Ah! A mothers love what wonderful memories we have of our mommas. This book by Tony Smith is a Masterpiece! I am suppose to write contradictions in an essay but how can I on such a Good read? I came in touch of how the feeling of being raised up in rural Kentucky was for many of the children growing up amongst the Appalachia foothill's, Some near poverty only scraping by with what they could hunt or could grow. How life was about good spirits distilled by good men and the folks who help them produce the good water of 150% in some cases to the stills that they made to produce this sweet nectar of a drink to sell and put food or get what one needed or dreamed of having. It was a way to the means you could say!        It brings me to remembering what it was like for me to grow up visiting these foothills that my folks and grandparents had thrived in for many a years . My grandmother was one of these grand women born just before the great depression and in most cases to farmers -country folk.My grandfathers people mostly from the foothills of Virgina but either way the folks were close to the same it didn't matter which side of the mountain you where from you were still called hill folk. In these mountains my people and your people grew with self reliance and the sweat of their brow a hard working people for sure. But laced with many a folk tale with bluegrass to boot. http://youtu.be/ug8p5pVsj9U

gotta make good beer

hill folk the' shiners'

Traditional still

Which brings me to Big Billy we all had one in our family. An uncle or too that ran the shine from place to place in supped up cars. My cousin Mikey was one he still produces the best shine in the Ohio valley using an 100 year old recipes given to my great great great grandfather by whom I don't know ,but I tell you "it is very good." Even my other kinfolk would buy from him, my moms side of the family that is.

popular shotgun of the day

Then when it came to the quality of the firearms they used and to which they prided them selves for having the best shotguns they could afford rated by how good they kill and if the gun shot straight or not. At a early age most male children where introduced to hunting and shooting by fathers, men of the family and back in time manhood based on to which how well one could shoot. Tony mentions in the book about his mothers quilt she had made for him that made him remember kinfolk and neighbors though the years, I guess that was something most mothers done back then is quilt fine blankets for family and friends. I know my grandma did a lot of knitting too.

area where my folk and kin came from

map of southern Ohio in relation to Appalachia

         My folks grew up much the way Tony did in a lot of ways,I grew up in the city but I got country in my blood. Big Billie quoted the saying you can take a boy outta the country but you can take the country outta the boy, and how true that is.          I had wonderful experiences growing up in the foothills even though I was just visiting family Appalachia had been pretty much in my blood little did I know, all those years.

This links is a pick of my grandma's house .http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Pedro+near+Route+233,+Oak+Hill,+Ohio&...