Shine on harvest moon

Posted 8/21/12

Yes, it’s here. Actually, by the time this column hits the stands, September’s full moon will have come and gone, but still… even if I wanted to stop the seasons from changing I cannot. Autumn …

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Shine on harvest moon

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Yes, it’s here. Actually, by the time this column hits the stands, September’s full moon will have come and gone, but still… even if I wanted to stop the seasons from changing I cannot. Autumn has many glorious aspects to embrace, including (but not limited to) the burst of fall foliage that sweeps across the Upper Delaware River region and the plethora of festivals celebrating the annual harvest. In anticipation of the great pumpkin, barn dances, corn husking and scarecrow contests about to (delightfully) occupy my time, I decided to stick a little closer to home over the past week and swim a few extra laps around the lake during my down time, lest the days shorten without my taking full advantage of the warmer temps that still prevail.

A last-minute announcement that Janet Burgan would be performing in Bethel, NY (www.dancingcatsaloon.com) attracted my attention, since I rarely have an opportunity to catch her act. Burgan (www.janetburgan.com), who splits her time between New York and Pennsylvania, concentrates her talents on folk music, but her repertoire began with musical theatre, allowing her to connect with the audience in a folksy, intimate way that disarms and charms instantly. Having shared the stage with luminaries like Dwight Yoakam and Dave Alvin, Janet is equally at home playing solo acoustic tunes as she is plugged in with others, and she chatted with the crowd in between songs, making sure that she had some face time with Dharma the Wonder Dog before her final set. Burgan is “always happy to be playing here at home,” and locals have caught her at tractor parades in Callicoon, NY, CBGB’s in NYC and at the Harvest Festival (www.bethelwoodscenter.org) right around the corner from my neck of the woods. Having been reminded of that, I decided that there was no time like the present and consulted with the pooch, before deciding what our next destination should be. She was all for the festival, but insisted on stopping in to visit with Victoria Lesser (www.theoldnorthbranchinn.com) beforehand, since Lesser always has homemade doggy bones on hand and was hosting a variety of local authors from both the Writers Circle of Wayne County and members of the Upper Delaware Writers Collective, who promised to be reading excerpts from new and yet-to-be-published works. Many of these writers are quite accomplished in their respective fields, and while I might have been more drawn to the novelists among them, poetry enthusiasts were in the house as well. While I may not be a fan of haiku (short, 17-syllable poems that use sensory language to capture a feeling or image), I suspect that may be a result of my penchant for hyperbole. The inn was packed, and I walked away with a greater respect for that which I do not understand, as well as a reading list for the upcoming winter months, thanks to the efforts of this talented group of authors. With a reading of my own (www.catskillartsociety.org) breathing down my neck, I often find myself inspired by the work of others, so (fingers crossed) I hope you won’t be bored in two weeks, when you stop by CAS to see the dog.

Since the Harvest Festival at Bethel Woods draws a large crowd every Sunday during the month, and the theme rotates, I usually catch a few, knowing that the vendors and entertainment changes weekly. I love strolling the grounds, catching up with friends and sampling the treats proffered at the farmers’ market, which was (as always) bustling with activity. As folks attempted to make their way through the corn maze, the dog “pawsed” for her admirers. and I paused to listen to a band I had not heard before. As if they had read that I don’t necessarily care for “nostalgia” acts, Marty Safran, Rob Gerver, Donnie West and Phil Carollo threw down the gauntlet before me, defying me to not love their act, which the program announced would present the stories and the songs known as “Just Sixties.” Assisted by narrators Barbara Trobiano and Linda Gerver, the show highlighted many of the bands and entertainers that imprinted an entire generation (mine) and was (IMHO) really, really good. I joined an appreciative audience basking in the sun, and we all sang along as these guys (www.JustSixties.com) sang hit after hit, not attempting to recreate the originals but to simply entertain in their own style, with solid vocals interspersed with trivia about the various stars that performed the tunes originally. I’ll admit it, “Just Sixties” made me feel good and that ain’t easy, curmudgeon that I am. As I gaze at the harvest moon tonight, I might even wax nostalgic for a moment before the moon (and good mood) wanes. Shine on!

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