Lessons Learned Along the Road #1

#1

Always take goods wrapped or packaged in plastic off the top of toaster oven before using toaster oven.

Tape pencil to drawing pad before going out to draw.

A ‘carriage house’ is just another name for “I need some extra money, think I’ll rent out the top of the garage.”

Keep secondary charger someplace other than back at the house.

Never walk around someone else’s home without something on your feet. (Consequently, I wear shoes or slippers all the time!)

Be careful what you post on facebook. One of your 'friends' has already done it faster, better, sooner, longer or cheaper.

‘Cute & Cozy’ means small and uncomfortable.

Never lend your last writing utensil to someone…just say no!

Draft beer IS filled with gas, no matter what they say.

 

No one cares as much about your adventures as you do so keep it short. 

 

Cheers!

The Squeeze Box

Mike and I had been looking forward to staying places throughout America that were out of the box for us. Well, our first 'out of the box' was the Squeeze Box in Clarksdale, Mississippi. It was like living inside of a jukebox. Perfect for the music fest we encountered there.

The Squeeze Box was a spacious (?), 425 sq. ft. private apartment, located in the heart of Historic Downtown Clarksdale, Mississippi. There was no need to drive once we checked in.....parked our car right in front and partied to our heart's content. Check out the pics!

 

yup, that's it!

 

kitchen table out of the 50's era.

kitchen

oven door art with mirror above sink (that's me in mirror!)

Blues art work by Stan Street

counter by front window

"family" room

looking out from kitchen

shower in bathroom, off kitchen, sliding restaurant doors

looking into bedroom, off kitchen,with sliding restaurant doors

in this tiny space a king bed and x-ray lit blues musician photos





Halloween

M & I going out to 'play'


All this in 425 sq. feet!

CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI

The town of Clarksdale is simply the best place to see and hear real Blues musicians, who live, breathe and play their blues with guitars, drums and harmonicas (the Harp). This little Mississippi town, on the edges of Arkansas & Tennessee, has real ‘Juke Joints’ like “Reds” & “Ground Zero”, the kind I’ve only seen in the movies.

 

Michael and I spent 4 days in Clarksdale and every night and one Saturday inside these joints, some of which only had room for 30 people.  We heard absolutely fabulous, real down home blues. We got to know the musicians, their music and the way they live. The town’s people were amazing too. We weren’t in town more than 10 minutes when entering our home (as we refer to all our accommodations) we were greeted and welcomed by neighborly Charles, an elderly gentleman straight out of the Great Gatsby era.

Directly across the street from us was Hambone Art & Music (check it out at www.stanstreet.com) where we met Stan Street and his wife Dixie. Stan is a transplanted Rochesterian who’s living his dream, making art and playing the blues. We also met and hung out with Joe & Kate from Montana & Ron & Eleanor from Ontario, Canada who were doing the same thing as we were…traveling for the blues.

The streets and sidewalks of Clarksdale are in desperate need of repair and many shops are empty, broken down and neglected. The Juke Joints are old, decrepit places and at first glance “what are you crazy? I’m not going in there!” I did not feel safe taking an early morning walk alone more than 5 or 6 square blocks but still…..

The Juke Joints, the music, the people, the art, the food (down home southern’ cookin’).

I’m trying to come up with the right words so that I can save (savor) this experience over and over again when I reread this page. It sounds extreme but I know I was giddy with delight and discovery the entire time we were there. The word “sublime” comes to mind, a new experience never to be forgotten!

To put it in perspective, I knew only a smidgen of music called the blues (Nat King Cole, B.B. King, the big names, my Mom loved them!). Michael introduced me to what I call the other side of the Blues. Blues with history and real life story-songs (I made that word up!).  Also, appreciation of the instruments and how they are played, such as the harp, the sax, a keyboard, bass guitars etc.  AHHHH!

Here’s my analogy. I love my shiny black high heels, fun to step out in and looking good! But when I take them off and put on my black comfy slippers I say AHHHH!

And, as Red says, “It is what it is….”

Enjoy the pictures….

Mike & I at Ground Zero, Clarksdale

 Stan Street on Sax at Ground Zero

Pat Moss & Stan

"went down to the crossroads..."

