Scenes from Falcon Ridge '09

Dave Chalfant, Katryna and Natalya Zuckerman who played guitar with us on our mainstage set.


Tom, Elle and Jay


Sierra Sumpf, Big Yellow writer holding her excellent new CD



Nerissa and Dan Navarro




Evidence of the weather on my boot.




Our kids were big fans of the henna tattoo tent.



My mother and Jay.


Jim Henry and Tracy Grammer at the Heart and Soul workshop.




Kris McCue, who took most of the above photos. I love her.

"Crazy Love Vol 2" is on the system in this internet cafe in the Adirondacks where I'm typing right now. Did I mention that the high point of Falcon Ridge was the Paul Simon workshop? And in particular dancing with Susan Werner to "That Was Your Mother."

On my drive in to town, on my iPod came that Cat Stevens song "On the Road To Find Out," which sounds like the beginning of his spiritual quest which culminated with his conversion to Islam. Then, when I walked in to buy my coffee, "Hard Headed Woman" was playing. How weird is that? So I suppose I might say a few words about musicians who are compelled to be seekers.

I'm on vacation with my family. When I get around my family I wish I weren't a spiritual seeker. It's not fun. I resent the fact that I want to go deep all the time. I want to be an easy person and I don't feel easy all the time, especially when I have to deal with all the annoying mind-tangles that crop up when one is wrestling with one's essential sense of self as often happens when one gets around one's family of origin. Then I get into this, "I'm on vacation, why can't I relax" thing.

The only thing I have found to help with this is a rigorous gratitude practice and and equally rigorous practice of laughing at myself.

Jay is learning to walk. He took 18 steps in a row on Sunday night, and since then he's gotten more conservative. 18 steps forward, 3 steps back, or something like that. We are all learning to some extent.