Life Changes

I had another change in my life when Shadow Hills called this week and told me they wanted to stop having me play for Sunday brunch.  Of course it hurt a little to hear this, but it made me think of life in general and all the changes we see in our lifetimes and how we react to them.  (BTW, I'd seen the change coming at Shadow Hills - I really take it as my fault for not maintaining good enough contact and feedback as management changes were happening.  It's okay though, I'm ready for a change.)  So back to general changes and how we handle them.  I've thought quite a bit about change and how we react and respond to it.  Of course the fall-back is to fear it.  I almost always do this, but I find that change has almost always worked out to be good in the long run.  I won't deny that there is a pang in my heart and mind when I remember and so miss what came before, but I've really found that change with an open mind can lead to more fulfillment and peace if I let it.  That "letting it" is a big part of the equation.  When I resist the change too much, then I find myself moping and whining about what is really an opportunity for growth.  I'll be blatantly honest, I'm not the guy who goes out of his way to always plan ahead and make concrete decisions.  I'm more the guy who goes with the flow and lets life and each situation guide me.  Growth comes when I listen to the situation and realize what bigger options I have.  I think that our purpose in life is to grow into more loving and understanding beings.  So bring on the change!

What am I up to this week?  I only have one gig to tell you about.

Friday night I'm at the La Veta Inn 6-9.  I'll be at the La Veta Inn three more times before their season is over.  I so enjoy the beautiful nights on the patio, and one of the couples last week (their first time at the La Veta Inn) said that the patio at the Inn was about the most beautiful place they'd ever spent an evening.  That's how I feel, and I hope you'll come and experience it yourself.

So Happy Labor Day, and I hope to see you soon!

Tom

Details this week.

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Friday, September 6, 6-9 pm

The Dilemma of Being Known

My wife, Jen, and I were having a conversation over breakfast that is still lingering in my head. I'm at a fairly low level of fame with my career, and yet even at my level I have come into contact with literally thousands of people over the years, and the expectations and interactions still hint at what is a major dilemma for people who are well-known.  Part of being on stage and having frequent publicity is a certain pedestal and celebrity that is difficult to deal with from both sides - for the object of the attention and the givers of the attention.  I've always tried to downplay it from my perspective, often to the dismay of those who give freely.  I've had to learn to say "Thank you!" even if I felt I didn't deserve the praise.  Being on stage brings a culturally-influenced relationship that is really strange.  The performer has his/her reasons for performing and being an artist, and the audience member his/her reasons for being in the audience and appreciating the performance and artist.  For the performer/artist it's unavoidable that a certain familiarity and comfort with being praised sets in after a while, and it's also hard to deny that it can be hard to have a genuine and gracious response or even aware that you've neglected to give one.  In people with much more fame than myself that I've interacted with I've been aware that the habit has developed in the person to be totally unaware of the praise or the sincere and worthy person offering it.  This is a psychological state that (in my opinion) is very unhealthy and dangerous.  It leads to narcism and dishonest behavior - something I have always sought to avoid in every way I can.  For the audience member there is an appreciation of the artist that can border on idolism (in the worst case) that is also unhealthy (in my opinion.)  As I look at my career and why I've held back from pursuing greater fame, I've often thought of whether I wanted to put myself into this pressure-cooker of emotions.  I've sometimes used that as an excuse to not push for more, and I've sometimes looked at it as something I maybe wanted - adulation is something we all desire, after all.  I don't have any answers for this, but I know it has influenced many performers over the years, and I know that I'll never have it worked out fully for myself.  What do you think?

So what am I up to this week and into this Labor Day weekend?

Friday I'm back the La Veta Inn 6-9 - hopefully on the patio.  Last Friday was unbelievably beautiful, with warm breezes from the tropical storm in Baja California that made for a gorgeous evening.  Hopefully this week will be as beautiful.  Please come out if you can for a start to the long holiday weekend!