Robert Walker at Reds

 "Big A" Anthony at Reds

Mike at Ground Zero

King Fish at Reds (16 yrs old and amazing)

Big A on drums, wild man!

Dixie on Drums at Hambone's

Stan & Friends at Hambone's

Chatting with the guys during a break (Big A & King Fish)

 Father & Daughter team at Hambone's

 

Time with Leah Anne Froehling

October 13th -23^rd Atlanta, GA.

Ten days with our 20 month old granddaughter, Leah, was busy, busy, busy! Michael and I played & played & played with Leah, took her out for lunch, bought some new toys and a new outfit (the little black dress). We “read” her books before bed or rather tried to read, as we have yet to see Leah sit still for more than 5 minutes all day long! Perhaps that’s why she is such a good sleeper (12 hours a night straight through with a nap in the a.m. without any complaints going in). But the moment she’s up she's off and running, usually with my kindle. It’s amazing to me how today’s babies catch on so quickly to the world of technology! Obviously, we took many pictures, here’s a bunch of them.

BUSY DAY SHOPPING & CLEANING

 

 

 

 

A LITTLE PLAY TIME WITH GRAND PA MIKE

 

AT WORK

 DINNER PARTY

 

 

WITH A HAND OF CARDS

 

SO MUCH FUN, SO MUCH LOVE!

Florida Whirlwind

 

Phew! 18 days! We crossed into Florida on 9/26/14 from Georgia and then we crossed back into Georgia 18 days later.  We had an absolute whirlwind of activity and a great time. Here are some of the highlights…

·         We stayed at a Marriott Residence Inn for 6 days in Tallahassee where we visited Brent, Michael’s son, who’s working on his Masters in sports psychology at Florida State.  Had Indian food (Love that Spinach Paneer) and organic pizza, saw the campus, went to an art show of up and coming artists of FS and walked some of the public gardens. Saw Larry Garner (Blues artist) at a small venue waaaay out in the boonies….Brent said ’Deliverance’ came to mind! The music was great! It was so good to be with Brent. Thanks for the fun!

Brent & Dad

·         Next stop, Tampa for 5 nights in an Airbnb in Ybor City (for those of you who don’t know what that is check out airbnb.com). Beautiful place, all brand new! It was beastly hot outside but we still walked a lot. That’s what you do in Ybor.  Made it to the Tampa Museum of Art where Michael bought me two necklaces for my birthday. Love!! We also checked out lots of different areas of town, including Hyde Park, SoHo (we found a great breakfast place named Pinky’s!), Bayshore, Brandon, St. Pete’s Beach & Madeira Beach. We love eating fish on the water!



Ybor Condo

 

·         Then just an hour south is Bradenton. We spent 10 days with Michael’s brother and his wife Pete & Karen. Okay so yes they are wonderful! 10 DAYS and so much more.  4 or 5 nights of blues music, 2 dinner parties at their house and another at a friend’s house, went to Anna Maria Island’s beaches, checked out Sarasota and met many of their friends. Thanks SO much Pete and Karen for all you do for us and for showing us the good life!

Blues Lady

Vivian, Patricia & Karen

The Blues @ Aces

Jim, Patricia, Colleen, Mike & Karen

Doc Mumbo & BC @ Luz's Birthday Smash

 

·         We have officially set up residency in Bradenton, Florida and as of this writing it will be the proximity of our future settlement. That sounds like we’ll be setting up a new world, but I guess for us it will be. Lots of music, art, & swimming with gorgeous beaches and beautiful sunsets!   

I repeat… PHEW what a whirlwind! It was great fun!

We are now in Georgia where we are now spending concentrated time with our granddaughter, Leah, my daughter, Casey, and her husband, Brian.

 

Next stops – Tuscaloosa, AL stopover then Memphis, Tenn. & Clarksdale, Miss. all for the sake of the blues (music that is)!

Early Morning Walk

Dorothy P. Oven Park, in Tallahassee, on a cloudy, cool morning with Michael.

Dorothy P. Oven House now used for Weddings & other events.

This is a web built around a knot in a tree.