Southern Oregon

You may have noticed I've been gone for a few days. We took a trip to Southern Oregon—a pilgrimage of sorts. We didn't go for the berries, though they were ripe and beautiful and we couldn't resist a few baskets purchased, on the honor system, from a roadside stand.We went, as we have every summer for more than twenty years, to the historic little gold mining town of Jacksonville.

We went, specifically, to a beautiful, green hillside overlooking the little town. To the grounds of the Britt Music Festival to see and hear K.D. Lang and Lyle Lovett. Many years ago when we lived in nearby Ashland, we started going to a Britt concert every summer with our neighbor Muriel and her then husband. We moved, they split up, Muriel moved, but we continued to meet Muriel every summer for a concert. This year my brother Steve and his wife Brenda joined us. The line starts to form late in the afternoon for the evening concert. You need to be in line, outside the gates, early to get a good spot on the lawn for your blanket.

Brenda, Steve, Muriel and Ray pass the time in line by perusing the program for the evening's performances.

Once inside the grounds you stake out your territory with blankets and/or tarp. These are our nifty new "pod" chairs. They offer a little back support. The Britt rules say your butt may not rest more than 4" above the ground in the blanket section of the lawn.

Before the concert starts you can purchase food or other refreshments like a nice bottle of good, local wine.

Soon the hillside is filled with people, the sun begins to set and the lights come on in the big redwood band shell. Close your eyes and imagine the smell of pine and fresh grass, a cool breeze at the end of a hot and muggy day. The crowd settles in and the magic begins as the lights come up on a stage filled with musicians, and then the music pours like rich caramel syrup across the hillsides and every time I think, "there is nowhere on earth I would rather be at this moment" regardless of whether I am listening to Roberta Flack or Judy Collins, or Dave Brubeck or, like tonight, K. D. Lang singing this glorious version of this glorious song. Perfect.