2022

The year 2022 seemed to just flow by for the LaMont family. Looking back we did a lot of what we wanted to do: spend time with family, travel, play music, eat well, serve others and stay healthy.

And there were a few things we'd prefer to avoid: frequent doctor appointments and a continuation of Covid in our community. That's the price you pay for living. Pat celebrated her 80th birthday and I somehow made it to 82. We still think we are around 30, still good looking (Pat)but just a bit slower (me). The good news is that we did not have to give up anything, just made the minor adjustments that come with aging. Here's a look back at our year: Our routine usually includes dinner with the next-door-neighbors and close friends Gary and Jeri. They are theoretically retired, but both work a few days a week, and volunteer even more. They are people with good hearts, and who act on the needs they see around them. We met a decade ago, probably through volunteer work at Habitat for Humanity or church, and have been close ever since.

We host music jams at our house on Tuesday nights with George Haskell(banjo/guitar), John Randlett (guitar), Kylee Harrison(guitar) and Beth Gaisford(guitar/mandolin), and me(mandolin/guitar). We play and sing for fun, but once in a while play at church or the local farmer's market. I participate in a weekly poker game on Thursday afternoons, a tradition that started with my late friend Ken Grassmyer almost 20 years ago. I refer to the players as my "fellowship group" because most of us attended church together. As the years pass, the players change but the $20 buy-in remains the same. We are mostly veterans and retirees and enjoy the talk, laughing and winning. And all are good losers. We have a weekly dinner gathering with five friends (George and Patty Haskell, Joe and Teddi Jackson and John Randlett). Sometimes we eat out, particularly a local Mexican place with outdoor dining (safe during Covid), or at each other's homes. Pat does whatever needs to be done all year for her Parish Care group, often filling her week with helping other people. Parish Care is a team from our First Congregational Church that includes four or so women who take care of people. It may invove a ride to the doctor, delivering meals or just a friendly conversation on the phone. If people need something, they find a way to respond. Her weekly routine includes helping a handicapped neighbor who needs transportation or prescription pickups. One of the disadvantages of our otherwise wonderful town is we have no drug store, no viable public transportation, and limited medical care so that creates a lot of needs. A drug store run involves a round trip of about 20 miles. A trip to pick up someone at the hospital requires about 30 miles.

We try to spend Sundays at church at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, the longest-named church we have ever belonged to, with a small and older congregation that is at the heart of our community. It is the only progressive church in our community of Murphys, a gold rush town turned touristy, which tends toward no-church folks or conservative congregations. We have a few LBGTA+ members, and a lot of mainstream types. In a normal year, which 2022 was not, I would be singing in the choir. This year no choir, and we all wore masks for most of the year due to several friends who are immuno-compromised. That's the routine stuff. This year we got back to travel, starting in early Spring with a long trip in our 2002 VW Camper. We drove an inland route to Spokane, which took us by our old neighbors' home in Idaho. Alan and Ann Christie, and daughter, treated us like -- well, old friends. We camped along the way at a RV resort with a hot spring, breaking up the long journey through the beautiful farmlands of Oregon and Washington. Zack showed us the sites in Spokane, along with several very good places to eat. We met some of his friends and got a feel for his new home.

We headed homeward with no particular path in mind, except I wanted to actually see the historic Columbia River. We hit the river and turned west on the south shore, following the Lewis and Clark route, and camped along the river. We got to see the grand dams Woody Gurthrie wrote songs about ("Roll On Columbia") and scooted past Portland and ended up on the Pacific Ocean camped out along the beach at Cape Lookout. We were working our way South along the coast when our old sailing buddies Michael and Sylvia sent us a text inviting us to come by and see them in their new floating home at Scapoose, Oregon. They have always been, and remain, water people. The home sits atop floating redwood logs on a backwater of the Columbia. he teaches online and he writes and they have added a dog named Biscuit to the family. We went back to the coastal route to Cape Blanco. Those great Oregon parks were detailed in an earlier blog, but in the Spring without crowds it was a wonderful place to be. Summer brought trips to the mountains and the north coast with family and friends, getting as much use out of our VW van as we can.

Late summer brought more camping trips, with friends and family.

Fall brought a trip to Santa Cruz for a wonderful relaxed week watching the surf and surfers, cathing the slightly weird vibe at a beach happening where people played body harps, and eating very well. That whole section of beach towns, including Capitola, has become a favorite for us.

