Back to Busy-ness

Monday evening we all went to a Chamber Music Recital which featured Maya's Aspen teacher Paul Kantor playing in an interesting ensemble. Their piece was what I now call "Bergtokish", a blend of my two least favorite composers, Berg and Bartok.  I have been told they each have composed some beautiful works so all I can say is let's hear them.  In the third half of the program a young Korean woman sang operatic soprano with a string trio.  Now that was beautiful stuff.  I ran into her the next day (yesterday) and told her how much we all loved her performance.   I know she can sing Italian and German but I'm not certain to what degree she can speak English.

Speaking of running into talent, while I was swimming some laps at the rec center on Monday I met the dude who won the Prokofiev Piano competition this summer.  He is from Greece but is studying at Juilliard presently.  I'm too lazy to look up his name at the moment. There was a Caddy Shack event at the family pool at the rec center so it had to be evacuated and cleaned.  I was able to get in my laps but otherwise our group mostly ice skated or exercised then sat in the hot tub.

So, yesterday was quite busy.  It is a good thing that I keep a calendar of our activities as I don't think I would recall a lot of what we have done.  After the morning started up with some practicing and composing Abe and I walked to the PO.  On the way back I just had to drop in to Explore for a browsing moment.  Cashmere was actually walking around meowing.  I'm still struggling with the camera but did snap off a few photos.

This gazebo is in Paepcke Park, just about one block from the condo.  We usually cut across the grass when we walk to the bakery or bookstore.












Then we all went up to the music campus for lunch.  Ms. Nicolette had a meeting with Mr. Kantor while the rest of us ate at the cafeteria.  We then sat in for a bit of a guitar master class led by Sharon Isbin.  That was interesting.  We left there with enough time to get back to the condo for another run through of Vitali Chaconne, showers, snacks, etc.

Next we drove down to the tent to listen to the ACAA Orchestra play with Luke Hsu, the winner of this year's Tchaikovsky competition.  His performance was so spectacular in every way imaginable one must believe he will be the next international star.

After intermission it was pure chance that had me looking at the bass section when what I believe was a bird dropping landed on the shoulder of one of the bass players.  The guy standing next to him started to chuckle so the victim flicked the material off his shoulder only to splatter the other guy's face. So he dropped his bow and shoved the first guy who fell into the cello section who like dominoes tumbled forward.  The student conductor was startled by this flash of events and began to fall backwards off the conducting stand.  As she was tipping off the edge of the stage the concert master reflexively (I presume) extended his violin toward the young lady who grabbed onto the strings by the bridge.  It seemed like slow motion as one by one the strings broke, E, A, D, and then just as the G string was about to pop a man in an electric wheelchair sitting down front moved over to break her fall.  She landed perfectly in his lap but I suppose her leg was pressing on the joystick such that the chair began to spin rapidly.  Her shoe flew off and, yes it is true, landed in my lap.  It was then that I realized Abe was shaking me awake, stating that I has started to snore.

We rushed back to the condo for a quick snack (very quick) and for Maya to dress up for her studio class performance.  Then we drove up to the music campus where she played third among four performers.  She did a fantastic job which was well received by the small but attentive audience.  Mr. Kantor and the students had many complimentary statements and a few excellent suggestions for improvement.

We actually had to slip out a bit early in order to make it back to Harris Hall for the Alisa Weilerstein cello recital.  The whining along the way was nearly at a record-breaking level - I'm tired, I'm hungry, I'm bored....  We nonetheless attended the recital.  The first half was long and mostly Bergtokish music so I was gazing at the emergency exit with extreme longing.  I felt bad about forcing the kids to sit through it.  At intermission we were going to leave but upon seeing the array of instruments being set up for the second half we decided to tough it out.  We were all so glad we did.  We were treated to about 45 minutes of unique music featuring the cello (Alisa again), a hyper-accordion, and two most interesting percussionists.  We finally made it back to the condo after 10 pm to chow down on toasted cheese and cereal.  I think the final light was off around midnight.

