blogside

bamboo

2012-01-12T15:54:00.001-06:00

second wood carved lawn sculpture is up, before the rain. still sinking in, but im liking it and i get a kick out of thisinfo on the plant. "Since the bamboo lasts through all seasons, it is frequently associated with pine and plum as the "Three Winter Friends."The bamboo is considered a gentleman with perfect virtues. It combines upright integrity with accommodating flexibility; it has the perfect balance of grace and strength, or the Yin and the Yang".

tex

2012-01-09T15:22:00.000-06:00

this old dude has come full circle...again. once a bird dog kept in a pen, to a free running mountain dog, back to his original owner (in better living quarters) and now back to boone, and the mountain air. tex is home whereever he is, and is a loving, beautiful creature who i am very happy to have back with me.

family

2012-01-09T15:17:00.003-06:00

this xmas we had the opportunity to all be together as a family unit and take some long overdue family pics. my sister and her hubby did a great job putting on the weekend event and a lot of fun was had. loved meeting the new additions and getting closer to those i am removed from by distance. for me, the reason for the season:)

occupation

2011-11-17T12:07:00.001-06:00

had a great time in providence on my last scouting trip this fall. i got to hang out in the square with some of the occupy providence crowd and reflect on the state of the economy, the state of my occupation and the changes to come. there are surely some changes that need to take place for all of us and i'm excited to find what lies ahead. occupy yourself, occupy life, occupy change.

door

2011-08-12T14:35:00.002-05:00

a door...any gateway marking an entrance or exit from one place or state to another. doors have had all kind of symbolic meanings and have been used metaphorically many times. this week i had a new door installed on my little farm house, a piece of art made by a great friend. my house now has a groovy new greeting and portal into its 85 year history. i love it, thanks cory.

framed

2011-08-12T14:27:00.003-05:00

i finally got 5 of the seven old frames i reconditioned filled. bad pics, flash and glass equals crap:) have the system down, so more to come and perfecting the signature is in the works.

river rats

2011-06-15T10:42:00.002-05:00

finally got a boat again, after too many years up a creek with out a paddle... the water is a great place for friends and kids but thunderstorms can be a bitch:) the new river, a new boat and new friends...under 6 years old, love it.

life

2011-05-27T10:20:00.005-05:00

this week was a week of endings and new beginnings, not unlike every week, and i was happy to be involved in both. life sometimes can make us believe that it is all about beginnings and we can become attached to those, fighting the endings. but death, as much as life, can be hopeful and when surrounded by strong people, who accept its place in the journey, i am inspired.

my college football coach, jim pyburn, moved on this week he was 78. he loved to laugh, he loved people and he lived as fully and proudly, as he died. he was a beautiful man, a strong man and his wife ann is an amazingly strong women. she and her family showed that strength in his death as she moves forward in her new beginnings.

across the street from 1420, a horse i have gotten to know over the last year gave birth to a sweet little replica... both strong a beautiful. life begins again, always.
i will miss jim, as i begin to live my life as courageously as he.

a river runs through it...

2011-04-16T13:40:00.004-05:00

so i needed to paint the cement foundation of the house and i decided not to be normal (as usual), painting a creek line around the house:) well i must have summoned the creek gods, and the rains came. the down pour created big flow in the creek that borders the property and a handful of impromptu springs, running done my hills side. it is very beautiful after the storm and the rivers are full in boone today:)

ffb

2011-04-05T17:07:00.005-05:00

it's been three months or so, since i've been facebook free, and i miss seeing my family and finding out when the parties are:) the way i participated took too much time and gave me a false sense of belonging, so its been a good adjustment and is freeing up all kinds of time... so f--k facebook:) along with being free of a face, i am free of a relationship....both kind of went hand in hand. this is not were i imagined to be when i first moved to boone.... but its been a great journey so far. looking forward to see what unfolds next. stay tuned for FFB t-shirts:)

the hill

2011-01-20T23:11:00.004-06:00

finally got on skis... was it a mountain or a hill?? i'm not sure:) great conditions, great day, just really short runs. this would be a good mountain (appalachian ski mountain) to get good on a board. sugar mountain is next, cuz i do like the skis. btw, that is not me skiing, i had my carhartt overalls on and i rip it up better than that:)

happy new years

2011-01-06T13:24:00.003-06:00

as always, a great time with my bro's in vegas. we had a night in old town with tapas, great drinks at the downtown bar and a walking hairspray commercial:) then onto a new years eve pool party toasting to all time zones.

