Mouse on Sticky Paper

History!

2010-12-19T20:28:00.002-06:00

I understand that if you do not post in a year, it's a bad sign. For continuity. For readership. For writing. People, I apologize. But I'm back!

Hail John Fluevog!

2009-06-09T11:07:00.002-05:00

Just when I thought I was over the shoe thing...

May showers bring...

2009-05-05T19:20:00.003-05:00

Spring progresses with visits to friends, plans for more visits and trips and the hope of seeing my closest family members here soon. All in all very satisfying and exciting. I am a lucky sister and aunt.

peonies

2009-04-30T20:44:00.001-05:00

sorry I cannot talk about my beautiful flowers while I am worried about influenza.

Luckenbach, Texas dance hall

2009-04-22T10:54:00.005-05:00

After a week working very hard running the box office of Old Settlers Music Festival I took a day to head over to tour the the LBJ ranch, some hill country wineries and Luckenbach. Great fun. Luckenbach mainly consists of a quaint tourist trap 'general store' complete with a U.S. Post Office and a cool ice house bar in the back -- everything you need, really. Out behind that is an open-air stage and a hat maker's studio. The small community consists of a few residences and a public campground beside a river bank. Completing the tiny hamlet is a real life dance hall. The Luckenbach Dance Hall is one of the most quaint of a dwindling but very viable breed of Texas dance halls that have been around for over a century and a half. I haven't been lucky enough to see this one in action but that's got to change.

on bird poop

2009-04-09T07:31:00.003-05:00

For the past week I have been unable to leave my beloved Kia out of the garage. Ten minutes and it's covered with recycled hackberries. Yuck!! The culprits turn out to be an errant flock of Cedar Waxwings. I had no idea what they were but my friend Corianna was able to identify them immediately, probably because she has lived most of her life in Washington, the state. My Audubon bird guide shows them rarely straying south, and only as far as Virginia or West Virginia! The guide further states, "Waxwings spend most of the year in flocks whose movements may be quite erratic. Hundreds will suddenly appear in an area to exploit a crop of berries, only to vanish when that crop is exhausted...These social birds have the amusing habit of passing berries or even apple blossoms from one bird to the next down a long row sitting on a branch, until one bird eats the food." So cute! JMB wishes they would move on now. He has been overworked keeping the paint on the cars from getting marred.

Hanging out at Whitmore's place...

2009-03-31T07:57:00.045-05:00

C.Culpepper relaxes at Headquarters. It's been a while (three ranchhands ago) since I was in New Mexico at Park Springs Ranch. A bunch of changes both personnel-wise and structural have passed. Jean and John have almost finished restoring the hacienda, while a new cowboy Todd and his wife Denise have been instrumental in helping with a program to increase the herd to the extent the climate and the land will allow. They have also begun increasing the horse stock. Considerable changes for three to four years! Thank goodness for the generous rainfall in the past three years--I hope it will continue, but the signs seem to indicate that the drought may return soon. Uncle John is making changes that hopefully will be a contingency should the drought renew. While we were there two new wells were being located and drilled. The ranch has flourished under Uncle John's stewardship and he is working hard to make sure that it continues. Jean was able to locate a NMU architectural grad student who needed a research subject. The student was willing to research, write and publish her masters thesis about the hacienda. She also made application to get National Register of Historic Places designation for it, which has been submitted. Jean has ordered the plaque and the ranch headquarters compound will be henceforth documented historically for future generations of visitors and researchers, something that had never been done before. I am especially proud of Jean for originating the project and seeing it to fruition. The hacienda dates back to 1860 during the time after both Mexico and the Republic of Texas ceded the land to the United States. An Anglo settler James E. Whitmore and his Spanish bride, Barbarita Marquez settled where five natural springs erupt. They began the long process of building what has become the hacienda and outbuildings, expanding the house to accommodate a dozen or so children along with their spouses and eventually their grandchildren. Whitmore opened a store at the ranch headquarters which eventually became part of the hacienda, probably the footprint of what is now the main Living Room. The ranch complex is historical because it has been in continuous agricultural use since the time of the Whitmores. Much of the original equipment--stone fences, stone barn, corrals, houses and outbuildings and the very important tank (pond) with dam and irrigation all continue to be used today. The interior of the barn. The house is of adobe construction with walls two feet thick (or more!) but with 'territorial' features such as a gabled tin roof and a rock wall surrounding the interior courtyard. The hacienda is a series of generous one room-wide additions that have been added since 1860 and connected via steps and doors in an L-shape. A beautiful, wide covered porch stretches along the front of the building, protecting all the outside entrances to the rooms. Most rooms have one exterior door opening onto the porch, so you can imagine how pleasant it is to stay in the hacienda. John and Jean have continued a tradition of having a scenic and comfortable ranch headquarters and offer hospitality to a steady stream of visitors that come the way of the ancients. Inside the hacienda the rooms have been made comfortable and pleasing, down to the smallest detail. There is a marked sense of history in the decor without sacrificing Uncle John and Jean's immense sense of fun. And fortunately the plumbing is not original! A modern kitchen and overflowing pantry make it possible to stay many days without requiring a three-hour round trip to town to bring in supplies. T. Brittingham and Moses Brittingham relax in the sun. The history of the land is fascinating to me. I can step outside and survey the terrain and easily envision where the Paleo-Indians hunted, where the Comanche Indians camped and traded with the comancheros and where the Spanish ciboleros (buffalo hunters) used the historic trails, including the Santa Fe Trail to return from their forays. It was on these very trails that Texas cattlemen drove their herds north . It is possible that even Francisco Vasquez de Coronado may have passed through on his way east in search of the Seven Cities of Gold. There are historic stone ruins all over the Ranch of bygone settlements, towns and even a Pre-Civil War U.S. Army outpost, Fort Hatch which was established to protect the new Anglo settlers from Comanche raids. On this trip I found the remnants of an almost complete clay pipe left by soldiers at the fort. That was a big thrill for me. These are some stone tools I have found. Along the top row you can see scrapers which could be quickly made to scrape hides. A closer view shows some fine work to make arrowheads. The tiny bird points surely required great skill to make. On the right you can see the remnants of Pueblo pottery for which the Comanche Indians traded skins, used until they broke and left lying in their campgrounds along the Gallinas River which flows through the ranch. The Gallinas River joins the Pecos River just south of the ranch boundary. We went to see that locale on the adjoining ranch and found flint chips and other stone tool materials in large quantity by the river side. It was obviously a large Indian campground at one time. Such sites are in abundance in many places at Park Springs Ranch. More to come later. Adios.

tah tah

2009-03-03T07:42:00.004-06:00

Heading across the country in a couple of days. With dog. In Jeep.

Folk Alliance '09

2009-03-02T09:48:00.017-06:00

It was a great week in Memphis, the best one in a long time. Totally unexpected, really. Everyone thought attendance would be way off (it wasn't) and that therefore it might be a dead conference (no way). I worked very hard, hardly got off the 18th floor except to shop for more beer or to steal a breakfast a couple of days. My family came to rescue me on Saturday night for a home-cooked dinner which was just what I needed to complete the long marathon that Saturday night going well into Sunday morning became. Much appreciated, thanks John and Deseree! I finally lay down to rest at 6:30 am before heading home, caravaning back to Nashville with JMB. Some highlights: Ronda received the Spirit of Folk award jointly with Dalis Allen and Val Denning! Finally getting Memphis resident Cousin Jenny up to the hotel and watching John Sebastian with her. Getting to hang with the hotties a bit, and enjoy seeing Jeanne Jolly with them. I was so pleased to see Scottie for a special engagement on the drums. Scottie has bowed out of the Stonehoney extended southern tour due to his commitment to be with his toddler daughter in L.A. I admire him for it. Chatting with Victoria Williams about how great Laurie McClain is. Seeing John Fullbright from Okemah, OK (yep, you're right, former home of Woody Guthrie). Do yourself a favor and read his blog entries on his myspace page. He was a first time attendee and his impressions mirror what most think of it the first time they come. Of course, few are the 'buzz' as he was but I don't think that changes a first impression. Much. Seeing artists who contributed Help Me Ronda photos for her 'wall' enjoy seeing themselves and others giving a shout out to Ronda. Meeting Lucy Wainwright Roche, a former teacher, and hearing her at the beginning of a new music career. Seeing Sean McManus from the Dust Poets attending the conference for the purpose of accompanying and promote other Canadian artists. Meeting Tannis Slimmon and hearing her amazing vocals. Eating a huge breakfast at the Blue Plate with my friend Joan! That is an annual treat not to be missed. And enjoying the Second Annual Wild Women Indian Feast with Ronda B, Joan K, Mary Granata and new friend Holly at India Palace, a new rec--food great but I found the atmosphere is a bit reserved for our buoyant group! Photo courtesy of Joan Kornblith.

the old man and the sea

2009-03-02T09:03:00.004-06:00

" I have enjoyed seeing this three-year old video footage of an old high school chum battling a BIG fish while in an inflatable kayak on the open ocean. Says fisherman Jeff Morrow, "I was in about 2,000 foot depth of ocean...I looked into his eyes and he into mine. We were both scared." Jeff recently became a justice for the U.S. District Court of Appeals, 5th and 11th Circuits in Jacksonville, Florida. I remember him as a larger than life (really!) dude with a toothy grin in the halls of Orange Park High School. Photo courtesy of www.jeffersonmorrow.com