Grass Band

We enjoyed nice weather all day yesterday though it is thundering and raining again right now.  Ms. Nicolette, Prema and Maya were occupied with some music events and rehearsals for a couple of hours in the morning.  My day started with a quick trip to the bakery then I assisted with the process of packing.  We should be pulling out for the trip back to Rapid City in just one week.  Since Prema can take extra suitcases at no charge when she flies we filled up three bags with stuff we don't need for the final week.  This will help lighten the load on our drive home and give us a bit more room in the van.  It is always sad to take Prema to the airport, but she should be back in a few days for the final AMFS events.

After Prema departed we walked down to the tent to listen to two beautiful pieces by Brahms and Sibelius.  We intended to try sitting outside since it was such a nice day. That was lucky planning because it looked like the program was sold out.  We could hear the music fairly well but not being able to see the pianist nor the orchestra did diminish the experience a bit.  That said, sitting outside was fantastic in its own way.  Abe and Maya sat quietly at times and were able to get up and move around when moved to do so.  I love to watch people and families enjoying themselves, and there was plenty of that to do.  Here are a few photos of the afternoon.

Here is a shot of the general area to give a sense of the crowd. If you look carefully you can see Abe speaking with Dr. Carl under the trees on the right side of the image.

I had to leave a bit early to go pick up Jamuna at our secret meeting spot in Basalt.  It was nice to see Mary and Freddie even for a brief moment.  We then rushed back to the condo to get a quick bite then Ms. Nicolette, Jamuna, Maya and I went up to the music campus to sit in on a Sylvia Rosenberg master class.  These MCs are great experiences for observers but may not seem so great for the performers.  We only stayed to hear two performances and accompanying comments but they were both fantastic.  First up was our friend Serina and then our friend Stephanie.  Serina played a beautiful piece then received constructive comments by Ms. Rosenberg, guest master David Halen, and the other students.  Then Stephanie (Jeong) played a lovely piece then endured the standard grilling.

A note about Stephanie - I may have mentioned before.  We met Stephanie and her friend Eric (percussion student) the very first day of the music school when we were sitting at the bus stop waiting for a ride up to the registration office.  They were so nice to us that we never forgot them. We have bumped into them several times and seen them on stage too.  Stephanie is assistant concert master of the Aspen Chamber Symphony, a quite impressive accomplishment.  So....one day we saw them by the ice cream shop and we offered to treat them to a scoop but they had just had some.  After they left it occurred to me that I could get a gift card and give it to them the next time we met.  I had been carrying that card with me everywhere for over three weeks and finally was able to sneak it to Eric with a note last night. (I think I may have told this back story previously but I'm too lazy to look back; I apologize for the repetition, if so.)

Coffee, camera, croissants, and more....

First, I must mention that my Canon G9 camera has inexplicably stopped functioning.  That was the best camera I have ever owned.  I have an old Nikon D70 with me that is also a great camera but it is too big and clumsy to carry around all the time for quick, candid shots.  I also have a fancier and newer Nikon D300 (possibly the worst camera, and most expensive, I've ever owned).  I took a bunch of photos yesterday with the D70 but cannot get them from the camera to the computer.  Today I will fight with the D300 to see if I can use it for our final week here in Aspen.  All of that is offered to explain the recent paucity of photos and comments.

Here is a shot of Maya enjoying coffee in bed, delivered by Dr. Carl and Ms. Nicolette.  I believe this was a "pay-it-forward" deal to get some early practice out of Maya.




Jamuna is sleeping over with Sierra in Carbondale.  It was a beautiful day yesterday and the drive up and back seemed to pass quickly.

Yesterday started with an early (8:30 am) lesson with Mr. Kantor after which I made the Carbondale run.  Upon my return we all met up with Ms. Tamara and her dog Blackout to ride the gondola to the summit of Aspen Mountain.  We sat on the ground and listened to a nice brass quintet play music for about 45 minutes.  Played around up there for a while then rode the gondola back down.  It was so beautiful I wished out loud that the cars would just come to a stop for a while - and they did.  We sat suspended for about 15 minutes midway down the mountain with a spectacular view of the Aspen area.

