Saturday night off

Tonight was cancelled due to cold, windy, and possibly rainy weather. It didn't rain but it was cool. So... I found myself at the lakehouse with some time on my hands and I decided to call Fritz Davis, the editor of the "Red River Miner". He told me they had just had several inches of snow and the precipitation is badly needed in such a dry year.
Also Fritz and Jeff Fagan have had two songs accepted into the New Mexico song writing competition. One, called "Take it as far as it will go" is an awesome song, and the other is about the presidential race and really funny. Good luck to both of you in Albuquerque next month.
I keep working away on songs for the next album and it is not easy. The stuff I've been writing is so different from what I've done before that I'm not sure if it will fit with what I do. Does every profession have these problems? Probably not... More at a later time.

The weekend

This friday we all gathered at the lakehouse. Philip, Nora, John and Wendy spent the weekend with Linda and me. On saturday night at Sugarmill, we were joined by Mary, Lou, Robert, Linda, Les, the guys from Baldwin,two former boy scouts from my Cornelia troop, plus some campers and locals. A really nice night even though it cooled off around 10:00pm.
On Sunday we took the boat out for a couple of hours. Quite choppy because of the wind but still refreshing. M.T.C.L.

John took these photographs at Sugarmill last night. It was busy and we even had folks from Seneca, S.C. Thank you Bob and Linda for really going out of your way. Yesterday was hot, around 90 degrees in Atlanta and not much cooler than that up here. This guitar is my Washburn. It is not an expensive guitar but very hardy and almost impervious to the temperature and humidity changes I put it through.

I really enjoy this place and all the people I meet here. M.T.C.

Working on a new CD.

Today I started to learn (for the second time) how to use the Roland VS-2480CD. It's a very steep learning curve. I have quite a few songs almost completed and decided to get busy and at the very least end up with a demo.
If all goes well and the quality is good, I'll have to invest in a Neuman U87 microphone to do the vocals with. I just bought a "Radial J48" active direct box for enabling me to plug an acoustic guitar into the Bose "Stick". It should also be fantastic for recording directly into the Roland. If you look in the picture you may notice that the monitors are a pair of JBL100's. I bought those in 1974 and still think they are superior to the new stuff.
The summer tour is coming together nicely and I'll add more dates as they become available.Songs from "A different place" were recently featured on K-tao Solar Radio in Taos, New Mexico. M.T.C.

Back in Georgia.

I didn't go straight home from Red River but went back to Santa Fe, arriving back in Georgia late thursday night. The booking at the Lodge was a wedding reception and everything went really well. Congratulations to the happy couple. I joined John and Wendy at the lake afterwards and Sunday morning we went for breakfast at the Batesville General Store. After they left, I spent the afternoon cleaning the boat. Probably it will be launched this coming weekend. The temperatures are supposed to be in the 80's.
M.T.C.

Sunday

I had a great time in Santa Fe. Thank you Paige and Leslie. Thursday we went to the La Fonda to see Bill Hearne. I met some of Santa Fe's more colourful characters, including the Camel Cigarette man. As I was returning to Red River it was snowing at the 7500ft mark. It was light and there was no accumulation.
This is my last day in Red River and tomorrow morning I'm heading back to Georgia and work on Friday. It's been a good, fruitful trip. I will be back here in June.
Happy 24th, Birthday Philip.

More snow

I awoke to around 5" of snow this morning. It looks so beautiful in the sunlight. The trees are all white with green showing underneath. It is melting quite fast and most of it will probably be gone by the time I leave for Santa Fe.
There still seems to be a few visitors in town even though almost everything is closed. A few exceptions are Capo's, Mountain Treasures, The Bull, Timbers and Shotgun Willy's.

To Santa Fe

Today is a very nice sunny but breezy day. Being from Blackpool the wind doesn't bother me too much. Tomorrow I'm heading to Santa Fe. I'm looking forward to seeing Bill Hearne at the La Fonda Thursday night. Friday I'll be in Los Alamos.
I just booked Sugarmill Creek for 15th, 22nd, and 29th, April. It's already in the seventies there and that's ideal for outdoor performances. M.T.C.

Tuesday, Red River

On Sunday, after ascertaining that there was no immediate danger from the fire, Mike and I went Snowshoeing up the Goose Lake trail. It was beautiful up there, but far less snow (for the time of year) than is normal.
Yesterday was spent in Taos working on my summer tour. It looks promising and I'll have John post all that stuff when it happens.
This morning I awoke to about 2" of the white stuff and I think there is more on the way. I will have to go down to Santa Fe in a few days and as always, I'm looking forward to that. M.T.C.

The fire

I did get to Eagle Nest but not to Angel Fire. It seems we have our own fire about 1 mile west of Red River. I'm told there was a controlled fire, or burn there last week which was re-ignited by the strong wind I experienced this morning.
Hopefully it will be kept under control. Both Red River and Questa Fire Dept. are on the scene and maybe others.

