The Moon of Love.............

Friday for you, Thursday for me, its that easy. The full moon is really big and calling. Lets plan something shall we? It lites up the whole yard with its luminescence. We used to love climbing in the full moon, its just so surrealistic
Spent the day in Mineral King yesterday. It was cool and the skies were very blue. After I did what I came to do, I went on a little walk, off trail, just to try and really get in touch with the place. Sage was growing all around and I got caught up in the smell, which takes me to many places. I roamed around an area with old rusty stoves and metal strewn about, maybe from the old mine days which gave it the Mineral King name. The place has lots of history, which I love to read about. I meet up with some new friends and headed back to the heat of the valley.
We are really hoping that all of you will come to our drumming Sunday night, which we are going to honor a past member and founder of the Drum Circle. Tom Rose, passed away now a year ago Sunday and we still suffer from his loss and all that he brought to the tribe. We will be drumming in his honor and please come on up..

Looking good there!

Thursday over here. A nice moon is brewing, anyone got any ideas on how to celebrate its fullness? Going out and getting a moon tan maybe. The moon effects moods too, it pulls at you and gets you moving with determination to some battle invented inside your head. And, I was just reading that 80% of all big earthquakes occur during the full moon.
I’m heading to Mineral King today for work. I’m driving and that’s always fun, cranking the radio up, having the park radio on too and then thinking………That’s a lot of miles of thinking and I’m sure I’ll come up with something to tell you when I get back. Your going to have a great day looking as good as you do today! Hope to see you……………

Take me to that other place..............

Jam night at Crawdaddys tonite. We got there just before they closed and hung out with Sage and Paul. Saw Nadine cruise by the place. It was a good time and a hot time on the town, meaning temperature.
I get in trouble with putting my little blurps on the blog about my ambitions of love. Yes, I guess I’m fishing, with several lines in the water, but its all catch and release. I’m a catch and you can hook me into a net with a good meal, perfume and long hair and wearing those long dresses gets me too. The eyes get me going and the smile is golden!
I guess you can guess who you are. Its an amazing imagination…But who am I to say really……………………
We’re gearing up for our Memorial for Tom this Sunday. Please plan on coming up to celebrate our lives together as drummers and friends.
Yes, the last picture was from a helicopter and this one is from a cow trough………..

Tuesdays surprises.........

Alrighty, I’m pretty much all caught up and and ready to head back to work today. My days off are Sunday, Monday, in case your wondering. It goes fast, those days off, but I’m usually ready by today to face the facts ahead.
We took a nice ride up Yokohl yesterday evening, a 26 miler. Its been a couple of weeks for me so I needed to check it out and see how much I’d lost. Its hard to keep it up at a certain place. Just staying in shape is one thing, but if you want to really get fit, it takes a intense diet, lots of rest, and a lot of saddle time. Oh well, that pretty much blows me out of the water! I’m on it though and am feeling good today, ready for whats next.
Whats next, now that’s exciting, who knows what the week will bring, if its like the past ones, well, then I can’t wait to envision the surprises that come.
We’re heading into Visalia tonite for our usual time on the town. Join us if you dare……….
Thats the Middle Fork of the Kaweah in the picture above, the place where the river that goes by the drumming grounds comes from.............

Catching up with our lives..................

I’ve just been gone lately. Mr.Gone. Everyday there’s something that leads me away and now I’m catching up. I was down to wearing my purple socks with the holes in them! I would never wear white socks, as everyone knows for an older guy, it’s a sign of immaturity. So, all the white socks stay in the drawer.
I was bummed to hear about poor Sarahspoty who already had her arm in a cast from a fall. She was walking her dog over by the school and bent over to pick something up with her good arm, and got bit by a baby rattler!! She spent some time in the hospital, but was back at work in the Riverview by Monday. She’s a pioneer woman for her age of 23.

We had a grooving drumming last night. It was tight as it gets, as we locked eyeballs to keep it that way. We had dancers all night to bond with, cause we are one with dancers to groove to the groovens. Lizzy B danced the whole time! That takes some kind of physical shaping that has to take place way before. We debuted our alcohol fire and with alittle work it’ll be just perfect for the lite we need in our drumming lives.


Went flying into the north end of the park on Saturday. It was very windy so we were knocked around quite a bit, but I love that feeling. We landed in a really small spot on a big hilltop with trees close by. It took swinging around a couple of times to get it and I was glad the pilot was on his game that day! What a cool thing to look at the airship sitting there inbetween the trees and bushes and know that its taking us back when we’re ready!


And me?? Well, I got invited to a very nice dinner Friday night, Thanks for that! And I’m forever waiting for signals, a wink and a smile will do……………….

Its Friday to you..............

