Morning Lights

DUKES FANS: “Come see me early in the morning...” numerous blues songs I am an early riser. I like to get up between 5 and 6 and often walk north up towards Chestnut Hill. I love the quiet of that time, and I am a lover of winter night skies-intense and dramatic as they are. That combination of waking early and walking in the presence of the winter night sky regularly bring me quiet joy and comfort. I love watching the slow change in the locations of the constellations over the course of a winter. I love watching the moon cycle through each of its phases. Both of these celestial happenings seem so much starker and definite in winter. They are quiet bits of joy that often get my day off to a fabulous start. Watching the day come into being earlier and earlier as winter goes on is also fascinating. I notice the way shadows shift, the way light is reflected off rooftops and grass, and on some mornings I get to see this wonderful eerie rolling fog move over some of the larger expanses of lawns and streams in Mt Airy and Chestnut Hill. This last week in February that starts to change a bit, and I have to adjust. It is lighter when I arise now, and the sky at 5:30 is not quite as dark and dramatic as it was a week or so ago. The constellations are not as bright, and the light of the new day is visible earlier. It is a different sky now, and we are relentlessly transitioning from one season to the next. Part of me misses the old winter night sky; I almost go through a brief mourning period. Then I notice that at around 6: 30, if I am looking southeast, I can see the sun as a bright reddish-orange disk above the housetops and the day seems to just rush into being, And if I am out for a nice long walk like I was this morning, I can watch that sun gradually become more and more visible and seemingly rise above us. This, too, is a glorious way to start the day. So while I like the story of Punxsutawney Phil and know that its origins are with Candlemas Day and the hedgehogs in Germany during the Roman era, it is the changes in light that most alerts me to the fact that hat we are entering that next phase of the cycle of seasons. It lets me know exactly where we are in that cycle; it is undeniable. And when I am out noticing the light, I also get to look at the lawns and I notice the snowdrops and pansies as they make their first appearance of the year. I also get to be aware of more bird activity as species that have been around all winter get more active, and some new ones are starting to be heard. And watching the different colors and aspects of sunrise is a joy to behold. Yes, I still miss the winter night sky, and I probably will for a while. But I also welcome this new sky, the one that tells me this marvelous cycle is still in play and that it has different joys and wonders for me if I pay attention. And that is very good, indeed

Brrrrr!!!

