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
Monday, September 6, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
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
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
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
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.
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.
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