Welcome to one of the most remarkable landscapes on earth
Strangers in a strange land indeed!
Author: DJB
Summer views
From deep in the American West (yes, I’m traveling again), here are some photos and very brief observations from the last two-three weeks that I’ve wanted to post…but haven’t found the time. And I’ll begin with a few pictures from Tom Brown’s Excellent 90th Birthday Adventure. (Or the Tom-Tom Palooza, as coined by my niece Rachel.) A vivid memory from family gatherings from my youth were my uncles Joe, Jimmy, and Paul — along with my Dad — sitting together and watching the children play. Here’s the next generation, although the vice has turned from cigars and pipes (everyone but my father smoked) to beer. Here two of my nieces, their husbands, my brother-in-law Mark, and Candice join me in relaxing by the pool. And now for something completely different. We celebrated the start of the new (fiscal) year at work with that great Southern tradition — seersucker. Unfortunately, not too many folks at the National Trust own any seersucker (at least not any that they would be caught dead in out in public), so …
Red Wing III: A Quick Look Back
After 12 hours of music on Saturday at a sold-out Red Wing Roots Music Festival in Natural Chimneys Park, I’m going to let the photos speak for Day Two of the festival, with only a few quick observations thrown in along the way. Scott Miller is a terrific songwriter and a good performer with a great sense of humor. Is There Room on the Cross for Me? was only one of a number of smartly written songs in his set. Fiddler Rayna Gellert was also a find. Check them out. I liked Missy Raines and the New Hip better when they were all acoustic. The electric guitarist was good, but her music lost some of its subtlety and just became more noise. That said, she’s still a terrific bass player out flexing her chops and trying new things…and that’s all good. I’m not sure who booked Nikki Lane for a prime 6 p.m. slot on the main stage, but to my ear a little of her honky tonking trash from Nashville went a long way. …
Red Wing III: This is becoming a habit
The inaugural Red Wing Roots Music Festival in beautiful Natural Chimneys Park held out a great deal of promise as The Steel Wheels pulled together friends and musical heroes for a wonderful three days of music in 2013. So I returned last year for Red Wing II, and found that the festival had grown and built on that promise. Naturally, Candice and I returned this weekend for the third annual Red Wing festival with our friends Margaret and Oakley Pearson from Staunton. This is becoming a habit. The signs of the festival’s growth and increasing popularity are everywhere, beginning with the size of the crowd. Then the line-up gets stronger, as bands and musicians learn about this wonderful, small (compared to Merlefest and Telluride), and welcoming festival with knowledgeable fans. (Folks in the Shenandoah Valley know their music.) Candice and I were late arriving (don’t ask…part of it had to do with sitting still on I-66 for 20+ minutes), so we missed the first band I was hoping to hear – Mandolin Orange. I enjoyed …
It’s a Wonderful Life – A special #91 for Tom Brown’s 90th birthday
My nephew Kelsey adds a special reason – #91 – to honor my father.
It’s a Wonderful Life (For Tom Brown on his 90th birthday)
My father is celebrating his 90th birthday on Sunday, July 5th, and the night before fireworks will be set off in his honor all across America! Daddy told me recently he didn’t think he would live past 73. So while he may not be a very good prognosticator, he still has much to recommend him. That got me to thinking, and in the spirit of my 60 Lessons from 60 Years, I’ve pulled together 90 things about the wonderful life of Tom Brown on the occasion of his 90th birthday. Just like George Bailey in the movie of the same name, life for so many people would be much the poorer if Tom Brown had not lived these 90 years (and counting!). These are all true, even if they aren’t all factual. If you have others you would like to add, please list them in the comments section below. (And thanks to Candice, Claire, and Andrew for their contributions to this list. Besides being a pretty terrific dad, he’s an amazing grandfather and father-in-law.) 1. …
God works in mysterious ways
We’ve all heard the saying, “God Works in Mysterious Ways.” A tired trope, right? Not in the hands of President Obama, who gave it fresh and meaningful power in his moving eulogy for the Rev. Clementa Pinckney of Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston. And not in light of the events of the last seven days. “God Works in Mysterious Ways” was just one of literally dozens of memorable phrases and comments that arose during this most remarkable of weeks. Our part of the world cracked open a door to examine some of its deepest wounds and also saw change for millions who have been denied life’s basic liberties and access to a safe and civil society. While that change is far from complete, let’s take the time to observe (in this next installment of Observations from Home) just what took place over the last seven days since I wrote about the horrific murders at Mother Emanuel. A Powerful Reflection on Grace For almost forty minutes in Charleston, Barack Obama reflected on race and the meaning …
Observations from home: The Mother Emanuel edition
The horrific murders during the Wednesday evening Bible study of nine members of the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, have rarely left my mind over the past few days. I have talked about it with colleagues who live in the city, prayed for the victims and their families during a conference on the legacy of African-American Rosenwald Schools, read dozens of articles and commentaries, and had long conversations over the family dinner table — all to try to make sense out of the senseless. To take another step in that process, I’m adding to my “Observations from home” series with this collection of unrelated observations and thoughts which all revolve around the many issues raised by this racist rampage. Bible Study — Those of us who grew up in the 20th century South in the evangelical tradition understand the nature of a weekday gathering to study scripture. The regulars are the spiritual seekers and mentors who take their faith very seriously. When I heard that the shootings had taken place at the weekday …
Observations from Home (The June Weekend Edition)
I was at Nationals Park on Saturday, enjoying a sunny, summer day; appreciating the Nat’s celebration of the anniversary of D-Day; and joining in the banter of friends – new and long-time – that can only come when you have 3+ hours to sit and chat between pitches. One of those friends opined that a bad day at the ballpark (the Nats lost) is still better than almost any other day. So count that as the first observation in a series of unrelated thoughts in this “June Weekend” edition of Observations From Home. As noted before, you can take them or leave them. Remembering D-Day – Saturday was June 6th, and a series of WWII veterans – many who saw action at Normandy in June of 1944 – were honored at the ballpark and helped throw out the first pitch. I’ve written about these heroes before – including one who lives next door – but it is becoming very clear that we have only a few more years before this generation passes on to its …
Happy graduation day, Andrew
Andrew has been singing professionally since he was 8 years old. So fourteen years later, it comes as no surprise that as we celebrate his graduation from Brown University, the weekend has been filled with his music. (Editor’s Note: This is the second of two posts about the commencement weekends as the twins graduated from college. I treat my blog like the 21st century version of letter writing, in that I can write one item and it can go out to family and friends everywhere. These blog posts are all about family. If you don’t want to read about how wonderful my children are – then stop reading. Note…you’ve been warned!) Candice, Claire, and I arrived home on Tuesday from Claire’s graduation just in time to fall into bed, get up the next morning to run errands and wash clothes, and then pile into the car on Thursday to drive to Providence to be with Andrew. As one friend said, “You all must be approaching exhaustion, but what a lovely way to get there . …
MORE TO COME... 