DUKES FANS

“The sky is crying; look at the tears run down the street...”-Elmore James

 

“...You know the sun gonna shine in my backdoor someday,” countless blues songs

    For much of the past three weeks in the Philadelphia area we have been witness to a series of absolutely stunning and amazing daylight skies. It has been very clear most days, so we have been able to see all the different forms and styles of clouds: puffy ones, streaming ones, stark and elongated ones, and ones in which the sun is streaming through as if announcing the arrival of a Supreme Being. I am outside at different times of the day, so I have seen the reddish skies of an early morning sunrise, the slow and glorious changes that can mark an evolving sunset, and everything in between. There have been times these past few weeks when it has been so clear and so brilliant up there that looking up at the sky has simply erased any and all negative thoughts that were in my head at the time. The sky literally took me out of myself and I was placed somewhere else.  

   I am thinking and writing about those days now because since  last night and also tonight there have been some special things happening up above us. There was a near full moon last night, and I was able to watch it out in my garden and later from a window in my study. It was quietly spectacular, appearing bigger than usual and It was wonderfully peaceful. There was also a lunar eclipse early this morning, visible from the western United States. We couldn’t see the eclipse, but tonight we should be able to see The Super Flower Blood Moon that will mark the true Full Moon. It is is called a “Super Moon” because it is happening when the moon is closest to the earth, so it appears bigger and brighter. It is also called a “Flower Moon” or “Corn Planting Moon, because it happens in May, at time when traditional Native American cultures planted flowers and corn. It makes for a special viewing, and all I have to do is stop and look up after the sun sets.  

   I love watching the sky, and I have been very fortunate to have had many amazing sky experiences throughout my life. As a bird watcher and camper, I am looking up and am usually spending some time away from cities and light pollution. So I have seen spectacular meteor showers, clear, stunningly bright constellations, amazing sunrises, and breathtaking midday skies in many different places and at many different times. Penny and i were tent campers, so the sky was with us and very present on all of our trips. After we retired back in 2015 we were able to travel during times we couldn’t when we were working, and it was a real treat. Having the time to be looking up at spring or fall skies was something we both relished. I regularly do it now, and it always brings me great joy. It can slow me down, change my mood, amaze me, makes me laugh out loud and smile, and almost always produce wonder and amazement.  

  Looking at the sky was not always a regular part of my life, however. As a kid I would notice the full moon and make the usual jokes about crazy people coming out when a full moon arose. I was also interested in words, so I treasured the fact that the word, "lunatic” has its root in, “lunar”-moon. Aside from that and from rainstorms or snowstorms, I really did not think much about what was above me. It was not until high school while visiting the Phila. Museum of Art with some friends that I became truly fascinated with the sky. We were in a first floor gallery, and there was a painting that just stopped me in my tracks. The name of the painting was, “The Highway of Combs-le-Ville" by Giovanni Boldini, and this painting changed my life. The great expanse of sky in the painting; the different shadings of blue; the incredible variety in the way the clouds are pictured; the seemingly endlessness to the painting; the majesty of the sky; it all just blew me away.  And from then on, whenever I want to the museum, I had to spend at least a little time in front of that painting. When they took it down for a few years I was devastated, and when it was displayed again I cried as I stood in front of it.  From the moment of seeing that painting I started looking up and really looking at the sky.  I’m 70 now, And I haven’t stopped yet. 

 Looking at the sky; it such a small thing, really. Just -physically tilt the head back, look up and scan what is above me. But, Oh the joy it can produce! I owe all of that joy to Giovanni Boldini and that highway. Art can definitely change human behavior! I do hope you all can find time to look up tonight and maybe even start doing it regularly. It is definitely worth it. Do have a Happy Full Moon night! 

(Here are links to the Boldini painting and info about tonight’s full moon. 

Highway of Combes-la-Ville

https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/super-full-moon.html 

DUKES LIVE GIGS 

 1) The Dukes of Destiny at Drexel Lodge Park; Saturday, June 12th: 4PM-6PM 4104 West Chester Pike; Newtown Square, PA 

   The Dukes first live gig of 2021 is in lovely Drexel Lodge Park, a large park with a gazebo, Railroad Museum, and playground. It is a family affair, so bring the kids, lawn chairs and a friend or two, It is our first time at this space, and we are happy to be in front of a real live audience. So come on out and welcome the Dukes back at their first live gig of 2021! The event is rain or shine. CDC and Public Health guidelines will be followed.

2) The Dukes at Kahn Park Summer Series; Wednesday, July 28 (raindate July 29); 12th & Pine Sts; Philadelphia; 7:30-9PM 

     We are so happy to be back at this charming Center City Park with great plantings and flowers in a great neighborhood and with food trucks. Places to sit, dance, and welcome the sunset and evening. We have not played in Center City in a few years, so please come on down and help welcome us back.