Paul and I went to Brewbakers last night and caught up on all the goings on. He brought back the majority of his driftwood collection from LA and it’s a wonder to see. He also brought us a nice pile of wood for the sweat fire when the time comes to do it, which now won’t be till after the fire season ends around end of September. Thanks for all that Paul!
The Summer Solstice was yesterday, the longest day of the year. Linda said she helped deliver 12 solstice babies at Kaweah Delta, and as I took 2 firefighters to Visalia, we were stopped in traffic on 198 at a bad car wreck and we all looked at a dead guy in a smashed car. This turned our day into a reality check and afterwards we just wanted to walk in a big green meadow and smell flowers for the rest of the day.
Its just that way this life as the pendulum swings its path.
Flying today again to the Kings Canyon backcountry for a full day out. That should be fun. I’m bringing my little camera so watch for some shots.
I’m hoping for another stunningly great weekend and things are looking up for it to be that way so far. May try to do a big hike on Sunday and going to a get together tonite so there you go. I’ll catch you up on things you know and so my friends………Be Careful out there…………………..

Summer is coming tommorow..........

Tomorrow is the Summer Solstice. We could be getting together and celebrating this if any of you are interested in getting together. Do let me know if so.
We are planning a Memorial for Tom Rose the Sunday of July first, the day of his passing last year. Its Drumming night and we will play in his honor and I hope you all will be there for this special event! I’ll keep you posted in this…………..
The picture above is of the Monarch Lakes in Mineral King from the sky. Let me know bout Thursday night okay…………Brewbakers maybe??

The latest from here...............

It was a great weekend. We camped in the Dome Rock area of the Southern Sierra and attended our climbing clubs annual event, and when we pulled up there were quiet a few folks that had showed up. Its always nice to see old friends, some of whom I only see at this event. Many of you have been here and we used to drum afterwards, back in camp around the big fire when the slide show was over. The presenter was a medium sized lady who I could put my arms around easily when I hugged her, but was really a super human of an adventurer! She has the woman’s speed ascent record for El Cap, what takes a strong party several days, she did in a 12 hour push in Yosemite, and this is just the tip of the berg in her list of achievements. But, her smile and personality were golden!
After we got back to camp, we did a night time ascent of Dome Rock, which required being roped up for that 800’ of vertical rock, and wearing a headlamp. It was really dark and the stars were splattered across the blackness. We had the speed thing going too and did the complete climb in around 20 minutes………all 7 of us.
Drumming Sunday night was big and had a surprise visit from our friends of the Mescal band. We played with them for several vollies of drumming and percussive entries and we were all smiling in the end. We did afterhours music too and I left the grounds at around 1 am.
Took a great flight into the backcountry yesterday. We flew way over to the south end of the park and landed on a mountain top at around 8000’. We did the job we came for and had about 10 minutes to check things out. The view was fabulous though it’s very dry back there and no snow really anywhere. The smell in the air the whole time was Sage and it reminded me of many good times. We picked some in a reverent way. We flew over Mineral King on the way back between the passes. I’m going again Friday, this time to the Kings backcountry. I can’t wait!

Tuesday to you.............

I’m back with some new life experiences and a new way of thinking, I’m thinking. It’s going to take me the week to tell you about it all and I hope you’ll stay tuned. Also, as soon as I do a couple of techno items on my list, we’ll have some video with SOUND of the drum circle. Now, won’t that be interesting!
We walked up skyline last nite looking for that big mountain lion friends have seen the last couple of evenings, but no luck. There were some mystery moments where it’s probably looking at us and our extra sensory picked up on it, but we just looked around and never saw anything out of the ordinary other than each other.
Well, I might fly out to the backcountry today so that’ll be more to tell, I better get it together and head to work. Its gonna be a hot one!

Nature Lover.........

Yea dude, if you’re looking for love, get a puppy. I hate playing the dating game and all the competition from all the other bloodhounds in the arena and that kinda stuff.. I’d rather just find someone who shares my love of the outdoors, someone who I can have a great conversation with. It sounds simple minded but it’s a chore. Then, if you do find someone who is very beautiful you have to be very vigilant too. I guess its worth it or maybe I’m jaded to finding just my simple thing…….Good Luck………Yeah, hey Thanks!
It was a hot one today………108 in Ash Mountain. The summers here, right on time too. There’s been steady crowds going down to slickee. Lines of people with chairs and towels and food and Ice chests and cases of beer and more cases of beer. The cops are parked by the entrance now pretty often, something that happens at this time and I heard they are surfing slickee right now and that sure signals the rites of summer. Then there’s all the litter, I’m glad that the locals who frequent the place are patrolling for us. They are the best defense when it gets this bad.
I’m thinking about heading up to the high country of the Kern for our big climbers event this weekend. It’ll be cool and the views are great! Hope to see some old friends and new ones too. Let me know if your interested in going, you won’t regret it!

Smitten not...............

But seriously, I have this illusion about things and tend to go with that. How crazy is that really?? It’s not always a reality, but its fun to believe that that’s how it’s going to be. Does that make sense? The rest of the time it would be just floating along, not really paying much to responsibilities at hand cept for work. It’s the way of the life I’m going along with right now. Love and a music man ain’t what’s it’s supposed to be.
I have been tending to my mantra I mentioned earlier though. Keeping a smile on is the funniest cuz it throws people off mid week. I smile all the way home and people in cars look at me and wonder I guess, but I do get smiles back, because it’s as contagious as yawning in the public eye.
One bright and cheery note………I had one of my pictures used for the COVER of a yearbook in the Visalia Schools. It’s out right now and I get credit inside…That’s cool huh!! It’s a sunset picture.
Up in the Park today it hit 106 at the weather station in Ash Mountain where I work. I’m starting to think about doing a night time swim and will probably do so soon, and I hope you will join me! We’ll talk more bout this.
I ran into Wadaba broke down on the road as I was going through Three Rivers on my way home from work today. It’s always good to see him; He’s got such a keen way on life that I dig about him. I helped him out and headed on down the hill to my other life that is soon moving on up to Three Rivers……………………

Did you feel those quakes??

