Cracks in the Finish

A late summer, early morning at the Ranch. Departure day for the boys.

Photo by Jorma Kaukonen

I guess on some level I realized that if I stayed alive long enough I would get older. Yeah, I get it. That’s really a no-brainer. What never really occurred to as I was walking that road was that I would feel older. All of a sudden I am that man, inhabiting that skin traveling that highway that is a one way road. (Don’t ...
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Sitting peacefully on our back porch in Southeast Ohio drinking coffee in our insulated world. Another year has passed and it is 9/11 again.

Our daughter was not even born yet. My son was pushing four.

They have no memory of this event.

But we do… and we shall never forget.

Honor those lost… honor those we continue to lose…

Support the survivors!

Labor Day 2023

Monday, September 4, 2023

Where did the Summer of ’23 go? It seems like only yesterday it was late June and another endless summer was in the offing. It’s been a pretty long time since the ‘endless summer’ concept rattled around in my brain but hope still seems to spring eternal. It’s been a good time in Vanessa’s and my lives and we’ve been blessed with a good year. Our daughter Izze graduated high school, is taking a ...
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Steve Patterson, John Hurlbut, Jorma Kaukonen and Connie Patterson

Photo by Vanessa Kaukonen

We’ve got a mayor’s election coming here in Athens, Ohio and Vanessa lined up John Hurlbut and myself to provide a little musical interlude at a fund raiser for Steve Patterson the current mayor. The event was held at the Little Fish Brewing Company and it was a perfect place for the gathering. Steve has done a great job for Athens in his previous terms and he more ...
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Mid August and as beautiful as it is here in Southeast Ohio the wisps of summer’s end are already dancing in the air. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, ‘Life’s like a roll of toilet paper. The closer to the end you get, the faster it goes.’ Our daughter Izze has graduated, has an apartment and a job and awaits college… or perhaps college is awaiting her. My son Zach came to visit for a week ...
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Photo by Vanessa Kaukonen

In the spirit of ‘Where does the time go?’ another milestone passes for our daughter Izze! Indeed, she is now seventeen. It seems like only yesterday I was waiting breathlessly for her to come down the slide at the playground.

This is time as it should be.

Happy Birthday sweetheart!

Sarah Rodriguez

October 23, 1978- June 24, 2023

Family is a strange sometimes indefinable thing and yet without it we are tragically alone. For all practical purposes I have no immediate family. That’s just the way it is and it’s water under the bridge. When I married Vanessa all of a sudden I found myself a part of a large and incredibly dynamic family group. Being in the orbit of the Gagnés has made me feel that indeed I ...
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Selfie by Vanessa Kaukonen

We love our animals, of course. Over the years we have been blessed with many four footed companions. Zammy, the cat in Vanessa’s arms has been gone for a while. Blackie, the big guy in mine just left us today. Blackie taught us so much about love. He first surfaced as a feral cat intimidating the other cats at the Fur Peace Ranch and eating their food. We kept trying to shoo him away but he ...
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Photo by Anonymous Waitperson

Father’s Day with the Family. How good does it have to get. I am usually on the road. Holidays such as Father’s Day is usually celebrated with FaceTime at best and the phone at second best. To actually be with the gang on such an occasion… Priceless!

That was Sunday… Saturday night was a gig at the Loft. Another cool gig in ...
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Photo by Ginger Gagné (unretouched)

Sunrise in Southeast Ohio…

It looks pretty, but the sun looking like this first thing in the morning is not good news for any of us. Hopefully this acrid smoke will dissipate or go elsewhere in the near future, but… I’m literally not holding my breath, although I probably should be.

More will be revealed…