69°f/20.5°C, humid, mostly cloudy. Storms in the evening started a cooling trend. Color me happy!
We started Friday with a trip to the VA in Huntington (WV), for Larry to see a dermatologist. She confirmed that he has a good bit of skin cancer on his face, neck and arms. He has been told for years to wear sunscreen and to cover up when outdoors, but did he listen? Of course not. She treated him and gave him medications to use, and he is now covering up as directed. Too little too late, but the treatments will help if he continues to follow the instructions.
On the way home we stopped at Hillbilly Hotdogs, which has been featured on a few traveling cooking/restaurant shows, including Jamie Oliver. It's a kitschy place, just corny and fun, and it was very, very busy. We just wanted ice cream. I had one of mt favorites, black cherry. So good on that hot day (92°!).
We came home to care for our critters, then left again for Spencer, where my friend David O'Dell
was playing at a nice little outdoor stage. David is a Spencer native, a true Renaissance man: he plays guitar, banjo, bass, mandolin, and lap dulcimer, teaches physics at Glenville State University, and for years farmed with his Dad, using draft horses to put up hay and do other farm work, and he restores old Gravely tractors! Not to mention he is also well read and funny. He was the recipient of the prestigious Vandalia award this year from the WV Division of Culture and History.
It was a good show, with an open mic segment in which a young man visiting from California took part. He was born in WV, moved to California with his mother, and now is back, briefly, to take his ailing father back to California to care for him. What a good young man, and a fun singer too.
Jesse Cottrill on stage
Afterward we went to Folklore Pizza for a late supper. That is the coolest place, and was quite busy that evening.
Saturday afternoon Larry stayed here to work on the patio project while I dropped in on the WV Writers Conference at the Cedar Lakes Conference Center, located just outside our county seat of Ripley. I didn't attend any of the sessions, but paid my membership and visited with friends I had not seen in a couple years. It was especially good to see Cheryl Miller, a fine poet and one of our Porch Poets group, who has had a hard fight with cancer this past year. She is on the mend, I am glad to say.
She is originally from Ontario, Canada but has lived here in WV for many years. Our gain!
Then later, bonfire time!
The evening featured an open mic reading session by the bonfire. What a treat to hear works in progress and completed works of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. Suzette Bradshaw, from near Boone, NC, whose poetry book will be published soon, ran a tight ship ---one poem, or one prose piece no longer than 3 minutes!
Afterward everyone who was able (some were worn out and went to bed!) drifted to a patio referred to as "the porch" for late-night talk and beverages. It was wonderful to reconnect with everyone. I left at the witching hour, and had to call Security to be let out of the park grounds. I was careful driving home, as that afternoon a car ran over the hill on the US route to my road, trying to avoid a deer. The herd seems to be rebounding quickly after last year's bout with the killing EHD disease.
Today we went out to breakfast, then met with Suzy, who will be emcee at the next open mic. I have by default had to start organizing it, for at least a few months. Bit unexpected but no one else was willing and I would hate to see it end. Here's the poster Shari made for this week's show.
Now I am looking for more people to fill upcoming featured artist slots. Ah me. How do I get into these things?
By the time we got home, the storms had arrived, so we enjoyed watching the rain soak our gardens. Needed and appreciated!
