Building a Mountain Dulcimer at the Unicoi Dulcimer Festival (2008)

Those who know me well know that I play the mountain dulcimer.  It is one of the pure joys of life.  When I am down or grouchy or feeling mean, all I have to do is play my dulcimer for awhile to feel better.  I love it.

Back a few years ago I used to always attend the North Georgia Foothills Dulcimer Festival held annually the weekend before Thanksgiving at Unicoi State Park near Helen, Georgia.  Such fun!!!  We shop from all the wonderful vendors, catch up with friends, attend workshops and concerts, and jam all night long.

Back in November 2008 I took a day-long dulcimer building workshop at that dulcimer festival.  A local luthier presented the workshop, and I had the BEST time.

I'm thinking about that workshop today, so I thought I'd share the photos.  If you ever have a change to go to a dulcimer festival, GO!  You'll be glad you did.  A finer group of people never gathered together on this planet.  You'll see.

Beginning the Build.  The clothespins stay until the wood glue dries.

This is the luthier who lead the workshop.  I wish I could remember his name.

Voila!  I built a dulcimer!

July 1978: A July to Remember

Of all the Independence Days I remember July 4, 1978 the best.

Well, I remember that July the best.  Back then the South Carolina Peach Festival was in its infancy in Gaffney, South Carolina. William Shatner himself was the parade marshal that year.  It was a BIG event! 

Also in July of 1978, the folks over in Gaffney took 20,000 pounds of peaches, 10,000 pounds of sugar, 5,000 pounds of flour, etc. and baked up the biggest peach pie on record!

The Sumter Daily Item - July 14, 1978

Nobody wanted to miss the parade that year.  I will never forget it.

My son, Eric, was three months old.  My son, Marcus, had just turned two, and my son, Dave, was four.  Like a crazy person, I agreed to go the parade with all three sons in tow. 

Marcus, Eric, and Dave - 1978

It was a sweltering hot day.  I had bathed and dressed everyone.  Packed the diaper bag with food, drinks, diapers, clean clothes, toys, a wet cloth, band-aids, etc. Remembered to bring a blanket to sit on. I was hoping to find a shady place to sit on the parade route, but no such luck.  We were sitting on a curb in the hot sun watching the pre-parade spectacle. 

What a zoo!

There were people dressed up in all kinds of costumes wandering around.  High school band members in uniform. Native Americans in traditional garb (I suspect many of those were actually Shriners.).  Cowboys.  Brilliantly colored clowns in  all shapes and sizes were walking the streets and heckling the crowd.  Balloon vendors.  Cotton Candy vendors.  All kinds of people.

One of the clowns was going up and down the street making the children cry and laughing about it.  He came up to Marcus, who was two years old at the time.  Marcus totally ignored him.  He finally tapped Marcus on the shoulder, and Marcus turned around and gave him the most withering look.  Then turned back to watch the beginning of the parade in the street.  Again ignoring the clown.

The clown was flabbergasted.  He said to me, "Did he see me?  He's not scared of me?"

I said, "Marcus isn't scared of much." 

The clown gave me some candy to give my sons and walked on down the street shaking his head and muttering to himself, "I've never seen the like of that before..."

People have been saying things like that about my son, Marcus, all his life.  He's an original.  That's for sure. 

We sat there in the sweltering heat with the boys getting more and more fussy until finally, at the very end of the parade, there was William Shatner.  Big as life.  Captain James T Kirk himself.  He looked right at me and waved!

We didn't hang around long after that.  The boys all needed their naps and so did I, but I kept the memories of that day tucked away to share today.

I hope your July 2016 is just as memorable!  Happy Independence Day! 

---

IMPORTANT: Please remember to keep your pets indoors when the fireworks start, and please be considerate and STOP shooting fireworks before midnight! I have to be at work very early tomorrow morning and I'm betting many of your neighbors do too. Thank you!

---

Hot Air Balloon Festivals in the Carolinas

Let's talk about hot air balloons!


Ever since I was little, I've wanted to ride in a hot air balloon.  I blame Mr. Bill.  I saw him ride in a hot air balloon on our little black and white TV once, just once, decades ago, and I was hooked.

Bill Norwood (aka Mr. Bill) was a local celebrity.  He starred on a children's show that aired early in the morning on Channel 13 (ABC Network) out of Asheville, North Carolina.  Mr. Bill is responsible for my early love of classical music as played on Bugs Bunny cartoons, and for many hickory switch stripings I suffered because of  shenanigans I did copying the Little Rascals and/or The Three Stooges.

Yes.  I blame Mr. Bill for a lot of trouble I got into, but Mr. Bill also gave me a "bucket list" desire to ride in a hot air balloon, so he is forgiven. 😉

Every year in October in the hill country of North and South Carolina, they have big hot air balloon festivals.

To view Balloons Over Anderson's festival schedule for October 2016 click HERE.

Usually about 25 or so balloons launch daily for three days in early October.  It is a festival atmosphere with food and craft vendors, carnival and balloon rides, live music, and such.  I've always wanted to go, and I plan to go when I retire and move closer to home. 

Statesville, North Carolina has Carolina Balloonfest every year in late October, so you can easily go to both of these events.  To view Carolina Balloonfest's October 2016 schedule click HERE.

This is another fun day with food and craft vendors, carnival and balloon rides, live music and such.  You can purchase an untethered ride on a hot air balloon of your choice at this festival for $250.00.  Better schedule in advance. 

If you are a little wary of untethered rides, you can buy a tethered ride for $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children age 10 and under.  

You need to buy tickets for the festival in advance.  It is always expected to sell out.

I honestly can't wait to do this!  I'm hoping maybe October 2017!  Cross your fingers for me.  😊

---

---