Photogaboutit

Update: Yes, I know that's not Bela. But it's my favorite pic of the set. Richie Stearns. So, I had been looking forward to the Bela Fleck Banjo Summit for a while, and it did not disappoint. We went to the Paramount Theater in Rutland, an hour away, and saw some of the best music ever. The format was great too, because the musicians and the styles of music changed almost every song, so it never got dull. Richie Stearns has a really interesting voice. When I saw him last, it was at another banjo summit at the Egg in Albany, NY. He sang a song about the twin towers and going into Iraq, that left an imprint. He plays clawhammer, but puts it through effects pedals and makes some crazy good noise. Bela Fleck and his wife Abigail Washburn. She has a great voice and can sing in many styles, and Bela, well, if you've seen him before, you know. On this stage stood about half of the most famous banjo players ever. Bela Fleck is a pure genius, and I think most would ...

...but I promise to do better. Really! 1. A bun in the oven. 'nuff said. Thanks Julia for doing all the hard work! Julia's tummy is growing... ...and so is our family! 2. I've been working my butt off on the waterfalls book for Falcon Guides. Monday was my last day of fieldwork and now I'm knee deep in driving directions, hiking directions, mapping, photo processing and hike descriptions. I've been to 113 waterfalls all over New England, and most were hiked in the last three months. Well, I've seen some beautiful places, that's for sure! Bailey Falls, VT Bash Bish Falls, MA 3. I started graduate school. I've decided to get a masters degree from the MALS program at Dartmouth. And since I've never wanted a graduate degree, and I don't need one for my profession, I figured I'd focus on what I love, which is long distance hiking. I'll follow this up with a more detailed description of the program and what I hope to ...