Had to go to our big Park safety standoff in Grant Grove today. Had lunch with friends from Cedar Grove who had to come up for the meetings and caught up with more news, most of which was about the swarm of earthquakes that happened up there last night. Actually the real epicenters were in Mammoth Lakes where the magma is close to the surface and the place has lots of old cinder cones already. One actually got into the 4 point range. I didn’t feel anything here, but I probably could have if I was awake. It’s a scary thing at nite to wake up too. We used to have a hanging lamp with a chain at my parents house and I vividly remember several times, waking at nite and hearing that chain hitting the lite as it swung and getting that feeling of doom.. That was L.A. where the ground shakes a lot. So, up in the pine trees again and it was nice and cool too. A change from here where the hot is coming up fast.
Thanks Kim for the nice comments about the blog!! Your dad is in our thoughts a lot and we sing his songs on Sundays. I am keeping my life on this blog kind of translucent for you to read and there’s stuff inbetween the lines too…..kind of like a crossword puzzle to figure out, but you know who you are when I say what I say……………..Its all good folks and I’m glad you don’t mind a slice of my life to compare with. Thanks to you for all the inspirations…………..We’ll talk…………

This week for sure............

Bluesy Monday………….Well it could be if we let it, but its just too exciting to think about what’s in store next to dwell on that negative stuff. I’m focusing on my mantra of the week. To do good at work and have fun doing so. To keep the smile on. To have an outdoor adventure sometime this week. And to try to stimulate my brain. Now, that should about stretch the imagination. The future is now, so we better get on it!
The weekend was good for all of us. Several folks went up to the big Auberry drumming at Jim and Sheila’s and good reports came back. I missed going but duty calls now and my nose is on the grindstone for it. I’m glad that the drummings up there go so good, as they are great people to hang out with, and they helped us a lot at the Soul Food Cookout jam! I ended up going to the bar Saturday night to see music that ended up not happening. I do like going and having a couple of beers and running into old friends, but it was 2 Saturdays of going there in a row now and that’s pretty unusual for me. I’m not one to frequent public places that much. I left the place with a really good feeling though and there were several highlights that evening for sure. I don’t remember every curve around the lake that night and that’s kinda scary, but getting home and laying down on my single air mattress, with a slow leak, that’s hard to sleep on wasn’t too bad and I crashed hard………only to get up a few hours later and do the dreaded Woodlake triangle ride. Lemon cove to Woodlake to Badger and back to Lemon cove. I debated just calling and canceling as the floor was feeling pretty good, but I went anyways and rode that 50 miles with the energy I got from the bar meetings and life in general and I feel goooooooood!!
Great Core crowd drumming last night! All the old crew showed up and made for a great jamming time. Buddy got there early and started us out. Asta had been grooming the drumming ground and made another nice altarish center piece with lots of candles. We had our usual lookie lou’s but as more old friends showed, like Summer and Ren and Keio and Orlando and Ernie and ………well you know the rest……..It was a really starry night and in the end I was looking to the milky way and knowing it’s a good life we live….Let get together this week…………..

A trip to a wild place............

Went to Kings Canyon today for work, Cedar Grove to be specific. I picked up a trail crew guy and took him to “Hole in the wall”, a place with lots of mules getting ready to head to the back country of Kings Canyon, a wild place. All around were high rock faces, it reminded me of Yosemite, being at that trails camp where staging is done for the trail crews who spend the whole summer in the 80 percent of Sequoia Kings backcountry. The guy told me some stories of times out there and how things go. He was getting ready to take the long walk out. I don’t know if I could commit that much, but the thoughts were in my head as we talked. I bid him fair well and headed to the Cedar Grove Fire Station where I had a nice chat with the Head Bear Management lady. She told me of all the bears that were miss behaving and that this year there are two mother bears with triplets causing quite a spectacle with the tourists. One of the sows can be seen pretty often in Crescent Meadow, over by Moro Rock. I love talking to the people of Cedar Grove. The place really is quiet an outpost in the park and they do things just alittle different there. For instance, they have a big Thanksgiving Party sometime in September, because most are gone by the time its really here. And they do early Halloween in August. I think thats just the coolest way to live your life, at an outpost such as Cedar Grove. I was hoping to talk to my good friend Phil, but he was way up on North Dome spending a few nights out on the rock.
It was pretty windy and the pine trees had that familiar smell. The skies were as blue as your eyes are when you flash me that smile! I thought about that as I left my friends and headed back.
And, I found out who left me that “Guess Who”” comment on a recent entry……….it was Paris Hilton, emailing me from the pokey! Imagine that! You better stay tuned to this channel……………….Thanks……..

Head up in the Skyline................

