Yesterday we headed South to the Kickapoo Country Fair at Organic Valley in LaFarge, WI. The draw was Michael Perry and the Longbeds were scheduled for the mainstage. We arrived well before their concert time to have a look around the fair. The overall flavor of the fair was quite alternative. It seems funny to write that seeing that I've been called a granola head before. We live in the middle of the woods, raise chickens, homeschool, grow a fairly large garden, preserve everything we can, bake bread, read pioneer stories, fish and hunt for food rather than only sport, burn wood, recycle and reuse everything we can, sew clothes and quilts...the list could go on. And still, the fairgoers were definitely more alternative than us. I'm sure I'm not the only one who enjoys people watching. However, we did have a great time listening to Michael Perry and the Longbeds. Warren listens to their CDs so often and I wanted the music to feel fresh at the concert that I put a ban on listening for a couple days. I'm glad I did because I anxiously awaited each song hoping to hear my favorites, which I did, except for Somewhere Out in Mudbrook.
It was a hot, hot day and little shade was to be found except for under the umbrellas Organic Valley had provided. I walked through the crowd looking for empty chairs to snag and hoping that I'd catch an umbrella at band changeover time. Gradually I acquired 4 chairs and we positioned ourselves near an umbrella, sharing chairs. An elderly woman's group of friends were leaving and she offered the extra chairs to us and motioned for us to move into her shade under the umbrella. What a godsend! As the band was setting up we got to talking. What a lovely lady, that Bernice. Turns out she's 90 years old. She's had cancer and a stroke, but as she put it the doctors fixed her up and she's good to go. She plans on making it to 100 like her mother did. She explained her longevity is from years and years of weeding and making brush piles. Matter of fact she's still volunteering in her community garden weeding. The kids ears piped up with that since most mornings we begin with weeding 4 rows in the garden. Every morning we head out to weed our 4 rows and then stand back and admire our work and make plans for tomorrow's weeding. Life is good!
By the way the concert was awesome. I love watching the emotion of Michael Perry's face when he's singing. On our way home even the kids commented about his many expressions. We're anxiously awaiting the next CD.
