July 30, 2017
It’s summertime in Southern Appalachia. The sun is beating down like the oven door has been left open or someone thinks its still cold weather and keeps chunking wood in the heater.
No matter which way you look the landscape is lush and green with blooms that intoxicate the air with their sweet alluring scent.
Gardens and orchards are hanging heavy with nature’s bounty just waiting to be picked. Folks are taking advantage of the hot sultry air by wading in creeks and rivers and taking swims in lakes, ponds, and pools. With the kids out of school this time of the year is perfect for camping and playing in the great outdoors.
Summer is the season for homecomings, decorations, and all day singing on the grounds. People in Appalachia take the opportunity summer offers to visit one with another as they talk about those they miss, those that are still hanging on, those that are coming along, and the heat.
You might remember me saying I wish the girls would learn the song “Summertime” for me…well they never did! But Paul and one of our long time friends Wayde Powell III managed to film themselves doing the song not once but twice.
Was that some fancy picking and singing or what!
Summertime will be gone before you know it so soak up all you can.
July 30, 2017
Although summer started out on the cool side this year, that oven door is wide open and it’s been hot as torment as The Deer Hunter says.
Nature’s bounty is exploding around us—from the garden to fruit trees, bushes, and vines there’s so much abundance it makes my heart beat with joy.
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I’m on the wrong post to comment on this post LOL but I wanted to tell you about my experience with Appalachia. Born in South Dakota, I’d never been to Virginia until we moved there in 2009. When I stepped off the plane. I felt my soul had finally come home. The people, the breathtaking land, the mountains, the gentle rains quenching the grass and flowers. Sigh. We sadly only lived there 3 years and I still miss it everyday! I don’t know if we will ever go back, but I have my memories that were cherish. I just found you today and I’m a follower now. ❤️
Char-Welcome and thank you for sharing your thoughts 🙂 I hope you enjoy the blog!!
Great song for this month’s weather. Paul & Wayde did a fantastic job on it.
Hope Granny is feeling better. I pray for her each day!
This was a jazzy rendition of Summertime, they were both in sync. My dad would call this heat “sweltering”. These are the lazy days of summer. Much prayers going out to Granny and your family.
Traveled to Idaho from Oregon past week. 102-103 dry heat in Dalles, Oregon. Fire watch with 20% humidity and hot wind.
Can’t wait for September across country trip! Coming any later, we might run into snow in mid-west. We came earl April 2019, blizzard in Idaho and Wyoming, then 80’s to 90’s Tennessee and S.C.!
“Summertime” was wonderful. Many Blessings to all of you, prayers.
Beautiful! Such talent! Praying for all! Take care and God bless ❣️
In the mid ’50s our junior high school in Raleigh had some remarkably talented young female vocalists. Two I remember were Linda Fuller and Hazel Leonard. Both did a capella versions of Summertime that would move even the soul of a crass 12 year old. Their voices were professional quality and well taught by our music teacher, Miss Annie Wood.
Thanks for the memories, Tipper.
Gods Blessings to all and especially Miss Louzine . . .
It’s been so hot here. I just can’t take the heat like I use to. My husband said today the next couple of wks it’s suppose to be so hot and no rain. God bless granny and. be with her in whatever she needs.
That was some great guitar pickin. Thanks for sharing that video.
In the good old summertime, In the good old summertime.
Strolling down that shady lane with that baby mine.
Summertime, summertime, sum, sum summertime,
Summertime, summerti-i-i-i-i-me!
Yep, I’m that old!
A very fine rendition of Summertime. Talk about hot! Fine song well done.
Wonderful! Thank you!
My daughter described the heat the other day as hot as Satan’s armpit.
Oh my goodness! What a fantastic performance!
Blessings
Love this classic, and those guitars! Picking doesn’t get much better than that! All appreciation to Paul and Wayde!
The girls would have rocked “Summertime” if they had learned it. Up until now, we can’t complain about the summer heat here in KY. This week promises the hottest weather of the summer. The green beans will still get picked and the grass will get cut even if it takes a little longer.
God bless Granny and keep her mind occupied with sweet summertime memories.
You can’t beat that with a stick!!
