Music 2014

I have been realizing that the last few months have been great for playing bluegrass and fiddle music.  It started with the New Years Jam at the White Tanks Park with members of the Arizona Bluegrass Association.  This was followed by a bluegrass jam and fish fry at the KC Hall in Glendale in early January.  It was fun to get acquainted with musicians from the Valley of the Sun.

We attendee Midwinter Festival in Denver in February, and got to jam with Mike Metzger, Brian Peel, Warrie Means, Robin Smith, Jack, etc.  I also jammed with Larry E. whom I had met in Arizona.  Mike and Brian were in North Platte in April for the festival at the fairgrounds. 

I wrote a new fiddle tune in May, and named it Kelly Reel after my friend Jay Kelly. In May we were in Atkinson and I got to play some tunes with Jay.  Jay was also at Springview for the Kenaston Jamboree where we played some great tunes with Vanessa Kenaston, Sharon Kenaston and Roger Kenaston. The bluegrass set on the stage at the jamboree was a real highlight.

We were in Omaha in June, and got to spend an evening visiting and playing with our old pals Jenni Wallace and Kathy and Jim Wood who still perform as Rivertown String Band.

The Black Hills Festival was in June, and I played with Mike Martin, the Merchant family, Rod Long, and Dan Seelye.  I wrote a new tune called Hollis Was Here while in the Black Hills.

In July I spent a couple of evenings with Warrie Means playing fiddle tunes.  Great fun!

Tom and Marilyn Bryan had a jam on in July, and I got to play with Stan and Tom.

We took a trip north in July and spent time fiddling with Kelly Wells. We also had a jam with her friends in Cody. We continued on to the Big Horn Mountain Festival and played with the McGehee family, Reid Buckley, Fred Buckley, Warrie Means Will MacLean, Jacob Means, etc.   I played guitar with Vern Billingsley on fiddle.  I first met Vern in the 1970s at the Ainsworth Festival in Nebraska.  A highlight of this festival was writing a new tune called Under the Cottonwoods, and then getting to immediately play it with Suzanne McGehee on old time banjo.

We continued on to Neligh, Nebraska for a reunion with my old band Sweet Corn.  John Wells, Jerry Schrader, Gloria Christiansen and I performed at the Ida County Fair in Ida Grove, Iowa.  The concert was arranged by Eric Wells, son of John and grandson of Jerry.  Great to see everyone and know that we could still sound pretty good!

At the end of July my Laramie fiddle band performed at Woods Landing Dance Hall.  Cedar and Flint performers that night were Hollis Marriott, Julia Obert, Pete Ellsworth, Liza Millett, Tom Bryan, Dave Mullens and me.

It was great fun to play some fiddle/banjo with Al Kalbfleisch We spent an afternoon with Al and Mary on the way to state fiddle.

The Wyoming State Fiddle Contest is in Douglas at the State Fair.   Kelly Wells and I got first in Twin Fiddle, and Kelly won the State Contest.  

Bill McKay and I played on Monday nights all summer at the Vee Bar Guest Ranch.  It is fun to provide live music for the guests on the wagon ride and at the steak fry.

Over the years I have learned from every one of the people mentioned above. It was great to play with people I have known for 40 years and with people that are pretty new to me.  What a wonderful musical adventure!

Wyoming State Fiddle Contest

The Wyoming State Fiddle Contest is held on the first weekend of the State Fair in Douglas Wyoming. The fairgrounds are located along the banks of the North Platte river which was running pretty full and fast for the time of year. 

We camped for free our first night at Douglas city park riverside. No hookups but free showers and a pretty view.

The next morning Dave and I walked a paved path along the river listening to the many birds in the lush shrubbery on the riverbank. Chokecherry and possibly buffalo berry plus another red berry that I had no name for were ripe so we scattered lots of birds as we passed. The path ended after about a mile and a half where benches overlooked the the river and a nice breeze cooled us off on this warm morning. 

While we were sitting there a pair of lazuli buntings flew by as did goldfinches, a bald eagle, western kingbirds and several vultures. What a great morning!

Douglas has the Jackalope as it's mascot, mythical or not. The bridge over the Platte was adorned with them.

We moved camp over to the fair campground and for only $25 a night we had full hookups and free but spotty wi-fi. By the time we left, the campground was teeming with huge fifth wheel trailers, some motor coaches, many bumper pull trailers and gigantic horse trailers with full living spaces for the well-heeled horse owner, their family plus the family dog or two. 

I watched some horse events and sheepdog trials and tramped around the fair while Dave was competing at the fiddle contest. We both had a good time.

The State Fair people were great to provide a good venue, lunch for the fiddlers both days plus trophies and cash prizes. After holding this contest in Shoshoni WY for years and years on Memorial Day weekend, the fiddle association seems to feel they have found a home again. 

