05/08/2025
Exactly one year ago today -- May 8th -- a massive hailstorm rolled straight over Barnardsville, doing a number on our roofs and cars (and knocking down most of the freshly opened tulip poplar blooms). ⛈️
One year later, thanks to that storm (and insurance!), the barn is getting a brand new roof. Look how shiny! ✨
We’ve been dealing with small leaks and some rattling during our bass-heavier shows, so this upgrade should really make a difference -- and freshen things up. The roof on the original barn was over 100 years old! 🛠️
Synchronistically, another hailstorm is passing through the area today -- but so far, it seems to be parting around us, thankfully. 🙏
After last year’s storm, I saved one particularly beautiful (and huge) ice crystal, planning to use it in a celebratory drink when the new roof was done. So today, while planting Katuah muscadine grapes in our tiny new vineyard as I heard about this new round of storms rolling in and felt the pressure dropping, it felt right to drop that hail ice cube into a glass of Katuah muscadine wine I picked up from Jewel of the Blue Ridge when I got the grapes last fall. 🍇 Ideally, we would have planted them back in October -- but there was a lot going on in the aftermath of the hurricane.
In the face of increasing natural disasters, we just keep calm and carry on -- doing small, simple acts of magick, trying our best to keep growing and evolving through all the change and elements at play. We won't get any wine for 4-5 years but it's fun to have things to look forward to. 🌱✨
