Smors and the moon... perfect
We had a great family cookout and then a campfire with smors… not too hot… not too cold. Perfect way to appreciate the coming of Fall.
County girl with her Samsung Galaxie, waiting to go skating
Izze conned me into going skating with her again… well, I didn’t need too much conning. I just need to heed my body’s warnings about what I can and can’t do on blades anymore. That said… it is still really all good.
The old man... and the frozen sea (apologies to Hemingway)
Friday came, and it was Shabbat Shalom at the Hillel in Athens.
Loved this passage
It was my first time back at services this Fall, and to be back with the community was a blessing indeed. After services, Nessa and Izze and I stopped off at the Court Street Diner for dinner. Love this place… and the senior citizen discount. It used to be 20%. They cut it down to 10% but if you get there before 0900, you qualify for the Early Bird Special which adds another 10%. Just sayin’.
Last night we watched The Hornets Nest about one of our elite units in Afghanistan. This is a must see, in my opinion.Today we all went to the 2014 Pawpaw Festival at Lake Snowden. This is my second year at the Pawpaw Festival and a good time was had by all.
Yeah, they had snakes.
The first thing we saw, were snakes. Now I’m not really a snake person, but this was pretty cool… from a safe distance.
The totem pole
There was a sacred fire circle… totemic sculptures… all good stuff.
The girls go shopping
who would have thought tye die would be an enduring industry?
A we were getting ready to leave, I saw bunch of stilts at the Haulin’ Hoof Farm booth. Just seeing stilts brought me back to when I was a kid… not even a teenager. My Mother was born on a tobacco farm in East Windsor, Connecticut. It was still in operation when I was young. We drove up there one summer and I got to spend a couple of days ‘working’ on the farm. After the harvested the tobacco, they speared the stalks with a lathe and when the lathes were full, they hung them in the barn to cure. The spearing was too dangerous for an inept city kid like me, but the hangers walked on stilts to hang the full lathes at various levels in the barn. My Grandfather Ben, taught me how to walk on the stilts. ‘Pull up with your hands, push down with your feet.’ And so it was.
I bought a pair… messed around a little and…
And so… over 60 years later, here I am.
It's like riding a bike...
Check out the Haulin’ Hoof Farm website. www.haulinhooffarm.com.
Onward…
Hi again,
you seem to have a vital Life.
I hope I will get the same, or rather I should plan to get it..
I used to play icehockey and in rock bands when I was Young, long time ago. Today I walk out to my Little Music room in the garage, grab the bass or guitar and just play for relax and joy. I also skated a Little bit when my daughter was younger and interested.
I Think your story with Music Life and speed skating is Amazing. Friends where still confused about your FBK t-shirt on Hoppkorv sleeve, so I wrote the story on Facebook.
And the day After I Went to a car dealer to look for a new car. The sales guys name was Jouni Kaukonen. Nice name I told him. “Aah, you mean the guy in Jefferson.. We are not related, my ancestors came from Russia (Karelia), and a Town called Kaukonen”. Well, you may be wrong there, I said.- You are probably related. Jorma wrote about russian roots, and all people with name probably have their roots in the towm Kaukonen..
Cheers!
@Jorma
Sorty for very slow conversation. I didn’t know that you have answered.
I know Stromsund and Jamtland. What I understand they had a skating college there at that time.
I am getting curious about your skating interest.
I mean you were in the middle of a music career and just checked out from music a couple of winters to do speed skating.
That shows how much you loved it I assume.
We always thought you were finnish and naturally interested in winter sports. Now I have learned that you were born i the US and I think lived in California.
How come you got interested i speed skating?
Dud you compete also when you were in Sweden?
Regards,
Per
Yeah Per… Dad’s family came over from Finland in the late 1800’s… Mom’s from Russia… same time. I’m a second generation American. Born in Washington D.C. I’ve lived in Southeast Ohio for 26 years. Never quit music, but loved speed skating. was active for about a decade… competed infrequently on club level. Tried skating again a couple of years ago when my young daughter was into it… still could do it but the thought of falling at 70 plus years old didn’t do much for me. Had to let it go, but I still love it. Guitars, kids, music, teaching, touring and motorcycles still keep me pretty busy.
Dear Jorma, just a question, related to rinks and skating.
On the album cover of Hoppkorv, you are wearing a t-shirt which to me seem to have club logo of my home town ishockey team FBK in Karlstad Sweden.
Is that right?
And in case why? Do you have any connection to ishockey and that team?
Regards,
Per
You would be right Per… I spent a number of winters in Stromsund… Jamtland… you know where that is. It was in the mid 70’s. I had lots of Swedish friends who speed skated. We used to love to trade T-shirts. (Some played hockey too.)
Jorma
@eaglesteve
Can I please know why you are offering condolences?
Please accept my condolence.
tye dyed will not fade away as long as hot tuna and the grateful dead is played and remembered – now and for decades to come…
hmmm…….Run Around
Hornet’s Nest……….HooYah!’nuf said.
That certainly is a beautiful passage, and, for me anyway, this is a time of year that encourages reflection.
On behalf of your many admirers and well wishers who have observed your adventurous and creative spirit, I’d like to ask that if you decide to try stilt-skating you wear the appropriate personal protective equipment. Thanks in advance!
““If you play simple on this, you’ll get hired; if you play like Jack, you’ll get fired.” There are many ways to skin the cat.”
This is such good stuff. Thanks for pointing it out, Tom.
At a Dead show I was at in the early 70’s we were treated to Uncle Sam roaming the aisles on what had to be at least 5 foot stilts. It was pretty great.
Here’s the second part of the wonderful Jim Clash interview with Jack:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimclash/2014/09/12/bassist-jack-casady-interview-part-2-woodstock-jefferson-airplane-jorma-kaukonen/
“We’ve never had band meetings. It’s not necessary to stake out territory, defend it and increase market share. I know what Jorma’s good at and vice versa. We don’t need to shuffle those cards like some bands to have one person dominate. I don’t need any kind of command position because I’m not the guy singing and playing lead guitar. I work within the songs playing my bass. And I thank my lucky stars that the Hot Tuna partnership with Jorma is still there. We work hard to keep it intact.”
I love to see that smile on your face Jorma!
Blessings
Jorma, you running around on a pair of speed skates – makes it easy to see that the 70’s is definitely the new 60’s. You and Jack run around like 2 kids!
Jorma, years ago Rolling Stone (I think)had a photograph of you and Jack speed skating in Finland (I think). Tried to find it a few months back but was unsuccessful.