Getting Started

This is my first attempt at blogging so we'll see how it goes. I hope to use this to encourage myself to write. I titled my spot Sam Reflects because I intend to reflect on various things, sometimes serious and sometimes not so serious. I am in the process of renovationg an old house that was my homeplace while growing up. I am a tenth generation Appalachian, son of a former coal miner, and proud of the Appalachian heritage. My home was a 16X20 story and a half log cabin at one time about 100 years ago but has been added on to a few times over the last 70 years.
This past weekend, I along with my wife, visited friends in McKee, KY. Frank and Deborah have a wonderful old time homestead where they raise sheep, chickens, rabbits, pigeons, and horses. Their place has the feel of a real home, the kind I used to go to as a kid to visit old aunts and uncles. The only thing missing was the aroma of kerosene lamps. My wife and I slept on the big front porch under the stars. It has been a long time since I was where the stars were not blocked out by artificial light. I had forgotten that there were so many stars up there. We ate lots of fresh food straight from the farm--chickens, squab, eggs, mutton, blackberries, and much more.
On the way home we visited Lee Sexton in Letcher County. Lee is a legend of old time music and has been recognized by many, including the governor of Ky with a lifetime achievement award. We ate fresh garden vegetables and played Lee's brand of hard-driving traditional music.
Lee is second to none when it comes to playing that five strings and teling stories. Lee and Opal are the real thing!
Stay tuned for more ramblings, stories, poems, and more.