2012 and New Horizons

Guess it is obvious I am not a blogger if I don't update more than once a year!! But a new year brings opportunity to think back and think ahead.

Last year was filled with family, friends, church, and music. Our family stays in touch and gets together all in one place as often as possible. I love it when all of us can be together at home with our parents. My parents are both 86 now and we are all thankful that we have them and can enjoy time together. We know it is precious. Twelve of us enjoyed the Christmas holidays together. Hearing the laughter is the best Christmas gift!!

The summer and fall were again filled with music. My newest musical adventure took place in the tiny town of Floyd, Virginia at the 100 year old Floyd Country Store. Last September found my college roomate and me settled in for the weekend. The focus was the Friday Night Jamboree at Floyd Country Store. Every Friday night, the floor is cleared, folding chairs set up in the middle of the store with stage and dance floor front and center! The official time for the music and dancing begins at 7:00 pm, but the night begins much earlier! About 5:30pm every Friday night seats are claimed with every imaginable type of seat cushion, some with embroidered names. If there is a cushion on a seat, it is claimed!! We did not have cushions, so we found some paper, scribbled our names on pieces, taped them down, and the night began!

We strolled the streets and people-watched. We went to the outdoor community farmer's market and checked out handmade clothing, beautiful original art, fresh food, of course perused tie-dyed shirts to commemorate the weekend. You know I love my tie-dye! We went to a wonderful coffee shop that was roasting coffee beans as we entered the store. There were floor to ceiling shelves of new and used books lining all the walls. You know I enjoyed that! Next was a wine tasting of wines from various local vineyards. Then back across the street to Floyd Country Store where we lined up for local barbeque and homemade pimento cheese sandwiches for supper as the band began to warm up. We took our seats for the first set of wonderful old time gospel music. That is the tradition of the jamboree...the first band is always a bluegrass or old time gospel band.

Following that, the next band lets the hammer down with old time dance tunes that have most folks on their feet dancing. From ages 9-90 the dance floor is filled with dancers! There are always two dance bands who play two sets each. In between sets and bands, folks drifted out to walk the street and listen to bands who are jamming outside. Even though the night was chilly, there were musicians who were jamming with a crowd of folks gathered to listen. Southwest Virginia, just like Western North Carolina, and East Tennessee is filled with talented musicians who play the old tunes. Old Time String Band and Bluegrass is alive and well!! The bands and dancing were wonderful!! We went back to the motel with tired feet and achy knees, but what fun!!

Music seems to be the food and drink that feeds me these past couple of years. David and I loved to go to music and appalachian heritage festivals and music gatherings. It is something my family has enjoyed for years. David and I planned so many of our vacations around the mountains and music. Our last vacation was for our 20th Anniversary to Nashville, TN to the Grand Old Opry at The Ryman Auditorium. We had delayed the trip for a few months so that we could go to The Ryman in February, 2006. What fun we had!!! So while music has always been an important time for relaxation and renewal, it is even more important now.

The summer was filled with Saturday nights at Shindig on the Green in Asheville, a week at Old Time-Music and Dance at Swannanoa Gathering near Black Mountain, NC and biweekly jam sessions with my friends in Landrum, SC. A group of women meet twice a month to play old time music together and to give all of us a place to practice and learn new tunes. I met two of these women in 2010 at Swananoa Gathering. They invited me to come play autoharp with them. I was hesitant since I was just begining. But they persisted with their encouragement, and now I look forward to our times together. Their friendship and our shared love for the old tunes is another of life's treasures.

In this photo you see my brother Ben and me. We are picking some Christmas tunes in our parents' living room this past Christmas. That was lots of fun. Ben is an excellent musician, with guitar being his favorite. He has played since he was a child. His encouragement and help mean a lot as I continue my music journey by being a beginner at age 60+.

Now comes the winter and a time of reflection. I listen to the past, and look to the future. Reading, thinking, playing music, visiting with my family and friends all give me fuel for the future.

And the wheels,they keep on turnin'....

It takes me awhile to get around to doing things. As I wrote back in April, I wanted to get a bicycle. So, I did. I have not figured out how the 21 gears work yet. It may take me a while for that. This Schwinn is quite a bit different from the 1 speed I had as a child and the 3 speed I had back 25 years ago. Lots more to figure out. So far I have just ridden it on my back street and down the street across the field behind my house.

But the main thing is, there is potential for learning and potential for more exercise. Potential is a good thing.

I enjoyed the beautiful sound of fresh rain the past few days. It is nice the see the grass and plants just sucking it up like giant straws. The plants looked so pretty glistening in the rain. I sat on my back porch this evening and watched a monarch butterfly flit from one blossom to the next on my white butterfly bush.

This time of year is one of my very favorites. From July through October, my world is filled with outdoor opportunities for great music. The past two weekends at Shindig on the Green in Asheville has been so much fun!! Musicians everywhere doing what they do best. There are three hours of performers on the stage and numerous groups jamming around the periphery. You can hear shaped-note singing, mountain ballad singing, blue grass by fiesty young players, and bluegrass by seasoned old folks. You can hear Hank Williams and Jimmie Rogers covers, and see little kids all fired up with their clogging routines. The Dixie Darlins (adults who have been dancing since they were kids) tore the floor up Saturday night. They are high octane cloggers!!

And since Shindig is in Asheville, you can also see so many other things happening simultaneously....like a man (contortionist) doing yoga, women hula hoopers, all types of dancers including folks flat footing and others dancing their own steps. There was a huge street dance with so many folks, there had to be two circles. Glenn Bannerman, a veteran dancer and squaredance caller, managed to keep several hundred folks dancing in the same direction at the same time.

Good barbeque, picnics, and cold ice cream also add to the enjoyment.

