November 20, 2022 News Article from Roanoke Times Author on Catawba stories: People say ‘you’re making this up’ (roanoke.com)
Any Reports of My Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated! Nov. 7, 2022 By Ted Carroll
This was one of many quotes of a man named Will Rogers who was born in 1879 in what is now Oklahoma and died in an airplane crash in Alaska in 1935. He was a writer, actor, speaker as well as other endeavors but was well known for his many quotes. After an absence of several years from the public and family he offered up the above quote—which leads me to start this article to assure all my readers that I am alive and well. So, why the lengthy period of time without writing another book or news about Echoes From Catawba in general? Read more…
Echoes From Catawba Volume 4: The Other Side of the Mountain Book Launch to be held Dec. 11, 2021 at the Salem Museum.
Not only has the Salem Museum graciously agreed to host our book launch, but they have also created an amazing exhibit featuring The Other Side of the Mountain: Life in the Catawba Valley based on the Echoes From Catawba book series. The exhibit will continue through March 2022. See the press release here and read all about it…
The Other Side of the Mountain
The Home Place, A tribute to the Wingate Family
May 25, 2021
Nonprofit Hobby Business Produces Great Wealth!
May 17, 2021
Everything Has It’s Time
April 27, 2021
Check out what The Roanoke Magazine is saying about the release of Ted’s third book.
March 1, 2021
The Day of the Great Honeybee Swarm in Catawba
April 9, 2020
Peggy’s Story Posted in honor of Peggy’s birthday, April 4. During these uncertain times, you will enjoy this story of Peggy’s courage, faith and endurance. This article is part of Echoes From Catawba Vol 1.
Echoes From Catawba turns two in April 2020! Read about a review of the past two years and what’s in store for 2020…
Catawba Valley Squab Farm – Jan. 15, 2020
Thanks to Steve Garman for sharing with us this special video of his mother Louise Garman interviewing Granny Taylor in 2002 when Granny was about 95 years old. We are excited to give you a glimpse of some of the things you will read about in Earl Taylor’s biography. Find the three part video series here.
Mountains and Meadows July 21, 2019
Kevin Williams tells about the impact the late Bobby All, John Garman’s grandson, had on his career. June 3, 2019
The Mountains Were Calling Me (and a wonderful thing happened)
Jan. 5, 2019
The Sound of Christmas Bluegrass in the Valley
Dec. 22, 2018
I am planning to do a post on the echoesfromcatawba blog about celebrating Christmas in Catawba as a child during the period 1935-1955. I am asking anyone who would like to share a comment about their “old timey” Christmas to do so. It can be on the kind of gifts you received, cutting a Christmas tree, Christmas activities in your church, etc. All folks participating will have their names put into a drawing with the winning name drawn receiving a $50 gift card. Deadline to submit your story is December 15th.
My early memory of Christmas was always going to Shiloh Church on Christmas Eve to participate in the program. I was nervous and excited to be a part of this special event but always happy when it finished and I didn’t forget or mess up my part. I loved when we drove home and we were in sight of our house, seeing the beautiful blue candles that Mama always placed in the windows. The family usually came and we had so much good food and opened gifts. I am ashamed to say but I was always anxious for everyone to leave so I could go to bed knowing that Santa was on his way. I was never disappointed because I always got everything on my list and more. I was one lucky little girl, not because of the presents but all of the love that surrounded me in my home.
Christmas Eve always held a special place in our small community as the Catawba Methodist Church youth gathered to go caroling in “downtown Catawba”. The church lot was the gathering place as cars filled with youth heavily bundled in winter clothes to offset the evening’s cold temperatures. We carried small wallet-sized paper songbooks of favorite Christmas carols but usually started with “Joy to the World” and always ended with “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”. Most residents were aware of our caroling tradition and had their porch lights on to welcome visitors. Sometimes we walked the side road leaving the cars in the store parking lot with Roy and Ellie Baugh’s house as the turn-around point. We looked forward to Ellie’s snicker-doodle cookies and Madeline Edwards later Crawford’s hard candies. The evening usually concluded at the Tuck Garman house where Sue and Pam’s mother had delicious hot chocolate and more cookies waiting for us. One particularly memorable evening some of the youth group guys had shot fresh mistletoe from a tree on Catawba Mountain and used it to share Christmas kisses before we left to celebrate Christmas with our families.
(Ted—I hope you’re going to write about the live outdoor nativity scene—another of my favorite Christmas memories.)
Submitted for Peggy Halsey
A Special Christmas
On Christmas Eve we went to Shiloh Church for the Christmas program. When we got home Daddy and Mama made us go to bed so Santa could arrive. Christmas morning we rushed to the tree, usually we had some candy and fruit but this year there were two dolls one for me and one for my sister Lola. We were so excited and happy since we now had dolls to carry instead of chickens. I was around 9 years old that year. Years later we learned that the dolls were given to Mama for us by our Uncle John Garman, who worked st Heironimus Department Store. What a wonderful and happy Christmas.