Christmas at home was low key, and we spent a day at Ruth and Brian's home just two miles away and celebrated with grandson Connor, pictured with Ruth in Christmas attire, and granddaughter Delaney and husband Cooper who came west from Boston where he is in medical school and she is working on her PHD in bioengineering. Our final plan for 2022 is a multi-generational New Years Eve celebration at our church, welcome the New Year at 9 p.m., and tuck in to get ready for a wonderful 2023. Have a great year.

Guitarist Beppe Gambetta Concert Set in Murphys

Murphys, Ca. — Guitarist Beppe Gambetta will sing and play a solo concert of “American Roots with European Passion”  on Feb. 15 in Murphys.

The concert will be held at the sanctuary of the First Congregational Church at 3 p.m., and marks a return of the internationally known artist who performed an all-American roots concert here last year.

Gambetta, who plays guitar in a flat-pick style and sings a mix of U.S. and European folk music,  tours annually throughout America and Europe, playing at music festivals and concert halls. The Washington Post critic said his performance “calls to mind what a duet by Doc Watson and Leo Kottke might sound like.”  The BBC Scotland critic wrote his concert there was “exciting, varied, satisfying and just downright musical music..”

This year’s program will include traditional American folk tunes, played in the flat-picking style which originated in rural America and made widely popular through folk and bluegrass festivals. 

In addition, Gambettas will provide  part of his “Canzoni — Poetry in Italian Songs and Melodies” program which draws on the traditional singer/songwriters of his native Italy. Gambetta also offers interesting background for his music, and includes lively  humor in his presentation, including his trademark red shoes. 

The sanctuary is located one block off Main Street, uphill from the Murphys Hotel. A donation for  the artist of $15 will be taken at the door.

The concert is part of a periodic series at the Murphys church which offers the venue as an outreach to the community. Past concerts have included traditional Irish music, a memorial in honor of Pete Seeger, a classical string quartet, and a chorale.  

 Here are some excerpts from additional reviews of his performances:

“Get him on a stage and his fingers speak a language all their own. After all, he’s not known as the ‘Italian King of the flatpick guitar’ for nothing.”

(Steve Wildsmith, The Daily Times)

“A Spanish odyssey, a mazurka learned from a 78rpm record, slips into this repertoire, just as tunes like these have been slipping into American culture since.”

(Rob Adams, The Herald)

“His incredible versatility combined with his charm and engaging stage presence make Beppe’s concerts evenings of high quality music and relaxed entertainment. Over-riding all else, however, is the brilliance of his talent...”

(Cornish Guardian)

“…Beppe displays his remarkable versatility with the flatpick guitar style, displaying the new directions he has taken in the art of playing the acoustic steel stringed guitar with pick in hand.” (Dan Miller, Flatpicking Guitar Magazine)

“Few players on the planet could so successfully fuse an unwavering allegiance to tradition with impatient, wide-eyed vision, tongue-in-cheek humor with solemn devotion, and folksy song styles with progressive improvisation as Gambetta…” (John D’Agostino, Wood & Steel)

"...Though he's shown over the years that he can keep pace with the Tony Rices and Dan Crarys of the world, , it is Gambetta's understated elegance as a flatpicker that has set him apart and made him an in-demand partner the world over, and he's as elegant as ever on Rendez-vous." (Sing Out!)

More music is always a good thing

Murphys, Ca -- Most of my friends know I like many different kinds of music. If I play, I keep it simple (folk and bluegrass and gospel). But I love listening to almost everything (except obscene rap and acid rock).

So the following is an announcement I put together for one in a series of concerts I am helping encourage at our little church.  If you are nearby, come see us and hear some fine musicians next Saturday.

 

 

 

 

Murphys, Ca -- The Delphi Trio, the ensemble currently in residence at the
annual Bear Valley Music Festival, will present a free concert this coming
Saturday (Aug. 3) at 3 p.m. in the sanctuary of the historic First
Congregational Church in Murphys.

Trio individual members have performed in 14 countries and on four
continents, including as a trio in Europe, California and the Midwest. The
Delphi Trio has completed artistic residencies at the Dakota Sky
International Piano Festival, the Banff Centre for the Arts, and is
currently featured as artists-in-residence at Old First Concerts in San
Francisco where they have juxtaposed classic repertoire and works
commissioned for them.