Then we made our way back to the condo for some practicing and general hanging out.  Maya then took the van Wyks on a hike in the hills (Little Cloud trail) and apparently was quite demanding about velocity (speed and direction), nature interpretation, and photography.  Abe and Maya had a nice evening in the condo while the rest of us went to a nice restaurant, Brexi, just a few blocks down the road. We were just getting started when we saw Ms. Tamara and another fine pianist, Charles Tauber, walk in for their evening meal.  We invited them to join us and we had a very nice evening of musical chat.  Charlie had run a half-marathon that morning.

The evening prior was consumed by divergent music activities.  Maya practiced, Prema went to the music campus to see a showcase presentation, and Jamuna, Dr. Carl and I walked to Harris Hall to hear performances of six of the composition students.  All were experiences of merit.

Today Maya has a rehearsal with Ms. Tamara, Prema is leaving to go back to work for a few days, Jamuna is to return from down valley, and we will likely attend a Sylvia Rosenberg master class this evening.  I will spend much of the day fussing with the D300.

More Sarah

Deja vu all over again.  This shot is from backstage last night. Yesterday was busy for Maya and her violin. I went to another very interesting physics lecture by Michael Freedman of Microsoft Corp.  He leads the quest for quantum computing there.  Raining off and on today.  Most are going out to dinner tonight but I may take the night off.

We are all having a great time with with the van Wyks.

Obviously I am taking a break from detailed blogging.  Might get back on track tomorrow....

Slow day, so far...

Not much going on yet today.  Yesterday evening Abe stayed at the condo while the ladies/girls went to watch a concerto competition.  After that Prema and Ms. Nicolette dropped the young ladies at the condo then went out to dinner at Mezzaluna.  Carl and I had a sushi-ish supper then went to see a new (not yet released) documentary movie based on the book Freakonomics. We got back around 10 pm to find Maya sound asleep and Jamuna and Abe watching TV.  I was ready to wind down but we were summoned out for a drink and dessert.

Today started out slowly, for some of us.  Dr. Carl and Ms. Nicolette followed Maya on a brisk walk in the hills near the condo.  Then the condo burst into music of various sorts as practicing ensued.  Carl and I ventured out on a walkabout to an Apple dealer (looking for an iPad cover for Carl), then down to the John Denver Memorial, then the Aspen Art Museum (yawn) then along the Rio Grande Trail to the PO, then Clark's Market then back to the condo.  Along the walk we found this antique steam powered engine that was part of an old saw mill from about a century ago.

Prema and Nicolette did lunch with Mr. Kantor.  I did lunch standing over the sink.

The condo now looks like an Apple retail outlet.






This afternoon we are going to hear the AACA Orchestra perform with the piano concerto competition winner.

Carl's Pharmacy

Quick update.  We all walked to Maya's favorite location in all of wonderful Aspen, Carl's Pharmacy.  Here is a pic of Maya with Jamuna and Dr. Carl.  We then stopped over at Explore Booksellers and purchased another share of the business (maybe not, but they should be giving us shares in light of our investment in the business; not all my doing, BTW).

Carl and I walked over the Wheeler Opera House to pick up tickets for the Freakonomics program tonight.  While there a nice lady with the Chamber of Commerce gave us a tour of the building.  This is where we have seen the two operas, but Carl had not seen the interior.  Along the way we came upon this customized Hummer which Dr. Carl found quite interesting.

It's not quite as big as it may look:

