Show #227

Hello Friends of the Garden,

​

I can eat a whole bag of these
if I'm left unsupervised!

It's another Saturday morning! Coffee, the newspaper, NPR and "little white donuts" are the things that begin the day as the sun comes up. My busy little corner is still sleepy and quiet. Soon enough, everyone will be about business, whatever that is! As soon as I finish this post I'll be about business myself, getting back to a paving project that hit a slow spot. At this point I'm making Cal-Trans look fast if you assess my progress! 

Down to the tricky corners

The unfinished paving is a glaring item on my checklist of to do's. Every time I walk over the portion of walkway that remains undone my mind begins to grapple with how I'll get it completed. The project got shelved mid-summer when other priorities took precedence, not to mention the fact that I didn't know how to proceed. That's fine, there were plenty of other things on the list to be addressed anyway! Hopefully today!

Old Japanese Clock

For me, it feels like, there's always something that needs doing and I could and should be doing a better job of it! I get overwhelmed easily! I don't make lists for myself. I don't write things down. I'm always running to the next thing that demands my attention! Finding time to work on a clock (more irony) I found at the flea market falls way back in my list of other priorities.

I realize that my self-assessment is relative. On a grander spectrum, I know I'm more capable than others at domestic tasks and maintaining a home. I also have a bunch of friends far more skilled than I am at every thing! Those friends unknowingly set a standard that I use as a benchmark to strive for. However, back in reality, it is a ridiculous notion to think you can be good at any thing you set you hand to! The curse is, stubbornly believing you can!

​My good friends Don and Susan are another benchmark I've discovered to judge myself by. They have balance in their lives that accommodate for their full lives. I've learned from them the importance of attending to the intangible things like relationships and giving of yourself to your close friends. The things that you do for others is as important as the things you do for yourself! This lesson has been more relevant as I have come to understand.

I'm blessed to have many friends like Don and Susan! I have to laugh, as a teacher, I spend more time learning than I do teaching! There's irony for you! Each of you dear friends teach me something any time I interact with you! In my own slow way I'm putting those lessons to work! 

Sally's latest picture.  

Last week, with Sally the sixth grader, I understood how important it is to make those connections! That memory will last far longer than my pavers and walkway! Like an iceberg, most of it being unseen, it's those little things that are huge! Thanks, to all of you that have helped shape me in to the person I am!

​On to Show #227! Man, I still love doing this! I hope you like it too! I start things with a cool Dave Alvin song written in 1925 by a banjo player named Charle Poole and made popular by the Grateful Dead. I'm covering a request from Rob for some Zeppelin. Got a cool Joe Ely tune. There's a great set with Amy Black, Lindi Ortega and Wynonna. There whole last set before the end of the first hour is something I'm looking forward to. I got some Geno Delafose for the "Hound Dog" (He's gonna be at Hardly Strictly this year). Then the rest just cooks along straight to the end! 

Thank you, Robin and Jerry! Each week you guys share something with me that fills me with pride, a pride I can directly attribute to your sharing my passion! Feels good guys!

Thank you to all of you that read and or listen to the show! Kurt, even though it was a brief comment you made to me the other day, I want you to know how good that made me feel! There's a host of you guys out there, all over the freaking globe! Call me, email me, text me (if you have my number), whatever, I love hearing from you! It just fuels the fires people!

Peace and Love,

Mike