Holler Ridge Weekend Report

The Naming of Bandit Boone & The Luck of the Holler

Well folks…

After weeks of snowstorms, ice skating against our will, Valentine’s candy negotiations, and what historians in the holler will one day call The Great Trash Dispute of Winter…

The raccoon has officially been named.

His name is Bandit Boone.

And it fits like flannel in February.

The Morning It Became Official

Saturday broke cold but calm. No sideways snow. No surprise ice patches. Just that late-winter West Virginia quiet — the kind where the mountains look relaxed but still a little suspicious.

Holler Ridge stepped outside with a mug of coffee, steam rolling up into the crisp air.

And there he was.

Not hiding. Not sneaking. Not pretending he wasn’t in charge.

Bandit Boone sat at the edge of the porch like he’d been waiting for the paperwork to clear.

There was a long stare.

Not aggressive. Not defensive.

Just two creatures acknowledging that the chase was over.

Holler nodded once.

“Bandit Boone,” he said.

The raccoon blinked.

Name accepted.

From Outlaw to Operations Manager

It’s funny how fast things shift in the holler.

One month ago:

• Trash cans were battlefields.

• Ice was a tactical hazard.

• Pride was bruised regularly.

This weekend? Bandit Boone conducted perimeter checks while Holler worked on coffee refills.

No lid flipping. No snack theft. Just a slow, confident patrol of the yard like he owns at least partial equity.

Which, frankly, he might.

St. Patrick’s Day Planning Begins

Mid-morning, Holler headed back inside with an idea.

St. Patrick’s Day is creeping up. And if the holler does anything, it commits.

Sketchbook out. Green ink ready. Coffee stronger than usual.

Early design concepts spread across the table:

🍀 “Luck of the Holler”

🍀 Green WV35 caps

🍀 Shamrock badge edition

🍀 A limited drop featuring Bandit Boone

Now here’s where things got serious.

Holler held up a draft design of Bandit Boone wearing a tiny leprechaun hat.

Bandit, from the porch, slowly shifted closer to the window.

No sudden movement. No objection.

Which we’re interpreting as conditional approval.

The Creative Process (With Supervision)

Bandit Boone spent most of Saturday supervising.

By supervising, we mean:

• Sitting near the door.

• Occasionally glancing inside.

• Repositioning like a silent consultant.

At one point Holler stepped out to ask, “Too much green?”

Bandit didn’t answer.

But he also didn’t leave.

That’s buy-in.

Sunday: The Alliance Is Solidified

Sunday warmed slightly. Snow shrinking into muddy edges. That smell of thaw starting to creep in.

Holler tested mock-ups. Bandit Boone performed quality control.Trash cans remained untouched.

The partnership feels official now.

Not just coexisting. Not just tolerant.

Collaborative.

The Holler Ridge operation is no longer a solo act.

It’s:

🦝 Bandit Boone — Resident raccoon & creative supervisor

🥾 Holler Ridge — Founder, coffee provider, former pursuer

🍀 St. Patrick’s Line — In production

🗑 Trash cans — Under mutual agreement

Final Notes From the Holler

This weekend wasn’t loud.

No storms. No sliding. No candy diplomacy.

Just quiet growth.

And in West Virginia, that’s sometimes the biggest shift of all.

The raccoon that once ran circles around Holler Ridge now sits beside him.

And if you see a raccoon this St. Patrick’s Day wearing green?

That’s not random.

That’s branding.

— Holler Ridge.