Shadow of who we were

I remember the great popularity of the Foxfire books. The interviews with the older mountain folk were riddled with gems of profound wisdom gleaned from a long life.

(Edited to correct name of books as Foxfire instead of Firefox.)

I'm unfamiliar with them. I'll need to look them up.

I've also become motivated once again to do pay a visit to a nursing home in December.

Pretty fortunate to have grown up with my grandfaters as well as great grandfaters.

They taught me hunting, fishing, work ethics, respect and knowledge. I always heard if you want to know something ask an older person they have either done it or know someone that has.

Many years ago when we moved here I was able to meet and talk with alot of the old timers, sine passed and got a first hand if not embellished account of CO history. And the facts of our country both good and bad.

People have lost family values, respect for the older generation, respect for veterans, and live in a fantasy world where they must watch TV to see reality shows that have nothing to do with reality.
I get to hear it from Norm, my Dad, and a few others still around that were a part of the greatest country in the world, for awhile.

Rockdoc Franz wrote: I'm unfamiliar with them. I'll need to look them up.

I've also become motivated once again to do pay a visit to a nursing home in December.

Roc, these Foxfire series of books will mellow your soul. They contain how-to on many mountain skills and arts. What particularly touched me were the interviews with the old people who offer the grains of wisdom gleaned from a life of hardship, love, war, and relationships.

Wiki quote:

The books cover a wide range of topics, many to do with crafts, tools, music and other aspects of traditional life skills and culture in Appalachia. These include making apple butter, banjos, basket weaving, beekeeping, butter churning, corn shucking, dulcimers, faith healing, Appalachian folk magic, fiddle making, haints, American ginseng cultivation, long rifle and flintlock making, hide tanning, hog dressing, hunting tales, log cabin building, moonshining, midwives, old-time burial customs, planting "by the signs", preserving foods, sassafras tea, snake handling and lore, soap making, spinning, square dancing, wagon making, weaving, wild food gathering, witches, and wood carving.

Main series:
The Foxfire Book, 1972, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-07353-4
Foxfire 2, 1973, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-02267-0
Foxfire 3, 1975, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-02272-7
Foxfire 4, 1977, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-12087-7
Foxfire 5, 1979, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-14308-7
Foxfire 6, 1980, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-15272-8
Foxfire 7, 1982, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-15243-4
Foxfire 8, 1984, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-17741-0
Foxfire 9, 1986, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-17743-7
Foxfire 10, 1993, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-42276-8
Foxfire 11, 1999, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-49461-0
Foxfire 12, 2004, Anchor. ISBN 1-4000-3261-X

Other books:
The Foxfire 40th Anniversary Book: Faith, Family, and the Land, 2006, Anchor. ISBN 0-307-27551-5.
Memories of a Mountain Shortline, 1976, Foxfire Press; 2001
Aunt Arie: A Foxfire Portrait, 1983, Dutton. ISBN 0-525-93292-5
The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Cookery, 1984; 1992, University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0-8078-4395-4
The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Toys & Games, 1985; 1993, University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0-8078-4425-X
A Foxfire Christmas, 1996, University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0-8078-4618-X
Teaching by Heart: The Foxfire Interviews, 2004, Teacher's College Press. ISBN 0-8077-4539-1 (hardbound), ISBN 0-8077-4538-3 (paperback)
Foxfire's Book of Wood Stove Cookery 2006
Eliot Wigginton, Sometimes a Shining Moment; The Foxfire Experience, New York: Anchor, 1985. ISBN 0-385-13358-8

I have learned more about WWII in Germany through the eyes of one that actually lived it. My mother.

navycpo7 wrote: I have learned more about WWII in Germany through the eyes of one that actually lived it. My mother.

Same here. I can still remember the aftermath of it. There was no escaping seeing the destruction and the rumble of tank in the streets during the late 40's. Boy did I develop a fear of tanks.

Arlen wrote:

Rockdoc Franz wrote: I'm unfamiliar with them. I'll need to look them up.

I've also become motivated once again to do pay a visit to a nursing home in December.

Roc, these Foxfire series of books will mellow your soul. They contain how-to on many mountain skills and arts. What particularly touched me were the interviews with the old people who offer the grains of wisdom gleaned from a life of hardship, love, war, and relationships.

Wiki quote:

The books cover a wide range of topics, many to do with crafts, tools, music and other aspects of traditional life skills and culture in Appalachia. These include making apple butter, banjos, basket weaving, beekeeping, butter churning, corn shucking, dulcimers, faith healing, Appalachian folk magic, fiddle making, haints, American ginseng cultivation, long rifle and flintlock making, hide tanning, hog dressing, hunting tales, log cabin building, moonshining, midwives, old-time burial customs, planting "by the signs", preserving foods, sassafras tea, snake handling and lore, soap making, spinning, square dancing, wagon making, weaving, wild food gathering, witches, and wood carving.

Main series:
The Foxfire Book, 1972, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-07353-4
Foxfire 2, 1973, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-02267-0
Foxfire 3, 1975, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-02272-7
Foxfire 4, 1977, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-12087-7
Foxfire 5, 1979, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-14308-7
Foxfire 6, 1980, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-15272-8
Foxfire 7, 1982, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-15243-4
Foxfire 8, 1984, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-17741-0
Foxfire 9, 1986, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-17743-7
Foxfire 10, 1993, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-42276-8
Foxfire 11, 1999, Anchor. ISBN 0-385-49461-0
Foxfire 12, 2004, Anchor. ISBN 1-4000-3261-X

Other books:
The Foxfire 40th Anniversary Book: Faith, Family, and the Land, 2006, Anchor. ISBN 0-307-27551-5.
Memories of a Mountain Shortline, 1976, Foxfire Press; 2001
Aunt Arie: A Foxfire Portrait, 1983, Dutton. ISBN 0-525-93292-5
The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Cookery, 1984; 1992, University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0-8078-4395-4
The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Toys & Games, 1985; 1993, University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0-8078-4425-X
A Foxfire Christmas, 1996, University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0-8078-4618-X
Teaching by Heart: The Foxfire Interviews, 2004, Teacher's College Press. ISBN 0-8077-4539-1 (hardbound), ISBN 0-8077-4538-3 (paperback)
Foxfire's Book of Wood Stove Cookery 2006
Eliot Wigginton, Sometimes a Shining Moment; The Foxfire Experience, New York: Anchor, 1985. ISBN 0-385-13358-8

Arien, Thank you so much for taking time to search out that information. I've copied it to my computer stickies and will put some on my Christmas wish list. You did not have to do that. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.