Thomas Jazz Recital 2009

On Sunday Thomas had his winter recital with members of the Levine Jazz Quintet at the Levine School of Music.

Rocky Gap Labor Day 2008

To revive an old tradition, we went camping at with Kerstin, Charles, Agneta and Andreas. Thomas friend Will also came along. The camp site was just fantastic, and so was the weather. NO rain the whole weekend! Here is our campsite with one tent for Cliff and me and one then for Thomas and Will. Here we could spend time reading and relaxing.

Galax 2008 - The Old Time Fiddlers Convention

Last year Cliff and I stayed for a few days at Betty and Bill's summer house in Galax, Virginia. We fell in love with the place, especially in the fiddle and bluegrass tradition and in the New River State Park with its 57 mile-long hiker/biker trail. Why not get family and friends to join us for a week at the 2008 Old Fiddlers Convention, we thought. Said and done. We reserved four cabins at the New River Trail Cabins, and so Cliff's parents, his brother Gary and wife Sandy, and Jill, John, and Laura joined our whole family. Some of the pictures below have been taken by Jill and Kristina.

The cabins are really ideally located. They are right on the bike trail and just 5 minutes by bike into Galax and the Fiddlers Convention.

The Convention lasts a full week, with competitions starting on Monday with the kids' competitions.
Then follow three days of individual competitions on all the different bluegrass instruments, fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, dobro, autoharp, etc., as well as bands and individual singing. Here is a picture from the top of the stands. The campground is in the background.

And Friday and Saturday the bands compete. Bluegrass and old-time bands take turns.

A lot of the activity, however, takes place on the campground, where thousands and thousands of people camp and jam the whole week long.

This group of jammers was particularly good. Note the woman to the right with a washtub base...



Here you can listen to a group playing. One of the most impressive fiddlers we heard was Adam Larky, a 12-year old who won the kid's competition for bluegrass fiddle. Cliff and I had not heard him during the competition but just happened to hear him jamming with his father at the campground. We were blown away.



Click on the arrow on the above youtube video and you can hear Adam play and if you want more, there are a lot of youtube videos of him playing, including his winning performance at Galax.


We went to the convention every day, and we would sit in the stands or in camping chairs,

or just walk around listening to music or

eat fried potatoes, or

even better, deep-fried Oreos.....

heavenly?

Or maybe some roadkill?

And if we did not hike, bike, swim, or listen to music, we would eat, drink, and hang out around the cabins.

Every late afternoon we had dinners together on the decks. Here is Nez grilling marshmallows,

and here drinking beer with Cliff.

On Friday we had a picnic with all the leftovers. Cliff's sisters Janet and Betty joined us with Tim, Bill, and William. Despite being 17 people now, we could not finish all the leftovers!

Benjamin and Gary awaiting their turn.

Jill collapsing on the floor after a busy day.

Kristina and Thomas also relaxing.

The cabins had wireless Internet, so no need to be disconnected from your friends.

The only activity that has not been documented with these pictures is that some of us also played bluegrass in the afternoons and even gave a small concert on the deck on the last day. But, I have no pictures of that, so I can't prove it. But some of the participants of this group have plans to enter the competitions next year, so I'll make sure we get some pictures then. Stay posted.

Galax 2008 - Swimming/Biking/Hiking

The cabins are ideally located at the New River Trail State Park, a 57 miles long park that follows an old rail road track which has been converted to a hiker/biker trail. Here are Laura and Kristina on their way to the "swimming hole."

Kristina, Thomas, Laura, and Benjamin.

Jill and I taking a swim at the same place, but another day.

Laura and Jill on the bridge over the New River, about 12 miles from the cabins.

Thomas and Benjamin on the same bridge. They had taken the car to Fries and were going from here to the cabins, about 17 miles.

The next day, Cliff and I set out from the cabins to bike back to Fries to pick up the car. The trail is just so beautiful everywhere.


In Fries you can take a swim in the New River,

which I did (see me out there) before we had lunch at a little deli, and then drove back to the cabins.

Here are Jill and John on another bike trip.

On another day we drove up to Grayson Highlands State Park to attempt to walk up to Mount Rogers, the highest mountain in Virginia 5,729 feet (1,746 m) . My record of reaching hiking goals this summer is 0-2. We did not reach the peak, but we had a lovely hike anyway. Next time we just need to start earlier in the day and be prepared for a longer hike.

Here we are starting out. Mt. Rogers 3.8 miles! That should really be nothing for us runners who are training for marathons (26 miles) or half marathons.


After a while we found wild horses, which did not seem very wild at all. At least they were not afraid of humans.


After about an hour and half of hiking it was time to eat our lunch and enjoy the views.

But rather than walk on, we decided to walk back and check out the park and its facilities.

Here we are at the Visitor Center watching a little movie about the park and its wildlife.

Last Evening at Inga's and Björn's (July 11)

Björn prepars for the farewell party by raising the Swedish flag.

Everybody gathering on the deck.

The most popular person at the family gathering was no doubt Cornelea. She possibly has the biggest eyes I have ever seen on a child!

Here she is with grandfather Arne,

here with uncle Cliff,

and here with second cousin Thomas.

Cousins Eleanor and Fabian.

Ludvig and Maria

Thomas and Alfred playing soccer, as usual.

Monica

Maria

Ludivg

Louise announcing the winners of the obligatory quiz game.

Natalie

The next day Thomas and I flew back --- upgraded to first class!