In this blog you will find stories about my family, our adventures traveling the state we call home, our love of cooking, canning and raising children.I write about West Virginia history, culture, the arts and their traditions. I share things about the work I do working with Non-Profit organizations, who battle everyday to make my state better. I write real stories about our people, who seem to be so miss understood by the media and the country at large. I want to shed some light on why many of us choose to stay and live in some of the hardest hit places in the county and why life is just better in a deep hardwood forest.
My family Cody Powers my oldest son, Jamie Powers my daughter in law, Paige Powers my grand daughter, Me, Christopher Powers my youngest son and the Mountain Man who made this all possible Thomas Powers. All of us together in Fayetteville West Virgina for Bridge Day. 2016
Observation deck at the summit of Bald Knob Mountain near Cass West Virginia. 2016
West Virginia Mountain Mama 
you have a beautiful family xo
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Katherine Thanks for stopping buy. I had to move my blog location to get anything to work and now can start all over again.hoping to get some widgets working and things soon. Also do you know we share a birthday…. yes my Birthday is Nov 1st also… 1968 respectfuly.. I will be 45 this year.. tooo funny thanks for your visit Jolynn
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I love that we share a birthday! I’m sure you will have your blog looking as you desire shortly if you need help BlogArtByKatherine.com can help…hmmm did that seem like a commercial? oops sorry xo P.S. did you get your entry in for my new giveaway?
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No it did not sound like a commercial…. LOL I already knew that was one of your many skills and I am still tring to figuar out what it is I want.. Yes I will need you help soon..thanks No I have not gotten my entry in I will try soon… this evening I will look for it when I get home from work
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Love your Blog, Visiting from Linky Love.
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Thanks Dana , just learning the ropes here.. I am still a new blogger and this is my first linky love party…
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Thanks for stopping by! I’m glad you did because I followed you back here…You’re not too far from me, Mountain Momma! I’ m in VA…just around the corner ;0) I look forward to reading more!
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Cindy did you get hit with all the snow? we missed out on most of it thank goodness…
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So glad to have found your blog! Stopping by from Linky Love!
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thank you Nancy I hope you stop by again soon
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How cool that he is a farrier. We have had the same farrier here for thirteen years and he is fantastic.
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Tom has beening a farreir for 8 years and we are actually heading back to Lexington to his school to vist over Easter.Horses in one way or another have been the best thing that has happened in my life next to my family.. thanks for stopping in I like your blog too
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you have a beautiful family! god bless you!
and i love your blog. so glad to have found you.
welcome to the blogosphere!
and have a great weekend~
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Thank you for stoping by the storie you posted and reposted about fried eggs …. well was food for thought.. ok that was punny but wonderful and enlighting… love taking photos to and am sure to fallow.
Jolynn
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Love visiting people whose lives are different than my big city life.
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Carol, it is also nice to meet you… I was not raised on a farm or in the country. My home town was around 100,000. a subburb of Dever Col.. but feel in love with a countryboy and moved here about 20 years ago… it is home now my home and my love. I would love to here about the big city if you feel like sharing… Thankyou for stoping by Jolynn
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Thanks for stopping over and for your kind words and comments! Would love to see how you upcycle your old valances!
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heather I will try and post them when I get them done.. I cant wait to get started!
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Hi Jo Lynn! I’m so glad I’ve came across your blog. Love how country it is! So feels like home and I miss that. That care! I’m looking forward to following you along this journey of a blog! Beautiful horses by the way! Much grace & peace to you, Rose
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Here is a great Blog You may Come across Intriguing that we Encourage You
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My uncle is a farrier here in western NY. Has been for about as long as I can remember, about as long as I have been around, 30 years or so now. I would spend a couple weeks up there with him and my aunt and cousins in the summer and would spend a few days out with him. Back breaking job it is. Horses are in my family’s blood and I hope it remains so for many more generations to come. Your family is very lovely and your blog is worth a follow. Glad I found another like-minded soul! 🙂
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Serenity is always fun to meet other horse people and hear stories about their lives, Hope that spring has come to your part of the country.. .here it is trim and shoe almost 5 days a week and work the rest… thanks for the likes Jolynn
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You end off saying…So if you like farming, the out-doors,families and travel this will be a great read for you… Well, those are exactly my passion & points of interest so, I’m glad you came on to my blog & liked.
Looking forwards to receiving new posts 🙂
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we share so many things in common.. I actually have a degree in fine art and at love literature of any kind… so I will be allowing along also. Thank you for the support Jolynn
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Hi Jolynn,
If you wouldn’t mind sending me an email to drumjedi76@gmail.com, I have something I think you’ve been wanting to get your eyes on. My little way of saying tahnk you for the kind review and support for the project.