Plowhaus Show

2009-02-28T17:45:00.000-06:00

Plowhaus Artists Cooperative A Glass House: A One Wall One Artist show. March 7 – 31, 2009 Reception during Nashville Art Crawl: March 7Th from 6-10pm From inside the glass The whole world is magnified... The Plowhaus Artists Cooperative of Nashville proudly presents A Glass House: A One Wall One Artist show. In this group exhibit, The Plowhaus invites you to peer inside the works of Mar Augelli, Mel Davenport, Ayjey Illustration, and Dirk Mooth Regardless of the physical or spiritual depth of their works, each artist expresses how they see what is happening within their own "house" and the world around them. 4 artists 4 houses 4 individual representatives of One House……The Plowhaus The Plowhaus Artist's Cooperative www. plowhaus. org Tennessee Art League Building 808 Broadway, 2nd Floor Nashville, Tenn. Gallery Hours: Tues. - Sat. 10am to 4pm for more info contact: info@plowhaus.org ayjeyillustration@gmail.com Unfortunately I will miss this show but I hope some of you will attend.

sunday nights

2009-02-22T20:46:00.001-06:00

back home from Memphis no pics sorry but more to report tomorrow, thank you

second thoughts

2009-02-10T09:54:00.004-06:00

About twenty-four hours ago I made a stab at a serious post, debating whether you have to be known in L.A. to get a Grammy, or not. Then I deleted it for the obvious reasons. You will probably enjoy this more.

the new phone book is here, the new phone book is here!

2009-02-05T08:13:00.014-06:00

Bonnaroo has announced its lineup for '09. Read it and get your wallets ready, vroom vroom. Tickets will go on sale this Saturday and a smart festival is totin' the note for you... Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band*Phish (2 Shows)*Beastie Boys*Nine Inch Nails*DavidByrne*Wilco*Al Green*Snoop Dogg*Elvis Costello(Solo)*Erykah Badu*Paul Oakenfold*BenHarper and Relentless7*The Mars Volta*TV on the Radio*Yeah Yeah Yeahs*Gov't Mule*Andrew Bird*Band of Horses*Merle Haggard*MGMT*moe.*The Decemberists*Girl Talk*Bon Iver*Béla Fleck & Toumani Diabate*Rodrigo y Gabriela*Galactic*The Del McCoury Band*ofMontreal*AllenToussaint*Coheed and Cambria*Booker T & the DBTs*David Grisman Quintet*Lucinda Williams*AnimalCollective*Gomez*Neko Case*Down*Jenny Lewis*Santogold*Robert Earl Keen*Citizen Cope*Femi Kuti and the Positive Force*The Ting Tings*Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3*Grace Potter and the Nocturnals*Kaki King*Grizzly Bear*King Sunny Adé*Okkervil River*St. Vincent*Zac Brown Band*Raphael Saadiq*Ted Leo and the Pharmacists*Crystal Castles*Tift Merritt*Brett Dennen*Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Revue*Toubab Krewe*People Under the Stairs*Alejandro Escovedo*Vieux Farka Touré*Elvis Perkins In Dearland*Cherryholmes*Yeasayer*Todd Snider*Chairlift*Portugal. The Man.*The SteelDrivers*Midnite*The Knux*The Low Anthem*Delta Spirit*A.A. Bondy*The Lovell Sisters*Alberta Cross*. This is an elevated lineup, plenty to get you shakin yo' money maker and I personally am thrilled that MGMT will return. You shall find mony at the Snoop Dogg stage or checking out Rodrigo y Gabriela and Alberta Cross. Thank god for myspace where all things seem possible. This brings up some decisions for mony who will be attending without her compadres Jean, Anne, and John (although we have reports that the Connecticut youth have been hatching their collective plan to make a return sans parental unit). The Savannah contingent has been undecided about what to do about going V.I.P. but they are sure to be there as well. My issues predictably are not musical, but logistical: Pros for V.I.P.--I will miss the nice bathrooms and showers and the ultra-quiet tent camping. And of course the amazing proximity to the main stage and ease of movement into the festival. Cons for V.I.P.--I didn't need to pay the festival to feed me, plus the four hundred dollars I will save could get a darned nice tent and sun shade and plenty of pizza and lemonades and disposable hand wipes. What it boils down to is if I can get hooked up for coveted access to the R.V. camping. All I need is 16 square feet in the backyard of an R.V. Easier said than done. Even with earplugs, camping here is preferable to being with the unwashed masses in the back 40 acres (400 acres is more like it). I had better begin negotiations with E.T. Maven of Hospitality. Thanks to Auntie Katie for photos from Bonnaroo 2008.

Craigslist

2009-02-04T09:44:00.002-06:00

I don't know. I just get a big kick out of scanning the 'free' items on craigslist. This from today: Wrestling Ring and 75 metal chairs, Free. wrestling ring for free. Includes 75 metal folding chairs, some sound equipment. Ring is in very good condition with new marine plywood and pad. Email for directions.

please explain

2009-02-02T11:48:00.003-06:00

Why would anyone re-watch a bunch of SuperBowl television commercials? I get watching five seasons of The Wire to catch up, or spending hours on YouTube searching out rare Butthole Surfer footage. But, come on! They're commercials! Commercials mostly selling stuff none of us can afford or jobs none of us can have...

Dream on

2009-01-31T14:15:00.004-06:00

Imagine blogging away, just like we do and getting a call from Random House wanting to offer you a publishing deal. If this happened to me I would so call my mom. I wonder if Christian Lander called his mom? I mean, I think what he did is very clever, very creative and all that. It's going to make him shitloads. He has kind of redefined a trite stereotype. And in the process has upset a lot of people. Which is very cool. It's cool he has given a bunch of his friends jobs, or at least a heads up if they contributed. But a book deal?? He's got a book tour--wtf? What do you think he talks about? Is he funny in person? Will we see him on late night television?

the beautiful snow has a huge price

2009-01-24T20:31:00.004-06:00

From the BBC, courtesy of the Grist: Where There's Coke, There's Ire Colombian vice prez chides cocaine users for rainforest destruction Posted at 10:16 AM on 18 Nov 2008 Cocaine users get no love from Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos Calderon, who speechified to police officers in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday: "Colombia has lost more than [5 million acres] of rainforest in the last 15 years to plant coca. If you snort a gram of cocaine you are destroying [43 square feet] of pristine rainforest. That rainforest is not just Colombian. It belongs to all of us who live on this planet, so we should all be worried about it." source: BBC News It is time that drug users begin to think of what the cost is for their luxury. Untaxed, illegal economies in underdeveloped countries spring up because of drug consumption in developed countries. The toll to the citizens and the ecology of those drug-producing countries is great but drug users remain ignorant of the effect their consumption has in other parts of the world far away. So the next time you snort or toke, if it's not homegrown you might consider that the price you paid is only a fraction of the cost.

it's official...kinda

2009-01-24T09:17:00.003-06:00

Mom and Karl did it! After getting my hopes up that I would soon have a vintage travel trailer I learned at the end of 2008 that the owner had reconsidered selling. As it turns out my Jeep wouldn't have been able to pull the trailer anyway so too many factors played out against having a camper trailer. Then Mom stepped in. She reasoned they are in trailer country in Oklahoma and sure enough she was right. Just one quick drive out in the countryside and she and Karl found this 1977 beauty. Within days it was at their house and Karl was making a to-do list. It will be at least a year before I am able to get it, in reality probably more like two years. At least I know where I will lay my head when I visit Duncan, Oklahoma!

Mona, Jr.

2009-01-23T15:11:00.009-06:00

This from the Grundy County, Tennessee Historical Society, taken from a message board on ancestry.com. For what it's worth: 1700-1800 Naming Patterns As early as the American Revolution and extending until the 1850s most families of English descent (and of the Scots who settled in North and South Carolina) followed this naming pattern: First son: Father's father Second son: Mother's father Third son: Father Fourth son: Father's eldest brother First daughter: Mother's mother Second daughter: Father's mother Third daughter: Mother Fourth daughter: Mother's eldest sister First daughter of second wife was named after the first wife. I have noticed evidence that my Tennessee ancestors used these naming conventions by records that show up soon after they entered the (then un-formed) state of Tennessee, around 1809. So, given that knowledge about it the conventions it can make geneological research a little easier. That is until about the time of the Civil War when all hell broke loose and education as well as the family farm was gone with the wind. One section of my family dropped an entire consonant off the end of their surname. During what I would describe the Dark Ages of post-bellum years they seem to have dropped names altogether and taken up with embarrassing nicknames which were as much a physical description or a resume as anything. I get 'Cap' and while no one has to explain 'Nose' to me, I have to say that it seems a bit less than dignified. I know of other families where children were named, not known as, but named Sister. In my extended family, telling generations of folks in the same household or at family gatherings who have the same name apart is at the very least confusing and sometimes leads to very unfortunate naming conventions that seem to stick for life. An example is when a man is known as "Little (insert name here)" well into his middle years, or when someone has to go by "Jr." their entire life. In this day when divorce is more likely to claim a first wife than death during childbirth, it would be a hard pill to swallow to have to call your beloved first daughter by the ex-wife's name! In my immediate family my parents seem to have had either dual narcissistic fits or a genuine frenzy of cross-homage when I was named for my mother and my brother was named for my father. My younger sisters didn't fare much better, having first and middle names borrowed from grandmothers or aunts. It's worse in my husband's family. I can count on the fingers of two hands the number of recycled names within his immediate family of six children, and their children. His family found it necessary to call up former family surnames to use as middle names to distinguish one person from another. I am not complaining too loudly though. These practices have faded away in so many contemporary families due to declining family size and an unsettling tendency to name our progeny for movie stars, or from books that track names statistically. I don't know about the wisdom of choosing a name because 5% of the children in your child's class will also have it. All this being said, honest to god I have no idea how my grandmother visualized 'Mona' from her Tennessee mountain home just after World War II. Best I know my blessed mother just accepted it with grace and got on with it. I have spent the better part of 50 years trying to interpret it.

