Wow, it's been a spell since I've written here: Here is my latest tour, taken July 28-August 22, 2006-from Seattle through ID, MT, UT, CO, WY. Like the last route, but so different...
read on:
My longest solo music performance tour -3 1/2 weeks, with PA in tow. 19 shows...Musical bootcamp begins! Oh, this tour was the first ever booked for me, mostly not by me...a dream of mine for so long!! My good pal Stacey Board helped me out. Yay Stacey!!

Friday, July 28:
Hit the early morning road, bound for Hope, ID (north of Sandpoint). It was a long, hot 6 hr drive. 99 f! I jumped into Lake Pend Oreille the minute I landed. ahh...like swimming through liquid emeralds! Very refreshing. Went to find my venue, Ice House Pizzeria and Bakery. Lovely, bohemian place, and really nice folks. Anna, Becky, Ken and Tanya are some of Bear's employees that took great care of me and surely made my first day on the road a happy omen for the rest. the gig was amazing. Overlooking the lake from high above, I tried to keep my mind on the music as I stared at the glistening water and mountains beyond. Very appreciative crowd, and I told them they'd set the bar pretty high for the audiences to come! i can't wait to return. I had a yummy pizza afterwards, which sounded weird, but was great:
peperoncini, pineapple, mushrooms, marinara, smoked chicken and spinach!
Ken made it special for me. bid my farewells and crawled into bed in a deep sleep, in a lovely tireinsulated log/adobe/stucco home.

July 29 am Played a nice sunny, breezy farmer's market in Sandpoint, before hitting the road to another gig that night in Missoula!! A glorious road (hwy 200), much more scenic, and faster than I-90. The gig in Missoula was great, nice folks and great dinner. Stayed in a funny campground/square dance center!?!, complete with wardrobe shop (picture manicans with scary eyes (sp?) in gingham and ruffles galore!) and a shiny, big wood floor I wished I could slide across in sock feet!
July 30 Off down the road towards Sandy, Ut. A day off of playing, but 8 hours on the road! (now you know thy I'm just getting to this blog!)
Had a nice walk in the hills the next day, on a horse trail, complete with horse "pucky"! At one point, I was eating one of my trail bars, and it looked oddly similar...eeuww. So, that night had a little coffeehouse gig in Sandy. nice ma named Floyd was the best feature, that and Galena showing up, who'd recently moved from Seattle to UT! Nice to see a familiar smiling face! And she bought some of my ligths to adorn her new place!

Aug 1 Got up and hit the early road to Durango, CO, stopping along the way at Arches Natl Park. Ooh, the light there was unearthlyand some big ass rocks, man! Beautiful colors, oh where is my burnt sienna pastel palette!?
Lots of dramatic clouds, a rainbow, downpour, and hot sun experienced, all in the 2 hours I was there! Arrived at Durango and had the night off. Ahhh...stayed in an aerie-esque home, beautiful place. Housed with one of my lights merchants. Google theres no place like home, inc. in Durango. Deborah and Michael were sweet to host me, and Carl, their good dog, too! Thank you!!

August 2 Had a nice relaxed morning and then headed into town for a 2 hr training walk along the Animas river. Did I mention Im training to walk the Portland Marathon? Yep, this Fall. So I have to keep it up, even on the road. Actually, its been a great balance for me. All the long days in the car start with a walk, and Ive learned not to do too long of one before a show, especially in the altitudes here.
That eve, off to Dolores CO. Played at the Dolores River Brewery, the hip hub of town which draws all the outdoorsy types, who love their microbrew. I watched the beer-maker, Mark, in hoppy action as I crooned away on the back patio. A man from the local radio station came up after my first set and told me hed been spinning my cds and came to hear me live. Nice. Very fun, great stage, decorated with colorful, sparkly lights, surrounded by hops trellis growing overhead. Kids and dogs running about, and folks sitting at tables and some at big rock slabs, which surely must have kept their food warm from the warmth of the day(at least thats what my chef head was thinking as I pondered it while playing.) They had a nice menu, but the specialty seems to be the pizza. Had a fabulous vegie pizza and salad, which I took back to my wee cottage 20 miles away, just outside Mancos. My friend Lauries mom Peggy opened this haven 14 years ago, and has been growing it ever since! Her sweet hubby Lee does a lot too to run the sprawling eden. They call it a b & b, but its so much more. The place is lovely. A main house, plus several tiny, beautifully appointed cabins on 60 acres, with trails, trees, rocks, a tiny hike- around-lake, and beautiful alpine flowers everywhere! I highly recommend this place. Go check it out: Willowtail Springs
Oh! I used my first ever-solar powered composting outhouse that night before bed. Quite fancy, and not one iota of stinky!(This may be TMI, but I sat with the door open, looking out at the midnight sky, full of stars and petite moon on high. The best dang pee-view I ever had!!)

August 3 Had a lovely breakfast en plein aire, then took a mini walk around the grounds before hitting the road. Stopped in to the Mancos town bakery for road lunch-sandwich/salad combo, and one of their over-the-top coconut macaroons, dipped in chocolate!! Oh my! Must try duplicating this when I get home! Secrets in the baking almost to burnt point, which crispens it ever so divinely and brings the sugars to the frontand a really finely grated coconutnot to mention the amazing dark chocolate foot it was resting on. Oi, salivating begins. On to Crested Butte. A long but gorgeous drive through Dallas Divide. Checked in at the local hostel, where I had a dorm room, but all to myselfrock and roll! Plus, the place was likely the cleanest, well run hostel Ive stayed in to date. Played my gig at the Princess Wine Bar in town, a high end, nice place, with a little store connected, which now carries my lights! The audience were quite pleasant and seemed to dig my tunes. A funny first for me: The bartenders beau came in and had some kinda takeout and I said into the mic jokingly, you have to share that with all of us! to which the bartender proceeds to insist I try one of her.tuna roll sushi with wasabi!! Yow! Anyway, the gig was great, even tho I needed ice water to clear out my burning palate to play the next song! Met some nice folks from Seattle too! Crawled off to bed after a late night check in with my homeboy.

August 4: Got up. Took a nice stroll of the town. So gorgeous, the mountains surrounding this place, in every direction.
I can only imagine how the place looks in winter, covered in a heavy blanket of white.
After a nice breakfast and cleanup, checked out and drove 30 miles down to Gunnison, where Id be playing that night at Brick Cellar, a martini/wine bar.
Arrived in time to get my tent set up and take a power nap. An afternoon drizzle started, but it was cozy and dry in my tent, and drifted off to sleep.
A note for females, touring and otherwise: I am laying here with girlie cramps as I write thisand this laptop resting on my tummy makes an excellent heating pad! (still, now is when I long for my own bed)
Great room, the Brick Cellar. A tad noisy with revelers, but all in all a good show of happy folks. Rain subsided by the time I finished the show, and I cozied back to my tent for a silent, star filled nights sleep.

August 5: Closed up the tent, and took in the local farmers market, where I picked up a bottle of Colorado Cherry Wine and some marinated asparagus. Back up to Crested Butte for a free day. Pretty low key, feeling the first weeks exhaustion, and feeling my age! I took a hike in the hills, while dealing a little with the altitude. Late afternoon a massive downpour began, and I thought of the poor vendors in the elements! Decided this would be a good eve to take in a movie (A Prairie Home Companion, GREAT!) which I love doing on tour, so decadent! Then, roosted with other artists in a condo at Mt Crested Butte, provided by the Fest. Nice. I can only imagine this place in winter, not that it was a sleepy town now! Must come back. Skiers, check it out!

August 6: Got up to gorgeous sunshine, again! Went down to the local public radio (KBUT) to introduce myself and give them a copy of my cd. Love the small towniness and welcome of this place. Later, heard my music and show plugged on the waves. http://www.visitcrestedbutte.com/businesspage.cfm?businessid=271

11am on the main stage for the fest, and what a nice turnout to the fair. Seems the rain didnt deter anyone, or they wanted to beat the afternoon shower! Had another show down in Gunnison later, but stuck around long enough to catch a really great kids magician, Mysto the Maji, and another musician, John Alan Brown, who played a full drum kit (barefoot!) as he plucked away at his electric guitar!! Blues man, extroidinaire! He's worth catching if you can. Website:
Next, down for the last time to Gunnison, where I was the closing concert of a Sunday Free Concert in the Park! Well, a little drizzly, but that did not keep away the hardy souls who just zipped their anoraks a little tighter. The kids were great, running around and dancing. All seemed to enjoy the show, and I loved the cool of the air, after all the hot days Id experienced thus far. Had my frist comparison to Ferron. so far mostly I get Sarah McLachlan, Ani, Jewel, Norah etc. It's all good!

August 7-11: Off to the front range! Really welcoming the change, and surprisingly, the road. Getting a day to myself, even if its on a long drive, is important to this introverted lass. Another glorious route to get there, and I keep trying to memorize the things I want to take into pastel. I was lucky enough to be connected with a nice man, Alan, who would house me for the next 4 days, AND host me for a wonderful house concert. We'd been connected through a cousin of a friend in Seattle, who knew I was looking for a place to land, and it was such a gift to have this happen!! and such a bonus all the nice folks I net as a result. Thank you Kim, Ben, Alan! This was between Boulder and Fort Collins, in an amazing little farm community called Hygiene. Naturally I thought everyone was saying hello when they said the name...heh heh...yeah, I know, Im a dork-deal! Had a pretty low-key time that first eve, very hot into the eve, so spent some time in the screened in porch room. Perfect. Next morning, took another of my training walks. This time, 3 hours in 97 f heat, little shade, and my feet are STILL barking at me about it! I had good shoes/wicking socks etc., but I think the pavement actually burned through my shoes to blister me good (at least that's Bills theory.) Anyway, I'm walking along, about the 1 ½ hr turn around point, starting to feel the squishy inflammations forming, and called my Seattle walk partner for long distance moral support. me: How the hell am I going to do a marathon if 10 miles gets me so in a twist?! she: I keep thinking the same thing. Oh well, at least I felt less alone with it and on I go. The good thing was noticing that I wasn't really fazed by the length of workout, just the heat (and my feet), and that recovery time was very quick, so that is encouraging. This was the day before my house concert, so I lounged around the following morning, then had a wonderful KRFC www.krfcfm.com lunchtime interview with Shannon Holbrooks. It was a great, relaxed time, and I got to play live for an hour! Came home, made a couple of my grannys peach cream pies to contribute to the house concert, then pulled out my pastels for the first time on this trip. This homestay was right next to a beautiful horse ranch, so I took the stallion yearlings as my first subjects, just to warm up my fingers. The piece turned out looking a little cave painting-esque, and felt really good to get the chalk into my fingers again! Had a nice late afternoon rest, and the concert attendees began to arrive. I love this format of performance, and truly feel at home, pardon the pun, in this style of show. It was half housewarming party and half concert, and I got to meet some great folks. Met a couple who had just relocated from Sweden to Boulder, and were "in the clouds"- not from the altitude! People who discover this place seem to stay, or make it happen one day. Alan is a case of this. A geologist from Pullman, who spent a sabatical year here 2 years ago, then recently relocated here for good. Happy to be here for sure, as he continues his new pursuit, a private winery soil consulting business. See his website here: www.vinitas.net Very cool man and generous to this wandering musician! The next night I performed at Avogadros Number, a wonderful, long running venue in Fort Collins, and very nice folks there, staff and patrons alike! I played on a really cool, big open tent covered patio, with great sound, run by the illustrious owner, Rob. Was a huge bonus thinking I was going to have to haul my own PA in, then not having to, plus having GREAT sound man!!! The eve was opened by a singer songwriter named Matt Langlois, who goes by "the welcome matt". He's from the bay area, and we plan to connect there on my next tour. Check him out: www.welcomemattmusic.com

Aug 11: Sad to leave this place, the farm and the horses, kitties -Guy and Suzy, and Alan, his love Hilary, and all my other new pals too! I feel certain our paths will cross again, and that always makes it easier to leave a place.
Headed for Laramie, WY, and Coal Creek Coffeehouse. It is odd to drive north through a town, and see the road turn into a colorful, wide open hwy, then cross a state line minutes later, all at 75 mph! I love Wyoming!! The town was great too. Upon arrival, I met up with Melissa, who was part owner of the café, and truly a new kindred spirit. She is a very progressive chef in this quiet smalltown, and runs her place with the utmost in world reaching ethics, using only organic goods, where she is directly in touch with the growers, assuring all are taken care of. And to get the chance to talk food was a bonus -my other passion worn on my sleeve. We took a walk into town, over this really cool railway overpass, over the railroad tracks, trains zooming beneath us, wind whipping, and the Wyoming sky made it magical to me. I immediately loved this place. (this too makes it easier to leave another place) Met the town mayor, also her biz partner in the coffeehouse. Jodi, very nice woman. I played the gig at the coffeehouse, then we sat around in her cozy shotgun house, and hung out back with a little campfire and wonderfully landscaped rockery/garden/living space. Her partner Joel, created this space, along with her great plantings to enhance it. Millions of hollyhocks!! Made me miss my own garden.

