Let me say that I truly do not know where to begin… Shall I just start backtracking… kd lang has created an amazing cd and the more I listen to it the more amazing it becomes. Jazz great,Herbie Hancock just won album of the year at the Grammy’s with his cd River, The Joni Letters.  Speaking of… Joni MItchell picked up a grammy for best instrumental “One Week Last Summer” !!! And what does this have to do with the Wonder Valley Cabin Festival ? EVERYTHING. Music is always an inspiring factor for artists. Did I say kd lang’s cd is just gorgeously delicious ? Also Amy Winehouse made it to the stage and received her 5 awards !!! Love ya !!! One of her back up singers, Omotayo said “She was her usual funny self, making a joke a second. She’s a lot healthier at the minute, she’s a lot happier.” What a great day for music. Is the commercial world finally catching up???

SO… the Cabin Festival kickoff at Fi-Lox-See (gallery) still with no directions printed anywhere, managed to have a fabulous event with a huge turnout. One of my mosaics got a red dot as it sold to one of my collectors, Terry T. Presentations by Ellie Dozier and Cathy Allen were inspiring and wonderful. Kim Stringfellow explained the Jack Rabbit Homesteads. Bob Arnett’s painting rang true again in color and light. Scott Monteith had a beautiful new series of postcards and I saw one his framed pieces fly off the wall into a collectors hands… Chris Carraher’s minimal paintings were exquisite. Her new sculpture which resembled a cats cradle suspended was elegant and perfect.

Did I mention synchronicity ??? I’ll just start with this little story… Just a few weeks ago I got a tip and directions to take some pictures of a cabin, that was no longer inhabited as the resident, Roland, had passed away. He was a bit of a recluse and a rattlesnake handler. On the 5 acres were a couple of cars deep in the sand, rusting and basking in the desert air. I photographed the cars. Three days before the opening at Fi-Lox-Si (still with no website) I printed the photos of the cars. At the opening I spied a woman holding three of the cards I had printed, including the cars. Then she proceeded to tell me, “That’s my car!” It was her brother Roland who had a passed away. OK, I couldn’t have been more surprised. If you’d ever been to Wonder Valley, (the middle of nowhere) you’d understand my utter surprise. Yet as my friend Allen Barter always says, “It’s not unusual, it always like this.” (referring to the synchronicity)

There’s more. A Mexican devil mask was burned on a piece of picket fence at the bonfire at my homestead after the Fi-Lox-See show. Pretty nonchalant group. Jane Maru did the honors of placing the mask upon the fire. Ben Bottoms was there… (his brother’s ex-wife sold us her house in Santa Barbara) … Vickie Waite, Gretchen…Richard and Terry and of course the Arnetts. Jeanette Arnett made her way into the slivered moon, starlit night holding a photograph she had to have, of Ed the water-man’s Burro. I was glad to see the burros were going to a good home, down the road on Allen.