The Hard Facts (As recorded in typical Bill Price fashion!)

Start date:    15 October 1997 Start time:    Begin - 6:00 p.m. local (22:00 UTC). (Ending 9:45 p.m. (01:45 UTC) Vicinity:      Wise County, Virginia (N 36 d. 50 m. 10 s. / W 82 d. 45 m. 30 s.) Location:   The 90 acre remnant of Great Grandfather Antonio Nardi farm. Weather:    Crystal clear sky, 46 degrees upon arrival / 39 d. on departure. Purpose:    To observe "moon rise" over the 3300 foot elevation of Powell Mountain. Horizontal Distance to Peak of Powell Mountain:    4,500 feet. Place of observation on farm:    Intersection of North/South fields, east side. Observation Elevation:    1800 feet above MSL (Mean Sea Level). Moon rise time:    Light above ridge and thru the trees 9:03 p.m. (01:03 UTC). Moon rise direction:    Approximately 110 degrees east of true North. (by compass)

....And Now, The Story! After unlocking the chain at the main entry to the farm off Baum Hollow Road, I drove onto the farm and put the chain back on the post without the lock. I arrived in plenty of time to gather fire wood from the pile (previously considered useless) of Hawthorn trees that we have been cutting for three years. Hawthorn trees are heavily laden with sharp spikes on the trunk, limbs and branches. It is one hell of a tree to cut in a group, as the limbs and branches entwine so thickly, that they must be pulled apart using the four wheel drive vehicle. Heavy gloves must be worn when handling them to prevent serious puncture wounds. I pulled several of the trees, with a trunk diameter of three inches, to the middle of the trail. I then tied my three quarter inch rope around the bases of the trees, placed the pre-tied loop over the trailer hitch of the Explorer, and drug the tangled mass of trees to the clearing in the North field. This is the same observation point that I had used for the last full moon on the 16th of Sept. Cutting the Hawthorn trees for fire wood is difficult because of the thorns, however with the aid of large clippers, the task is much easier. The wood is fairly hard and makes a very nice and long lasting fire. After cutting up the smaller limbs and branches into smaller pieces, I crumpled up large pieces of paper to begin construction of the wood for the fire. This being completed, I arranged the back of the vehicle, with the back door up in a shelter position, and sat down to eat my supper of chicken and baked beans as the sun was setting. I lit the Coleman lantern, saving the lighting of the wood for the fire, until much later. Now at 8:00 p.m., it is quite dark with only a hint of the moon rise to come. I now start the fire from the pile of wood assembled earlier. With the dry wood, and the cool breeze flowing down the mountain, the fire almost instantly is blazing with light and heat. The temperature now is 44. My cantaloupe patch did not have time to mature before the killing hard frost of the previous night. The leaves are curled and dark brown and cantaloupes range in size from soft ball to golf ball size. I walk into the South field and cut them from the vine to take back for maybe some kind of Halloween decoration. Walking to the North end of the North field, I begin to see the beginning moon rise by the brighter spot above the Powell Mountain ridge peak 4,500 feet away and 1,500 feet above the Powell Valley floor. I would estimate the ascension angle to be approximately 19 degrees above the natural horizon. When walking back to the location of the fire, about 150 feet in an easterly direction, I began to notice "direct" moon light in the trees behind me! I had not noticed this the month before, because we kept looking for the moon rise in an easterly direction and not looking behind us. Now the moon lit the taller trees behind me, giving a more accurate and predictable time that the moon will actually rise above the ridge of the mountain peak. Watching the taller trees to the west, I began to get a "feel" for the actual moon rise. Now the train! Blowing the whistle at each railroad crossing. Coming from the west through Duffield, I can hear the whistle from miles away. Each time the whistle blows, there are several seconds delay, and then the echo from the North side of Powell Mountain! I hear each blowing and echo of the whistle as the train goes on into Big Stone Gap and on to Appalachia. The trains moved through Powell Valley this night, as they did in those early days. The train horns echoed through the mountains, as they blew at each RR crossing, just as they did in those early