Photo Show from the Old Days

Photo Show from the Old Days
90's

Rolling on a Historical Drumcircle

Rolling on a Historical Drumcircle
Pic by Karl Wenn

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

This Brothers Free cuz I’ll be who I want to be……….


Well, drumming was one of the profound ones last night. We said our goodbyes to Asta and Goheeta who are moving to Hawaii. They’ve been hanging out with us for 13 years and it was sad goodbyes to say the least! It all started with the mandatory potluck, which was well attended by all but them. Gary had some fine salmon steaks cooked and spiced to our liking and added to this was trimming fit for the Kings and Queens we fashion ourselves after. We all gathered early and ate and laughed and learned the latest gossip of the week past. In usual Three Rivers time and socially graced by being late, Asta and Goheeta arrived all the way from Berkley to see all the food eaten but friends of the kind anxiously waiting. We moved the party down to the drumming and grooving grounds and with others now gathered we pounded out the rhythms we’ve become so famous for. Into the night we went with people arriving the whole time. It was a mighty big crowd later singing the goodbyes to our friends of many good times and memories…..I hope they don’t tell………..
Later after the sax player had put away his horn and the guitars were played out, we headed to the river for the late summer nights swim in the mighty Kaweah. The liquid blood of the Sierra flowing by and never stopping till the ocean is met. Several of us gathered at Gray’s rock and slowly slithered into the ink black juice of coolness and contentment in a dark and warm midnight. Right there below the Slickee falls, where earlier there were a 100 people from the valley swimming , drinking beer, littering and leaving. The usual weekend for the town swimming hole bought by Gary to save for the locals. We all swam across the white water to the big rock on the other side and beached ourselves like seals laying on the rock with our bodies flat as could be to gather the warmth. We learned about the Northern Cross above us in the Milky way and other formations of pin prick dots of light in the star studded blackness with only the Chevron lights getting in the way. It was living in the highest form with friends of my kind. The water was kinda cool for the swim back we had it right there in our hands………….

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Someone told me there's a girl down there with Love in her eyes and Flowers in her hair


Yea, that was me, pushing the grass cutting machine over the green rows, over and over. Listening to my Ipod, the music of the ages of past and getting inspirations to push some more. Thinking of things that were reviled to me in the last few days with a sound track to go by. Its more than myself can manage though. I got to drumming alittle earlier than usual and it was just me and Gary and Larissa and Jon there. We didn’t know if it would just be us, or if they would all come and join us. Join us they did and after awhile of talking. We missed remembering that Tom had passed away three years ago on the 1st of July. How did that miss us? That inspiration of wit and song, that being that was just always there. How could we miss that one? We usually planned something in his honor, a potluck, a gathering of us souls of the free. We missed it. Sorry bout that Tom. We found ourselves reminiscing from the days of your time with us. Times of laughs and music and more laughs. But, it wasn’t a joke, it was real and it passed before we could grab hold. We did what we did and I’m glad for the time we had. We’ll remember your day of birth in August though and we’ll have ceremony and say a prayer in your honor. Drum we did too Sunday nite. Groving the grove as we watched the moon rise and the river go by. The frogs were there and so were all the creatures of the river, listening to us and wondering why we were having such a good time with ourselves. Lots of people came and danced around the candles and alcohol fire. Lots of others kept the beat of the skins alive. All hands on Drums and all feet on dirt going round and round. We all left with the summer moon lighting our way……………………………….................. We’re going to the ruins on Wednesday night to celebrate some more…………..Join us if you would……………..