Every now and then, I am hit with a wave of gratitude for how my life is turning out. Of course we all have things we'd like to improve and change, but overall, I feel that I am in a pretty good place in my life.
Friday night this feeling hit me again. I was walking down the backstreets of historic Portsmouth, uneven brick sidewalks, the gaslights lit, the sun setting, just having left a bluegrass jam.
But this was no ordinary jam. We played aboard the Gundalow, a flat boat constructed to navigate the shallow waters of Great Bay to float timber from the inland to the coast for masts. http://gundalow.org/index.php/about/gundalows/
The Gundalow is docked at Prescott Park, so we played for the crowd on the shores. We jammed to various tunes, bluegrass, classic country, folk, blues. My banjo playing isn't quite up to where it should be, but I had fun plunking away and trying to find the correct chords to strum.
I am so blessed to be able to live in a beautiful place with plenty of opportunities for a career and a fun social life (when I choose to not be a hermit or a mountain girl).
I have been to a lot of weddings. And by "a lot," I mean at minimum 26 that I can remember. That means I may have been to as many as 30 and simply forgotten about a few. That...is insane.
While all of them have had lovely moments (and I'll bet ALL of them have included at least a few musical numbers with me dancing like I'm having a seizure on the dance floor--and trying to imitate the disco-style dances from Airplane!), almost all of them have been quite traditional. I am at the point where I know each minutia of the ceremony and reception and I might as well be a wedding planner. Except that I am getting kinda bored of the usual.
Cue the wedding this past weekend for something slightly different. Yes, it still had many of the traditional elements, but its location alone made it really noteworthy and fun. Let's start off by saying it was in the middle of nowhere in Maine. Thank goodness is hasn't rained lately or else the dirt roads might have been a problem for out-of-town guests that don't have off-road vehicles.
Forget GPS from your cell phone; no reception for miles. Time to get off the grid and stop to ask directions from some friendly folks in the mountains!
The views along the way were stunning. We finally stumbled upon a modest farmhouse with a cute little front porch lined with rocking chairs and a barn--the Stone Mountain Arts Center, a revamped building that now boasts tasty food and fun musical acts that pass through...although passing through to where, I do not know. We weren't near much of anything except amazing scenery.
Check it out: http://www.stonemountainartscenter.com/ArtsCenter/index.html
It's a wickedly cool timber frame building!
Jeff's friends Jason and CJ (Jenn) got married, two quirky people who each manage an EMS store (and who have ziplined with us before, fun!). Jason was ready for it.
Jeff has never been to a wedding with me and now he knows that I cry at each and every one. Jason and CJ wrote their own vows and I cried to those as well, so touching! The father of the groom wore Crocs that matched his suit and Jeff wore black flip flops. Nice! I love casual. I wore my cute homemade red halter sundress.
The food was so tasty and Jeff and I had a blast dancing in our crazy way on the floor. Horse-drawn carriage rides during cocktail hour and amazingly beautiful weather...this was a fun, laid-back wedding that was simple and reflective of their outdoor interests.
Our friends Michael and Michelle are up next in October and Jeff is the officiant. That will be loads of fun!! I cannot wait for that one.
All my whines and complaints about "not having a true summer" last year apparently were heard by someone who has influence over the weather. New Hampshire has been awash in warm, even downright hot and miserable weather this summer, with very few rainy days. Drought aside, it's been lovely (but thank goodness for air conditioning in our apartment for the dogs and the man).
So, the quick recap:
We went to PA for a visit with family. Mom needed some TLC and the little sis was in town too. What luck! Time spent with the "Farm Mafia," as Jeff lovingly refers to our tight-knit family. Poor Shelby was miserable, barking at cows, getting zapped by the electric fence, nipping at the flies nagging her. Zoe was right at home.
Plus, we had a short trip to Knoebel's Grove, a groovy old-time amusement park in the forest of Elysburg, PA. The famous pig.
West-side mafia, K-style.
Jeff and I had our one year anniversary. How time flies! And yet, I cannot imagine life without him and Shelby now. *sappy tears* Here's to us, sweetheart, and all the memories we've made and have yet to make!
I've been busy with outdoor festivals to listen to acts like a funky zydeco band, Crooked Still, and Joy Kills Sorrow. Banjo fun for everyone, hehe.
Plus, lots of blueberry picking for blueberry lime jam, yummy!
The Gundalow is docked at Prescott Park, so we played for the crowd on the shores. We jammed to various tunes, bluegrass, classic country, folk, blues. My banjo playing isn't quite up to where it should be, but I had fun plunking away and trying to find the correct chords to strum.
I am so blessed to be able to live in a beautiful place with plenty of opportunities for a career and a fun social life (when I choose to not be a hermit or a mountain girl). 