DUKES FANS: “We’re having a heat wave; a tropical heatwave..” Irving Berlin OK, Folks. This is it. We are officially past the middle of February, and I am officially tired of winter. Done with it! Over it! Tired of it! Yes, I still love that in this region we get all four seasons. Yes, I still love the bright and dramatic winter night skies. Yes, I can still love walking in the morning and seeing the moon still in the sky as sunrise begins. And yes, I can still love the beauty and eerie stillness and quiet right after a snowfall. But they have just about worn out their welcome this year. I am so getting over them! It was 16 degrees yet again this morning, and I was thoroughly layered and bundled up again as I walked to the bus stop to freeze yet again as I waited for the route 23. I am tired of winter. Of course, we in this region of the country have been fortunate (or Spoiled) for the last several years. Our winters have been fairly mild for the past 5 or six years. We have had the obligatory two snowfalls or so each year, but none seemed to be over 6 inches. And there were time gaps in between when they arrived. We have had cold, but rarely multiple or weekly cold spells where 33 degrees felt like a heat wave. And the wind has been ferocious, intense and constant this year. It cuts though you, no matter how many layers you have on. It chills to the bone. This has been a “real” winter. When I first started teaching in the 1970’s, I taught at an alternative public school-Alternative East. My second or third year there the faculty was complaining about winter as we headed into President’s Day. We had had several snowstorms, and we were exhausted. Gisha Berkowitz, the head of the school, had the brilliant idea to work all of the Federal Monday holidays except for President’s Day, and then combine them into a week off from school; a mid-winter break. What a wonderful idea! I loved it, and I still think it is a great idea, There are a few school districts that do have a mid-winter break now, but it is not common. I know I need one now. Yes; Punxsutawney Phil said 6 more weeks of winter weather. And yes, we are definitely having that. And I am still missing that mid-winter break and am still officially tired of winter. Bah Humbug! DUKES GIGS: 1)Saturday, March 1; Steel City, 203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville PA 19460: 7:30PM:tickets $20 adv; $25 door;$26 reserved seating; https://www.steelcityphx.com/product/dukes-of-destiny/280 The Dukes are happy to start our 2025 schedule with a return to Steel City Coffeehouse and Brewery, a wonderful venue in Phoenixville. We are so happy to be back in this town. We have played the Phoenixville Blues Fest several times and also headlined Steel City several times, and we love this town. It is a great walkable little town with arts and craft shops, a great vinyl record store, and wonderful places to grab a cup of coffee and snack. And it has Steel City: an intimate place, with great seating, a great sound system, a wonderful staff, delicious snacks and food, craft brews, and a great vibe. All of that and The Dukes nest weekend. If you have seen us here before, you know how much we love this place and how much fun it is. Come on out and welcome us back. $29 adv; $25 door;$26 reserved https://www.steelcityphx.com/concerts-and-events 2) Saturday, March 15; Kennett Flash 102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, PA,$25:Doors 7PM-Show 8PM We are back at another one of our favorite places in one of our favorite towns. We love Kennett Square, its sense of history, the incredible food places, and the wonderful, friendly people. And we love the Flash-intimate, great sound, friendly waitstaff, and space to dance. Come out a little early, get a great dinner at one of the outstanding restaurants, and finish up with snacks, beverages, and dancing at The Flash (BYOB fee-$5) https://kennettflash.org/event/the-dukes-of-destiny-4/kennett-flash/kennett-square-pennsylvania/ JOHNNY NEVER AND JOHN COLGAN-DAVIS GIGS; guitar & harmonica acoustic blues duo; https://johnnynever.com 1)Saturday, March 8; Letty’s Tavern; 201 State Street, Kennett Square PA 19348;7-10PM https://www.lettystavern.com 2) Friday, March 14; Triple Sun Distillery, 126 South State Street Newtown, PA 18940; 8-11PM We have two gigs coming up in March at two of our regular and favorite places. Letty’s is a great restaurant in the lovely town of Kennett Square, and it features great food, a wonderful vibe, and a great workstaff. It is fun to play here. Triple Sun is in the gorgeous quiet town of Newtown, PA, and it is a wonderful room with craft spirits, Cajun and French inspired food, and gorgeous views of the night sky as you walk down State Street to the door and look up. Come catch us at either or both of these places; you will be glad you did. The Sunday Blues Jam at Jamey’s House of Music; 32 S. Landsdowne, Ave; Landsdowne, PA; jamey@jameyshouseofmusic.com Blues lovers and players have made Jamey's Sunday Blues Jam the place for great blues jamming, inexpensive and tasty eats, craft brews on tap, fresh brewed coffee, a great waitstaff, and friendly people who love the blues.  Each Sunday features an hour long set by a different house band, and then there is an open jam until 3PM. This month the jam features The Philly Blues Kings with various guitarists and singers. The 2nd Sunday of each month features The Roger Girke-John Colgan-Davis Project as the house band, and our next gig is Sunday, March 9. Got an instrument? Sing? Just want to listen to some exciting blues and have some good food? Come on out and take part in this great blues jam with great food and liquid refreshments. (Don’t want to receive any more of these e-mails? Simply reply with “Unsubscribe “in the Subject Line)