Sorry for the delay! My schedule has changed at work and I’m just starting to get around getting used to it. So, feeding this hungry blog is my first priority. Lots to tell you, like about drumming Sunday nite and other stuff too, gemmie just a minute and I’ll give it all to you. Sunday night was another pleasure driven night of frolic and whim. We had visitors, Chuck, Jeremiah and Summer all showed and made it a great performance of energy and dance. We had a pretty big crowd too, mainly rubberneckers checking things out, and seeing that our altarish center piece which usually holds a smoking hot fire was lots of candles and decoration. A great time had by all for sure, and if you missed it, well there’s always next Sunday right………
The temps have been like October around here. Up in the Park, Grant Grove to be specific, it was 29 degrees this morning! In Ash Mountain, where I work, it stayed in the 60s all day and the wind came and went. Last night, we watched a magical light show from way high up above Three Rivers that was a photo mans dream moment. A wild sunset with clouds of color. The kind of light that people pay money to see and luckily I had my camera. It rained just alittle and it has been sweater weather ever since, my favorite!
I’ve been out of touch with the rest of the drummies since Sunday, but I do know their doing music right now. In the most incipient way things are changing and that makes life exciting. Stay tuned I’ll be right back……………..

Drum Circle history story...............

Way back in elementary school I wanted to be a trapper. A friend’s dad was a janitor at a school and brought us crows he had shoot and we would skin and stuff them. As time went on I kept up on my skills learned back then, so you figure I would be the natural to put a hide on our new BIG drum from the log we had gotten as a gift. I remember Gary calling a local butcher shop and asking about cow hides. As it turned out they were just getting ready to take the skin off of one and we could buy it now. So, Gary and I headed to Woodlake, to but a “green” cowhide for 35 bucks. When we got the skin, it was so big and heavy it took a forklift to put it in the truck, so far so good, we hadn’t even touched it yet. As we headed back up to Three Rivers, it lay in the back of the truck, still steaming and warm from the cow! We had rounded up several of the drum circle gents to help and we were going to prepare the hide to sing again on our drum body. When we got there it took several of us just to lay it out with the flesh side up, it was as big as someone’s living room floor. It looked like a murder scene, the skin all red and covered in blood. It just so happened we had the OJ trial going on the radio at the same time! All the volunteers opted out after this gruesome experience and it got down to Tom, Gary and me to do the grim task at hand, scrape the flesh off of the hide. What I really remember is the overwhelming smell…….It stunk really bad! We wore surgical gloves and held our breath during the several hour hits we took to clean the flesh and fat off of that hide. Finally, after mounting it on a big iron hoop we had it dried and we were able to put it on and it became the Biggest Drum in Tulare County!! That’s the story of the first head, the one in the picture now on its second head we need to put another on, as many of you know that the one currently on is cut up. Anyone have a cow hide we can have????

Sundays mystical wonderings.........

This photo was taken at a drumming this winter where we were burning furniture. We do that sometimes when its cold out and someones moving or has stuff to burn. We took the moment to do stupid drum tricks like seeing who could drum standing on a chair the longest. Here Jose wins the prize!
Yea, just got back from a real nice ride from Lemon cove to Badger again. We left early this time………….way early, I’m glad Bruce and I left the bar around 12 and didn’t stick around to drink and be merrier. Next thing I remember was having to get up and go ride my bike around 7am.. It was nice to smell the morning going up dry creek, the oaks the chemise and all the birds flying around. We cruised for quite awhile and just took it all in, plus we had to go slow due to our general, got home late after drinking a couple of beers and yes, smoking a couple of cigarettes feeling…………ergh!!
Well, we’ll see who comes to drumming tonite, it might be one to remember so come on up and join us for a starry night in Three Rivers………..we do have the BEST stars around!
I was going to tell you about the rattler I almost got bit by yesterday, and our prescribed fire in Ash Mountain, but I left my pack and camera at work…….bummer! I’m trying to find a way to get it without me going up………we’ll see??

Thanks for the comments by the way!! I’m curious who “guess who” is now????

Friday thoughts.............

Its kinda muggy over here. Looks like it might even rain a few drops, and yes, its hot! Oh well. It is the fire season, so any thing could happen, anytime. We’re supposed to do a prescribed burn tomorrow around the buildings in Ash Mountain. That should be exciting. We just finished what they call “Hell Week” yesterday so it should get real busy for me.
The moon was really amazing last night! A blue one too, it lit up the whole area. I love seeing that mystical lite glowing all around.
I better post my email address again just in case you want to find out more………….looking forward………………. rardesch@aol.com

Catching you up...........get ready for Friday!!

