Meet Meredith from Trout Lily Heritage
Hi friend! I’m so glad you’re here.
There I was, sitting in the back of my parents Ford truck looking out the back window, floored by the sea of blue. I immediately felt butterflies. It hit me like a pound of buttery biscuits, and I remember thinking, how are they so blue? Why does it feel like I’m about to cry? Is this love?
This wasn’t the first time I’d been to the Appalachian Mountains. I’d been there many, many times.
My mom grew up in these mountains on a farm and we visited my family there for many years during my childhood, and even still to this day. I remember helping my Papa nurse a calf with a bottle, feeding chickens scraps from the scrap bowl that was always on the kitchen counter, and even watching him butcher hogs. I’d often hear the comforting echo of a train whistle through the hollow and we were always greeted by a pack of dogs (I still wonder who exactly owned those dogs). The smell of the paper mill just a few miles down the road is embedded in my head and of course there was that thing you did with your hand in the air to keep the gnats from flying in your eyes, all while walking around barefoot on the cool, moist red clay.
To some, this probably sounds a little hellacious. But as a child who grew up in the suburbs, it was raw and humbling. I felt rooted to my family, and we could all slow down together. And I loved it.
I met my husband, Brandon, in these mountains at a gas station tap house (yep, you read that right). I can honestly say it was love at first sight. We traveled and lived in a van together. We toured the country, visited a lot of family, lived in Montana for few months, and had an absolute blast – but the Appalachian Mountains lovingly pulled us back home. We love to camp, travel, drink good beer, spend quality time with our people, eat good food at the table together, raise babies, the list could go on, really. I have pride in our free-spiritedness. If there’s one thing we’re known for, we prefer not to settle for something that doesn’t give us 100% joy. We believe in working hard to create the life worth living!
Why Trout Lily Heritage?
The Appalachian Mountains are home to me and my family. They’re also home to the Trout Lily flower. These flowers only bloom 2 months of the year, usually sometime between March and April. They’re truly stunning, honestly. My family and I have come across thousands of them on a local hike we like that follows a rushing creek. The thing about the Trout Lily is that, to see its beauty, you need to crouch down and get to their level.
Historically, when the Trout Lily bloomed in the spring, the Cherokee Indians believed it was time to fish. To me, this means it was once again time to provide for their family and community.
The Trout Lily represents slowing down, tapping into our roots, providing for our families and communities, and it also pays homage to those who’ve walked before us.
Other fun facts about Meredith
Some quirky facts (and some not) and some of my ‘favorites’:
- I love linens embroidered with dainty flowers.
- I like to collect old lady cookbooks with cheesy photography.
- My favorite garden-fresh produce is the green pepper.
- I love new and tattered quilts. Really, I love anything quilted! Thanks to my mom.
- My favorite stones are turquoise and opal, oh and diamonds are beautiful, too (I know you agree!)
- My love language is acts of service.
- I love to cross stitch, sew, embroider, crochet. It’s all beautiful art to me.
- I think anything beautiful is considered art and I believe we are all artists in one way or another.
- I love old, scratchy blues music.
- Call me old fashioned, by my favorite fruit is an apple.
- I believe in the power of educating yourself.
- I also believe in prayer. God is amazing.
I’m so glad you’re here and I hope you stay a while.
Best,
Meredith