August 12: Alas, back south down the road to Denver gig. All I wanted to do was explore this place, but good thing is, even though it makes no sense from a road perspective, Id be heading back the next day after the gig, before truly heading north. Took a detour on the way to visit an abbey, in the middle of nowhere, nesteld among the red rocks. Lovely, peaceful place, with "habited" nuns running the place. They seem to have a good thing going here, and were very accomodting to us that wanted to tour their haven!
The Denver gig was okay, no posters put up that I'd sent ahead, which always sucks, but the folks that did show up, seemed happy to have landed here. A local couple, Shawn and Morgan, housed me that night in Denver. They are lovors of great, diverse music, and Shawn made me some great road music. Thanks Shawn!! I also got to meet their children:
3 chinchillas, a hedgehog and a cute little marsupial, called a sugarglider. They are mad for these animals and it was a treat to see them.

August 13: Went to the Denver Botanical garden, for a little flora dose. Lovely, diverse gardens, and nice water lilies etc, Japanese garden, and more. I left there and drove north again through Ft Collins, where I picked up some groceries at the local Whole Foods, to contribute to the feast that Melissa and I would prepare that eve. Funny to buy groceries in another state for dinner! I loved the dose of home, being amid gorgeous produce and over the top decadence-they don't call it whole paycheck for nothing-dangerou$ place! The eve was mellow, and her pals Katie, Joel and Andy and I had a nice repast in the back garden. It was a lazy Sunday eve, so Melissa and I decided to watch a movie. Even though she has such foodie classics as "Like Water for Chocolate" and "Babette's Feast," we've both seem those a million times, so "Muriel's Wedding" won out! A blast from the ABBA past!! Id forgotten how bittersweet it is, very Mike Leigh-ish in its dark humor.

August 14: Off to Jackson Hole, WY! Had a nice little breakfast and walk, then headed for the western part of this gorgeous rugged state. 7 hrs on the road today. A little restless, so I pulled out my serious road arsenal...David Sedaris books on CD!!! yay!! Bizarre to be driving through the desert, laughing hysterically, but a lifesaver. This one was "dress your family in corduroy and denim" and hits home, being as I'm one of 7 kids. Different dysfunctions, but there all the same! Arrived at my little motel, "Wagon Wheel Village", which was a great, clean place. Although it's a motel, the feeling in each room is that you're in a seperate log cabin. I felt so dazed by the road, that I veged, napped and watched tv all eve. Very decadent.
August 15 Took a walk around town, very touristy til you get off the main street. Think Leavenworth, but western motif. Nice, but not when you're not up for $600 cowboy boots and shiny carved wood moose art. Looked around the shops as potentials for a new lights merchant, and none took interest in my lights, so I had a little coffee, breakfast and headed out. I got about 5 miles out of town, saw the National Museum of Wildlife Art off on the hillside, and decided to stop and see. Ended up being there 2 hours -ending with the gift shop, which now proudly carries my lights and my jewelry!!! see em here: http://www.jeanmann.com/lights.htm and http://www.jeanmann.com/jewely.htm Who knew this is where I'd find another home for my wares? Great eclectic stuff here. And after all this, I mention I am really just on the road doing my music tour thing, they asked where I was from originally, and I mentioned Bellingham, WA, and the buyer had been born and raised there til age 17!!! We had a great delight over that! Love the smallishness of the world when this happens. she moved to WY at 20 and never looked back. I am beginning to see the appeal...

jean's "cross the west" tour April 13-29, 2005

Wednesday, Apr 13
My new tour rig (2004 Toyota Corolla S) is packed to the rafters, so it must be time to hit the road! This tour starts off solo, then turns into a duo tour when bill corral joins me in Colorado, for the first tour of our new side project, "bohemian blue"...giddy up!

Took off in the sunshine, always a good omen for a road trip! The road was kind, no slowdowns, and 4 1/2 hours later, landed in the beatiful wine country of Walla Walla for the night at my pals, Barb and Jason. Had a nice walk around Whitman campus- eclectic sculpture collection and spring blossoms everywhere, then dinner and off to early bed for...

Thursday, April 14
7am WAKE UP! Had a phone-in radio interview with Susanne Millsaps at Salt Lake City's own community radio, KRCL. Froggy voice aside, it went well, even with the dog barking in the background on Barb's back stoop! It got me headed down the road at a good hour. Favorite view of the day was the glorious NE Oregon leg. Sunny skies and tall trees all the way. 5 hours later, arrived at my next destination, Boise, ID in good time. Spent the eve swapping music and tour ditties with my new friend, Niccole Bayley, a great songwriter! and her partner Mo. Back-to-back episodes of "King of the hill" rounded our the night of fun! Thanks groovy gals! One fun fact: Niccole livese i a neighborhood called warm springs. there is a springs runnign beneath all the houses in the area, and noone pays for heating. It all comes through pipes below the street! Cool! er, hot!

Friday, Apr 15
Tax day for many, roadtrip to Salt Lake City, UT for me! First, took a wonderful trail walk at Table Mountain Park with Niccole and her big puppy "Osa", then ready to get back on the road. Saw the most expansive and beautiful mountains all the way, inspiring for sure! Landed 5 1/2 hours later at my next homestay, to meet the lovely Stacey Board, another new friend and wonderful, seasoned songstress. My first gig of the tour was at Sugarbeats, a nice listening room connected between a coffeehouse and a record store. Perfect! A woman introduced herself, letting me know she was there as a direct result of hearing my early morning interview the day before! Thanks Christine! Good set, and a great kickoff to the tour.

Saturday, April 16
marathon travel day...well, longer than the last three anyway! 81/2 hours to Denver, CO!! But am I complaining? Some of the most out loud amazing views I've ever experienced. Often making it hard to concentrate on the road! Maybe that's just the "rocky mountain high" I've heard of. Never been here before, and I am stunned by the beauty. Got to my next home stay and host of the Sunday morning Unitarian church service gig. Had a nice burrito dinner and walk in the park to a wonderful Martin Luther King monument, and ready for early!! bed! Which was good, as the next gig is in the morning...

Sunday, Apr 17
7:45am, off to First Universalist Church of Denver, after an early morning stroll around the neighborhood. It was a great experience to play in this setting, acoustically and from a listening perspective, and my music was very well received. Afterwards, I met a woman who had lived in Bellingham, my home town, and went to Sehome, my highschool, and even started singing our school song!!! (then it turned out she'd only lived there 1 YEAR!! how she remembered this song I am boggled, but it was a bizarre blast from the past!)I had another (Sunday afternoon!) gig to get to up north in Fort Collins. 1 hr north. Bill had already flown in, so we gleefully reunited, and I got a little rest in a local park before getting set for the next gig, my last solo of the tour "3 j's songwriter in the round" show! (3 j's refers to jean mann, jennifer friedman and judith avers.)
Sorry bill, no boys allowed! He helped with setting up and sound fine-tuning, then we gals did a diversely textured 2+ hour show of tune swapping. Jennifer has a very "Joni" thing going on with a sensitive political bent and judith is a powerhouse writer and vocalist! more to come...back to the road!!!

Tues, May 4!
Okay, here it is, end of the tour, and I had a total of one day on the roadtrip with access to the internet...(they don't even know what wi fi means out there...isn't that funny!?) but seriously, I didn't miss stepping away from the "office" for a while, the cell phone etc...
So, rather than try and recreate every day of the trip, I'll finish this in a general observations/special experiences kinda way...

Overall, the maiden voyage in the touring toyota was a great success. The car felt roomy enough, even with BOTH our stuff (operative word being STUFFed), the shows were lovely, met appreciative audiences, new friends made...favorite show was in Lander, WY, at the Global Cafe, where Cheryl and Ed have created a wonderful foodie/musical haven for themselves and the locals of like mind. (read: BLUE in a RED state) Great stage and sound, and tasty food, and surrounded by red rock canyons that stun the senses...

Over the course of the tour, drove through beautiful canyons and over 15 mountain passes, (highest was Vail at 10722 ft!!) I can't describe the lightheadedness, hitting me throughout the trip in the form of elation and exhaustion! (and Bill playing the melodica was a little lung-challenged too!) We crossed the Continental Divide 8 times...and scenic farmland/mountain views I cannot begin to describe! Horse ranches for miles. Tons of black cattle...looking like velvet poppyseeds dotting the land.

The trip to Taos, NM was spectacular. After a rainy day in Denver/Boulder, we took off under brilliant sunny skies, 70's-80's temps, and made our way through gorgeous farmlands, quiet backroads and mountain passes...well, turns out we made a wrong turn and didn't actually NEED to cross these 2!! passes, but it was beautiful, and I took full advantage and walked barefoot in the snow, because I must!
Drove into Taos, NM via Alamosa and Questa, and over the gorge to our destination, my old pal Lee's house! She hosted us for a house concert in her amazing adobe-constructed haven. This was a most relaxing few days, as we got to stay in one town a spell...While in Taos, Bill had a 20 minute "lesson" in the art of cowboy hat fitting, by a real live cowboy...I believe he used the term "dad-gumb good lookin'"!
By the way, they have some funny pronunciations in these parts: Town of Pueblo, CO is pronounced: "pee-ehblo" and Cache la Poudre, CO which LOOKS like a lovely french name, is pronounced "pooder" all according to Bill...freaky! Harshes my french language sensibilities!

Weather was the most variety-filled of one trip I've ever experienced! Packed tank tops, shorts and flippie flops to heavy warm coats, rain gear and sweaters, and used it all! Forgot sunglasses and had to get some in CO, doh! The most dramatic day was getting sunburned on the same day that it hailed "golfball-sized" hailstones in the same town! (Ft Collins CO, Bill's homeboy town) Widest temperature range for one day was while driving north from Ft Collins to Saratoga, WY. 61 f down to 24 f as we drove over Cameron Pass (where I posed in the snow in my new cowboy hat, and ate snow, delicious!). We had bets as to how low the temp would drop. I won!! Among other road games was the 'road kill' game, in which one must correctly IDENTIFY the flat things seen ON the road...disgusting! We amended it to include 'potential road kill', that is, critters that were attempting to cross the road. I won this game too...18-17! Not a pretty game!

Drove to Saratoga, WY where Bill had spoken of a hotsprings he used to frequent in his younger days. Wow...what a place. A real hotsprings with a pool structure built around it, and showers etc, and sandy floor and bubbling hotspots...incredible once I got used to the heat! I can see the draw. Very relaxing. Bill told me of his yesteryear 30-40 mile river float trips on homemade rafts with the boys, and how they'd end up at Saratoga hotsprings for a soak. That's some Huck Fin livin'!

Had a good practice and finished a new song, "blue skies" before we hit the road towards our 2 last shows. As I mentioned, Lander and it's citizens were delightful toward us...perhaps due in part to the nice Lander Journal article that preceeded our arrival (see reviews page). It had been sunny when we arrived, but upon leaving the next morning, we saw the tiny beginnings of snowfall, which quickly turned into a full on blizzard!! Got a snow scraper and a map to alter our original route (AROUND instead of through Yellowstone!) Stopped for a late breakfast in Dubois, WY, and by the time we got back to it, the car was covered in a thick snow blanket!!
Bill was driving, and the car did fine, even with my white knuckled palpitations!!
Eventually, we got through the slush and made our way through real cowboy country where I saw my first workin' cowboy, (who looked freezing by the way, and wasn't wearing a cowboy hat, but a baseball cap, pointed out by Bill!) to our next overnight, Helena, MT. This had been our longest day on the road...12 hours from port to port, fortunately, no show to play here! In true murphy's law fashion, we were very tired, and upon crawling to our slumber, discovered that the bar was directly below our room, and the thumping disco beat was as if it were IN the room!! I called and begged them to turn the bass down..."Oh sure, the bar closes at 2am" great...but they did turn it down a bit, or I slipped into sleep anyway, dreaming of snow, cowboy ranches, trees and mountains...all set to a lovely 80's beat of course...

