Cannie: The Hills of Home

by Amy Ammons Garza

I was born at the Golden Place, high on Ammons Mountain, the first child of Cannie Owen Ammons. I was delivered by Retter, my grandmother. Growing up in the mountainsthe only blinking lights the fireflies that appeared just at twilightI did not know I was poor. I did not know the dark places of the world. I did not know the fast pace consuming most of its people. The beauty of the mountains satisfied my hunger and my thirst and clothed my back. With certainty I knew there was something special about my family; I knew there was something special in my surroundings. When I began to put down on paper the stories that had to come, I once again discovered these special feelings. Why? I wondered. Why did I know there was something special I had to say?And then I discovered my mothers diary!She had given it to her sister who, upon hearing I was writing about Mother, in turn gave it to me. Some of the pages were missing, the rest were yellow and tattered; but I now possessed two years of my mothers thoughts about her early life. Highly sensitive and intelligent, Mother had the ability to express her feelings eloquently about growing up in the mountains, marrying at age fifteen, and having a child at sixteen. And then, suddenly, in the pages of her diary, I discovered why I must tell Cannies story.

212 pages, Paperback

First published December 19, 2000

About the author

Amy Ammons grew up in Jackson County, WNC, listening to the stories her grandfather told her. Because she was the eldest of her generation, he impressed upon her to "pass on the stories of their heritage to the next generation.
For 30 years, throughout the South, Amy has been telling stories of growing up in the mountains, working with her sister, Doreyl Ammons Cain, mural artist, who spontaneously illustrated them. The Ammons Sisters are the co-founders of Catch the Spirit of Appalachia, a non-profit 501c3 organizaton dedicated to "planting seeds of heritage through the arts."(Amy and Doreyl's brother, David Ammons, has also been working within his mountain heritage of caning chairs.)
Amy is the author of 13 books, mostly about the heritage of her families and the local mountain
community. Amy books give a glimpse of the culture in which she grew up.
Amy is also a publisher for others who want to share their talents. She has published close to 170 books for others through Ammons Communications and its imprint, Catch the Spirit of Appalachia.

Reviews

[Makayla Izquierdo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has seriously shaped my view on life and hardship. Any time life feels hard, I think back to Cannie and my perspective is immediately changed, and it uplifts me.