It’s time to move on to Saturday night at Falcon Ridge. Sorry that this has taken me so long. Because of the rain the entire Saturday night set was moved later. I left after Tony Trischka’s set. On the way back to camp I ran into Allison. I knew that her camp, Stupid Americans was planning on a song circle including her husband, Phil Henry. I decided on a win win plan. I walked her back to camp. That let me have a fun conversation, including capybara and porcupines, with a friend I have not spent enough time with, in years. It also let me know where Camp Stupid Americans was. I then planned on going back to our camp, Buddha Pest, changing into warmer clothes, and coming back before main stage was over and the song circle started. When we got there, I found the circle already forming and that it was filled with my friends. I’m going to depend on my memory which is always iffy to recall who was there; Jay & Catherine and Karyn, three fourths of No Fuss and Feathers, the fourth was Carolann who left on Friday, Phil, Aaron, Joe, who was part of our Thursday song circle, and Aimee. There were more there but those are the professional musicians that I’m friends with. Who were the non-musicians, I know there was Mel, was Kathy behind us? I think so. Sorry other friends. If you were behind me, you aren’t part of my mental image. I eventually had to go back to camp to get the warm clothes I had planned on getting before the circle. I came back and missed maybe half a round. The informal music off the stages is the best part of Falcon Ridge. Most of my friends turned in around 1:30 and Mel and I headed back to Buddha Pest.
On Sunday reinforcements to our camp arrived, Emily, her daughter Maggie, Carolyn, her father Jim, and her future mother-in-law whose name I have sadly forgotten. These are usually important parts of my Falcon Ridge Family, but circumstances kept them away until Sunday. I got plenty of hugs from Emily, Maggie, Carolyn, and Jim. I got to ask Carolyn the question I had had since Thursday night. She’s an environmental scientist that specializes in wetlands so she could tell me if the tannin colored waters of a black river count as tea. Joe Jencks had told us about it at the Thursday song circle. It does count! Knowing that Carolyn would know the answer and would be amused by the question sums up why I love Carolyn.
My musical day started with the String Theory workshop with David Jacobs-Strain & Bob Beach, Tony Trischka, and the Faux Paws. I was upset that I had missed David’s main stage set and wasn’t going to miss this. I’ve known him since he came to the Budgiedome when he was 19-years-old. Tony Trischka, I had already seen twice, and I have seen him in the City a few times this year, but his act does not get old. I had never seen the Faux Paws. They were my big discovery of the festival. All three acts are amazing musicians. This is folk music that is not one person with a guitar playing three chords. There is music like that I love as much as anything, but many people can fake that. This workshop was all about the music. I had an extra bonus, the great fiddler Gina Forsythe playing with David & Bob. The finale when they all played together, taking turns doing solos blew me away. That would have been a highlight of any Festival. Afterward I got to catch up with David and Gina and meet one of the Paws. It’s wonderful that so many great musicians are also fun people.
I eventually made my way back to main stage for another highlight, Tracy Grammer. I sat with Carolyn, Emily, and Jim. When Tracy started Gentle Arms of Eden Carolyn gave a streak of delight. That is our unofficial camp theme song. I once again sang along. We stayed for the Faux Paws. Carolyn, Emily, Maggie, and I ran down to the dance area to dance. The dancing might have been for Tracy. This is what Falcon Ridge is about. Here are others dancing to the Faux Paws.
That was it for music at the Festival for me. I wandered around talking to people and headed back to camp where we spent the evening. Fred and I always stay until Monday when we can. We were missing too many people for our usual song circle. We usually have Nick and Betina, aka the Scooches camping with us. It’s great to have professionals as ringers. Come back next year guys!
On Sunday we broke camp and headed home. We didn’t even stop for breakfast though we had coffee. I got home at a reasonable hour to eat. Fred had another hour to drive. As much as I love Falcon Ridge I love coming home too. Dusty the cat was angry at me for leaving her alone and snubbed me for days. Now she’s back to spending as much time with me as possible. I’m a dog person but I have to admit, I love the fact that when I come into the living room, she soon joins me and climbs up on the chair with me. As soon as she’s near she starts purring. My proximity makes her happy. That’s so much what happens at Falcon Ridge. There are all these people that make me happy just by being nearby and even better, there are people that get happy by being with me.
I’m going to try and blog at least every other day until I get back in the swing of things. Sorry have left you alone for so long. Please don’t snub me like Dusty Did.
Wise Madness 