the fluffly stuff

2010-12-22T19:54:00.002-06:00

great hikes in the hood when the snow is piling up... the sweet white stuff is very peaceful.

early xmas

2010-12-22T19:48:00.003-06:00

i finally got the chance to get down to asheville and spend time with my local family...vic, duece, dante and marcel. it was a lot of fun reconnecting, taking on the town and getting the know the little dude and the nanny.

first winter hike

2010-12-14T10:23:00.003-06:00

it is here...cold weather, snow, and great views on hikes that are more solitary than in the summer. looking forward to more of these.

first snow

2010-12-14T09:58:00.005-06:00

winter is here.... didnt get the sutdio done, which was a choice, but i wanted to piddle with it...not happening. so it is time to fine tune the inside. floors, counters and appliances on the way.

a

before and after

2010-07-22T17:29:00.004-05:00

now the outside done and short of a few fine tuning things, the farm house is complete. 3 weeks, and a new place... its been a haul, but worth having a cozy home in the valley under the stars.

fourth of july.... celebrate.

2010-07-04T22:03:00.006-05:00

historically i have been a fourth of july scrooge... never really buying into the hype, the expense, or the excess of it all. for the last 3 years i have been in an emotional flux, wanting to celebrate my nephew at the same time boycott the sky rockets in sorrow. well today in a small town, with a small group of people, amongst groovy friends i found the desire to celebrate life and love. i love you jeremy, push on.

good friends

2010-06-11T17:44:00.005-05:00

i have a wave of friends coming in the next few weeks, and had some new ones hang last night which was groovy. i dig them around right now, and so far we have had a blast exploring the local hikes and bars:) the sun was out today and it was a great day for swimming in the pond and and trip up the maze hike... cows were loving the sun as well.

book plans

2010-06-06T12:03:00.010-05:00

this is a journal entry from last night... the ending entry for a book idea, capturing my life with "woman", the intrigue, the excitement and heartbreak of it all. this is rough but i would like your thoughts on what we can call a cathartic compilation.... some of you know the stories i have to tell:) a book blog is to come.

8:30 saturday night, 6/6/2010...sitting in the boone saloon, in "my seat", the one i sat in on many occasion the first time i lived here, alone in the days of sue. beer, music, my journal and things to look at...getting back to me. there is a solace in this isolation, comfort in my thoughts, my dreams. i feel safe.

i have met some special people this time around in boone and i love being around friends, families...but right now they only remind me out what has eluded me so many times, what deceives me today... love.

what the fuck, payne... so many dreams, intentions and connections and the inability to move forward with love? here i sit here in exile, i'm good at this, trying to figure out where to put my heart, my intentions this time. so i write, write the last chapter of what is to become a book... "my life with woman"

as i write these words, ironically, wrecklessly, i hope and wait... wait for that someone to sit down beside me and smile, that forever smile. hope springs eternal...

rocks your world

2010-06-06T11:02:00.004-05:00

hebron rock colony, a sweet little oasis, one of many to find in these parts, im sure. this hike is just down the street from my little apartment and has been a savior, my morning meditation.

one four twenty

2010-06-03T11:40:00.003-05:00

i bought a farm house...the one i broke my toe in:) after much deliberation, being pulled so many different directions and with so many options...i did it. 1420 winklers creek road, this was the first house that caught my attention when i arrived to boone. a 900 sqft quaint farm house 2 miles outside of town, with a lot of potential to be a sweet spot. i will close at the the end of the month, and then the renovations begin:) stay tuned.

toes

2010-05-28T17:51:00.004-05:00

feet fun topic? not sure, some like them and some dont. this is not so much about that but about breaking toes.. and how on my first visit to boone i broke a toe hiking. then the other day i broke my pinky toe ripping flooring up at a house i was looking at.
searching for meaning on that one? i did for a minute..."what does that mean" is this a sign?" well here is what i came up with... breaking a toe fucking hurts:)

first broke toe... and this is the post.

i have a request for everyone.. a task at hand, a journey into thought... so the last blog, the hiking failure, the toe incident. well per a blog comment, the ordeal may have been a metaphor or a window (that is my paraphrase) into another journey i will have or am having concurrently.. im interested in this idea and would like some input?? the toe of the broken nature is the soul brother to the bird finger?? does that help? what possibly could the toe represent, or the hike.. and the breaking of or the the failure to conclude?? thanks:)

temp pad in the hills

2010-05-28T16:12:00.002-05:00

groovy little space...here until i get a permanent spot. learning that concrete floors are hard on my wheels.