A good band name--The Flaming Squirrels

2009-01-21T15:09:00.004-06:00

I spend a few minutes each day gazing at my Droll Yankee Yankee Flyer birdfeeder, having wicked thoughts about the squirrels systematically emptying the other feeders out. But this just is not right: This just in from Oklahoma City's KOCO.com Firefighters: Flaming Squirrel To Blame In Jones Wildfire Students Moved From Elementary To High School POSTED: 11:16 am CST January 21, 2009 UPDATED: 1:41 pm CST January 21, 2009 JONES, Okla. -- A squirrel caught fire, sparking a blaze Wednesday morning that resulted in the evacuation of an elementary school in Jones, fire officials said. Investigators said the squirrel touched two power lines at the same time and fell to the ground near Britton and Hiawassee roads. That fire burned 5 acres in the Jones area, forcing the evacuation of the elementary school. Those students were taken to Jones High School. School officials said the students would be kept at the high school for the rest of the day. Parents will be able to pick them up at the normal time, although some parents have already come to the school to pick up kids. Several trailers burned in the fire. However, there were no known reports of injuries. Stay tuned to KOCO.com for any further details. I know.

what a day

2009-01-20T20:18:00.000-06:00

I am turning in now after a wonderful day in January of 2009. Hallelujah.

good time to read

2009-01-18T12:02:00.000-06:00

I am loving this weather.

Wyeth

2009-01-16T15:44:00.007-06:00

I don't know where you stand on the debate about illustrator vs. artist but I am here to tell you I am a big fan of Andrew Wyeth's style. I think his paintings are wonderful and his stark landscapes and interiors suit me. They exude dignity. JMB told me that he used to see him lunching alone, in an inn at Chadds Ford which he used to visit for lunch back in the seventies. Always in rumpled clothing, always alone. What a nice memory to have.

waiting for the first snowflake to fall

2009-01-13T08:37:00.004-06:00

It may take a decade but we have faith. I know it's hard for you people in the northlands to understand, but here in The South we enjoy a good snow.

winter, continued

2009-01-12T08:12:00.008-06:00

It's cold again--fine by me. We have had torrents in warm weather when the breezes push up the Gulf moisture, then freezes but no snow to speak of. I have really enjoyed being out in all of it. I planted 60-80 persimmon seeds I picked up in Edwin Warner Park in a flat the other day, just an experiment to see if I can propagate them. They're sitting out in the cold, which they apparently must do until spring. I kinda got excited about this after watching a 'persimmon talk' with Dymple Green. Moses and I found an owl pellet on the walkway at the Richland Creek Greenway and followed a Red-bellied Woodpecker from tree to tree, hoping he would light close enough for a picture. Of course, he was just teasing me. Under this moss-covered rock I found an animal burrow. Probably a skunk but I have no idea really. I have smelled one out on the trails but I didn't smell anything in particular around the burrow, or see any fresh tracks.

cold water and a warm heart

2009-01-04T15:30:00.009-06:00

We were at the Richland Creek Greenway again today continuing Moses' swimming lessons (we started on Christmas Day and had another session at the greenway with Em). It didn't go well. Moses was stranded in three feet of water, unable to get up on the algae covered drain pipe that runs parallel to the shore. We thought he would finally figure out how to swim out but in the end JMB had to go in after him, fearing that Moses would get hypothermia. I even threw the treat baggie in hoping he would swim after it but to no avail. Fortunately the temperatures are holding in the sixties so we were able to continue down the trail for a nice walk. Pole cats out (the downside of it being so warm)!! We took the long leash so that Moses could get as many smells in as possible. We encountered many other canines and a spunky little boy on a Razor Scooter who had skinned his knee, having fallen several times on the wet boards of the trail bridges. He showed us a wicked raspberry on his knee and commiserated with us about getting cold and wet in the creek while he waited for his parents to catch up with him. When we were leaving the trail, a fabulous harlequin great dane puppy, about five months old arrived. What a thrill for Moses! Turns out the puppy had been discovered abandoned at one of the city dog parks a few days ago and was adopted by the lady walking him. She hasn't even had him to the vet yet, doing that tomorrow! I had not thought of it but some pets are probably the first line of victims of a bad economy. Thanks to Rex Hammock for his fabulous Flickr photo set of the Greenway and to JMB for Moses photo.

I can't drive fifty-five

2008-12-30T09:45:00.005-06:00

You'll notice that not much has changed over the years. Monybd 12-30-1955, so that makes me fifty-three today. Having a ball. What am I doing today? I met my yard/fix-it man at Home Depot at 8 a.m. to pick up supplies to work on our fence and gate. Going to Dotsy's at 11:30 for luncheon. Going to Gordon's at 2:00 to get my haircut and color. Got my Jeep pimped out with a new stereo with Sirius, and new speakers and yesterday I treated myself to a rain barrel. Got a beautiful handmade Beers of the World cement stepping stone. I have plenty to be thankful for.

need some goldfish

2008-12-29T11:54:00.003-06:00

yippeeee!!

peace

2008-12-29T09:17:00.004-06:00

The calm after the storm--my favorite time of year. I have a lot of books and a few objects that have to go somewhere, anywhere.

progressing

2008-12-29T09:12:00.003-06:00

Moses went in the water for the first time on Christmas Day at the farm--what a hoot he charged in and swam a few strokes then realized what he had done. Quickly got back to shore. The sight of him hopping across the grassy knoll was truly a gift. He couldn't get enough of the water so we have taken him to the Richland Creek trail where he got his fill of frigid wading.

catcam

2008-12-26T20:53:00.004-06:00

Em and her kitty, Jack are in the house. Em has turned me on to a CatCam website where kitties have digital cameras on them. This kitty should have her own flickr account. What an artiste!

Bottoms up

2008-12-22T10:46:00.003-06:00

I hope you all are having a wonderful, stress-free holiday season. Ain't it grand?

A longhorn in the living room

2008-12-18T10:06:00.008-06:00

Many years ago an old friend visited my home for the first time and was taken aback by the lack of I suppose what she considered a substantial amount of books on my shelves. She asked where my books were in my home. I was momentarily rendered speechless and could only mutter something to the effect that they were in my head. (I didn't mention the attic for fear of setting off a lecture). That incident prompted me make some hard rules about what books find a home on my shelves. Which in turn prompted frequent conflict and guilt when I found I have violated my rules, mostly out of laziness, acquiescence and primarily inattention. My shelves also show that I am conflicted. I have let some things creep into the shelves that ought not be there, mostly because there is not one other person I can think of that would appreciate a permanent loan of them. But mostly the creep is due to the fact I just feel honored to have the chance to enjoy books and that the keeping of them is incidental. That I choose not to display them does not so much reflect who I am and what I believe as much as it reflects my choice to share them freely and often. Recently I began reading essays and blogs about bookshelf etiquette. It seems there are a lot of people out there who have the ongoing debate with themselves about what to keep, and not only that but how to keep them. A few of particularly amusing quotes provided by Jennifer Shuessler in an entry entitled Bookshelf Etiquette Papercuts , found in the NYTimes online. “Bookshelves are not for displaying books you’ve read…. Rather, the books on your shelves are there to convey the type of person you would like to be.” —Ezra Klein “My experience is that some books end up accumulating out of a misguided attempt to win the approval of authors already well-entrenched on my shelves.” —McLemee “Books represent the overriding point of conflict in my marriage.” —Richard LeComte A relative of my husband once curmudgeonly remarked, "There are too many books written". While I laughed to myself at the time, he certainly made me think that he was a kindred spirit in many ways. Certainly there are too many books for my living room. So what books do I consider reference books, and therefore keepers? Those that I go to often. The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson, The Everyman Anthology of Poetry for Children, the atlas, Barbecue, Biscuits and Beans: Chuck Wagon Cooking (Cauble and Teinert). And anything written by Cormac McCarthy. Are they on my living room bookshelves? Probably not. I have probably loaned them out.

O Tannenbaum!

2008-12-16T11:30:00.004-06:00

Freetree hunt yesterday, on the mountain. You would have been bent over laughing at the sight of me and my father, cutting a tree from the highway right-of-way over a culvert for an overflowing mountain stream. Me with the chainsaw, Dad spotting. Over goes the tree, into the frothy waters where it remains, I am fairly certain.

a rolling box

2008-12-11T14:54:00.000-06:00

I just made an offer to buy an antique travel/trailer--unfortunately it is 760 miles away. But it's a beauty.

