Fare Thee Well

It has been quite some time since anything has been posted on this blog. Thought I would make one final entry before closing this out. This past October 16th we, Buck & Nelson, played our final concert together. It was at Unicoi State Park Lodge and we were very happy to see some old friends in attendance, including a couple who were around when we were still part of the Blood Mountain Boys. Brought back some good memories.

As previously noted, David has decided to retire from performing and Nelson is performing as a solo act. It is very different not having David standing onstage and not getting to hear his outstanding instrumental breaks. I do still enjoy playing though and continue to work to make my solo show as good as I possibly can. The Buck & Nelson website has now been disabled, though it took me 2 tries to make it. Those who are interested can keep up at www.nelsonthomas.net

I am working on a solo CD, though I may have some friends sit in as guest musicians on a few tracks, which I hope to have out this year (possibly by the end of the summer). I have now got my microphones worked out for recording and have narrowed down my list of songs to include, and started initial recording. I still need to have some pictures taken to use on the cover and work on the cover layout and design. My nephew, Matthew, is an artist and graphic designer and has said he would help with this part.

It was a long and fun road, though all good things will someday end. David and I have been friends since high school, and have been playing music together since about 1972 and performing together in some fashion since 1974. So, I want to say to David (Buck) thank you for the company, for the music, and for the efforts to make us the best we could be. I will cherish the years we spent performing even as I travel on alone. All the best and Fare Thee Well in all you do.

See you down the road.

Nelson

Mountain Heritage Festival

This weekend was the Mountain Marketplace and Heritage Festival in Blairsville, GA. We were scheduled to play at 2:40 pm on Sunday afternoon. The weather was perfect and the crowd was good.

This weekend was also the Atlanta Cup in youth Soccer. Vincent, my son, was playing in that with his team from NASA (North Atlanta Soccer Association). We went down to Stone Mountain on Friday night. His first game was at 9:30 am on Saturday, but he had to be there at 8:45. Then another game at 3:30 pm. On Sunday, he was playing at 11:00 am. I got up and ate breakfast. About 9:30 am , I headed for Blairsville getting home around 12:30.

My cognition of time is less than ever since my stroke last year, but then I never paid as close attention as I should. This day was to be one of those. I ate a little lunch, sat in my chair watching TV, and fell asleep. I woke up, looked at the clock and it was 2:35. I quickly checked my phone for missed calls, put on my shirt and started out the door. Just as I was leaving, the phone rang. It was David calling to say we we playing right then. I told him I was on my way, which is about a 10 minute drive. I went wheeling into the festival and up to the porch where we were to play. Thankfully, Sam Ensley had the group after us to play during our schedule slot.

I found David, then went to tune up and get ready. The program itself seemed to go pretty well. David did more of the talking than usual, though he has before also. Alex Tomlinson played the whole set with us, which was a treat. Then we had Sam Ensley to come up for the last third of the program and play mandolin as well. It was nice to play as a band again, though I have come to enjoy the challenges and rewards of playing as a duo. Some different sounds when you have more of a band going. We could almost be accused of playing bluegrass again for a little while. Just needed a bass player. Rusty where were you?

I may have more time playing solo than in a band, esp. if I don't get my timing better. Not only did David beat me to the Venue, but Debra came with him this time. Bad time for me to be late. Oh well, when you make a mistake, admit it and try to move on. I did and am.

We'll see you down the road. I may be a little late, but I will be there. :)

Nelson

We are still here

I have not been too faithful in writing new posts for this blog and I apologize for that. We are about to get into the heart of our picking year, and into the heat as well. Yesterday was the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. It has been hot for a couple of weeks already and feels more like north Florida than north Georgia, though we have had more cooling at night than they get in north Florida. When it is this warm though, I like to feel an ocean breeze.

Yes I do enjoy the beach and the ocean. I went a lot when I was growing up and once thought I would like to live on or near the beach. As I got older, I fell in love with the Rockies and my dream changed. I still enjoy the beach, but have been much more of a mountain person than a beach person. Of course, all you need to do is listen to some Jimmy Buffett and you want to go back and get into the waves, or on them.

I haven't gotten my canoe yet, but am hopeful to find one before the end of the summer. I find it very enjoyable to paddle a canoe and relaxing, though it may be more of a workout for me now than it was when I owned one before. Either way, I look forward to it.

