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I Love West Virginia. There, I Said It.

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Services for Real Estate Pros with Real Estate Shows

                      Kanawha River                        Dead Man's Curve

This afternoon I had an Open House at one of our listings in St. Albans.  (You can see it on our Team Whitten blog if you're curious, nice older house with a great "watching the world go by" front porch.)  I took Teays Valley Road just because it makes my car so happy.  

I sat out on the porch at my Open House and could hear the Sternwheeler's deep air horns on the Kanawha River, just a block or so from the house.  VERY cool!  I took these pictures on my way home.  The top is the Kanawha River, minus the Sternwheelers.  (Hate that I missed them!)  The bottom picture is Teays Valley Road.  In high school we called this section Dead Man's Curve.  Yes, I'm driving and taking pictures in Dead Man's Curve.  Tsk. 

Before I went home, I stopped at a fast food restaurant to get dinner for the family.  I chatted with the friendly girl working the drive through and realized that they're ALL friendly.  Being waited on by rude people around here is the exception, not the rule.   At the intersection with a four way stop, the other person made it there first.  He motioned me on ahead of him and was rewarded with a smile and wave, which he returned.    

I am proud to be from a place where the little things matter.  People are generally kind to each other.  We manage to have one of the lowest crime rates in the country consistently -- even though we are also among the poorer states.  I will never believe that poverty creates crime because I know that it's simply not true.  We may not be rich but we share what we have, and we try not to let anyone go hungry.  Taking care of other people helps to take care of me.  I get to live in a beautiful place where people smile at strangers, because usually we can trust and rely on each other.  The little things matter.

I just love this place.  All I wanted to say.

Comments(21)

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Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman
Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI
(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE

"watching the world go by" front porch....  I want one of those.

I love West Virginia toooooo!

Sep 16, 2007 11:40 AM
Diane Velikis
Coldwell & Banker Busch Real Estate - Luzerne, PA
Luzerne County Real Estate

I miss the south! I lived in North Carolina as a youngster and always said I want to go back someday. Those Country Roads....

Take me home, country roads, to the place I belong....

John Denver, said it better than I could....

Sep 16, 2007 11:59 AM
Diane Velikis
Coldwell & Banker Busch Real Estate - Luzerne, PA
Luzerne County Real Estate

I miss the south! I lived in North Carolina as a youngster and always said I want to go back someday. Those Country Roads....

Take me home, country roads, to the place I belong....

John Denver, said it better than I could....

Sep 16, 2007 11:59 AM
Suzanne Sands
Pavao Real Estate - Somerset, MA
Somerset MA Real Estate

Sarah,

Sounds so peaceful...but I can't imagine driving on "dead mans curve" and taking pictures at the same time...you little dare devil! I'm not even gonna mention the other thing you said you did...you know what i'm talking about...tsk! ;)

Sep 16, 2007 12:41 PM
Aziz Abdur-Raoof
RE/MAX Rewards - Columbia, MD
Howard Co. Real Estate Scoop
Sarah -- How can we not, I love West Virgina too.  Especially during my Terp days.
Sep 16, 2007 12:55 PM
Bob Carney
Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales - Mc Henry, MD
Licensed MD/PA Real Estate Agent

I agree with Diane..needs music...  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC8nDdPM_Qk 

I like WV...just hate route 19 where the only income the cities get, is tickets from out of towners... beautiful scenery!

Sep 16, 2007 01:38 PM
Thesa Chambers
West + Main - Bend, OR
Principal Broker - Licensed in Oregon
Sarah - your passion and love for your community and area is so obvious - you make me want to move there - I love the green and the water too.  thanks for sharing this slice of heaven
Sep 16, 2007 03:10 PM
Lucky Lang
Premiere Plus Realty Marco Island - Marco Island, FL
Marco Island & Naples Florida Real Estate

Sarah,

I know the feeling!  I feel the same way about Davenport, Iowa!!!

West Virginia is a beautiful place to visit for us though!

Take care,

Lucky :)

Sep 16, 2007 03:20 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher
Sarah, Little things mean an awful lot, I wish more people around here understood that.  It's rare to find someone to hold the door, give you a greeting or get honked at for no reason when you're on the road for less than five minutes.  It didn't used to be like that....I wish more people here remembered that "little things matter."
Sep 16, 2007 03:22 PM
Anonymous
Frances Fogerson

When I was 16 years old (it was 1962!) I was the first of my friends with a driver's license.  With friend Nancy's parents' borrowed 1962 Pontiac,  three of us took off for a fun ride down Teays Valley Road.  When we came to Dead Man's Curve, I was going way too fast -- I hesitate to tell you how fast.  It was frightening and exhilerating.  Wow, you can be so stupid when you're 16!  I guess I wised up some because I survived those idiotic teenage danger-dares -- and went on to have a decent life and a daughter named Sarah Murphy Cooper. 