The police thing is really not a huge deal; I was just experimenting with blog teasers.  Here's the short story.  On Saturday I noticed that the radar detector was missing from the car and after checking that Prema didn't remove it and after looking all around I concluded it had been stolen.  I was a bit surprised as I am habitually lock the car and regardless thought Aspen was crime-free (I suppose I forgot to lock up after carrying Prema's suitcase up the stairs when she arrived the previous night).  Since the cost was surely less less than any insurance policy we might have to cover such a loss I just figured I would accept the loss.  But as I was moping around the alley parking lot I noticed there is a surveillance camera on the corner of a building not far away, pointing right at the area the van was parked.  So I did call the police and spoke to an officer (Jason, my latest good buddy in Aspen).  He drove over a few minutes later to survey the situation, and a bit later a second officer showed up (slow crime day in Aspen, apparently).  He checked out the building with the camera but a manager was not there.  He said he would look into it and about 30 minutes later he called to let me know that he spoke with a manager and learned that the camera is operational and that today (Monday) he would investigate further.  Earlier today he called to let me know that the manager was going to preview the tape to see if the camera even recorded images that included our van.  At this point I'm still waiting to hear back.  I did learn that though violent crime is virtually unheard of in Aspen, burglaries such as what we experienced  is actually above the national average.  Will keep you posted...

Heroine Update

Maya and Jamuna now have a new violin heroine, Sarah Chang.  We were all amazed at her performance last night, and Ms. Nicolette and the girls were able to go backstage during intermission to meet Ms. Chang.  She was very sweet to the girls, gave and autograph and posed for photos.  She was surely exhausted after her extremely demanding rendition of Shostakovitch's Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor.  We will see her again on Wednesday evening.

After the program Mrs. White and I speed-walked (not because were late, that's just how she walks!) back to the condo then I drove her to the airport for a sad farewell. She made it home to Helena safely.  We miss her already.  Then the rest of us had a nice, simple supper outside on the "mall" while listening to Umberto again.  And THEN, we made it over to Paradise Bakery for ice cream and sorbet.  We were entertained by the crowd, a small brass ensemble, and an assortment of canines.  Take a look:


This isn't a great shot but it is a view from outside looking through the window of the shop.  There is just enough room inside for another line of customers to the right, out of view.

This shot shows 2/3 B-Squad and Ms. Nic scratching the tummy of an obscured golden retriever (the poor thing). Abe is looking incredulous at this overtly public display of affection.

Here is Maya using her bow hand to apply a death-grip on this unfortunate dog wearing a pink evening gown.  Not sure what the issue was here.






So far today has been fairly relaxed.  I went to the bakery for breakfast treats then later drove Maya, Prema and Ms. Nicolette to the music campus for a rehearsal.  Lunch was had among episodes of intense practicing and composition (Jamuna and Dr. Carl are back at it).  Dr. Carl and I are going to walk over to the opera house to get tickets for a premier viewing of a documentary based on one of my fav books Freakonomics.  More on that later, and the police thing too (that is still cooking).

Forgive me....

...it has been 48 hours since my last post.  Not that we have been any more or less busy, just took a day off.  We did follow the plan for Friday afternoon and evening.  It is quite pleasant to sit and have a sandwich on the lawn by Harris Hall then just stroll over to the tent.  The Tamara Goldstein and Boson Mo recital was quite nice as was the evening concert.  We sat with Destiny again.  Unfortunately she had to scoot out early because her friend Mike, the principal cellist in the orchestra had to excuse himself after the second piece due to not feeling well.  We learned the next day that felt better and is back at making music. By the time we got back to the condo I had made five long walks and my hips were aching.  A few ibuprofen tabs solved that matter nicely.  Prema's flight arrived on schedule.  How about that!  An how about that Challah?

Yesterday Maya had an extra lesson with Mr. Kantor.  I enjoyed my usual hour of peace and quiet on the music hall deck.  It was a nice hour - I finally finished "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Stieg Larsson.  I enjoyed all three of his books and am sad that he died shortly after submitting the manuscripts.  I also enjoyed viewing the wildlife.  The muskrat showed up again. The ducklings are getting big, and more independent.  The spiders have moved on.

We picked up the van Wyk's from the airport (their flight was delayed, no surprise).  After a short while of catching up and settling in we had another delicious dinner at Asie's.  Dr. Carl and I walked back to the condo as the weather looked threatening - from inside the restaurant looking out.  As we walked back I thought maybe we really didn't need to drive after all but by then we were committed due to the time.  It was a good thing as it was pouring rain after the concert.  The performance was a classical guitar recital by Sharon Isbin, with a small orchestral back up.  The music was lovely, especially the encore piece which is on her latest, Grammy winning album.  Might have to pick that up.