I should clear some things up about my big bike ride on Sunday. Some of you reading the blurp would be thinking, man, this dude thinks he’s some kind of stud or something huh?? Well, I’m pretty low on the studly scale as far as I feel. I ride to stay in shape, and yes, it’s some hard stuff physical stuff, but the other thing is I’m installing guilt to those of you who should be out there getting your body ready for a better life. Now a days you never know when you might have run like hell! To Drum like we do on Sunday nights, and other nites for that matter, you have to be in some kind of shape for sure, and my job requires that we all stay in good working order.
Speaking about Sunday night, I never did tell you how it went last Sunday night, when the next day was a holiday and we were expecting a bigger crowd. Well, it wasn’t so big, but it was well attended for sure. Wil was there with the mama drum. Since Wil has moved to Santa Cruz, we don’t see him so much. But when we do, you can bet that we’re gonna drum with the Big Kaweah groove that we all grew up with as drummers! Yep, we did too. So, the big groove machine was in action and to top things off, Kevin our fire spinner was back from work and hosted several beautiful fire spinning shows of wonder and delight. Backed up with a nice drumming, this makes quite a spectacle that had all the newcomers in awe and wonder, swearing they would be back next Sunday. We’re working on our fire situation too. It’s probably time to start the alcohol fire can. We burn the alcohol you buy in little white plastic bottles labeled as isoproponal, or rubbing alcohol. Its usually 99 cents a bottle and it burns a cool clear light that’s bright enough to see the faces in the back row for about 20 minutes. It also burns clean and we do about 5 bottles in one night. So, anyone who wants to bring some of these for our fires, please do. And, of course, the word is always out to bring goodies, which Carol and Paul always do………Thanks to you both for that!! More is better, and we welcome any kinds of cookies, or hey, bring something healthy then.
I’m trying to catch you all up on the past week, so we can move on, because there’s a lot of new stuff getting ready to happen so please stay tuned…………….And Thanks for doing so!!..........................

Already Wednesday tommorow............

That was a big fire around the lake yesterday! It burned all the way from horse creek to the house on the hill going towards Three Rivers. Our crews didn’t get called, but they had lots of firefighters working on it. I drove by after they had it all pretty much out but were still flying helicopters with water on it, and when I drove home from Three Rivers I could see the hotspots all over the hill, all the way up to Tharps Peak, the highest on the east side of the lake.
We sure had a great time this weekend at the Soul Food Cookout!! We played our set with the big help of the Auberry folks and did a good job they told us. Big Thanks to our friends who joined in to help and to Paul for kicking it up on his conga! Wadaba and Keio put on a great show also. There were several other groups that performed to a huge well attended crowd of holiday weekend party goers. There was even some Hollywood movie people watching us! Again, Big Thanks for all your help with this event, it shows that when we put all of our talent together we can really put on a great show!!!!
I got up early the next day and pumped the pedals up to Badger from Lemon Cove and did a 43 miler up the hardest road we ride.. Lots of things to think about for me personally and I needed a session with my therapist……….. my bike.

We've hit a Milestone!!

We’ve hit a milestone in the world of the Kaweah Drum Circle blog……..5000 hits!!!! Jimminey…..I never thought this would go this far or that so many of you are interested in our unusual way of living life. Thank You for staying in touch!
Initially I started this blog to keep everyone up on Garys condition during his health issue days, but as we went along I realized that many of you, some far away, are really wondering and remembering the days you had with our big circle of friends here in Three Rivers at the Drum Circle, and felt good about staying in touch with the ways and means of creativity and music and outside and the river……..
As you have seen, this Drum Blog is more than just drumming, its about having a healthy lifestyle, being in touch with the nature all around us and tapping into you artistic nature. You could very well find your picture on this blog, but only in the most fabulous way showing you at your most creative point in life, which is now. I’ve tried real hard to keep you all up on our weekly jaunts into the outside world and invite you all along anytime you can join us. I put in things from my personal life also, things I think you might very well see in your own life’s journey. And, lots of pictures to tell the tale.
Thanks to you all for joining in!!!! Rene’

Soul Food Drumming today............

Nice early cool morning on this three day weekend. This will probably be the last of several days off in a row for me, as we are now going into the official fire season. The fire danger was “high” in Sequoia, the sign said, as I was leaving the park and hundreds of people were coming in to camp.
I’m planning on going to the Soul Food cookout this afternoon to drum around 5. The event last till 10 at night. I hope you all can come and join us, its always more fun to have you along!

Shades of blue..........................

Wednesday night and I was wondering what happened to the music in the middle of the week?? We have always gotten together for this on Wednesday nites in the past, but now there is a change in the air. Can’t quite pin it down yet though. I got a call from Gary and he was going to come by and we’d go to Brewbakers instead. Wash the blue down with the amber. My pants were blue, the sky was blue and Gary and I were flying down highway one hundred and ninety eight into the sunset feeling blue in his red sports car with the top down and going to hear the blues actually played! I’m ready now to turn blue into purple for the weekend. We drank and talked and drank and talked and in the end laughed like pirates. After all I wasn’t driving. A good laugh is healthy they say……….. .
Big weekend of drumming fun if you want to join us. First, it’s the “Down Home Soul Food Cookoff” at the Garden Street Plaza in Visalia. Across from the B of A on old Main street. We’ll be drumming around 5 in the afternoon. There will be other performers to including Keio and Wadaba! Please come and help us out, and enjoy the good food!
Then, its Sunday night drumming………Special because the next day is a holiday and you can sleep in! Come on up and bring your friends for a night of drumming fun! Bring your bathing suit………..