Off to Spokane and our last road show! But first, Missoula!! Stopped in for a little respite at Bernice's Bakery, as suggested by our friend and former Montanaite, Jenn Adams! We shared carrot cake (YUMMY!) as we took in the mellow air of the place...OH! And I introduced my lights to a store, where they bought the samples and ordered 12 more strands! Yay! (sometimes I feel like a travelin' saleswoman I tell ya! Hey, whatever pays for the chocolate I say!) Anyway, we both agreed that this is a great town with a great vibe, and worth coming back! Drove over the skinny part of Idaho, by the beautiful Lake Coeur D'Alene, and the sun was again sparkling on it, reminding me of how I craved seeing moving water in this high desert area of much of the trip. Arrived in Spokane, ready for our show at The Shop. Best guys in the world run this place. Jason, Mark and Bob and Ben too. I've spoken about them on past tours. Had a good show and they sent us home the next day with a mini cooler, dry ice and 5!!! pints of their homemade Brain Freeze Creamery ice cream, their new wholesale venture. (and 2 spoons!) Mmmmmmm...lucky us.
We took the highway 2 route home, a very lovely route I had never traversed before, and Bill proceeded to shame me the whole way about this fact, and my neglect of this WA gem! It was really gorgeous. A last dose of seeing really vast farmlands, wheat and such, and orchards of peaches and nectarines, which I will visit again later in the summer to fill my freezer! Ahhh, home again, always the best night of sleep to be back in my little perch. But the road beckons, and I think that is a good sign...til the next time, tata!

jean's Back to California tour January 14-23, 2005!
Happily traveling with a laptop this time, provided by my hi-tech tour angel, to keep me up to date as it all happens!

Friday, Jan 14
Started the trip out with an early morn flight to Oakland, snoozing a tad, then awoke to the passenger in front of me saying, “I’m a doctor” to the stewardess, who promptly took her up on lending a hand with a man who was having breathing issues...It must have been a scary time for the man, doc and staff, but she aided the situation with much calm. When she eventually returned to her seat, I commended her efforts. She seemed to shrug it off, but I was moved by her actions.
Got into Marin in my little rental car with nary a problem, sunny and warm. Relaxed for the afternoon, and that eve, headed into SF, excited for my first gig of the tour.
Dolores Café show was great! Shelley Doty started out the eve in fine form. One of my favorite old cover tunes, Harpo's blues (Phoebe Snow), she covered with aplomb, then joined me on a couple of my tunes, ”the dance” and “two birds”* It was a heavenly gig! Drove away from the venue under a most stunning quarter-moon, perched sideways (like a smile) on top of the hillside above San Francisco. Seems like a good omen for the trip…
*stay tuned for this cool song on the next album!!

Saturday, Jan 15
Today was a dream. Got up, fog never really lifted, (from the sky or my head!) I took a long walk into town and back on a twisty back road. I was reading a book during my walk, something I love to do when the setting is right…quiet, birdies chirping, no cars, perfect. “The Sterile Cuckoo” I had never read it, only seen the film back in the day…really well written. To think it was John Nichols first novel, written at age 23! Afterwards, had a nice long afternoon nap to ready myself for the gig ahead.
In the eve, I drove 5 minutes to my next gig in Sausalito, a house concert. Hosted by Drew Pearce, a friend of my pal kym tuvim, and writer for Acoustic Guitar magazine, and held at the home of his pal, Tina. The house was complete with 2 dogs, who roamed the room and stage throughout the event!! I love the kind of atmosphere that only house concerts can provide!
What a memorable night…show began at 8pm and lasted til 1am!! The peeps kept demanding more music!! so we had to deliver! It was great. My brother Hunter came, and our old hometown friend Wendy J, who celebrated her birthday by coming out for the show!
The eve started with an open mike, in which some of the audience performed (some really talented folks around these parts!), then we 3 headliners (me + local singer songwriters Andrew DuBrock and Mike Gibbons) took the stage in individual sets, then later a round robin set with all three on stage, trading songs.
Everyone at the standing room only show was so sweet and complimentary of the tunes we performed. Here are a few pics from the eve. Everyone clearly had a groovy time!
Side note: Got this note today (Jan 17), from Drew, the host:
“Thanks to everyone for the fantastic turnout last weekend. Probably my favorite house concert so far.” What a compliment! I think I have to agree!
Sleepy and oh so happy, I drove home on a cloud…zzzzzzzzzzzz

Sunday, Jan 16
Try as I might to sleep in, I was zipped awake by this bright orb in the sky…ahhh, the sparkly sun…So up the windy hill I drove, hot oatmeal in a cup with nuts, fruit, flax seeds, honey, to one of my favorite perches on Mt Tam. ‘Going out to breakfast’ takes on a whole new meaning in a setting like this…overlooking the world! Worked on lyrics for a new song, “remember” and wrote out the set list for my next performance, an afternoon concert in a church in Redwood City. (25 miles south of SF)
Funny how going to a "local" gig that far away never fazes me on the road, when it is such a big deal at home!
But boy howdy, was it worth it!! Incredibly lovely acoustics in a sactuary setting that made me feel like an angel singing, and one of the most politely, warm audiences I have yet to play for. One of the musicians put it well the night before: "the listening room is a wonderful venue to play because folks are actually listening, and the most terrifying to play because folks are actually listening!" Hey, I'll take it, after all the uplugged?! shows I've played where I had an espresso steamer as back-up "singer", trying to steal the show...
Happily drove back to MV, had a great meal of roasted veggies and a bean*/cabbage/asiago ragout, prepared by my good friend Dale. Watched "Being There", Peter Seller’s final tour de force. Very touching and funny. Remember the “I like to watch” scene!? Priceless.
*Foodie tip: Add a piece of Kombu (an edible seaweed, found in Asian food stores) to the pot of cooking beans to avoid the unwanted...uh...'musical' effects later on!

Monday, Jan 17
Have a few days off now, before the real tour craze begins. Got up, caught up on stuff, then took a nice drive to hike around Lake Lagunitas with Dale. This is on the other side of Mt Tam in Fairfax area. You should really check out this area if you haven’t. I would live here if I could be in two places at once…oh, and AFFORD it!! (just a minor detail!) Saw/heard all kinds of birds on our walk, an egret, swooping in for a landing on a tree, looking like a snowy white bloom in the air. OH! and a few newts, crawling across the path, in a most camoflouged manner. So cute, but it's a wonder we didn't step on em! Actually, there were signs everywhere, warning walkers to watch out for the little guys! (and gals!) Such a nature treat is this trip so far! In fact, as I sit here writing, a few moments ago, a tiny hummingbird alit to bathe in the fountain outside Dale's house, brilliant red head, and beyond that, lush greens growing, making him stand out like a jewel!

January 27, 2005!!
Okay, time to play catch up! As I work through the last few days of the tour, I will tell some fun facts:
length of tour: 10 days
# miles driven: 1287
# of shows: 10
# of days actually playing gigs: 8
(last 2 days = 4 gigs!)
Now you get an idea of how I ran out of typing time! Ironically, 3 of the gigs were in "free wi-fi" cafes, yet no time to wi OR fi!!! go figure...Murphy keeping those laws alive!

So, Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan 18-19, were spent mostly driving the biggest distance- Mill Valley to Long Beach! I took my time and enjoyed the beauty of Big Sur and highway 1. Some of it looked like coastal Ireland! The green...be still my beating pastel-making heart!! The weather was spectacular the entire way, giving me pause to think of my lucky tour-timing, considering what much of my CA coastal route had experienced the very week before! I saw the most devastating scene we'd heard about on the news- La Conchita, the mud slide with its disastrous effects...I was overcome with tears as I drove past, the shock of that reality hitting me, reminding me once again of my many blessings. So, on down the coast I drove, ready for my next gigs in Long Beach. Only snag was getting into LA area at 3pm....ugh...3 hours to travel what would normally take 15 minutes! Now I understand why they speed so bat-out-o-hell like on "off" times! To make up for the rest of the time when they crawl...not a way I could live as a regular gig! No wonder there's such road rage!!! Wed night was a songwriter showcase at Dipiazza, Short but sweet, a fun, loungy place, and nice to have any early eve to regroup!

Thursday, January 20th
My brother Cal drove up from San Diego just to hang with me and see my show at the lovely outdoor cafe at Long Beach Museum of Art! It was so nice that he made the effort, and a spectacular visual gig for all in attendance. Our music had the ocean and setting sun as backdrop. Outdoor gig in January? Works for me!! I shared the stage with Stephanie Haffner, with whom I'd shared a show in Sacramento the year before, and Dani Linnetz, from Brooklyn, a gal on a whirlwind cross country tour, with whom I played while in NYC last spring tour. So it was fun to have the reunions and the diversity of all our music together in a "round" style show. After that, went and had delish Mediterranean food and lots of road-decompressing laughs!

Friday, January 21
Today, on to N Hollywood to my next homestay haven, at my friend Brian's place. Lovely, relaxing. He and his partner Darius bought the house from an old hollywood actor and his wife, and it has the feel of what I imagine LA used to be like. Quaint, lush, elegant, without the crazy pace of today's
la-la land, "and plenty of Doris Day parking"!! sez Brian! It's true!
Headed out EARLY that afternoon towards my gig in Agoura, getting wise to the local way of the road. After changing my geet strings and watching a most peachy sunset, went in to play at the colorful, groovin' Virtual World Cafe. Very lovely setting and gracious hosts! This show was a continuation of the 'reunion' theme, as I played the first of 4 shows with my pal James Hurley, with whom I'd shared a gig in Seattle last Fall. He's a true talent! Jazzy, lush vocals and a seasoned touch on the ole axe!
Biggest surprize of the night was my brother Hunter, who showed up...from Berkely, just to see my show!! I almost fell off the stage when I saw him walk in! Very sweet, and he brought his pal, Aaron too. Also in attendance were Russ and Julie, the hosts of the famed house concert series in the area!! Very nice that they took time to come hear me, and show me their wonderful concert space in Agoura. Looking forward to playing that room one day!

Saturday, January 22
Today was the beginning of the jean-tour wrap-up marathon! 4 shows in a period of 26 hours...now that I read this...what was I thinking!!? It was fun, and really, my momentum only grew as the time went by...well, along with my giddyness...I don't necessarily recommend it...but still, it was fun, especially from a "challenge conquering" aspect!
We played an afternoon show in Santa Barbara at Red's Espresso, then I had a quick visit with my buddy Leese, and drove down to Ventura for the eve show at Latte 101. I loved the vibrant enthusiasm of the staff and audience. Made me feel like a "rockstah"! After a nice set, zipped back to N Hollywood and Brian's home. Did my best to get some good sleep...

...then arose to get going again!!!
Sunday, January 23 and last day of the tour!
This was a full and mighty fulfilling day! I drove about 85 miles to Riverside, where I had the new experience of being the musical "sermon" as it were, for a most receptive and rapt Universalist Unitarian Church congregation. It was amazing to perform in that setting. And pin-drop acoustics. Wow! After the service and a visit with folks, I was off down the road to the last show, a house concert 2 hrs away in Lancaster! This was the most unusual terrain driving day of the trip, and I absorbed it all!! I had time to listen/practice to one of James' songs on his cd that I'd promised to join him on...my favorite form of multi-tasking! Amid scenery that looked like I was on another planet, a type of cacti I'd never seen before, I crooned to this sweet song of love and dreams, "you and me".
Arrived at my destination a little weary, but in plenty of time for the 3pm show! I did start to crash and sat on a couch with a blanket for most of James' set, but that just made it all the better! Ended the show with my set after a few songs performed by Joan Enguita, singer songwriter/hostess with the mostest...cheesecake!!! I've ever seen outside a bakery! I found out before going on, that much of the audience were friends of Joan's in a songwriter group!! No pressure there!! Actaully, I think it made me more mindful of what I chose to play, and felt good to tell about the origins of some of the more poignant pieces. After the show, I cruised home to Brian's...took only 45 breezy minutes, to a home cooked meal that felt like a real celebration sup!! I could smell it before I got in the door. The boys were cooking a turkey outside...in a deep fryer! It was divine. If you've never had deep fried turkey, run right out and find some...you cannot believe how moist it is. Not a tad greezy, and soooo flavorful. And a whole birdy cooks in 45 minutes!! Added to that delight, was mashed spuds with the skins, marinated Brussels sprouts, Pippa's yummy olive rolls, and the piece-de-NO-resistance-possible, lemon curd tart with coconut-almond crust...
In a tryptophan-dazed heaven, I swooned off to sleep, visions of Dr. Seuss cacti and musical notes passing through my dreams...
Til the next road calls me out, I'm happy to be home, to my love and my little Seattle lakeside haven. Big hugs to all of you I met, and those I reconnected with on this trip. You made my days on the road so meaningful and mindful of why I've landed on this musical path...and you at home that kept me going towards now... bisous,
jean

jean touring by bus, taxi, subway, foot, car (towed in Boston..!) train, and two gigs in two towns in one eve? Must be on the East Coast!!

