Now that I have been spending more time in the little clubs and going to songwriter conferences, my respect for the songwriters has increased immensely. The performing artists have so many people to help them and so many advantages, everything from a backup band, hair and makeup artists, and bodyguards. But the songwriters mostly work alone or in small groups, toiling over every word and every note, and then handing it off to an artist or a label and hoping that someone will do justice to their handiwork.
Mud and More Mud
With all this rain we are getting I am pretty sure that this area won’t have any issues with drought later in the summer. We have had so much rain my yard is nothing but mud.
The mud is becoming a big problem for a lot of people. For one thing, we can’t till the gardens or fields. This is the week that most of us gardeners like to get out the tillers and turn the soil to get ready for planting. But it won’t turn if it is mud.
I saw on the news last night that a fire truck responding to a fire down in Nolensville got stuck in the mud. The house was burning on top of a hill and had a dirt driveway, which is pretty common for houses out in the country. So the firetruck tried to get up the hill to put out the fire and ended up getting stuck in the mud. The home burned to the ground because the driveway was blocked by that stuck fire truck. What a shame, but at least no lives were lost.
Shows at the Ryman
The Ryman Auditorium is the best place in Nashville to hear a concert. It is not a big arena like the football stadium where you get seats so high up and away from the stage that the band looks like tiny ants. In the Ryman, even the seats in the last row are decent seats and the sound is fantastic wherever you sit.
They’ve been booking some big names at the Ryman. The only problem with that is the seats are limited and the good shows sell out within an hour or two of the tickets going on sale.
Out to the Farm
My buddy, Owen, invited me to go shooting at the farm his parents own up in Sumner county. They bought about 60 acres a couple of years ago and plan to retire soon. They are renovating the old farm house to make it ready for them to live there full time. The deal is that we can out there and shoot skeet or targets as long as we check out the place for signs of vandalism or any storm damage.
We try to get out there about once a month, but if I can’t go Owen gets another buddy to tag along. Its a lot of fun to spend a day on the farm, but sometimes I can’t be gone from here that long. The drive up takes an hour and a half, and its easy to see 3 or 4 hours slip away while we are having fun. The next thing you know its getting dark, the day is gone, and we still have an hour and a half drive to get back home. Long day – but always a good time.
Good Neighbors
My neighbors are good people. Although we don’t get together have a big block party or neighborhood yard sale, we all do know each other. We look out for each other, too.
My friend Selena has lived here as long as I have. We actually both moved in to our homes the same month, although she moved in the weekend before I did. Neither one of us has any interest in moving away, either. There’s a lot to be said for people who like where they live and don’t think about moving away – unless they have to.
Ham Sandwich
This time of year I start craving ham. This is actually hog killing season, and farmers are putting up hams to cure, making bacon and fresh sausage. If I can find someone selling fresh sausage, I will buy at least 40 pounds of it and put it in the freezer. In the meantime, I’m holding off the cravings with a ham sandwich.
Really Bad Traffic
Now that all the music festivals are over, the traffic around here is going to be extra bad tonight and tomorrow as tens of thousands of fans try to get home. I cannot believe how many cars are on I-24. It’s bumper to bumper gridlock and no alternate route. the dog tired, hot and hungry people leaving Bonnaroo have it the worst. I feel bad for you if you are stuck in this traffic nightmare.
Music Festivals
This week is a big one for music festivals. The 10th Annual CMA Music Festival is going on in Nashville. They used to call the event, “Fan Fair,” but a few years ago the “suits” decided to try for a bigger money grab and expand the music genre beyond just Country Music. Most people don’t like that – but what can you do?
The other big event around here is the same week – how stupid was that scheduling? – about an hour south of town: Bonnaroo. This festival brings thousands of music fans of all genres and all ages to a big field with a dozen temporary stages for a week long music fest.
White Noise
When the weather got hot overnight, the house central air conditioning couldn’t cool the whole house right away. A sudden drastic change in temperature is always a strain on the house’s electrical systems and equipment.
So, for a couple of days while the A/C worked to get the house cooled, I used a small room fan to cool the bedroom at night. It is amazing how the fan can put you right to sleep. They call it white noise, and I can’t remember falling asleep so quickly and soundly in a very long time.
Great Sign
I wish every speed trap had a sign like this. I wonder if the cop ever catches on? This is much more effective than the old “flash your headlights to warn oncoming traffic” trick.