We got here Tuesday. I drove alone from Florida, since ellen was
performing in the wildflower songwriting competition (and winning!!). I
got here tuesday morning, and Ellen drove down from dallas with Michael
Terry and got here tuesday afternoon..

It’s been pretty wet here in the weeks leading up to the festival, and the
ground is pretty saturated.. Thursday night was a LOT of rain… I got up
around 3AM to check the porch canopy (10×10), and all was in order.. no
water accumulating on the top, or in any of the tarps..

But, come friday morning, (still raining, it rained all night and most of
the morning) the canopy had collapsed, ripped asunder, bent and broke… it
gave it’s life keeping half our stuff dry..

So, scratch another canopy.. I’d been checking out what was available in
town, and i couldn’t find any of those heavy duty 10×20 canopies that have
become so popular.. Walmart, lowes and home depot checks came up
dry.. Michael Terry suggested i try the tractor supply place next to big
lots, and they had a $99 dollar 10×20 canopy.. Not as heavy duty as many of
the others, and more assembly required, but, it fit the bill!!!. (and gave
the “frugal” side of me fullfillment) Thanks to the help of some camp
tranquilo and coho regulars, along with some of our newer neighbors, We now
have a beautiful 10×20 porch in front of our tent..

It finally stopped raining heavily sometime around noon Friday. Mud
everywhere, and for the first time in my experience, Sudden Creek had not
only risen, but STAYED THAT WAY!!. It’s now 1PM on Saturday afternoon, and
sudden creek is still running.. Camp Nashville put a picnic table across
the creek, and that, along with a very muddy main road were the only two
ways into the lower meadow. The main road was blocked off for much of the
day, and it was too unstable for cars. Lots of shovels in view as people
are digging redirection and containment walls…

A couple of times last night there were light drizzles. Turtle Creek was
passable when we went over it, but that was hours after the big storm
ended.. I imagine it was unpassable for part of the night and early morning.

We temporarily detained someone yesterday afternoon who was fishin’ in
Sudden Creek, by Camp Nashville, without a license..

I just started baking this afternoon.. it’s been too wet until now..

Camps Nashbill, Sinkerrnicity, Coho, Lethargy, Fork in the Road and
Tranquilo are all in full form near us. (i’m sure there are many others
that are all here, i just haven’t had a chance to get around at all)

Friday’s mainstage was moved to Threadgill due to the weather. Threadgill
looks amazing.. They’ve terraced the balcony with space for your own
chairs.. I haven’t been to a performance there yet, but i’m looking forward
to it..

Now, where can i find a good masseuse for the creaky ol bones..

All in all, it’s wonderful to be back at the ranch..

Day Three
Brian “the Breadman” Wolfsohn:
It’s gettin’ on 2:30 Sunday morning.. Coho songcircle has gone to sleep.. I
can hear threadgill still going strong in the distance.. It may not be
Threadgill.. But it’s over past the tree line separating the lower meadow
from the meadow..

Camp Nashbill has closed for the night.. It’s a tired night as many people
who were planning on coming in on fridayt, delayed their arrival until
today cuz of the weather..

Liz Rrouse was spotted breaking bread with an identically t-shirt clad Vic
Heyman while Reba sat next to them in a slightly non-matching top.. (Wass
wid dat ??)

Mainstage was finally in full energy tonight.. Cosy Sheridan and TR Ritchie
opened the evening.. Peter Yarrow had an emotional set encored by Puff
along with a birthday cake for peter.. Anne Feeney joined him on stage for a
well-deserved mainstage appearance.. Have you been to jail for justice was
followed by peter’s The Great Mandela.. great topical music.. there’s
should always be more room for protest music at Kerrville, it just doesn’t
seem to work out that way..

Denice Franke followed by Johnsmith with a rousing set finished off by Jimmy
Lafave..

It’s still occasionally sprinkling, and with the ground saturated, it’s got
nowhere to go but downhill.. Sudden Creek is still running, almost 48 hours
since it rose..

The cut-through next to Camp Jews Don’t camp between Nashville and the lower
meadow is deep mud, and most people are detouring around it.. no accidents
yet.. fingers crossed..

Big Earl’s ran out of ribs tonight.. and all ice cream flavors were gone
except for vanilla..

There’s a great energy circle playing over in the meadow.. don’t know where,
but there’s a lot of sing-along life..

The tree frogs are in bloom, the breeze is gentle, and my condolences to
those of you who aren’t experiencing this right now.. There nowhere i’d
rather be..

Anyone on the ranch is encouraged to add their travels to the list… there
are kerr-people out there waiting for a sniff… don’t be selfish,. share
the wealth..

It’s 7:30PM Sunday evening.. I don’t know if mainstage will happen later on
tonight, but it’s certainly not going to be for awhile if it happens at all..

