A few years ago, after moving out to the sticks, I became interested in the Foxfire Books. Started as a magazine in the 1960's, Foxfire was a project to get high school students in touch with the Appalachian culture surrounding them. In reality it became so much more.
Touting information on every subject from home remedies to wagon building, these books serve as a reference, and a reminder, of ways that essentially our grandparents lived by. Currently I only own five books out of the series, but do not despair, I plan to acquire all of them along the way.
In the books men and women alike share experiences from their childhood and make references to just how different life was back in their day. They make comparisons that are relevant and worth sharing.
" People used to go see one another, and they didn't have no way to go but walk or ride a horse. Now they're livin' a lot faster than we did back then. Nowadays, they ain't got no time to go see anybody. They're goin' all the time, and they don't go nowhere either." Claude Darnell
"I see older people who seem kind of soured on life, and they feel they haven't had a chance in life. I feel we make a lot of our chances. "
Lola Cannon
"If I was boss of the mountains, I would put it back there like it was when it was a wild country."
Richard Norton
My husband tells of the days when he would travel by horseback. There is a Catholic Community that holds a function to this day,that he began attending,by horseback,and we still attend to this day.(I was fascinated by the FoxFire Books,too. I found one at a yard sale years ago, for mere pennies, and thought at that time I would try to collect them all, but never got to it.)
ReplyDeleteLove the second picture...that new camera you got is helping you get some wonderful pictures:)
ReplyDeleteBooks are full of wisdom. It's up to us to use it!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous pictures!
ReplyDeleteI need to find one of those books! They sound so interesting.
Now you have me wanting to find those books. Sounds like my kind of thinking.
ReplyDeleteYour photos today are spectacular. You are so fortunate to have so much in the way of material there where you live! :)
These are great quotes (and so true!). Now you've got me interested in the books. I'm going to check them out!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I would enjoy those Foxfire books myself. I'll be on the lookout for them now!
ReplyDeleteI know you're proud of your son. I think the hunting/outdoor thing grows a boy up, especially when he can hang with the men while doing it. My boys are the same way. Your son got a nice buck, BTW!
My oldest is hunting in middle Tennessee next week. Hope he gets one, too! Enjoyed these posts! I love getting back the old ways.
Excellent post Farmchick. Imagine riding over on horseback to visit your neighbours,there are still towns were kids ride to school on horseback were it is safe to do so! The little town of Rhodes here in RSA is one such place!
ReplyDeleteNice bit of history and simpler times. Are you a school teacher? You mentioned puzzle classroom projects the other day...
ReplyDeleteSometimes I really hate our towns: old, dirty, noisy and unsafe in every way. Moving somewhere else would be tempting, but work, relatives and friends keep us firmly in place.
ReplyDeleteI am curious about these books, now I'm going to see if I can find them.
The second picture is very beautiful, it's my favorite !
ReplyDeleteI like the view, very well chosen ! I also like the beautiful quotes you offer us...
Thank for the sharing !! :))
Bye**
It surely takes a long walk to obtain such wisdom. Well done ! Please have a good Wednesday.
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Hi, referred here by a friend who is flying back to Athens from Germany, where he teaches.
ReplyDeleteSaid he had ran across a quote on your Blog by Claude Darnell. He asked was there any relation.
I don't know. I am Jack Darnell from North Carolina, I met a jack Darnell who also is an author and lives in Coker Creek,Tenn. His folks are from mid Tenn. Just wondering where Claude came from. ha! Great Blog BTW I read back some and like what I read.
Take care, Jack @ http://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/
ps
Just noticed Robert has a comment on this Blog.
Jack69 - That quote, from Claude Darnell, is from the book: The Foxfire 40th Anniversary Book - Faith, Family, and the Land.
ReplyDeleteDon't know if Claude is a relative of yours. The book didn't give a location of the gentelmen, but since the basis of the books are in Georgia, NC, SC and the Appalachian area, it is certainly possible.
Liesl - I can't imagine riding horseback to someone's house. We are twenty minutes outside of our small town, by car!
ReplyDeleteInteresting post with some nice photos.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. So true, so true. The quote about "not going nowhere" strikes so close to home. We go so fast and never have time to go visit or step back and take it all in.
ReplyDeleteAmy
That is so true. Right now am in the middle of the big city and am staying here for another year, after this it would be small town galore and loving it.
ReplyDeleteNow you got me interested and or hooked and I will have to go to Amazon and buy the Firefox books. I am all for learning the past and my memories only goes back for about 70 years. I am now 76 and the first few years are a blank already.
ReplyDeletethose books sound very interesting. the older i get the more i lean towards the old fashioned way of doing things. i do love internet though :D
ReplyDeletehope you've been doing well. thanks for reading about our journey!
These sound so interesting... I will have to check them out.
ReplyDeleteI never heard of Foxfire books but now that I heard about them I'll be looking for them.
ReplyDeleteI think the first quote is so true. We have so many "conveniences" these days and yet less time than ever! Very sad.
Wonderful quotes...and they are oh so true. The books sound interesting too. :)
ReplyDeleteHope you can stop by and say hi. Also read about my up and coming Have a Holly Jolly Christmas Recipe swap. I would love to have you participate and share some of your family recipes, crafts or traditions. :)
Farmchick -- Foxfire is a great series. My favorite is the book Foxfire put out on AUNT AIRIE. Your header looks great. Like the Foxfire quotes. -- barbara
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures! I'm old enough to remember when people did visit each other on a Sunday afternoon. Not on horseback. When I was younger, couldn't wait to get away. As I got older couldn't wait to get back. Small town living is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteNice post and so true. People just don't come, sit and visit like they used to. Everything is at such a fast pace today. We used to visit and walk right in when I was young. I love the quotes.
ReplyDeleteYou already know-I LOVE the books : )
ReplyDeleteI would love to get my hands on some of those books. I'll be on the lookout for them now.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pics.
They are right...we just don't visit like we used to. Sad....
I liked these two pictures, especially the second picture is very pretty.
ReplyDeleteI like the snapshots that show us how well chosen and which are the texts that accompany them.
Greetings.
So true ! If each generation would/could learn from the previous, we'd be the smartest people that ever lived - I don't see too much progress on that front.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos - esp. love that 2nd one !
The Foxfire books are great. I've had mine for years and have reread them many times.
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