4 days later, and I'm still carrying a bit of Falcon Ridge with me. Here are some of the hilights/lessons learned:
1. Arriving in the daylight (as I did this year) is FAR superior to arriving after 9 PM and pitching a tent in the dark (as I did last year).
2. There is NOTHING better than sitting around laughing and catching up with old friends. Somehow, though the other 2 members of our camp also live in MA, Al and I only manage to see them at FRFF. They are wickedly funny.
3. *Always* wear disposable shoes at FRFF. You never know when you're going to have to navigate gushing streams of mud. My FR flipflops were tossed as we packed up camp on Sunday.
4. Falcon Ridge always holds musical gems that you don't expect. This year, I discovered Dan Bern (hilarious), TaxiChain (very cool) and was introduced to Shawn Colvin's folky side.
5. A Friday Night Song Swap that includes Susan Werner, Christine Lavin and Cheryl Wheeler WILL make you laugh til it hurts.
6. Old favorites never fail to amaze you at FR. There's just a magic about it all. Crooked Still, Tracy Grammer and the Nields put together some of the best sets and workshops I've ever attended.
7. *Never* complain about the sun and the heat. It will come back to bite you in the ass.
8. Embrace the rain--as long as your tent stays dry and the music plays on, how bad can it really be? Muddy, rain soaked hillsides can come in handy and save property and lives.
9. When you are evacuated from your tent at 3 AM due to fire, grab a blanket. Otherwise, you will freeze for 3 hours in the damp, muddy cold. (How many times can the word "mud" be used in one blog entry anyway?)
10. Less than 48 hours is *plenty* of time to establish wonderful friendships that continue to grow. Big Yellow reunions rock and I can't wait for October.
11. Sometimes, you just have to put on clean, dry clothes and pretend that mud isn't caked all over your ankles, feet and legs. It's the only way to get some sleep.
12. Emergency cookies and apples taste better at 4:30 AM than cookies and apples have ever tasted before.
13. As you drive away from the farm--exhausted, filthy, drained and sunburned--you can't help but ask "How many days til Falcon Ridge '07?"
Big Yellow friends, how did we manage to NOT take a photo of the 6 of us together?
3 comments:
I'm looking forward to that pic, A. Where can I find Shawn's webboard?
That is such an awesome shot of the Nields sisters, K!!
well kris, i have two thoughts:
1. i loved hearing about you guys at falconridge
2. the mud did it for me. i think i'm too old to fully enjoy the festival without complaining.
oh well. i still loved hearing about it and seeing your fantastic pictures.
:) kj
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