a day on lance crossing

2010-05-28T15:23:00.005-05:00

i saw my first live bee swarm, the sound was awesome. life on the family farm continued as the queen bee relocated, then got protected by the defector swarm... way cool to watch, took about 15 minutes.

isolato

2010-05-14T19:02:00.004-05:00

i connected with this old guy today... rusty, full of color, proud, uninhabited and abandoned amidst so much beauty.

new home.. new life.. new thoughts

2010-05-12T13:35:00.003-05:00

getting things done, staying focused....it wont be hard out here on the mountain. stay tuned for a summer of my new life. pics of my new pad.

revisited

2010-04-09T12:32:00.006-05:00

moving is a round the corner. limbo...a state of mind im use to:) it helps when you are going back to somewhere familiar, with excitement encircling you. it will be fun to be in boone again and reflect on the days of "pushcreek" and my attempt to build a life for myself, a business, a place to put my passions. this time all those things will exist again, yet with more ease, patience and a stronger intention of what i want.

resurrection day

2010-04-04T15:06:00.003-05:00

life is pulsing, drums are beating, nature is coming back alive.
happy resurrection today, albany awakens again.

home sweet home

2010-03-26T23:54:00.007-05:00

i was in boone this past weekend and it became quite clear i needed to be there, it felt like home. life is confusing, mysterious and yet can be magically perfect, if you allow it to be.

albany new york

2010-03-07T23:47:00.003-06:00

walked down to the river to get some beer:) a local brewery i like to go to to get my "growler" filled. albany was looking pretty sweet, it felt like spring, and the beer goal was achieved.

americans

2010-03-06T19:33:00.002-06:00

blackwell oklahoma, my parents look upon the grave of their grandson, my nephew. his smile will crack you open, even when cut in stone..
his energy grips you stronger than the chill in the air.

you know he is ok, you can feel it,
his smile takes you to a good place.
thanks for the visit jeremy.

im still pushing.

love,
uncle payne

miniver cheevy

2010-03-06T19:20:00.004-06:00

in tulsa for a few days visiting the folks and catching up with old friends... got to see jeff's new music space and get smoked out at the colonie, watching beau's new band... "miniver cheevy" check them out on myspace. tulsa rocks with local music, i miss that.

white atlanta

2010-02-14T00:40:00.004-06:00

spent the week in atlanta for my crosscheck meeting for the draft. my first "stack" as they call it... i have running backs and each cross checker (the area scouts and regional scouts) has a position to cross check. we meet with the GM and HC to stack the draft board. a whole week...lots of work but had good fun hanging with the boys. Thomas has put together a groovy set of guys.

WE were given a gift on the last day, a beautiful white blanket of snow. 4 inches isn't seen much in atlanta, it was sweet.

poets ledge

2010-02-06T15:44:00.003-06:00

not much a view hike today, too many trees. i did a 3 miles incline hike to a spot called poets ledge, near palenville, ny.... a secluded rock cluster in the middle of the trees. there were a lot of ice formations along the way, and slippery trails but i was good heat building for 17 degrees:)

behind the screen.

2010-02-06T15:38:00.004-06:00

i used to paint a lot on screens...these pics, out my front windows, have a lot of the same effect, and color blocking as my first screen.... or maybe not:)

calm but wild

2010-02-06T15:33:00.002-06:00

these dudes are big, curious, playful and powerful beasts. would love to have one of these guys... the space to let them run, play, and be horses.

snowvegas

2010-01-29T11:51:00.004-06:00

the yearly trip to vegas to see my bro, was gifted with snow in the mountains and an epic snow hike at red rock. great friends old and new, wonderful food and many laughs made it a sweet but quick trip.

snow hike

2010-01-10T21:35:00.002-06:00

mohonk preserve...outside of new paltz, ny and home of the "gunks" a sweet climbing destination about 80 miles north of NYC. Looking for a little "mountain" town, need some space to create, and that is hard to find in the city.

2/3rds

2009-12-28T22:58:00.003-06:00

still one more session on "the arm of make believe".... it will be nice to have a tattoo break for a while:)

the eve

2009-12-24T18:05:00.004-06:00

on the eve of life, on the eve of love, on the eve of hope,
on the eve of understanding, on the eve of a smile, on the eve of a tear,
on the eve of tomorrow, on the eve of death....on the eve of life.

am i adam, or "the eve" caught with apple in hand?

happy eve.

jesus expires

2009-10-18T16:06:00.004-05:00

albany has a lot of groovy churches...old architecture and unfortunately some of them are abandon and in ill repair. there is a groovy neighborhood, a bit out of the hip spots of albany..kind of the hood... called ten broeke. well there is an old church there i have been dreaming about since my first stroll though this area. to buy in the area, to help renovate this church with the help of the city and the neighboorhood would be a sweet project. all this to lad onto an art show i went to in the church...very grass roots for a show but i got to the space and it is amazing....damaged but amazing.

