Well, the end of another great visit to Elko Nevada and the Cowboy Poetry Gathering. As much as I talk about not coming back as it gets close to time to come out here, getting back to familiar faces, family and friends plants me back at the front desk signing up for our room for next year...and, rejoining the Folklife Center membership for another year. We've had a wonderful time with Dick, Martha and Richard Webb. We've met many wonderful people who have shared with us their work, stories of their life's travels and just genuine hospitality. It is a phenomenon. You may laugh at us for thrusting ourselves into something that is so 180 degrees out from our normal life. But, if I may use the old phrase, "you don't know what you're missin'".

When the trials of raising a young family push you into these decades of your life, I'm most certain you'll reach out to events like this to enhance your understanding of the rest of the world, the cultures out there and what is really the makeup of your inner-self. I'm absolutely convinced that the old family genes continue to affect our image of ourselves. I know that the many, many ancestors that we follow have had something to do with our reaching out to those lifestyles that were important to them.

I'm sure my great great grandfather is jumping up for joy to see one of his descendants take hold of the spirit of what is offered here and inculcating some of these lifestyles and expressions into our lives.

Are Dad and Mom going crazy? Don't believe it for a minute. This experience is giving me a much greater appreciation for the wonderful things the Lord has given all of us to enjoy, to examine and determine for ourselves what is most important to us. Important to me is my wife and family, our extended brothers and sisters and the wonderful grandchildren who will follow in our tracks. We love you all. Be advised that we are not losing our minds. We are just enjoying the sweet breads of life that have been placed in our tracks.

We love you all....just let us "do our thang". KnB