New websites in the works

We finally have made a commitment to create new website for ourselves. It will be one that will cover all our various enterprises including Jenny's paintings, her natural organic soup business, Spurlock Gardens, as well as Mac's Custom Cabinetry, Banjos and more. You really didn't think we made a living at playing music did you? We tend to be homebodies and only travel for a music gig when there's a great opportunity. Otherwise, we are pecking away at something when not being lazy.

Check our calendar. We have a few things already in our local area.

However, its looking like we'll be around home more this year. We have several outside projects that need finishing on our place including the rock spring house. That project has been shut down since early December with the early onset of Winter here in the Blue Ridge.
New fences are in order as Mac wants to be able to have cattle on our land again. Hopefully, we'll have an early Spring and get back to these two projects in particular before the grass gets too long in May. We aim to produce ' gourmet' Grassfed Beef and direct market to folks who appreciate the benefits of eating such a local product.

Mac has a couple of music camps coming up. He'll be on the staff for the first time at the Midwest Banjo Camp held in early June in Michigan. He's also going to be returning to Augusta Old-time week in late October as a advanced clawhammer banjo instructor. We'll see what else comes up in the way of banjo playing or banjo making as the summer season approached.

Mac has already agreed to display a sample of his banjo work in the new Heartwood Artisan Gateway Center just off I-81 near Abingdon VA slated to open this Summer. He has several orders for his banjos to be completed by summer as well. One was recently sent to New Zealand and another to Georgia. A banjo website is in the works so check back in a few weeks for more info and the address.

later aligator

Thanksgving 2010

Thanksgiving found us here at our place in Floyd County this year. We had both our grown-up kids Ben 25 and his new wife Lisa and Hanna 22 and her boyfriend Dan share our 17 pound fresh free range turkey for a wonderful traditional family reunion. The beautiful weather continued. While the turkey was cooking Hanna and Dan helped out with the progress on the rock springhouse for our spring fed water system. Jenny and I started this back in early October when we had the area around the spring excavated by backhoe so we could proceed with the upgrade of the spring. This job has been needing to be done for years. Such a great watersource deserves a bit of protection from the elements. We hope to have a roof on it before 2011 weather permitting. Rocks of all sizes from our property and from our neighbor's have been coming together to make a permanent fixture to our property. We can't help but think that our efforts with the rocks could last forever.

After dark while the turkey was still cooking, a new Mac- banjo was born in the shop on Thanksgiving as well. Hanna and Dan helped out on this as well. They installed the tuners while I made a nut. Strings were put on and Hanna gave it a good try-out. She made it sound pretty good for the first tune on it.

This one is #53 and is bound for New Zealand. It has been in the works since I got the order back in the summer. Abie Horrocks will be the proud owner. This banjo is made of apple wood / birdseye maple and a black material made from recycled paper call "paperstone'.

Another one recently was 'born' but is staying close by. It is made of curly maple and paperstone for the fingerboard . It was made for Tom Deceasar who just turned 60. Such a milestone deserves a special gift. Tom's wife, Mindy, was instrumental in getting me to complete the banjo on November 19th. When other shop work is slow, the banjo making gets more attention.

More banjos are in the works for other deserving people with milestone birthdays. Keep checking back for a progress report.