> > The Cove is a broad valley surrounded by mountains and contains a number of old structures from the pioneer days. There is a lady who lived there as a child, and she spends her time searching for old farm sites.
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> As I read the article, I had to look up "dowse" in the dictionary. ("To use a divining rod to search for underground water or minerals.") Is this an Appalachian term, or have I just been hiding under a rock somewhere all my life? I've never heard of a "dowser," but the article doesn't even really explain what it is, so I assume the term is well-known to the readers of that paper.
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> > Cades Cove is a beautiful place with a paved, one lane, one way loop that takes you past churches, cabins, barns, and a mill with a waterwheel that still grinds meal. It has abundant wildlife and beautiful streams. Much of it is open meadows, but there are lots of wooded areas as well. It also has its share of legends and ghost stories.
>
> OK, I need to see this place -- or somewhere like it. I've read the book Christy quite a few times, and it's set in Appalachia. Every time I read it, I want to visit the area. Cities are all right in their place, but nothing can replace the moutains, greenery and water found in nature. On my recent trip to New Orleans, I took more pictures on one swamp tour than I took the whole rest of the trip. There's just something so amazingly beautiful about nature.
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> Ell"rambling"myruh

Cades Cove is like stepping back in time. It's a farming area that remains pretty much like it was 150 years ago.
As for dowsers, I never really believed it when I first heard of it in the 1940's. I still don't believe it could work. But it does. Yes, it is common knowledge in this area and still practiced.
Howard