Big day at the office for me. I went to Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon. It was alittle cool, though no snow in sight anywhere down in the canyon. There was some on the High Sierra peaks. The Kings river was raging, like it looks in August, so I know that in August it could just be a stream. There weren’t many people camping yet, but I’m sure the big weekend will bring some in.

Tuesssssday............

Lets see, Tuesday, one step forward two steps back. Isn’t it how it goes. Come home from work, open the gasoline bill, go take a nap. Man!! I remember when you could buy a used car for that money for two weeks of gas! I was driving to work thinking about getting a horse. You’d be on the highway, and instead of cars it would be horses again, the other lane, horses with people on them headed towards you, and in my lane horses with people headed my direction. Get to work and the parking lot would have horses standing in-between the white lines, eating hay and relieving themselves ,waiting for their owners to get off of work so they could go again. Those people who always are coming in to work at the crack of the hour would be running their horses to the parking lot to punch that clock in time. A cowboy movie…….. Think about it, scary huh!
I always have to remind myself to stay focused on the task at hand, after all its just Tuesday and there’s more surprises before the week ends. It was just last week Tuesday when we played at Crawdaddys, a performance we’ll think about as time goes on. July 1st is the exact middle of the year, what have I done so far, I feel good about it all and lets face it there is a lot to look forward to……….
Those are the Gemini twins, the bright stars around the moon, which is getting bigger. The one bright planet is Venus. I love going out into the full moon, the night time and the moonlight brings some nice changes to familiar scenes, like by the river.
Did you see that the weather dudes have changed the forecast………It was supposed to just ramp up to hot, but now its going to go there just alitte bit and then get cool again! I like that! Lets make each other happy………………….

I'd love to hear from you.........................

I was watching a red tailed hawk flying through the air. Nice and graceful in its flight as it swung around where I could see its bright red tail. It was riding the wind, as I was going down hill on my bike in Yokohl valley yesterday. A nice long easy downhill, where you don’t even pedal just coast. You have to earn it though, by going uphill for a long ways. Luckily it was just cool enough, actually almost a perfect riding day for all of that 26 mile ride. It felt good to get back on the bike after taking a week off to recover from my body slam given by me by my rollerblades.
We had a great drumming last night, with several special guests to make a groove you could chew gum too! Always good to see everyone that comes and joins in, Pete from Texas, Kevin the king and we even had an alien!
I’m hoping to hear from my new hiking partner about our hike up to skyline this week…………could you email me…….. rardesch@aol.com
Now that we’re getting personal, I’d love to hear from any of you who want to say more, or just want to say hi! I’m curious who you are in the Midwest that enjoys whats happening here too?? Thanks for checking in my friends………..

Its a cool Saturday.....................

Really nice cool day here! I know it’s the quiet before the storm, heat I’m talking about. This next week is supposed to ramp up so get those fans out. We might as well get used to the heat because its going to be around for awhile.
Thursday night we did a great sauna, hot and the cold water hose after, that’s living man! The stars in the sky were spectacular! Peppered with dots, so many, I swear I could see the water cities of Europa as it swung by Jupiter. Now the moon is rising and it’ll be full before we know it, the Summer moon.
I’ve been walking on a cloud of air the last few days, smiling and all that stuff as the mysteries of life are unfolding. Please stay tuned about this and I’ll fill you in…..ask me on Sunday……………Enjoy……..

She stares at the Naked Flame

We’re grinding up to a Friday………yippee!! Now that I’m working Friday is Friday! And the weekend is coming up fast. What’s going on, well I don’t know yet, other than Drumming on Sunday Night for sure. That’s what makes Sunday night drumming special in my mind, the fact that no matter what happens in life, Sunday nite will always be there. Its been that way for over 15 years now and its never changed. We ALWAYS drum on Sunday nites. Only one time did we have only three attend, and I was one. But, that has only been once, and since then we never know who will come and drum. That’s part of the draw is wondering who will be there………will it be 20 people, or will it be 60 like some of the recent ones we’ve had. Its all a surprise and most always a real pleasure to do what we do with you. Its funny that this blog pretty much covers every aspect of our lives with pictures and stories of the drummings and adventures as we go through the year, that the only thing missing ……….and the most important thing we do is the music!! Imagine knowing all about us now and not knowing that part??!!..........Hopefully we’ll be able to share some of that with you soon……..So, stay tuned and Thanks for doing so!!
We’ll be doing a sauna tonight at the gallery………..8pm…….your always invited you know.

Drum Circle plays in Visalia.............

We made it our goal to play at Crawdaddys awhile back, and we did tonight! We had to get out of our comfort zone, and play in front of strangers but we did it. And it was very good you all! We had a good show of hands, Gary, Maha, Jose, Nadine, Sage, Cherrie and Paul. It was a fun crowd and it was great to get out and do that on a Tuesday nite in Visalia. Gary played a mean flute to a rendition of Summer Time that was very memorable. We went to Dennys afterwards for pancakes just for tradition. Thanks to all who made this a really fun nite!!!!

Back to work and some more..............