Saturday we're performing the last regular show of the Song of Pueblo for the summer at El Pueblo Historical Museum 7-8:30.  The July show was one of the best we've ever had - the band and the audience were cookin', and I have high hopes that this one will be just as wonderful!  Call the museum to reserve your tickets today at 719 583-0453.  Doors open at 6:30.

Sunday I'm at Shadow Hills for brunch 10-1.  This should be a great week for brunch as well with the long weekend and relaxing atmosphere of Shadow Hills.

So that's it for this week.  Be well and be good to each other!

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Friday, August 30, 6-9 pm

Who:  Tom Munch with Johnny Watson, David Enke, & Linda Amman
What:  playing, singing, & telling the history of Pueblo at the Song of Pueblo oratorio
Where:  El Pueblo History Museum, 301 N. Union, Pueblo.  719-583-0453
When:  Saturday, August 31, 7:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What: playing and singing for brunch
Where:  Shadow Hills Golf Course, 1232 County Rd 143, Canon City.  719-275-0603
When:  Sunday, September 1, 10 am-1 pm

Going for a Hike!

We just got back from one of my favorite things - a hike in the mountains.  It was just a brief afternoon hike on the Rainbow Trail above Westcliffe, but the late summer air felt great, and there were still a few raspberries on their bushes, and even fleabane and harebells still blooming along the trail.  It was very regenerating, and we need to do more of it!  What is it about a trail that is so enticing?  Is it the promise of adventure, or of new things to see, or just the feeling of the dirt under your feet, the smell of the pines in your nose, and the warmth of sun on your face and mountain air in your chest?  Either way it is heaven on earth to me.  I even like the ache in my legs and feet when I get home.  Sometimes I think it reconnects me with those who went before - the miners, pioneers, frontiersmen, and native Americans who walked the same rugged land and pondered their own existence.  I guess the wild lands give you something to measure yourself against - something that is so much bigger than your self and so primal.  And it reminds me how much I am a part of the earth - made from the very elements of the earth and the stars.  A hike is a magical thing that always brings out these thoughts in me.  How about you?

So where will I be this week?  Well, the summer is finally slowing down, so I only have a couple gigs to tell you about this week, and only one that most of you could come to.

Friday night I'm at the La Veta Inn 6-9.  I had another great group of folks last week, and it was getting a little chilly by the end of the evening as the summer starts to give way to fall.  Come out if you can.  There is a new menu with several items that looks really yummy to me, and my music just seems to fit this marvelous old building and patio.

Saturday I have a private outdoor concert in Cuchara for some wonderful folks I get to play for many summers - the Cuchara Hermosa.  If you're one of their members, I hope to see you for an evening of music and friends!

So that's it for this week.

Tom

Details:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Friday, August 23, 6-9 pm

Would I Ever Give It Up?

I've been thinking today about whether I could ever stop playing music.  I have always thought that I would play until I keeled over, but several things have come up this week that have made me think again.  First, I've been having a lot of pain in my hands in the last few weeks, and then I almost lost my voice on Sunday in Buena Vista (I think I just had some allergies land in my throat.)  But then a friend of mine posted on FaceBook today that he was having to cancel some of his upcoming gigs because of a chronic illness that plagues him.  I reached out to him with encouragement and sympathy.  We always think that it can't happen to us, but as we know that's not true.  It doesn't mean I'm going to stop living my life day by day, but it does make me wonder what my life would be without the constant flow of music going through me.  I've been looking at different ways to express what it's like to play music on a regular basis.  Lately I've thought it was like an eternal river that I can jump into and ride whenever I want and need to.  That's sometimes how it feels - a river that keeps on flowing and is never-changing that always will be there for me.  Sometimes I feel like it is like flying - it takes great effort to take off, but after the initial push to get off the ground is accomplished it lets me glide and soar.  Sometimes I feel that it is sacred and a way to tap into the powerful energy of the universe (heady and maybe goofy, I know.)  So I'm not sure what it would be like to stop playing.  I do know (from reading Oliver Sacks) that the brain is actually changed by playing music regularly, so I know it would have a profound effect on me - mentally, spiritually, and physically.  I guess I'll cross that bridge if I ever come to it, but for now I'll keep enjoying the great privilege it brings to create and share something wonderful!