Yep, all of the above. Challenging? Yes, fun YES!! Challenging, yes...
And I can’t wait to go back again!
Here’s a synopsis of the trip highlights, as reported post-trip jetlag:

I left on a red eye flight on Wednesday, April 28 then played my first east coast (NYC), show on Thursday eve April 29 at CBGB’s! What a way to start the tour! Not the punk club...This was the acoustic stage of the famed club. After setting up, we had a great dinner at a little quaint Russian restaurant around the corner from CBGB's, tucked into the base of a brownstone. Very cozy, elegant and memorable meal.
As we started our set, I felt a bit jet-spazzy dazed, but we were warmly received and it was fun to perform in such a historic venue and so all perked me up! At one point, during my daintiest of ballads, a loud drumming crashing started up, (coming from the punk sector upstairs!?) and I, being the pro that I am, kept going, and at the end of the song said, "now I know I'm in NY!"
It was lovely to finally meet Theresa Sareo* after planning this show together over email. Bill Corral and I opened the eve. It was great to play together so far from home! Theresa’s band followed. They are wonderful!!!
*Theresa and I had met in an unusual way...a couple of years ago, I saw an indiegrrl posting about a benefit show in NYC, to be held for a musician who had been walking up Park Ave, crossed the street and was hit by a car, (hit and run) losing her LEG in the process, and like many artists, had no insurance. The remarkable woman that turns out to be Theresa Sareo, was there at her own benefit, just days after her surgery, (pre prosthetic) and stood proudly to perform, on her remaining leg. I wasn't there, but heard about it from those in attendance. Her hospital staff, surgeons, nurses etc were there, to see their miracle patient shine, and have remained her biggest fans to date, and comping her entire hospital bill in the end.
Anyway, when I first read about her ordeal, I wrote her a note, saying "You don't know me, but I want to send you a gift ..." and sent her a strand of my lights... just hoping to add a little light and sparkle to her day. She was overwhelmed with this gift from a total stranger, sent me both of her CD's, and thus our friendship began. So it was very emotional to see her walk in to CBGB's, unmistakably her. A mutual admiration society for sure. She is a remarkable woman, now on NYC Mayor's community board, active in making and keeping the streets safer for it's citizens, and continues to play her heart out in performance!!

Friday, April 30:
Spent hours trekking the streets of Manhattan, sat an outdoor cafe for caffe pick-up, window browsing and people watching....I was still sagging, but helped to get outside and WALK. One of the mind blowing sights is standing on the corner of something and something and seeing that entirely AD covered area. Not just billboards, but glitzy, over the top, WAY larger than life ads. I'm sure you've seen it in the movies...but caricature-crazy to experience in person. Complete with a gigantic cup a noodles sticking off the side of a bldg., with chopsticks sticking out of it and real STEAM coming out of the vessel! Hence the term, "Only in New Yawk!"
We wandered all through the Metropolitan Museum of Art, bug-eyed, seeing incredible collection works and amazing special exhibitions.
Among them: Van Gogh, Klee, Manet, Monet, Cezanne, Renoir, and many many more classical and contemporary artists. Also a really great musical instrument display in it‘s own wing. One of the most elaborate exhibits was the preparatory drawings/photos for an upcoming installation:
Christo and Jeanne-Claude: The Gates, Central Park, New York The famed art duo team will install 7500 huge saffron colored canvas gates all throughout Central Park next February 2005, for a two week display. It is a project originally proposed (and rejected ) in 1975. They kept working on changing minds, and finally the (current) mayor of NYC was the one with vision enough to approve the implementation of this long held dream. If will remember this I ever feel like giving up on goals, no matter how many road blocks...
Go to the website Metropolitan Museum of Art for more info.
Had a lovely pastry in the garden greenhouse cafe of the Met as we watched the sun set on an exhilarating day, and later had deli food for on-the-run dinner. Yum...an overflowing sandwich of balsamic marinated chicken and radicchio on a yummy baguette. Bill had stuffed cabbage rolls! How very NY!
Ah, what a vital feel to this place. It may just be my imagination, or that my perspective has changed since my last trip here in ‘92, but people seem more gentle of one another, even the taxi guys....well, okay, maybe ‘not so much’ the taxi drivers DRIVING daintiness...but alas, without a white knuckle ride, it wouldn’t be a complete NY experience!

Saturday, May 1:
We hit the road for Bawston, MA
...by the way, so funny, the number of distinct accents I have experienced on this tour. Adds texture to all. We stopped at a rest area along the way, and it was hot and muggy out, yet the trees were just barely beginning to leaf out. It’s like they skip Spring out here or something! However, the cherry blossoms and lilacs were just popping out while when we got to Boston, so I got to experience Spring twice this year! Landed there early afternoon, and hung out with our sweet hosts, (and my landing pad for the week!) Jen and Laure, who were busily preparing food and treats for our upcoming house concert. The concert was good-Bill and I getting into a groove of playing together more and more! We had a small but appreciative audience. Really nice to meet Mare Wakefield, a Boston transplant who will share the stage with us and Carolyn Cruso in Seattle on July 2. (see gigs page!!) Took a late night walk around the hood, lovely brownstone-laden area of Boston. Mass Ave, a GREAT district! Have never seen so much BRICK in one place!

Sunday, May 2:
Got up slowly, and made our way out to a beach town called Marblehead, MA, est. 1630!!! where we almost immediately found ourselves in the path of the “town crier”...a funny, crusty old guy who was born and raised here. Can’t make this up! He saw us pouring over a local map, trying to decipher the spaghetti streets, and took it upon himself, between puffs of his hand rolled smoke, to tell us about all the things we needed to see while there. (Mostly spewing off names of things and hurriedly pointing in the general direction!) His most important news was that the bar would open for happy hour at 5pm, “with $2 drafts”! I’m guessing he spends a little time there...maybe even has his own personal bench to warm.
Went to the beach and found it a little windy cold, and we ill-prepared, so we drove around looking at this old picturesque town, stone houses and rock walls everywhere! Had a nice rest by a pond by a tiny graveyard, and saw a historic marker stating a woman had been burned here for being "deemed to be a witch" in 1696. Strange brew indeed...
Headed into town for dinner at a great place, then headed for a special monthly open mike event, hosted by the endearing Angela Masciale, held at King Hooper Hotel, now a lovely community arts center. We traipsed up the stairs to the top floor, complete with acoustic-happy coved ceilings, and were warmly welcomed as we played a couple of songs, and even had a special “wind” dancer groovin’ during “the dance”. Such a feeling of community here. I will absolutely return!! Talks of “yeah, I could live here” permeated all of us that day! We sadly bade Bill farewell as he drove the 4 hours back to Joisey and we back to beanie (bricky, towey) town! Sing that 5 times fast!

Monday, May 3:
I got up and packed up my mini backpack for a walking tour of Boston. Ended up getting quite rainy, but I loved it anyway. I walked to the Public Gardens and meandered about, then wound up running for cover under a green boat launch pond of swan boats. A few of us sat/stood eating our lunches to wait out the rain. My meal, aquired at a true Boston deli, Deluca's, was wonderful. Baguette, apple, egg salad and turkey and a wee chunk of dark chocolate. The rain never did stop, so I pulled out my sketching tools and did a little watercolor/pen and ink drawing of the pond and the reflections of pink petals and leafy-green trees. Got home soaked, took a bath and rested up for my next gig, PJ Ryans Pub, in Sommerville (near Cambridge). Laure drove me, with the rain and all. The gig was fun. I was the feature act for an open mike night, and to put it simply, my entrance into the place set the tone for how I was made to feel that eve: I jumped out of Laure's car, walked in the door, hearing "1, 2, 3, go!" and eveyone clapped and hollered, looking at me as the wacky host Tom Bianchi announced my arrival, telling them I had just walked from Seattle! Funny!! After my feature, I listened to a few other locals, among them the talented , Jason Myles Goss then packed up and headed over to Cantab Lounge for my second gig of the night. This was a two-stop subway ride away to Cambridge. I got in the door, and immediately hit the stage for an open mike stint to introduce myself to a few more locals in this funky honkytonky place. Took a taxi home and talked all the way with the Indian driver who had moved here 8 years ago. He lives with his sister and brother and "she cooks all the meals". Funny what people tell you. Crawled into bed...starting to feel like a rockstar..at least the hours I'm keeping!

Tuesday, May 4:
Got up and spent another day out and about in Boston, this time no rain, but me feeling less energetic, so stuck more around the local hood and chilled. Early eve, rode a bus into Cambridge to play the open mike at the famed (in the folkie world) Club Passim. A lovely little place, with a very relaxed atmosphere, like a college coffeehouse should be...(Very close to Harvard) Although everyone seemed a little tense getting ready for their 1!!! song each, I was there to introduce myself to the place for future? gigs, and felt quite relaxed. Went really well, played "the dance" and the crowd responded happily. I talked with another performer, Joel, who was eye-ing my guitar, and said, "When I first saw your guitar, I wanted to ask if you'd sell it(!?!) Then when I saw/heard you play it, I knew you were connected to it, and never would." Well, never heard it put quite that way, but that's about the story sonny! Got back on the bus, talking to a woman, a transplant from N CA, Marin County, my 2nd "home". What a contrast to the East Coast!
Home in time to east popsicles and say goodnight to my hosts.

Wednesday, May 5:
Got out early to go pick up my rental car, for I had the whole day free, and a gig that night an hour away in Maynard, MA. Drove first to Manchester by the Sea, to visit a place about which I'd read..."Singing Beach"!! The sand supposedly sings when one walks on it, so naturally I had to go see if it was true. But just in case, brought my guitar along so it would be a singing beach either way. For the record, although it WAS a swellegant beach, with brown sugary sand and all, I coudn't so much hear the words of the singing...maybe it was due to the crashing waves. They were a little effervescent that day! That's okay, me and my guitar played together anyway.
I had stopped in the quaint as puddin' pie town at the grocery to get a little picnic, and experienced yet another different local accent...this one like outta the movies!! Well, on that note, turns out the film "State and Main" was filmed here, so there you go! The town was REALLY lovely, and many old wooden houses, cute beyond words! I felt like it was obvious that I wasn't from 'round here and felt very welcomed...kind people indeed. Next stop on this blustery drive day, New Hampshire. I'd read about a certain ice cream place that insists on all natural, good ingredients for their recipes, and that seemed like a nice place to find. Sure enough was. Had just a single scoop of chocolate on a cake cone (every other flavor seemed so over the top with goodies), and it WAS good. Plus, found a cute boutique or two to introduce my lights to in the future.
I love the close proximity of places one to another in the East. I wish I'd had time to get to my other wish list destination, Maine! Next trip! Got to my gig venue, Sittin' Bull Pub, in plenty of time to snooze in the car, then played a quiet, but fun set and listen to some other great players.
Got home late, sleep hit quick.

Thursday, May 6:
Okay, so I should've read the sign a little more carefully...got out to the curb with pillow, backpack and guitar in hand, ready to leave Boston for upstate NY, and found no car...agghh...the trauma was short lived, but there were a few nervous moments when I thought maybe the car was stolen when the police couldn't find a record of the towing...until I realised the plates were CT, and they were assuming it was MA car. Whew...Anyway, one le$$on under my belt, hit the road for Saratoga Springs, NY. What a lovely drive, seeing more trees with new Springy growth and just enjoying the solitude of the road. Good to be in a cool city, but great to get away. I love it in small doses...
Found the town and venue easily, had a couple hours to kill, so went in a couple guitar shops one next door to Cafe Lena's, and another in which I got to play a 50's Gibson...cool...Had a bit of late lunch at a Thai/Japanese restaurant, yummy and light. Went to Saratoga City Tavern, where I was one of 4 songwriter's to perform for the eve. Incredible talents and all very different styles from one another, so I think the patrons got a great show. And once again, I was made VERY welcome by the locals and other performers. Especially the gracious host of the program Arthur Gonick, who said that I was the first Seattle-ite to play here! Well, get out there kids. It was a blast. This very old bldg. had a rooftop garden/outdoor bar, 5 floors up, and the view was astounding. Right next to Skidmore College. After the show, I was officially on vacation for the next couple days!!! Drove late into the night to my friend Dale's lakeside "camp".

May 7-8
They name the camp/houses here and "Lady of the Lake" is her official name,and how apropos!! I can't begin to describe Dale's place, but to say it was exquisitely "appointed", and quite a comfy haven for a weary touring lass. I lounged and played my guitar, read a lot (Naked, by David Sedaris) napped in a hammock on the robin's egg bluey screened sunporch, and we ate ice cream!! Dale usually lives in N. CA, and at home is quite health concious, but apparently out here things are different. I didn't want to be a bad guest and complain...Ha ha!! Next day had a great visit with some childhood friends of Dale's (this is her home town area) -toured 'round the land, "junking", thrifting, eating the local fare, (read "greasy, but good"!) ending with a sleepover at her friends place, with more(!!) ice cream! Like one big 3th grade slumber party, complete with giggles and talking into the wee hours.
FUN...was hard to leave. Except NYC beckons once more...

