November 18, 2018
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Basketeers

Yesterday was delivery day for Basketeers. Basketeers is a volunteer organization providing some of the simple necessities and niceties of life, bundled in a basket and gifted to women transitioning out of a shelter to the next chapter in their lives. Tuffy P has been donating a couple baskets each year for several years.

Basketeers was founded by Cheryl Stoneburgh in 2000 supporting 14 women and 1 shelter. It has grown tremendously and now there are some 3500 volunteers and 14 Basketeers chapters in many locations. Supporters create a basket filled with good useful items, wrap it up and deliver it once each year to a designated location. It’s amazing to walk into the large room filled with baskets on delivery day, knowing the direct support and encouragement each basket provides.

If you would like to support Basketeers next year, visit their site and learn everything you need to know to give a basket.

November 16, 2018
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Cold Frosty Morning

Jack Antler played for the first time in front of an audience at our local open mic at Fair Grounds Coffee tonight. Here’s a video of one of the tunes we played, Cold Frosty Morning. It was an appropriate tune, given the cold temperatures we’ve been experiencing the last few days.

That’s Ted Myerscough on guitar and me on clawhammer banjo. Big thank you to Bill for shooting this video!!


November 14, 2018
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Nature walk at the Bluffs

Today’s nature walk with Miles Hearn was at Scarborough Bluffs. It was a cold morning – I wore long johns and a warm coat as well as toque and mittens. As it turned out, the temperature rose a little during the walk and there was no wind to speak of – a lovely day for a walk.

from above



from below

I was unable to photograph the highlight of the walk – we saw an immature golden eagle – but Miles was able to get it with his much longer lens. You can see two photos of the eagle on his nature walk report for today.

There are quite a few walnut trees up top, and apples, as well as lots of crack willows. Crack willow bark looks like this (above)…..

We’re pretty much at the end of the asters in our area. The panicled aster below has all gone to seed.

However, there was still a little flower life remaining in this heart-leaved aster….

and in this New England aster…..

It’s easy to think there won’t be much plant visual interest this late in the fall, but that is far from the truth. For instance, look at this Spindle tree….

and this wild cucumber vine…

We went down to the bottom of the bluffs by the lake. We saw plenty more birds down there than up top….

ring-billed gull

White-throated sparrow
Female cardinal
American Black Duck
Mallard-black duck hybrid – bib duck
November 14, 2018
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Jack Antler

Last month when I played some tunes at the Fair Grounds Open Mic here in Long Branch I met a fellow named Ted Myerscough. Ted responded to my clawhammer playing and told me he played some guitar, so I suggested we get together and jam one day. We had our 3rd session tonight and I’m more than pleased with how it’s been going.

We’ve been working up some “A” tunes, some “D” tunes and some “A modal” tunes and we’re going to try some of them out for the first time in front of an audience as Jack Antler at the next Fair Grounds Open Mic – which is Thursday evening November 14, getting under way at 7:00 PM. Fair Grounds is an excellent coffee shop right here in Long Branch, at Fortieth Street. We’d love it if you stopped by.



November 11, 2018
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Walkin’ Boss

That’s John Herrmann on banjo and vocals, Steve Rosen on guitar, Erynn Marshall on fiddle. Roy Andrade on the other fiddle. The bass player’s name is on the tip of my brain….Tom….?

I didn’t make it to the 2018 Midwest Banjo Camp, but I hope to go in 2019 for my 4th time. It’s loads of fun and a fantastic learning experience.

November 11, 2018
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What a difference a day makes….

Yesterday I was convinced winter had arrived, but today is much more pleasant. Still cold, but not AS cold. For our Newfs, that means it’s party time again!
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We even saw a big fat robin…

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