I currently are retired on disability. I am a stay at home mom for the frirst time in my life and sometimes find
myself with nothing to do and unsure about how to plan my days and life. I worked at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement
of Teaching (NCCAT) as a Center Fellow. I planned, organized, and presented professional development seminars for North
Carolina Public school teachers. Our teachers came to Cullowhee for seminars on a topic of their choosing. We paid for
their travel and their substitutes, and hoped they re-discovered the joy of learning during their week with us.Last year in
March 2009, I left work on short term disability and in September NCCAT decided to terminate my job to save money. I am currently
still on disability as I have an auto immune problem which does not permit me to do all the things I formerly did in my job.
I will go on long term disability in May 2010 and do not anticipate working any time in the near future.
Some of the seminars I've designed are: Mountain Land, Mountain People, a week spent meeting and learning about
people who grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We heard from local families of Scots Irish descent, from an original
African American family, and from a Cherokee family. Teachers shared the culture of the mountains while discovering
similarities with their own culture.
I also designed Smoky Mountain Winter Traditions, a look at winter traditions in our mountains. Winter
time was mainly a time to rest and get ready for the coming year. It was a time for family members to re-connect to
one another and the continue tradtions that had been begun years ago. Our teachers hear and participate in traditions
such as making boxes from left over Christmas cards, making cinnamon ornaments, and making wreaths. We visited a local
Christmas tree grower for a glimpse of an industry which supports our local economy. The highlight of our week was a
visit to The Jarrett House, a bed and breakfast in nearby Dillsboro, NC for dinner and a visit to downtown Dillsboro for their
annual lights and luminairrie, which occurs on the first two weekends of December. Over 2000 lights luminate the streets
of Dillsboro, all the stores are open late with welcoming snacks, and each street corner hosts music or other entertainment.
My hobbies are storytelling, of course, and photography. I enjoy traveling back into the mountains, visiting people
and places. Somehow these people and places find their way into my life, stories, and books. I am currently working
on a small book about the history and people of Dillsboro, NC, as well as a cookbook with recipes from Bradley's General Store
family and staff. A second edtion of Granny Tales, as well as a volume of stories in collaboration with my brother, Billy
Harris, are also planned.
My husband and I own Bradley's General Store in Dillsboro as well as Appalachian Funeral Services and Ashley Construction
in Dillsboro. I hope to have links here to each of those businesses. David is very involved in running both the store
and the construction business, my involvement with the store is fairly limited to choosing merchandise to sell, and juss general
input into merchandising decisions.
I was very involved in teh conception, construction, and furnishing of the funeral home. I choose all the colors and
furniture. My wish was that our funeral hoe be different than the ones I had previously visited. Many funeral homes
are very dark and somber. I feel that when you need to visit a funeral home, you are sad enough, you don't need dark carpet
and dim lighting to remind you of your sadness. We have light colored carpet, beautiful lights, and have created conversation
areas where people can gather and talk. We have a wonderful gas fireplace in the front area, with chairs where people can
cluster, get warm in the winter and share memories.
