Jink & Diddle in NC and finish of Aspen Music festival

For 2nd time we attended the annual Jink & Diddle Scottish fiddle music camp near Banner Elk.  Huge benefit to Mary who came on leaps and bounds (and got herself a new on-line teacher Joanna for the year ahead).  Less so for me as the only oboist , but fun nevertheless.

John Turner leading the evening session.  The famous classical violinist Rachel Barton Pine on his left

Mary holding her own in no uncertain manner

Ditto

...while I took a trip to grandfather Mtn and enjoyed a bit of scrambling.

Rachel BP's 3 year old daughter performing.

Sole piping representative.  This guy makes bagpipes for a living

Diligence personified.  Ronnie Hudson from Pitlochry in the background

Back in Asheville Ronnie and Betty get re-acquainted.

Outside the tent for the Wed evening concert with Mike and Joan on their way from Tucson to Glendo WY for the solar eclipse.

Mike and Joan - a bike trip down the Rio Grande trail to Basalt for lunch

a hungry and overgrown chick who is reluctant to fly the nest..

....but trying.

Heidi back in town.  Lunch at Spring cafe in Aspen.

Our "warm showers " guests and new cycling friends Trent and Veronica from Berkeley, CA

My 2017 oboe teacher Ryan Roberts from Juilliard and Tamara also Oboe student at Juilliard and  reed maker extraordinaire. My new supplier !

Base Village , Snowmass construction at last underway again - after an 8 year hiatus.

The Aspen Ski Co Limelight Hotel to be.

Looking north down Brush Creek Road.

Our 2017 tenant - student composer Scott and his fiancee Emily a professional cellist.

Off down to Basalt tomorrow for the eclipse .  92% occluded. Last time for 100 years that a total solar eclipse will travel the breadth of the US continent.  D & K in Corvallis Oregon are in that 30 mile band where it will be total.

This was at the minute of the maximum 92% occlusion at 11.23am.  Not at all dark. Got significantly colder, but without the special glasses enabling us to see the occlusion , we wouldn't have known there was an eclipse.  What a difference 8% makes. Having spoken to D & K in Corvallis OR where they had 100% occlusion, it became almost pitch dark. An extraordinarily emotional experience for them and viewed from 5 minutes from their house.

The scene at Basalt library where they set up telescopes and a live NASA feed on a big screen inside ( where we saw the total occlusion in Oregon, but frustratingly not how dark it grew there ).

Back from Oregon - Barbara's visit

Even if we had only got as far as Wyoming by mid June on phase 3 of our transam, we'd have been back to greet Barbara on her long planned 2nd visit to Aspen. In fact we got to Astoria, OR exactly on the planned date and  had a week to prepare for the big event.  Red carpet laid out for the historic visit !

Barbara got the better of me this year in a close 3 match series

People in Colorado don't normally go into the parking lot to get sun, but Barbara was going to get it anyway she could.

Now this is more like it. At 8am, and this for 30 mins, became the daily routine.

Top of Elk Camp and views to the Maroon Bells.

First time on a chair lift - ever!

The intrepid pair after lesson on how to use poles

Top of an arduous hike up Hunter Creek. Huge achievement.

Ditto

July 4th parade

An evening with Gracie

Outside the Wheeler for the Sat morning Opera Scenes masterclass

A highlight of each day - cocktail hour on the deck