Welcome to the October 1904 issue of Hearth & Holler — A Monthly Visit to Honey Hill Country.
Autumn has come to the hills and hollers. Sumac burns red along the trails, Canada Geese call overhead, and wagons arrive at the mill with the season’s harvest. There are pumpkins to choose, apples to press, and cooler evenings made for a shawl and a little company.
Each month, Hearth & Holler invites you into the everyday lives of our neighbors — people and woodland critters alike — for stories, discoveries, laughter, and visits around Honey Hill Country.
This month, we’ll saddle up with Willow Meadows, listen to the workings of Old Copper Creek Mill, and discover why Hickory Pinenut keeps returning to the pumpkin patch. There is apple cider cake at the bakery, supper high above the St. Louis World’s Fair with Felicity Merriweather, and a porch-side tale from the Bookers about two roads you might prefer to avoid until morning. Abby and the children have a gentler evening planned, with glowing pumpkins, treats, and plenty to tell their families afterward.
So pour yourself a cup of something good, pull your chair a little closer, and spend a while with us.
We’re glad you’re here.
Contents & Contributors
We hope you enjoy your visit to Honey Hill Country. Simply choose any article below to begin your visit, or return here at any time to continue where you left off.
COME WITH ME . . . .
Strolling Through Honey Hill Country with Willow Meadows
“A Good Day to Take the Long Way”
Willow Meadows invites readers to experience Honey Hill Country one step at a time through its trails, towns, waterways, and hidden places. She believes the journey is often just as important as the destination and rarely passes a scenic overlook, garden gate, or interesting story without stopping to investigate.
Join her each month as she explores the landscapes, histories, people, and stories that make the region unique.
ALONG THE BACK ROADS
Visiting the People and Places of Honey Hill Country with Henry Calder
Henry Calder has always believed that every town, shop, farm, and front porch has a story worth telling. Along the back roads of Honey Hill Country, he spends his days meeting neighbors, sharing conversations, and discovering the people and places that make the countryside feel like home.
THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE
Visiting the Gardens of Honey Hill Country with Maggie Greenleaf
“A Little More Yellow”
Maggie Greenleaf has a habit of noticing the things others sometimes walk past — a butterfly resting on a blossom, a toad beneath a flowerpot, the scent of lilacs on a spring breeze, or a friendly conversation beside a garden gate.
Through the Garden Gate invites readers to visit the gardens of Honey Hill Country and the people who lovingly care for them.
WELL, WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT
Woodland Visits with Percy Puddlesniff
“A Difference of Opinion, with Acorns”
Percy Puddlesniff introduces readers to the woodland neighbors of Honey Hill Country, where even the smallest lives hold something worth hearing. He approaches their daily occupations, disagreements, and peculiar arrangements with curiosity, good humor, and a willingness to ask one more question.
Join him each month for conversations and discoveries among the furred, feathered, and occasionally flustered residents who make their homes just beyond our own.
MEANWHILE, AROUND HONEY HILL COUNTRY . . . .
Along the Roads with Ennis Greenlea
“A Little Help With The Harvest”
Ennis Greenlea travels the roads of Honey Hill Country with his mules, Buck and Jenny, hauling what needs hauling and noticing what needs doing. His work brings him to farms, shops, kitchens, and doorsteps, where a delivery often becomes a visit and a little extra help can make somebody’s day easier.
Join him each month for the people, places, and unexpected kindnesses found along a working neighbor’s route.
WELL NOW, THAT’S INTERESTING
Discovering the Curious Corners of Honey Hill Country with Clarence “Clary” Moss
“A Few Words with Crowbait”
Clarence “Clary” Moss firmly believes every town, road, and front porch has a story waiting to be discovered.
With a curious eye and an appreciation for the unusual, he explores the people, traditions, oddities, and local legends that make Honey Hill Country endlessly fascinating.
WHERE FOLKS GATHER
Celebrating Community in Honey Hill Country with Lillian Harper
“Pickin’, Grinnin’, and Pumpkins”
Lillian Harper rarely misses an opportunity to attend a gathering, celebration, fair, or special event.
From strawberry festivals and town picnics to holiday celebrations and community traditions, she delights in bringing readers along to experience the people, stories, and memories that bring neighbors together.
OFF WE GO! HERE, THERE, & EVERYWHERE!
Exploring the Wider World Beyond Honey Hill Country with Felicity Grace Merriweather at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, the St. Louis 1904 World’s Fair
“Supper Above the World“
Felicity Grace Merriweather possesses an insatiable curiosity about the wider world.
