Merlyn's Musings~: A Minstrels' Country Life

It's another traveling weekend for Harry and I.
Yesterday we left Nick in charge of Monty Joe and Squirrel Haven and loaded up gear and instruments and some more formal clothes (read: a different kind of garb :)
and headed back to MA again to visit our dear friends, Jay & Abby ~

Otherwise known as "The Harper & The Minstrel" to stay with them for a night and then gig here and watch their place, whilst they sallied forth to a faire to play for their weekend's gig.

They have a lovely old place, over 250 years old! They also have quite a menagerie of animals! Dog, cats, ratty, hamster, and a flock of chickens and a new acquisition of a covey of quail! Abby's dad, next door, has peacocks and chickens too, and one day a fellow asked him if he'd like some quail eggs. "Sure!" He gave Abby about 90 eggs and she incubated them, got about 35 to hatch...and they have 29 or so that made it to being an adolescent!

We had a lovely day with them here, after our travel to their place. I read to Harry aloud (as I usually do on these long trips) from a new book. It's nice to share a book with your Mate! He enjoys listening while we drive and it makes the time go faster. MUCH faster!

My current book is Dolly Parton's autobiography called, "Dolly!"

I picked up this book at the Silver Kingdom Renaissance faire's bookseller's booth last weekend while there. Drusilla always has some fun $1 bargain books to root through like a hog looking for truffles. :) It is a fun and fabulous read! Her style is very conversational and it's filled with a lot of country lore. I've been fashioning my own memoir over this past year, and it's funny, but some of our stories are similar now that I'm reading hers! We've been laughing at her amazing stories and her trek to stardom from such impoverished and sometimes quaint background. She is truly a self effacing, confident and happy person. We like the book very much. If you are interested in her or her music, you would also benefit by reading it. Harry and I have always adored her "Trio" album with Dolly, Emmy Lou Harris and Linda Ronstadt! Just a fabulous album.

After we got here to Jay & Abby's yesterday, I played some music with Abby

while the guys puttered around outside, checking on the poultry and grilling chicken. I found that to be amusing in itself. I wonder what the chickens thought of that! Also, there was the directions given to us for the feeding and watering of all the animals we'll be tending this weekend ...along with these words: "Oh, and the hamster escaped....keep your eye out for him."

Nothing like a loose ratty to keep you on your toes. :)

I grew up on a farm with all these animals (although the quail are new to me, we only had ducks and chickens, pigs, horses, dogs, cats, hamsters, gerbils, birds...) so I am very comfortable here in this setting.

The peacock mournful and yet lusty cries are new though.

It's wonderful to hear the rooster crow in his Peter Pan "Look at me!" voice, the "braaawwww, buck buck buck" of the hens... and then to hear throughout the day (and night!) the peacocks heralding their majesty as they trumpet their call to their female.

Click here to hear a Peacock cry~

It's really almost tropical with this heat and rain.

On our roster for the morning is to relax, and practice a bit here while it's quiet....
Later this day, Harry and I will be traveling to Plymouth to play for a dear friend and her new husband to be for their wedding! It's going to be aboard the "Pilgrim Belle" and will be sailing in Plymouth Harbor on a sunset cruise after their ceremony on the top deck. I am very much looking forward to it!