So what's up this week?

Thursday 6:30-8:30 is the final barbecue at the Yellow Pine for this year in the old barn.  We expect it to be a big evening with many folks who are coming to eat and enjoy.  If you'd like to be there call Jo Anne at 719-742-3528 by Wednesday.  Last week we had a visit from a bear and a good and entertaining rainstorm to boot!

Friday I'm back at the La Veta Inn 6-9 - hopefully on the patio.  I know it will be a memorable evening of good friends and music!

Sunday I'm at Shadow Hills for brunch 10-1.  Shadow Hills is always a great time with good food and views.

So please come out if you can.

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing at the Barbecue
Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528
When:  Thursday, August 15, 6:30-8:30 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Friday, August 16, 6-9 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What: playing and singing for brunch
Where:  Shadow Hills Golf Course, 1232 County Rd 143, Canon City.  719-275-0603
When:  Sunday, August 18, 10 am-1 pm

Morning at the Lake

I'm reminiscing again today because the cool breeze I was greeted with this morning outside our house brought back a summer memory that washed over me in a rush.  When I was a kid we had a trailer on a lake in central Nebraska where we would spend many weekends.  It wasn't fancy - just a house trailer we could sleep in and use as our base for boating, fishing and exploring the lake.  It had a great big porch we could even sleep on with screens and storm windows, and my folks bought a bunch of old mattresses to lay out on the porch so we could have sleepovers with a bunch of friends if we wanted to.  There are so many things I could tell you about the lake, but the main thing I'm thinking about today was just how it felt in the morning walking down to the shore and feeling that breeze - that grand breeze in my face with the faint smell of lake water and the promise of an exciting new day!  I may have been looking forward to taking the rowboat out to a new cove or fishing along the bank of trees in the cove where we pulled our boat in.  Our next-door neighbors on both sides were interesting characters, and one of them used to make German chocolate cakes for me which I still love to this day.  (I had convinced her to quit smoking when I was 6 or 7, and she was so grateful that she made me cakes!)  Whatever the adventure, the smells of the grass and trees and water, the sights of the sunlight dancing on the lake and greenery, and the sounds of red-winged blackbirds, frogs, and splashing water were heaven to a young boy.  I also remember walking in that breeze at night down to the point to listen to the waves lapping the shore.  It is so vivid in my mind to this day!

But enough reminiscing for now, what am I up to this week?

Thursday I'm back at the Yellow Pine 6:30-8:30 for the barbecue.  We only have two weeks left for this summer for the barbecue, and there have been many great memories with old and new faces.  If you'd like to be a part of it, then by-all-means call and make a reservation - 719-742-3528.

Saturday and Sunday I'm back in Buena Vista for the annual Gold Rush Days celebration 11-3 both days.  (I'm usually a little flexible with my time to fit into the activities during the weekend.)  This is a really fun festival with all kinds of fun things to do and vendors with great items and food.  I bring an EZ-Up craft tent and set up in the grass on the south end of McPhelemy Park near the waterfall with chairs and benches for folks to sit and enjoy the park and my music.  It makes a fun getaway in the cool mountains with some fine folks.  If you're hankering for a nice day in the mountains, you can't do much better than this!

So that's enough for this week.  I hope you're enjoying your summer, and I'd love to see you if you can make it out!

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing at the Barbecue
Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528
When:  Thursday, August 8, 6:30-8:30 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing at Gold Rush Days
Where:  Buena Vista at McPhelemey Park (on the west side of the highway in the center of town)
When:  Saturday & Sunday, August 9 and 10, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Lightning!

