Good morning! I say that because here I sit at 6AM on a warm June morning in Central Virginia typing away on my computer. I hadn't planned on writing today, but this is the way of a blog or perhaps a writer. As I learned from John-Boy Walton, we never know when the urge to write will suddenly occur.
A few weeks ago I had two ideas about how to get myself into deeper debt than I am already. The first was that I desperately needed a new lawn mower. My grass (weeds actually) had been growing ever since the first warm day of spring and my yard looked like an abandoned home. My last mower had been the biggest and best mower that Southern States had to offer. It featured a 20 HP Kohler engine and a 50" cutting deck. I actually made it through the first season without any problems, but by the next spring problems started cropping up. Within a few years Southern States even stopped supporting the mower. Parts were nearly impossible to get. So, basically I needed a new mower. At about that same time I had run upon an old Executive Motor Home that was in great shape for only $6,000! By the time I spoke to the owner he told me another guy had shown great interest and was trying for a loan. He told me if that guy couldn't get the money it was mine. Well, you guessed it, he got the money. So, then I started looking at other campers and motor homes. But, the grass was still growing. As a matter of fact it had matured and it was beginning to turn golden brown with heavy seed heads on top. I had to decide to do something. While at the Amelia festival I drove over to Crewe, VA to Crewe Tractor to look at their line of Dixie Chopper Lawn Mowers. I even got to test drive one. Believe me, if you've never driven a zero turn mower, that first try levels the playing field, cause it is different from anything you may have driven before. I told my buddy, Ralph Westfall, about the mowers and he went over there that same weekend and looked them over, too. While I'm still undecided and swaying in the wind between a newer camper and a Dixie Chopper, Ralph made a deal and bought himself a new Dixie Chopper. Finally, just last week I decided that my old camper would get by for me a couple more years and so I also bought a Dixie Chopper. Wow! What a lawn mower!!! Last Saturday, with the grass soaking wet from three days of constant rain, I mastered the operation of my new Dixie Chopper and mowed my entire yard in 90 minutes. This is a yard that took me 6 hours to cut with my old Statesman mower, even when it was in perfect shape. So, the next time you see me at a Bluegrass festival I'll still be driving that rusty old '76 Ford F150 and towing that even older 1972 tag along camper, but know this, the lawn will be cut.
GROTTOES FAMILY BLUEGRASS FESTVAL - June 18th, 19th & 20th.
Speaking of Bluegrass festivals, I've got to tell you about this wonderful festival presented twice a year by Lawson Entertainment (Better known and Sweet Brenda & Calvin "him" Lawson) in this absolutely gorgeous park, Grand Caverns Regional Park, near the village of Grottoes, VA. I remember so well back in the 80s when a group of friends would caravan our campers up to Grottoes to attend this festival. We would arrive early Thursday morning and the promoter would hold us up at the gate. He explained that the county had to mark off the park with huge areas for each camper, as if he were marking off a mobile home park. I remember the promoter telling us after the guy left for us to camp anywhere we wanted, and we did. If we had followed the county man's wishes there could have been more that about 25 campers in the entire park. But, enough about the old days. This coming festival on June 18th, 19th and 20th, 2009 will feature some great Bluegrass featuring Goldwing Express on Thursday along with a potluck dinner. Bring along your favorite dish and join in the fun. Friday get going with a couple of bands that are evidently from the Grottoes area because they are unknown to me. They are Allegheny Blue and Skyline Express. Following these two bands is Next Best Thing, featuring Rhonda Vincent's daughters, Tensel and Sally Sandker. Up next is a graduate of Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Josh Williams with his band The Josh Williams Band. Wrapping up the day on Friday is the ever popular (and rightfully so!) Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out. Things get started on Saturday with The Little Mountain Boys. Now don't get yourself confused here. it's the mountain that's little, not the boys! Next up is Big Country Bluegrass. This band, formed by Tommy & Teresa Sells features Lynwood Lunsford on Banjo and presents a great traditional Bluegrass show. The Deer Creek Boys are up next. Most of us can remember when these guys actually were boys. They were great when they were kids and they're even better now. A favorite band from the Central Virginia area is up next, Country Fried Grass. These guys mix up traditional songs along with what I like to call "modern traditional" Bluegrass. Last up is Lexington, Virginia's Nothin' Fancy. What can I add to the many fine things others have written about Nothin' Fancy? All I can say is that you may not like everything they do, but if you aren't entertained then you weren't paying attention. Try to make your way up to Grottoes; you'll have fun, I promise. It's just 18 miles north of Waynesboro on one of Virginia's most pleasant and scenic routes, Route 340. Grottoes is about 10 miles from one of the more famous festival sites of the 1970s; Orange Blossom Park. That purple cow head (It was your signal to turn right toward Orange Blossom Park!) is still there as you leave Waynesboro. Look up to your right and you'll see it!
