Grandpa Morley

…Funny how you can grow up around these hills and still feel like you've barely scratched the surface of what's out there. The house sits at the base of a ridge that rises into dense hardwood forests. Grandpa always said the land has its own memory, that every gust of wind and snap of twigs might be a signal if you listen closely enough.…

…I'd planned on taking it easy that evening, maybe practice a few fishing knots, or help Grandpa Morley tidy up the workshop. Instead, a couple of friends, Ray and Kelsey, coaxed me into one last round of our favorite hide-and-seek style game. It was something we'd concocted years ago, chasing each other through every nook and cranny of the Appalachians behi…

…Grandpa Morley was digging through his old field notebooks, scattering them across the kitchen table. He murmured to himself as he flipped pages, sometimes tapping a map he'd pinned down with an empty coffee cup. Finally, he called us over.…