years. The old steam engines have been replaced by more powerful diesels and the old whistles, operated by steam, have been replaced by the newer horns...but they still echo through the mountains, as they did that half century ago! They bring in the empty railroad cars and take out the fully loaded coal cars, day and night! The whistles and echoes finally are gone as the train goes on to Norton this night. So many memories of my staying on the farm more than fifty years ago. My mothers Aunt Katie and Uncle John were simple good hearted people. I now reconstruct my past memories of the grape vines, apple trees, pear trees, corn fields, chickens, pigs and the "out house" over the stream from the spring that ran year round. EPA would no doubt have them jailed today for such things. The springs now only run from about February until May or June depending on the Winter and Spring Rains. The coal mining has lowered the water table in this area and is the cause of this! Remembering now the feather bed mattresses from goose feathers. My choice was to sleep in the back bedroom "between" two feather mattresses! I had to go thru Great Grandmothers bedroom to get to the back bedroom. the only heat in cold weather was the "Warm Morning" coal stove in the Living Room. To turn up the heat, you put another lump of coal in the stove and put on another blanket! Water to the kitchen was piped down from a spring high up on the base of the mountain. Katie could fix some of the best meals on the wood cook stove and there was no electricity for cook stoves in those days. No electric light either, only kerosene lamps with big wide wicks! Great Grandmother Mary Angelo Nardi was very old, bed ridden and nearly blind. I never saw her without her rosary in her hand. Not a word of English could she speak, except my name......."Billy!"..."Billy!"..... she would say with her arms outstretched. Always a hug, always a kiss! I understood a little Italian in those days, and even though I did not understand most of what she said, I would nod my head, indicating that I understood every word! She would smile again and repeat "Billy!"..."Billy!"! She was very old and obviously not long of this world. Grandfather James "Vincenzo" Nardi's mother would not be with us much longer, when I stayed on the farm as an early teenager. She is buried in the Big Stone Gap Cemetery where most of the family are at final rest. The plots were bought in the early 20's for three bucks each! Can you imagine that! The 255 acre farm was bought in July of 1905 for $3.50 per acre! AND can you imagine that? At 8:55 p.m., I see the moon light has reached the Northern edge of the North field. I leave the fire, mostly glowing coals by now, and walk the 150 feet or so to the edge of the field. The moon is just breaking through the top of the trees on Powell Mountain. I walk back to the area of the fire and the moon goes behind the mountain and trees again! GREAT! I will get TWO moon rises tonight! At 9:03 p.m., the moon again breaks above the top of the trees on Powell Mountain for a second moon rise this same night! Almost exactly one hour earlier than a month ago. Winds are changing direction and are blowing parallel to the mountain and westwardly. The Temperature is steadily dropping and now down to 42 degrees. I am not cold in my blue jean jacket and felt fishing hat. A little chilly perhaps, but not cold! Viewing the moon thru the 8 x 50 binoculars is almost too bright at first. I try a time exposure of the moon with my camera and 200 mm lens...I forgot how to set for open shutter! OH well, next time maybe! The moon is now clear of the top of the top of the mountain. The sky is so crystal clear as a cold front has just passed through the area last night. The whole country side is now bathed in bright moonlight, nearly as bright as daylight! The Temperature is now 39 degrees and falling. What a wonderful night! I pack up and leave at 9:45 p.m., after another night at this wonderful place. Feeling the presence of those that have gone before me, and knowing that I would not be here to enjoy this, had it not been for them! What a magnificent place this is! Was this a SPECIAL place AND SPECIAL night or what? My great grandfathers' and grandfathers' memories are deep in my mind! They came so far from Italy, knowing not what to expect! And here I sit, had it not been for them, I would not be here to enjoy this night! I NOW know, without any doubt whatever, WHY this time and effort has been spent in the re-claiming of this land! Bill Price