A Bluegrass Christmas

I ventured deep into the bottom of Salem last night to attend a Bluegrass Christmas party. As you can see from the picture above it wasn't held anywhere as grand as say the Hotel Roanoke's ballroom. I probably enjoyed myself more at this down home shindig held in a huge garage decorated with farm equipment and heated by two wood-burning stoves than I would have had I been spinning under a chandeleir on some fancy-shmancy shiny parquet dance floor.

Bluegrass and country music dominated the evening and let me tell you these folks can pick. By far my favorite song of the night was the Hank Williams tune, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." The harmonica player, who must have been in his seventies, wailed on it. He gave me chills. I just love this song...



For a change I was one of the youngest people present at a music event. The musicians ranged from late 40's to early 80's and wielded guitars, slide guitars, fiddles, violins, banjos, bass, a Dobro and harmonicas as if they were still teenagers. Although I'm not really a "country music fan," I loved some of their nasal twangy singing.

The crowd itself was about the same age as the musicians, and really got into the music. Usually a couple of them get up and dance but I didn't stick around long enough this year to see them clog. I was a little disappointed that only the host ate the pizelles I made. Many of the older folks would pick one up, look at it like "what the hell is this?" and then put it back. If they would have given them a chance I think they would have liked them -- sweet, light, and easy on the dentures. So next time my husband asks me to bake something to bring I'm going to just buy a box of Moon Pies. I think the crowd will enjoy them better and I won't have to work as hard.

As an added bonus I won a door prize too, a dream catcher. Lord knows I could always use another one of those in this house. A good time was had by all and I'm glad my husband talked me into going. Hey, you can't say I don't try and fit in down here...