…or so Mark Twain said and we think he was right. One of the best things about living in the South is the sayings. We love them so much we not only got the title of the first book, Whistling Woman, from one, we use one for each chapter in the Appalachian Journey books.
Whistling Woman, Appalachian Journey Book 1
Chapter One
A whistling woman and a crowing hen never come to a very good end
Chapter Two
She’s enough to make a preacher cuss
Chapter Three
Chugged full
Chapter Four
Be like the old woman who fell out of the wagon
Chapter Five
She looks like she was in the outhouse when the lightning struck
Chapter Six
Trying fortunes
Chapter Seven
That girl’s just naturally horizontal
Chapter Eight
That boy’s more slippery than snot on a glass doorknob
Chapter Nine
Mad enough to spit in a wildcat’s eye
Chapter Ten
He looks like something the dog’s been keeping under the porch
Chapter Eleven
Like two peas in a pod
Chapter Twelve
In high cotton
Chapter Thirteen
The trail where they cried
Chapter Fourteen
Barking up the wrong tree
Chapter Fifteen
She’s resting at peace in the marble orchard
Chapter Sixteen
Scared as a sinner in a cyclone.
Chapter Seventeen
He couldn’t pour water out of a boot with a hole in the toe and directions on the heel
Chapter Eighteen
He’s so windy he could blow up an onion sack
Chapter Nineteen
Shucking corn
Chapter Twenty
He’s so useless if he had a third hand, he’d need another pocket to put it in
Chapter Twenty-one
Breaking up Christmas
Chapter Twenty-two
A sight for sore eyes
Moonfixer, Appalachian Journey Book 2
Chapter One
They ain’t been married long enough to wrinkle the sheets.
Chapter Two
Those young’uns could worry the dead.
Chapter Three
They ate supper before they said grace.
Chapter Four
He’s crooked-er than a $3 bill.
Chapter Five
He ain’t got the good sense God gave a billy goat.
Chapter Six
Scared as a sinner in a cyclone.
Chapter Seven
If that don’t get your fire going, your wood’s wet.
Chapter Eight
If “ifs” and “buts” were candy and nuts, we’d all have a merry Christmas.
Chapter Nine
Wadn’t nothin’ between him and the Lord but a smile.
Chapter Ten
Old stomping grounds.
Chapter Eleven
Busier than a one-eyed cat watchin’ two rat holes.
Chapter Twelve
Well, don’t that just take the cake?
Chapter Thirteen
Even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then.
Chapter Fourteen
She ain’t worth the salt in her bread.
Chapter Fifteen
Madder than a mule chewing on bumble bees.
Chapter Sixteen
Finer than frog hair split four ways.
Chapter Seventeen
You better give your heart to Jesus, ‘cause your butt is mine.
Chapter Eighteen
Old devils never die.
Chapter Nineteen
The mill stone grinds slow, but it is always grinding.
Beloved Woman, Appalachian Journey Book 3
Chapter One
She can just get glad in the same britches she got mad in.
Chapter Two
It’s so hot the hens are laying hard-boiled eggs.
Chapter Three
There but for the grace of God…
Chapter Four
Lower than a snake’s belly in a wagon rut.
Chapter Five
Her face looked like 9 days of bad weather.
Chapter Six
At cross-purposes.
Chapter Seven
He’s so tall if he fell down he’d be halfway home.
Chapter Eight
Good Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise.
Chapter Nine
Hang in there like a hair in a biscuit.
Chapter Ten
As lonely as the last pea at pea time.
Chapter Eleven
As ugly as a mud fence.
Chapter Twelve
They lived so far back in the sticks they had to pump in sunshine.
Chapter Thirteen
He’s so bad off, his eyes look like two piss-holes in a snow bank.
Chapter Fourteen
It’s about as hard as trying to steer a herd of cats.
Chapter Fifteen
The room was so crowded you couldn’t cuss the cat without getting fur in your mouth.
Chapter Sixteen
There are a lot of nooses on their family tree.
Wise Woman, Appalachian Journey Book 4
Chapter One
If things get any better around here, I may have to hire someone to help me enjoy it.
Chapter Two
As safe as a tick on a hound dog with a stiff neck.
Chapter Three
He’s so confused he doesn’t know whether to scratch his watch or wind his backside.
Chapter Four
I bought it for a song and you can sing it yourself.
Chapter Five
Go whole hog.
Chapter Six
Don’t let your mouth overload your tail.
Chapter Seven
What in tarnation?
Chapter Eight
Your face looks like it caught on fire and was put out with a bag of nickels.
Chapter Nine
He’s so crooked you can’t tell from his tracks if he’s coming or going.
Chapter Ten
Don’t let the tail wag the dog.
Chapter Eleven
Happy as a puppy with two tails.
Chapter Twelve
He was mean enough to hunt bears with a hickory switch.
Chapter Thirteen
Ain’t seen hide nor hair of him.
Chapter Fourteen
You gonna have to relick that calf.
Chapter Fifteen
If you don’t stop, I’ll knock you in the head and tell God you died.
Chapter Sixteen
Put wishes in one hand and spit in the other and see which one fills up first.
Chapter Seventeen
Either fish or cut bait.
Chapter Eighteen
She’s feeling as low as a toad in a dry well.
Chapter Nineteen
She’s got enough wrinkles to hold an eight day rain.
Chapter Twenty
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saint. – Psalm 116:15
Chapter Twenty-One
She opens her mouth with wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. – Proverbs 31:26
CTHodges
christytilleryfrench
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July 5, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Betty Dravis
Wow, Christy and Caityn, I loved this book about your aunt from the 1800s era; your description of the area is awesome, as well as the characterization. I wish I had more time to get around to all the blogs. They are like books: so many blogs, so little time. Love every word you write.
Heart Hugs – Betty Dravis