Back from the fry bread procurement mission

Here are the new friends walking back from the gas station where they got the fry bread. It had been Caralie's idea to invite these two over for lunch after church, and the girls cooked a delicious pasta dish again. We had a good time getting to know Ariel and Marquez - they are so much fun! It is funny how some people become friends so easily. Marquez and Ariel and another friend will come visit us in Mesa next weekend!

Nice day!

We spent some time outside on Sunday afternoon in Whiteriver, because the weather is so perfect up there right now! Not so here in Mesa - it was 105 degrees or more today! Anyway, we spent some time in the church yard of the beautiful little Catholic church that is just a short walk from Ken's apartment. Here are those kids. They love you.

Cultural Curios

This is a pickle. A dill pickle. It has kool-aid mix and salt on top. This is something quirky that our new friends from the reservation had Caralie and Johnnie try. They walked down the street to get some fry bread, and decided to get this "delicacy" while they were there. Funny, but Marquez didn't have one. Caralie and Johnnie said it was really very sour. I guess that was the whole point. Who thought of that?

New Friends

So Johnnie said that she had never seen a Native American before, which, of course could not be possible, as she lives in Arizona. She must have thought that any Native Americans she saw were hispanic, or something - anyway, it was funny. But we went to the game and there were very few of us - we stuck out like a soar thumb! Ken was busily introducing us to any and all of the students that he knew, one of which was Marquez. He was wearing marching band pants, which sort of look like snow pants. He was with a girl named Ariel. We found out that Ariel goes to the Southern Baptist Church there in Whiteriver, and Marquez has been going there with her recently so we decided to go there on Sunday. After the game we went to a ministry house called "The Kennel" where the kids hang out - met some other folks and saw Ariel and Marquez there. This is a picture of them "playing" at the game - sorry it is fuzzy - the bleechers do not stop moving as everyone is walking up and down and everywhere.

Apache Football

Caralie and Johnnie and I went to the Reservation for the weekend. It was the first time we have been to Whiteriver, where Ken spends his weeks. We showed up later than planned, and missed the half-time show, but got to see the amazing Alchesay High School Football team. They have a (big) girl on the team, and they always clean up on the other team! We also met a couple of marching band players that turned out to be friends by the end of the weekend.

Johnnie, Like one of our own

This is Johnnie Warfield. She is part of the family. We got to know her best when Caralie and I invited Johnnie and her mom, Nancy, to go to NYC with us last June (2007) to make a movie with my sister. That was a two week period that we called "film camp". We stayed in Harlem, and filmed in Central Park every day for two whole weeks. Anyway, Johnnie is a great addition to the family. She makes my piano very happy when she plays "Fur Elise" because she plays it with an amazing musicality. Tenderly, and brilliantly. I only wish that her piano teacher didn't stop teaching. Is there anyone out there that can take such a talent and bring all that out? I am hoping we can find that person! She plays all the twelve days of Christmas, as well. And now, in a minor key! More on Johnnie later. See her on my sister's blog www.anniequick.com/blog

Offspring

So, the original idea of my blog was to describe an unusual family that does not only consist of blood relatives, and our habitat, the Balcom House. Much of the interesting happenings go on during the summer, and I started blogging at the end of summer, when we were just getting off the road. Now back to my course - the family. I have described the "original two". Now, the offspring. This one is Caralie. She is about ready to fly off and start her own life. (She is a senior in high school). For now, I get a lot of great times with just her, as Ken is "bringing home the bacon" from a remote location, and Tully, our eldest, is 20 years old, and doesn't spend a whole bunch of time at home anymore, as that would be very peculiar for a man of his age. Caralie has a creative side that brings her into many realms - songwriting, painting,interior decorating, and even cooking. Caralie and Tully have been taking turns (without any begging or prompting) making meals. Caralie makes very delicious meals. Tully makes delicious meals that are so unusual. He made a sauce the other day that consisted of honey barbeque sauce and carrot juice! Don't say "yuck", because it was actually very good. More about Tully later. Caralie made dinner with her friend Johnnie. This is her friend Johnnie, setting the table.

