Over the week end I drove my little stick shift east on the thruway and headed Northeast into Adirondack park.
I left Thursday morning after an oil change arriving in Speculator around noon where I stopped at my favorite Adirondack grocery/hardware/book store and bought some good apple cider then headed on to Warrensburg where I was to stay.
Thursday night I performed solo in the small entrance space to Aimee's Dinner and a Movie in Glens Falls where they presented a gallery of Haitian artwork. The acoustics in the gallery were fantastic for cello and it was a lot of fun to play there. Bach, Improv, Sound of Music, anything I could think of...
I was playing in a storefront window and it was funny to see people walk down the street and stop and look in. Some very nice ladies from the rotary club happened to be eating dinner in the restaurant next door. From their upper story window view they looked down and watched me play and were intrigued to come and listen. Underneath me a man was working late in his shop and could hear the music above so he also came to investigate and we ended up having a very interesting chat about the music scene in Brooklyn in the 60's-80's.
After the event my brother was chatting with the bar tender next door who mentioned that she had no music that night. Tim got her to hire me for an hour and Bach in the Bar paid for my gas...
Friday I hiked up Hackensack mountain which rose up just behind where I was staying. A small little mountain with lots of open boulder space and a flag flying, it was a nice way to greet the day and the warm sunshine. Hitting the trail even for a short time was exhilarating and got the blood moving!
On Saturday I woke up thinking I should hit the trail again. I drove north up route 87 for the trail towards Giant mountain from the Northeast. I was prepared with MSR isopro and stove and oatmeal but had forgotten to put matches in my kit ! (had to remove them when I flew on the plane earlier this Fall...) so a granola bar had to suffice and I set out for some good views of the Southern peaks. It was clear, sunny, and cold! How pretty the sun hit the yellow leaved trees... a beautiful morning that God had made. It felt a little lonely to be hiking alone and I walked slowly trying to take in the air and just enjoy being in the woods. The views from Blueberry cobble and Rocky Ridge were amazing and I was inspired to see Gothics and Pyramid. What a great place to be on a Saturday morning! I didn't go too much further, sat and did some writing, praying, then headed back down, planning to come back next summer to do the entire trail to Giant.
That night at the Haitian Benefit Dinner I performed with pianist/singer/guitarist/composer Ray Agnew and singer Gisella Montanez-Case. The three of us hit it off immediately and had a great time playing together. It was great to improvise with such generous musicians with rich musical depth. It was a lot of fun followed up by Haitian lime fish, herb potatoes and ginger sugared plantains. Delicious.
Driving back across the park on Sunday I enjoyed the rocky river views and stopped to gaze at the last beautiful lake before leaving the park and getting back on route 90. I was planning my workshop for the sixth graders and thinking about the people I'd met. With several offers for places to stay on future hiking trips, and requests to come and play some more music, I wondered about returning in the near future. I also wondered if that red service light would prove any more ominous on the way home!
Made it home safely and have yet to service the honda, but am following up on some North Country plans for the Spring...
I left Thursday morning after an oil change arriving in Speculator around noon where I stopped at my favorite Adirondack grocery/hardware/book store and bought some good apple cider then headed on to Warrensburg where I was to stay.
Thursday night I performed solo in the small entrance space to Aimee's Dinner and a Movie in Glens Falls where they presented a gallery of Haitian artwork. The acoustics in the gallery were fantastic for cello and it was a lot of fun to play there. Bach, Improv, Sound of Music, anything I could think of...
I was playing in a storefront window and it was funny to see people walk down the street and stop and look in. Some very nice ladies from the rotary club happened to be eating dinner in the restaurant next door. From their upper story window view they looked down and watched me play and were intrigued to come and listen. Underneath me a man was working late in his shop and could hear the music above so he also came to investigate and we ended up having a very interesting chat about the music scene in Brooklyn in the 60's-80's.
After the event my brother was chatting with the bar tender next door who mentioned that she had no music that night. Tim got her to hire me for an hour and Bach in the Bar paid for my gas...
Friday I hiked up Hackensack mountain which rose up just behind where I was staying. A small little mountain with lots of open boulder space and a flag flying, it was a nice way to greet the day and the warm sunshine. Hitting the trail even for a short time was exhilarating and got the blood moving!
On Saturday I woke up thinking I should hit the trail again. I drove north up route 87 for the trail towards Giant mountain from the Northeast. I was prepared with MSR isopro and stove and oatmeal but had forgotten to put matches in my kit ! (had to remove them when I flew on the plane earlier this Fall...) so a granola bar had to suffice and I set out for some good views of the Southern peaks. It was clear, sunny, and cold! How pretty the sun hit the yellow leaved trees... a beautiful morning that God had made. It felt a little lonely to be hiking alone and I walked slowly trying to take in the air and just enjoy being in the woods. The views from Blueberry cobble and Rocky Ridge were amazing and I was inspired to see Gothics and Pyramid. What a great place to be on a Saturday morning! I didn't go too much further, sat and did some writing, praying, then headed back down, planning to come back next summer to do the entire trail to Giant.
That night at the Haitian Benefit Dinner I performed with pianist/singer/guitarist/composer Ray Agnew and singer Gisella Montanez-Case. The three of us hit it off immediately and had a great time playing together. It was great to improvise with such generous musicians with rich musical depth. It was a lot of fun followed up by Haitian lime fish, herb potatoes and ginger sugared plantains. Delicious.
Driving back across the park on Sunday I enjoyed the rocky river views and stopped to gaze at the last beautiful lake before leaving the park and getting back on route 90. I was planning my workshop for the sixth graders and thinking about the people I'd met. With several offers for places to stay on future hiking trips, and requests to come and play some more music, I wondered about returning in the near future. I also wondered if that red service light would prove any more ominous on the way home!
Made it home safely and have yet to service the honda, but am following up on some North Country plans for the Spring...
RSS Feed