Jamming happened on Saturday evening. 

Here Dave and Warrie are playing a tune as Celeste Johnson looks on. 

Laverne Billingsley playing fiddle, Dick Lefevre and Steve Martin listening.

Kelly Wells, the 2014 WY State Fiddle Champion, smiles as Dave and Warrie Means take off on another tune. Dave and Kelly took first place in twin fiddle and Dave and Warrie placed third in the no holds barred competition. Dave has a third place trophy in the state division. Warrie was named "favorite accompanist" for the contest.

We had a lovely drive home on I25 south of Douglas to Wheatland and through Sybille Canyon home to Laramie. The Wyoming landscape of high prairie and Laramie range looks as good as we have seen it in years, still green this late in summer. A hint of fall to come in the ripening cornfields near Wheatland and the prairie hay and alfalfa being baled all along the way.

Luci is again parked in her spot in front of our house and she eagerly awaits her new toilet seat cover lovingly made by Aunt Sandy.

All I can say is Wow!

On the way to the State Fair.....

We drove to Casper to see Al and Mary Kalbfleisch. The morning was sunny with a hint of fall in the air in Laramie. Shirley Basin was wide open but two spots of road work slowed us down a bit. 
The sun was beating down as we parked the Luci in front of The Kalbfleisch's home.
We were welcomed with open arms and hugs and happy hand clasps. It had been a long while since Dave and Al had shared tunes.
Al had Dave's latest tune "Under the Cottonwoods" worked out on his fancy open backed, custom made banjo. They played several tunes while Mary and I had a nice visit. 
They could have played all afternoon but Mary was getting tired so we said goodbye and headed to Douglas.
Here is Al and Dave playing "Shove the Pigs Foot a Little Farther into the Fire". 

http://youtu.be/0E0CIewljxY

Home again after 16 days

Luci's next berth was at Pawnee Lake State recreation area. We had a level paved surface with a concrete path to a nice round picnic table and electric hookup. The site was located on a hill above the lake with shade from mature trees and screened a bit by lilac shrubs. Just below us was a horseshoe pit with a bench for seating. Up the hill was a restroom/shower building. There was plenty of hot water with good force and plastic matting on the floor of the shower. Nice plantings with flowers and benches for seating surrounded the shower building.

We were able to see the family in Lincoln and the parents at Legacy Estates. It was great to see them even for a brief visit. 

Indian cuisine at the Oven in the Haymarket with Matt, Jennifer, Katie and Daniel is always a treat for us. We stayed the night at their house since the weather was beastly hot and humid. I was able to get my huge sack of laundry done and still have time to visit.

We visited Dave's dad Ernie and Bonnie in their nice apartment and took Ernie to a doctor visit and another small errand before having dinner with them at Legacy. The food service staff had a table reserved with red cloth and china. We ordered off the menu and had a lovely meal with chocolate cake for dessert. 

A final visit to our kids and grand kids on the way back to the park. Happy Birthday to Katie and Daniel!

Back at Pawnee Lake, the temperature had moderated and we were able to sit outside and enjoy the remainder of the evening watching fireflies.

Up and away by 8:30 the next morning and we were home by early evening. Ross had hot Italian sausages with peppers and onions for us for dinner. Happy campers home again.

Sac City; McKee relatives; Barn Quilts

Sac City IA, a beautiful town of approx. 2500, is the home of Milo and Sally Lines. Sally is Dave's cousin on the McKee side. Their daughters and granddaughter also live in Sac City. Milo and Sally invited her sister Christy and husband "Tyke" Nyberg to visit while we were in Iowa so we had a cousin reunion. 

Luci was stationed at Riverside Park which had level pads, electricity and water, a clean restroom and shower house and lovely shade along the Raccoon River.

The camping area is part of the Sac County Fairgrounds and this beautiful Chautauqua building located in the park continues to be used for many events. 

Sac City is located on rolling hills above the river. Downtown buildings and many elegant, large Victorian style homes along the Main Street attest to its prosperity. A new library, hospital and clinic, swimming pool/water park and early childhood education center point to the pride that current citizens take in their community. Sally and Milo Lines being instrumental movers and shakers in this town are encouraging their girls to continue to push for a better community.

Sunday dinner at the Lines residence was a blast from our past as everyone gathered around the linen covered, china clad table for a delicious meal. Fresh sweet corn was on the menu. 

I took a video of all present http://youtu.be/-4Zv2RuxLHo 

I have a few still photos of the clan.

Sally and me at the lake house with Christy inside the screened porch.

      Milo and Tyke visiting by the lake.