Fuzzy slippers

2008-12-08T10:26:00.000-06:00

I am giving new meaning to having my 'winter weight'. You've heard of 3-season tents? Thank goodness for fuzzy slippers, which can make you feel elegant even when your winter goes on for a few seasons...

Tightening the belt

2008-12-03T09:08:00.000-06:00

I vow to remain steady with my decision to keep this holiday season simple. Just watch me. People, prepare for the handmade.

When holidays become whirlwinds

2008-12-01T07:36:00.000-06:00

I guess they always are, but this last one flew by. Putting two rooms back together after painting, new controls for the stove. Both kids here, big dinner, big five-O for bro, big five-O for the Sheriff. So great to see all the inlaws and outlaws. Moonshine for everyone! The dog did well with a kitty in the house. The kitty did well, traveling a thousand miles and hanging out in the third level for four days. If there is any work to be had the time is now before the next onslaught.

Mumbai

2008-11-29T21:29:00.000-06:00

So very sorry.

Curiouser and curiouser

2008-11-25T08:40:00.000-06:00

We're thinking of having Moses tested, not for I.Q. (he's off the charts), or L.D. (he's having trouble with reading). That plumed tail has got us going.

Pondering

2008-11-22T14:13:00.000-06:00

Why does Stonehenge remind me of a large birthday cake? Why don't I yearn to travel to other countries? Will ants take over the earth? What makes my underwire warp? Does parallel universe theory explain why we have many religions? What does my dog really think of me? Why is puff pastry so wonderful? What's wrong with Indonesian muslims practicing yoga? How can Sarah Palin have a book deal? Why can't we have carry-out Chinese next Thursday? I am heading to the jungle to meditate, back in a few days when I become enlightened.

Wild Wordsmith of Wasilla

2008-11-15T13:52:00.000-06:00

I didn't coin that phrase, Dick Cavett did. Read his great assessment of the Palin vice-candidacy here. I particularly enjoy his quip about the 'threadbare myth abstinence' as the solution to the problem of 'the sizzling loins of the young'. What he said!

Nervous giggles...

2008-11-05T16:31:00.000-06:00

I hate to say it, but I am really going to miss Sarah Palin's unique slicing and dicing grammar: "Right now I cannot even imagine running for national office in 2012," she told CNN's Dana Bash. "When I say that, of course, coming on the heels of an outcome that I did not anticipate and had not hoped for. But this being a chapter now that is closed and realizing that it is a time to unite and all Americans need to get together and help with this new administration being ushered in." Not that much, however.

2008-11-05T06:29:00.001-06:00

Wassup!!

2008-11-04T16:25:00.000-06:00

Let me hear how your day is going, peeps!

at the Plowhaus

2008-10-24T08:33:00.000-05:00

The much awaited art opening is over. Whew! It was a lot of fun seeing what artistic types could conjure around a theme. Good vibe, too.There was much gaiety and laughter and I was lucky enough to have good friends who drove over to East Nashville just for mony. Thanks, guys! It was a thrill to see Frida and lovely family greeting guests. Good food, cash bar, band and great conversation. Wonderful! My new, improved ofrenda and linocut prints were at the entrance to the gallery!

Cooling off

2008-10-23T08:33:00.001-05:00

Volcanic vent image courtesy of National Geographic. Thank goodness. Sleeping better now, only up for a little bit last night since the windows are open and I am not a thousand degrees between 'my people', the three pillows I prop under various body parts to keep other parts from hitting that nerve. I have been threatening to sleep outside in the tent...

art show

2008-10-21T11:22:00.000-05:00

I got in!!

challenge

2008-10-13T16:13:00.001-05:00

I've been reading about a 5-Minute Shower Challenge held by The Crunchy Domestic Goddess, to help raise awareness for water conservation, and the more controversial Ditch the Disposables Challenge to encourage getting rid of wasteful sanitary products. I don't know about that one. It's the Disposable Butt-Wipes Queen here. Takes me back to the days where, when trying to convince my teenagers that JMB's policy of putting a fifteen minute timer to limit their showers was not only sensible but actual do-able was met with outrage and near mutiny, I sent them to the Y to shower. But I digress. So I am thinking of how to challenge myself and you guys. What about the Don't Get in the Car Unless You Have At Least Two Errands Challenge (yeah, I guess getting to work and getting home from work count)? Or the ReUse-It Challenge, where you guys send me your ideas for re-utilizing a trash item? Or the How Many Times Can You Wash a Baggie Challenge? Wait, wait, I got it!! I am now conducting the Turn Your Trash Into Art Challenge. Go forth and create and send me your photos...can't wait to see what you come up with. Because there's just not enough beauty in the world.

Big Media Circus

2008-10-08T09:42:00.001-05:00

I am borrowing the term from a friend's business, but it really does describe what goes on at a Presidential Debate. The Belmont neighborhood is one of the more desirable in Nashville. Very close in proximity to both Belmont University and Vanderbilt University, it has an intellectual air and a diverse population composed of students, professors and professional musicians. In other words, it's cool. I loved seeing the patriotic spirit displayed by some neighbors. There was an alley of booths with all manner of t-shirts, political impersonators--I saw 'Bill Clinton' and 'Sarah Palin' (who paled to Tina Fey)-- BBQ and live music. Water Aid had a booth, as did a pro-choice group and a clean coal group. Rock the Vote had a huge RV, as did OneVote. I taped an interview for Rock the Vote...I will let you know if it makes the cut to Flickr! Most of the east side of the campus was fenced off for the candidates' entrance and an enormous media tent where the university waived a decades-old policy of no alcohol, for the benefit of the visiting media. Wise. In the center of campus, a small area near the Curb Center was open as a public forum. I enjoyed seeing a small group of McCain student supporters giving an interview (see right) as well as some of the more colorful characters sporting their stuff. At the west entrance of the campus--for those of you who know the neighborhood--across the street from Bongo Java, shuttles carrying the small group of invitees dropped off under tight security. There were the usual colorful malcontents, who must have spent a while on the phone coordinating their outfits. I even spotted Secret Service guys with an out-of-state plumbing truck. Kinda obvious, don't you think? Those guys seriously need a stylist and a personal shopper. When I was leaving one of them told me I looked 'fit'. I think he was trying to give me some positive reinforcement as I was moving at my usual snail's pace, kind of limping. But I totally took it to heart, and told him 'Back at ya!' Actually, I grew to suspect that the guys in the van might be carrying Obama's abscizer.

beleaguered

2008-09-26T08:07:00.000-05:00

They are a one-person dog, known for their devoted character. They do not split infinitives. Although they probably could care less about parallel structure, they certainly do not abuse it. No dependent clause or sentence fragment ever left their collective lip. They wouldn't be caught dead at a pro-life rally, and they are are color blind. No more pit bull bashing!

gas

2008-09-25T07:39:00.000-05:00

Last week my neighbor informed me that Nashville had a gas problem. No, not flatulence--we are out of gas here, people. I found it hard to believe, but later I drove downtown and witnessed a line a mile long, stretching from downtown almost to Vanderbilt, a full mile. While much of that line was probably people getting onto I-40, a substantial part of it was people waiting in line for a chance at the pumps at the TigerMart across the street from the Tennessean newspaper offices. They had to pass two other stations on the way that were entirely empty and were therefore willing to wait for an hour. Many of those people have a ten to twenty mile commute, so I could see their point. My neighbor was almost giddy in the telling. She had driven miles searching for gas, then when she found some waited for an hour to fill the tank of her BMW. In the same breath she mentioned that her brother had been willing to drive a few gallons to her a hundred fifty miles, from Knoxville before she found her tankful. Both she and I are within walking distance of two grocery stores, a drugstore, the library, a produce stand, a post office and the best durned mall in Nashville. During this fascinating conversation she revealed that she is within walking distance of both her kids' schools. It is a very strange time in our country.

taking the Heat

2008-09-21T09:19:00.001-05:00

Of course you know I am not and never will be in the music business but I did volunteer this year to work at the Americana Music Association's conference held in Nashville. Despite appearances I really did work pretty hard, and played a fair amount, too. It is great to see your friends and acquaintances and to catch a glimpse of some of your favorite entertainers. I worked at the registration table handing out the conference registration packets which was kind of a thrill in itself. During the down times I thumbed through the boxes of registrations and saw Alden, Grant. Baez, Joan. Gordon, Kevin. Holcomb, Malcolm.Tapia, Abi. And I didn't even have the performers' box! More notable were the names that were not there, but were expected to be. On a couple of occasions a recognizable figure would be expecting to have a complimentary registration that did not materialize, at which point I got to pass them ten feet away to Joyce S. who got to explain that they didn't get an entire registration for speaking at one panel discussion, or that they only got a day pass, or remember, you told me your wife was not coming. That's what I call taking the heat!

labors

2008-08-31T08:12:00.000-05:00

Sorry. It's been a while hasn't it? Not much to report. Neighborhood activism and working at Democratic Campaign Headquarters has taken a lot of my time. Then there is my new exercise regimen keeping me busy, and renewed interest in arting it up here. Perhaps I will have something to show for a change.