Important Things

You may not remembet this, but once you didn't know how to tie your shoes, or jump rope, or read three-syllable words. There are so many important things that a person learns when they are six and seven years old. And everything is new. Making a paper snowflake for the first time, by folding and cutting and then opening up the paper - it is like magic! Or learning how to cut a paper heart by folding a paper in half - not too easy, really. We take these things for granted. How about swinging without getting a push? An amazing feeling comes over you when you realize you can get so high on your own! So many things that give us a sense of independence that are sheer delight when first achieved. That is my world. Sheer delight. This is Madison. She knows how to jump rope. Not everyone in the class does yet. Do you remember when you first learned to jump rope?

Back to School

This is my great friend Giovanni. He is one of six students that I get to teach every day this school year. Giovanni is my only returning student. He is also the only second grader in my first and second grade class. I was very happy that Giovanni came back this year. One reason is that he is so creative with paper and scissors and tape and glue stick. I give out different things to work with at story time after lunch. We call it "rest and read" time. Giovanni can do the most marvelous things with a paper plate! Here he sports a fine crown that he has made. He is the paper king!

The Original Two

I once was Peggie Quick. Then I met Ken Balcom - he bacame a very good friend and we enjoyed our time together very much. It is a story that has been told many times, and I don't think there is the time right now to tell it, but in 1984, when I was twenty, and Ken was 31, we were married in Felton, California. We are the "Original Two" of what is called the Balcom Family, or the Balcom House. This is important to remember, as we are nearing those days when we will be back to the original two, because our children are nearing the nest-leaving phase. Ken and I are both teachers by profession. He has taken a job in the White River Apache Reservation, teaching math at the public high school there. It is three hours away. We, being the flexible two that we are, have decided that for the school term we will be apart during the week, and together on the weekends. I have a feeling that in some ways it will focus our relationship, and sweeten it. He is far away, but we are together. After nearly 25 years of marriage, and 27 years of friendship, we can be flexible with what life brings us. This is the first week apart. He is getting started at his new job and I am getting ready to start teaching first and second grade at Providence Classical School, where I have taught for the past four years. So, really, this is just an update about why I haven't written anything in a week - big changes here! I was hoping to give a good picture of what goes on here at the Balcom House in the summer time, because that is really most interesting. I will catch up with that soon, and tell the story of how Ken and I didn't end up just being friends, and all of that. Thanks for dropping by! Don't give up on me - I do have some interesting things to relate about life in the Balcom House!

Fiddle Guy

Here is a picture of the Fiddle Guy in front of an art gallery.

The Music - Fiddle Guy and Harmonica Guy

As I have said, there was music everywhere in New Orleans. We were part of the music there, on Saturday, but on Sunday afternoon (after church and a long Sunday nap) we went into the French Quarter for our first day of city walking. On our way to the Clover Grill, (where we were to have the best burgers ever cooked under an American made hubcap) we ran into two musicians that looked like they might have been done for the night. Both of them played for us because we asked them to. The first one was a fiddle player. He was really good. I think that there is some special bridge on a fiddle that is different than a violin that helps you play "double stops". Anyway, he was very talented and entertaining. We listened awhile to "Fiddle Guy", and of course we threw some money in his case. Then we crossed the street to hear the harmonica guy, the best I have ever heard!

He was an old blind guy with a charming air about him and WOW could he play! He was missing his front teeth - I wonder if that helps? Then he would sing - acapella - I think he sang "If I Loved You" from the Rogers and Hammerstien "Carosel" (which, by the way is a really weird story!). We were entranced. He was solid cute and talented! He could play any note from a keyed harmonica - in other words he played it like a chromatic by bending the notes to get the notes that would not have been there. Amazing! And he got the rhythm and the melody and harmony all going on in a way that made you feel like he was a one man band! It was my favorite music of the whole trip. He calls himself "Grandpa", or he says that is what people call him. Solid cute.

The Party

We arrived in New Orleans on Friday evening, July 18th, my 44th birthday. The plan was to surprise Madeleine Edens, the mother of our band-mate Angela. Madeleine turned 60 on the 16th, and we came out to play a block party for her on Saturday. It was a big secret that Mike Edens, Madeleine's husband, was hatching for the last month or so.

We had wanted to go on the road this summer, as we haven't been able to for the past seven years or so since we bought a house and "settled down". Before that, each summer we toured. We brought the kids, the camping gear, the music equipment and instruments and hit the road. The last summer tour was in 2000. We toured for ten weeks that summer. It was all ovet the U.S.A.

