Last night was the best time I’ve had with my clothes on in I don’t remember when. Anne and I, along with our friends Suzanne Capone and Bill Perry, attended The Crooked Road Tour: The Roots of American Music (and how hillbillies helped invent it) at the historic Lincoln Theater in Marion, Virginia.

The 12-stop, 12-musician tour was organized by folklorist Joe Wilson,

Folklorist Joe Wilson, the Garrison Keillor for regular folks

The show opened with an ancient acapella ballad from Molly Slemp, a teenager raised in the Wise County coal fields, whose ethereal voice transports you to another time. Dale Jett, A.P. Carter’s grandson, led a singalong gospel tune to close the show. What happened in between can only be described as magical.

Molly Slemp

The legendary Wayne Henderson, the number one acoustic guitar maker in the world, Carnegie Hall performer, and unofficial Mayor of Rugby, VA

Irish musicians Mick Moloney (left) and Joey Abarta

Cheick Hamala Diabate from Mali, West Africa, who played several native instruments that eventually evolved into the modern banjo

Burl Rhea on banjo, Leigh Beamer on guitar, and Linda Lay on bass

Burl Rhea is an underground coal miner whose people have toiled in the mines of Russell County for almost two hundred years. His worn face is etched with the history of the strife between miners and operators. In addition to playing drop thumb banjo, Burl put on several rousing exhibitions of flat foot dancing. One of the more humorous moments last night occurred when Burl came on stage holding hands with Cheick Diabate. Burl flatfooted and Cheick danced some tribal steps that, from the audience, looked virtually the same.

If you have a chance to attend one of the last three performances, don’t miss it. Musical history is being made.

Gettin' down with Dale Jett, Linda Lay, Wayne Henderson, et al

Dale and Leigh

So Friday, we met Joe Lucas, the man who plans to lease the land (nice alliteration, huh?) at the farm to go over the deal. It’s been over a year since we’ve seen the place. It’s a little more run down, and a little more overgrown, but still beautiful.

After we roughed out a deal with Joe, Anne and I headed down to Floyd to meet our friends Amy and Doug Thompson. We hooked up with Doug at the Floyd Country Store and spent a pleasant afternoon catching up. I had a light lunch of a grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of pinto beans, both of which were some of the best I’ve ever had. I also purchased a copy of Rodale’s Organic Gardening, the bible for many organic gardeners.

Friday was Amy’s birthday and the four of us met for an early dinner at Mickey G’s. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Michael Gucciardo is the best chef in Southwest Virginia. I had a whole Red Snapper with Livornese Sauce (tomatoes, onions, capers, and black olives) topped with fresh mussels and clams. It was to die for. Anyone within driving distance of Floyd who hasn’t eaten at Mickey G’s is really missing something.

After a leisurely drive home, we spent a quiet evening with cocktails on the deck. Saturday morning, I headed to the Wytheville Farmer’s Market while Anne slept in. If I don’t stop eating the outstanding baked goods at the Market, I’m going to gain back the 40lbs I worked so hard to lose. Some of this stuff is positively addictive. Thanks to the hard work of Market Director Suzie Richert, this year’s Market is not only a great place to purchase quality products, it has become a fun place to hangout.

Next week, yours truly will be turning and burning starting at 9am, so be sure to stop by and say hello. I’ll be giving away free samples using products purchased from local vendors.

I made it back home in time for the afternoon thunderstorm. The brief storms and showers we’ve had for the past week have not only helped the garden, they’ve cooled things down in the evening. We’ve made it this far into the summer without the air conditioner. I grilled a whole chicken using Dave Richert’s Green Grillin’ small batch applewood charcoal and accompanied it with a mess of turnip and collard greens, blackeyed peas with chopped raw onion, dirty rice and some excellent sourdough rolls I purchased at the Market.

Just another couple of days in paradise.