Stop and Hear the Roses

Oops. I think my metaphors have synesthesia.

The point is, I’ve uploaded four mp3 files this morning–about a half hour of Slow Road Home–the first, perhaps, of more. I decided not to edit or abridge, at least not yet, and just put up the beginning of the book, just the way it came out when I read it (on seven different dates) at WVTF back last September.

It’s certainly not polished, and like the book, not a pot-boiler. You might think of listening with your eyes closed. Or you could look at the banner image above; if you hit “refresh” or the F5 button on your keyboard, you’ll see 17 different images there that may help “place you” in the story. I’ll be thinking about where–if anywhere–to go from this first sampling.

Hmmm. If I could link my photographs and have them fade in and out as the narrative moves along, now that would be an interesting multi-media experience of Goose Creek. Something maybe like a custom arranged Flickr slide show. Here’s a non-customized slide show of my recent-to-less-recent images if you want to keep your eyes open.

Let me hear your thoughts. (There’s a permanent link to the audio page now in the left sidebar under “Fred’s Galleries”)

Go here to the Slow Road Home audio page to listen.

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fred

Fred First holds masters degrees in Vertebrate Zoology and physical therapy, and has been a biology teacher and physical therapist by profession. He moved to southwest Virginia in 1975 and to Floyd County in 1997. He maintains a daily photo-blog, broadcasts essays on the Roanoke NPR station, and contributes regular columns for the Floyd Press and Roanoke's Star Sentinel. His two non-fiction books, Slow Road Home and his recent What We Hold in Our Hands, celebrate the riches that we possess in our families and communities, our natural bounty, social capital and Appalachian cultures old and new. He has served on the Jacksonville Center Board of Directors and is newly active in the Sustain Floyd organization. He lives in northeastern Floyd County on the headwaters of the Roanoke River.

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  1. I am trying to figure out if I can actually download these to my own files, so I can listen to them as sit in my own backyard, watching the clouds or hearing my hardy hibiscus blooming. Thank you so much for posting these. I was listening to them, and went back to finish reading your blog when I discovered that you told us to look at the flicr pictures to keep us awake. Not only mind candy, but eye candy too. Only suggestion that I have, is to have you put a longer space between the stories, and I like your idea of soft music between them fading in and out as each story begins and ends.

  2. I sat here clicking Reload every couple of seconds and you’re right–it’s a beautiful glimse of the road home! Felt like I was out taking a country drive. Isn’t technology fun?