Granny Sue's News and Reviews

At Cedar Lakes

2026-06-16T17:18:24.946-04:00

51f/10.5C, mostly clear, breezy. Beautiful!

This house was moved to the park some years ago and restored. Today, it is in serious need of restoring again. According to the park's website, "

The cabin was once the home of Jacob L. Starcher, the grandson of Jacob Starcher, the first permanent settler in Ripley. It serves as a memorial to the early settlers of Jackson County. It was donated to Cedar Lakes by the late Genevieve Starcher in 1968.

Visitors may take tours during the Arts and Crafts Festival."

I am not sure where this building, or any of the others, came from, but certainly somewhere in Jackson county.

Look at this dovetailing.

The yucca plants, or Spanish Dagger as my mother called this plant, look striking against the logs.

Old fence detail. I doubt it will stand much longer.

I pressed my phone to the window to see what was inside the house, as it was , of course, locked up.

A zoomed picture, because I want to try to identify the Early American Pattern Glass compote on the table.

The covered bromide was moved almost 50 years ago, from the nearby community called Staats (or Statts, depending on who you ask) Mill.

Another small log building. I wonder what it was used for?

Pawpaw trees border Mill Creek beside the park. Many people love pawpaw fruit, and there is even a Pawpaw festival in Ohio and I think one here in West Virginia too. I can't stand it myself-- it has the consistency and texture of over-ripe bananas. Yuck.

Close-up of the leaves.

Off to the open mic now, after a stop for rabbit feed! Never just one thing to do when we go to town.

Randoms

2026-06-15T11:18:40.281-04:00

55°f/12 8°C, light overcast. Much lower humidity!

Pretty lace-edge moth that landed beside me on the porch one evening.

Signs at Hillbilly Hotdogs

Along Joe's Run

At Cedar Lakes Conference Center, quilts hang in various buildings. A quilting guild meets here.

A new-to-me wildflower, wild petunia.

These are growing at the base of our apple tree. I looked them up, but couldn't be sure what they are so not sure they're safe to eat.

A pretty lily in our garden.

Found in the bottom of a box of glass I bought. I have never seen a carnival glass insulator before. I listed it on ebay.

I believe this is sourwood blooming. At Cedar Lakes.

Where to Begin?

2026-06-14T22:37:50.618-04:00

69°f/20.5°C, humid, mostly cloudy. Storms in the evening started a cooling trend. Color me happy!

It has been one of those weekends, pretty much nonstop, but all good things.

We started Friday with a trip to the VA in Huntington (WV), for Larry to see a dermatologist. She confirmed that he has a good bit of skin cancer on his face, neck and arms. He has been told for years to wear sunscreen and to cover up when outdoors, but did he listen? Of course not. She treated him and gave him medications to use, and he is now covering up as directed. Too little too late, but the treatments will help if he continues to follow the instructions.

On the way home we stopped at Hillbilly Hotdogs, which has been featured on a few traveling cooking/restaurant shows, including Jamie Oliver. It's a kitschy place, just corny and fun, and it was very, very busy. We just wanted ice cream. I had one of mt favorites, black cherry. So good on that hot day (92°!).

We came home to care for our critters, then left again for Spencer, where my friend David O'Dell

was playing at a nice little outdoor stage. David is a Spencer native, a true Renaissance man: he plays guitar, banjo, bass, mandolin, and lap dulcimer, teaches physics at Glenville State University, and for years farmed with his Dad, using draft horses to put up hay and do other farm work, and he restores old Gravely tractors! Not to mention he is also well read and funny. He was the recipient of the prestigious Vandalia award this year from the WV Division of Culture and History.

It was a good show, with an open mic segment in which a young man visiting from California took part. He was born in WV, moved to California with his mother, and now is back, briefly, to take his ailing father back to California to care for him. What a good young man, and a fun singer too.

Jesse Cottrill on stage

Afterward we went to Folklore Pizza for a late supper. That is the coolest place, and was quite busy that evening.

Saturday afternoon Larry stayed here to work on the patio project while I dropped in on the WV Writers Conference at the Cedar Lakes Conference Center, located just outside our county seat of Ripley. I didn't attend any of the sessions, but paid my membership and visited with friends I had not seen in a couple years. It was especially good to see Cheryl Miller, a fine poet and one of our Porch Poets group, who has had a hard fight with cancer this past year. She is on the mend, I am glad to say.

She is originally from Ontario, Canada but has lived here in WV for many years. Our gain!

Then later, bonfire time!

The evening featured an open mic reading session by the bonfire. What a treat to hear works in progress and completed works of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. Suzette Bradshaw, from near Boone, NC, whose poetry book will be published soon, ran a tight ship ---one poem, or one prose piece no longer than 3 minutes!

Afterward everyone who was able (some were worn out and went to bed!) drifted to a patio referred to as "the porch" for late-night talk and beverages. It was wonderful to reconnect with everyone. I left at the witching hour, and had to call Security to be let out of the park grounds. I was careful driving home, as that afternoon a car ran over the hill on the US route to my road, trying to avoid a deer. The herd seems to be rebounding quickly after last year's bout with the killing EHD disease.

Today we went out to breakfast, then met with Suzy, who will be emcee at the next open mic. I have by default had to start organizing it, for at least a few months. Bit unexpected but no one else was willing and I would hate to see it end. Here's the poster Shari made for this week's show.

Now I am looking for more people to fill upcoming featured artist slots. Ah me. How do I get into these things?

By the time we got home, the storms had arrived, so we enjoyed watching the rain soak our gardens. Needed and appreciated!