| Wheeling native, Don Feenerty has been called a Renaissance man by many but considers himself to be extremely simple, so much so that he has started a YouTube channel called “The Simple Life with Don Feenerty.”To learn more about it, now you can join Feenerty and host Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library on December 22rd at noon for the launch of an annual tradition: “The Simple Life, a Foxfire Christmas from the Quaker Meeting House in Historic Mt. Pleasant, Ohio.” The partially pre-recorded livestream event can be watched on Facebook, on the Lunch With Books YouTube channel, or on the library’s website. Feenerty claims while growing up in South Wheeling his life was changed for the better by books. In fourth grade his teacher had him read “My Side of the Mountain” and at the age of twelve he got his hands on his first “Foxfire” book. Living between the base of the West Virginia hills and the bank of the Ohio River in semi-rural Appalachia the stories in these books rang true and spoke volumes to young Feenerty.Today he lives on a farm outside of Mt. Pleasant and spends much of his time living what he calls the “Simple Life.” He enjoys foraging for wild greens and mushrooms, hunting for antlers and arrowheads and making his own, well, everything. “In rural communities throughout Appalachia people did for themselves. They grew their own food, made their own tools and found entertainment in the simple things life had to offer,” says Feenerty. “And that’s what I like to do in my life.” Feenerty will not only share his Simple Life ideas with Lunch with Books, he will also share some of his authentic Foxfire collection, items made by Appalachian crafts men and women featured in the Foxfire book series. Included in his Simple Life discussion Feenerty will show us how to brighten up the holidays with an apple, make memorable gifts from a piece of split firewood and how to make collectable gifts showcased in the Foxfire books.Traditional Appalachian musical entertainment by the Wheeling based quartet, “Faire May,” will also be included throughout the presentation. Feenerty will answer questions live toward the end of the one-hour program. |
