Skip to content

Archive for

Rochester (NH) Fair ~ Wyatt & Pulling


Warning: Use of undefined constant gad_content_tag_filter_replace - assumed 'gad_content_tag_filter_replace' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/dx87kwtjkt0i/public_html/wp-content/plugins/web-ninja-google-analytics/webninja_ga.php on line 1813

Tractor!

Pulling Teams & Teamsters

Bob & Wyatt

Father & Son

27 Sep 2012

Amy Black & Band


Warning: Use of undefined constant gad_content_tag_filter_replace - assumed 'gad_content_tag_filter_replace' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/dx87kwtjkt0i/public_html/wp-content/plugins/web-ninja-google-analytics/webninja_ga.php on line 1813

New to us music at Shaker Village’s Artisan Festival this past Sunday.

Beautiful warm & clear early fall afternoon, that and great live music.

Amy Black & Band

Amy Black ~ Guitar & Vocals

Bob Enick ~ Guitar

John Styklunas ~ Bass

Eric Pohl ~ Drums

Great voice and good tunes; Nashville and Austin here we come!

The Amy Black Band

Check ‘Em Out

18 Sep 2012

The Crunchy Western Boys ~ Some of New Hampshire’s Finest


Warning: Use of undefined constant gad_content_tag_filter_replace - assumed 'gad_content_tag_filter_replace' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/dx87kwtjkt0i/public_html/wp-content/plugins/web-ninja-google-analytics/webninja_ga.php on line 1813

Life intruded on our  north to Canada music road trip, instead we ended up down at the Shaker Village in Canterbury, NH for their Artisan Festival.

Good Stuff

Dilly Garlic Scapes and Habanero Fudge from the folks at Red Fox Farm

Fiber Arts and Product Galore

Beautiful Sunny Early Fall Afternoon

and Live Music to Boot!

CWB : The Crunchy Western Boys

Jacob Stern ~ Fiddles & Vocals

 

Jim McHugh ~ Mandolin, Guitar & Vocals

Steve McBrian ~ Bass, Vocals & Laugh Lines

Morris Manning ~ Guitar, Dobro, Banjo, Mandolin, Bodhran, Concertina, Shaker, Hounds, & Vocals

New Hampshire’s  Own : The Crunchy Western Boys

Good Clean Fun

😉

Check ‘Em Out

Expanded CWB Image Gallery

17 Sep 2012

The Hackensaw Boys – Veritas Vineyard & Winery Starry Nights Event


Warning: Use of undefined constant gad_content_tag_filter_replace - assumed 'gad_content_tag_filter_replace' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/dx87kwtjkt0i/public_html/wp-content/plugins/web-ninja-google-analytics/webninja_ga.php on line 1813

So, if you made early reservations for premium upgraded tix for a dinner meal and music event and then drove over 750 miles to said event you might expect decent seating and a good view of the concert.

Yes?

Well, …  …  No!

Not in the case of Veritas Vineyard & Winery‘s final Starry Nights event of the season. We were some miffed to find ourselves seated at one of the furthest points from the stage. Like I said we were some miffed and may have acted it out on the serving staff a little at first but they were up to it and to their credit responded with smiles and positive energy. Not sure I would pony up for the premium tix at Veritas again. All that said; and it did need to be said, we had a grand night and enjoyed ourselves immensely. The food was excellent, the company at the table was full of enjoyable conversation and repartee and the music of  The Hackensaw Boys more than met my long distance expectations.

If I wanted to see The Hackensaw Boys I did have to get up and move my way down front (after 750 miles what’s another couple hundred yards), so move I did …

Get used to the music, … ??? … no, get acclimated to the music!!

😉

Spoke with Ferd Moyse briefly after the show. Appreciated his and the band’s music and presentation. Got a little chuffed up myself telling him that we had driven 750 miles from northern NH just to hear him play. With a big grin he came right back at me saying that he had driven from the panhandle of Florida just to play for me. Guess that energy both ways is what the music is all about!!

While everyone, band and audience alike drank on, the sound guys stayed sober and allowed everyone around them to party on to superb sound.

Lost the business card but I want to think that it was G&C Sound or GC Sound: well done!!

Look Out Dog, Slow Down Train!!