Friday night we play at the old Union County Courthouse and it is supposed to be filmed, so I hope we are ready and that we have a good crowd. Later in the summer we are scheduled to do a TV program in Ellijay also, so maybe we can add a couple more YouTube videos this summer.

Come out and see us whenever you can. And bring friends.

See you down the road,
Nelson

Hello 2010

Another year with all its promise and days to look forward to. Time to start planning for a year of picking and other activities.

We have a few dates set up for the year, but just beginning to have a calendar going for the year. Have to decide what is going to happen to set the rest of the year. We haven't played anywhere since October 27th and have only practiced together once.

David admitted before we practiced that it would not take him much to just stop performing. I hope he doesn't follow through on that, as he is such an excellent picker, not to mention musical partner and friend for me. He took a couple of years off back in the late 1990's and I continued to perform as a solo act. He would often show up at my programs and then we would pick afterwards. There are things I enjoyed about performing solo, but I prefer performing as a duo.
We also need to finish our CD.

I am hoping to lay down some more tracks for the CD this weekend. We will see how that goes. I have been able to work a lot more since our practice session last week. It has reignited my picking fire and I hope it has done the same for David.

I even played for the social at Branan Lodge yesterday. I managed to get through the songs and even some flatpicking.

It is a time to look forward and things I would like to do. I would like to get another canoe. I enjoyed canoing so much when I was younger. It is such a great way to go down a river or to float on a lake. So quiet and soothing. It can be work, but is more fun than work.

I have been interested in sailing for a few years also. I like the non motorized types of travel on water I guess. It would be great to have a small sailboat, maybe a dinghy type boat that could hold 3 or 4 people and sail on the lakes around here. Almost found one on Craig's list last month, but it was gone when I got with them.

The other thing I am looking at is getting a motorcycle. I had a Harley Sportster from 1974 until around 1981, after my first son was born. I love riding motorcycles and since my youngest son has taken my vehicle after turning 16 last year, I need something to get to work with and other places. This winter would be rough, but I could stand a motorcycle for most of the year, at least 3 seasons. So I am on the hunt, and hunting for some money or financing at the same time. I have had a long love affair with motorcycles, which I am sure I got from my dad, who had one when he was young also. He got an old motorcycle, when I was quite young and we still lived in the first house in Morganton. We moved from there when I was 10 years old, so it was before then. This motorcycle, which he said was mine, had a belt on it to crank it. He took the belt off and I could push it up the hill beside the house and then ride it down the little hill. I never got to ride it when it was cranked, though my dad did and also rode me on it. When I was 13, I got a Honda Trail 90 motorcycle which I rode all over the yard and neighboring areas. I learned to hillclimb with it and even to jump it a little bit. I still own that motorcycle, though it isn't running.

I sold it a few years ago to my uncle for him to ride with his youngest son. He already had a Trail 90 that he had bought about the same time I got mine. He kept it a couple of years and then I bought it back. When I got it back, the tool kit was gone and it would not crank. I need to take it to the cycle shop and get it running again. I have a son who could be riding it now.

Still I want a street bike to use. I have seen some nice bikes that I would enjoy. I really want another Harley and have seen a few Sportsters that are reasonable. Maybe something will work out this spring.

The other thing I have though of for a lot of my life is flying. I have looked at getting my Private Pilots license since I was in my teens and keep putting it off. I once had enough money saved to get me through soloing (at the time). Then the Minolta camera I wanted went on sale and I bought it instead. The flying got put way back on the back burner. David has never been real interested in flying, though his dad flew a small plane for several years and loved it. I think that is part of the problem for him, as he was in the plane and saw some of the problems of landing a small plane in a strong cross wind.

When I had my stroke this summer, I figured this dream was ended. Still I decided to check the medical requirements and found that the stroke would not keep me from getting my license. So My interest is piqued again. I have sent for some information from Sporty's Pilot Shop and should get that right away. We'll have to see if this dream is followed through on or postponed again.

In the meantime, I need to get busy setting up places to play. To do that, I need to clear with Buck if he will be willing to play on them as well.

See you down the road. Keep the rubber side down and the shiny side up.

Lions and tigers and BEARS Oh my!