The Eagles and St Valentine's Day

DUKES FANS: As everyone in the civilized world knows by now, the Philadelphia Eagles won the 2025 Super Bowl and are champions of the National Football Legue. Sunday’s game was a dominating win-a “thrashing” a friend of mine called it-over the reigning Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs had won the last two Super Bowls and were looking to become the first team to win three Super Bowls in a row, something which has never been done in the 59 year history of the game. And going into 2026, it still hasn’t. I have been an Eagles fan since my childhood, and I thoroughly enjoyed the game. I loved the way the defense dominated from the first Chiefs’ possession. They totally shut down and bottled up the Chiefs. Yes, I love running backs and quarterbacks and wide receivers, of course. But I also have fond memories of Eagles’ defenses led by Reggie White, Jerome Brown, Seth Joyner, Brian Dawkins and the 1999-2007 defenses coached by Jim Johnson. It felt like I was watching those defenses again. I also loved the back-stories in the game. Chiefs coach, Andy Reid, had coached the Eagles and took them to the Bowl in 2005, where they lost to the New England Patriots. Carson Wentz, backup quarterback for the Chiefs, had been a starting quarterback for the Eagles several years ago. It was a good day for irony. One of the things reporters and TV commentators repeatedly mentioned was that the parade and celebration for the team from “The City of Brotherly Love’ was happening this Friday-Valentine’s Day. That got me thinking about a piece I had done on that holiday last year. Here is part of it: Valentine's Day and the Human Need for Story and Symbol “We are humans, and that means we are symbol making beings. And symbols can move us as much as or more than mere facts" Anonymous history teacher “Symbols are the imaginative signposts of life.” Margot Asquith “In most cases, a good story connected to a strong symbol will last much longer and have more effect than any collection of mere facts.” Mac George Bundy, advisor to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson This week we celebrate Valentine’s Day, a day dedicated to the ideas of true and romantic love. As in any culturally significant observance there are rites, behaviors, and symbols that mark the occasion. We are expected to tell people we care about that we love them, to give cards called “valentines” to people we care for, and ideally to play special music, to have special romantic meals, and to spend “romantic times” with someone. Cartoon hearts are seen everywhere, and the day is supposed to be all about the expression of love and togetherness. Of course, we live in a capitalistic and highly commercialized civilization, so there is always an economic interest linked to any such cultural observance. Americans spend more money on Valentine’s Day than on any other single holiday except Christmas. According to the website, Business Pundit, we spent over $ 25.9 billion dollars on the holiday in 2023, more than on Father’s and Mother’s Day combined. The cards, the dinners, the chocolate, and the flowers all add up. But to have reached that economic point, Valentine’s Day had to first be accepted as an important cultural idea. It needed to be embraced by us. And like any other strong cultural occasion, that means this day must be wrapped in story and symbol. The most accepted story about Valentine’s Day traces its origins to a Roman priest by the name of Valentine. In the late third century ACE the Roman emperor, Claudiu, was engaged in a series of unpopular and costly military campaigns, and he was having a hard time getting men to join the Roman armies. Claudius believed that Roman men were unwilling to join the army because of their strong attachment to their wives and families, so he summarily banned all marriages and engagements in Rome. Valentine defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When what Valentine was doing was discovered, Claudius had him beheaded on February 14, probably in the year 278 A.C.E. He was later made a saint, became a martyr for the Catholic Church, and became associated with romantic love and marriage. Supposedly he wrote notes to people while in prison, signing them, “From your Valentine.” Thus was a story and a tradition born. Historians know that there really was a St. Valentine. But historians also know that there were at least three saints who were named Valentine. The Catholic Encyclopedia lists three martyrs with that name, and all are connected to a date in February. While that may seem strange to us, it is really not that surprising. Valentine, meaning, “having valor, righteousness, and strength,” was not that uncommon a name for Roman boys at the time. Just as happens now, parents then often gave children names that meant something: an ideal or hope. Historians also know that at that time there was a big February celebration in Rome called the Feast of Lupercalia. It was a pre-Roman pastoral festival dedicated to health, cleansing, renewal, and fertility. As a part of the occasion, the names of single Roman women were put into a box. Single men randomly picked a name out of the box and they were then allowed to romance the woman whose name they had drawn. When Christianity became the state religion of Rome many of these ancient Roman festivals were outlawed and/or converted into Christian fetes. In 496 ACE Pope Gelasius decided to put an end to the Feast of Lupercalia; he declared that February 14 would thereafter be celebrated as St Valentine’s Day, giving the day of his martyrdom a new meaning. People were to exchange simple gifts with loved ones such as grain, messages and flowers. The story of Saint Valentine sacrificing his life for love became a widespread and popular one, and he and the date of February 14 became forever associated with gift giving in the name of romance and love. Eventually the story of Valentine’s devotion to true love became joined to the one thing all great stories need: a symbol. The heart has been important as a symbol since the time of the ancient Egyptians. They saw it as the most important organ of the body. This was the place in the body where wisdom, emotions, personality and more were all joined. They also believed that it was an important vehicle through which gods spoke to humans. Yes, they knew about the chambers of the heart and that blood circulated through the heart; they actually performed surgery that removed the heart. But the circulation of blood was not the most important job of the heart to them; its supposed link to all things emotional and intellectual was. Greek and Roman cultures drew heavily from Egypt, so the heart became important to them as well. It was associated with emotions such as love, and by the 5th century BCE symbols on coins and in writings depicted the heart looking somewhat as it does on our Valentine’s Day cards, like a fat rounded” V” with two joined curves at the top. Some historians say that particular shape was chosen because it looked like the seed pod of a plant called silphium, a plant used as a medicine and as a contraceptive in the ancient world. Others say it came about as an attempt by early graphic designers to represent what the heart looked like in early medical texts. Regardless, by the time of the Renaissance that shape had become a symbol of love throughout Europe. And as Europeans went to other continents, they took their symbols with them. That heart shape eventually became associated with love in most parts of the world. This shape now abounds on all those valentine cards, in the design of boxes of chocolate, in TV commercials, and all over just about anything connected with love. The story had found its symbol, and the two would be forever linked. A great story, a great symbol, and now a great tradition.

