Monday, August 22, 2011

A Heart-Wrenching Goodbye

In the 1950s, my grandparents bought a beautiful ocean-front house in Saltaire on Fire Island, NY. 8 years ago, we sold it but with a provision that allowed us to rent it back for two weeks each August... for 8 years. So today is my last day in my family house, the end of an era that spans my entire lifetime (and practically all of my father's) and connected me to a grandmother I never had the privilege of meeting as well as family, friends and experiences that have shaped me in every possible way. I am full of gratitude for the years I've had here, flooded with memories I know will forever remain some of my fondest and, although I'm sure I will be back out to visit, feeling like I'm saying a heart-wrenching goodbye.

Late afternoon view from the upper deck:


Placard honoring my grandmother at the Fire Island lighthouse:

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Festival Livin'

Although this now seems shocking to me, before this summer I had never been to an outdoor music festival. The reasoning behind that sad fact (festi-fail?) escapes me, but it has since been remedied, first with Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in Oak Hill, NY from July 13th-17th and then with RockyGrass Bluegrass Festival in Lyons, CO from July 28th-31st. My version of heaven just might be a cold beer in the hot sun, friends and a bluegrass jam. It's safe to say that I am absolutely hooked.

There are no accolades too high for the beauty of enjoying festivals with friends, old and new, and, in the case of RockyGrass, family too. From the hot sun to the cold beers, the sweaty and energetic dancing to the chilled and rambling rivers that abutted both festivals, the free-flowing whiskey that filled the cool evening air with warmth, the on-stage performances to the impromptu jams that lasted until sunrise, there was almost too much to enjoy and the perfect company with whom to enjoy it.

I'm hoping to make it to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco, especially since my plans are leading me more and more towards at least a short stay in Berkeley. Either way, I will keep my silly festival hat at the ready!

I have a few more short days in Colorado before heading out to the beach in New York, I will post pictures and updates from my time here soon!

Our 3(ish) AM departure from Boston to Grey Fox - I was squished into a tiny little space in the backseat:

Grey Fox stylin':

Friends watching at the main stage at Grey Fox:

My friend Eric and I off to the main stage at RockyGrass from our campsite:

Morning in our shade tent at RockyGrass:

My Boston roommate, Celia, and her kickass female bluegrass band, Della Mae, at RockyGrass:

Me and my momma:

The Del McCoury Band killing it at RockyGrass:

Tubing on the St. Vrain at RockyGrass: