Loose Leaf Notes

Willow branch weaving by Patrick Dougherty, one of the artists that created room installations expressing WONDER for the re-opening of the Renwick Gallery in D.C. _____Shadow Shot Sunday  

My first thought when I woke up this Monday morning was ‘if I had a real job, I’d be calling in sick.’  I’m not really sick but am in recovery from an extra full fun weekend that included a PFLAG house party, dancing to rock and roll at Dogtown, fellowship and feasting at the Ceremonial […]

I’ve been following John Mellencamp since he was John Cougar and MTV was actually good.  Mellencamp was born on the same day, month and year as my brother Danny, who died in 2001. Danny, who looked like Mellencamp and had some of the same mannerisms, was a big fan.  In 1998,  he turned me on […]

At least that’s what I imagine. They definitely come to sample Floyd’s vibrant music scene, and I don’t think they leave disappointed. Reptile DysFUNKshen, a psychedelic progressive rock band, is the newest Floyd home band playing quality original music, and they played last night at the Dogtown Roadhouse. “The band jams a lot, and we […]

I’d never been to a Groove-off before. I grew up with Battle of the Bands at the Surf in Hull, MA but never understood what they were. This one was between Floyd’s own Spoon Fight and the Virginia/Atlanta band Sound Wave.  It was MC’d by Eddie McClain, who also sang and rapped  with Spoon Fight. […]

I appreciate New Orleans jazz and a big brass band sound, but I’m more of a rock and roller at heart.  I grew up loving Motown, singer songwriter folksongs, psychedelic rock, Led Zeppelin and the rest.  I like some funk, rhythm and blues and am a fan of all the great lead guitarists. While staying […]

Morgan Wade is a young singer songwriter who grew up in Floyd.   I met her at Oddfella’s Tapas bar last week and liked her spunk.  So, I made a point to check her out when I learned she was opening for the Riverband Ramblers at Dogtown Roadhouse last night.  I was in for a surprise. […]

I waited 30 years to see my first performance of The Nutcracker ballet.  I saw it with my 4 year old grandson Liam, whose attention was good (although his enthusiasm was above a whisper).  He stayed engaged at least until intermission. We were very proud that a member of Floyd’s Springhouse Community School (a project-based […]

While in D.C. visiting the art museums, we made a point to go to the Hirshhorn Museum. You can’t miss the Hirshhorn because the building is round. Upstairs, we saw an exhibit called Speculative Forms, which was displayed on two floors.  Some of the pieces made me gasp, crave to touch or chuckle out loud […]

Even the escalators seem like part of the art installations at the Hirshhorn Art Museum in D.C. Is that a real bathroom sign or part of the exhibit? Hey, where can I get linoleum like that? I love larger than life Alice in Wonderland installations that stretch the boundaries of reality. According to exhibiting artist […]

I don’t know how art can unglue me so.  There’s nothing else like it but lovemaking.  In D.C. on Sunday I welled up with emotion at the National Gallery of Art’s Andrew Wyeth exhibit, an exhibit I had been waiting three decades to see. Finally standing in front of the vivid scenes of Wyeth’s world […]

“You’re buying a book tonight from an independent book store in a solid family business. I really appreciate that,” said author Neil Sagebiel at the noteBooks local book launch of his new book, Draw in the Dunes: The 1969 Ryder Cup and the Finish that Shocked the World. The book launch party spread out from […]