Blazing My Own Trail

There are massive cornfields around the corner from where I live, and it has been part of my routine walks to pass them by. This year, they let one of the sections fallow to revitalize the soil, so I was able to walk across this enormous plowed field to take photos from a slightly different perspective.

after several minutes I made it to the other side.

Let's Go Girls!

 

I've been a part of a particular concert that takes place every late summer for the past 15 years. Seven years ago, I met the woman who has been singing with me ever since. I used to be the lead singer for the bands I would put together, but started moving to playing the guitar and providing supporting vocals, letting Amy front the band. Things went quite well, and for the past four years, she has taken on Janes Addiction, Aerosmith and U2. This time around shw was Shania Twain (and I got to be her duet partner in Keith Urban.

I bought a really cool guitar for all of $199 and decorated it for the show. 

The place was packed and we had the whole crowd singing along to "Man! I Feel Like a Woman"

A couple of days later, I was right back at it with the Savage Brothers, marking my eighth year with the band. Outdoor shows have been plentiful and none of them got rained out. The next few mponths continue to look very busy, as I didn;t even have tinme to go on a vacation.

 

Summer Feels Revisited

 

Summer is flying by like it always seems to. Amy and I celebrated her birthday with a visit to Tanglewood, where comic John Mulaney gave us all some much needed laughter in times of dark uncertainty.

Then it was back to work for me!

A crowd of 10,000 people  showed up for the 4th of July festival in Enfield. 

We've played this event a few times before and they always treat us very well.

We played a large number of outdoor shows and had a great time at all of them. 

Summer's Here (and the time is right)

Blazing hot, or soaking rain. There seems to be no happy middle this summer, as I enter my 8th year performing with the Savage Brothers Band. 

Rooftop 120

Glastonbury, CT (after being rained out the night before in Granby)

Fireman and Policeman's Picnic

Enfield Senior Center

Enfield, CT (afternoon before second show rain out in Granby) 

Blues, Brews & BBQ

South Windsor Farms

(hot as hell, but no rain for my rare solo gig)

Fountain Park

Wilbraham, MA (just stopped raining)

On the first day of summer, my partner Amy and I played two shows. One outdoors in Springfield and another indoors in Easthampton. In between shows, we treated ourselves to dinner at a nearby Cracker Barrel, where Amy had a gift card she needed to use up. Bring on the southern style shrimp!

Having an occasional day off, we spent it seeing some of our friends perform at a small craft brewery in Millers Falls. Another hot summers day, and a cheery establishment with a sense of humor.

Step By Step

 The fields that usually grow corn are not yet planted, and after the grass started reaching maximum height, some trucks came in and now the grasses are all turning yellow. Assuming this is how they cut hay, as part of crop rotation. They've been growing corn for consecutive years since I moved here 5 years ago, but I do remember one year seeing hay bales.

I hit the 10 Mile mark this week on my daily walks.

I woke up today having logged 7 for the week. After talking the last two days off because of rain and work. So I made up for it by meeting my goal as soon as the rain stopped.

Tomorrow is going to a lot like today, with lots of clouds and cool temps in the 60s. I personally like it this way, especially for excercise. I'll probably goo for another 2 miles tomorrow.

Walk The Line

 In an effort to stay fit, I have gone on regular walks of a mile nearly every day. I've recently been trying to double that amount and see what results I get. To walk 10 miles a week, I can do it 5 days or less. Not slow walking either, like trying to get to the train on time kind of walking. It's a beautiful view either way!

Sometimes, I turn around and come back the same way, or go in a complete circle, around farmlands, rolling landscapes and pleasant houses. The only traffic I encounter are occasionals tractors and machinery. Off road vehicles may include a small group of motorcyclists or mountain bikes (I have the latter, which I'll start using when the mosquitos show up soon) 

Walks like these last between 20 and 40 minutes and go from 1 to 3 miles. Then I can go back to playing guitar!

Might As Well Be Spring

 

Five years living with this view

I spend an hour or so (less if the weather is poor) walking the country roads that surround a large expanse of farmland. Not a lot of traffic, so many people in the neighborhood go for their own exercise.

Longer hours with daylight and warming temperatures make for ideal conditions, and I take a great deal of pictures documenting the change of seasons.