Stop and think for a moment about how much negative change has occurred in the US since July 30, 2017…….
We all need to pray for this Country and for Christians, more than ever to once again become Salt and Light to the world.
Proverbs 29:2
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”
Amen! Pray for our children’s future!
Great performances of this soulful song.
Or what!! Awesome!! Thanks for sharing!
Paul could EASILY play and sing professionally! He’s got real talent and it’s fabulous! It’s summertime, but I will be daggoned if I know how it’s easy! I watered plants an hour and half yesterday while sweating it up like a sweat hog- remember those guys btw? Lol the second take looks like Paul and his friend got “jacked up” and sent to court and MUST sing and play their way outa trouble!!! Lol I adore you guys btw! Get out and laugh, get soaking wet, be silly, and enjoy this lovely weather cause it ain’t lasting long! That’s for sure. Love and well wishes to you all and especially granny!
This song just feels like summer. I loved it the first time I heard it. Thanks for reminding me.
It is a hot summer this year for sure! Just got back from our family beach trip and it’s the first time we stayed inside more than on the beach. It was the hottest we have ever experienced with not much ocean breeze to make it comfortable. It was hot and humid even while sitting under an umbrella or on the balcony in shade. Just missable hot. When it’s that hot it’s just not as much fun, even at the beach. It’s the first time we have gone in July and I doubt we will ever go back in July again. Paul and Wayne sang the Summer Time song well. Thank you for sharing it with us! Stay cool y’all, Fall will get here before we know it!!!
Now, that’s some great pickin and singin!
I enjoyed this tune! They sounded great!
I heard “The Deer Hunter” say it was “hot as torment” in Sunday’s video ( I think it was) which made me laugh : ) I dont think I have ever heard that one before! : )
Rebecca, how about “hot as a hen hatching in a basket of wool”?
That was awesome…one of my favorite songs. I used to sing it to my kids all the time.
Just for a second, my mind was
in New Orleans in the sweltering heat listening to this great song. Paul and Wade’s playing knocked it out of the park!
Hope your mother is feeling good today and canning beans! Everyone have a great day and stay hydrated!
I hope you understand my long comment was about a way of life for country folks, I don’t know what the city folks did. The tubs of tea and lemonade I mentioned would have a dipper hung on the side to use for filling your drink cups.
I loved it! funny enough I remember watching it the first time you posted. It is one of my all time favorite songs and I don’t hear it nearly enough. Thank you for reposting
when is the girls birthday?
Norman-September 25 🙂
I wrote it on my calendar
God bless you friends of Appalachia
As a child of the 50 and 60’s, I remember when neighbors would visit and spend the day, even eat dinner (midday meal) with one another along about this time of the year. The money crops -cotton in my area, had been laid by, there would be a little bit of time to sorta “catch your breath” before fall and cotton picking time- cotton would be picked by hand. The lady’s would still be working hard preserving any and everything they could use for food to carry their families through the winter. It would also be a time of family reunions and church socials. As I said a few days ago I have went to the same church all of my life, before the new more modern 1965 church building was built, the old church had a large picnic shed that had two rows of tables connected together and ran most of the length of shed. One row of tables would be covered in food, cakes and pies all homemade and cooked in the old time ways, none of today’s KFC chicken. There would be two number 2 tin tubs at the end of this table, one would be full of tea, and the other one with REAL lemonade , not today’s Kool aid stuff, each tub would have a large block of ice in them and there would be more smaller chunks of ice for the cups. The ice would have be bought at the “ice plant” in Honea Path. All of individual jugs of tea and lemonade would all be poured together into these large tubs. Our beloved preacher at this time would drink his tea out of a quart mason jar. I know times were a lot harder in the past, but I truly believe people enjoyed being with one another more. For many these “get togethers” would be a replacement for today’s vacations.
A phrase I often heard to describe the hot days would be “hot as blue blazes”.
WOW! JUST WOW! Great pickin’ & vocal!
My mom used to sing us this to us. Love George Gershwin and love how Paul and his friend’s playing it. George would love it.
Great rendition of an dear old classic!!! I often played the version off the Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong album for Daddy the last years before he died. Each time I hear it ( and so many tunes ) I feel him close by…thx much y’all☺