Milo retired from the pharmacy business and Sally from nursing so they took up the next logical business to keep their hands busy. Now they are popcorn tycoons and Sac City has the worlds largest popcorn ball as a result. They own Noble Popcorn and produce Cedar Creek brand flavored popcorn in their ever expanding facility right there in town. Daughter Rhonda runs day to day operations but Milo and most all the Lines family lends a hand when needed. Here are some photos.

Product, process and production are described by Milo. Then on to their (his?) latest adventure.

The Scoop ice cream and soda fountain houses Milo's collection of pharmacy and Coca-Cola memorabilia.

The Scoop is open afternoon and evening for treats and birthday parties, coffee and conversation. Christy, Tyke, Sally, Milo, Dave and I enjoyed some great ice cream and conversation Sunday afternoon. 

Milo had some interesting paintings of barns in his Scoops office. We had noticed square quilt block looking decorations at the fairgrounds and now learn that this art project extends throughout the county and state.

 A map of Sac County with locations for 58 barn quilts.

 More info can be found at www.barnquilts.com.  

The project is sponsored by Iowa State as a 4H life skills project to promote tourism and restoration of old barns and corn cribs. Sac City resident Amy Peyton authored a book, Barn Quilts of Sac County, with proceeds going to Iowas 4H Foundation. The barn quilts are on a 4'X4'  or 8'X8' platform and are usually chosen and painted by the farm family. The local power company is engaged to attach the paintings to the barn. 

Here are some photos we took of the barn quilts at the Sac County fairgrounds.

We were quite taken with this project and looked closely for barn quilts as we left this nifty town and traveled south and east through Iowa on our way to Nebraska to see our kids, grand kids and our parents in Lincoln.

Tall Corn: Sweet Corn band in Iowa

Lush cornfields and soybeans march across the country on the drive from Antelope County in Nebraska to Ida County Iowa. The only difference we could see was that a lot of Nebraska agriculture is irrigated and the Iowa fields were not. 

                           Nebraska cornfield

                                     Iowa cornfield

We cross the mighty Missouri River at Decatur, NE over a former toll bridge, now showing its age.

Ida Grove IA is a farming town but also has manufacturing. We saw a nice golf course within the city limits and used wi-fi at the beautiful modern library. 

Although there is a campground in town, we chose to camp at Moorehead Park, a historical park with exhibits, an educational center, miles of trails (paved and unpaved) a fishing pond complete with resident swan, picnic shelters and a kids playground.

    Ida Grove grain bins as seen from the Moorehead Park road

                              Rough camping in a beautiful location

                               Solitary swan

On to the fairgrounds the next morning. Beautiful weather and green grass. Eric and April Wells and friends are setting up the performance area. Benches and lawn chairs for the audience along with food concessions and a wine tasting tent. Everyone shows up and brings along friends and relatives and music happens!

                         Eric Wells in charge. Sound check time.

Sweet Corn does a another great performance. Our relatives from Sac City, IA and Groton, SD are on hand to see and hear cousin Dave play banjo. After the show, Dave and I and Luci follow them to Sac City where we will spend some time visiting.

We are not sure when, if ever, the Sweet Corn band will play again. But this was fun and they still sound great.

Riverside Park, Neligh NE; Old friends and Sweet Corn

On this leg of our trip we leave Hwy 20 for Hwy 275 going east in Nebraska to Neligh.

Dave and I and our two little boys ( 2 years and 5 years) moved to Neligh in 1975 from Stromsburg, NE. Dave was the new band teacher at the high school. We lived here for only four years but made some lasting friendships. In 1975 Dave became a member of a bluegrass/country band that endures to this day. Jerry Schrader playing bass and singing any part needed,Gloria Christiansen playing guitar and vocal lead, and John Wells also on guitar and vocals. Sweet Corn was the name the band chose and who doesn't love sweet corn?

A young Dave Brinkman and even younger John Wells playing some tunes back in the day.

We parked Luci in the shade at Riverside Park. Electricity and water, a picnic table, showers and free wi-fi for $13 a night. 

Pretty soon friends show up for a visit and an airstream tour and even our Atkinson friends stop to play a tune with Dave.

Joyce and Jay Kelly from Atkinson. Dave wrote a tune he named "Kelly Reel" that he and Jay spent time learning to play together.

Sweet Corn practiced two evenings in preparation for a performance at the Ida County Fair in Iowa.

The second evening, Gloria and husband Brian hosted a pot luck for Sweet Corn and spouses and friends.

Gloria and Jerry

Don and Carolyn Weinman

Jim and Roxanne McNally

 Jerry and Bev Schrader

Our stay in Neligh finished, we packed up and again headed east. This leg of our trip is from Neligh to Ida Grove Iowa.