Fay

2008-08-24T19:58:00.000-05:00

reports are in from Jacksonville and Tallahassee in Jacksonville, my sister reports eighteen inches of water in her street, a short power outage and three days off work, but still able to stay in the house as of Friday SKD worked at the Jacksonville Fire Department, logging calls, and reported he barely got a break all day he stayed home on Friday Also, on Friday afternoon, EAD had a tree fall into her house, puncture the roof and a limb come through a window an hour and a half after the main waves of rain and wind hit Tallahassee she was on the computer when the limb crashed through a window, past an air conditioning unit in the same room--her cat went into hiding for a day we haven't heard from CCR in Flagler Beach. hope they evacuated. I did read that A1A had six inches of sand over it, which means that their groundfloor apartment was under a few feet of water during the day and a half Fay hovered over them, dumping twenty or so inches of rain. I will be very surprised if they stay there after this, the third hurricane to hit them in six years.

solid CO2

2008-08-20T10:03:00.000-05:00

aka, dry ice it's a miracle substance Here's how I used it this summer, to great advantage and delight: I purchased 80 pounds cut into three 20 and two 10 pound blocks, each block packaged in heavy brown paper. (I shopped around and found the least expensive source in town. I paid about $.57 per pound, about half of what it was going for at some of the vendors in Nashville. As always, it pays to shop around, but I was still surprised at the discrepancy in the prices.) My scheme for Bonnaroo was to put a block in front of a small battery-powered fan, creating a bit of 'air conditioning' in my tent. When I presented the plan to the dry ice guys, they laughed and cautioned that I might not wake up as it is pure carbon dioxide and would require a lot of ventilation. Scratch that idea. But I did get some very helpful instructions on how to stretch the cooling effects for at least four days. First I purchased some special cotton gloves with plastic dots on the palms, for handling purposes, for a couple of bucks from the vendor. I had an Igloo Max Cold cooler I had purchased half price at the end of last summer which was the perfect container for segregating the main stash. You don't want to keep the dry ice in a cooler that will be opened frequently, and you certainly don't need more than a 20 pound block in another cooler. I had two cases of bottled water pre-frozen for a week. This turned out to be an excellent idea because it melts very slowly and is a great substitute for bagged ice. When I needed crushed ice, I used a hammer to smash a water bottle or two, and my knife to open it up for use in cups. I had two regular coolers to use as my 'refrigerators' and I used the Max cooler as my 'freezer'. I layered the regular coolers like this: Somewhere at the bottom, a 20# block of dry ice, kept in its paper wrapper and insulated on all sides by cardboard boxes, ripped apart. The second layer was some of the frozen water bottles. The final layers were my foodstuffs, with the most delicate at the top (fruit, greens). Rotate, repeat. At some point Jean figured out that she could wrap a ten pound block of dry ice with a towel and sleep under it. I wish I had a picture of her reclined in her chair, a frozen water bottle on each side of her neck, and a block of dry ice perched on her chest, sound asleep. After her nap she handed the pack to me and I got my nap in with the ice on top of me, on top of my pallet, under our sunshade. It was heaven. On Monday morning, after four days in 95 degree heat, we still had half our water bottles left, still frozen and several pints of frozen milk. I had given Anne a 20# block for the freezer in her R.V., and she reported that her steaks never thawed and had to be grilled frozen! The interior of my car was cool all weekend, too as I had left all coolers in the car, windows up. So any aerosol cans and first aid supplies were all fine in the car, securely locked up.

the swim

2008-08-19T10:45:00.001-05:00

wondering if mony could benefit from an LZR racer, assuming she could afford one, how would she get into it?

Finishing up the summer reading

2008-08-19T09:10:00.000-05:00

I finally finished The Long Embrace, a biography of Raymond Chandler. It got slow and I put it aside, but it finished with a bang and I am glad I stuck with it. Lush Life is fabulous, by the author of Clockers. The dialogue is riveting. The Magician's Assistant and Breath are recommended as wonderful, quick reads that provoke thought on issues of the heart. Last Train to Paradise is non-fiction featuring many of my favorite subjects: robber barons, The Gilded Age and hurricanes and natural disasters.

Rain

2008-08-18T09:09:00.000-05:00

this has been the driest August in sixty years the grass in the back looks like excelsior, the trees are drooping and everything is covered with a fine coat of white dust the birds hang out by the sprinkler

Elvis week

2008-08-16T07:36:00.000-05:00

Just in case you forgot, wish Elvis a happy death day. And EAD a happy birthday-- yep my girl was born six years later, to the day, that Elvis purportedly died. Depending on where you stand on that issue, you might see it as significant.

strike Lollapalooza

2008-08-07T10:47:00.000-05:00

On the cab trip into Chicago from Midway on Friday we drove by the festival site just about the time the first bands were starting. The sight of lines wrapping entirely around Grant Park pushed our decision to forget about the afternoon shows and arrive later in an abortive attempt to catch an evening show when it might be a bit cooler and easier to get in. When we did go, I can honestly say I heard more music OUTSIDE the gates, walking alongside Grant Park to reach the single entrance. What a ridiculous way to run a festival! In their attempt to make sure no contraband entered, an hour-and-a-half bottleneck was created. Not fun, and not necessary. No programs available on the first day--fortunately I had my own schedule. I honestly think the festival expected you to walk three city blocks between the main stages with tens of thousands of people jostling, back and forth back and forth. Just move along with the crowd, don't worry about where you are going and why. Just move. And for what? The magic was sucked out of the experience by having thirty minutes, an hour of a band? No spontaneity, no four-hour career defining sets, no resting, keep moving, keep moving. It was all business, no fun. Didn't help that we were easily among the oldest attendees, not that this usually bothers me. This time it did, as I felt like and old cow in a stampede. We sold our Saturday tickets on the way in when it became apparent that it would be worse not better and were giddy about suddenly feeling free to enjoy the weekend. Things were immediately improved and the weekend was saved by the decision to bail from Lollapalooza.

Oh! To maintain that summer weight-lessness!

2008-08-05T19:21:00.000-05:00

LaPerla A spirit lifting (and otherwise lifting) trip to Nordstrom's on the Magnificent Mile... btw, La Perla bras are exquisitely handmade in Italy correction: fRaNcE correction: no, Italy and Portugal the Simone Perele one is made in France!

My Appalachian heritage

2008-07-25T12:50:00.000-05:00

I come from a long line of white-trash relatives who are addicted to getting 'free' stuff. As far back as I can remember, we have been suckers for dishcloths from our flour sacks, glassware in our laundry detergent, coupons in our cigarettes, Top Value and Green Stamps, fine china from our grocery store, even toys in our cereal. As soon as I had an allowance I collected bubblegum wrappers to turn in for toys that broke as soon as they came in the mail. In the seventies my family shopped with coupons for brands we would otherwise never buy, gaining bad health, Type-2 diabetes and empty calories in the process. In the eighties we began attending time share sales pitches and participating in market research panels as a family in return for crappy kitchen appliances that filled our pantry to the saturation level. We had to have our own crappy garage sales to downsize. In the past twenty years some of us have adopted the practice of 'taking advantage' of no-interest or low-interest credit card offers--a close relation of mine possesses no fewer than seven credit cards, some accounts with different numbers from the same bank! Unfortunately that practice has gained him little and compromised the equity in his home. I have begun making note of the enormous number of multi-tools, sewing kits, screwdriver sets, lumbar pillows, microfiber stadium blankets, calendars, pocket organizers and other useless gadgets lying around his house that I assume he has received for extending magazine subscriptions into the next millennium. I personally receive three magazines I never ordered, courtesy of this relative, which I certainly feel entitles me to investigate why I might be on their mailing lists. Plus, I am not getting the free stuff!

On panic attacks and how sometimes your bags go missing when you fly

2008-07-25T07:57:00.000-05:00

Okay, I am putting it out there: I had (have) 'em. Sometime after that ValuJet Flight 592 took a nose-dive into the Everglades I began having them when I flew. Can't say when exactly. It came to my attention years later, as a matter of fact. I was totally unaware I was having them. I actually had convinced myself that an airplane's cabin pressure took a dip each time a change in altitude occurred, as it so often does. I also convinced myself that I was just hypersensitive to cabin pressure change, and that I should not feel worried if I looked at the other passengers' faces and they didn't seem to feel what I was feeling. So I was able to avoid the whole panic attack issue entirely by making up a scenario that wasn't real. My specialty. My point is that once, on a particularly innocuous flight it was revealed to me by JMB that what I was experiencing was NOT cabin pressure change but rather hyperventilation (in his usual 'talking her down from a bad acid trip' voice he instructed me to breathe into and out of the vomit bag) and I was able to confront my fear (kinda) and act on it. Today I can (mostly) fly without a nerve pill and/or a vodka tonic if I put my mind to it. So on this day in history, you can imagine my interest perking up when I saw the front page of the NYT where a story describes an actual jet that mysteriously developed a gigantic hole in its underbelly, a.k.a. fuselage. And I quote: Passengers described a loud bang and the emergency oxygen masks deploying in the cabin before the plane, a Boeing 747-400, started a controlled descent to a lower altitude and changed course for Manila. “There was a terrific boom and bits of wood and debris just flew forward into” the first class area “and the oxygen masks dropped down," a passenger, Dr. June Kane, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp from Manila. “Just forward of the wing, there’s a gaping hole from the wing to the underbody," she said. "It’s about two meters by four meters and there’s baggage hanging out so you assume that there’s a few bags that may have gone missing...“At approximately 29,000 feet, the crew were forced to conduct an emergency descent after a section of the fuselage separated and resulted in a rapid decompression of the cabin,” the safety agency said. “The crew descended the aircraft to 10,000 feet in accordance with established procedures and diverted the aircraft to Manila where a safe landing was carried out. The aircraft taxied to the terminal unassisted, where the passengers and crew disembarked. There were no reported injuries.” If you get a chance today to view a passenger-made video on CNN.com of said plane's cabin, I would say it probably worth doing. I am astounded at the amount of calm people in the video. I would hazard a guess it may end up on YouTube, should you miss it. Darned if those masks really DO come down! It's a damned miracle.