Sunday, May 9 (mama's day...)
Got up, played my pals a little early morning concert, packed up and made my way to Albany train Station, to drop off the rental car and head back to NYC for one more show!
Great, rainy train ride along the Hudson River, for the most part very pleasant. A guy sat near me and itched for the entire trip. (2+ hours) Eeeeuw. I felt bad for him, but cheese and wieners it was icky!! He told me he was going to meet his family to put flowers on his mama's grave...I was touched that he was traveling to do this, itchin' aside!

Easily taxied from Penn Stn. to my next and last homestay of the tour -in SOHO!!! Amazing living space, a real, exposed brick walled flat, formerly a factory, renovated into a palacial space...very cool, and so NY! I felt happy to have this as my last landing pad to get the real feel of urban NY for a couple last days of touristing. Sonya Heller was my gracious host, she fed me and I had a little rest, then we hopped in a cab to the venue. Sonya and I were sharing the stage with Dani Linnetz and again Theresa Sareo, who hosts this monthly 'songwriter in the round' show at the C Note. What a nice end to a tour. As it was Mother's day, and half of us on stage are "motherless", it became a nice theme to the eve. The remembrance, the touching tales told, and the celebration of mama's everywhere!
After the show, we went out to a real russian diner, (24hr place!!) really great perogies, cabbage rolls, kasha etc ...really tasty but a little heavy.
Great to have a last visit with Theresa and co before heading home.

Monday, May 10:
Last full day! Spent the day walking around SOHO and had a great time with no agenda, except discovery. I would get feeling overwhelmed with the city, and slip into a gallery to regroup and look at art, then, back onto the streets! I found an amazing Cacao Bar...like walking into the Chocolat movie...It was a typical fancy schmancy chocolate shop, but in the back had a little cafe space for having cacao...I had an Aztec cocoa, which was a rugged mix of dark chocolate, chipotle chilies, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sounds bizarre, but must be experienced!! Just an espresso shot amount, and was so amazingly rich (1/2 chocolate mix-1/2 water! (euro style-good!!). Liquid chocolate basically...Left the place in a happy lil buzz, and brought some of the goods home to make my own brew. Check it out: MarieBelle orders! Oh, and did I mention we here at blue flower friday records accept gifts?!?
Went home and made a little lunch for Sonya and I. I love getting to peruse someone else's fridge for ingredients to come up with a meal...this time a hearty salad:
mixed wild greens with:
red bell pepper slivers
papaya
feta cheese
cubed breaded chicken cutlets leftover yum!!
pecans
vinaigrette combo of blood orange/balsamic vinagers and olive oil, salt and fresh cracked pepper. Fun to be 'cooking' again too..Tasty, and fuel for getting back out to more adventure. By the way, Sonya, a total NYC native, gave me little verbal maps to get my way around (and back again!!!) and that was so great with my limited time. She'd suggested I go check out this huge Chinese "Mall" called Pearl River. It is a must!!! Top to bottom stuffed with stuff!!! Got a great strand of lights to bring home, with little flowers all over them. Go figure!
Shopping satiated and airplane snacks aquired, I came in for one last sit on the fire escape to play the guitar, took a little nap before going around the corner (literally!) to a great Thai restaurant. "Thai Angel" I love that part of urban living...walking everywhere, and things close enough to walk TO! I then went to see a movie at an indie Arthouse theater. How decadent, my first movie in what feels like months! Saw "Super Size Me!!!" One word: GOSEEIT!!
Walked back home and slept like a baby (well, a baby thoroughly disgusted by McDonald's and it's ilk....see the movie) til my 7am wake up and last crazy honk-laden taxi ride to the airport. How can one be hostile that time of day I ask? Went past a pizza joint, OPEN, and a line out the door at 8am...love that!!!

My memories of this trip will waft like a good hot slice, always better the next day.

Testing Testing program, Whidbey Is. WA:
Monday, March 22, 2004
Welome Spring and so many flowers abloomin'!
I just played a radio gig that is worthy of note:
Testing Testing is the brainchild/labor of love effort of Gordy Coale. It is an internet radio program, broadcast from a tiny house, on the shores of a tiny lake on Whidbey Island, WA -Honeymoon Lake...how could it be anything less than dreamy?!
The program is archived at the TT site, so you can listen, for the next few months at least at Testing Testing Archives The experience was unlike anything else I've done. Musicians, get in touch with Gordy now!! *Christine Lavin even made note of her experience playing on this program in a June 2001 Performing Songwriter Magazine interview!

Bill Corral and I took a sunny ferry and drove up the island, and upon arrival were warmly greeted like old friends by Gordy and his "house band". I was immediately knocked flat by the scent of baking bread, another perk to playing here, or as Gordy says, "Let it be said that this gig pays good bread!" The homey waftings permeated the whole (hour long) show, yummy. It is his tradition, his therapy...and next time, I'm bringing jam!! (Hey, there's another show for you Gordy, "Bread Jam!")
What totally blew me away though, was the listenership this cool program has garnered since it's inception in 1997-8. It was simulcast on it's sister web station, Whole Wheat Radio, based out of a 12' x 12' cabin in Talkeetna, Alaska! Almost before the show began, listeners were writing in to 'welcome back' the show. The show had been on hiatus for a while due to some family illness, and the listeners were clearly thrilled that Gordy and his gang were back. I can only speak for myself, but I feel they made Bill and I feel just as warmly welcomed back! Gordy would take a moment between songs to read aloud the notes that were floating in. (also archived at guest book)You know, from just around the corner in Alaska, California, New Jersey and Capetown, South Africa!!! Listen in and you'll get an idea of why I had a permanent grin on my face...such a powerful feeling to have the world become so intimate, all created by this high tech medium. And to top it off, goooood home-made bread and the whole thing taking place next to the sweetest little lake you could ever want to jump into.
Bliss was accomplished and we floated back home....Stay tuned for a summer plunge return...and support independent radio!!!

February 23-March 6, 2004
North American Folk Alliance Conference/West Coast tour!

Better put on the teapot...the BIG one, and settle in for a long read...this is a doozy...part road notes, music tales and restaurant reviews...well, what do you expect from this chef/artist/musician...? I can't really close my eyes to the bountiful colors/textures of the world as I see it. Enjoy the ride. I know I did. All 2800+ miles of it!
I am remiss in keeping an “as I go” diary along this happy road trip, but will do my best to play catch up. This time, I have use of a laptop and am typing as my “roadie” drives! Ha ha! (I just told him he is spoiling me for any future tours in which I don’t have such ease and decadence!)
Bill (Corral) and I are on this road together, my first non-solo trip since the challenging “24 shows in 24 Days!” West Coast tour of 2002.
I was a little hesitant in the pre-planning, but in my heart felt good about this trip even before it began.
As I write this now, 10 days into the tour, I can say it has been wonderful beyond words, basically starting off as two near strangers who happen to find common joy in the world we’re uncovering, (and of course a lot of great musical camaraderie!) Feels like the medicine I’ve needed to replace in my mind, some of the grueling experiences of the previous tour.

Monday, Feb 23
The road rig, (a 2002 VW Eurovan) packed to the rafters with musical instruments, PA gear and a few NAFA supplies we grew to love, or at least trip over frequently…we hit the road at noon, headed for Eugene and our only heading-south show before the onslaught of NAFA in San Diego, CA. The drive out of Seattle was sunny, another good omen for the trip ahead. (In fact, the most challenging weather we encountered on the road was in LA County, in which we were white knuckling it the whole eve in SHEETS of rain and fog, and drivers who seemed not to get the concept of slowing down...) Anyway, landed in Eugene, weary after 5+ hours and a lunch stop at (ugh…) IHOP. My first time since maybe 1975? It hasn’t changed much! One of the fun road views were sheep. Lots of mamas and babies along the roadside. I wanted to stop and get out and play with them...
We were greeted with open arms by our home-stay hosts, Denis and Camille, a wonderful, ever gracefully aging hippie couple transplanted from Boise via Berkeley, but true “world residents” in their love for travel. After a brief decompression from the drive, we went to the venue, Cozmic Pizza, a beautifully designed but cavernous space to perform in on a rainy Monday night. The show was low attendance but good response to our sound and a nice warm-up for the days ahead. Enjoyed some amazing organic, gourmet pizza...pesto and red sauce w/fresh mozzarella on a GREAT whole wheat crust, along with a zippy merlot. Bill had a “clean, crisp, refreshing” microbrew. Happy were we. Slept like a rock, (well, a rock traveling with her own pillow of course!!), then bade farewell to our sweet hosts, and made our way down the road towards Mill Valley, CA, our next landing pad.

Tuesday, Feb 24
The soundtrack for our road is a great combo of Bill’s and my diverse tastes. In my case a quick fly-through my unorganized mess of CD’s to pick 10 or so that I was long overdue to listen to: Kate Bush "the whole story", High Fidelity soundtrack, best of The Who, old Van Morrison studio outtakes, Sarah McLachlan "surfacing", John Hiatt live album, Mae Moore "dragonfly", my CD mix-handpicked for my Seattle CD release soiree…oh the memories…!, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble “Soul to Soul”, Jeff Buckley “Grace”, Django Reinhart compilation...Bill's picks: Norah Jones “Feels like Home”, Natalie Merchant “The House Carpenter’s Daughter”, Hem, Solas “Another Day”, Bruce Cockburn “You’ve never tried everything”, local groove dude Wayne Horvitz “Dance Songs”, Sara K., Beth Orton “Day Breaker”…Okay, you get the picture, but in reality we had much more fun talking and making up “life stories” of people in other cars, so have yet to get through many of the albums!
Along the way, we considered heading to Crater Lake, until we learned at the local info booth that it would be 3 hours off our route. So instead, stopped in at a local “Espresso Cabin”. Although they had such offerings as an “espresso bomb” a 7!!! shot drink with a truffle whipped into it, we opted for a couple of frothy drinks that sent us happily on our way…mine decaf and soy, and Bill had a peachy tea smoothie.
Along the road, my eyes took in all the color-laden terrain, birds doing that "wheeling" thing, (that's what Bill says it's called. I prefer to think of it as a 'sky dance') and dramatic skies all the way. Wishing to set up my pastels along the way, I made mental notes for laying down my impressions later on. Bill played the documentarian with his fancy digital camera. OH!! He also played the melodica at one point as I drove...then something happened, and I started to sing, and a quirky, fun new song sprang forth...which is to-date still evolving but semi titled "carnivale" or "bjork meets willy wonka meets jean and bill on the road." Soon to be performed at a bohemian venue near you..!
(officially debuted at San Francisco gig) We arrived in Mill Valley just in time to catch a tasty late night bite at my favorite local hang, Joe’s Tacos. There’s this incredible app., which is a Pasilla chile stuffed with a cornbread/cheese mixture and napped in a drizzle of chipotle mayo, on a bed of tomatillo salsa…perfect combo of flavors for a happy dance of the taste buds. Rolled into bed a little buzzy/tired at a decent hour, with another long road ahead in the morning.

Wednesday, Feb 25
Got ourselves packed up and went to breakfast with my pal Dale to another favorite local stop, Lighthouse Coffee Shop. A totally unassuming place with a pancake recipe I have decided is my life goal to try and master…at least when I can’t be in Sausalito for the real thing. Unbelievable texture, flavor “moisty-ness”, and nestled within are raspberries, blueberries and bananas…for another kind of confetti dance on the tongue!
We made our goodbyes, happy knowing we’d be returning in a week on the way home for a little more restful time…which would be GOLD after NAFA!
Got into hairy traffic snarl getting out of town, but otherwise good road all the way down. Even the dramatic winds and misty rains spraying across the straight as a stick 1-5 passageway made for an exciting visual day. I love the rolling hills with the dotting of cows along the way, and the “crotches” of the curved hills. The cows seemed very content, and I felt much the same, although glad to be seeing it from the comfort of the rockin’ rig…feel like I’m getting into the stride of the road.
Other than the earlier mention of horrific downpour, sheeting of rain in LA County, almost all the way to San Diego, the day was quite pleasant!
Arrived in San Diego weary and draggy, checked into the fancy hotel and had a little soda pop and microwave popcorn for late sup…nice to feel pampered. Oh yeah, my bedroom is a” kids room”, complete with groovilicious BUNK BEDS!! Perfect!

