Grey Fox 2012

Today is Tuesday, July 24th - it's the second day of my fourth week of vacation.  I'm rather enjoying the life of leisure, though with all the trips we've been doing and have coming up I'm not sure I should call it leisure.    

I spent Sunday night at home and came out to camp on Monday.  We spent most of last week preparing for and then attending Grey Fox Bluegrass Music Festival in Oak Hill, NY.  We got there Wednesday, amid a very humid 90 degree day.  We found a perfect level spot next to some great folks from Vermont.  It was my first Grey Fox though Rick has been there several times.    

Our camper with Jason and Adri's tent in the background and their
 rental car in the foreground. 

The Vermont folks had the Airstream next to us, the metallic finish on which created a rather severe glare when it was hit by the sun.  I bought a couple of nice tapestries from one of the vendors and we hung them off the awning.  The results were less than perfect but serviceable. I think about 10 office clamps would do the trick nicely.  

Jason and Rick with matching hats at Grey Fox 2012

Jason and Adri listening to music at Grey Fox with a beautiful sunset behind them.

We saw some great music including the Del McCoury Band, The Hillbenders (amazing dobro player!), The Stringdusters, Lonesome River Band (we'd seen their banjo player, Sammy Shelor, at the Folk Festival in Bangor a couple years ago), Tony Trischka, Hot Rize (!), but my favorite of all I think was the Steeldrivers!  They put on a hell of a show in the Catskill Tent Saturday afternoon and another on the main stage Saturday night.  Rick said he's never seen an audience at a bluegrass festival react the way they did to these guys at the tent show.  It was pretty amazing.  

Rick and Jason pickin' some tunes with Adri looking on.  

Jason brought his mandolin with him on the flight from LA.  He's only been playing about a year but he's picked up a lot and was able to pick a few tunes and chop along to others.  I could tell Rick loved playing music with his son and was able to teach him some new things.  

Happy campers.

Rick, me, Adri, Jason.  This photo was taken on Thursday - before everyone got there.

I drove the truck and camper for the first time on our way home Sunday.  I started in Biddeford and drove it to Belgrade.  I was nervous about trying to negotiate the turn from Route 27 onto West Road so we changed drivers at Christie's Store.  The store parking lot was pretty full when I pulled in but I was able to weave through the gas pumps and some cars and park it for an easy exit.  I'd like to take it someplace to practice backing and negotiating around obstacles sometime.  I think I'd get the hang of it without too much trouble.  

Popham 2012

Full moon over Popham Beach, Phippsburg, Maine.  

We spent last week at Ocean View Campground next to Popham Beach State Park as we have the last few years.  Lots of sitting on the beach and reading, evenings of music around the campsites, good food, good company, oh, and fireworks, lots of fireworks (even though we had to wait till the 5th to shoot them off due to inclement weather).  

Brandon running after lighting one of his contributions to the fireworks display.

Tom - throwing kids into the water - they stand in line.  

We took a walk along the beach on today.  I love walking on the shoreline – the way my beach skirt flutters in the breeze and take off my hat to allow my hair to do the same.  The sand, as always, feels lovely on my toes.  I realize this is the first long walk I’ve taken this week and feel sad that it’s our last day here.  I also actually jumped into the water today; first time I’ve done that since we started staying here.  It didn’t even feel that cold.  

Thursday Night in Hallowell

I love Hallowell. It’s been several weeks since I’ve done my Thursday night rounds there as Malley moved her regular Thursday night class to Mondays. I decided to skip this session as there’s no point in going out in Hallowell on Monday nights and what fun is pottery without rounds afterwards.

There’s such a fun assortment of characters out on Thursday night in Hallowell. Old hippies, Bob and Susan, and Deb who always come out to listen to music after their silent vigil at the Augusta rotary in protest to the Iraq war. They’ve been there every week since the beginning, regardless of driving rain, or temperatures ranging from below zero to over ninety. Deb is director of CDS and can’t wait to retire so she can join the Peace Corps.

Then, of course, there’s Eddie; but he’ll be leaving soon to flee the cold Maine winter for sunny Dominica. Malley, my pottery teacher who’s glad to have a few Thursdays off from classes, but is still drawn out for the music and friends. Bruce the bartender at Hattie’s who starts pouring my beer when he sees me walk in the door – occasionally even when I hadn’t intended to stay. Ross the woodcutter and his on again off again relationship with Barbara. Definitely off this month.

Eddie, Deb, and I then headed down to The Higher Grounds where I found Brian, “play some Queen” Bob, Paul tending bar, whom I hadn’t seen in some time; Jim C on a brief return home from Florida, and of course, the guy in the corner whose name I don’t know but is always there with his sketch pad working on some incredibly elaborate piece of art. Deb and I actually sat and talked to him last night and checked out the piece he was working on. Bob C from the band came over (of course they went on break two minutes after I came in which never fails to happen) and seeing a Celtic knot in the sketch suggested that would be a good name for an English bar: The Celtic Not! Ha.

Next stop was Joyce’s, which is a fairly new pub in town, owned by a former bartender at The Wharf, named Joyce of course. Rick and I have been there several times for dinner and music but have always stayed downstairs at the main bar. Well we went upstairs last night and what a lovely surprise. Not only is it very cozy but lo and behold there were another 20 of my favorite Hallowell regulars there last night. They’d been out Christmas caroling to the local nursing homes, all dressed up in long black coats and top hats with red flowers. Very dapper. A different musical assortment with Mike Byrd on stand up bass, some guy I didn’t recognize on the baby grand, and Chris’s sister, Cathy on vocals. They were wonderful! Played a killer jazzy version of a couple of Christmas carols that just brought joy to the heart.

As we were headed back to our cars we met Stevie, a kick ass musician, just packing up from his gig at The Liberal Cup, eagerly inquiring what was happening where. Just imagining him sitting in with the folks at Joyce’s almost made me turn around and go back.

Thursday night pottery classes start back up in early January. I can’t wait. Oh yes, and boy do I have a shit load of pottery to give as Christmas gifts this year. Some good stuff, too! Gotta make room for the new.

U Tube

A couple of cool Utube videos I'd like to share.

One sent to me by my friend Deb in Florida:
http://www.flixxy.com/peace-through-music.htm

And one from Kath in PA:
http://tinyurl.com/6eno8y