It is a season of crunchy leaves, smooth pies, walks in the woods,
family gatherings and shared stories. Find a seat in front of a fire and read the new BRT articles about a little bit of Chicago in Virginia’s Henry County; a Vietnamese-American teen’s view of her Virginia home; something of the ties between Clemson University and Amherst, Virginia; an Appalachian balladeer and author; a fiber artist from Southside; ordering candy and flowers from Philadelphia in 1890’s Roanoke; the architectural history of a German-American homestead in Staunton; and a quiz on “Hidden Treasures of the Blue Ridge” for you to try! Then jump in your car on a perfect Fall day and find the places in the quiz. Carry on the search for culture. Then share it!

If I may paraphrase Shakespeare… “That time of year, you may in me behold, when yellow leaves and smoke and rain do swirl, around those blue-hued peaks where our dear writers wrote, my hope for our worn world to rise anew, above the storms and cares of this past year, my dreams for clearer skies will pass to you...”

Blue Ridge Traditions in the three years I have published it, has shared a vast richness of lore, history, geography, recollections, artwork, book reviews, recipes, and much more with our readership. And our readership has been loyal and supportive. The magazine has “Celebrated the Culture of the Blue Ridge Region” with humor, style, and authority. But subscriptions alone cannot keep a print magazine alive, and the thought of filling this lovely vehicle with advertising just to keep it going did not appeal. This is the last print issue although the website will continue, will have the occasional article and photograph, its calendar of events, book reviews, links to other culture, and the Marketplace, where one can purchase many books carried in my Blue Lady Bookshop in Rocky Mount.

BRT is about culture and ideas. It uses words to carry on the culture. Words outlive printed pages. Words are ideas. Please treasure your copies of BRT and share them, order back issues, and visit our lovely website. The words continue, but like the whispers from the smokehouse and smoke, they will rise and move on magnificently. It has been wonderful. Thank you

Ibby Greer

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