I learned, right before leaving for the music festival on Friday, about Gus; that he was in a coma, in the final stages of Hodgkins disease. I had no idea...
Knowing there is nothing to do or say or even hope for, except a miracle unexpected, it made going off for a weekend of fun a strange, strange feeling. When we got there, my son hugged me and said "Let's dedicate this weekend to your buddy Gus." It was the totally right thing to say and do, because if anything, Gus, along with his many friends, loved a party.
(My photos of Gus are at home on the external hd. I think Peri might have taken this one, one of my favorites. You can find more photos on his
facebook page.
And so we did.
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| Lisa's booth - glass work, metal work, art, clothing and hot sauce! |
One of many princesses
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| Vrai with the infamous marshmallow gun |
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| Probably my favorite of many campers |
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| The new and the old |
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| Great tiny cabins on trailers |
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| Kid fun |
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| Some serious dreads |
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| Light show |
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| For Lewis |
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| Just one of so many excellent bands - Zero |
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| Hoopin' to the music |
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| The second stage was set in front of this huge redwood |
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| Bagpipe with armpit bellows - really nice sound |
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| Bubble joy |
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| Add caption |
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| Tents everywhere |
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| Hee Haw (the organizer and producer), Mary and Elijah |
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| Ryan in the booth at night |
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| Lights on the pines |
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| When the full moon came out of the clouds |
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| The music went from 10 a.m. Friday to dawn Sunday |
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| Cozied up while a really good version of Hendrix's Star Spangled Banner played |
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Hoola Hoop Cowgirl
At one point, one of the bands opened a song by saying, 'This is for any of you who have lost someone in the last year or so...'. Like attractants to a revival altar, one by one some walked up to the front, joined together in unspoken shared loss. Yes, I did and yes, I cried. It was very soft and very gentle and very good.
Gus passed yesterday. What to say that isn't said already? Farewell, mi amigo.