This is the season for beautiful and frightening lightning!  Lightning has fascinated me since I was a child.  I've been so close to countless strikes, from house hits to nearby trees.  I remember when I was a kid in Nebraska watching lightning hit the back fence and arc over the gate.  Then it hit a truck and welded the hood shut outside where I was eating at the Philmont dining hall when I was in high school.  It took out a bunch of appliances and one whole circuit of our rental when Jen and I were first together.  I've seen a giant tree just seconds after a big strike that was splintered into thousands of little match-stick-sized bits of wood with the smell of electricity and ozone (I'm guessing) in the air.  I have a photographer friend now who delights in sharing wonderful lightning shots he takes all over the country.

But the most amazing and terrifying experience I had with lightning was when I was working at Philmont as a ranger in the summer of 1979 after graduating from high school.  I was responsible for a crew of 14 (or so) Boy Scouts for their hiking trek of a week and a half.  We had several memorable experiences, but the most memorable for me was about half way through the trek.  Our itinerary that day took us over Mt. Phillips, a reasonably tough climb with great views and an extended ridge trail leading down to Sawmill camp that night.  I had arranged to pick up several treats for my guys that day (watermelon, Doritos, and soda) that I could hike up to the mountain ahead of them and surprise them with.  These kind of things taste so good after you've eaten dehydrated food for a week, and there was enough snow still on the summit that I could have the soda and watermelon chilled for the guys.  The scouts really enjoyed and appreciated them when they got to the top, and we had a good time taking photos and eating lunch at the summit.  Then we began the ridge trail, and I'm sure you can guess what happened next.  Even though I had seen the approaching thunderstorm, I figured we would have enough time to get off the ridge and into the uniform trees down the other side before we had any lightning striking around us.  We did, but this was a particularly intense storm with a lot of dry lightning, and the least fit kid in the group began to exhibit signs of hypothermia.  (If you don't have experience with hypothermia, the body core temperature drops to a dangerous level that can kill if you don't get dry clothes, warm fluids and at last resort, external heating to the sufferer - at that time the recommendation was getting into a sleeping bag with the sufferer and wrapping your body around them to warm them.)  I knew he had gotten sweaty and chilled and needed to be changed into dry clothes at least on his upper half ASAP!  I had spaced the crew out so we wouldn't attract lightning as a group, but now we had to gather around the suffering boy and hold a tarp or poncho over him while we changed him into dry clothes.  The lightning struck very, very close to us, and I was just sure that the Albuquerque Journal would have a headline stating that several Boy Scouts had been struck by lightning due to the ineptitude of their ranger and leader, Tom Munch.  We got him changed and moving at last.  Luckily we weren't struck by lightning and the boy recovered fairly quickly as we dispersed again and rushed down the mountain.  I swear I felt the hair on my neck stand at least once as the static electricity built up, but the bolt never came.  As a side note, the kid who got hypothermia was profoundly affected by the experience of the trek, and he was definitely a changed and more mature young adult when we parted ways.  As another one of the trek members stated, "Some saw the mountains, some REALLY saw the mountains."  He REALLY saw the mountains.

So that's a few lightning stories from me.  Be safe in the electricity-filled wilds as you enjoy one more month of summer!

So what does this week bring me for gigs?

Thursday I'm at the Yellow Pine for the barbecue 6:30-8:30.  We had a great group again last week, and even a nice little rain shower in the middle of the evening.  I so much enjoyed the folks who came!  I encourage you to come out for the evening sometime before we're done on August 15th.  The number to call to make a reservation is 719-742-3528.

Friday I'm back at the La Veta Inn 6-9.  I can't say enough about how beautiful the evenings are on the patio at the Inn.  There have been many special nights this summer already, and we have several more to enjoy.  I'd love to share it with you if you'd like to come.

Sunday I'm back at Shadow Hills for brunch 10-1.  I'm going to every other week at Shadow HIlls for the next couple months.  I just have a lot of gigs this summer, and they wanted to try a different schedule to see how it went.  Come on out for brunch if you can.