Mamma Mia!

2008-07-21T15:18:00.000-05:00

Note: It has come to my attention, after watching ABBA, The Biography on the biography channel last night that I misspelled Mama Mia. So I corrected it. Because I can. Because it's my blog. Spirit lifter alert! Go with someone fun to see Mamma Mia!, the movie, quick like. I was lucky enough to be invited by some very fun ladies to see this, yesterday. We belly laughed so much I forgot to think about any aches or pains from sitting in the theater, something I haven't done in well over a year. Fellow theater patrons were singing along with the delightful ABBA tunes, cheering wildly throughout the movie, yes, even dancing in the aisles and on the floor of the theater. It was a matinee, maybe that explains it. Imagine that.

Ready for the flood

2008-07-15T17:41:00.001-05:00

I am ready to hear what Olsen and Louris have made for us, music-wise. The former leading members of the defunct Jayhawks have kissed, made up and have been writing and recording together, purportedly for the release of new work on a cd entitled Ready for the Flood, this September. Precious nineteen-nineties memories those guys can evoke, at the first strike of a chord of any former work. I can affirm this is also true for so many of my tribe, present and former, including kids, sister, friends. Even if I did once hear them over the Musak at the grocery store...sniff. Even if I do know they split over money philosophies. Even if I do not respect the hard work Louris did running the band into the ground after they split. Would it not be so sweet if they showed up at the Americana conference, or started touring this fall? Sweet for mony...

Dog days suspended

2008-07-14T08:34:00.000-05:00

We have had a small reprieve today, high in the mid-eighties with a spectacular 66% humidity! Ahhh. Short but sweet, as the wind will shift to the east by Wednesday bringing back the heat and humidity from the ocean... time for a celebratory ride

On music festivals

2008-07-12T12:22:00.000-05:00

Going to Lollapalooza with JMB on August 1. Wondering about Isle of Wight--anyone have the scooty-poop? (okay, serious inquiry, but I will take all comers, like, you're crazy, or you're going through a mid-life so have your hormones checked...)

Lambshead and Albany

2008-07-09T09:15:00.000-05:00

The visit to west Texas was to introduce my niece O., to Albany, Texas and nearby Lambshead Ranch. Lambshead is an historic ranch formed from the combining of several homesteads through strategic marriages of settlers when Texas was a territory of the United States (a political category which has never ended, one might venture). It has remained with these families uninterrupted since that time. This is my husband's family. He and 250 or so cousins are shareholders of the corporation now guiding the ranch. Lambshead has been a working cattle ranch since its formation, quite a rarity these days. It is situated in Throckmorton and Shackleford counties, and encompasses part of the Clear Fork of the Brazos River along its northern border. Eight years ago some clever baby-boomer family members decided to attempt to recreate the ranch experience they had mid-century. They began a venture called Camp Lambshead to the great delight of many shareholders and a few lucky guests. As the camp is quite hands-on, feet-on, and saddle-on, it was necessary for me to recover from recent health setbacks before I attempted to bring O. along. Which I worked hard to do happily in anticipation of the wonderful payoff. On June 24 my sister and O's dad entrusted her with me. I brought her to Nashville to pack our suitcases for seven days of rough riding, then on June 26 we set out on our adventure via air and car. There was an additional five hour car ride (including grocery and fishing pole stops) to get to our destination, Albany, Texas making our total travel time well over twelve hours. O. was very wise to rest up for the excitement to come! We arrived in Albany just in time to catch the tail-end of the Fort Griffin Fandangle Parade. I hope you take some time to check out the Fort Griffin Fandangle website. The Fandangle is so intertwined with the history and being of the town and its surrounds that you will learn much more about the beauty of the landscape and the residents than I could convey to you. The parade is open to all who want to participate, as is the show itself. Enjoy! After the parade we high-tailed out to Lambshead just in time to catch the real show at sunset. Further reading about Lambshead: Matthews, Sallie Reynolds. Interwoven. University of Texas Press: Austin and London, 1936. Various authors. Interwoven Family Memories. Bright Sky Press, Box 416, Albany, Texas, 76430, 2007. Wilson, Laura. Watt Matthews of Lambshead. The Texas State Historical Association, Austin, Texas, 1989.

WeSt TExaS tALes

2008-07-07T13:07:00.000-05:00

I have been to West Texas and North Florida since June 26. I definitely have some pictures and tales to share after I catch my breath. Thanks to all of you who have been reading and waiting to hear. Soon, amigos. Very soon...

Bonnaroo '09

2008-07-07T12:51:00.000-05:00

Photo courtesy of Anna 'Katie' Goforth Many of you have weighed in of late, telling me you have thought about going to Bonnaroo for years but haven't made the plunge. I will say it isn't for everyone, and there is a lot of expense and planning that goes into having a successful festival, especially for the over-50 set. If you are thinking now that you might want to consider going next year and do not want to be caught by surprise by dates and expenses here are perhaps some helpful pointers: Tickets go on sale around March 1, internet purchase only on the Bonnaroo website. V.I.P. tickets were $1,200 for a pair (this year), and were only sold in pairs. Regular admission was around $250 maximum. Both of those categories were available at least until the end of March which gives most a month of cushion for that part of the expenses. *Note: R.V. passes are extra and must be purchased with the ticket. R.V.'s should be booked no later than December 2008 for the following year, and will cost between $1,500 and $2,500. And that is just the beginning of the expenses entailed with taking an R.V.--hardly worth it in Mony's book. Airfare books quickly. Give yourself two extra days if financially possible. Logistically it's tough to enter and leave the festival with the masses. Airport shuttles to the festival are available but somewhat impractical with all the camping stuff you will need unless you are lucky enough to be meeting a friend who has invested in an R.V. or a tent. You can also pay additional money to stay in one of the local hotel rooms and shuttled over to the festival each day. The Bonnaroo Discussion board on the Bonnaroo website can be helpful but rather hard to negotiate (was ultimately not very helpful for my specific questions). I got much more help by dealing with veterans, although I did enjoy reading many of the discussion threads for their immense entertainment value. All of this being said, if you are still interested in joining the love train of Camp Sick or one of the others mentioned in this blog there is a large possibility you can do it and love it.

Denouement

2008-06-22T12:29:00.000-05:00

Shane and Damon were pulling out of Camp Sick early Monday and there were many very good reasons to bust up the party together. Jean and I arrived in Nashville around 8:30 a.m. and spent the next three hours before she needed to catch her flight repairing the damage and refining our packing list for '09. Sick!!!

Convergent and divergent festivals...

2008-06-22T11:43:00.000-05:00

Happy coffee hour at Camp Flanders-Camp. A Connecticut Bonnaroonie at (erm) morning coffee. There are more stories to tell. I can speak best for Camp Sick but will try to give you some idea of the success of Camp Flanders-Camp and Camp ET & KT. Camp Flanders-Camp and Camp ET & KT were by far better funded than Camp Sick. In its nascent form, Camp Flanders-Camp was envisioned to be a family adventure. It morphed into a once-in-a-lifetime family vacation and celebration of Nathan's graduation with three of his friends, all of whom will be parting soon for their various Northeastern boarding school destinies. It was a big success judging by the frequent smiles on all participants. There were morning strategy sessions at Camp Flanders-Camp that seemed more serious than a Situation Room brainstorming... Photo courtesy of Erol Triplett. Camp ET & KT was situated in a tony area a couple of rows beyond the 'green fence' (the V.I.P. area) in the R.V. camping area. Real estate was a bit more compromised, but the cool vibe (no pun intended) in the camp, and the adjoining neighbors, more than made up for that. I say no pun intended because this camp was also one of the best kept culinary stashes and air conditioned secrets at Bonnaroo. Hospitality was of the utmost importance. Note: The small 8' flatbed trailer on the left, a white plywood box construction was a neighbor to Camp ET & KT from Dixon, TN. This guy built his 'icebox' himself. It was big enough for two and came complete with a small 'window unit' air conditioner, powered by a gas generator positioned on the back of the pickup truck hauling said trailer. If you study the photo carefully you can just make out the ingenious arrangement. His daughter brought her own tent, in the foreground for use when it got too cold in the box. It often did!! Amazing...

Parallel Festivals...