Thursday, Feb 26 -NAFA!!!
In the morning, had a brief re-greet meeting with the other Seattle Sounds (SS) contingents who’d flown in, then Bill and I made our way over to the Convention Center to set up my exhibit table. Bill was most generous with helping me in hauling in to set up/design an appealing space!! Used lots of flower stickers, and even a strand of my glass lights to adorn the place. The stickers seemed to draw folks over to the table-a cool bonus I hadn’t anticipated! Nice…and fun to think of my stickers decorating a few more guitar cases and radio station walls around the country! Sharing table space was the amazing Jenn Adams, a killer songwriter performer who recently made the relocation leap from Montana’s big sky, to Nashville…big things for her to come, no doubt!
Went to the opening ceremonies luncheon and had a nice lunch with the other kids and talked with a man about a festival he promotes in Manitoba, ”Oh Canada! tour” can’t be far off!!! Returned to the exhibit hall off and on, and perused other booths which included guitar co. reps., festival reps, labels, indie-vidual artists like moi, music products and services, and lots more. A bit overwhelming already, and the showcasing hasn’t even begun!
In the eve, my local brother Cal, came to pick me up for a step away from it all, before the onslaught of the NAFA conference. Visited with my sis in law, Nat, and cute little nephews Ryan (10) and Charlie(6). They are both musically talented way beyond their years, and gave me little recitals on their respective instruments, violin and piano. They will go far…

Friday, Feb 27
In the morning I played a little ditty for the boys after Charlie asked, “Aunt Jean, I saw a guitar. Could you play it for me?” So cute! So I serenaded them as they put their shoes on for school…oh yeah, it IS a school day…for me too!!! After sending them on their way, Cal and I walked around his garden, where he picked for me fruit from his trees: tangerine, a lemon (twice as big as an orange!!), grapefruit, lime, blood orange, navel orange….I can’t believe these are all in his yard, plus blooming peach, fig and other heady fruit trees laying in wait of Spring. The difference in eating an orange right off a tree, it’s nothing like what we get from the grocery. Before returning to NAFA, had a great walk on the beach with Cal at Torrey Pines, and a yummy coffee drink at a place that specializes in hand made Venezuelan chocolate products, used in very creative ways (ie hot chocolate, infused with chipotle seasoning. Unbelievably tasty!) Cal bought me a chocolate bar which made me feel I’d landed in the best scene of the Willy Wonka movie…almost expected to find the gold ticket inside!! Feeling refreshed and freckly, I was ready to go inside to face the dance of NAFA!

Met the SS group at the hotel room that would be transformed into our showcase “venue” for Friday and Saturday. I strung several of my light strands and others added other festive touches-curtains to entrance and a nice rug for the stage, and finally my PA to make it all sound pretty! A Mukilteo, WA coffee company had donated a big bag of organic coffee via The Believers, that we kept fresh brewed, so the “Seattle Sounds Showcase” room even SMELLED like Seattle!! Brilliant, whoever thought of that one…Wes? And it was a popular attraction for passers by, given the hour of many of the showcases to come…(I can now say, having played in a few other hotel rooms and seen the “stages” arranged, that our room was by far the most festive and functional!) Let the music begin!
Between my exhibition table and the showcasing, Friday was an absolute day of willful, challenging pacing, and I almost didn’t make it. Very sore throat and raspy by the last showcase, but stimulating beyond description!
Here’s what Friday held: Besides the wheeling and dealing in the exhibit hall, there was a DJ reception in which we were allowed to meet and greet all and hand off CD’s to appropriate programmers, and I met in person, some of the DJ’s who have already been giving my lil CD a spin! That part made it all more human to me…also getting to thank them in person for that spinning. Quite a time. Ran into Kym Tuvim, gracious as ever, who pulled DJ’s over to my side, telling them they "had to" hear my music! So sweet of her, as I found it daunting to just walk up to them cold-like.
My showcases were at 2:30pm, 5:30pm, 6pm, 11:35pm, 1:40am and 2:30am!! Finally said yes!! to a glass of merlot to help me croon through the last set. This late night activity is not unusual. There were rooms exploding with music all over til the wee hours! Crazy!! In between I caught a 5 minute nap in the tour rig which was so appreciated but even harder to get back out to continue to play. Odd to take a nap at 11pm, when I’d normally be hitting the bed for the night. Was so great to hear the diverse stylings of our own group: Nancy K. Dillon, with her historic cowgirl prairie tales, her husband John Nelson, a dreamy, gentle voice with his perfect style accompaniment to go with it, Kathryn Mostow, the sweet voiced, gentle political nature-infused lulls, Jon Pfaff in his jaunty, story telling ways, Wes Weddell and his own old world folkie groove, (are you sure you're just in your 20's??), Jenn Adams, what can be said...that gal has it going on, and our guests: Steve Key-with his funny way of translating the world, Reilly and Maloney-the quintessential folkstars, Jim Page-most textured playing with a big ole political eye, Joe Jencks-always a draw to the ear, The Believers-(okay, I admit! I was having a mini nap during their set!!!) I wish I'd been there from Bill's compliments of their groove. And Bill, who was not officially showcasing at NAFA, took on the roles of excellent sound man and stage manager, and also backed most of the musicians on their sets, including of course, lucky me! What a rockstar, generous soul...
Also stopped into a few other rooms to listen to other performers with all their great styles of presentation. Inspired to say the least!
One of the highlights was going to see James Lee Stanley in the CD Baby showcase room, a performer I had seen back in 1975 or so, in a college coffeehouse in my little Bellingham, WA!!! I had re-discovered him last year and wrote to tell him about that long ago experience. Being the cool cat that he is, he wrote back to say he remembered that very gig, as he’d played the night before opening for Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne in a 6000 seat arena, so the contrast was laughable to him… a few college kids and profs, and this 14 year old girl, singing along to his music…anyway, was great to meet this legend in person again, now on the same playing field so to speak. Maybe I’ll open for him one day!! Off to bed, 4am...

Saturday, Feb 28
The last full day of NAFA!! We had a 2:30 pm call to the hotel for exhib. hall and more showcasing, so Bill and I headed for the beach in the morning. Asked a local for a good place to go and they sent us over a bridge to Coronado Island. Just as we were seeing the signs for the exit, I remembered a long ago family trailer trip in the 1960's, on which we'd visited the famed Hotel Del Coronado, which sounded like the same name as the island. ("Some like it Hot" filmed there, among other claims to fame!) One second I was asking Bill, "Hey, do you know if the Hotel Del Coronado is in San Diego?" and literally the next moment I saw it come into view!!! What a treat~ So, that is where we headed. Parked easily, right by the beach, and went for a long walk down the shore in front of the still beautiful by any hotel standards place. I told Bill about running around the round hallways with my brother back in the day, and he encouraged me (you did, Bill!!) to revisit that experience! So, we sneakily snuck around the hotel, found some grand staircases to wander up, ("guests only" yeah right!) and while we never did get to the actual area I'd remembered, had a great time anyway. Very glam...and rode down the fancy, wrought iron elevator, complete with uniformed attendee...some traditions are meant to last...and be repeated! Took a few pics, selected a few pretty shells, took on a few more freckles and headed back to town to "work". This was a lot easier day for me. Partly I was so beyond needing to catch up on sleep that my mood was permanently on automatic goofy pilot, it was easier on my voice too, with less showcases to play. Was thrilled that Cal showed up during my 6pm gig and brought young Charlie, who took it all in, beaming with it all. He was promised a song on Bill's melodica, and was not disappointed!! After that, went to a great Thai restaurant in town with a few musical comrades and finished out my last showcase @12:30 am. Our day ended at 5am, as last showcaser ended at 3:30am ish, and Bill and I returned the room to its original, pre-festive venue condition! I gave some freaky "folk dudes" the rest of the beer, and sodas etc were left for the cleaning staff. Rummy as all get-out at lack of sleep and the completing of a big goal. The van reloaded up, we went back to our hotel, only to find most of the power out!! Weird~Even the elevator was a dark, freaky ride, and the hotel staff brought us those things you break open which are supposed to be neony light, but look more like something little kids get at the carnival!

Sunday, Feb 29
Hit the road north after a short snooze and ate noon "breakfast" at a really good burrito stand in Encinitas. Took highway 1 up to a cool little town, Carlsbad, and got out for a brief walk in the surf of the beach. There was a really cool, tiny starfish? related creature, crawling along the beach, which Bill tried to vid., but it dove into the sand too fast. Back in the car, nothing like an 8+ hour drive ahead to make one appreciate a dose of sand between the tootsies! The drive was mostly uneventful...except for the time while Bill was sleeping and I was driving...I somehow got off 1-5 and wound up heading up 99....Still heading in the basic right (north) direction, but how it happened, I still don't know...I must say Bill was quite relaxed about the whole thing...refreshing. Stopped for a yucky twilight-zoney dinner at a Carl's Jr drive in a small burb called Chowchilla...apropos in a weird way! The milkshake I ordered was so bad, we both agreed it would be our goal to find another during the trip to restore my faith in milkshakes!! Such lofty goals of the traveling mind! Arrived late night into Mill Valley, weary and ragged, but happy to be past the hard part (and last LONNNNGG drive) of the rest of the trip. Also, this was the kickoff to the tour shows home so we were grooved by it, plus the chance to perform the new "carnivale" song..!

Monday, March 1
Eased into the day, me still finding it hard to sleep in, by playing music and walking to whole foods for a yummy bowl of Polenta (bill) and oatmeal (me). Our friend Dale welcomed us back and laughed at the sight of us STILL playing music, knowing the intensity of our last several days of such. YOU try a 9 hour day on the road, and see if sitting around strumming a guitar in a foggy stupor isn't to your liking! Got a little picnic together and headed up to my beloved Mt Tamalpais, which unfortunately was heavy-mistedly fogged in, and not what I had hoped to show Bill. Still had a nice time, jamming a little in the rig, and having our picnic just the same. Came down in time to clean up and head into San Francisco to our first gig on the road home. The parking karma gods were with us (I arranged it ahead of time!!) as we got a parking spot 2 spaces away from the door of the venue!! Unheard of in SF!!! ACTUAL rockstar parking, natch! It was at the Red Devil Lounge, and WHAT a show!! The show is a weekly event called Viv and a Movie, in which live music shares the eve with submitted indie movies and a house band plays in between it all. "http://www.vivtheband.com" Very cool combo of sounds and texture.
The gig was so fun. A guy opened the show with his band, then we took the stage and rocked the house (as only an alternafolkie like myself can!!) then the time came to play the new song...Bill crooned on the melodica as I did my little vocal dance, and the crowd loved it! Just as we finished, the lights dimmed for the first set of movies, and the opening music was accordian, so much like what we had just played that it almost seemed choreographed for the perfect segue into the next "act"! A few friends came to the show and that was great!!! Nice compliments from the audience and the VIV house band leader enthusiastically invited us back! After that, we stayed around for a while and decided it was time to venture out for a late dinner bite. Got general directions to North Beach area, where there was a chinese restaurant, House of Nanking, where I used to go to with my bro Benj, when he lived in the city. Once again serendipity and I don't know what else were shining on us. We drove to the area with ease, I looked up and saw the restaurant, and in the very next half block, a parking spot!! Had a very yummy dinner of pot stickers, eggplant/snow pea saute, (texture of buttah!) and a sumptuously tasty shrimp/yam dish. The hole in the wall place has only grown in my estimation of if's perfection of the SF dining experience. Happy, tingly tastebuds, we drove through the city and over the Golden Gate Bridge and back to Marin. Stopped at the Vista Point to look back at the city...gorgeous!! Rolled into bed at a decent hour, happily drifting off.

Tuesday, Mar 2
Got up, had a delicious breakfast and decided to take a drive back up to Mt Tam. as the weather had improved dramatically. A second chance is a beautiful thing! Took a little, easy hike to my favorite perch, and stayed there, playing guitars for the next 4 hours...with blue blue skies and a view to inspire musical magic, it was very hard to leave, but with a gig in Davis, and a couple hours needed to get there, we succumbed to the road again. This was the show on which our cellist, Melet Whinston, would join us.
Got up to Davis in good time, and ate a little sup, provided by the cafe. A vegan coconut, bean curry stew, made by the cafe managers mother (and brought over for the day's special)!! Sooooo N CA! This was at Delta of Venus, a bohemian hangout in a mellow college town. We set up for the show and was great to greet Melet in CA, and wonderful for me to have accompaniment of a full trio on tour, a first for me~ I had a most heady, loopy feel during the show that night, brought on likely by lack of sleep and the sunshine buzz of the day. So fun to cut loose!! Played the carnivale song, AND another song that I'd been playing around with in practice with Bill, and had committed the lyrics to paper just that morning, "wind fall". Both songs were very well received, and felt good to get them out there. Bill and Melet shone in their respective performances as usual, and we all felt happy about the show and our reunion! Melet sent us off with cookies and we made our way back to Mill Valley, getting a little lost on the way, but keeping our happy spirit intact. Off to bed.

