Ok, maybe not the whole globe, but 1,125 miles later (we can’t even think about it in terms of gallon$) we’re right back in Mt. Misbegot. We met lots of good folks and acquired a new battery and alternator-all good things!
Ed & Joe’s is a wonderful restaurant & pizzeria in Tinley Park, Illinois.
It is Chef Kevin Kincaid who puts it over the top for Chicago-area eateries.
We enjoyed what we had thought would be a light salad and wound up taking half home.
The stage should be so big! (Plans are to enlarge it.) If you’ve seen us perform, you know the amount of clutter we have to move in to accommodate Judy’s many bizarre musical proclivities. We made it all fit in front of the hand-painted silhouettes of Kevin and Annie, who perform there often. We would be ungrateful indeed if we failed to give a shout out to Hall and his friend, who were our best audients!
At the Rhubarb Festival in Kankakee, we enjoyed Annie Kincaid on violin and guitar, and her Mom on hammered dulcimer, in a turn-of-the-20th- century one-room schoolhouse. Very cool.
The Indiana Samboree was held at the Boone County Fair Grounds in Lebanon, we were greeted by the always-friendly Good Sam folks. The ladies in “hospitality” showed off some gorgeous orchids that are brought to the Samboree each year and served as hostesses of the coffee, lemonade, iced tea, ice water, and oh-so-many cookies!
The theme “Christmas in May” provided the basis for an amazing display--lights, ornaments, centerpieces, life-size Santa, snowmen, a lighted lawn display and a lit nativity scene!
We really admired the creativity and diligence of the many volunteers, and, of course, John & LouAnn Vaughn, Good Sam directors extraordinaire for the State of Indiana.
Everything ran like clockwork!
We really admired the creativity and diligence of the many volunteers, and, of course, John & LouAnn Vaughn, Good Sam directors extraordinaire for the State of Indiana.
Everything ran like clockwork!
Here’s what the crowd looked like on the first night,
before the other half of the happy campers arrived!
before the other half of the happy campers arrived!
(That's John & LouAnn in the front row, right-hand side-isle side)
We headed for Detroit and the Royal Oak Farmer’s Market (where we once again forgot to take a picture, @#*#%&*!). On any given Saturday morning some 2500 folks typically stroll by...or stroll by typically. They were generous folks, too...even sold some CDs!
The Steak Hut decided, at the last minute, to close for Memorial Day weekend,
so our little “southern tour” ended at Memphis Smoke in Royal Oak, MI. Known for its delicious barbecue and blues, it’s the site of John D. Lamb’s Songwriters Showcase once a month. On the panel with four very serious, talented young singer/songwriters,
we were definitely the comic relief.
so our little “southern tour” ended at Memphis Smoke in Royal Oak, MI. Known for its delicious barbecue and blues, it’s the site of John D. Lamb’s Songwriters Showcase once a month. On the panel with four very serious, talented young singer/songwriters,
we were definitely the comic relief.
Overall this was a great “shakedown cruise” for us as we prepare for touring; but it was all made like a vacation by the generous hospitality of the Kincaids in Illinois and the Dosters in Royal Oak. What a treat to spend time with bright, creative folks who share our sense of humor (at least they pretended to!) and love of music! That’s the best part of the whole experience.
We'll close with this great pic of the MS pig kicking back, oblivious to the heady smell of barbecue sauce wafting through the room!
Remember, it the road rises up to meet you-you've fallen down!
