Spooky Tales at John C. Campbell Folk School

The evenings performers (L-R) Terrell Shaw, Denise Mount, and Kanute Rarey. I didn't catch the name of the bony photobomber.

The the folk school's main entrance.

Kanute Rarey is something. He has had a big role in establishing, reviving, assisting, promoting storytelling in a variety of venues over the last few years. On Monday I had the opportunity, thanks to Kanute, to tell stories with Kanute and Denise Mount at the famous John C. Campbell Folk School. I had a ball!

I arrived very early and had over two hours to walk around that beautiful campus and see a little of what the school is all about. 

The program itself was in the "Open House" a rustic cabin will walls o=pen from about waist height to the rafters. We had very full and enthusiastic audience. 

I opened the show with Lewis Carroll's famous nonsense poem, "Jabberwocky," then told one of my favorite spooky stories that I call "Matilda Stood on a Grave".

Kanute took the stage told one of a class of stories that I call "story stories". It was reminiscent of a Jack tale that involved a suspicious old woman,

It was such a lovely fall drive that I shot a couple of pictures with my iPhone which was attached to the dash for directions.

Since I was so early I took about 30 extra minutes to take a sentimental driving tour to the top of the hill  above the location of the house I lived in from sixth grade till ninth grade.These are the mountains we saw from our front porch 1958-1962.

This the main building at the folk school.

Blacksmithing and other metal working is taught 

In the small museum of the folk school.

The craft shop is on the lower level of this building.

I suppose this class was doing some sort of food or drink preparation.

The "Open House" was our storytelling venue for the evening.

The "Open House" again.

Another view of the "Open House".

A selfie along one of the paths.

Note the pumpkin spider.

As the sun went down the light was too interesting  not to take a few pictures.

Enlarge this pano shot to get a full view of the valley from the gardens.

The many railings around the campus show off the school's blacksmithing.

Another pano pic.

Denise Mount performing her story.

Storytelling in Hayesville.

Sheila and I are in Hayesville, North Carolina to participate in a planning retreat for the Board of Directors for the Southern Order of Storytellers (SOS). Hosting the board this weekend are two Hayesville couples:  Kanute and Kathy Rarey and Anne Wheeler and Dick Berliner. AND we were thrilled to be asked to participate in the monthly Hayesville open mike storytelling event this evening. 

A special treat for me and Sheila was that our friend Mimi Shepherd showed up. Mimi is not blood kin rather a sort of "adopted cousin" who usually attends our Matthews family reunions. She has retired from her veterinary practice and moved to --- Hayesville!

Sheila with Mimi

SOS folks who told stories were board member Kanute (the emcee and first teller), our vice president Gwenolyn Napier, our legal advisor Anne, and me.

I had planned to tell a favorite ghost story, but...

Kanute opened the program with a wonderful reminiscence of his grandfather, in honor of Father's Day. 

Kanute addresses the enthusiastic crowd of story listeners at a coffee shop in Hayesville, NC.

Kanute's story included many details that reminded me of my own grandfather and father.  So I changed my mind.  I decided on the spot to talk about my father and his father, and Daddy's own story that I call "Skinny-dipping" or "Baptism by Fire & Water". I enjoyed it and I think my audience did.

I've shared a stage with Gwen several times now so I knew to expect an energetic and engaging story and she did not disappoint with her tale about Brer Rabbit's latest outwitting of Brer Bear. 

Brer Rabbit enlisted the help of Frog to defeat Brer Bear in a fishing contest.

This was my first time to hear Anne tell a story. She fascinated us with a her adventures in beekeeping.

Anne's beekeeping got off to a rough start when her son's dog got involved.

After the show Gwen and Kanute posed with me.