43

2009-09-20T21:59:00.002-05:00

the yearly nude, to be scrutinized. this yearly unveiling has kept me on my toes for the last 5 years, i guess it would help if i had a neighborhood pool.... note the gayish hands:) i need a stylist.

PUSH 09

2009-07-05T09:05:00.004-05:00

last night was a celebration in albany, not unlike the celebrations going on everywhere in the united states. in adulthood, the 4th of july has never been a holiday i liked to celebrate. i have never been able to get past the money spent (the more the better) to market the wealth and prosperity of the city... and on something that has so little impact and lasts for 35 minutes. i would much rather see those millions put into the "community" somehow.

that said, in the past 2 years it has taken on a new meaning to me, and last night i was quite moved... thinking about Jeremy, my nephew, a marine who died 2 years ago today in Iraq, fighting for his country. Al Jareau was singing last night, a cat who can "scat", a cat who was a big influence on me musically through highschool, a cat im not sure jeremy ever heard sing. as a teenageer AJ pushed me to see the possibilities, he took me past rock and roll and opened me up to the creative options in life and music. how lucky am i, to have the opportunity at 43 to see this man up close and remember my youth?? and at the same time, it is so hard to think of Jeremy and how he sacraficed a life full of those chances.

today i vow not to take my time on this earth lightly and i thank Jeremy for giving me that PUSH again and always on the 4th of July. here's to Jeremy Allbaugh, my hero in life, i love you brother.

austin revisited

2009-07-03T15:20:00.002-05:00

had a great time in austin last week with a collection of my good friends, despite the 107 degree temps. biking, boating, drinking beer, and eating mexican food as if i was on the baha coast. im lucky to have some wonderful, beautiful, and sharp friends, too bad they are so far away.

ADK 46ers...

2009-06-15T23:13:00.004-05:00

...a group of folks that have climbed all the 46 high peaks of the Adirondack Mountains. Well I popped my cherry on Giant Mountain this weekend, got rained on, and got more familiar with these new hills, i will soon call home.

state street

2009-06-12T10:14:00.002-05:00

loving the new pad, and my street is always an interesting place to be. looking forward to the summer and getting some roots down.

vegas

2009-06-12T10:09:00.003-05:00

i had a great time at my brothers house in vegas and this time the whole family was present. it is nice to know we can all get together and have a good time, a lot of life has flown by us all and we remain friends.... that is my idea of family.

holy chrysler

2009-05-07T07:22:00.005-05:00

walking to get bagels late yesterday morning... i noticed the street was barracaded in front of one of the state buildings. returning home, knawing on an everything bagle, i came upong a group of people who had gathered on the sidewalk around the group of cars, police and secret service men waiting outside. withing 10 minutes, out walked the Dahli Lama (he had spoke in albany the night before and was visiting the govenor) and comes right up to the crowd i was standing in shskes some hands, speaks with us and then drives away in a "chrysler".. thats got to be a good sign for chysler:) needless to say i was beside myself, the personification of peace on my street on a tuesday morning... it doesnt get groovier than that, except for maybe a hot female musician;)

art hanging

2009-04-21T07:42:00.006-05:00

....in a more literal sense.

i hung a piece of art over the weekend, my first installation in years. a piece that has traveled with me for the last few years from denton texas, a piece of me left for an extended stay in the woods of north georgia. i envy what she will see hanging out by the creek.

fire starter

2009-04-15T21:05:00.005-05:00

i had a ritual burn tonight.

along with my paper/card board garbage that i bonfire up monthly, i decided to get rid of a lot of personal things, bills, files, creative files, etc... in a mantra/ritual of creative change, a decision to get more active with my art and creativity.

no longer merely collecting ideas, but pursuing the dream.

strong archetype

2009-04-10T18:41:00.011-05:00

i was in albany this week locating a place to call home, my mountain in the city... a 4th floor walk up (the first picture below), on the historic state street that leads to the capital building of new york.

the architecture in this city is very powerful and bold, with a beautiful sensitivity to detail...stately. i hope its (the architecture) strength and creative energies will have a lasting effect on me.