Your photo of Dead Man's Curve gave me a shudder.  I'm glad I'm a sedate 60-something corporate professional/grandma now -- I would never want to be 16 again!  And, do NOT tell Tall One this story.  She's too close to being 16!

Your once-daring Mom.  (Bet you never knew this!)

Sep 16, 2007 03:32 PM
#11
Midori Miller
Talk 2 Midori, LLC - Daytona Beach, FL
Online Marketing For Real Estate Professionals
Sarah-I love West Virginia and all the people there!  They are so full of hospitality, kindness and warmth.  My only visit there was a tragic one.  But one that I will never forget!  They showed us city folks a lot in a short time.  It was probably one of the best trips I have ever taken.
Sep 16, 2007 04:07 PM
Jason Sardi
Auto & Home & Life Insurance throughout North Carolina - Charlotte, NC
Your Agent for Life
Awwww, LOVE the comment by Frances!
Sep 16, 2007 06:03 PM
Maggie Dokic | Indialantic
Magdalena Dokic - Indialantic, FL
Selling the beach in Florida's space coast

Sarah, your posts are wonderful not only for the posts, but the comments they get.  And look at what blogging's doing...you're getting to know your Mom better than you did before.  What a daredevil!

Sep 16, 2007 08:22 PM
Sarah Cooper
Real Estate Shows - Hurricane, WV

Missy - I love the people at our Walmart.  I can talk to one of the cashiers about how things are going with her kids, another about her new house, one of the guys that stocks early in the morning always stops to chat with me for a minute ... yeah, they're all pretty friendly, too.

Sally - I have a "watching the world go by" front porch -- and back porch.  And I love our cooler weather because now there's where I "work".  (I use the term loosely.)  You are welcome to join me for some porch sitting any time.

Diane - Sometimes it's as simple as the roads, isn't it?

Suzanne - Crap ... "the other thing you said you did".  ... I'm wondering what I did ... !!!  OOOOOHhh, the fast food.  :oD  Yes, it was goooooood.  LOL!  (I had onion rings, AWESOME.)

Aziz - I bet West Virginia loves you back!

Bob - You up for a picnic?  Wanna meet at Blackwater Falls some weekend soon?  If we have any fall color, I might want to take the kids back there.  

Thesa - WOW -- if I can make YOU want to move here, as gorgeous as it is where you live ... I must be good!  LOL!

Lucky - It's not a bad place to live, either.  ;o)

Carole - It's a little more rare here for people not to hold the door.  I realize it's not that way everywhere, and I appreciate it.  Just had to say it!

Mom -  The thought of Tall One driving gives me jitters.  I kind of wish Little One were going first!!  I'm not surprised you were a daredevil, not at all.  I've never been a daredevil with the car, but I'm bad about "what the hell" moments.  (Can't believe you got my name wrong though ... tsk!  I dropped the Murphy and kept my middle name.  I've thought of blogging about why, but I wasn't sure if I should.  What do you think, without saying why?)

Midori - I'm so curious now.  Were you here after a Hurricane or something?  We are good about taking in people and giving them whatever they need.  Somehow we're trained that way.  I bought new dishes a while back, just cheap everyday dishes, and I have my old ones ready to take to the thrift shop.  We pass it on around here.  My husband accuses me of giving "everything" away ... but what's wrong with that? 

Jason - My Mom's pretty awesome.  :o)

Maggie - I read my email before I came in here and the first thing I had was your comment.  When you called my Mom a daredevil, I was worried about what might have been spilled out there!!!  LOL!

Sep 16, 2007 09:09 PM
Ginger Wilcox
Sindeo - San Francisco, CA
Great pictures Sarah, it sounds like a wonderful place to be!  Be safe with your picture taking!!  
Sep 16, 2007 09:54 PM
Sarah Cooper
Real Estate Shows - Hurricane, WV
Ginger - I'm a careful driver, no worries! Glad you like the pictures.  :o)
Sep 17, 2007 04:51 AM
Anonymous
Frances Fogerson
I say that my name is Frances Jeannine Fogerson and we both know that I've had other last names. So, you're right -- your name is Sarah Jeannine Cooper. PS: You need to do a blog on "our" name.
Sep 17, 2007 05:21 AM
#18
Bob Carney
Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales - Mc Henry, MD
Licensed MD/PA Real Estate Agent

SARAH JEANNINE...GET OUT OF THE CRICK and get cleaned up for dinner!!! 

 Wonder how many time Mom had to say that?

Sep 17, 2007 02:10 PM
Sarah Cooper
Real Estate Shows - Hurricane, WV

Mom - Done.

Bob - LOL!!  She didn't really yell my whole name, and I don't do it to my girls either.  Maybe because it sounds a little like yelling at myself??

Sep 17, 2007 09:07 PM
Trace Galle
Designs by Trace - Kelowna, BC

Hi Sarah,

Very nice blog and great pictures West Virginia sounds like a very nice place. 

Sep 18, 2007 09:01 AM