Its back to working in Sequoia Park Fire Dept for me today. I’m signed up for a 6 month season and they are saying its going to be a big fire season. Of course they say this every year, but it has been dry and no rain and all that so we’ll see and I’ll let you know first hand!
We went to the Riverview bar Saturday Night and dodged several fights as the cowboys were in rut and the heads were drunk. All in all it was a good time, but you have to really pay attention for sure!
Had a great drumming last night, lots of visitors and new friends came. We had dancers till 10 and that’s always a great and welcome surprise. Our fire was small, Thanks to Carol for bringing brownies and a big trash can full of small blocks of wood to burn. Lots of people brought other sweets and it looked like lobbyists at a dentist’s convention, cookies, candy and all.
We’re all on for going to open mike night at Crawdaddys tomorrow night, Tuesday. We’ll try and get there around 7.30 to sign in and see how it goes. There’s a big concert at the Cellar Door also, starting at 9.30 where all of our support team is going, so our open mike night will start out with a trail run and see how that goes. Join us if you want…………….

Update and more..............

Matthew was transferred to a hospital in Fresno. I’ll post stuff if I hear more. The place where the incident took place, N. Highland ave is a known bad area. I think Main Street is still cool, as long as you all pay attention to things.
We’ll probably go to the Riverview tonite to have a few beers and get ready for Sunday. I decided to get out my roller blades last night and give them a go round the neighborhood, like the old days when I used to skate a lot. I got to the end of the porch and the blades took off, but I was alittle slow catching up and ended up going horizontal and slamming myself down about 2 feet. Damn that hurt and I’m still limping! I feel like I can skate though, but will probably wait a few days now. Stay tuned if you will……….

Pray for Matthew...............

I heard the story first at our sauna Thursday night. This guy who has come to drumming several times, a few years back and lately, last month I think. Matthew is his name and last Monday night while he was walking his girlfriend and another friend home in Visalia, they got jumped by some gang dudes and Matthew got stabbed 7 times. Since, he has gone through several operations and will make it it looks like. This has put a real din on our thoughts about going to main street in Visalia in our merry ways. While main street is pretty safe, the surrounding streets, especially north, are pretty dangerous. Matthew is a great guy, and you would never think of him to get in this kind of situation, even though it was totally random. I have heard indirectly from Jeremiah that some of them have given blood. They knew him better, though he is a part of our drumming tribe. He’s in Kaweah Delta if you want to visit him. Meanwhile we’ll pray………

Thoughts for a Thursday.............

Hot and sweaty it was, but I hear some cooling is back on the way! That’ll be good for a Thursday. We went out on the town Tuesday night and ended up at Crawdaddys. That wasn’t even the plan, but our super telepathic drumcircle ways got us all there! Sage, Paul, Nadine, Jeremiah and friends. We watched the Oakgrove City Band play and ate shrimp gumbo. Drank a few beers and then several of us went down to Taylors Hotdogs around 11.30 and I got a couple of chili dogs with everything. The others were all vegetarians, so they got nothing and schooled me on whats really in them dogs, while I ate. There’s lots of folks out on Main Street in Visalia on Tuesday Night!
We’ll probably do the drum circle thing for the open jam nite, next Tuesday at Crawdaddys, so lets all of us drum hipsters show up and give it a go eh…………
We’ll be in the sauna box tonite………Thursday at 8 pm if you’d like to join us.

Rattler and a couple from Belgium........

We started out on our bike ride this afternoon and right away saw some guy getting wood from the side of the road, with some woman watching. We stopped and talked and they were going up to the park to go camping. They were from Belgium. I asked the woman if she could speak Dutch and we ended up speaking to one another in Dutch. I was born in Amsterdam, Holland and can still speak some of the language, though I can listen and understand even better. This was a good exercise and we talked about all the places to camp in the park and where to go. Nice little break with some nice people out on their vacation. Then, off we went. It was really hot and since I haven’t rode on a week, I had to take it kinda easy for a few miles. We did a 20 miler up Dry Creek.
I really don’t intend to make this a Rattlesnake Blog, but we just keep running into these guys and they are getting bigger! The snakes give me the fricking willies, but there is some interest in seeing them moving along. This guy was very fast, and started rattling as soon as he heard a deep voice talking. Usually you might go the whole year without seeing any snakes, but this year I’m just in the right place with my camera I guess.
We’re meeting at the Visalia Coffee Company at 8.15 tonight if you want to join us for a night on the town……………

Sundays river and now Monday..............

Hey, Its Monday………..Big Stretch…..Drum circle hangover today, not from drinking or any of that, but from drumming hard, drumming when dancers are out and they want to dance and need to have a groove to move to. We owe them that, its intimidating I guess, to step out in front and start moving to the grooving, all eyes looking to see if you can do what you came out to do, but its not really like that, its all eyes looking, wishing they were brave enough to step out and dance. We encourage the dance, as drummers and dancers make the perfect marriage of the rhythm, and we don’t care how you do what you do, we’ll back you up with a groove to move and we’ll keep it up as long as you dance. Thanks to you Summer for grooving the grooving and getting out there, and yes, drumming too!
We did have a pretty hot fire last night, though it could have been cooler so that it wasn’t so hot down below in the inner circle. We’re working on that and will probably switch to candles and an alcohol fire. We do need something in the middle to have as a focus, no circle is a circle without something in the middle.
Good circle, lots of friends came and as always, some new faces. I’m glad everyone’s drumming too, instead of just watching. Shakers, or anything is better than just watching, or you could dance!
The river looked pretty good last night, running at around 450 cubic feet per second. Its low though considering previous years as I’ve said. The top picture is of Slickee, which is up river, and the bottom picture is looking downriver.
As expected, its getting hot, the beaches will be in record setting heat today I hear. Here, its just hot and we might as well get used to it.
I’m working on getting it together for the big week. Need to ride the bike, Ive been slacking this last week, and now its time to get out again so my body can respond to all the socializing needed to live the life of a drummer. I’m digging it and glad all of you are in this movie too……………enjoy your Monday!