4wheelin

2009-03-31T18:27:00.003-05:00

there was a time, when i put a lot of energy into getting free from the car, after an adolescent addiction to them (having 9 different cars before i got out of college. there truly seems to be some similarities in my life between, moving, cars and women...with moving being the only one that happens fast) so after a $500 truck in tulsa in 2004 so i could remodel the house... came a 1971 window bus, a green volvo wagon for 3K, a honda element for my job, a toyota tacoma for me, and now the subarua for both me and my job. the thing is, they keep getting more expensive;)

pamping

2009-03-28T12:39:00.002-05:00

a term we came up with for people who want to get out in nature but with all the necessities, say... a cabin has to offer:) had a great time with friends in boone, before getting back to GA, after my northeast journey. it was a sweet time, but it makes it difficult to say goodbye for a bit.

moving... a mountain

2009-03-24T18:46:00.005-05:00

so... some of you know this.
i have been looking for the next place to move... as i transition to the northeast area scout for the falcons.

i had a great opportunity to travel around the northeast while doing some scouting work... soaking in and sniffing a few different cities. i went to philly and boston... and quickly knew that at this point in life, i was much more comfortable with a less congested atmosphere.

providence was beautiful, with a noticeably creative vibe and lots of sexy tattoos and conversation. i still felt like something was missing... so i re-routed up through the southern part of vermont, stopping in the city of bennington (an over weight community of people, all with 4 wheelers in their truck beds).

i traveled in to upstate new york, over the appalachian mountains and into an unexpectedly groovy city... albany, ny. with stunning architecture and grand brownstones lining the cobblestone streets... this city, within 50 miles of the appalachian trail, adirondack mountains, and the catskill mountains, stole the vote.

albany is the capital of NY, and with only 100,000 people it is a sweet blend of quaint, with cultural... plus it keeps me comfortably close to the mountains, which have been my heart for the last few years.

plan a visit soon....cheers to upstate ny....oh and it gets 1/3 the annual snow that rochester does:)

observer

2009-02-01T11:21:00.003-06:00

...of a crazy life.
i related to this big dude, hanging out on the side of the road, basking in his majesty, simplicity and loneliness. i want to be as at ease with it, as he seems to be.

the kiss

2008-12-06T10:59:00.002-06:00

a month ago i went down to pensacola florida, a place of many fond memories of my uncle paul. well his son jason, a good friend of mine as well, got married to a wonderful gal, natalie. it was a fun affair, with many families which is a benefit of being in this divorce era... we laughed and danced and celebrated on friday, witnessed a beautiful marrige "sealed with a kiss" and then celebrated more.

football cherry

2008-11-20T19:57:00.002-06:00

...is broke.
dante saw his first NFL football game at 2.5 yrs old, a quick start for some. it was so nice to get my beautiful friends down from boone to share a weekend in the cabin and then take in a little birdball. life is better with friends.

she says wake up

2008-09-29T22:04:00.003-05:00

finding my way, after a jump into an unfamiliar pool, to float and keep my head above water. my head being my soul, my being.
swimming is next.

creekridge

2008-07-07T21:49:00.003-05:00

i spent the fourth weekend with my NC family, in the little town of hotsprings, nc... on the river in a little tree dwelling. we played in the river took a soak in the hot spring water and mastered the art of camp fires in the rainy weather...."fire starter". great to be with friends and the especially see the little guy growing up and attacking nature.

rubber ducky

2008-06-22T14:00:00.002-05:00

i wet on a journey trying to find a secluded pool/waterfall and after driving a bit and a bit more on a dirt road all the way to the base of the falls (i was hoping this part would be a hike) i found helton creek falls at the bottom of a groovy neighborhood of cabins in the hills. after a short hike to the falls pool, i found that the word secluded should not apply... at least on the weekends and that it was being used as a bath of sorts.

flying mice

2008-05-26T12:19:00.003-05:00

such beautiful pests... my cabin is a play zone for some of the most amazing moths i have seen in my life. brilliant green ones, fuzzy ones, huge and small, they are all over the place and little do they know of the fury that exists in my house. "dooby", she has substituted her desire for mice with moths and she is relentless. a cute and sad experience at the same time.... life.

wooddeco

2008-05-04T16:55:00.005-05:00

with the help of matt pyburn i got everything moved into the house last monday and unpacked/hung tuesday just in time for an early start at work.. dooby likes the place and will utilize it more than me it seems.