Happy new years eve everyone. Something has been on my mind for a few days and kind of crystalized this morning.

I am loving living out of town again. It is great to see the deer a they come around the house. It is better to hear about the wildcats, raccoons, and bears that have been seen around. All my life I have been drawn to bears and I am not sure why.

Maybe it is that they seem to represent wildness and wilderness to me. I remember seeing them in the smokies as I was camping with my family, and my dad was scoutmaster. The bears would show up in the evenings. I have one particular memory of my dad having to chase one out of our truck cab with a bull whip. Other funnier memories as well, and some not quite as funny.

I seem to be simultaneously fearful and fascinated by bears. I have watched programs concerning black bears, grizzly bears, brown bears, russian bears, and polar bears on any channel that would show them. They just draw me to the TV and I have to sit and try to learn.

There have been a few occasions when I have happened upon a bear in the wild. It is always an exciting event for me, though I enjoy it more if I have a car around me, or even a glass window between me and them. I love knowing they are out there and around me, I am just not completely comfortable walking around with them.

There is some kinship I feel with bears for some reason. I sometimes think because of my Cherokee heritage that the bear is my spirit animal. No proof, just a thought and a feeling.

There are time periods that have always drawn me as well. One is the Rocky Mountain Man era. My favorite movie is Jeremiah Johnson and I even have 50 cal. Hawken rifle. Sometimes I have thought I was born too late, usually though, I feel I was born just at the right time. The other era that draws me is the WWII era. I love the big band music of that time and always watch the movies from that time as well. I once had someone tell me that I probably had a very good life during that time, which is what draws me to it. I don't know about that, but I do know I get a special feeling inside when I read about, hear about, or watch a movie about either of those time periods.

Maybe it is the wildness and uncertainty of the times that draws me in. Something important was happening of which the final outcome was not assured. Well this has gotten a little ways from the subject of bears. SO, let me go back to saying how much I enjoy being in an area that has so much wild country that bears are able to live, roam, and prosper. I hope it remains that way for a longtime.

See you down the road.

Nelson

Hitting the Trail

When I was a younger man, I did a lot of hiking and backpacking. As a Boy Scout, we went often on the Appalachian Trail, something I loved and have talked of the rest of my life (so Far). When Patrick and Caroline were both young, we still got out and did a lot of hiking, but mostly day or afternoon hikes.

I once ached to hike the entire trail. I would still like to do that, but now think more of doing it in small sections and not all at once. Of course, Granny Gatewood first did a through hike of the trail when she was 67 years old. She then through hiked it two more times. Who knows what the future may hold.

For years, I have talked of getting back to my backpacking days. Patrick and I talked of it often when he was a teenager and planned to go together. The thing is when you want to reach a goal, you need to make that goal real and you need to write it down. We did not do that. Recently, I have been talking to Vincent about getting out and hiking and backpacking. Last year, we planned to do more. We did less. This year I have talked to both Vincent and Patrick. Time to write it down and make it real. I have written it in my notebook, I have told, Vincent, Patrick, and Shelley. Now I will put it here for anyone to see. Then I must start planning dates to hike and get them on my calendar. Maybe I will even get Buck (David) to go on some of these. He has gone on a few hikes with me over the years, and others on his own.

I have hiked all of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia except the section between Coopers Gap in Suches and Springer Mountain, the southern Terminus of the trail. I have also hiked about 30 miles in North Carolina. Our goal is to hike all of the AT in Georgia between now and June. We will start with shorter hikes and day hikes, then move to the overnighters. It has been a while and I know I need a new sleeping pad, as I am not as good on hard ground as I once was.

Shelley hiked a lot in the Rockies and has said she would like to hike with us as well. However, I know that she will only make the day hikes in the winter, then only if it is warm enough for her (which is pretty warm). Same thing with Caroline.

Since my stroke this summer, there have been small changes in my ways of doing things. Shelley says that I get something on my mind and forget everything else. I have always tended to do that, but maybe I have gotten a little worse. It is hard for me to tell. Right now, I am thinking of hiking, in case you haven't noticed.