Hopefully I will not wait as long before I write again. Thanks for reading.

...and the Music Lives On !!!!!

Looks like we are in "Dogwood Winter" right now. Just when I thought we were safe from frost and that it's OK to plant, here come the frost warnings!! The dogwoods and azaleas are still blooming, and the grass is growing like crazy! But our mountains are like that....brilliant blue sky and sunshine, but lurking just beyond the next weather forecast could be shivers and frost.

I am still flying high from my visit to Nashville to visit Deborah. Our fours days were filled with music and laughter. We managed to get in three fun nights of great music, fun with friends, two visits to the farmer's market, and a great lunch in Hillsborough Village. The highlight was Levon Helm and his Ramble at the Ryman, the Mother Church of Country Music. What a show!!! He has been rocking for over 40 years from The Hawks, The Band, to his famous Rambles!! His unforgettable voice, his awesome drumming, his network of the best of the best musicians from the world of Rock, Country, and Americana all combine to give his fans one rockin' show!! He christened a new set of cherry red drums and jammed with a stage full of the best of the best musicans. Gillian Welch, Dave Rawlings, Rodney Crowell, Sam Bush, Jeff Hanna, Buddy Miller, AND Emmylou Harris graced the stage for three rockin' hours. Keep on keepin' on Levon!!

Well, the giant rockslide that kept I-40 closed on the North Carolina-Tennessee border for 6 months has been mostly cleaned up. The highway opened again on Monday to the relief of many motorists. But, last week I-40 was still closed and I decided to drive through Hot Springs, NC and Newport, TN to detour around the road closure as I made my way to Nashville. What a beautiful drive!! Winding along, at times, beside the French Broad River, sometimes high above it, was a sight to behold. Dogwoods, redbuds, tulips, azaleas, and wisteria were all blooming and made the drive a delight. I feel so blessed to live is such a beautiful place. I never tire of it and am always amazed as the mountains are renewed each spring.

Take a moment to listen to the robins and cardinals, sniff a lilac, dig in the dirt, plant some seeds.

Turning 60 is Easy !!

Today has been a day of "going with the flow". The sun is shining, my tulips are blooming like crazy and my four lilac bushes are perfuming the air. The day has been full of birthday greetings that have warmed my heart and leave me so grateful for family and friends!

So what is next??

I am contemplating buying a new bicycle. That seems like a pretty good thing to me....a new bicycle at 60. Much more fun than walking and involves a little more skill. I won't be riding the highways, but tooling along the back streets might be fun. At least it is something to think about.

What are you reading? Seems like I am stuck right now. My book club is reading Half the Sky by Kristof and WuDunn. It is a hard read. I read for about 20 minutes and have to stop. It is a book that everyone should read, but it is not easy going. Women "hold up half the sky", and yet, even in the 21st century there are thousands and thousands of girls and women who are trafficed into sex slavery. There are women who have no voice. There are women who are brutalized. There are women who are worth less than the property owned by their household. And yet, this book offers hope. It is an inspiring read...but it is not easy.

As I watch the robins in my yard and see my little dog Maggie rolling in the green grass, I know it is a good day. And now....out to plant some flower seeds.

Taking a Deep Breath this Easter Week

This week finds me tentatively moving toward commiting to spending a week this summer at Warren Wilson College at The Swannanoa Gathering. Check out the website for The Swannanoa Gathering. It is exciting and a bit intimidating. If things work out as I hope, I will take Beginner Autoharp as one of my classes. The week is filled with music, music, and more music. On top of that there's contra dancing, story telling, shape note singing and lots more. For me, the difficulty is overcoming my hesitance to commiting to be in that place at that time for that experience. Don't ask me why. I do not know. But I think I need to take this step toward this new creative journey.

This is Holy Week. Easter is my favorite holiday. Knowing that Jesus came to this earth as a human baby is still a wonderful mystery. Knowing that he lived a truly human life with all its ups and down helps me to realize how much he loved all of us. He knows our joys and knows our sorrows. He laughed and wept. He had friends and saw friends die. He came to take our sins upon himself. He came to show us that we must love the unlovely. He came to show us that he helps those who cannot help themselves. He came to earth for the least among us. He came to fulfill the Law and to redeem us for Himself. I will go to my church for our Maundy Thursday communion service. I will think of the mystery of the enormous sacrifice Jesus gave for me. Friday and Saturday will bring that searching sadness within my heart knowing that Jesus suffered as a human for me and for each one of us. He chose it. He endured it. Even as he died he begged God to forgive those who killed him. How can I understand such a love as this? As I journey on toward Sunday, I seek to understand it. I look with joy toward Sunday!!


The earth is renewing itself. Gently the new leaves begin to appear. My Yellowbells are blooming!! It seems to me that New Year's Day should be the first day of spring. There is such promise!!

This is the Day!!

This is the day the Lord has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it !! Psalm 118:24

Even on this new spring day, with its damp chill and clouds, I see a patch or two of green (either grass or weeds) in my lawn. There are a few buttercups blooming in the yard across the street. In my backyard, the new green leaves of my tulips are breaking through the wintry sod. It has been a hard winter, both inside my head and outside in my yard. But, I sense the newness of the return of Spring. I yearn for it. I check for new buds on the lilac bushes, give a nod to the robin pecking for worms in my yard, and whistle back to the redbird perched in the top of the poplar.

So, I will continue to look for Spring. But today, I will rejoice for the newness of opportunity that God has given me.

I will put out the papers for recycling, unpack from the wonderful weekend I had in Winston-Salem with my daughter June & son-in-law Bobby and with 10 of my church family at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina General Assembly.
I might read some from Half the Sky by Kristoff & WuDunn. My book club is reading it this month. Check out info about the movement spurred by this book. I will rejoice and be thankful for this new day !!