insomniac

2008-04-25T19:37:00.005-05:00

the older i get the more of my friends and acquaintances have a hard time sleeping, for all types of proclaimed reasons. personally, with my few experiences and beliefs, it has everything to do with stress and the worries of an adult life... oh to be young again when you can sleep through nearly anything:)

dooby

2008-04-20T20:47:00.005-05:00

it looks to me like i have a thing or two to learn from a cat, as i adopted one while in boone this weekend. this is my first cat as an adult and i hope she has a lesson to teach me on independence and non attachment:) dooby appears to be a small gal, a runt. she was never given a name but "little kitty" so today she took the title of "dooby" and we are taking to each other fairly naturally;) dooby the teacher....
Cats are often known as a symbol of meditation, mystery, wisdom, and good fortune. Cats symbolize love.

indie

2008-04-11T14:59:00.003-05:00

reviewing again....
"st. ralph", a cute film about a kid who tires to find a miracle to awake his mom from a coma, 90 minutes of fun and inspiratioin. on to a sexy and well done ahrab film by the name of "lila say's", goes straight to a place of discomfort and stays there, but handles with sweet actors, an interesting love story.

gamble

2008-04-06T14:12:00.007-05:00

after a bout or two of anger (towards myself mostly) and a pity party or three... i had a great week of opening up my head, my heart, and seeing things clearer. i had some groovy friends, push me to talk about things instead of holding them in. addressing the pain, helped me to see how i got to where i was and that possibly the pain existed previous. i was trying to remedy it all in one place, which was not logical nor fair. "fair" i had lost in the fog. to use a metaphor.. when a gambler looses a lot, often times he places a big bet hoping to win it all back. this bet will either be his savior bet, or his demise.. of course he only sees a savior. good thing i dont gamble:)

fish "I"

2008-04-01T17:06:00.005-05:00

a great friend of mine, eh, was talking with me about my latest love saga and during a sweet moment told me she thought i was "still a catch and a half". i was thinking a bit about this word, "catch"... can one truly be a "catch" if the bait never stays in their mouth? and they are never caught? im a fish and a half, for sure:)

notes to self....

2008-03-28T11:53:00.006-05:00

-dont get ahead of yourself.
-remember that other people are not as they "seem"

referring to a perceived, outward aspect that may or may not be contrary to reality

b/c what you "seem" them to be, is only a reflection of the what you know as yourself....until you "know" them.

-if you believe in love....you can fall in love with anyone, you lust.
-be smart.
-keep loving.

ambidextrous

2008-03-20T13:24:00.003-05:00

i had a math teacher in HS, my baseball coach who really turned me onto math. he had this talent of writing with both hands towards the center of the chalk board. today i have this groovy gal in my life who has the same talent... not just of turning me onto something:) but to draw/write with both hands simultaneously. this image was drawn by her the first time
we went out, and later colored by myself on the computer. fun stuff and not a bad likeness.

d-part

2008-02-16T11:34:00.004-06:00

the boy is getting big,not only in size but personality. it sucks i wont be as close as i had planned while he keeps growing. we started a painting the other day... he was in devil mode, at least while posing for the camera:)

thackery dairy road

2008-01-14T21:00:00.000-06:00

rocked out to a great band with the above name, with a very hot and original sound, not only vocally but instrumentally as well. molly their lead singer and the whole group gave a smashing performance to a quaint crowd at the canyons, in blowing rock, saturday night. look for them soon at murphys, and be there.

flyby

2008-01-10T18:50:00.000-06:00

xmas and new years did just that. had a grand time in vegas with my bro and parents, then home to boone for a very charming new years celebration and the boone saloon.

cheese

2007-11-24T15:38:00.000-06:00

my cousin sent these to my brother in a note to congratulate him for getting the new wholefoods store on the strip in vegas.... i thought some of you might get a kick out of them. oh to be young, have white hair (although gray is close:) and naive... we have come along way since these photos growing up in canada, in my brothers case from cheese cutter to the head dude at a major wholefoods in 5 years.

boonan

2007-10-31T13:18:00.000-05:00

what would you call one from boone, and booonite, boonian?? alot going on this last week, halloween parties at the saloon, mountain biking national championships in banner elk (in which a student from lees mccrae college won the mens div I short track race), and i finally found a house to rent not far from town...yippee, and a groovy modern gem tucked away in the mountains. looks like the lease for the space downtown is going to fly after all, finger crossed.