Today, so far, Dr. Carl, Mrs. White, Jamuna and I went to the tent to view the dress rehearsal for tonight's concert featuring Sarah Chang.  Not sure why she needed a dress rehearsal as it seemed to fit fine and didn't encumber her playing at all.  She was wearing high heals that were about as high as one could wear, so maybe it was a shoe rehearsal.  After that I drove Ms. Nicolette, Prema and Maya up to the music school for here regular lesson with Mr. Kantor.  I had another Sunday mid-day break listening to the AACA rehearsal, watching the pond, and digging into my latest read by Craig Johnson, Junkyard Dogs.

On the way home we stopped by the fruit stand.  Then had lunch.  Walked to the bakery for a couple of loaves of bread, a quick browse in Explore, then back just in time for a quick post.  We are off to the tent for the big concert with Sarah Chang.  Sadly we had not budgeted enough time for an ice cream walk.  Maybe later.

Tomorrow I will report on details of my encounter with the Aspen Police Department...

What day is it anyway?

The days continue to blur into one another here in fantasy land.  Every day we remind ourselves how fortunate we are to be having this experience.

Here is the long awaited photo of the blogger.  I really wanted to show the scroll hanging on the corner of the mirror so below please see the close up view.  If you read it carefully you may see a couple of typographical errors.  I have forgiven the producers and hope you will too.

Last week I overheard a Buddhist placing his order with a street corner hot dog vendor.  He said, "Make me one with everything".





















So, I don't recall where I left off yesterday.  We did go to the rec center then after I whipped up something for supper I walked down to the Given Center and listened to a talk about schizophrenia.  Then we all walked down to Harris Hall and listened to a relatively short concert of Gershwin and Bernstein music.  Very nice.

This morning I walked back to Harris Hall box office to get our tickets for this evenings performance by the Aspen Chamber Symphony featuring pianist Steven Osborne and clarinetist Bil Jackson.  Every performance seems to have some special component - tonight the Clarinet Concerto was composed by Kevin Puts specifically for Mr. Jackson, and tonight will be the premier of the piece.  I was able to get seats on the left side of the tent so we can see the pianist's hands, something we have missed in past performances.  Jamuna especially wants to see the view of the keys and hands.

Jamuna, Abe and I are back from our errands, having made the usual stops.  We did drop into Carl's Pharmacy to get some thread to pull together a split seam in one of Jamuna's favorite sweaters.  We'll see how that repair turns out.  Here's a view inside of the Main Street Bakery.  I had another photo of some Challah bread but it seems to have vaporized.

The remains of the day should follow this general plan:  tidy up the place, pick up a violin from the luthier, get sandwiches from Grateful Deli, walk to HH for pre-concert featuring Maya's rehearsal pianist Tamara Goldstein and friend from her studio class Boson Mo, sandwiches on the lawn, ACS concert in the tent, then back to condo just in time to go pick up Prema (fingers crossed).

I know I haven't said anything about it, but we are really missing all the rally traffic in RC.  Oh well....

300 Km per second

The speed of light was an important piece of an Aspen Center for Physics lecture I attended last evening presented by Ramamurti Shankar of Yale.  He eloquently explained the history of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity as well as the basic understanding of the theory itself.  It was very well organized and presented.

Tonight the University of Colorado School of Medicine is offering a medical lecture at the Given Institute.  If all goes well I hope to treat myself to that lecture.

A recap of yesterday afternoon: Abe and I went to the rec center for a while then on our way to pick up Jamuna we drove up to Snowmass Village.  We didn't have a lot of time to explore but we could see that it is quite a large complex of lodging establishments and some shopping areas at the base of a large ski area.  Maybe we'll go back when we have more time.

Here is Abe at the entrance to the rec center.

Jamuna made it back on schedule after a nice visit with Sierra.  They have already planned another visit, maybe as early as next week.

