It’s warmer today on this sunny 120-mile drive to Park Falls. The car thermometer registers at 5 degrees. This far north the landscape changes to more fir and birch trees. I wonder if in the next 18 days on this tour we will see the first sign of spring life popping out of the snow. If so, I would do an ecstatic dance!
I’ve noticed throughout the Midwest during these January and February months that many people keep their Christmas decorations up. Well past Valentines Day, evergreen wreaths with red bows still adorn many buildings. Little Xmas lights are common. I’ve mentioned this fact to many people during this tour saying how cheerful everything stays during these long, winter months. I wish we weren’t so “correct” in the northwest. If I were Queen of the world, I would decree that those pretty lights stay up until spring!
The responses I got were mostly that it’s been too cold to go outside and take them down. That’s fine with me.
We just took a spin around Park Falls. We passed a huge round sign in front of city hall displaying a bird and the fact that we’re in the Ruffed Grouse capital of the world. We stopped in a nice family restaurant and being Friday, I tried the fish fry. Frank wanted to know if they had any Ruffed Grouse on the menu! Well, there were some hunting folk in there. He settled for rib eye steak, which he thought tasted pretty close to Ruffed Grouse.
A nearby town, Mercer, is the Loon capital of the world. (I’m not going to touch that!) It’s amazing how so many of these birds stick around and survive the winters here. We have seen numerous wild turkeys, cardinals, geese, eagles, and many we can’t name. Watching them has been a high point for us as we ride in the car.
In these past weeks all the waterways and lakes have been frozen solid. Many have scattered little ice- fishing huts. Boy, the fish don’t get a break even in the winter! We heard from our friends in Fairmont, Minn., who live on a lake, that those little ice-fishing huts are really cozy little drinking getaways. Have fun, guys!
Tonight’s concert was in the Park Falls High School Auditorium. We were reminded afterward how remote this place is by the fact that we were told the nearest Wal Mart is 50 miles away!
We had a healthy crowd, with some very young children in the front row, including a baby. I could hear her cooing much of the time. Sweet! The joy of playing and performing once again lifted my spirits and reminded me why we are doing all this. In the past, just one of these concerts would have been a big deal. Now, it’s every night. I can never take the honor of playing to audiences like these for granted.
Frank’s longtime friend and colleague, Steve Hudson, suggested to us that we do this blog in the first place. This guy is one of the funniest, most creative, and smartest people I have ever met. Among many other things, he has toured the college circuit as a musician/comedian. He sends his crazy and fun words of encouragement regularly. One of the best was comparing the spotlights of performing to warm sunshine after a tough day. Now I think of that every night on stage.
Tomorrow we travel 300 miles to do the next concert. I’m starting to have dreams about home. I haven’t allowed myself that pleasure during the day. Come on, Sally! You’re strong! Thank you, everyone, for all your wonderful emails. We’re saving all of them.
Must turn in now… tomorrow long day… ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz
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