It’s been pouring cattle & sheep (that’s texas for cats and dogs) for about
90 minutes & there’s a river of water going past the RV…

I’m sure Sudden Creek is still running, as it was running earlier this
afternoon before this deluge..

Eric Schwartz showed up unexpectedly on the ranch for a couple of days and
was last seen holed up in Neale Eckstein’s RV …

Ellen and Allison Downey are down at Camp Jews Don’t Camp holed up in the
tent w/. a couple of guitars makin’ music..

and the rain is starting to let up.. oops.. maybe not.. the thunder is
still there..

And there will hopefully be 4 more loaves of bread coming out of the ovens
in 1:30..

Anybody want a piece ??

Staying dry on a very wet ranch..

bye for now..

After the Storm
here’s a picture of our campsite AFTER thursday night’s rain…

Thanks to Thomas & Jane in RV spot 45.. (please stop by and say hello.. I
like to attach faces to email addresses..

From Sibyl Lopez:
Hi all,
I’m trying to keep a daily blog at myspace.
I also uploaded about 60 photos here.

Sibyl

Day Five/Early Day Six:

Brian “the Breadman” Wolfsohn:
Here comes the sun…

We got some of the wet rugs out into the sun to dry them off..

Sudden creek is still running (over 100 hours consecutively now)

Monday nights mainstage was tremendous.. The highlights of the evening were
John Gorka and Susan Werner the last two performances of the evening..

Susan was as good as I’ve ever heard her, even though she was doing almost
all new (to me) material. It’s the first time i’ve seen John Gorka here,
but he was as good as the times I’ve caught him elsewhere..

As the crazy first weekend winds down, the ranch will assume it’s more
familial posture, and we can all get down to spending time with friends in
a more peaceful setting than memorial day weekend..

It’s a little different this year, as we’ve already been here for almost a
week… Usually, we don’t even get here until tuesday morning..

Ellen’s left for 9 day in L.A. She’ll be back for the last Thursday..

To those of you on the list, please let as many people as possible know
about itcanbethiswayalways.com and the kerrchat list. I am amazed at the
people I come across who are not aware of the lists’s existence.
(Note: Kerrchat is a great email list written by Kerrvile friends and
fans. You can sign up for it at “It Can Be this Way Always”…EF)

I’ve got my chair planted at Threadgill for tonight’s (Tuesday) sundown
concert.. I’m sitting in the second row balcony slight right of
center. Gonna gather up some warm bread which just came out of the oven
and head over now…

Tonight’s show:
Midwest Campfire In-The-Round

Jim Bizer (Franklin MI)
John Gorka (Marine on St Croix, MN)
Jan Krist (Detroit MI)
Drew Nelson (Grand Rapids MI)
Susan Werner (Chicago IL)

Oh boyoboyoboy.

Day Seven:

Brian “the Breadman” Wolfsohn:
I’m sitting here (noon-ish) on-line at Camp Coho watching 2 hummingbirds
fight over who gets to feed at one of the hummingbird feeders.

Last night was one of those extra special nights where everything was lined
up just right.. The weather was perfect.. moderate breezes passed through
all evening. The moon was almost full.. Many of the camps moved their song
circles out from underneath their canopies into the road to enjoy the
moonlight..

Camp Tranquilo was spread across the road, diverting traffic while Lethargy
had a nice song circle going nearby..

I could see singkerrnicity out in the road from a distance, but the
highlight of the evening was Nashville where every song was a star and a
perfect note on a perfect night.. Amongst many of ther performers in
attendance were Stephanie Corby, Johnsmith directed circle traffic, Amy
Speace, Diana Jones, Jonathan Byrd, Eric Balkey, Amelia Spicer, Eric
Gerber, Brian Cutean, Alan from coho. (apologies to those whom my memory
fails) As the moon shone down, we toasted the memory of Rachel Bissex.

The threadgill concert opened w/ Jonathan Byrd and Diana Jones.. She’s a
fine talent, but i’m not a fan of that style of music.. Jonathan was a
great listen, but he’s an even better listen solo.

And the hummingbirds are really arguing over who gets the favorite
feeder. They must be a married couple’a birds..

Jeez, Cary Cooper’s kids have gotten so big…

Chris Chandler was the second half of the show last night, and he was
great.. If there is something that this festival has always not had enough
of, or not placed enough emphasis on, it’s protest music. Chris was joined
by, amongst others, Stephanie Corby, Adam & Kris, and Anne Feeney. His
opener was not as strong as the rest of the show, but all in all, the
standing ovations he received were more than well deserved… His tributes
to New Orleans and our combat troops were heart-wrenching, and brought many
a tear to the audience.. One of the most enjoyable aspects of a Chris
Chandler concert is watching the people who are seeing Chris for the first
time.. Sitting next to me and falling into that category was Allison
Downey (she of the Wildflower “Audience favorite” last week).. As each
minute passed, her admiration and wonderment for what she was seeing grew..

What a wonderous night…