I heard the term “hollow” many times while watching Justified and even looked it up to see what it meant, but I did not understand the concept till yesterday when I went with a friend to look at some places in Northern Tennessee.
This was one of the houses in the area: Honest-to-God Old School log cabin, recently remodeled/rebuilt. The location is remote, gorgeous and quiet! I was amazed at how far voices carry when there is not a constant hum of power lines and modern machinery cluttering the air. Conversation being held 50 yards away or more, could be heard clearly which I figure is why mountain people are kinda reserved: Some stuff does not need to be heard by others.
Where I went was not off-grid as per survivalists dreams. They have basic services, so even a city boy like me would stay for a long while with too much hardship. But nothing is near, and that includes emergency services. Something happens to you, you better be ready to drive yourself or have somebody take you about 30 mins away to the closest medical unit. I guess you learn what and how much to buy and have so you don’t waste time going back and forth or do without if the weather turns.
It was not a bad place to be for the SHTF moment. Hell, they would need to find the way to get near the Zip Code first.
This is why I need to hit the Lotto and get me a place like that.
Learning what quiet sounds like, oh yes.
We’re not exactly way out in the country, but there are times I hear tires on a gravel driveway, look around, and realize that it’s not our driveway but one a quarter of a mile away.
Much of the time, the loudest sounds are birds and insects. (The nearest cicada-infested forest is far enough away that we weren’t deafened by the recent outbreak, but the few bugs in out yard were quite loud enough.)
And, yes, having a remote cabin for a hideout (even if you’re just hiding from the day job) is a fine idea.
My goodness, though: a quick peek at Zillow shows that prices have gone up dramatically in this area the past couple of years. Nothing’s really cheap anymore.
You’ve never heard locals call it a hollow. Holler maybe or even cove.
Cmon man.
What is Senile Joe doing commenting here?
Based on my 5 years living in West “By God” Virginia, it’s always been a “holler”. And you never lived “in” a holler, you lived “back in” the holler, or “up in” the holler.
When Hurricane Ike finished with Houston, I went outside and found that kind of quiet. And I live within a quarter mile of an interstate. There was so sound I could hear, other than the trees rustling. Took me back to my childhood. Good times.
We live in a similar situation, 30 minutes to town, sure wish it wasn’t so close.
I brought my then new wife here 10 years ago. She had lived in a big city all her life. It took her all of 10 minutes to adapt to the quiet. Country boys say,” if you can’t pee off your front porch without someone calling the law it’s time to move.”
In Kansas we have the wind, it is a near all prevailing constant so we rarely have that level of quiet. That being said I have heard conversations from 1/2 of a mile away if the wind was from the right direction so the reserved nature is still prudent. No on wants to talk bad about someone if there is a chance the wind will carry your words to all the neighbors half a mile or more down wind.
Miguel, welcome to a place that isn’t flat. 🙂