2008-06-22T06:58:00.001-05:00

I have coined the term Parallel Festivals to describe what happens when you confine 80,000 people within 700 acres, while throwing in 150 amazing bands and fifty alternate activities without excluding the myriad pastimes that so many minds can invent from their imaginations, however altered those imaginations are. I could send you to the Bonnaroo website to peruse the photo galleries and the lineup, or Bonnaroo myspace to sample the artists, but you probably have already been there if you are reading this. I shall provide a fave list, but as I am no music critic I may not be able to adequately convey my wonder and delight. There are professionals who are so much more interesting to read, such as the clever David Carr (NYT) whose blog work was done purportedly without pay in order to attend with his wife Jill,with a Press Pass. I cannot say enough about his ability to be everywhere at once and write with humor and insight. That notwithstanding: Eddie Vedder remains a God. My Morning Jacket is on the way up, and definitely on mony's radar. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings can get you shakin' yo' money maker. Alison Kraus and Robert Plant must be twins separated at birth, their voices blend so well. The Nashville Bluegrass Mafia is alive and well, still sputtering bad jokes. Metallica has a real sense of humor and continue to be a very good influence on young males (NOT!!!). Chris Rock rocks. MGMT is the next Bowie. Widespread Panic matures like a fine wine, within their own set. Death Cab for Cutie made mony yawn, as did O.A.R., probably because she is too old to appreciate them. Phil Lesh is the mayor of Bonnaroo. The Racconteurs are dangerous, pure trouble with a capital 'T'. In a very, very good way. Sick!! Orchestra Baobob shall now be featured on mony's lifetime sight list. I shall seek them out whenever possible, and hopefully get to see them half the number of times I got to see the Chieftans. And did I mention that Eddie Vedder is a God? Things I probably didn't need to see: So many abandoned panties. The full-butterfly-body-paint dude who covered his erection with a chartreuse bandanna. (It led to a circuitous, torturous mental argument about whether the bandanna served as a device to provide his audience with a bit of camouflage, or whether the bandanna perpetuated the rather incredible display. ) So much garbage left on the fields after the headliner acts. (Pathetic. Really.) The recycled water gushing at the top of the fountain which turned progressively browner each day. (With many small children led to play in same.) Graffiti on the V.I.P. side of the barrier wall that read 'Fuck Kanye'. (While I may have privately had a few seconds of that sentiment, it just somehow seems irrelevant to make a huge deal about it--like, hey, it's all about me!) Things of interest to Mony, many I just heard about secondhand. Why? Whatever!: The rainbow bridge along the walkway from Tent City where you could see the dealers selling everything from opium to nuggets, Molly to LSD. Why does that comfort me? The more things change, the more they remain the same. Sick!!! Shakedown Street where one could obtain three glass pipes for $10, and Bonnaroo t-shirts for the same. Little inflation on Shakedown Street--the competitive market is alive and well at Bonnaroo!! Those individuals who could pass out on the grass at a show and remain there for hours, oblivious to kicks, prods, shaking, and random objective discussions about whether or not they were breathing. Rain or dawn, rarely in the full sun--that would really be dangerous!) Damon and Shane call them 'carnage'. The Bonnaroo Hug cafe where a wide variety of hugs were on the menu. Karen reported getting a real bear hug from a big burly bear of a young man. Karen is a lady all about the hugs, believe me. Bonnaroo Food Drive and Clean Vibes Trading Post where you could exchange canned goods and recyclables for quality goodies. Damon gets the prize for taking full advantage and scoring some awesome posters. The Bonnaroo Silent Disco where you can either participate or view people with headphones on, listening and dancing to disco tunes. Jean said it was hilarious, and pointed it out to me when it was vacant. I think is is quite a clever idea. Things I was happy to witness: The giant Bob Marley stencil outside the recycle center which read, "You can't run away from yourself". Four dollar beers and lemonade, $5 pizza and $2.50 waters in Centeroo. (By contrast, Jean reports that beers are $6 at ACL.) The mounted posse riding through the campgrounds. Primary mission: to save us from ourselves. Sometimes you could pet the ponies. The Bonnaroo golf cart taxis, $5. Waking up to Radio Bonnaroo, courtesy each morning at 8:00 a.m., of Shane. Bonnaroo Carbon Shredders handing out Seventh Generation Products, such as coffee and toilet paper. The U.S. Postal Service Bonnaroo Station, made of recycled tires, straw, and mud. Photo by Christopher Berkley, New York Times. You would'a got a postcard, but you know how restrictive those Post Office hours can be...

Camp Sick: the beginning...

2008-06-21T09:21:00.000-05:00

The V.I.P. experience was designed to help those who ponied up the price of their firstborn male child to keep from having to mingle, to walk too far, to struggle for personal space and dignity, to remain fed or to remain clean; as a 'bonus' it enabled us to avoid encounters with the 'great unwashed masses' (that dreaded category which eventually included mony, who naturally veers to her mean behavior) at least in theory. I know it allowed us to choose encounters carefully. I'd be lying if I tried to tell you I wasn't informed and complicit in this plan when I purchased the ticket. In fact there was never any doubt in my mind that my enjoyment of the festival would hinge on that decision. That being said, I still was amazed at how smoothly we were segregated and always shocked whenever I was met with the reality of the numbers of people outside the friendly confines. Therefore, for 2009 I will remain a dedicated V.I.P. at least in my mind... Friendly confines they were. Upon minutes of our being gently led into a verdant grassy hilltop (yep, serendipity timed our arrival to get the primo camping spot a hundred yards away from the V.I.P. entrance to the What Stage, or main stage) we met our campmates the Beautiful Karen and her congenial but rather shy husband-- who shall forever go unnamed unless my readership provides me a memory jog. They had landed adjacent to a pile of hay and invited us to pull up to it in any fashion we desired as they had been informed by the parking staff that we got a bonus lot. Our lots measured an incredible 20'x30' to begin with so the addition of this bonus space was tantamount to having a giant backyard for community gathering. We commenced to doing just that immediately. No sooner than I had moved my car three different times, consulting my compass to arrange our bedding and tent opening so our heads met the optimum feng shui position of facing north, we had new neighbors, two handsome young men. In no time at all they had not only set up their complete camp, but as soon as I confessed I could not untangle the bungees with which we had secured our chairs to the top of the Jeep and that I had a tarp underneath the chairs, Shane was on top of the Jeep, had it all unpacked and had strung two sunshades between the cars and tents thus creating our new fortress against heat, sun, rain, and wind. Wow. You should by now have an idea of the establishment of Camp Sick. The name came later, the day after Metallica. But the real beauty was not the obvious physical attributes of the camp, but rather the dynamics of the way our personalities blended. Shane and Damon are from Savannah where they are professional waiters. Which means that Hospitality is their game; they are quite skilled at it. Shane, a self-proclaimed O.C.D. was up at sunrise, had breakfast ready for any comers and his smile was ready before anyone even smelled the coffee. Same for Damon. Within an hour of waking at sunrise they both re-emerged from their tent perfectly groomed with the coolest ensembles I saw all weekend (yep, even beating out body paintees who in reality weren't as cool as I expected). Early rising was not a choice. By ten a.m. the sun was brutally hot and Jean and I established our daily routine of early exploration of the showers and toilets, followed by an extended siesta. Beatin' the heat and storing the energy to stay out all night. It worked for the most part. I will say that in the 100 hours I was on site at Bonnaroo each of us had about 12 hours of complete exhaustion where we retired to our camp and didn't come out to play. Mine occurred on the front end, as I enjoyed the Thursday night shows from the new camp. The siestas were fluid, often interrupted by a spurt of energy and exploration, sometimes shopping but still were a definite part of the daily routine. I really enjoyed the open-air nature of being in the tent side of the V.I.P. area away from the R.V. generator noises. We found that being so close to the What Stage was very good for energy conservation in moving bodily to any of the seven stages, but not so good for getting to bed early. The speakers aimed directly for Camp Sick and as I hate earplugs, I heard a strange hazy mixture of all the music the first night from the comfort of my Princess and the Pea bedding. I heard Jean come in from The Drive By Truckers show (where she went to the front of the crowd near the stage -- she noted she paid for that the next day when she succumbed to her 12 hours of rest from the exertion) and our neighbors come in from their exploration. It was easy to fall into the routine of retiring for good at 3:30 a.m. in hopes of snatching a few cool and quiet hours until the sun rose. Statistics: Mony cold showers 3 hot showers 1 Jean was far more savvy about figuring out the shower thing. Or maybe it was just personal preferences sorting themselves out. Caveat: We got up to speed on a bit of twenty-something lingo. Camp Sick translates to Camp Awesome--insert fist bump here.

Preamble to the summary...

2008-06-18T07:59:00.000-05:00

After six years of lamentation I took the plunge, purchased the $600 ticket for V.I.P. access, found a willing compadre and made the full-out commitment to Bonnaroo. My decision was not without moments of self-doubt and hesitation, even terror. At least once a month after I purchased the pair of tickets in late February, I had what amounted to night screams about what I had done. Didn't help that I encountered looks of incredulity, humour or naked skepticism if I mentioned my plan to most (not all, but most). But as June 10 approached I found that my mood was lighter. When I picked Jean up at the airport and we carefully stowed the hundreds of items that had been assembled in an enormous pile in my basement into the Jeep I can say that my sleeplessness was not caused by apprehension but by giddiness. I had the first night of many four hour sleeps, happily bounding out of bed at 2 a.m. to get on the road and grab a primo campsite. The weekend just flowed from that moment on. I can now safely affirm that I am not too far gone to hang, and that the four days at Bonnaroo , despite the warts and flaws, were the happiest four days I have had in a very long time. In short the good far outweighed the bad and I am poised for a better camp, more music, and an even better Bonnaroo next year. The high is now subsiding and, like any addict I am jonesin' for more! I hope you will suffer me the opportunity to bumble through several posts to try to verbalize what was so vivid 48 hours ago, in an attempt to keep it going... That blue lump in the center of the photo is a couple in sleeping bags waiting for the main gates to open. Here are more from 6:30 a.m.- 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 11 as we approached the double secret V.I.P. entrance during rush hour in Manchester, Tennessee.

