Terri King Speaks

Margaret “Nanny” Crowder is our February 2010 Southern Appalachian Woman.

She was raised in Madison County, NC. She was a farmer’s wife, cooked 3 meals a day, made biscuits that didn’t rise, quilted, milked, told great stories, and hummed “Amazing Grace” while she cleaned house, canned, and worked tobacco.

She told me I could do whatever I wanted to if I would trust the Lord and was willing to work.

Like most southern women, her door was always open and she always wanted to feed you something.

She was taken by cancer in August 2003 at the age of 74.

Though I had no blood relationship to her, I called her “Nanny”. She taught me that love was a kinship that transcends a family tree.  I didn’t know it then, but the love I felt for her and from her would be the foundation for my love as an adoptive Mother to my daughter, Jewelian.

Terri King

January’s Southern Appalachian Woman is Velma Beam Moore

I met Velma in Clay County, NC on my first job after college. I was the Agricultural Extension Agent.  Velma was retired from there so we had something in common.  Velma was 94 years old and only 4′11′, but her personality and presence made her a giant. 

There are two nuggets of knowledge that I have carried with me from my experience with Velma. 

The first is a saying she used when she would be disappointed in herself, “I don’t mind being ignorant, but I hate to be stupid.”  Boy have I had lots of opportunity to use that one.

The second was an answer to a question I asked her once.  The question was, “Velma, after 94 years of living, what advice could you give a girl like me who’s just starting out?”  Her answer has helped to guide my life ever since.  She said, “There’s three A’s: Attitude, Accountability, and Adaptability.  Everything depends on your attitude. Have a good one.  You are accountable for your own body.  Treat it well.  Life is about change.  You must be able to adapt to your circumstances.”

Velma died at the age of 95.  It has been my pleasure to allow her legacy to live on by sharing her wisdom with you.

Terri King

Each month this year, we will be honoring the spirit and influence of  southern appalachian women.  We have so much to learn from the women in our lives.

Join me in celebrating these women.  If you have a special person you would like to honor please submit your info and a picture if you have one.

You can send your submission to me at Terri@terriking.org

This is going to be good.

Terri King

The celebration of this day commemorates the beginnings of our nation and gives us a moment of pause for the things in life we have to be thankful.

I am thankful for the opportunity to live my life to the dictates of my heart and to have you all in it.

Terri King

In the book, Secrets of Six Figure Women by Barbara Stanny, she talks about what she calls Six Figure Traits.  One of those is the need for “nonattachment” which means letting go of your chains.  You know, the baggage, the things that hold you back like childhood issues, bad marriages, etc.

Whatever those things are for you, they’re in the past.  They have no power over the present or the future except what we give them.  I was talking to a woman this morning who has a great business idea for a product that she developed but she just can’t seem to move forward on it.  She’s literally afraid to be successful because of past negative experiences.  This is what I’m talking about.

We ALL deserve the opportunity to be successful.  Let’s take it!!Secrets of Six Figure Women

Terri King