The last 2 weeks, I have increasingly kept up my walking each day. At home, I hike to the top of the subdivision, or past that on toward the top of the mountain behind it. It isn't far, but it is a tough hike. The first part is a gradual uphill climb. About 1/4 mile up, the grade goes to about 30 or 35% and the hard part hits. Near the top it gets back to a more gradual uphill. By the time I make the round trip, I have had a good workout. Lately I have started to wear my daypack to increase my workout. Soon, I will change to my backpack. And I will likely wear my backpack, loaded, when I go on day hikes to prepare for my overnights. The days I work, I have a morning and afternoon break. At those times I take a walk of about 1 to 1.25 miles and do it in approximately 15 minutes. Those are speed days, the others are work days.

This afternoon's walk reminded me of something I don't always think about. Each season in the woods has its own special feel about it. There are certain sounds and smells that come with each time of year. I don't always think of them, but I certainly remember them when I get out in the woods during that time of year. It is a very familiar thing.

The easiest to tell about is the winter. There is a real quietness to the woods when there is a blanket of snow on the ground. and even when it is just snowing. The smell is fresh usually. If it is a warm winter day, there will be smell of mildew and decayed leaves. Early and mid fall has a real dry leaf crunch and swoosh when you walk through. Plus a smell of dust from the falling leaves. Late fall, has a quieter swoosh and the smell of decaying leaves, along with some hint of mildew from leaves that have been wet. Spring and summer has similar sounds, but with different smells depending on what is budding and blooming at the time. The other thing you might pick up is the smell of certain animals that are in the area, esp. skunks or even bears.

For me there are a few places and things I do that refresh my spirit. One of those is performing music, one has been driving, and the one I have done the longest and always works is getting out in the woods. That can be hiking, backpacking, picnicking, canoing or just sitting. I love being outdoors.

I used to canoe a lot also, and hope to get another canoe before this summer. Then we can add those trips to the hiking trips. I'll update here as we make progress. Whatever makes you happy, I hope you are able to do as much as possible.

I walk to lose weight; I walk to keep my sugar level low; and I walk because I like to walk. Maybe I should go walkabout.

See you down the road, or trail.

Nelson H Thomas

First of Autumn

From my childhood this time of year has brought on special feelings within me. There is a little melancholy at seeing the summer end, an excitement as I feel the change of season and look forward to a winter with (hopefully) some nice snowy days. There are also feelings of accomplishment as I think of the time of harvest. It is a season of memories also. Memories of the just past summer and summers before. Memories of growing up around a farm, where the hay was put in the barn, hogs were killed on a frosty morning, and we started using heat in the house for the season. I remember the wood burning stove that was in the living room. It was later changed to an oil burning stove, which seemed to be more efficient.

The weather in the fall always makes me feel better. Nice cool and even frosty mornings, warming enough to just wear short sleeves by the afternoon, and then cooling back down in the evenings. The days get shorter, so you come into the house sooner and spend time as a family. Of course, these days, it seems that tv and the computer invade that family time. I have to watch myself with both of these activities, as they tend to draw me in for hours at a time if I am not careful. Then I feel like kicking myself for all the time I have wasted.

It is much better when I pick up my guitar, banjo, or other instrument and do some picking.

While I think the weather is the biggest part of my affinity for the fall, I also think part of it comes from growing up basically on a farm and knowing the satisfaction of the season of harvest, and also for the knowledge of another change of season and looking forward to Thanksgiving (I was born on Thanksgiving) and Christmas. Also, there are the wonderful memories of riding around the mountains to see all the leaf colors with my parents and sisters as we grew up.

I have spent a lot of my life outdoors in some fashion or the other, and what can be better than walking or hiking through the woods as a multitude of different colored leaves cling to the trees and carpet the ground. There is that neat, crisp, sound of newly fallen leaves as you walk through them. That becomes silent after a winter of ice and water softens them down.

Cool and even frosty mornings, followed by afternoons that are warm enough for short sleeves, but not so warm to cause a lot of sweating. So what is not to like about fall. It is also the time you can begin to enjoy sitting by a fire, either outside or a fireplace. It is also a time that causes me to spend time contemplating and remembering. Remembering warm and wonderful memories of things that have happened in my life. A time for contemplating on those things that just feed my soul and give a deep and abiding joy in my life.

I hope you have a great fall, and enjoy it almost as much as I do. Now, to be able to get back outside and enjoy this thing called Autumn.