There's so much I want to say about the past few months, that I don't know where to begin. Let's just say that I'm truly thankful for the opportunity to play music for my living. It enables me to meet folks I would have never had met otherwise. People like Chelle and Rich at Courville's in Beumont, Texas, who solely put on shows for their own personal love of sharing music they like with friends in their community. And they are beloved for it, as well as for the fact that they contribute to every local charity within reach of their catering business. When I reflect upon the folks I've had chance to work with, there's been a common thread as of late: Community.
The second oldest family run business in America, is Community Coffee located on the banks of the river in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I'm known by my friends as being something of a coffee snob, and let's just say after a tour of their factory, which included a tasting, I'm hooked. Not only to they put the "Wind" back in "Up," they also contribute to charities as well. I'm pictured with Ray Cate, at Community Coffee (in front of the sign reading "Welcome Teppi Henpix") (smile), who along with Martin Flannagan and the Red Dragon, helped host a benefit for "Best Buddies," right there in Baton Rouge at the Manship. Best Buddies is one of the largest non-profits that enables those with intellectual disabilities to get jobs in the cities in which they live.
Continuing with family and community, I have to mention as well that I had the opportunity to tour Arnosky Family Farms in Blanco, Texas (www.texascolor.com). They run a sustainable family farm that services the freshest cut flowers to local stores throughout central Texas. They are in the midst of their busy season right now, and I snapped a photo of their beautiful poinsettias so you could catch a glimpse of just how hard they work at their blue barn and beyond.
Seeing the Arnosky Family Farm humbled me as I know how hard we've been working here on my little four by four square foot garden. I say "we," as it has indeed been a "community" effort to actually get it to yield organic vegetables this year. Perhaps using the term vegetable in the plural is a little exuberant seeming that to date I've had one salad, one banana pepper, and one tomato from "Tomato Dave." But the collards? I've had more than my share and they have grown so big, I could hang a swing from them. I planted them because they were available, not because I was fond of them. And now, I like them. Especially because we grew them.
There is something about community and a network beyond the Internet. It takes many hands to plants seeds in our lives and hearts for a better tomorrow. Albert Einstein said, "There are two ways to look at life. One is as though nothing is a miracle; the other is as though everything is." It's through seeing folks interact at our shows as well as within their community that I've been able to fully realize the truth in this quote ... just in time for the holiday season.
Warmest Regards ... your friend in music, Terri
P.S. Thanks as well to Sycamore Creek Folks (Thomas on mandolin) and Rawhide Folks too (Lina on fiddle).
