Here we are in sunny(?) South Haven...we left Evart MI about noon yesterday and arrived here about 330. There was no Sunshine! The temps were in the low 60 degree range. Not too nice at all cloudy and windy. But we met up with Daughter Christine and her husband Bob. We had dinner at the Phoenix Cafe, downtown South Haven. It is a sort of 'boutique' cafe, really busy, with good food. We had a nice visit with them with dessert at the Chocolate Store. But it was really cold for July. It would have been an exceptionally nice day for March though.
Today is somewhat less cloudy and the sunshine feels warm. My niece Dee's wedding is this afternoon on the beach hopefully. We were sad to leave the music in Evart, but family is more important, so here we are! There is free coffee at the office here in the South Haven Family Campground...I guess I'll go get some...
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Dulcimr Festival!
Here we are in Evart MI. at the Dulcimer Festival We had a nice drive up Sunday. Good driving all the way. M66 is a mostly straight shot from home to here. Camping here is 'first come, first served', which seems to mean that you send your buddies early to pay for your campsite, because there were no campsites left in the main camping area. So no electricity for us. We camped in the OTL lot under the pines, rustic camping. The porta potty is close though and McD's is across the road. So we are all set. We can get internet access, that is a main consideration for Lori.
We started trying to find jams almost immediately. I noticed a fellow sitting at a booth with a Dobro...He said he wasn't very good, but would try to play along, if I would sing a song. Yeah, right! He was good alright, he could about make that Dobro talk. I found out later he is a nationally known Dobro player. Some people called him Evan, and some called him Leonard....I called him 'Dobro'. We jammed there until way dark. I cannot tell just what time it was, but Lori and I were froze by then, it gets cool once the sun goes down in Evart.
Monday was more of the same. The only time we were at the campsite was lunch time and bedtime. Some friends from home are here, and we jammed with them for several hours. I know, drive all the way here to jam with people from home! But it was fun, for sure... and we jammed with people we don't know as well. It is hard to describe jammin. Except to say we have just too much fun! We were going to play back up for Bob Warner at the Gospel jam, but he decided against playing there. We missed each other so it was Tuesday morning before we found that out. We jammed around all evening Monday as well. By Monday evening, the ends of my fingers were getting black and blue! This even though I play guitar a lot!
Tuesday we walked around and joined some jams, once again with Bob and Linda and later with George and Betty. We came home to rest a bit...and eat some supper, and the campers next door invited us over to play music with them. That was fun. He has made a CD, and he played all the instruments on the CD. Then! He said I want to show something on the guitar. I got a two hour lesson on the pentatonic scale. Not so much what it is, but more where it is on the fret board. We used the 'E' scale. Then he played a 12 bar blues in 'E' and I played Lead! Amazing! He then proceeded to show me some other things I can do when playing rhythm in a group! Far too much for my mind (and fingers!) to digest. I am looking forward to more time with him.
This AM it is rainy. It rained over night, early this morning. Lori has a bad case of Poison Ivy...so we had a restless night. She finally at 4 AM took a shower. She rested much better after that. I didn't sleep while she was away, a short night for us both.
This is our main vacation of the year...if a retired person can actually Be on Vacation!
This morning we discovered that our new neighbors are Karen and Don from Toledo. We met them last year, she plays clawhammer banjo, he fiddles. We 'stole' a song from them last year, 'the Yearling Song. I wonder what song we can learn from them this year....
We started trying to find jams almost immediately. I noticed a fellow sitting at a booth with a Dobro...He said he wasn't very good, but would try to play along, if I would sing a song. Yeah, right! He was good alright, he could about make that Dobro talk. I found out later he is a nationally known Dobro player. Some people called him Evan, and some called him Leonard....I called him 'Dobro'. We jammed there until way dark. I cannot tell just what time it was, but Lori and I were froze by then, it gets cool once the sun goes down in Evart.
Monday was more of the same. The only time we were at the campsite was lunch time and bedtime. Some friends from home are here, and we jammed with them for several hours. I know, drive all the way here to jam with people from home! But it was fun, for sure... and we jammed with people we don't know as well. It is hard to describe jammin. Except to say we have just too much fun! We were going to play back up for Bob Warner at the Gospel jam, but he decided against playing there. We missed each other so it was Tuesday morning before we found that out. We jammed around all evening Monday as well. By Monday evening, the ends of my fingers were getting black and blue! This even though I play guitar a lot!
