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 ).