Dixon and Long families at the Cliffs; Grandma 3rd from left, back row

“The men and women and children who live in Appalachia have no sourness about them and though they are shy toward outsiders, they will wave to you if you drive by in your car whether they know your face or not.  Most would probably rather not meet anyone new, but once they are used to you, you will find them bringing you bags of tomatoes from their gardens and sometimes a cherry cobbler.  Most of them are thinkers, because these mountains inspire that, but they could never find the words to tell you of these thoughts they have.  They talk to you of their corn or their cows instead and they keep the thoughts to themselves.”
— from ‘Appalachia – The Voices of Sleeping Birds’ by Cynthia Rylant