sourwood + sanctuary

i went home to Georgia a few weekends ago and landed on the home front for a 
special Friday night at the farm.
my brother and sister-in-law's band, 
Sourwood Honey,
did a live recording that evening.

 

but this was especially cool because they strategically set-up the recording a sacred place, "our church", 
Salem United Methodist Church.
this is the church at the end of the dirt road, just a few miles from our house.
it's the place my Dad has always gone to church on Sundays,  
where I remember going to my first funeral and first wedding, 
where we spent every first Sunday in May at the annual Homecoming, crowning the graves of my grandparents
then enjoying a southern feast on the church grounds.

this church was built in 1840 and is the quintessential "country church". 
a modest one room sanctuary with wood paneling, a simple piano, red carpeting 
and long wooden pews that have held generations of families from our farming community.  

my mom and I packed some solo cups and a bottle of wine and joined the band at the church.  
they set up microphones in the center of the floor in the sanctuary, 
with the backdrop of the stained glass windows 
and the glowing scene behind the pulpit.

 

as the band warmed up, my mom promptly sat at the piano and busted out 
our favorite hymn 
"Victory in Jesus" 
as I stood behind the pulpit and asked my imaginary congregation to 
"please turn to page 357, in your red hymnal"
...then i looked down to find 
the familiar handwriting of my Dad.  
they were his notes on the bulletin from the last Sunday in church.
...love that.

 

the banjo, guitar, fiddle and mandolin were tuned and primed
and with a extremely flexible and easy going approach, they would randomly call out a song, 
agree that it'd be cool to record it, 
then let her fly. 
it was a ton of fun to watch.

they were barefoot for the most part. 
max and his fiddle were an act of their own 
and josh's face stayed lit up with delight.

there were extra takes because 
the foot stomping was interfering with the recording, 
the excitement grew so much at the end of a fiddle solo that the tempo got off, 
or christina had a hard time not bursting out laughing at certain (!) band member's dance moves.

we stayed thoroughly entertained

and it was a treat to witness their art,

their music,

a big part of their lives...

brought to life in a uniquely awesome atmosphere.

i'd had a day behind me filled with a stressful work meeting

a long drive home through the pouring rain

oh, and a bout of walking pneumonia.

so after a few hours, i crashed.

3 pews back, on the right side

stretched out,

with my head in my mama's lap

while she scratched my head

and i fell asleep.

i was woken up a while later,

and we headed home well after midnight,

with sweet dreams of another treasure from my 

sanctuary, my safe place,

home.