Whites Mountain Chimney Corner Old-Fashioned Bluegrass Fiddle Event

 Here is the post I promised!  We went to Whites Mountain Chimney Corner Event and it was loads of fun.  Actually, this is the event where Jesse and his family, and me and my family all met for the first time almost 7 years ago.  There were lots of bluegrass pickin', old fashioned craft demonstrations, and lots more featured there this past weekend!

 Here are some of the pictures of the sorghum pressing and the making of delicious syrup from the cane we stripped earlier in the week (see this older post Strippin' Sorghum Cane).

 They had a functional pre 1940's kitchen setup where

we ate some delicious homemade biscuits!

 There was a blacksmith there, hominy making demonstration,

and tons of vendors selling handmade crafts. 

 And of course there was no shortage of great folk music!

 We've included below a live performance of one of

the songs we played so please click on it and check it out.

Thank ya'll so very much for stopping by!

Dutch Oven Breakfast

Bow season opened yesterday, so Jesse

got up early and went hunting this morning.

When he got back, we got to enjoy a delicious,

relaxed breakfast on this beautiful, chilly,

fall morning.  We love cooking in a dutch

oven over an open fire.

 We cooked bacon, eggs, pancakes, and coffee.

 Mommy's little helper.

 He is always such a sweet and

happy baby in the mornings.

It was all soooo delicious!

Alice's Simple Pancake Recipe

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 Tbs sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 beaten egg

1 cup milk

1 Tbs melted butter

(They're even better with buttermilk!  Just

reduce baking powder to 1 tsp. and add

1/2 tsp. baking soda.  Substitute 1 1/3 cups

buttermilk for the 1 cup of milk)

Stir together dry ingredients.  Then add eggs, milk,

and melted butter.  Pour into hot greased skillet (this morning

I just cooked it in leftover bacon grease and it was great!).

Cook til golden brown and flip 'em when edges appear slightly dry.

Makes about 4 really large pancakes or regular sized.

Enjoy!

Strippin' Sorghum Cane

Yesterday, we went over to a friend of ours' place to help 'em cut and strip sorghum cane.  They are having a festival this weekend and will be doing a sorghum demonstration.  So here are some pictures:

 Some of the cane after it had been stripped.

 It was a fun hearing some of the older folks

swapping old tales and stories all day.

After cutting it all, they then sat and stripped it, but normally the

way we do it is to cut and strip it all in the field as we go.

Either way works though.

 Gavin loved watching all the excitement

and wanted to be a part off all the action.

 Jesse cutting the seed heads off to save for chicken feed.

You can find out more about the festival coming up this

weekend at this link  http://www.whitesmtnbluegrass.com/

It should be lots of fun! We'll be playing some off the old-timey music there as well.

This is actually the event where Jesse and I met each other for the first time about 7 years ago!

Looney House Historic Event

 The Looney house is an old dog-trot style log house in Ashville, AL.

It was built in the 1820 by John Looney and his family who came here

from Maury County, TN in 1817. The house is a hand-hewn, square log, dovetail

style home built with an upper and lower floor and a separate kitchen

off the back.  The 19' x 48' log house was constructed on a 

foundation of locally quarried stone spanned by cedar sill beams.

The walls are stacks of 12 to 18 -inch pine logs dovetailed at the corners

and pegged with dowels; and the floors are planed heart pine.  The roof is

finished with handsplit wood shakes.  Very shortly after it was built,

they moved the entire, completed, cabin structure to higher

ground due to a flood.

 They have an annual event there with historical

demonstrations, vendors, and music.

 We helped with the hand-dipped candle demonstration

which all of the children absolutely loved!

 There were many booths there with folks selling

their homemade and old-fashioned goods.

 We "The Carrell Family" played as a group and

also just had some fun pickin' with all of our friends

from the area.  We played lots of traditional bluegrass

and bluegrass gospel as well as some older folk style

mountain music and Scots-Irish tunes.

 Gavin had a wonderful time smiling at

everyone he saw.

Sleepy little Gavin being rocked by

his Aunt Gina in the kitchen/dining room building

that is directly behind the Looney House.

 Jesse's family's table with a weaving demonstration

for the children and rustic wood signs.

 Alice's parents relaxing on the porch

enjoying the beautiful day and the

delicious fried pies.

 Here are a few pictures from inside the historic home.

 An old photograph of the John Looney House.

 Alice's great grand parents Wesley Powell (whose

name is on the plaque above) and

Mary Elizabeth "Polly" (Seay) Lamar

were very involved in the historicity of the area and

donated many artifacts to be displayed.

We had a great time at the John Looney Pioneer House Museum 

Annual fall festival this year!