The Hackensaw Boys

Debbie & Steve, Brian & Amanda

10 Sep 2012

At the Foot of the Blue Ridge ~ Veritas Vineyard & Winery


Warning: Use of undefined constant gad_content_tag_filter_replace - assumed 'gad_content_tag_filter_replace' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/dx87kwtjkt0i/public_html/wp-content/plugins/web-ninja-google-analytics/webninja_ga.php on line 1813

Seven hundred fifty hard miles, eight states (NH, MA, CT, NY, NJ, DE, MD, & VA), GPSed through or around three major east coast cities (NY City, Baltimore, & Washington DC)  and on into the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia brings the one to the young but innovative and industrious family-owned & operated Veritas Vineyard & Winery in Afton, Virginia.  In Roman mythology, Veritas, meaning truth, was the goddess of truth, a daughter of Saturn and the mother of Virtue. It was believed that she hid in the bottom of a holy well because she was so elusive. Veritas is also the name given to the Roman virtue of truthfulness, which was considered one of the main virtues any good Roman should possess. The Hodson family, owners of Veritas Vineyard & Winery, present the origin of the name of their vineyard as deriving from the Roman historian Pliny the Elder’s observation: “In Vino Veritas” ~ “In Wine There Is Truth.”

Roses serve as the canary in the cage in vineyards. The roses suffer sooner than the grape vines.

The Hodson family’s first wine grape plantings were in 1999, prior to that the property was a cattle farm. The proximity of the Blue Ridge, the orientation to the sun, and the rolling hills falling away to the east lent the property excellent potential for a vineyard. Grape vines take at least three years to mature into producers of vintner-ready grapes. The vineyard opened its doors for business in 2002. Mother Patricia Hodson tends the growing grape vines and the vineyard grounds.   Emily Pelton, a Hodson family daughter and a Virginia Tech trained enologist (I had to look that one up) is the vineyard’s winemaker, ably assisted by father Andrew.  The youngest Hodson daughter, Chloe, joined the family business after graduating from the University of Virginia. Chloe is the special events and wedding coordinator while also running the tasting room operation. Weddings and special events along with the tasting room comprise a significant portion of the vineyard’s activity. The Hodson family son George is now the vineyards general manager.

An inclusive family business.

A business of energetic and positive wine people that enjoy interacting with the public about, around and over Veritas wine.

Veritas is located twenty minutes west of Charlottesville, Virginia in gorgeous Nelson County. Veritas boasts a state of the art facility,  from the beautiful rolling vineyard grounds, to the french oak and sparkling steel wine-making environs and the lovely event  function rooms and veranda. The vineyard employs 12 full time staff and approximately 90 seasonal employees.

After checking his watch and digital calendar one of the tasting room staff was more than willing to grant our unreserved-on-the-spot request for a tour ($10.00 pp, with an along-the-way wine tasting included). This was much appreciated and enjoyed. Veritas does appreciate and suggests reservations ahead of time for tours. The tour involved presentation of the crush pad, the wine cellar, the barrel aging room and a discussion of basic wine production along with the wine tastings. Page Foster our urbane and knowledgeable guide was very willing to answer all our questions and was very accommodating for this tour party of two. Page accommodated me on the second day for one of his tours so I could grab some images. This is a very busy season in the wine making business. The lay of the land and presentation and organization of the wine cellar had changed in 24 hours.

Good wine and the Blue Ridge Mountains back drop not withstanding the real draw for us to drive the distance we did was Veritas’ final Starry Nights event of the season featuring the Charlottesville music scene’s own raucous bluegrass band:  The Hackensaw Boys. These guys have been on my musical radar for quite some time. This is the closest to New Hampshire that I had been able to find them playing. Veritas wine, a sumptuous three course dinner on the covered deck and then some over-the-top-hard-driving-uptempo americana music. Here’s hoping that The Hackensaw Boys find their way to play above the Mason-Dixon in the northern Northeast soon.

Veritas out did themselves with their organization and presentation for the final Starry Nights event of the season. Excellent wine by the bottle paired with a lovely and sumptuous three course meal. The folks at our table under cover on the deck were a joy to share the meal and the night with. The staff for the event were all very energetic and positive while working hard to meet people’s needs.

Threatening weather passed Veritas and The Hackensaw Boys by and the music and energy held sway.

Kudos to Veritas on a very comfortable and professional event presentation.

Veritas Vineyard & Winery Reviews

East Coast Wineries Blog

Flavor Magazine

Wine Trail Traveler

Suite101.com

Virginia Wine In My Pocket

Old Town Crier

Wine Business Blog

My Vine Spot

Edible Blue Ridge

9 Sep 2012

My Grandson Wyatt


Warning: Use of undefined constant gad_content_tag_filter_replace - assumed 'gad_content_tag_filter_replace' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/dx87kwtjkt0i/public_html/wp-content/plugins/web-ninja-google-analytics/webninja_ga.php on line 1813

Favorite Word : Tractor!

More a Little Boy Than a Baby Now

Danger Man With a Smile On His Face

Photographs by Mom and Dad, Meghan and Bob

4 Sep 2012