 3) Food Trucks and Dancing in the Street: Downtown Swedesboro, NJ; Thursday, August 26; 7:15-9:30PM Swedesboro, NJ;   www.historicswedesboro.com/events/dancing-in-the-street/1- 856-467-0202 

     We are back in the great village of Swedesboro, NJ-one of my favorite Jersey towns. I love walking the downtown main drag and noting some of the historical sites in the town. This is a great event witha variety of food trucks, a street set off for dancing and for sitting, and a wonderful family vibe with activities for kids. So come on out and welcome us back to this great town and this wonderful gig. Activities start at 6;30PM and the Dukes play from 7:15-9:30PM

THE TWO JOHNS GIGS-Johnny Never, guitar and John Colgan-Davis, harp; acoustic country blues stylings

 1) The Two Johns: Hummingbird to Mars; Friday, June 4th; 9PM-12AM: 1-302-652-2255; 1616 Delaware Ave, Trolley Square, Wilmington, DE,(go to entrance around back  on West Street & knock on the door; take stairway to the top floor;) https://www.facebook.com/H2mars/   A 1930’s Speakeasy themed bar, we have played here several times over the last two years, and we flat out love this place. Great design, good food, wonderful bartenders, and a great vibe. Numbers are limited, so reservations are necessary.

2) Sunday, June 13 :The Blue Crab  322 Suburban Dr, 
Newark, DE 19711; 2-4 PM (302) 737-1100 https://www.bluecrabgril 

Great to be back at this great seafood restaurant with great food and a wonderful staff. We played here before the pandemic, and are glad to be back. A nice way to do Sunday brunch-brunching with the blues and some great seafood. Hope to see you.

3)  Buck’s County Summer Blues Party: Saturday, July 17; 12:PM-6PM; Tow Johns from 1PM-1:40: Terchon VFW Grounds; 1315 Hardy Rd; Edgely, PA; $32(Includes picnic food, bottled water); limit 250 people 

   The Bucks County Blues Society has been putting on great shows since 1977, and this is another one featuring national acts Billy Price and Regina Bonelli and local acts Tom Craig, and of course, The Two Johns. For info and tickets, www.buckscountybluessociety.org/home.html 

MORE GIGS TO COME SOON: FACEBOOK PAGE AND WEBSITE WILL BE UPDATED 

 The Dukes on YouTube 
Here are two videos of the Dukes at The Kennett Flash and World Café from a few years ago;  

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGUnLJLwz6I  

 Temptation- Dukes of Destiny- World Cafe Live Philadelphia

 

The Wonders of April

 

DUKES FANS

     April is when spring really bursts forth. April presents itself as a riot of color, vibrant, and often with warm and sunny days. It brings people out into the world, to walk, run, fish,, garden, birdwatch, do home repairs, and much, much more. It is also a month with a ton of national observances, special days, and holidays. While there is no day in our 365 day calendar that is not a National Day of something, April has the second highest number of national days and observances of any month, trailing only October’s 219 such days. There are 167 special days in April, and they run the gamut of causes, observations, actions, and social issues. Some of them may seem a bit silly: April 14, for example, is International Moment of Laughter Day as well as National Ex-Spouse Day. April 17 is Wear Pajamas to Work Day, something that has probably already happened on a lot of other days in this COVID adjusted world of work. There are food days: National Peach Cobbler Day is April 13, Zucchini Bread Day is April 25, Deep Dish Pizza Day is April 5, and National Picnic Day is April 23.  There are animal days, including days to hug your dog (4/10) and honor your pet (4/11). There are days to take a chance, (4/23), kiss your mate (4/28), go skipping (4/24,) and even a day to be kind to lawyers (4/13). Clearly people love and need to celebrate, and in April we make plenty of ways to do that.

    Some of these April month-long celebrations and days are important to me. They serve to remind me of things that I consider important but may be taken for granted or overlooked either by me and/or by our larger national culture. National Library Workers Day and Library Week, as I wrote about in the last newsletter, are times for me to express my gratitude for the number of libraries, particularly public libraries, that we are privileged to have and the incredible things they make possible. When I became a teacher and had a number of students that I didn’t quite understand or “get,” school counselors taught me about the autism spectrum and how to be more effective with some of my students.  So I became appreciative that April is National Autism Awareness Month; my learning about that has helped me to be much more open-minded in looking at people in general. As a nation have recently become more willing to look at the role unintentional bias has in all aspects of our lives, and I appreciate that this is National Minority Health Month. This month features special programs and webinars that share important information about and increase awareness of issues related to that issue. Being a birdwatcher, Earth Day (4/22) matters a lot also. It reminds me to ask, “What am I doing to care for and nurture the earth?’ and “How are my actions reflecting what I say I like?”

