April Showers Bring Not Much to Talk About

Well, April Fool's Day has passed with little fanfare. Contrary to what I may have convinced a few people of, I am not moving out of state, nor did I buy a 3 month old goat named Reginald, although now I kinda wish I had (buy the goat, I mean).

I hope your April Fool's Day was how you envisioned it to be. Taping the light switches so they won't turn on and making prank calls to your stock broker are definitely the best ways to usher in a new month.

But now it is May, and it is the time to mature and leave the childish pranks behind (until next year, of course). In case you weren't aware, summer is just around the corner! To folks from my neck of the woods, summer means 90+ degree days and an endless stream of beach pictures invading your social media feeds. This would all be well and good if the California weather didn't decide that high winds might be a nice way to switch things up after the good dousing of rain and hail from a few months ago! The folks out in the eastern half of the country have also been experience a bit of rain so I hear. Fun times!

At long last, we at Wimberley Manor have finally got our garden planted! I'm looking forward to harvest time when I can indulge in some purple hull peas, okra, bell peppers, tomatoes, and corn on the cob! Another sign of summer, and just another way we move on from the childish (but ever hilarious when non-destructive) April Fool's pranks. Just as we will be cultivating nourishing vegetables, in our lives we will be cultivating not-vegetables.

Oh, before I forget, I'm going to be participating in an event next week that will be really different for me. I'll tell you about it in a later post. Stay tuned.

But "that" time of year has come, and I hear your questions. I feel your inquisitive thoughts. "Mark," you say, "will you be doing another tour this year?" My answer is super super simple: "I really hope so, it may or may not definitely or not definitely is maybe almost possible if we can sorta almost take mostly care of a few kinda small but humongous issues that will take little to a ton of time and a Mack Truck load of resources to fix so how does next month maybe or maybe not sound?"

Ok, so actually, I have no answer. If you remember my blogs from last year, you'll know how much difficulty we had getting on the road then. It's even harder this year!  But never fear! Remember my New Years Resolution? No? (Neither did I...I had to go back and check) The long and short of it was dream big to achieve big. So I'm just going to go into the month of May with that mindset regarding a tour.  I'll let you know if anything good happens.

One last thing before I close: We don't actually call our home Wimberley Manor. I just couldn't think of a really cool name that was accurate.....besides "that house I live in".

A confession (Please don't hate me!)

It's only been two days. Keep it together, Mark.

Social Media is going through the obligatory mourning of the missing hour from our day. Incidentally, it's not really missing, it's just postponed...moved over...taken from the top to put on the end, or something like that. Long story short, everybody agreed against their will to set their clocks ahead one hour because Spring time or something like that.

I can't go on social media without every person complaining about how grouchy they are with their lack of sleep and how they wish they could hunt down the genius who thought up Daylight Saving Time. But as for myself, well, I tell a different story.

I can't help it if I like to have more light in the afternoons. I can't help it that I prefer to wind my day down with a sunset instead of in complete darkness. It doesn't bother me that the mornings are darker. I must confess, I actually like Daylight Saving Time. You heard me. I like it.

As tough as it may be, refrain from throwing your sleepless rage at me. I know I'm being selfish. Alaskans lose more daylight than I gain in this week, the folks in the other hemisphere are just now starting winter, and yet here I sit, enjoying my sunny afternoons, warm weather, and well lit evenings.

Please don't hate me. If you could find it in your hearts to forgive me, that'd be really great. I like Daylight Saving Time.

When Dreams Come True

Today is a day that bluegrassers everywhere rejoice and cheer on their fellow pickers and singers.

The Rock Stars of Bluegrass themselves, Dailey & Vincent are being inducted into the Grand ole Opry tonight!

Those who know me understand that I have always looked up to Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent, even while they were still with Doyle Lawson and Ricky Skaggs respectively. Their two voices always blend perfectly along with their material, be it vintage or brand new.

Having seen them many times in concert, I have witnessed firsthand their knack for connecting with an audience and making strangers feel like old friends. When it comes to entertainers, Dailey and Vincent are the cream of the crop.

The duo gave their first performance on the Grand Ole Opry, being introduced on to the Ryman Auditorium stage by Jeannie Seely in December of 2007. Since then, they've released four albums, a DVD, two Cracker Barrel exclusive albums, performed at Carnegie Hall, hosted their own WSM radio show, hosted their own TV show, and brought their crisp and lively brand of music all over the world.

To me, it's an exciting and inspiring occasion. Ever since I first started performing, I've always held Dailey and Vincent as the model of what musical entertainment looks like. They both have achieved what I, and many other bluegrassers, work so hard to accomplish: Grand Ole Opry membership.

If you're like me, and have followed these two guys since day one, and always hoped and dreamed that someday, you'd make the Opry stage too, watch this video. Don't give up: dreams really do come true.

Congratulations, Mr. Dailey and Mr. Vincent on this wonderful occasion! Wishing you continued success.  Your dedication to country and bluegrass music is not only inspiring, but it has brought joy to so many people all over this planet. Thanks for 10 years of outstanding entertainment!