The last 2 days of a drummers life............

Don’t have to go far to be around about 3000 people today. All I have to do is go across the street to the Exeter brewfest The band is like 200 yards from right here. Tickets are 30 bucks, so I’ll just sit tight here and check it all out.
I got the tipi poles down from Three Rivers, my truck looking like some vehicle from the grapes of wrath movie staring Henry Fonda. It was rickety and rockity, but I made it and no tickets, and no mess on the road. Friday morning, 6am, and went to the school where I set the tipi up in the baseball field in a weeping rain. I was amped to pull the project off so it didn’t matter what happened right then. Finally, as all the kids started arriving in the school yards the buzz word was “Tipi”. I could see them all at the basketball courts and the lawns and the kickball fields looking at the tipi and wondering when they were gonna go inside and check it all out. I was pleasantly surprised to find the 2 liners of the Bull painting and the Bulls running painting wrapped inside the tipi cover. I used them on the inside and they made for a nice feel of “primitive”
Inside the class I had a slide show and all of my dance outfits from the past, a super native American show and tell!!
7 classes of 30 fourth graders each at 45 minutes a pop. I was hoarse by the end of the day, but now I totally understand the feeling of accomplishment had by the teachers of children! The peering wondering eyes, the questions I didn’t think off and the enthusiasium for the Tipi! I preached the environment of course, and they took it all in when pictures of rattle snakes came on the slide screen.Every class of 30 kids each ended with all of us going inside the tipi, where I handed out arrowhead necklaces to all, provided by the school, which was very cool!! I felt good when I finished packing up the tipi and heading home. Then, it was off to Auberry to drum!
Auberry, chilly and lots of drummers, some we knew and some we didn’t. Together with Wil, and Jon and Paul, we stood next to Chuck and kicked out some grooves to warm things up and get it all going in a direction. We gave hearty hugs to Angie for her birthday, and Linda, Chuck and I stopped at Crispy Crème on the way home for some sugie and coffee………..a tradition of sorts. So, there it is , Sunday night drumming is coming up, so make plans please to come up and get warmed around the fire and play some drums!………………

Pushing the gas pedal to the weekend.........

Pressure, pressure, I’ve got a lot to do today, and so I’m going slower. Its funny how that works huh! The big Auberry drumming is this weekend and of course we’re going. We’re positioning to see who goes with who and what nights we’re staying and what drums you bringing and what are you bringing for the potluck and all that stuff………phew man, drumming can be complicated! I can’t wait till we get famous and have other people do that kinda stuff so we can just drum………ha, ha………..
The weather is really nice and cool, sunny and all the things I like in weather. I’ve got to figure out a rack for my truck so I can bring down my teepee poles from Three Rivers and set up the lodge at a middle school here, where I’m giving a class tomorrow. It should be lots of fun once I get all that done, then after I take it back down, head home and Auberry here I come.
Its really good to hear from you Sarah! We’ll be waiting for your arrival from way over in Texas this summer! Looking forward to seeing all of you soon, have a great Thursday and Yea………..stay tuned if you will…………….

Hipsters hangout...........

Brewbakers was nice last night, food, friends and drink to be merry. We hung out till pretty late, and then walked down the street a bit. And wow, now we know where all the Drum Hipsters hang out……The Cellar….We went in to check out the band from Georgia and ran into several folks. Lots of people on that late hour of Tuesday night.
Wednesday night music………….well I don’t know?? Any ideas??

Tuesday.....The Now Hour......

Last Friday night, several of us drumfolk had a great time at Nadines birthday party. We drummed till very late. Several different neighbors, who they had never met, came by to see what all the drumming was about and ended up joining us. In the backyard, in the middle of Visalia we were and the town didn’t mind it seemed. 3.30am came too soon.

We had arranged to met at the Renaissance Fair in Visalia around 2.30 in the afternoon Saturday. It was fricking hot, and I didn’t get there till around 3. I had the thought that all would already be there and I would be late, but the old drum circle creedo stood true, I was the first to arrive! The others showed right after. We checked out the place and ran into several we know, hooked up with the Tanjora Belly dance group and watched their usual great dancing, even in the heat. Although we had brought our drums with good intentions, we never did drum on that sultry hot day.
Now its Tuesday, time to get some stuff done since the weather feels cooler……..my favorite kinda feel. We’re probably going to Brewbakers tonight, so lets hook up and plan an outdoor adventure. I’ve been itching to get back on the rock…………