It rained quite a bit yesterday afternoon and evening.  Other than my walking to the ACP for the lecture, the evening was spent at the condo catching up on various mindless activities such as TV, gaming, and TV.

This morning Mrs. White, Jamuna and Maya went for a 30-minute hike up the hill to the south of the condo.  I need to check out this area as it sounds quite nice.  Abe and I went to the PO then ACES to see about a program offered this weekend.  We are on the wait-list since the class is full.  Picked up a loaf of 6-grain bread right out of the oven at Main Street Bakery.  Abe has already completed his viola and guitar practice for the day as this is required for him to have access to his Nintendo.  Maya is practicing right now.  Jamuna is procrastinating.



Here is proof that Jamuna just started practicing today.  She plays so beautifully. I wish I could hear more of her music.  In just a couple of days Dr. Carl and Ms. Nicolette will be here.  Jamuna is looking forward to composing with Dr. Carl and playing a bit for Ms. Nicolette.

Stefani is coming over for an hour after lunch then we will all go to the rec center.  Tonight we are ticketed for an event in Harris Hall featuring Jean-Yves Thibaudet.

Daily Show

Here's a quick summary of yesterday's activities then a few views of my daily walkabout.  Pictures obviously cannot convey the experience but for us it will call up the memories.

So, yesterday started out with the usual activities.  Breakfast, laundry, practicing.  I did walk over to the bakery and bookstore, two addictions I don't think I can shake.  I am holding out hope that Charlie Sheen will establish a nice multi-purpose rehab center in Aspen where I can get some help.  BTW, he was in court here on Monday cleaning up some blow back from when he attacked his wife in Aspen last December.

We attended a master class presented by Robert Lipsett.  As usual it was interesting and illuminating.  Jamuna and I left early so I could drive her to spend some time with Sierra in Carbondale.  I made it back just in time to listen to the AACA Orchestra.  Very nice.  After dinner of leftovers Maya, Abe and I walked into town for a piece of chocolate candy and a bit of play in the park.  Mrs. White went out to dinner with Destiny and Mike.

Now for the daily walk:

As I head out the back alley I can look back to see our blue van and the back of the building. The van is parked below our window which you may be able to see is partially open with a fan on the sill.

I just noticed this sign today.  Despite what the sign indicates, my walk experience heads to the right.  ACES is the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies where we too that stone age living skills class.  There is a class this coming Saturday that I think we will attend. More on that later.

The alley by the condo connects to Garmish St. so you can see it is a straight shot, about five blocks, to this point.

I see this large power switch as I walk toward the PO and am reminded that Aspen is a trusting town.  There is no lock on the big switch.  I often consider pushing it down to see if the whole town goes dark.

Here's the bike path down to the post office.  The grocery store is at the bottom of the hill on the right, out of view.

Here's the PO counter where I wait to check for general delivery.  Today we received some Netflix DVDs. I noticed they were stamped "Receive SEP 03, 2010".  I mentioned that to the clerk and he replied that they were just trying to get ahead.

This is the produce section of Clark's Market where I do most of the shopping.

This is a shot of my summer extravagance.  I have put in quite a few miles in these Keen's.  If you zoom in you might be able to see the size, in case anyone is wanting to send my another pair in a different color.

This is the hallway off the kitchen heading to three of the four sleeping rooms.

I encountered Abe working on his thesis, or maybe he was playing a game.

Thunder is filling the air right now.  Time for a quick bite then some recreation.  Then "down valley" to pick up Jamuna.  I'm looking forward to a physics lecture tonight called "From 0 to c in 60 Minutes".

I'll proofread this later.....

Let's Eat !

Last night we attended a percussion ensemble at Harris Hall.  It was quite an unusual performance compared with those we have been seeing.  The music was quite...percussive, and odd, but interesting.  The Squad's favorite piece was one in which four players banged wooden spoons together and on a table, somewhat reminiscent of The Blue Man Group. The theme of that piece was "Let's Eat".  After intermission there was a long piece that included four students from the voice program who read a scripted story while the musicians played an unusually-arranged (by Paul Frucht) composition by Igor Stravinsky.

