Week 4: Finally feeling settled in

Well, I've been here in the hills of rural Appalachia for four weeks now. It's starting to feel like home and my cat has finally settled in. I have to say it's quite different from Oregon. For one thing it is politically and religiously very conservative, which is an adjustment for me. I live in a small coal town. The area has some funny quirks that I'm getting use to, but one thing I still have not gotten use to are the insects. They're huge, they're noisy and I'd prefer not to see them. We have cicadas, giant crickets and these weird beetle looking bugs. There's one outside my door that has been sitting there for days. Totally gross.

I found this cicada carcass near my doorstep. Very gross. 
Thanks for stopping by,
Tonya

Week 1: Trying to get my bearings

I'm not sure what I expected Kentucky to look like, but it is beautiful! It's so green. The kudzu plant has really taken hold on the hills and seems to have taken over. Although that's not great for the ecosystem it's beautiful.

Living up in the hills in southeast Kentucky has been quite the change from Portland. I live in a coal town and the layout of the town has made if difficult to find my way around, but I think I'm starting to get a hang of it. I drove to work yesterday for the first time without my GPS! Here's a few shots from an evening walk around my neighborhood.

Till Later,
Tonya

52 Weeks in Southeast Kentucky

It's been a busy year. I got an internship in rural Southeast Kentucky so I thought I was change things up here on my blog, not that I've actually been blogging at all lately. Since I will be here for a year I thought I would document my time here each week, which will help me get out and explore the area. On the drive out to Kentucky I passed through St. Louis and thought I would check out the Gateway Arch (not something I would recommend in 100 degree weather). The arch was beautiful, but it was so hot and humid I only lasted an hour in the heat, plus I had my cat with me. I don't think he enjoyed it, but people seemed to be entertained by the sight of me carrying my cat with me.

Till Later,
Tonya