From grand expositions and remarkable inventions to distant places and extraordinary people, she delights in bringing readers stories, discoveries, and adventures from beyond the familiar hills and hollers of Honey Hill Country.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE
Stories, Memories, and Good-Natured Nonsense with Hickory Pinenut
“Hickory’s Pumpkin Predicament“
Hickory Pinenut has spent many years collecting stories, memories, local legends, and the occasional tall tale.
Whether entirely true, mostly true, or improved slightly through repeated telling, his stories celebrate the characters, humor, and everyday adventures that make Honey Hill Country such an interesting place to live.
OUR COUNTRY HOME
At Home with Molly DuBois
“A Shawl Within Reach”
Molly DuBois shares the everyday pleasures of making a home and dressing for the life being lived within and beyond it. From a favorite shawl to a fresh arrangement on the table, she appreciates useful things, thoughtful touches, and comforts that need not cost a great deal to mean a great deal.
Join her each month for friendly observations on home, clothing, and the small seasonal changes that help us feel comfortable, cared for, and ready to welcome company.
OUR COUNTRY KITCHEN
Seasonal Recipes and Kitchen Traditions with Myrtle Mae Meadowbloom
“A Cake Worth Coming Back For“
Myrtle Mae Meadowbloom knows that some of life’s happiest moments begin in the kitchen. Myrtle Mae believes good food brings people together.
From seasonal recipes and family favorites to baking, preserving, and holiday traditions, she invites readers to pull up a chair and enjoy the tastes and hospitality of Honey Hill Country.
FIELD NOTES FROM HONEY HILL
Along Fence Rows & Woodland Paths with Silas Thorne
“The Beauty of a Rainy Day”
Silas Thorne believes nature always has a story to tell for those willing to slow down and listen.
From hummingbirds and wildflowers to changing seasons, woodland creatures, and quiet mornings along the creek, he invites readers to discover the beauty, wonder, and small surprises waiting just beyond the doorstep.
PULL UP A CHAIR — IT’S STORYTIME
A Visit with the Bookers — Isaiah & Evelyn
“Two Roads, Neither Particularly Recommended”
Isaiah and Evelyn Booker welcome readers into the easy company of neighbors who know the value of a good story and a listening ear. Isaiah generally has a tale ready, while Evelyn has a sharp memory, a warm welcome, and a few observations of her own about the way he tells it.
Isaiah enjoys giving a story room to unfold. He knows when to pause, when to lower his voice, and when to let his listeners decide what might have happened next. Whatever turns the telling takes, his affection for the people gathered around him is never far beneath the surface.
Evelyn brings her own lively understanding of people to every visit. She listens closely, speaks
her mind, and can bring a wandering tale back to earth with a few well-chosen words. Her kindness has a practical side, too — especially when somebody needs another cookie, a little reassurance, or a reminder that it is getting late.
Join them each month for porch-side visits, local recollections, laughter, and the sort of stories that give folks something to carry home besides an empty plate.
Pull up a Chair . . . . Stories from the Hills & Hollers
NOW THEN, LITTLE ONES
Learning Along the Way with Alma Thimbleberry
“A Little History, with Room for Ears”
Alma Thimbleberry helps young minds discover the stories behind familiar things, with patience, practical activities, and room for every question. Whether she is explaining an old custom or helping little paws try something new, she knows that a lesson remembered often begins with something enjoyed.
Join her each month as the little ones of Honey Hill Country explore, make, listen, and learn — with plenty for the grown-ups to discover along the way, too.
HEART OF THE HOLLER
Neighborly Visits with Abigail “Abby” Whitcombe
“Enough Glow to Bring Home”
Abigail “Abby” Whitcombe finds the heart of Honey Hill Country in the ways its neighbors care for one another. She notices the tired parent, the small hand looking for someone to hold, and the simple opportunity to turn an ordinary afternoon into something worth remembering.
Join her each month for visits and outings filled with friendship, thoughtful gestures, and the everyday kindnesses that help a community feel like home.
“Small Kindnesses Have a Way of Traveling”
FRONT PORCH REFLECTIONS
James Milson
As our October visit to Honey Hill Country comes to an end, I invite you to join me on the front porch for a few thoughts on the things we carry home — some gathered in baskets, others held in memory.
Harvest time gives us much to be grateful for, including ordinary moments whose goodness stays with us long after the day is done.
Original artwork throughout The Front Porch has been created from my concepts and creative direction with the assistance of AI.
