My good friend Hannah came to visit us from Connecticut this weekend. It was her first trip to the south and I was happy to show her around. She's also a big fan of organic gardening so it was exciting for me to show off my work to someone who appreciates it. For her first night I brought her to Nashville. We went out to dinner with an old friend of hers and caught some live music. Then we went to the touristy section of town and walked around all the honky tonks.
Hannah is the best massage therapist in the world. She takes her profession seriously and is always learning new techniques and getting new certifications.
The next day she gave me and Joseph awesome massages in the backyard. I picked a spot for her massage table behind the barn.
As I lay on the table getting the best massage of my life Mike spotted Hannah from his four wheeler on his side of the fence. He couldn't see the massage table or me because it was somewhat obstructed by my fence.
"Y'all planting?" he asked.
"No, I'm giving her a massage!". There was a pause. Hannah told me he looked a little bewildered.
"Oh. In the barnyard" he said, as much to himself as to us and then rode away.
I guess barnyard massages aren't very common, but they sure are peaceful!
That night her introduction to the rural south climaxed with the 35th Bellwitch Oldtime and Bluegrass Competition. It was to take place in a farm town next to me. I warned her in advance that there would be no hipsters at this competition.
"So, overalls are a real thing, huh?" she noted as she scanned the crowd.
"Yup, other than the guy behind you wearing a confederate uniform, no one else is in costume."
The competition was intense. The show stealers tended to be multi talented little girls. We watched the same girls enter the guitar, fiddle and "bucking" competition. "Bucking" is intense country dancing. It looks like the American South's answer to the Irish jig circa 1860. I saw legs move at angles I didn't know were possible.
I was glad my friend got a well rounded Tennessee experience. Nashville may be southern to a northerner but it pales in comparison to rural Tennessee as far as southerness goes.
Hannah is the best massage therapist in the world. She takes her profession seriously and is always learning new techniques and getting new certifications.
The next day she gave me and Joseph awesome massages in the backyard. I picked a spot for her massage table behind the barn.
As I lay on the table getting the best massage of my life Mike spotted Hannah from his four wheeler on his side of the fence. He couldn't see the massage table or me because it was somewhat obstructed by my fence.
"Y'all planting?" he asked.
"No, I'm giving her a massage!". There was a pause. Hannah told me he looked a little bewildered.
"Oh. In the barnyard" he said, as much to himself as to us and then rode away.
I guess barnyard massages aren't very common, but they sure are peaceful!
That night her introduction to the rural south climaxed with the 35th Bellwitch Oldtime and Bluegrass Competition. It was to take place in a farm town next to me. I warned her in advance that there would be no hipsters at this competition.
"So, overalls are a real thing, huh?" she noted as she scanned the crowd.
"Yup, other than the guy behind you wearing a confederate uniform, no one else is in costume."
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| This young man is mid "buck" |
The competition was intense. The show stealers tended to be multi talented little girls. We watched the same girls enter the guitar, fiddle and "bucking" competition. "Bucking" is intense country dancing. It looks like the American South's answer to the Irish jig circa 1860. I saw legs move at angles I didn't know were possible.
I was glad my friend got a well rounded Tennessee experience. Nashville may be southern to a northerner but it pales in comparison to rural Tennessee as far as southerness goes.
I wish I got a barnyard massage!!
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