Country Store Porch, Bartow WV

I spent my second day in remote, quiet Bartow making pictures. After I completed my watercolor in the restaurant, I took my sketchbook and went across the street to a tiny store, "Edith's Produce," which served the neighborhood. There are a lot of these little stores in the Appalachian area, run by one person or family (in this case, Edith) and stocking basic things that residents and tourists want, everything from milk and canned vegetables to live bait. This one had a small porch out front, where visitors could sit on rickety, mismatched chairs under a roof. That day there was nothing to shade from, just cold and damp but I sat outside anyway to draw this scene.

I love country stores and always have loved them, but they are disappearing in the current economy. I guess rural dwellers will now have to drive miles and miles to the nearest Wal-mart for their supplies. In a few weeks, this one will have lots of fresh produce from the area to display, and it seems to be surviving just for now.