Wednesday, Mar 3 FREE DAY!!!
We got ourselves out the door late morning, heading for Mendocino coast, and the winding, winding again road that would lead us to Bill's sissie's house in Ft Bragg, CA. What a dreamy day. (besides the feeling of sleeping while riding on a crazy roller coaster...) Mae is a sweet woman with a wonderful aesthetic eye for lovely home and garden. She welcomed us warmly, gave a tour of the lush green spread and we drove into Mendocino Village to a must stop, Lark in the Morning music shop where I played around with a Cittern I didn't want to put down...and Bill tried on a new accordian and dazzled us with his polka skills. We played a little tune together too. fun! Stopped into the famed Headlands Cafe in Ft Bragg for a little pick me up, and headed for a special beach. GLASS beach!! I'd read about it, and being the glassy lass I am, felt a "duty" to visit this mecca. The area was once a bottle making factory and apparently they just left all the (tons of!) glass behind! Anyway, besides the glass easily picked up off the beach (you couldn't avoid stepping on it, so abundant in it's offerings!) there were beautiful, sculptural sparkly hunks imbedded in the surrounding craggy rocks and hillside. It was like being part of a jewel cluster. We 3 had a nice time finding and sharing our treasures and left the stormy shore with bags and pockets aflowin'! Off to have a nice restful eve and yummy dinner prepared by Mae and her daughter China...a veritable international feast: Empanadas...Lo mein, tasty salad with crunchy things in it, and cheesecake with fresh raspberries! China's little guy, Bailey, kept us all hoppin' with his zany, 4 yr old boy energy! We went back to the Headlands Cafe to hear a little music, performed by the jazzy owner of the place, Peter. I am coming back here in the Fall to play!! We took a little post music walk, and the moon was almost full, tons of stars and we argued over the little dipper. I say it's that barely discernible little cluster that if you look clearly, it is the big dipper in mini. All of a sudden, walking the path, we saw a bright ball falling slowly through the sky. It was a green fireball!!! Looked like fancy fireworks but definitely of the celestial kind. Sooooo cool. We were stunned. But then, with the grace that seems to have surrounded this trip, somehow seemed our natural due to get this treat! Timing is everything. Went in for a good rest and I had celestial dreams...

Thursday, March 4
After a little kitchen concert and tasty french toast etc, we headed out to the wily coastal edge so I could finally get in some pastel work. I was in heaven. We parked the rig out of the gusty, cool wind, and Bill played his guitar and that became my soundtrack for the 2 pastels I created. Perfect. The color of the water is so unbelievably tealy, and to try and capture it is a daunting task, so I used the place as my inspiration for a feel rather than a photo rep. The white crashing waves too were represented, in my loose translation. In the water, danced and pranced the largest number of otters I've ever seen in one place. They must have come for the concert. Anyway, they stayed put the whole time. And the seals were loving it too. Hard to leave this paradise, and happy to think of returning in the Fall, but tour duty called, so off we went, headed north on more windy roads to our next destination, Gold Beach, OR!!
The drive was glorious, as we cruised for miles along the coast and saw lots of cattle grazing, next to the water. I wonder if they know how lucky they are to live in such an environment, rather than one where they never even see grassy leas...As we moved inland a little, the weather started to get misty and foggy, and seemed to change the terrain before my eyes. More wily coast, just darker and with those great monoliths coming into view. What a diverse treat for the eyes this trip has been...got into the Gold Beach area in plenty of time (well, 45 min or so) for our gig. What a show...in a lovely big church with lovely acoustics and an appreciative, wide ranging audience. Little old ladies, who I swear were giving Bill the winky eye, as he played that melodica...I keep telling him it's a total babe magnet!! haha!! I pulled out an old Talking Heads song I haven't played in years, "Naive Melody", and although I felt rusty with it, the sentiments felt just right to me. After the first set, while the masses were enjoying cake and coffee, a man came up to me and said he always gets an impression of someone he's seen in his history, and with my music and style it is the earliest album of Joni Mitchell! I have to go find that and see if I get his impression. Our gracious host, Richard Purdy, took care of the sound and it was all so nice. Most appreciative crowd on a drizzly eve concert. Richard had a young daughter, Celeste, who sang for us after our show as we loaded our gear (accompanied by papa on Bill's guitar)...amazing, natural talent...look out Britney!! One woman bought 5 CD's to give to her friends who would be having their annual birthday gathering soon. They call themselves "the six packs" (One can only guess what wild shenanigans would go on with a few Lutheran gals on the loose!!) I gave her an extra copy for herself. It was so generous that the gig/townfolk provided us a place to stay-a motel by the beach! So, after settling in, we wound up on the night beach, lit by the moon, to count the 7 wave patterns as they crashed near our feet. After a brisk walk, I waved off to sleep.

Friday, March 5
Got an early, but slow start to a drizzly day. I was happy we had taken to the beach when it was starry and clear. Upon checkout, we were steered towards a good breakfast joint that the receptionist, who had hand-crocheted a "festive" outfit for the barbie doll that stood atop the counter to greet patrons...it was green, including a little hat and petticoat (for the upcoming St Paddy's day I presume!) Such dedication!! :) The restaurant was filled with small town charm as we dined by the windows overlooking a stormy bay day. I went to get a coffee drink from a nearby coffee stand, and the barista was a man who had been at the show the night before, a re-transplanted chef, on hiatus from his usual restaurant job, "making ends meet". Boy, doesn't that sound familiar! And the next person who walked up, a frame shop owner, connected with the espresso stand, said she'd too been at our show, and told him my drink was on the house!! What a dreamy small town and nice to feel so welcome. Gold Beach will certainly be on my list for the next tour south. Cruised north to Portland through mostly yucky weather and a little slow traffic. Stopped in Florence for Bill to pick up some special wine he liked, and then in Eugene for a delish lunch at Marche, a great place that was sorta indoor/outdoor elegant mall. Nice. Off to Portland for our last show of the tour!! This was a house concert with a duo called the Gypsy Moths. We had met at the Tumbleweed fest last Sept., and planned this together. It was an unusual show, and one of them played electric guitar, and Bill borrowed it to accompany my new song, "wind fall"..and something happened that made it swing in a way it had not before. Watch for more 'lectric to come...! Once again, "carnivale" was a hit with the kids! After the show, we went out to celebrate our completed tour at a place called "imbibe", subtle, no? Our own Danny Barnes was playing that night. Cool, but smoky, so we went to find dinner in town. Late bite in the only pub we could find, but good! $1.95 hamburger as late menu offering. Rocked and rolled off to sleep in a sort of dorm fashion at the girls place...a guy who was "just there" when we returned named "Jupider" sorta capped the night of 'surreality'. (is that a word Bill? You'd know! :) Or was it the note written on the mirror in permanent marker...anyway, all felt apropos to this scene. I/we? just felt a little transplanted, or reverted? hmmmm.

Saturday, March 6.
LAST DAY!!!Awoke eeeearly and stepped over Jupider, the celestial sleeper with a messy mohawk, who never knew what orb flew by...(ooh, I feel a song coming from that!) Rolled out and went into town to a breakfast spot Bill knew about. Portland is so cool. Bijou Cafe, (3rd SW and Pine St.) an elegantly popular haunt, with a line out the door and very good food. Had a hash mixture of mushrooms, potatoes and salsa, and we split a special treat called "gibassier", which warranted ordering a 2nd round! Made for the cafe by the Pearl Bakery. An eggy, buttery, lightly sweet toast studded with orange peel and anise, both in perfectly subtle gestures. After breakfast, we walked over to the still being set up Saturday market, for a fun and mostly 'window shopping' cruise. Next stop, Bill's favorite cowboy-esque clothing shop, Portland Outdoor Wear? I think, where he selected a few goodies to don on the range and stage!! The best being a rough and tumble Lucinda looking cowboy hat, which he wore for the rest of the trip! Giddyup cowboy! Next stop, the famed Pearl Bakery to get a take home version of the Gibassier bread and a chocolate treat. Next, another music store, where we sat and played guitars a little (I have a hard time with this, as I always want to take them home with me...nice for the store folk, but not for my wallet!) and Bill tried out a fancy one speaker set up thing for guitar and vocal...would be cool to have such a contraption, when I think of all the things I schlep my PA to! One final stop before heading home, "Coffee People". Remember the bad milkshake experience? Yep, me and the home on the range guy went in to make it right again, by getting the best milkshakes this little ranch burb has to offer! I wish we had this place in Seattle...Bill had a mocha shake and I opted for chocolate peanut butter...yummilicious doesn't begin to describe it. C.O. is close...haha! Anyway, faith restored, we headed for home. For me, a little wistful as it's coming to close, but I know it's just the beginning of the next story. And besides, I got to see many more baby lambs along the way to wave to and long to play with. And now, happy to be home in my little sunny, beautiful cottage, my own BED, with loads of new found inspiration from the conference and my travel partner, a dear new friend discovered along the road. Cozy indeed. til the next tour...

Oct 25-Nov 1, 2003 "Sunny HOT (and then cooler) California here I come!!" tour

Oct 25 Hot, yep it is...amidst the horiffic fires of the area, I finally landed in smokey/foggy Santa Barbara, had a great relaxed afternoon with my friend Lisa, burrito's by the beach, and headed off to the magical place that is Ojai and the home of Therese, where my first concert of the tour was to be held. The space was unbelievable, a virtual rock garden park in the guise of "yard". All sparklingly lit with twinkly lights and luminaria, lovely food and a nice array of people to share in the glow of a fireside concert. (WAY far from the threat of fires in further south CA!) This whole gathering was initiated by a generous, long lost hometown friend, Brian Hernandez, who found me this mecca in which to perform, and the show was sponsored by the goddess in human clothing, Therese. One of the highlights of the eve was holding a baby squirrel before I stepped on stage... Therese had found it fallen from it's nest, and was nursing it back to health to release soon back to the trees. "Sammy" actually held my hand as he sat on my hand, in a funny little inquisitive way. What an omen for the eve to follow...a stunningly cozy time we all shared. With new and old friends and fans, I cruised away in twinkly bliss.

Oct 26 SHORELINE AMPHITHEATRE!! Well, not ME playing, yet! :o)
The 17th Annual Bridge School Benefit show was this weekend, and seeing this show was part of my goal in setting up this tour. I drove all day to this wonderful venue, had great seats...so good that I could see close up which performers go barefoot like myself. (For the record, the lead singer from Counting Crows, and Graham Nash!!)
What a perfect day for a such a great cause. The school, started by Neil and Pegi Young...teaches children with severe communication and other physical challenges alternative methods of communication/education. Please check out the website for more info. the bridge school
The kids were all there on special bleachers set up at the back of the stage...truly the best seats in the house! And they were the real STARS of the show! One of the kids was Maricor, a graduate of Bridge, and now a third year student at UC Berkely! The performers took great care to include the kids, even just facing them to perform. 7 concert hours later...I had swooned to the talents of:
Counting Crows, Dashboard Confessionals, Incubus, Wilco, Indigo Girls, (such harmony!) the always amazing Pearl Jam, Willie Nelson, playing his old HOLEY guitar accompanied only by harmonica...oh except when Neil decided to join in on a few tunes...2 legends on stage at once...in such front porch comfort! The finale to the show was Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young!! It brought back such memories to hear the old songs, back in the form I first memorized them! Their voices all so lovely and ageless. The audience were nearly beside ourselves with their rockin' roots performance...Beside me, a legend in his own right...Wavy Gravy came and sat in the empty seat near mine. He was all rainbow-decked out, with groovy propeller hat too. (I snuck a spin of it when his head was turned away! Yes Bodi, you can bow to me now!! haha!) He offered his binoculars to me, or as he called them, his "seeing machine", and asked for a swig off my water bottle. Who could say no to that?! (I gave him the rest...I had another!) Timing was great as I watched ultra close up as Willie strummed love into that ole well used axe! Makes me proud of the tiny scars my guitar has sustained thus far! A long, hot amazing day at close, drove to Mill Valley to sleep...