Sunday

Last night I went to the Lucky Shoe in Eagle Nest to celebrate Mike's birthday.
This morning I was up around 6.00am and a bit later went for a walk down the main street. I stopped in at Onota Bakery for coffee before walking back home. It is nice and sunny, but on the way back a strong wind stirred up all the dust making it difficult to see. It lasted about 11 minutes and died down. Today I'm going over to Angel Fire to look around. M.T.C.

Sunny Red River

Here's a photo of Eagle Nest lake taken at 10:30am on thursday. The other photo was taken from the deck today at 5:00pm. It has been a beautiful sunny day. I have been sitting outside in a t-shirt with about 12' of snow beside me and been very comfortable. The snow though, is melting fast. Ski season ended a couple of days ago and so most things are coming to a halt.
Today I helped Fritz make a demo song about Texans. We recorded it on to my little 2-track digital recorder. I believe it did a great job. More soon.

On the road

This morning I was in Louisiana, tonight Dalhart, Texas. I would have made it to Red River but for the snow. It was interesting to see everything covered in snow and all the oil wells still pumping away. The photo shows the snow before it started getting bad. When the white line can't be seen and everyone insists on maintaining 70mph. it's time to get out of the way.

The Lake

The peace and solitude at the lake, I believe is about to be broken. This morning I went to breakfast at the Batesville General Store and they were so busy. I wonder where everyone came from. Back at the lake there is already one boat moored at the slip. The water is about 28" from being up to the optimum level and the yard is full of flowers. This may be my last weekend of quiet before all my neighbours return with their families. There is something special about this time of year when everything seems possible, just like it's waiting for a sign to get started. The calm before the warm.

St Patrick's Day at the Primetime.

Is that a green beard I see John? What will you do if it doesn't wash out?
I think John's favourite song is "Marsh Mill" off the "Fishermen of Fleetwood" Cd. That's one of my favourites too.
We had some serious dancers on the floor tonight. I saw a lot of old friends and I was having so much fun I sang for three hours without taking a break.
Maybe we can do this again soon.

New bookings

Last night at the mill in Clarkesville turned out very well. Charles and Mary Ellen came along to watch the recording for Southern Hospitality. Today they are leaving for South Georgia for a few days before returning to the U.A.E. Safe trip to you.

I just booked 9th, June in Florissant,Colorado at the Thunderbird. The 11th, June I'm booked for Mountain Treasures, Red River, New Mexico. Please see "upcoming" on my website. Today in Georgia is a beautiful, warm, sunny day, the kind of weather that gives me itchy feet. Tonight I go to Seneca. Have a great weekend...

Tuesday at Glen Ella Springs.

Last night was really great. I played to a group of fun-loving people mostly from I think, the Atlanta area. It's very strange, but in all the years I have lived in Georgia I have only rarely played in it's capital city.
Glen Ella is one of those very few places where a person can go and completely relax. It feels like you stepped back a 100 years. Nestled by the side of an old country road that leads up to Lake Rabun, yet easily accessible from U.S 441, it always seems to have plenty of guests..
I sold quite a few CD's, which is always nice. There seems to be a renewed interest in "The Fishermen of Fleetwood" album. As it happens, I have several songs written that compliment that album and I will probably make them part of my next project.
I was just reading my new copy of "five Magazine" and noticed that Cesaria Evora is appearing tonight at Popejoy Hall in Albuquerque. She's from Cape Verde and has one of the most soothing voices of anyone I've heard. That's a concert I'm sorry to miss.
I have tonight off but tomorrow I'll be at the Clarkesville mill. That show will be recorded and televised at a later date.
Friday is back at the Primetime in Seneca, South Carolina. More soon...

St. Patrick's day.

This friday I'll be back at the Primetime. I think they will be doing something special for St. Patrick's day and we should be quite busy. I'm looking forward to seeing all my friends again after about 7 weeks away. Come and join me if you can make it. Thanks.

Lake Seed waterfall

Today we hiked up to one of the waterfalls behind Lake Seed. It was about 70 deg. and a perfect day for such a walk.
Charles and Mary Ellen came with us. They are home on a visit from the U.A.E. What a major contrast to the desert and also from Red River. The ski area is reporting a snowfall of up to 26"in the last 24 hours. Charles was showing us his new camera. His photo's make mine look quite amateurish.
Lake Seed is the little, narrow lake between Burton and Rabun. It is very picturesque and worth a visit. I have hiked and biked the eleven mile loop. About 50% is winding, narrow dirt road.
I still have a lot of exploring to do in this area and there are many hiking trails in the national forest.
On tuesday I'm performing at Glen Ella Springs. It's an old hotel located on a dirt road close to Lake Rabun.
More soon.

Tammy's picks

I saw Tammy this morning at the bank. Her favourites are "The Coyote" and "Farewell".Thank you Tammy.
It's a beautiful day, feels like spring, which is not very far away. Time to make plans for the year and in particular, for the summer. I'll post all that info soon. Enjoy this beautiful day.