BLUEGRASS AT SEDALIA - June 25th, 26th & 27th, 2009 - Big Island. VA
I've said this before about Sedalia (Bluegrass At Sedalia, but we like to simply call it Sedalia.) and I'm gonna say it again. Do your remember when festivals were small and you knew almost everyone there? Do you remember when festivals were just a little more rustic than those of today? Well, Sedalia has that feel while still offering the amenities we expect nowadays. This year will mark my first 3-day stay at Sedalia. I've been to almost every festival, but only as a "day tripper." This time I decided to pull the old camper up there while gas prices are still fairly low and the truck is still running. There's one more thing that makes this trip more feasible. Just before going to the Graves Mountain Festival I bought a brand new Honda 3000 watt generator. (It was expensive; cost me more than twice the value of my camper and truck combined.) I ran it all weekend at Graves and it is so quiet most folks didn't even know it was running. Now, before you begin thinking Sedalia doesn't have electricity I want to stop that thought right now! I am told that the Sedalia Center has upgraded all of their electric hookups to 30 amp. But I will warn you that like most festivals the number of hook ups are limited and they are on a first come/first served basis. Since by the time I arrive most of the locals will have snapped up the hook ups, but I will have my generator ready to keep me cool all weekend. I think my biggest worry was wondering if there were showers available at Sedalia? I am assured there are handicapped accessible showers for both men & women. Now to the music! Since Sedalia doesn't publish a schedule in advance I'll just tell who's gonna be playing over the course of the weekend. Bluegrass At Sedalia will feature: Black Bear Express; Blackwater; Bluegrass Brothers; Deer Creek Boys, FaithRidge; Hard Drivin' Grass; High Ground; Kinney Rorrer & The New North Carolina Ramblers; Mark Templeton & Pocket Change; Reed Creek and Smith Mountain Grass. Come on out to Sedalia located just north of Bedford, VA. Remember, I'll be there driving that old 76 Ford F150, but my grass will be cut!
JAMES KING BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL; Rockahock Campground, Lanexa, VA June 25th, 26th & 27th, 2009
The very same weekend as the Sedalia Bluegrass Festival is the James King Bluegrass Festival at Rockahock Campground in Lanexa, Virginia. The James King Bluegrass Festival is a bit different from any other festival in Virginia. To begin with the stage area is considered to be part of the restaurant there at Rockahock. That restaurant has an ABC license which allows it to serve beer and mixed drinks. Since the stage area is part of the restaurant you may sit at the stage and openly drink alcoholic beverages. At the same time you cannot bring anything into the stage area. Not even a bottle of water. Anything, food or beverage, in the stage area must be purchased at the restaurant. With that out of the way, there is not a lot of differences between Rockahock than most other festivals. The line up this year includes: The James King Band; Sierra Hull & Route 111; The Bradley Walker Band; Lost & Found; Randy Waller & The Country Gentlemen; Blue Highway; Country Fried Grass; Code Blue; Bill Emerson & The Sweet Dixie Band; Lawson Creek Band; Goldwing Express and many more. I won't see you at the James King Bluegrass Festival simply because it is not possible to be in two places at once. I have attended Rockahock in the past and I can tell you it is a nice place for a festival and you will have fun. There are some folks at Rockahock that you most likely won't see at any other festival in the state. If you have not heard Bradley Walker, please be sure to go down to the stage and get up close and you will be blown away by this young man's voice and great attitude.
VIRGINIA BLUEGRASS FAMILY Meeting - July 14th, 2nd Tuesday Don't Forget!
'NUFF SAID!
Donnie at the record table.
AS you can see Donnie enjoys life and has fun at his own expense. Donnie has a serious side too as he reprises several of those great Lester Flatt recitations. 
Please join me in congratulating Donnie on this momentous occasion. You may email him at: bigman1961@msn.com. Donnie, here's hoping we see less and less of you in the future.