Counting down until next year...

2008-06-16T21:44:00.000-05:00

back from the 'Roo, update soon I promise

Woohoo

2008-06-01T15:50:00.001-05:00

Guess what was delivered?¡! Photo by Taylor Crothers 2007

Post Scriptum

2008-05-26T17:15:00.000-05:00

Now you know the rest of the story.

On a more sober note, R.I.P. Six

2008-05-13T12:43:00.000-05:00

Moving from insects to arachnids... in Mony universe we're on death watch. Is my son's 14 year-old tarantula dead, or just molting? I have been fooled before, twice, the fact of which my son reminded me last night when I called to break the news to him. The only advice he could give me was not to do anything about the Last Rites in the Pet Sematary for a few days (I will be going out of town, so that gives her time to do her thing, should she still be alive). Note: This is a Chilean Rose Tarantula which has a life expectancy of twenty to thirty years, a fact of which I was unaware when I agreed to buy her for my son's ninth birthday.

Brood XIV, Nonchalant Magic

2008-05-11T14:22:00.000-05:00

One of the more thrilling aspects of living in Nashville, TN, The South, USA, is the emergence every seventeen years of Magicicada Brood XIV. When the temperature is just right those beautiful babies (those that I haven't accidently disturbed by shovel or trowel) will climb out of the ground, up onto my trees and begin their mating song. It is a beautiful ritual or disturbing, depending on your point of view. My opininion is decidedly pro-cicada!

MDTLC*

2008-05-10T12:39:00.000-05:00

*mothersdaytenderlovingcare I have been spoiled by Em once again!

For the rock scarf in you, gents

2008-05-09T09:35:00.000-05:00

Wanna look like a rock star--for real? All the truly beautiful men I know get their look by being themselves and choosing clothing that compliments their body type and lifestyle. I have always held the belief that wearing clothing that feels right, in other words within one's comfort zone, leads to consistency and authenticity that defines 'personal style'. Some do it with department store purchases, some with boutique clothiers, others at the mall chain store, while still others let the vintage collectors find their treasures. A few of the more adventuresome dress straight from the estate sale, or from shopping while traveling, and most well-styled men I admire combine all sources. Should you not be satisfied with the number of heads you're turning and have a real desire for black, sans skulls and crossbones, you can now buy from Nick Sorum's (Velvet Underground) online Sorum Noce, mother store at L.A. You can satisfy your inner rock star and hope to god you look as good as one of their models... It might be a good substitute source for the ubiquitous suit-vest-on-black-t-shirt should you live too far away from Southern Thrift on Charlotte Avenue, Nashville.

Nashville in the Spring

2008-05-06T07:35:00.001-05:00

Photo copyright Stonehoney Stonehoney said goodbye to Nashville last night, at a raucous show at 3rd and Lindsley. They've moved back to the hills of Hollywood, via Memphis, Wisconsin and Chicago (check their calendar on Stonehoney's myspace). It was fitting, in that twisted Nashville fashion, that their last performance was the best I have seen. I felt privileged to share it with an eclectic gathering of loyal supporters. And of course, that mattered not to the Stonehotties. They sang and played like songbirds, as if they were at the Ryman Auditorium. Probably a testimony to the rigors of the last three months, they seemed pretty happy to be singing ¡adiós! to Nashville, hinting at possible greener pastures in New Orleans and Austin, and their beloved Los Angeles. I can live with that. ...the boys say when're'they gonna give us some room, the girls say god I hope they come back soon...

Shoutin' out to Ronda, Austin style

2008-04-23T15:19:00.000-05:00

For those of you in the know... He was a very good sport about being asked to do this.

She's done it again

2008-04-15T17:06:00.000-05:00

Em has been a stitch'n'bitch, as you can plainly see. She has filled most of her orders she thought she wouldn't get done by June 1. I am taking these prototypes with me to Austin tomorrow. Just in case someone else comes up to me fawning. Branching out of the P.I. business, into marketing and accounting. I don't know if JKS realizes she has someone who doesn't bother to balance her checkbook in charge of the box office at Old Settlers.

Bag big hit in Austin!

2008-03-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

After the tenth compliment, I knew she had to begin marketing them. After the twentieth, I began to ask what it was that people liked. Few knew that this bag is handknit by my daughter, that the process is called fulling, or felting and that the bag is incredibly lightweight, strong, and water-resistant. Some like the shape, some love the color, others like the size (I used it to stow purchases and many of the comments were from clerks). It started when I carried it exclusively everywhere in Austin, and has continued in Nashville. The most frequent comment was that they thought I had a bag made of grass! So Emily, my talented grad student daughter at FSU will be making the bags to order. We're still looking for a price point, and jk suggested $80. We think it is a fair price, but will see how it sells. Custom orders are a possibility (Emily designed this) and she will work with you on colors. Check out the cool snap, which is a feature I love. I am now working on a marketing strategy for my return to Austin in three weeks; suggestions are welcome!

Keeping Austin Weird

2008-03-26T10:46:00.000-05:00

Strange spring fog, from the south bank of Town Lake facing the Congress Street (Bat) Bridge and downtown Austin. Why throw away a stylin' pair of sunglasses if you can rig them with a six-pack wrap? At first I thought she was using a pair of swim goggles to pour beer, but then I had to ask. What a cutie! She said, why throw a way a good pair of sunglasses? From Mother Egan's Irish Pub on Tuesday.

SxSW

2008-03-26T10:38:00.002-05:00

South by Southwest '08 was full-out frenzied fun. I saw some amazing performances, but the big news was more fun with the girls. It was a pleasure to see Stephen Bruton and band at Maria's.

Goin' South

2008-03-09T18:23:00.000-05:00

one of my favorite movies, and my next move the good news: I have just about stopped coughing and wheezing the bad news: my hostess just phoned to let me know she was exposed to the influenza, in close quarters, over the weekend Plan B is now in effect. to do: check the cedar count in Austin pack inhalers and all my drugs

heroes all

2008-03-06T10:25:00.000-06:00

a terrifying story with the best possible outcome my boy was one of those ocean lifeguards John Lloyd was pulled into the rip current soon after entering the water to help father and young son. He was able to take the boy from the father, who felt himself being overwhelmed by the rip current. Soon John Lloyd felt himself being pulled away from shore. He was rescued by Chase after handing the young boy to Stuart. Both Chase and Stuart struggled to save the swimmers in the strong rip current, Chase coughing up seashells and sand after the rescue. After bringing the boy to shore, Stuart re-entered the dangerous rip in a desperate effort to save the father. Unfortunately, the father died of a heart attack later at the hospital.

the primary

2008-03-05T20:25:00.000-06:00

I really don't know many folks in PA. The ones I do know (or are related to), I couldn't probably contact after twenty years to ask them to vote for my candidate. But, hey, if you're out there, and haven't made up your mind...consider that It Might Be Time for a Canine.

Last snow of the winter

2008-03-04T11:12:00.000-06:00

Maggie is hanging with me for a couple of days while her Momma takes a look at Property. We hope it has plenty of windows by our chair, so that we can gaze out. Watching the weather.

Grains per cm

2008-03-04T09:35:00.000-06:00

For the past three weeks the pollen count has been climbing. I knew by the scratchy feeling in my throat, the wheezing. Ridiculous. Today, after a blustery rain it is down to 35 after reaching astronomical proportions last week. One day: 69! Anything above 25 is considered extreme which explains this lingering 'cold' I cannot seem to shake. Such is life in the Southeast where the tall trees and verdant fields are torturing mony. To make matters worse, the cedar is spewing forth in Austin. Blecchh.

Time out

2008-03-01T18:04:00.000-06:00

Taking a couple of weeks to get over Folk Alliance before heading south to Austin. I thought I had escaped the inevitable crud that I usually get after five days of extreme sleep deprivation, but no. It caught up with me on Thursday, like those germs and I had an appointment. I wonder if it is safe to put lettuce in a raised bed, and have the plastic ready for the forecast of snow on Thursday? Wish me well.

Youth and beauty

2008-02-28T13:34:00.000-06:00

What cuties! Rebecca Lovell, mandolin player for The Lovell Sisters with Eric Lee, fiddler for The Stranglings.

Chocolate on Sticky Paper

2008-02-28T13:21:00.000-06:00

A word to the wise mouse: don't mess with JMB's chocolate stash.

Folk Alliance, continued

2008-02-26T22:11:00.001-06:00

Lisa Beth Weber makes the most wonderful handmade graphic products. I always enjoy getting them, and this year, I especially was treated. In case you want to promote a cause, check out her website.

Folk Alliance 2008

2008-02-26T14:40:00.000-06:00

It's tempting just to throw up the images and let them speak for themselves.