Well, it is way after Christmas - a month plus already. How did that happen so fast - again? It was a wonderful holiday for sure - the anticipated new and re-connections with friends & loved ones was warmly gratifying. I love the lights & music a lot.

It is a sweet final Christmas chore to unload the tree, put the ornaments away for next year (I hope), then take the big bush out of the house & vacuum up those fine smelling needles.

I leave the lights plugged in while I unwind the continuous strand off the tree into a white 5 gallon plastic bucket. The "bucket ‘o’ bulbs" is a glaring color riot if you look straight down into it. I also keep a few colored lights lit all year round - just a reminder.

I didn’t play any music job New Year’s Eve though I did play "auld lang syne" at home for myself & Mike's cat. The roads were treacherous with patch ice & smart folk stayed home.

I heard there was a smaller than anticipated crowd at Franklin’s "Ruby Drop". I wasn’t there along with most everybody else.

I wonder how the BrassTown "Possum Drop" went. (I think they "lower" the critter rather than launch him.) I heard it was even colder there.

I did however, fall victim to the ice (literally). I slipped on the way out to warm up my car (ironic no?) and the fall forced my right arm into my right shoulder pretty hard. An unexpected event (aren't all accidents?) which put a slow healing routine in my foreground for a while. Certainly a hard reminder to be a bit more careful and sure footed.

They make accessories for just that. I do own a pair of YAK-TRAKS - the absolute best pull-on shoe cleats - you can tap dance on the ice with these. But they were not on my feet at the time. Duh!

I acquired no broken bones but the fall resulted in a lot of apparent strain, stress & possibly tearing. I was rt. arm immobile for a day, then a noticible daily improvement until here, 26 days later, I’m almost whole again.

Quite an ordeal - us old folke mend slowly. I think my many years habit of swimming laps has put that shoulder in a good healing frame. Swiming is easier each time. I expect a full recovery. What fun, eh?


Music is going great. The Tuners added a much needed bassist - my son Byron! He’s an excellent musician and a big addition to the sound.


Yay! We play out again Feb 16. Love it! What a privilege to play with my man & Ms. Brown (and friends - thanx Marie!)

Did my taxes, Arf ! Us single workers pay the most. My last year’s minimal financial planning finagled a small refund from the Feds and then a larger one was calculated from NC (they don’t tax SS$ - thanx).

The refund makes it a bit less painful to realize I supplied the govt with @10K$ this year to conduct their publicly ineffective & privately nefarious business. Aaaarrrgggghhh. That’s all I’ll say now. No sense whining.

Since New Year’s we’ve been pretty much hunkering down in the rotten cold here in Franklin. It stayed below 20 degrees for 10 days and more - so recently, a 30 degree reading felt right balmy. (where's my lemonade?)

It is 50ish now and the warm spell has Springvigorated all the critters - it’s chirpin’ bird city out there and all the other animal activities too. Optimists all ! We have more cold coming for sure but the sun has turned back towards us and the natural world knows the truth. It doesn’t take much of a squint to see some pink in the distant gray treetops. Soon green.

Saw a lot of deer during the bitter days. I put whole corn out daily and they took full advantage. Once 2 entire families were chowing down in the snow. (16 total head count including two spotted fawns - late births?)

I also had a surprise visit from a large turkey, then another, then a bunch more. Here is a short "Turkey Time" movie of these big gorgeous birds - pecking on deer corn. Go "full screen" on these links for best viewing.

As long as we’re watching movies - here is another short One minute of Peace - watching Estatoah creek flow by the deck at Wayfarer’s Chapel.


There's plenty of daylight but the sun rises late at the Chapel because of the high ridge to the South East.

I like the ripples that bounce off the banks and seem to go across at a right angle to the downhill flow.

The Chapel is on a very beautiful spot on the planet. Keeps me coming back no matter who’s talking inside.





Major Sock Mystery Solved.

Many socks are fugitive, or want to be. In Laundryworld it really doesn’t matter much to me if the shirts all turn themselves inside out by the time they emerge from the dryer (check & see - then believe).

This may have something to do with the fluid dynamics of a floating tube (shirt) being shoved back & forth (agitator post) in water. I don’t care. It is easy enough to reverse the reversal.

What is weird is that if you turn them inside-out first, they stay that way (or roll twice - I'm not sure).

The shirts are no big deal but I am somewhat concerned about the socks. I like socks. I love the feel of putting clean soft fuzzy ones on dry feet as I dress for the day. It is sensuous. I have feet that love to be pampered. I visit a sainted and very capable reflexology lady at least once a month - she focuses on feet - my regular visit with her is a personal high point.

I like my pairs of socks enough that I’m constantly watching for escapees. (I know they plot, plan & confer like prisoners). If one of a known pair is suspected missing, I go on alert and do a sock sort routine on the current inventory to make sure no one actually got away. (Is that getting a bit anal? No, it’s a bit "pedal"). It usually works out OK, then me and my pairs are again right with the world.

Occasionally, however, successful egress is accomplished. Sometimes I end up with one of a pair and the other is not found - period. OK, I lose one once in a while but just in case, for a few months or until I’m sure no matches will ever be found, I keep The Abandoned in a basket labeled SWP (Sox Without Partners) (sounds like a support group, no?)

At the end, the lone sock becomes a rag. Easy dusting with it on my hand. Or maybe a puppet. (Good for dinner conversation, though sometimes the fork slips.)

The seekers of freedom are pretty clever - maybe smarter than me. They try everything I could think of. First, avoiding the laundry basket completely by hiding under the bed, if that doesn’t work and they do get swept into the washer, they’ve been known to twist themselves very tight and small and then stuff themselves under the agitator (attempting to avoid the dryer).


I’m finally wise to this ploy so no one remains in the washer and escapes the dryer but..... experienced footwear knows this is where they get their real power.

As the wetness tumbles & steams off, static electricity quickly builds on the remaining dry fibers. While the timer runs and the laundry load desiccates, sock energy is piled up in the individual. This sparky power is accumulated in a mathematic curve inversely proportional to the dampness of the recipient.

Now, finslly, at last, they have the power to act. No more limp passive flaccid drippy wetness. Now, they are heated and dry and bristling with bright electrons that want to stick to anything - here comes the big chance.

With power, they can get small, they can hide in other garments and the most experienced potential escapees will attempt to stick, as flat as possible, on the dryer door as you open it - hoping to not be seen as you focus on unloading the interior.

When their personal open door static wears off they just silently drop to the floor and make their escape. This has occasionally worked in the past but I’m wise to them now and always check the door. Though if a matched pair makes it out - I may not even notice during the final check.

Despite the constant and on-going vigil, I lost one of my soft fuzzy favorites last week. I thought I double checked everything possible. OK, I finally gave up the diligent search and popped the new loner into the SWP basket to join the other misfits.

I mentioned that I injured my right shoulder New Year’s Eve and it’s been a while healing so I haven’t been swimming my regular laps until I re-gained enough strength & range of motion. My gym bag has been packed & ready to go but unused until a few days ago.

Guess who was hiding inside my bathing suit as quietly as possible? If I had not felt the extra lump it would have been a successful escape to the greater gymnasium, then Franklin and then the world at large.

That planet can be cruel & dirty and a fancy fine soft sock can be extremely inconvenienced out there if not worse. I hope the reunited pair can realize they are safer and happier with me and on my feet.



Big Love