We couldn't believe that Mike wanted us to come out to New Orleans and pay our way! What a fantastic opportunity! And we LOVE Mike and Madeleine! Ever since they moved to New Orleans I have wished we could see their place and visit the city.

We met for dinner and Madeleine's eyes popped out of her head when she saw us. It took a little while for her to get her head around what was going on, even after Mike explained it all. They had talked about a block party before - to get to know the neighbors and all. And it was happening without her having to help plan it, and with her daughter and band playing the music! Fun!

So on a very sticky Saturday afternoon, July 19, we set up and played out in front of what was once a taxi station down in the Mariny district of New Orleans. The houses were built in the 1830's. The people were a colorful bunch of folks that lived there on Burgundy street, plus friends and family of the Edens. I believe everyone had a good time. We certainly did!

First, the Food

I am a firm believer that every city has to be visited in an "eat your way through the day" way. New York is a fine example of this. We spent a day - a long day - visiting different parts of town on foot and trying different foods. We had Kabobs and tabouli, Indian food, bubble tea, Vietnamise fare, real New York pizza, and so on. Although we were STUFFED, we felt as though we had experienced the city in a way that "just looking" doesn't stand up to. New York is all about every nation's food. It is like being everywhere in the same day.

New Orleans has its own thing going on. It is like visiting a different country of its own. Arizona has regular western fare. New Orleans has things like Jumbalaya and Alligator and Crawfish - things you don't eat elsewhere. The block party that we played for had two main events - the music, (that was us), and the very large iron pot of Jumbalaya. There were also some tasty ribs, which I am pictured with here:

New Orleans

We just returned from a great trip to New Orleans. I can't tell what I really liked best about the trip. It could be the food - we had "crawdads" (which are actually called "crawfish") and alligator, and frog legs. Jumbalaya, barbequed ribs, red beans and rice all were a great departure from our regular fare, and delicous! Another favorite thing was definitely the music! There was music EVERYWHERE! Street musicians, and venue after venue had music playing all down the street - blues, rock, jazz - and so many PIANOS! There were pianos in every other venue! REAL pianos - grand pianos! And baby grands as well. I was SO happy to see so many PIANOS!

(Speaking of pianos, we just today started recording some piano tracks with my real piano - nothing like the real thing!)

The other very favorite thing about this trip was the history - what a great city for history! We stopped in an art gallery - Joe Dunn, photography - and Joe's wife, Pam, told us about so many interesting things about the city. They also told us the place to get the best burgers in town - Clover Grill. The guy cooks your burger under a hubcap! It was a yummy burger.

But, by far, the people are the best there in New Orleans. And the people we traveled with, also - the best. And the people that got us out there are so beautiful, as well. Our purpose for going was to play a block party for a very special birthday. I think that I should "expand" on each favorite thing of our trip, and put up pictures for your viewing pleasure, and then you could vicariously enjoy the trip! See you soon!
P

Bass Player

My sister has contracted my daughter to play bass for her in her band. This is only especially interesting because said daughter has not been playing bass for even a year, and said sister could use any first-call bass player from NYC that she knows. This is definitely a love thing. Caralie is a fast learner, and Annie is a very effective teacher! Each and every time that they rehearse, there is an amazing improvement! Now all I can say is this is an unusual and fantastic opportunity for Caralie! Annie was just the same when she was younger - we had her in our band from the time she was all of twelve years old! She sang harmonies like no other, and she also played sax or flute or recorder as needed. The stage time was invaluable for her as it will be for Caralie. They are a good team together, now.

Work space

This has been an eventful three weeks! My sister, Annie Quick has been here from NYC to build her art installation that will go on tour with her and her band in October. Dad also came out to work with her on some specific "engineering" parts of the project. My house was transformed into an "all kinds of creative things" workspace. We also had our living room used as a rehearsal site for three different bands, and a recording studio. The place looks like a bomb went off here, but I couldn't be happier at the outcomes.
We had a show downtown in a great little old hall in Mesa. We set up the art installation, and my band, CAVU played and then Annie's band played. If you are wondering about the art installation, please check out Annie's blog at: anniequick.com/blog. It was a great success! Now we just have to store the stuff until October!
There are also a couple of Demo projects being produced by the amazing Austin Owen, right here in our home studio. We will be working on our new project when we get back from our road trip at the end of July.