Members Liana Be'rube', Michelle Kwon and Jeffrey LaDeur are graduates of
the University of Toronto, Stanford University and the Eastman School of
music respectively. The trio was formed while they were studying at the
Chamber Music Program at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Saturday's concert will be the second in a series of musical events at the
church. The initial concert was presented this Spring by Cooking With Turf,
a traditional Celtic band. Later this year the church will host
performances by the Masterworks Chorale, a jazz group from Pennsylvania, a
traditional/bluegrass/gospel band and other local/regional musicians.
The church sanctuary is located at the corner of Church and Algiers
Streets, one block above the Murphys Hotel on Main Street.

The trio believes chamber music is an integral part of music education, and
has coached students at the San Francisco Conservancy of Music and the
Crowden School in Berkeley. They developed an innovative chamber music
mentoring program at the Dakota Sky International Piano Festival Young
Artists Program and developed an Emerging Artist Program to guide
collegiate students through their first independent concert experience.

Progress Report in Photos

Murphys, Ca -- A quick look at the progress on fixing up our new/old home.

The downstairs bathroom needed tile (done) baseboard (in work) a new sink (bought from a neighbor's yard for $20) towel and toilet paper racks (done) a shower curtain rod (in work) a new mirror (still looking) move the cabinet (still thinking) and maybe a new toilet. And then we will call the plumber back. 

 

The once incomplete kitchen cabinetry, including electrical and installation of the  microwave, fan and new drawers, was finished off by our friend and master cabinet maker Skip Sharp.

 We  have a drainage problem so we installed a new French Drain on top of the new water pipes, using the trench Andy Glessman dug.

 The living room had a large section of ugly tile cemented over the old oak floors, so we tore it out and are having it restored, plus a new stone hearth. We expect to get this part of the house back mid-week.

 The last appliance installed was the in-counter oven which had been sitting in the floor serving as an island for a week or so.  The kitchen is actually complete.

Furnishing a four bedroom house has proved to be a challenge, but we are adept at garage and estate sales. So far we have had a nice sofa and carpet donated by the Grassmeyers, purchased three good carpets from the Catholic Church Rummage sale, bought another sofa from the Humane Society and one from the Masonic lodge, and found a good chair and twin beds for a guest room at a moving sale. We've had lots of other items given to us, or purchased inexpensively, through the kindness of friends and neighbors.

One of my pals from the trail crew at the state park, and his wife, have given us a complete bedroom suite.

We have purchased a new bed and a dining table and chairs from the local furniture store, and are negotiating with folks to buy window coverings for 15 large windows. The first estimate was $12,000, so we decided not to do that!

No matter what the status of the fix-up, we stil take a little time for music.

 Pat on her hammered dulcimer in the in-progress living room.

Me and George Haskel rehearsing for a benefit for Harmony Ranch.

Retirement scorecard -- Give me a B!

Camp Connell, CA - I had simple goals when I retired six short years ago after 42 years working as a journalist:

-- Avoid wearing ties and suits;

-- Read more;

-- Complete a family history project begun in the 1930s by my grandmother;

-- Avoid meetings and committees;

-- Be outdoors more, and --hopefully -- use hiking and skiing as a way to stay in decent physical condition;

-- Go sailing more often;

-- Play more music;

-- Do something positive to protect the environment for those who follow;

-- Watch the trees, and my children and grandchildren, grow.

Here's a report on what I have done, with my wife's help, and the things that still need work.

I rarely put on a tie or suit. Almost never. They gather dust in the closet, and I am glad. I believe I actually am averaging once a year: four funerals and one formal dinner. In our mountain community we wear shorts to church in summer and snow boots in winter. If this were graded, I'd demand an "A."

