Summer Wanes

The end of summer in Reno's World usually means The Hokey Open, the Wheatland Festival, the end of summer golf league and back to school/work. For me personally, no more back to school but it is for Mary and Callie. It still is strange not getting hyped for the new school year but I honestly do not miss the "dread" of Mondays and going back. Callie has moved out again up near WMU campus so we are back to the "empty nester" life, at least to a degree.

A fairly busy summer it has been with lots of fun and new places visited. Marty, Dave L., Mark H., and myself all put forth a solid effort in making the Hokey Open happen again this year. We had 75 players and a gorgeous day and it seemed like we all had a good time-keeping the memory of Buster, Billy, Rob, and Jimmy alive out on Mullenhurst's green fairways.

Wheatland Music Festival started out dry and beautiful on Friday but the rain became a game changer on Saturday as it rained for the first time I can remember during the day when acts were playing. The thousands coped, adapted and we were all drying out by Sunday morning when the sun returned. It was another weekend full of friends and families, music, good food and the arts.

This year was the first time we did the entry line on Friday morning as we caravan-ed with the Claflin clans troupe. It was a 6:00 am start, 2 hr. drive, drinking bloody marys in line, and just hanging out in the sunny morning weather. We were in through the gates at around noon and Sister Suze and Lilly got there just ahead of us and were holding a spot but spots were filling up fast. We held one for "Wheaties", Faith and Ken and squeezed them in for their first "Happy Wheatland" experience.

Musical highlights for me were Celtic band, Slide Ireland, Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women (with Cindy Cashdollar who was the bomb on steel-slide guitars), Dave Alvin-Joel Maebus duo, Deliah DeWilde on main stage and dance pavilion this year, Seth and May, Red Sea Pedestrians, and as I sat solo in the steady rain with my umbrella bopping at Main Stage with a few other hearty souls listening to the Jeff and Vida Band from Nashville.

Even Susan's Palamazoo show had to deal with the rain on Saturday but it went on and we had a fun time with those young and old who were there. Mary even led a um(brella dance line through the crowd to the musical grooves put out by Susan, Dana and the friends of Palamazoo.

The sunny Sunday morning gospel "church" as we call it is always inspiring with Rachel Davis' Amazing Grace putting the finishing Amen on it and kicking off Sunday's performances.This year definitely had a Kalamazoo-Michigan feel to it with all the local performers which was fun to see.

Mary and I as always enjoyed our time with Sue and Lilly. We became Lilly's horsies and she kept our hooves cleaned all weekend back at the campground. Even though I seem to be out-numbered at Camp Estrogen every year I did have neighbors Tim and Rob to run to when I felt the need to getaway;) Mikey D. and Mick's visits are appreciated as well. There is always a lot of prep time for this annual event and it is over too fast but still a memorable and shared experience full of appreciation for peaceful and creative expressions.

Between seeing all that creativity and recently reading Roseanne Cash's book, Composed which spoke a lot about the artistic voice and that energy within us and giving that expression amidst a world that at times seems like we have little to control, I look toward to finishing up my memoir about my early caddying days in Detroit, continue musical collaborations with Clone Studios and coming up with new song and book material. Enjoy the last of summer and cope with the changes as they float and fall into our lives.