So that's it for me this week.  I forgot to mention that I spent a couple days with family in the mountains over the weekend, and I also got to hear and sit in with Don Richmond and the Rifters in Red River, NM.  I was a thrill!

See you soon!

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing at the Barbecue
Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528
When:  Thursday, August 1, 6:30-8:30 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Friday, August 2, 6-9 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What: playing and singing for brunch
Where:  Shadow Hills Golf Course, 1232 County Rd 143, Canon City.  719-275-0603
When:  Sunday, August 4, 10 am-1 pm

Seeing Family

I don't know how your summers usually go, but this is the time of the year that my family converges on the mountains, and I try to steal a few days out of my schedule to cram in a quick visit.  I always wish I had more time, but that's never how it turns out for me since the summer is my busiest time.  Still, I love to see how much the kids have grown (they're all mostly adults now) and find out how everyone's year is going.  They usually go on great hikes and day trips that I miss out on, but I get to sing a few songs with them and reminisce a bit over a day or two that I cherish and look forward to.  I'm sure some of you do similar things in the summer.

Last week's concert at Philmont was a wonderful time full of old friends and new faces and shared memories.  I was lucky to get to see so many friendly faces.  And later in the week I got a surprise from an old friend from Georgia who shocked me with a visit and also with attending my gig in La Veta and the dance with the band on Saturday night in Westcliffe.  On top of that I got to have a good visit with Texas songwriter Vince Bell whose music I love.  You may have heard a few tunes of his that Lyle Lovett recorded a couple albums back.  What a week!

And this upcoming week will have some great surprises as well!

Thursday I'm at the Yellow Pine for the barbecue 6:30-8:30.  Last week we were finally able to have an outdoor fire where the guests could roast marshmallows and make s'mores, so I made a s'more for the first time in many, many years.  It was fun and tasted pretty good!  If you'd like to come to the barbecue, call 719-742-3528 by Wednesday to make a reservation.  It's always a good time in the old barn.

Friday we're doing the Song of Pueblo oratorio at El Pueblo History Museum starting at 7:00.  I always look forward to doing this show and reconnecting with the local history in such a meaningful way.  If you've never seen it or want to see the changes we've made for this year, please come out.  I'd suggest getting tickets or at least reserving them at El Pueblo in case it's sold out - 719-583-0453 / 301 N. Union, Pueblo.

Saturday I'm back at the La Veta Inn 6-9.  Last week we got rained out on the patio after an hour, but we had a marvelous time sharing songs and watching the rain out the window in the rustic restaurant.  I even had my friend from Georgia (Rick Jordan) do a couple numbers that knocked the socks off everybody.  Come on out if you're in the area.

So y'all have a good week, and I hope to see you soon!

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing at the Barbecue
Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528
When:  Thursday, July 25, 6:30-8:30 pm

Who:  Tom Munch with Johnny Watson, David Enke, & Linda Amman
What:  playing, singing, & telling the history of Pueblo at the Song of Pueblo oratorio
Where:  El Pueblo History Museum, 301 N. Union, Pueblo.  719-583-0453
When:  Friday, July 26, 7:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Saturday, July 27, 6-9 pm

Blessed Rain!

As I'm writing this it is raining all around - not here yet, but soon - I can FEEL it!  I love the rain!  I have so many great memories of being holed up somewhere with the rain coming down outside - from high in the mountains in a cabin to sitting on a big porch in college or sleeping in a tent.  The smell and the chill and the rebirth that rain represents is a blessed event.  It is literally new life falling from the heavens.  Of course it brings misery sometimes in the form of flooding and muddy muck that's hard to drive or even walk in.  I can remember walking in the darkness down a muddy road at night with the trebled weight of the earth clinging to the soles of my boots.  But it is nothing but a godsend to the dry land around these parts, and I welcome it tonight.  One of my favorite memories is playing cards in a cabin with the rain falling on the tin roof drumming a soothing and mesmerizing rhythm that lulled me and made everything seem right with the world.  Ahhhh…I do LOVE the rain!