I have read a lot of books. Currently I am reading two books a week, sometimes three. I was reading five a week but couldn't remember what I was reading! Most are paperback fiction by popular authors. I've read or re-read almost all the Tony Hillerman books about Navajo country, lots of Dick Francis' horsey mysteries and every spy/intrigue/cop novel I can find. I also have read extensively on the history and cultures of Scotland and Ireland, read about the history of the Mother Lode region where I live, and even read about Tristan Jones' sailing adventures, Bill Bryson's travels in Australia, some Leon Uris and MacKinley Cantor and "The Shack." A lot of my books come from the neighborhood used book store, and I have a paper bag full of books on my bedside table. I am currently reading a yellowed 1941 edition of an unusually well-written book called "The Last Frontier" by Howard Fast.
Lots of dead Lamonts in the churchyard near Dunoon, Scotland

My lack of progress on the family history project is an embarrassment. I've done more research, including trips across the country tracking LaMonts from earlier generations, and visited Scotland where the graveyards are filled with dead Lamonts, and Ireland where no one remembers them because they left for America in 1740. But despite good intentions, I have barely begun to write any of this into readable form except for a biography of my father which I posted as a blog. Maybe this winter. (I know, this deserves a "F.")

For the first few years after retirement I did quite well avoiding committees and meetings, and then I started volunteering for things that seemed interesting. At this point I am serving on two committees, two non-profit boards and one search committee, all of which I care about. I have mixed feelings about meetings, but once committed I tend to stay with it. (For mental health, I play poker with friends on a regular basis. We are definitely NOT a committee, though it is a non-profit endeavor.)
Not so hard at work in the South Grove of Big Trees

I have definitely been outdoors much more than in my office-bound days. I did a lot of beach-walking when we stayed in Florida for two years, and since coming home to the mountains hiking is a part of my routine. In the summer I probably hike (or saunter) 12 miles a week, sometimes more, most of it as a volunteer doing patrols or guided walks at the local state park. The average drops in winter when the snows come, but I still manage to ski and snowshoe fairly often. But my manly physique tends to portly, and the only changes I have made is that my belly has moved lower with age, and my butt seems to be disappearing. But I am OK with that.

Our time for sailing has suffered from too much other stuff, and distance. But we still have our sailboat Good News docked in Alameda, and we get down onto the water when we can. It's great therapy.

I am not satisfied with the time I take for music. I am just lazy. Unless I have promised to play guitar or sing somewhere, or attend a music function, the instruments remain encased. I do own three more instruments, having gained a mandolin and a dobro, and a "boat guitar," but I can't claim to have made much progress. This is true even though last weekend I sang "The Mississippi Squirrel Revival" with friends as a warm-up act at a local concert. Progress still needed.

I am spending a lot of time on my local environment, working in different ways to try and make things better. Pat and I both volunteered for six weeks of work in Yosemite National Park with the Yosemite Association after a 30-year love affair with that most beautiful of national parks. And we work regularly as docents at Calaveras Big Trees State Park. I lead guided walks among the Giant Sequoias and break trail for snowshoe walks in winter. This year I began working on the Trail Maintenance Crew. We normally work two days a week clearing trails (neglected for years by the idiot legislators who can't understand the need for park maintenance) and doing minor repair work. We have a great team filled with energy and spirit, and have managed to clean up every mile of every major trail in the 6,000 acre park this summer. It is enormously rewarding and a great learning experience. (Who else gets to see a bear in the wild on the way to work?) Our group includes experts on everything from biology to botany, wildlife to construction, so I learn something new every day I am in the woods. Join us when you are ready.
The work in the park led me to serve as a board member for the Calaveras Big Trees Association, the outfit that raises money for the park (so it won't fall apart due to neglect by the state). Concerns about my neighborhood in the forest also prompted me to serve on the board of a grass roots group called Ebbetts Pass Forest Watch which promotes good forestry practice, not the clear-cutting rape-the-land type practiced by some of our neighboring timber companies. I've learned a bit about Timber Harvest Plans (almost always approved by the state), and biodiversity and habitat protection. I just hope it is not too late.

Finally, Pat and I have had a wonderful chance to watch our grandchildren, and their parents, grow. Shortly after Pat and I moved to the mountains daughter Ruth and her husband Brian and children Delaney and Connor moved only 20 miles away, and we see them frequently. Then our son Zack moved here for a job, and last Spring his daughter Katie came to live with us. Katie and Delaney attend the same school, and Zack and I are co-coaches for Connor's soccer team.
So we now have our own family village.

I hope I have miles to go before I sleep, but I have no complaints. I just hope Grandmother LaMont's ghost will forgive me for not getting on with that family history project.

Not a bad place to do a little "work"