Frankfort Bluegrass Fest

The adjacent town, Frankfort, Illinois has a wonderful town square that is well-used for local events. This weekend it is the site of the first Frankfort Bluegrass Fest.

I've been trying to see the Henhouse Prowlers for the past three years but always missed them by a week or so as they travel throughout the country. It was close to 90 degrees, but they still performed in their trademark shirt and tie dress clothes. Class act, good pickin' and great vocal harmonies. I'll look to see them again.

Chicago

So lucky to have all the benefits of the city so close. This is a dusk view of Anish Kapoor's Cloudgate (locally referred to as "The Bean") in Chicago's Millennium Park. I never get tired of looking at it.

Chicago's front porch

Grant Park is a large park on Chicago's lakefront that has been called "Chicago's front porch" because it is a such a popular gathering place. In the northwest corner is the hottest tourist destination in Chicago: Millennium Park. The Pritzker Pavilion and the Great Lawn are two of many attractions in Millennium Park. The overhead latticework is both decorative and supports all the speakers. The dramatic curling bandshell is a work of the world-renowned architect, Frank Gehry.

Last night Terri and I were there to see two acts that were part of the Music Without Borders series which entertains and shares cultures through music. We saw Balogi, a kind of Congo-rap artist (minus the bling) from Africa, and then Rupa and the April Fishes. Rupa and her bandmates performed a very high-energy Cumbria/Chanson/Salsa/Swing music that had even the oldest people in the crowd up and dancing.

We sat in the pavilion so we could see and hear better. I think next time we will join the others on the lawn where it's less like the parlor and more like the front porch.

Fun in Nashville

"Hello?... Is this on?... Hello?... Test, 1-2-3, test, test... Now coming to you LIVE from the top of Nashville's Music Square-- where all the recording companies have offices..."

This cool sculpture is also functional. The microphone's cord is rigid and serves as a bike rack.

(Either that or Terri got into Alice's pills and took one of the kind that makes you small.)

Dive

The sassy bartender proudly told us that Springwater was, "Voted the best dive bar in Nashville the past six years, and I'm sure we'll get it again this year."

Located right next to Hog Heaven BBQ and across from Centennial Park, it was a cool oasis on a hot afternoon.

Boom!

Fireworks at Main Park-- it's like Mayberry here on the Fourth. There are kids running around everywhere, lawn chairs, spread out blankets, a band plays Sousa and Tchaikovsky, the Mayor makes a speech, then the quiet night sky gets blown to bits.

Let freedom ring. And boom.

Birth

When Terri and I were in the Garden of the Gods, she took this picture of me coming through a narrow opening in the rock formation. I thought it had a resemblance to birth.

So, I thought it would be fun to post it on the 235th anniversary of the birth of our nation.

Happy birthday America!

Juniper berries

Baby bunny

Awwww, right? Sure they're cute. Until they eat your flowers and other plants. Then they're just rats with long ears.

Honky-tonk singer

In Tootsie's on Nashville's Broadway we were sitting at the bar while the band took a break. When they came back, the singer got up on the bar and decided the best place to stand while he sang was right next to my elbow.