Dang winter returned

Swing on. Swing on. Swing on.

Swing until spring comes true.

Swing with me, swing for the year

Swing for the laughter, swing for the tear

Swing with me, its just for today

Maybe tomorrow, 

                the good Lord will take snow away

Brrrr 1

Brrrr 2

Brrrrr 3

Notice a trend? Mother nature gave us the 

cold shoulder.

IBC 2011

We just returned from a fantastic trip to the 2011 International Blues Challenge in Memphis. We went. We saw. We listened. We ate. We ate and listened. Listened and ate, and listened some more. The music was better than ever. Congratulations to The Lionel Young Band for winning first place in the band competition, to The Mary Bridget Davies Group of Kansas City for second place--yeah! Kansas City, and to Rob Blaine for being the outstanding guitarist. Other highlights of the trip include a romantic dinner at Itta Bena, and an afternoon combing through the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

Pat at the judges table, looking bluesishly
officious.

Raphael Tanquilino of the Randy Oxford Band showing off
his Mexico City-style blues guitar rips.

Kate Moss of Blue Bella Records and
sometimes guitarist of Nick Moss and the
Flip Flops firing up her Strat at a jam session.

Nick Schnebelen of Trampled Under Foot at
the "after semifinals jam" at the New Daisy.

Pat in front of the soon to be new office of
the International Blues Foundation in South
Main in Memphis. Ask her about the Michael
P. Maness painting. Pretty Awesome!

The Rum Boogie Cafe, recipient of Pat's life-
time achievement award for best blues club.

There. Is that enough linked information for you?

Big blizzard

Not the biggest snow storm in the history of
COMO, but sometimes victory comes to
number 2, too. 18 inches of snow brought
a stark, quiet morning.

The usual, obligatory picture of our front
porch napping after the snow storm.

A chord and half of wood not too fired-up about winter.

Lucy and Suki got up early this morning to
build a straw patio, make a pitcher of pink
lemonade and finger sandwiches.

The table is set for a marshmallow picnic. 

3.5 hours of old guy grunts, freezing sweat
and 140,000 scoops later, our driveway is
open for sojourners and gift couriers.

Three of my canoes hibernate in the sun, dreaming of
summer and gliding across lakes as great blue herons
squawk and swoop off to the next bays to stand knee deep
in water, patiently waiting for brave fish.