skyhi

2007-09-23T15:26:00.000-05:00

fitting in some tunes at the boone saloon saturday night, meeting some groovy folks as well. women with 2 kayaks...only in this town:)

nitty gritty

2007-09-22T18:22:00.000-05:00

the folks of boone were getting down and dirty this weekend:) the craut creek festival was going on and what im calling "d-fest" at angelica's was quite a site...

deep pockets

2007-09-07T14:35:00.001-05:00

laura reed out of boone fronts a band by that name. supposedly a boone mainstay for years, reed is trying to work her way out and up in market size. great voice, groovy tunes and original lyrics, but i think she has a lot left in her and hope she channels that into a creative separation from what is out there.

boonelander

2007-09-06T17:18:00.000-05:00

just got hooked/wired/born again to the internet and putting up some pics of the place at which i reside for the next few months. 60 acres of land on the blueridge parkway 8 mile to the east of boone. i am living with andrew and dante until vic is done with her commitment on georgia at the end of october, at which time i am scheduled to complete the cutting and clearing of the land. boone is charming so far, with a traffic problem indicative of a small growing town. how about app state beating michigan.... this town was nuts...i could hear the cheers up on the land. *** check out my new appalacian blog which i have a link to on this blog.

travels

2007-08-26T14:11:00.000-05:00

i just got back from a 2 week job in DFW with a funeral in the middle. out in pensacola florida, with family and friends, we all celebrated and mourned the life and death of our dear friend, dad, uncle, brother and son, paul payne. a mixed bag of feelings and experiences that all ended up nicely with a smile and a tear. next headed out to NC to play lumberjack for a few months. reuniting with my close friends vic, andrew and dante and collaborating on the first steps to building their new home in boone.

skinny dip

2007-08-06T21:12:00.000-05:00

fianlly heard some tunes at the soundpony this sunday night. a groovy NY band with tones of ben folds five with a heavy edge. the dudes put on a groovy short set and ended up in the kiddy pool on the back deck. this was all after seeing steve prior at exit 6c, who had their lighting nice and low and the sound just right. steve was in the groove and i heard david teagarden sr. sing.....nice.

rumplestiltskin

2007-08-04T14:31:00.000-05:00

or is it karleskin?? ok paul benjamin:) well the friends and rocky frisco pulled one off again thursday night at mc nellies. jesse aycock, sharla, bo, destiny etc... had a great jam session. of course then there was paul, aka paul benjamin who i think is one of the guitar phenoms in tulsa, and yes because he can get off on the strings but moreso for his ability to get in the groove with about any one in town. all that with a great variety of organic beers and this "irish" named pub is as good a place as any to hang your hat on a thursday.

d-fest foursome

2007-07-29T22:57:00.000-05:00

d-fest was this weekend.... and what might be the end of a good friends singing for a bit while he shapes the tulsa music scene with Exit 6C, Cappella and the Blank Slate. saturday night, beau charon, of fuzz fame, was back in town with his band from austin, rocking the continental. amos lee was crazy-good on the mainstage, and JFJO put on a spectacle late night. good musical effort by d-fest, one only hopes they will continue to get their act together in the style in which they run this event...."sorry no beer"

75 miles

2007-07-29T22:55:00.000-05:00

i was fortunate enough to be able to take off a few days after my nephews funeral, and so i headed west to see friends in CO and NM. the views of the west cant help but soak in, and make an impression. im looking to point myself in a new and greener direction soon and dedicate this "push" to jeremy

jeremy's sky

2007-07-29T22:48:00.000-05:00

this was the sky the night my family buried my nephew, who died in the iraq war because of a lack of armour. he was a hero in this life, not b/c he fought in this war but rather for the kind, funny and loving person he was right up until he died.

"oh my josh"

2007-07-29T22:43:00.000-05:00

the fred has a groovy new drummer who is not only a real cool dude but is infusing a new energy into a band i already thought was the shit. right on josh.

