Steer wrestling, a practice credited to legendary cowboy and rodeo star Bill Pickett, usually involves leaping onto a steer from the back of a specially trained horse. At the Madison
Put ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until puffed and golden. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. With a flexible spatula, remove strata to
It’s easy to see the green-scaled bass on the cover of Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman’s Journey and think, “Oh, another fishing book.” But it is far more than a
It’s easy to see the green-scaled bass on the cover of Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman’s Journey and think, “Oh, another fishing book.” But it is far more than a
It’s easy to see the green-scaled bass on the cover of Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman’s Journey and think, “Oh, another fishing book.” But it is far more than a
It’s easy to see the green-scaled bass on the cover of Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman’s Journey and think, “Oh, another fishing book.” But it is far more than a paean to the fishing life.
Growing Gills is rife with vivid descriptions of author David Joy’s childhood trips to the North Carolina coast, where his grandmother, the greatest angler he’s ever known, mentored him. It also includes adolescent forays in the southern Piedmont and adventures in his beloved Appalachian trout streams. In these evocations of North Carolina’s wilderness, Joy’s prose shines and gives a memoir’s greatest gift: It allows the reader to enter the writer’s life. If you love Appalachia, immersing yourself in Growing Gills is the next best thing to dipping in a cold mountain stream.
From fly tying to casting to spending time with family, Growing Gills covers a lot of ground, but passion for the natural world and a down-to-earth voice keep the book from sprawling. In Joy’s ambitious moments, he uses fishing stories to move into philosophical terrain, pondering his heritage and wondering if humans can revert to a state of wildness. As the book proves, the act of fishing, being the predator in search of another living thing, brings the human closer to the natural world from which some people feel separated. It is this separation that Joy, through fishing and writing about place, seeks to heal. With Growing Gills, he has made a strong start.
Western North Carolina is at its most stunning when autumn arrives and the leaves burst into color. Before you head out leaf-peeping this fall, check in weekly to see what colors our experts are seeing at 22 of our favorite mountain spots.
We’ve picked a bushel of North Carolina apples in every form — from pies to pottery to cider — to enjoy from the first perfect, blue-sky day of October through chilly Halloween. That’s one for each day of the month!