J. E. Dyer
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Pingback: Liebster Award Nomination | homesteaddad
So glad to read your blog and know someone in this beautiful state of West Virginia. I love going there — once worked with a company based in Charleston. Even got to travel from Knoxville to Charleston during fall when leaves were gorgeous! Thanks for following Oh, the Places We See. I need to return to your state and write about it. Best wishes for continued success. http://ohtheplaceswesee.com
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What a beautiful blog Jolynn, very happy that you visited mine and so I discovered yours 🙂
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I have always wanted to come to Ireland so It is so much fun spending time with you!
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You are very welcome. I have always had an interest in the Appalachian way after reading “A walk in the woods” by Bill Bryson.
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LOVE LOVE LOVE Bill’s book
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I love it too and thought that I was there along the path such good descriptions, it’s brilliant!
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Mama
On the canned venison how long will it keep before I have to get ride of it?
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Jay, canned meat will start to lose color and nutritional value after about 1 year…. in our case we usually toss anything that is over two years old. Remember to rotate can home canned foods also. Old out front and new in the back. We will be canning more dear this fall and I have three jars to use up before Nov… so the boys will be eating a deer meat with gravy over noodles some time soon!
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JoLynn, Love reading your blog and about West Virginia life. I sent you a message on FB but it is probably in your “Other” folder. If you don’t want to mess with that I would love to send you a message about a project I am working on and I need a voice from West Virginia. Feel free to email me: repstein75@gmail. Thanks! Rachel
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Trying to find out if they take down old barns? We need one down and get rid of lumber it’s about 100 year old
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Joyce I am guessing that you are trying to find out more about the Barnwood builders and the answer is yes they buy sell restore and reuse the barns… you can reach them on their were website Antique Barns and Cabin in Lewisburg, WV.. That is the actual business that Mark Bowe owns and they can get you all in touch with each other.
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Hello , I Stumbled across y’all by a friends post . I have to say I miss the mountains ! I lived in Marlington W.V. for a few years and was introduced to ramps , and other food and ” beverages ” . Still have friends I’m in contact with , but , just not quite the same as being there . Any way , great page and blog on ramps and other things !
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Thanks Ron I am so happy to hear from you. I am also “New” to the mountain state only living here about 20 of my 47 years…. and I love it. I just wish that more people understood that their is more to this state then coal mines and poverty. So thanks for stopping in and the fallow and hope send out more good news about my beloved state in the hills.
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Jolynn,
This blog idea of yours is just great for you. You look and are happy. Life is good for you. My name is
Connie Kathy’s sister in law. Give me a call.
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connie it is great to hear from you and glad you like the blog… it has been a wonderful 3 years and we are still at it… would love to talk some time but I am working full time in Elkins so I can try some time over a weekend.
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Ok no problem
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Hi Jolynn, I just did a Google Image search for river rock and a log cabin popped up among all the other images. Crazy thing, I recognized the cabin on Rt#4 you posted – the one that had white vinyl on it. In fact I stopped by last November and took a bunch of pics. A lot of the logs in the side walls still have bark on the uncut edges, and the smaller logs used as roof beams do too. This is a beautiful old house! I pass by it at least four times a year on the way to visit family in French Creek up from Florida. I have land in Talbott Community and on Route 57 south of Clarksburg, and am learning timber framing, and have rebuilt an Cooks brand sawmill. I’m planning on building my own cabin(s) over the next three or four years. I know this is TMI, but your blog connected with many on so many levels. Very cool that you’re doing this! Love it! Dan
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Thanks Dan I am glad you like my hobby… I love to write about the things I love and the people who are in my life. It has been a great three years and I love that old cabin also. Something about them just speaks to me… Thanks for the fallow… hope to hear from you again. JoLynn
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Love this:)
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Love this:) Nice job!
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Thank you it was honest and real
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Love your recipe for black cherry jelly from organic juice! You mention using remaking juice to make black cherry jam. Is a recipe available? Need soonest. Gift swap on Thursday the 19th.
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Lee, I am sorry I don’t understand the question about remaking juice? I have made jelly from fresh-made juice like grapes that we grow here at the house and from store-bought unsweetened juice but not remade juice. In either case, you would need unsweetened juice and a canning book recipe to follow. Each fruit has a different amount of natural pectin and will need adjustments for sugar and added pectin. I would look up a recipe on the BALL canning website at https://www.ballhomecanning.com/ … to make sure you have the correct balance for the juice you plan to use. Jelly and jam can be made out of just about everything. My favorites are made from strawberries and rhubarb and Tomatoes and lemon.
Hope this help some and you can get a good batch made,
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Just a quick question. You posted about wild watercress. When researching it I found that you have to watch for parasites when eating raw watercress in some regions. Is that the case in WV as well?
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Bernie,
I have not heard of any extra parasites on watercress in our area. That being said most of the watercress we collect does not grow in the water or near the water. It would be possible to get extra parasites if the plants were growing close to an untreated water source. We usually collect it from our back yard or from banks above road sides. I would be extra careful with washing if you are close to a water source.
Thanks for the question,
Jolynn
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