by Heather R. Todd | Reflections
After a few local day trips, I decided to join some people from the barn on a camping trip at Iron Mountain in Virginia. They assured me that the seven-hour drive with a horse in tow was worth the effort. They were right. Virginia was stunning – even if the... 
by Heather R. Todd | Reflections
The great adventure began long before I ever hit the trail. For our eighth wedding anniversary, my husband surprised me with a two-hour trail ride at a little horse farm about an hour north of our home. By this time, I was well into my thirties with all the usual... 
by Heather R. Todd | Book Reviews
Mountain Madness by Clinton Crockett Peters. Mountain Madness is a collection of essays detailing the author’s hiking treks in both Japan, during his tenure as a twenty-something English teacher, and in the United States during his time as an outdoor guide. His... 
by Heather R. Todd | Book Reviews
Barbara Kingsolver’s Homeland and Other Stories is, like her other works, a masterpiece. This collection of twelve short stories chronicles the lives of very ordinary people that Kingsolver somehow manages to make incredibly interesting. I was particularly struck by... 
by Heather R. Todd | Fiction
Saturday morning came and went and no baseball glove was anywhere in sight. After rushing out to the empty porch in his pajamas early that morning, Teddy had thrown himself headlong onto the Diving Board and wailed his little heart out. Mamaw sat next to him on the... by Heather R. Todd | Fiction
“Teddy!” Whenever my grandma called my cousin Teddy instead of his proper name, Theo, I knew something bad had happened or was about to happen. Her head was out the screen door, plump neck stretched to scan up and down Third Street, short stubby bare feet hanging... 
by Heather R. Todd | Reflections
The following essay is a personal reflection I penned at the end of my first-ever formal writing class: Fiction I. The experience was initially terrifying, but ultimately led to a deeper understanding of the importance of putting work out for others to read and the... 
by Heather R. Todd | Recipes
This recipe is a family favorite made by my grandmother, Mabea. Like all of her recipes, this one uses simple ingredients and techniques, and serves up hearty Appalachian-influenced flavor. Simple enough to whip up for a routine Sunday dinner, but delectable enough...