Tuesday we walked around and joined some jams, once again with Bob and Linda and later with George and Betty. We came home to rest a bit...and eat some supper, and the campers next door invited us over to play music with them. That was fun. He has made a CD, and he played all the instruments on the CD. Then! He said I want to show something on the guitar. I got a two hour lesson on the pentatonic scale. Not so much what it is, but more where it is on the fret board. We used the 'E' scale. Then he played a 12 bar blues in 'E' and I played Lead! Amazing! He then proceeded to show me some other things I can do when playing rhythm in a group! Far too much for my mind (and fingers!) to digest. I am looking forward to more time with him.
This AM it is rainy. It rained over night, early this morning. Lori has a bad case of Poison Ivy...so we had a restless night. She finally at 4 AM took a shower. She rested much better after that. I didn't sleep while she was away, a short night for us both.
This is our main vacation of the year...if a retired person can actually Be on Vacation!
This morning we discovered that our new neighbors are Karen and Don from Toledo. We met them last year, she plays clawhammer banjo, he fiddles. We 'stole' a song from them last year, 'the Yearling Song. I wonder what song we can learn from them this year....
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Stuff and Nonsense?
First...I apologize for not putting any text with the pics last post. They are shots of Meredith's new digs. She is doing well there, Lori and I visit just about every day. I have sent the cell phone back to AT&T and spent over an hour dealing with canceling that service. AT&T could use a primer on how to care for customers. I did manage to avoid one set of 'customer service' representatives. The CSR I was talking to could not get the 'cancellation team' to answer their phone, so I didn't have to tell Meredith's story a third/fourth time. I was getting tired of re-explaining the situation to every new CSR I had to talk to. But that is said and done, thank goodness.
This has been a busy week...We have started every morning having coffee at McD's. I have to get my caffeine level high enough to function. We had intended to spend some time this week in Thompsonville MI, playing music with Ken and Judy. Ken could not find anyone to milk his cow Monday, so that fell through. I can understand that, for sure. I had lots of cows for over 30 years, and many plans got changed and canceled because I could find no one to milk.
Ken figured if he had a horse trailer he could haul the cow with him, 175 mi. Plenty of food and water at the Homestead. I discovered a couple for sale near here. Ken bought the best of these trailers Monday afternoon. We accompanied K&J during the 'looking' stage. Monday evening the four of us got together and played music about 4 hours. Ken and I took turns playing Dobro, guitar, and singing. Lori played fiddle and Judy was on bass. We had a ball! The evening got over too soon.
Tuesday we played music at Thornapple Manor, and at the Grange. Lori and I spent quite a lot of our time at the Grange dancing. We do enjoy dancing!
Meredith needed some transportation to a 'seasoned citizens' picnic Wednesday. Lori and I attended with her. Good food, and fellowship. We played the games somewhat reluctantly, but I decided we should represent Meredith. Lori kept me from taking last place. We took Meredith on a tour of a garden (flower) and then we did a tour of the old property. In the evening we three attended the concert in the park by the Hastings City Band. Good music and the mosquitoes were not too vicious.
Today...music at Skip's. We will finish getting ready to go to the Dulcimer festival in Evart tomorrow. Evart features hours and hours of music, and parking lot picking extraordinaire...the highlight of the summer for Lori. (Actually the third or fourth highlight of this summer! Our visit to TN was terrific!)
This has been a busy week...We have started every morning having coffee at McD's. I have to get my caffeine level high enough to function. We had intended to spend some time this week in Thompsonville MI, playing music with Ken and Judy. Ken could not find anyone to milk his cow Monday, so that fell through. I can understand that, for sure. I had lots of cows for over 30 years, and many plans got changed and canceled because I could find no one to milk.
Ken figured if he had a horse trailer he could haul the cow with him, 175 mi. Plenty of food and water at the Homestead. I discovered a couple for sale near here. Ken bought the best of these trailers Monday afternoon. We accompanied K&J during the 'looking' stage. Monday evening the four of us got together and played music about 4 hours. Ken and I took turns playing Dobro, guitar, and singing. Lori played fiddle and Judy was on bass. We had a ball! The evening got over too soon.
Tuesday we played music at Thornapple Manor, and at the Grange. Lori and I spent quite a lot of our time at the Grange dancing. We do enjoy dancing!
Meredith needed some transportation to a 'seasoned citizens' picnic Wednesday. Lori and I attended with her. Good food, and fellowship. We played the games somewhat reluctantly, but I decided we should represent Meredith. Lori kept me from taking last place. We took Meredith on a tour of a garden (flower) and then we did a tour of the old property. In the evening we three attended the concert in the park by the Hastings City Band. Good music and the mosquitoes were not too vicious.
Today...music at Skip's. We will finish getting ready to go to the Dulcimer festival in Evart tomorrow. Evart features hours and hours of music, and parking lot picking extraordinaire...the highlight of the summer for Lori. (Actually the third or fourth highlight of this summer! Our visit to TN was terrific!)
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