Valley of the Bird Singer

Many thanks to my good friend, lenaspieltblues, for her assistance with the research and the German. Lena, you made this video possible!

Vogelsänger Tal (Foglesong Valley) was the valley of my grandmother's people. Translated from the German, it means "valley of the bird singer" or "valley of the one who sings like a bird." This valley is only a few ridges away from my house. I went out with a camera today, on this beautiful spring day, to see if I could capture something of this valley in honor of my grandmother. She died when my father was 12 so I never got to meet her. She and her mother and grandmother all kept journals and they also saved their letters. I've read their papers at least a hundred times and it feels as if I knew these women personally.

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Translated from the journal of B.E.S. --- "This valley was tended by my father and my mother birthed her children here. I flowered and grew here, a girl turned into woman by the sun and wind. He splashed water on my bare feet and laughed, and I fell hard in love. He left in a buckboard but came back for me, a woman adored. We rode away from the church, friends singing, white flowers in my hair. No bride was ever happier and rising slowly, I looked back at the only home I'd ever known, hazing into the blueness of the west ridge, my mother's tears catching the sun like broken mirrors. The valley of the bird singer, once my true home, now left finally for a wild lad from Scotland, a mountain man whose father lived among the Indians and took an Indian woman for a wife. His heritage showed hard on his face and in his nature. My mother said I disgraced my father and the family in Germany by marrying this man, but he had taken my heart into his when the water hit my bare feet. I think my mother understood. The bird singers were my family but now I have gone to live among the Scots, a strange breed of folks, much given to secretiveness and odd ways."

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MUSIC: "River Jordan" by Angela Easterling

http://www.angelaeasterling.com/

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Category:

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Tags:

• valley
• bird
• singer
• Vogelsänger
• Tal
• Appalachian
• Blue
• Ridge
• mountain
• German
• Scot
• Foglesong
• grandmother
• marriage
• Scotland
• Virginia
• Highlands
• genealogy
• suuzzee5
• lenaspieltblues
• Germany
• Angela
• Easterling
• River
• Jordan

[greyhoundfriend123]

I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed that story. It is beautiful. Lots of deep thoughts and emotions. I'm happy that you have those letters. Very little of my family history was passed down. Thanks for sharing and the English translation!

[suuzzee5]

Thanks so much for your kind words! So glad you enjoyed this video and my grandmother's story. Happy New Year to you!!

[lillymoons]

5***** Lilly.

[suuzzee5]

Thanks for all those stars, Lilly! :)

[rollinwiththeflow]

I'm discovering all these gems, Suze! This is just lovely - the scenery, the story, the song. Ah, history! You are fortunate to have those journals!

[suuzzee5]

Hi Chuck! :) Am so glad you enjoyed this video. Thanks so much for your warmth and for leaving such a personalized comment. There is a trunk filed with the journals of my grandmother and great grandmother, as well as letter so their husbands. With some of those letters, it's smiles and giggles all around. :)

[suuzzee5]

Thank you for such a warm and personalized comment. It's feedback such as this that keeps folks like me wanting to make more videos. My grandmother was a very eloquent lady...I would love to have known her. Thanks again... Suze

[suuzzee5]

My pleasure...always! :)

[shas1814]

Thank you for posting this.

Your video is beautiful, I give it 5 stars.

Your grandmother's words, though-

my heart is warmed and my eyes blurred with tears.

"He splashed water on my bare feet and laughed, and I fell hard in love."

I hope you publish her journal,

it would be a gift to the world!

[Cliffbrock]

Thank Suze, That is very special. Thanks for posting and letting me read it. Very beautiful and I sure understand how someone could write about such a pretty place. Thanks again so very much, --:)Rod