Today we plan to attend a master class with Robert Lipsett and a concert by the American Academy of Conducting - Aspen, fondly referred to as AACA.  This is the orchestra that I have been hearing while I sit and wait during Maya's lessons at the music campus.  Here is a view of the building.  I sit at the left hand corner of the deck by the pond.

Here is a view of my perch, and a better view of what is in the room.  Unfortunately I cannot show you the beautiful sound created by these students.  I'll try to embed video in one of these posts, one of these days.

Jamuna is going to spend the night with her friend Sierra. 

A few of my favorite things

Just returned from the post office and grocery store.  We are going to have "rotisserie chicken" and mac 'n' cheese for dinner hoping to emulate the DIA Wolfgang Puck experience.

I received a package from Grandpa John Scarlett today which included three of my favorite things (along with a nice birthday wish): Pepperidge Farm Raspberry Milano cookies, a Western Tanager (photo on card), and a Yellowstone Association Institute pin.  Each is a reminder of fond Yellowstone memories.  Thanks John.

Earlier we all got some exercise at the rec center.  Before that Maya had rehearsal with Tamara and an extra lesson with Mr. Kantor.  While we were gone Abe and Jamuna had a couple of hours to argue with each other and sneak some TV time.  Here is a view of the chair on which I usually sit while Maya is having her lessons.  There was a large spider's web attached to it, as you can see, and a much smaller and more intricate web in the corner of the big web.  I found a different chair.

And before that (going in reverse chronological order for some reason) Maya and Mrs. White started their day with a power walk and I strolled down to Harris Hall to secure some tickets to the final opera in the Beaumarchais trilogy, the Ghosts of Versailles.  On my way I ran into the a van full of monks on their way out of town, affording me one more opportunity to say hello and goodbye.

And before that I think I was dreaming about fly fishing.

Last night we just stayed in.  I watched a movie streamed from Netflix called District 9.  It was quite good if you like pseudo-documentaries about a growing alien problem in South Africa, which is my favorite genre.

Tonight we are going to see a percussion ensemble.  Not sure what to expect with that.

A Special Day

Today was a very special day for many reasons.  I slipped out early to get some treats and bread from the bakery and fortunately they did have some sourdough bread on hand.  Once everyone got was up I received a pile of gifts for my birthday.  Books, books, and more books!  And a CD of music we recently heard just a couple of days ago in the tent, composed by Faure performed by Gil Shaham and others.  Jamuna made a lovely card for me too.  I appreciate all that I have and the gifts I received this morning.  But the gifts of this day just kept coming.  Here are a few views of the bounty from this morning including a book from Prema's folks and a couple I selected with a gift card from my parents.  Thank you to all.

As with any photo included in this blog, I believe you can click on them to see an enlarged view.





Maya had a good rehearsal with Tamara and lesson with Mr. Kantor.  As usual I enjoyed listening to the AACA orchestra rehearse while I waited.  Maya then practiced more with Stefani and then Mrs. White.

I learned that my Yellowstone friend John Scarlett's son Jay and his wife Erin received their first child late last night.  Addison Leigh Scarlett is doing well as are Mom and Dad (and Grandpa too).  Congratulations to all.

Abe, Jamuna and I walked into town to observe the Dissolution Ceremony of the mandala.  While that was happening Prema had the great fortune of visiting with Ms. Sol Gabetta for about a half hour on the plane.  I believe the three of them (Prema, Sol, and her cello) sat together on the ride from Aspen to Denver. Then Prema escorted Sol (and cello) to her Lufthansa gate since she was not sure were to go.  Nice job Prema.

Here's a selection of shots from the Dissolution Ceremony.  I will explain a bit more about all this later today or tomorrow.  In short, after ritual chanting and music the sand was swept into a pile.  Small bags of the sand were handed out to those of us in observance then the Monks walked down to Roaring Fork River with the remaining sand which was then dropped into the river where it will flow through the valley and ultimately into the Gulf of Mexico (might take a while).

We decided not to go the the concert tonight in favor of doing nothing at all.  Ahhhh.....