depending
on which Pirate I was imitating.
In my imagination, the Pirates would
fall hopelessly behind, then rally in the
late innings. The comebacks always were
led by the incomparable Roberto Clemente,
playing right field and batting third,
and the powerful Willie Stargell, playing
leftfield and hitting cleanup. They would
send towering blasts, er, apples, to the
deepest corners of Forbes Field, uh, the
hayfield, driving in run after run.
Somehow, the Pirates always won in
the bottom of the ninth.
The comebacks were never-ending.
Same with the apples.
Eventually, summer vacations meant
summer jobs. Trips to Abingdon became
infrequent.
Several years ago, I stopped by Rodefer
Street on the way home from an
assignment in Bristol.
The house was gone, replaced
by a small apartment
building.
The hayfield that once seemed so
vast now was surprisingly small.
A young woman was sitting on the
side porch of one of the apartments. I
asked if she had known the Caldwells.
No, she said.
Oh, come on, I wanted to say. Aunt
Lyd and Uncle Sullins knew everyone,
and everyone knew them. More importantly,
to my mother at least, Aunt
Lyd knew everything about everyone in
Abingdon.
And, I should have said, " There were
apple trees on this property, and apples
would fall off the limbs and cover the
ground like a carpet and . . . hey, let me
tell you about the time Uncle Sullins
sharpened a stick and stuck an apple on
the end of it. See that house just across
the road? You are not going to believe
this . . . "
I
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 49
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Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023

Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 3
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 4
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 5
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 6
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 7
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 8
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 9
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 10
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 11
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 12
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 13
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 14
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 15
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 16
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 17
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 18
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 19
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 20
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 21
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 22
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 23
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 24
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 25
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 26
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 27
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 28
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 29
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 30
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 31
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 32
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 33
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 34
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 35
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 36
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 37
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 38
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 39
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 40
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 41
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 42
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 43
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 44
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 45
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 46
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 47
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 48
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 49
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 50
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 51
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 52
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 53
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 54
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 55
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 56
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 57
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 58
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 59
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 60
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 61
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 62
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 63
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 64
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 65
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 66
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 67
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 68
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 69
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 70
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 71
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 72
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 73
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 74
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2025
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https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-november-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-sept-oct-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/BlueRidgeCountryMarchApril2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2022
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/BRCSO21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brcja21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_11_12
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0506
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160910
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130708
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com