   All of this makes me step back and realize is just how wonderful but complicated this business of living in a community and a civilization can be and is.  We are involved in a slew of activities, conversations, and interactions that connect us with other people, often without fully realizing the impact it has on us and that we can have on them. We can take a lot of things for granted and not pay attention or be aware of them, but just about all that each one of us does often connects to and affects people beyond our immediate circle. One of the benefits of all of these observances for me is that they can help us think beyond our circle and realize how much we are linked to others, how much often owe to others, and how much we can contribute to others. It makes me appreciate our inter-connectedness, although that is admittedly challenging at times.  Having these days can also remind of us of some small things that we need to pay attention to for our own personal good: the fun of a picnic (4/23), the importance taking time to laugh (4/17) and the pleasure and responsibility being appreciative of mates and pets (4/28 and 4/11, respectively.)

        Looking at a calendar, then, can be more than just a way to know what day it is. It can lead us to new awarenesses, discoveries, possibilities, and even fun. Happy Calendar Watching-take some time to see what the rest of this month and other months have in store

           (https://nationaltoday.com/national-day-calendar/ .

Vote: Like You Live Here

   Voting has been in the news of late, and it is important to be aware of and to take part in the electoral process. Yes, the Presidential election is over, but most things that most directly affect most of us happen and/or get their start at the state and local level. So these “off year” elections matter a great deal. Most states have primary elections coming up soon. Here are some important dates for Pennsylvania. If you do not live in PA, please check out your state’s important dates. Voting is a way we say we are here.

May 3, 2021	Last day to REGISTER before the primary
May 11, 2021	Last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot
May 18, 2021	Last day for County Board of Elections to receive voted mail-in and civilian absentee ballots (must be received by 8:00 P.M.)

A New Spring and A New Beginning

 

DUKES FANS:

Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun,  and we shall soon see the results of their love! 

                                                      SITTING BULL

   This is a magic time for most of us; the time that winter has faded away and the world formally begins again. This is spring, the vernal equinox, and the time for new beginnings. We associate spring with new beginnings because we see this happening all around us. Snowdrops and crocuses are appearing on lawns. Trees and flowers are starting to bud. Animals are preparing for mating and giving birth. Gradually there are more and more hours of daylight. This is the time when we make icons and symbols of many things that harken to freshness and birth-baby chicks, lilies, eggs, rabbits, and lambs. It is a time of return, rebirth, and renewal. It is spring.

 

    For most of human history spring has been not only the start of the earth’s actual year; it has also the start of the human calendar year.  The idea of the year starting in January is a relatively recent idea, and it does not align with what nature shows.  For most of our existence we humans have had to figure out how to work with what nature gives us in order to survive. So human societies reflect the real world around us in our important activities, rituals, and symbolic practices, especially when the messages from that real world are so obvious and strong.  And for most of our history, what we call “spring” was what started the “New Year.” We do the important human things in conjunction with the natural cycles, for we are joined with the workings of the earth. Earth gives us the clues and we respond.  Spring is really the start.

 

    It is as if the earth is saying, “OK! Let’s go; let’s do this again.” And we humans do that in myriad ways, some big and some small, We literally “clean house,” as many of us are doing spring cleaning now, and literally sweeping out the old and letting in the new. We change our wardrobes, buying new clothes and wearing fabrics that have a brighter and lighter color scheme. We start gardens and plant seeds in the hopes of watching both new and returned growth in our surroundings.  We take the potted plants we brought into the house last fall back outside and into the sun.  And we participate in the myriad religious and mythic rituals that focus on stories of rebirth and renewal, be it Easter, Passover, the Persian house cleaning and fire-jumping ritual of Noruz, or the April Buddhist celebration of the New Year. The whole universe seems to be “starting over,” and offering renewed hope and promise and another chance to perhaps do things just a little better. Universally, we embrace being reborn, looking forward, and working toward the future.

 

 Spring does feel a little different this year. After a year-plus of pandemic fear, lockdown, closed or limited venues, new schedules, and new communication methods for everyone, this spring arrives with a special sense of hopefulness and possibility. It is fitting, perhaps, that the first day was a relatively warm and sunny one.  It felt especially hopeful and brighter, and there is a chance that things are changing in some pretty important ways. After numerous mix-ups and problems, it seems as if the vaccine rollout is working much more smoothly, and people are looking forward to a return to seeing each other; to hugging, dining together, and much more. We humans are social animals, and while we did make some wonderful adjustments to the COVID situation, most of us simply want to be able to see friends, family, and pals in the ways we used to see them before. We want a re-birth of our old human ways of being and doing, and this may well be the time for that to happen.  

 

    So here’s to Spring! Here’s to the universe providing us an opportunity to witness the quiet miracle of rebirth and a chance to make it a part of our beings. It is quiet and it is a regular occurrence. But it is in no way ordinary. It is a repeated miracle that we are fortunate enough to experience once more. Enjoy.

The Dukes on YouTube
Here are two videos of the Dukes at The Kennett Flash and World Café a few years ago;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGUnLJLwz6I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83figSk7_ns&list=RDMM&start_radio=1