Oct. 27 Took the day to catch up on nappin' and relaxing in the cooler, but still heatwavey sun, took in a really good-but-heartbreaking film, "my life without me" and then went and did the Sweetwater Saloon Open Mic.
Had a fun time playing my little tunes, and nice response from the packed room. As the eve closed and I was about to drive off, I discovered my wallet was gone...I was shocked as I had only been away from my stuff the 10 minutes I was on stage...scoured the car in ever increasing panic, and came back in to look around...THEN the bartender, seeing this, waved me over, asked what I was looking for, and when I told him, he handed me my wallet...all fully intact-everything!! I was so relieved, and shocked to learn that it had fallen out of my purse on my way in OVER 2 HOURS earlier and some kind person had turned it in!! I said "lucky for me it was an honest citizen!!" He replied, " I think you'll find most folks around here are!!" If I ever doubted that before, I AM SORRY Mill Valley!!! And if by some miracle, you picked up my wallet and are reading this, please send me a note...I owe you big! But I hope a CD will do!

Oct 28 As if this lovely visual trip could get any better, I drove to Mendocino coast for a mid afternoon interview at KZYX "Toast and Jam" show. I had never been to this area, and other than the way-too windy-urp-road to get to this slice of heaven on earth, for "wine country" enthusiasts, I highly recommend this area over NAPA. Both spectacular, just a lot MORE spectacular here, plus the wiley shores of Mendocino coast. I cannot begin to describe the color of the water, but electric turquoise with a hint of silver is a start. I have found yet another haven in CA to return to (with more time)!!
sidenote: These trips are never long enough...oh my gosh, have I become one of those people who sees 20 countries in 10 days...all for my musical tour needs!!? Guess I can live with that, how else could I afford to see these places and their sweet denizens?! And WOULD I get out here if it weren't for my music? Tell me, friends that go places simply to see...
While we were on the air, the DJ Mick, (later my home host and coastal tour guide!!) opened up the lines for questions, and the first person who called offered me a place to stay that night!! I love that about community radio. So small town the feel. Reminds me of my hometown. (Bellingham, WA)
On the program with me was a local (Berkeley) songwriter, Alexis Harte. What a combo in one performer. A soothing, lullably voice with rigorous, snappy guitar riffs! He calls his style "world influenced Americana". He and I took turns playing/talking with Mick. It was one of the nicest radio experiences I've had.

Oct 29 After a nice walk in the headlands in Mendocino and a tasty breakfast, cruised back over the spaghetti roads to Mill Valley, to regroup before heading over to the east bay and Strings showcase. Along the road I saw a white cowboy hat sitting there, all pristine by the road, no wearer in sight, and later saw an escape red balloon, wafting up into the blue blue sky from it's car lot prison..watch for these to turn up in a song one day. (or a pastel?)
Strings has this reputation for being a special, word of mouth place...it is...From the generosity of Joey Lent, it's founder, to the wonderful sound care taken (after all, it IS a recording studio too, and our performances were documented that night!) The feel of the place is great. And having an audience just made it that much better. Alexis came to my show at Strings too! Nice! It is obvious these patrons know they have a special place to call home. A WIDE rather than deep listening space, so everyone had great close up seats (old church pews or train station seats, and mini bar console tables along the wall), making it comfy for all. Even the green room was special...little fireplace crackling away inside and another outside around an old brick patio, and more recording spaces, and hottub! This is California after all! Go check out a show there! STRINGS One more note, after my performance, a woman came up to me and said she "had to" buy my cd. Went on to explain that the only music she owns is music she hears at Strings, and that in order to pass that "must buy" test, she has to "see" something during the performance. In this case, it was a purple aura all around me during "the dance", the only time in the show that she saw any colors at all, and she says purple is a healing color...I told her I had not had anyone express my music in quite that way before, and in my head was thinking...I'm just glad my outfit matched! Wonderful to have this intro to a great venue, and hopefully I will be invited back!

Oct 30 This was a day of lounging, catching up (a little...) on email, then driving to Sacramento to play a house concert in the eve, at the home of a fan, Teresa, met at my shows on two previous tours. She opened this show and is quite a maven on the guitar. Interesting chord progressions and sweet, plaintive voice too. Check out her band Local Honey She and her parnter Kim had done a cleaning-frenzy makeover of their home for this eve! The audience was great, and we all had a fun time! Also performing were Stephanie Haffner and Rebecca Dreskin. Stephanie had the audience rolling with her lyrics and delivery...urban poet songstress...very talented wordsmith, dividing her talents between this and being an Attorney for the city of Stockton, CA! I can tell which is her passion, but it's obviously fed by her "day job" work too. Rebecca treated us all to beautiful piano playing/singing to open the second set!

Oct 31....BOO!! After a late night, and a YUMMY breakfast, I hit the road back to once again regroup in Mill Valley, before taking to the road in the direction of the wonderful Pt Reyes National Seashore, where I would have my second radio interview, this time at KWMR...(are you who were waiting to read about my tour starting to get the idea of WHY I am writing this from memory from back home!!? When else did I have time??!!) If anyone would like to donate a laptop to my tourin' needs, I will try to be better about this!! :o)
On the drive out to Pt Reyes, it started to rain, then POUR and eventually, I just pulled over, leaned the seat back, closed my eyes and took a wee snooze...LOVE that kinda nap...besides, I'd given myself planty of time to get out there...and the beach was looking out of the question.
After the nap, off to a coffeehouse I went. Fun to sit in a cozy place, reading a good book, listening to the rain while sipping my decaf soy honey latte...maybe I was reminded of home...hmmm, nothing like being happy where you are, but getting a taste of where you know as well, ya know?
Arrived at the KWMR station, and for some reason the staff were all wearing bizarre ritualistic uniforms! Oh, it's HALLOWEEN!!! Hee hee! Loved it, seeing all the merriment, even being part of it...I guess my role was "chick with a geetar"! I was interviewed by two radio show co-hosts, Molli and Jane, and (because it's small town America community radio) another DJ burst into the booth to pledge her own money (it was pledge week!) because of my performance that "moved" her!! Her garb was a long, flowing platinum wig, sparkly silver cowgirl hat, lotsa makeup, boots and a blue capey type dress, and overly large "bassoom" region (as my mama would call it)! I asked her later about her getup, and she said "I'm a Dolly Parton superhero" and did a 'fly through the air' gesture! Funny! And I think she saved some lives too. Coulda knocked out a radio tower though! Before I left the booth, a bunch of trick-or-treaters came in (the booth was about as big as my desk or so...) and they all squeezed in to say "Happy Halloween!" into the mic. A tiny tot dressed as Sylvester the Cat asked me to play my guitar which was at that point going back into the case, so instead we all danced around in the room to something playing on the loud speakers. Someone took pics and I hope they send me some! Another little girl asked me to open her package of...WAX LIPS!! which I gladly obliged. I wanted to smell the wax lips to see if they still smell the same...(they do. Sorta like mild toothpaste waxy candy...) Gave us all a good laugh to see her wear them...tiny as she was. Did they ever fit me like that?? That was exactly my thought when I saw them on her. Flashback! I felt much loved as I was sent off down the road with Halloween treats and well wishes for the rest of the tour by this festively garbed crew. SUPPORT COMMUNITY RADIO!!! went home to rest and watch silly tv, and catch up on nothing.

Nov 1 Last day of the tour!! I awoke refreshed, and got up to take a trip up my beloved Mt Tam...finally! Usually, this is the first place I flock to when I arrive in Mill Valley, another victim of this busy week!! Anyway, it was SO worth the wait. The weather had cleared up to sparklingly clear blue, nary a fog in the sky, and I started my ascent. (in the car of course!) Took a little hike on a new (to me) trail, which was laden with scents, sights, and sounds I can only describe as "aah....." and how does one translate that into a song??? to be seen..
Later, I drove higher, to my favorite pull-off spot, and hiked some more, this time with guitar in hand, (no case, too heavy!) a few snacks and fresh batch of guitar strings!! I looked like one of those people I see sometimes, casually carrying the guitar out in the open air. Always looks so devil-may-care romantic to me...only in my case, my hands were clutching it with white knuckles!!...just in case the wind picked up...by the way, for an idea of Mt Tam, go check out my "gallery" page as there is at least one piece that was created up there on a previous art-making trip.
I arrived at the same spot I'd once sat long ago, with a guy named Forrest I was playing music with at the time...1997? 98? How we wound up in CA on this mountain is a long story, but we decided then and there to become a duo band, and named ourselves "sweet bay" inspired by the scent of the Bay Laurel, the sight of the ocean far below, and the sweet music we hoped to make. It didn't last, just one performance in my living room for a crowd of family and friends, but I still have the set list from so long ago...all cover tunes! He was and is a musical genius, and I hope he is creating beautiful music somewhere.
...so now I am back in this same place, among craggy rocks and sweet smelling trees, changing the strings on my trusty gibson, for one more road show. Took my time, almost an hour, taught by a master, to get it right...with this method, there is no worry of slipping out of tune during performance due to stretching strings. I then practiced for an hour or so, loving how the music seemed to fly over the rolling hills. And I felt like I had the whole mountain to myself...except I could see people farrrrr below, looking like colorfully dressed ants, trail running and hiking. There were bluejays and hawks flying around, looking very contented, as was I...
The final show: San Geronimo Valley Cultural Center could not have been better! I can say that without a hint of reservation...Shelley Doty and Susanz joined me in a 'songwriter in the round' style show, and what 3 more diverse performers I have never heard...even though one was me! We took turns and contributed to each others works as the vibe of the eve grew. Everyone, audience and performers, seemed to have a great time together! To sit right next to someone playing the caliber of Shelley's scope, I could barely contain myself. Makes me want to practice scales...almost! And Susanz sings at once like a brassy lass, with the voice of an angel...so richly textured~
We were all three invited back with open arms and that felt great...dare I say it, a turning point felt in the air? To be seen, on the next show down the road.
For now, gonna go get about a 13 hour nap, and start getting ready for my Seattle CD release JAN 3~!!! a road trip all it's own...join us won't you!!? Seriously, let me take this opportunity to say SAVE THE DATE!!! pretty pleeeeeze. Won't be the same without you! The full trio, plus some very special guests!! More details soon...
off and sleepin'!
love live evolve. jean

September 11-13, 2003 jean's "end of summer simmer" tour

September 11
I cannot imagine a more meaningful way for me to spend today. Hitting the road on my last tour of the summer, heading east, through heavy rain in the pass, to come out to beautiful rolling land and dramatic skies as I moved towards my first destination in Spokane WA. What scenery...my mental camera was clicking away for the pastels I hope to complete soon.
What a great start to a tour. Played at The Shop, with warm vibes as I was greeted by many new, and some old friends in a full house! My stage was graced by a whole band, in the form of one person(!!) local musical legend, Don Thomsen.
He accompanied me on fiddle, mandolin, octomandolin, bells, and weissborn!! Slide guitar...ooh...I hope we can work together again soon.

After the show, I walked a couple doors over with the owners of the coffeehouse/recording studio, who also own an ice cream shop!!...and we dipped/sampled with little AND big spoons. The place was closed...how fun!
What cool guys, Bob, Jason and Mark! They went to elementary school together in Wenatchee, and grew up to start this biz together...check it out at the shop
Off to bed before the next tour trail, floating on good vibes and chocolate ice cream (with the tiniest scoop of peppermint added-just the right balance!)

September 12-13 catch up!
I have so much to tell about the sweet road that was my final summer adventure...

Washington state has some amazing views wherever you go, but seeing them from the less trodden back roads is even better.
The people I met and played for could not have been nicer, making me feel right at home.

Travel note: Take the Palouse route (Hwy 195 I think) if you ever have a need to get from Spokane to Tri-Cities, absolutely beautiful. 1-90 is a little faster, but sometimes that’s not what it’s about.

The show in Kennewick (3 Rivers Folk Society concert season opener) was dainty with cloth covered tables, candlelit...and freshly baked cookies, baked on site!! Ah, the aroma...I kept looking for my mama to peek her head around the corner! What lengths they went to, to make the atmosphere special. They must have heard I was coming!
Thank you to my lovely home stay hosts, Alan, Lailani and Dylan Page. Nice to see Micki and John Perry again too!

Heading for East Wenatchee, I drove through dusty, hazy mesa views and desert tumbleweed/sage brush territory til the glistening Columbia river showed up and stayed by my side til I wound my way to my third destination. The mountains were dramatic and shadow-rumply, like velvet, especially as twilight hours approached.

The folks who hosted me at the Cascade Coffeehouse have surely found a comfortable haven in each other, being liberals one and all, in an otherwise ultra conservative area. The show, held in a Universalist Unitarian church, began with a wonderful tale, spun by professional storyteller, Rocci Hildum (also the booker/host of the night who treated me to dinner before my show!) A Poet Laureate opened my second set, whose name I am remiss to recall!
A nice mix of young and old, gathered together for my little show, with coffee, more homemade cookies and even PEACH PIE...fresh off a local tree, no doubt!

They passed a “hat“ on my behalf; a giant, colorful papier mache creation, also designed by Rocci. I de