Friday Night in Floyd, Virginia

Floyd, Virginia is a unique community made up of farmers, hippies, and Bluegrass musicians in the heart of Appalachia that we Hollins folks try to get to at least once a summer for the Friday night jam sessions. It's such a special place, I carried my cowboy boots all the way from Scotland just for Floyd. This year, Karen Coats and I headed up for a laid back evening of good food, good wandering and good music.My boots are Tony Lamas. Karen's are custom-made from Texas. They fit well in Floyd, because they're good for buck dancing. I seem to be on a binge of eating shrimp and grits this summer, which I did happily at Oddf3llows. It may have been the best one yet! After dinner, we wandered around listening to the bands that pop up all along main street. The "bathroom boys" set up outside the public restrooms every week and they are good. Click the image to go have a listen on Youtube. (Video by Karen.)Another good group set up in the alley next to the Country Store. Karen got a great video of a fan clogging to their music - you've got to check this out - it's great! (Click the image to watch on Youtube.As the sun went down, Karen and I headed into the Floyd General Store to get some ice-cream.The Floyd Country Store is the hub of all the activity. There's a stage with a band and a dance floor for square dancing, clogging, buck dancing and the slide. I've done a fair amount of stomping there in the past, but I was feeling more laid back this trip.So I took pictures of the things that make the store so special and unique.The Music


The Candy featuring MoonPies, Goo-goo Clusters, and Mallow Bars.

The Apple Butter

and BBQ sauce.And oh, yes, you can't forget the cans of Creamed Possum. Yes, you read that right - creamed possum. (And you thought haggis was extreme!)
Sundae and keylime pie in hand, we went to sit outside and watch the sky fall into beautiful blues while the town glowed gold. Slowly wandering back to Karen's car, I was reminded once again why I love Floyd, why it's worth it to carry my boots all that way just for one night, and that I can't wait to return.