Did I just hear someone tuning a banjo?

I know it's the middle of June and we've just finished up a nasty little heat wave here in the metro Atlanta area, but I was actually enjoying the warmth and light that was radiating from our campfire in the North Georgia Mountains this past Saturday night/Sunday morn. And although I'm not a fervent NRA gun owner that "always has one by my side", I was certainly enjoying the equalization I was carrying in the loaded 9mm pistol that I had brought along for the trip........ just in case I heard banjo music, or felt the need to intimidate a bear. 

Saturday afternoon, I was performing with the Vagabonds down by the Chatahooche river, to help make people more aware of the need to protect our water and natural environment. I'm more aware. I guess that's a start. I'm not exactly sure what to do about it. I try not to take long showers, some days I even skip it altogether. I don't really enjoy washing my car too often, but it reaches a point that I just can't take the looks of disgust by my friends.  It all seems like it is such a small little splash in a huge ocean.... pardon the pun. 

I have been watching out my front door as the city water authority continues to pour.... gush... water out of a 3" pipe for hours a day, weeks at a time. I looked out this morning, and they had THREE 3" pipes going at the same time! Just blasting water out on to the ground.  Now I know the city is doing a major overhaul of the infrastructure, and traffic sucks ass every single place that I drive...... I am all for it. But how can they expect anyone to take seriously the need for them to install a water conserving shower head in their bathroom, when they are dumping more water out on to my street than I probably use all year. AND, if they are doing this in my front yard, where all else is this happening. 

I asked one of the crew guys and he says they are cleaning the lines, which I am also all for, but shouldn't they be squirting that water back into a transport truck, so they can drive it to the water processing plant and reclaim it as usuable in these troubled times? Or something??

Anyway, I'm thirsty to do my part. So this weekend I played a concert to conserve nature, then Stephanie and I packed up the van for an overnight camping trip and a short hike on sunday up and down Blood Mountain. It was terrific and I highly recommend it to you all. When you get to the top, there are a bunch of wild azalea "looking" bushes. The various colors of flowers that bloom on them are bright and amazing. Getting back to nature can't be anything but good for you, regardless of your beliefs......... unless it's late and dark and you hear banjo music off in the distance. That is never good.

christopher alan yates

p.s. come out to smih's olde bar/atlanta room this tuesday night to hear the Vagabonds..... our special guests this week are Michelle Malone, Will Turpin, Levi Lowery, and Jeremy Ezell.