The Texture of Life: The Tusing Sisters of Branch Mountain

The Texture of Life: The Tusing Sisters of Branch Mountain
(Documentary, 2003, running time: 28 minutes)

This portrait of two Hardy County, West Virginia Mennonite sisters is based on a short story by their niece Kathleen Sholl. Through narration she tells the story of her annual summer visits to the home place on Branch Mountain while growing up in the Fifties. In 1972 the Smithsonian "discovered" the Tusing sisters and wrote an article on their weaving techniques and life outside the mainstream. They seldom left their 200-acre farm, not owning a car, and used little electricity except for a few light bulbs and a small radio.