The Meaning and Importance of Black History

DUKES FANS: As the issues of diversity and inclusion have been in the national news recently, I thought I would reprint a piece I did several years ago about Black History Month We should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro IN history. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world, void of national bias, race, hate, and religious prejudice. Carter G. Woodson, founder of Black History Month When Carter Woodson helped found Negro History Week in 1926, he had already accomplished quite a lot. The son of former slaves, he had graduated from Berea College in KY in 1903, earned a Master’s Degree in History from the University of Chicago, and a Ph.D in history from Harvard, becoming the second African-American to do so. W.E.B. DuBois was the first, but Woodson is the only offspring of former slaves to receive a PhD in history from an American institution. He founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915 and their publication, The Journal of Negro History, to support and encourage research into the history, culture and accomplishments of Negroes, as we were then called. He was particularly interested in educating young Blacks about their history. "If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated," Woodson wrote in "The Mis-Education of the Negro." He sponsored research, worked with other historians, conducted interviews with hundreds of Black about their personal and family histories, and more. He was not the only one; the twentieth century ushered in intense interest in documenting Black life. The celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1915 brought thousands of people to the Chicago Coliseum to see exhibits and displays on Black life. Out of that Woodson got Black schools, churches, organizations, and newspapers to include ways of getting information about Black history to people. Negro History Week caught on, went across the country, and eventually moved into the regular school curriculum of more and more public elementary schools. When I was in elementary school in the 1950’s we had Negro History Week observances at Dunlap Elementary School. Of course, these observances had become mostly about famous Black people who had accomplished things, and not Woodson’s desired look at the Negro IN history. But while I overdosed on George Washington Carver and Phillis Wheatley in school, I had Ebony and Jet magazines and the Philadelphia Tribune newspaper at home, Black owned and Black themed publications, that had listened to Woodson and provided that wider view. Things have changed over the decades, of course. The organization Woodson founded is now called The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), we are now not called, “Negroes,” and there is now a Federally recognized “Black History Month” instead of just a week. There has been much more scholastic and scientific published research, many more books and films, many more newspaper and magazine, articles and more. There are even numerous Black life centered museums and official Black Heritage sites across the country, including museums looking at Black WWII fighter pilots, Black firefighters, cowboys and pioneers, a Great Blacks in Wax museum, and much, much, more. There are also webpages turning up interesting and previously hidden or unknown aspects of how Blacks have been a part of this culture. This is particularly relevant now in the wake of all that is happening in 2025. It became clear that there is a lot Americans do not know, see or recognize about Black life, and in some cases, there has been a conscious effort to hide and/or erase information about African-American’s roles in parts of this country's history. There needs to be a more conscious and continual effort to change that. Over the past months web -searching and friends e-mailing me have brought to my attention some wonderful new information and insights my way, and it is wonderful as my understanding and knowledge continues to grow. History is never stale and “finished.” It always fascinating, often changing and evolving. I invite you to spend some time doing some investigation of places, web sites, museum sites, and more to see what you can find about aspects of Black life with which you are/were unfamiliar or unaware. I invite us all to go to make this a month more in line with Woodson’s goal of discovering, exploring, and looking at who we as Americans are in as broad a sense as possible. We all have a lot we can continually learn. There are plenty of places to explore, both within the Philadelphia region and nationwide. Surprises and new learnings await, sometimes painful, sometimes wonderful and amazing, and sometimes simply fun. Let’s make this Black History Month a month of wonder and discovery. Thanks. Websites: African-American Museumin Philadelphia https://www.aampmuseum.org List of African-American Centered Museums Nationwide: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_museums_focused_on_African_Americans The Philadelphia Tribune Newspaper: https://www.phillytrib.com The Association for the Study of African American life and History: https://asalh.org/ The African-American Firefighter Museum www.aaffmuseum.org Black in Walden: Black Walden Came First. Thoreau, After. Black Seminoles made their mark on Texas history