50 cake

2007-07-29T22:40:00.000-05:00

got a cake from rachels place of worship/ im mean work... merrits did a groovy job on my folks 50th anniversary cake, it wasnt vegan but a crowd pleaser for sure.

her drueness

2007-07-29T22:37:00.000-05:00

you got to get this girl on your blog... the queen of myspace blogging and the master mind to many of tulsa's bar advertising methods. we wined and dined at jessie's house participating in some good food, drink and fun.

pinc

2007-07-29T22:34:00.000-05:00

i hung a show soon upon arriving to tulsa, just in time for the mayfest crowd. we all know tsunami downtown not only for its good grub but for its attention to the original vibe in tulsa. thanks to mark and julie, the pinc series rested there for a few months and now i have hung my second show with the remainder of the works from my time in north georgia, with some oldies as well. the brick walls bring a resemblance to the mother tongue days.

belated 40

2007-07-29T22:30:00.000-05:00

i arrived to tulsa in may, 8 months after my 40th birthday last year in september, to find a wonderful surprise in store.... a 40th b-day bash with my friends here in tulsa and a few from a far. bert, the gracious host, did it up right with all kinds of great food and drink, to streaming music out on the deck.

jeremy david allbaugh

2007-07-06T11:07:00.000-05:00

last night i spent some time with memories of my nephew, jeremy, who died yesterday in iraq. im not sure how to process this death. im ok with death and dying but it so much sadder when it is someone young, someone who never had the time to live. he was a great kid who loved to laugh and tragically circumstances in this life lead him to the military and to war. i share in the guilt of this country for letting kids like him fight for our capatilistic freedoms. i know he is smiling at what he has found around this corner, jeremy is OK and in a great place. it is a big loss to our family, his life was cut very short but its the government/world/us that makes me sad.
peace to us all, jeremy i know you have found it.

the secret

2007-06-28T23:30:00.001-05:00

..is that you have no control over what others do. i was very positive about the sale, but there must be a reason for this one. my buyers backed out a week before closing and slowed me back down in my decision for a place to settle down. so back into the house and to finishing the original plan for the landscaping. ill be intersted in what i learn with this added time.

50

2007-06-17T18:52:00.000-05:00

my parents had a big anniversary this weekend and i am so proud of them for making it 50 years. all of the siblings were present and we had a great time catching up and entertaining the folks. at my rate, if i make it to 50, i wont remember the last 10 of them:)

bitter sweet surrender

2007-06-11T18:04:00.001-05:00

name the band??
so it seems as though my journey has been sped up, which i have to admit i like that pressure. it is hard to leave this house in many ways, having remodled it with my father, making it all me, and all the space that it has to offer an artist are great attributes for a home. i will close on the 29th of june at which time i will put my shtuff in shtorage...again:) i have a 2 week build out job to do in dallas and then am planning a 2 week trip put west to explore some towns and get my head into this decision. by the end of july i hope to be on the road to the place that calls me the strongest. the short list "today" is taos, ogden, pueblo, charleston wv, boone and maybe in the opposite order.

before departure

2007-06-01T15:25:00.000-05:00

i got some pics of my last full day with the D-man from andrew. fun to see... and i thought they would give the blog a look of old. her is an update according to me: the family is doing well and andrew has taken over the full time duties seemlessly (i have this fantasy that he is growing a beard:) they have given in and put the house with a realtor, found a place to rent in boone and are cruising along on their journey to become full boonean. dante is on the verge of walking and talking, or so i hear... go "D".

memoriable day

2007-05-29T22:51:00.000-05:00

had a great time and jessie's, she and jason hosted a memorial day hawaiian feast and we taped a half keg of sapporo. life was full of fun that evening, with a lot of actors for the play a was writing while gazing in:)

under your breath

2007-05-24T12:14:00.000-05:00

got to see jeffrey play last night for the first time in a few years, a more laid back singer songwriter approach which suits him today. he was opening for jacob fred and two guys form string cheeze (sorry blake... but i didnt stay for much of that:) great show all around, crowd, sound, peeps etc... its good to be back to that kind of energy. big thumbs up to JFJO's new drummer josh, its got to be a dream come true for a young guy like him, his drumming talents are deserving of this gig.

belated

2007-05-22T20:25:00.000-05:00

had a great time and a great surprise at my belated (8 months) b-day party, hosted by robert. it was a night of good conversation, food and friends, in which i was surprised with my out of town buddy, blakey. also chela came in from new mexico and ended up being in on the plan. love you guys, it was a blast.

im off

2007-04-30T13:40:00.000-05:00

wont be online for a week or so but wanted to leave one last omage to the family and the "d" man. it has been a trip to say the least, the fun, the learning, the ease and the speed of this journey have been incredible. i can only hope that the influences i have left here are as valuable as the ones left on me from this experience.... it has helped me get a lot closer to what is next, for sure.

congrats

2007-04-25T16:07:00.000-05:00

i just heard that a good buddy of mine is closing on a house down the road from me on friday. it will be great to have a groovy neighbor in the hood for a while and im very appreciative that he is giving me an excellent comp of $53/sqft for selling my house. welcome to the block smt.