Tag Archives: West Virginia

The Hana Chronicles: Month 10, Day 7

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Posted by on in children, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Personal Values, Social, Travel

October 28,2026- Hana waved me off, as she was scooting along the perimeter of the playpen. She hadn’t done that before, so I sense she is building up a reserve of self-confidence. She has also been standing up without support, more readily. Taking steps independently is likely not far off.

She is adapting to the change in seasons, by taking longer naps in the afternoon, just as she did in the Spring. Of course, she is bundled up for morning walks and in the relative afternoon heat, we take her out in lighter clothing. The rainy season is about to return, so outdoor activities will be even more limited on several days.

HANA’S NOTE- Mommy ate the rest of her ice cream, and I still didn’t get any. I hope I can have some soon.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: West Virginia- The Mountain State has seen me pass through and make overnight stops, ten times. My first stop was in Morgantown, in 1972, for an overnight at West Virginia University. I have passed through the northern Panhandle, five times and the eastern Pothandle, on four occasions. Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry were focuses of a couple visits. I drove through Charleston once, in 2017, en route to visiting family in Indiana. Each time, I was well-received. West Virginia’s scenic beauty and historic landmarks are likely to draw us back.

The turf- Eastern West Virginia is covered by the Allegheny Range, of the Appalachian Mountains. The southern part of the state features the Cumberland Mountains. The rest of the state is covered by the Allegheny Plateau. New River Gorge, Cheat Canyon and Blackwater Canyon are among the most striking landscapes in the eastern U.S. West Virginia is drained by the Ohio, Potomac, Kanawha, New, Bluestone, Shenandoah, Gauley, Monongahela and Cheat Rivers, along with their tributaries. West Virginia has a healthy portion of the Appalachian Trail and Harpers Ferry is the headquarters of the Appalachian Trail Association.

First Nations- West Virginia is the ancestral home of the Cherokee, Shawnee, Monacan, Meherrin,Manahoac, Nottoway Occaneechee,Tutelo and Saponi peoples. The Mingo, an Iroquoian tribe, moved to the area after Europeans began to push westward. As part of the Commonwealth of Virginia, until 1863, West Virginia was affected heavily by the continuous conflicts known as the French and Indian Wars, from 1688-1763. Part of these was the Anglo-Cherokee War (1758-61), which ended in defeat for the Cherokee, and the Treaty of Long Island. The Shawnee were also defeated, in Governor Dunmore’s War (1774). Most of the First Nations people moved westward, during the Trail of Tears, from 1836-38. There are no Native American reservations in West Virginia today.

Where I feel most at home- Martinsburg, Charles Town, Harpers Ferry, Morgantown

Where I feel most at peace- Harpers Ferry, New River Gorge

NEXT: District of Columbia

More Details, Under the October Sky

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Education, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 2, 2023- Since the early 2000s, one of my favourite inspirational stories has been “October Sky”, a film adapted from the memoir, “Rocket Boys”. The account of West Virginia coal town youths, inspired by Sputnik I to build rockets of their own, with the support of their high school teachers and principal-and gradually earning the respect of their families, shows that each and every community can produce leaders of thought and invention.

I am working, this week, with a pair of boys who are identified as having special needs. One functions at a basic level; the other, is seen by his peers as a leader and is vibrant and inventive, far beyond his apparent weakness. He will, with strong support, like what he has from his present teacher, rise to enormous heights.

The mind is a superbly equipped vehicle for transcending even the most harrowing disabilities. Penny showed that, in 2006-9, by earning her third Master’s Degree, after being discounted by a far inferior individual-her last supervising principal. Her example has sustained my belief in the human spirit, and will be in my heart, as I meet in two weeks, with a young man I have sponsored for several years, through an international child advocacy agency. He is dedicated to achieving high honours academically and going on to be a credit to his family and community.

I have encountered many such people, across the United States, Canada and western Europe, since 2012. Encouraging them, even in brief encounters and in small ways, has been hugely rewarding. As the scope of my journeys expands, between now and January, 2029, and ongoing contact via Zoom and other virtual means continues, I hope to be able to impart stories of many other rising stars.