So what's up this week?

Monday I'm heading down to New Mexico to play a concert at Philmont Scout Ranch.  I wrote about this last week as well, and now that I have put together my setlists and made my preparations I am even more excited.  I have put together a list of songs and stories that just thrill me to be able to play!  I just know it will go by too fast, and I want to savor every moment.  If you're around Philmont tomorrow night I'll be in the Staff Activities Center (SAC) Baldy Pavilion at Camping Headquarters from 8-10.  If it rains I'm sure we'll be indoors nearby, so just look for the activity and listen for the music and come join us!

Thursday I'm back at the Yellow Pine for the barbecue 6:30-8:30.  Last week we had to cancel due to a mixup with the guests at the ranch, but this week will hopefully go off without a hitch.  My apologies if you had booked last week and then had it cancelled.  Call 719-742-3528 to make a reservation by Tuesday night if you want to come.

Hey - I can hear the rain coming down outside now!

Friday I'm at the La Veta Inn 6-9ish.  We had another great outing last week with some fine folks and good friends at the Inn.  Wow! Just wow!

Saturday night I'm playing with the Atomic Fireballs under the name "Midnight Rain" for the Westcliffe Stampede rodeo dance 9-1.  We chose this name years ago to play under at this event, and it has stuck all these years.  The rodeo dance has to be experienced to be believed.  All the unused energy from the rodeo gets poured out on the dance floor in a flurry of dancing and frivolity that is just a gas.  We give it a shove and start the pandemonium and then ride the wave for the rest of the night.  It's a heckuva time!  Come on out if you can.

That's it for this week.  Well, I have most of my regular Alzheimer's and nursing gigs as well as another show for the rafting scouts on Sunday, but that's another story.  I hope to see you soon!

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing a singing a concert for staff and alumni
Where:  Staff Activities Center, Philmont Scout Ranch, Cimarron, New Mexico
When:  Monday, July 15, 8-10 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing at the Barbecue
Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528
When:  Thursday, July 18, 6:30-8:30 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Friday, July 19, 6-9 pm

Who:  Tom Munch & the Atomic Fireballs
What:  playing for the Westcliffe Stampede rodeo dance
Where:  Westcliffe Rodeo Grounds (north of town)
When:  Saturday, July 20, 9 pm - 1 am

Yearning for the Mountains

It's that time of year when I really yearn for the mountains.  It has been a blessing and (I suppose) a curse ever since I was a very young boy.  I inherited my love of mountains from my grandfather and my mother for sure.  They spent summers starting in 1930 working in the mountains of New Mexico - seeking the cooler temperatures and scarcity of mosquitoes and snakes - unlike their home in Oklahoma.  My mom even used to guide horse trips way up into the mountain lakes around Mt. Wheeler.  When I was young we spent quite a bit of time in these mountains either hiking or exploring in my granddad's Jeep or my dad's Bronco.  (We even drove over a lot of old Colorado passes in my folks' 1960 Ford station wagon when I was an infant.)  I can tell you stories of sleeping in tube-tents at timberline at Bull-of-the-Woods or even climbing to the top of Baldy Mountain when I was but 6 or 7 years old.  The smell of the trees, the sound of the marmots or the wind in the aspen leaves, and the feel of the breeze on a mountaintop thus became part of my soul early on in ways that I cannot explain or understand.  When I reached my teens I got to work in the mountains at Philmont Scout Ranch - teaching backpacking and hiking in many breathtaking places.  As a young man in Colorado I explored many places west of Pueblo.  When Jen and I were first together we always had some sort of four-wheel-drive vehicle we could get into the high country in, and we hiked a lot of passes and beautiful spots.  But we have let go of the four-wheeling for practicality's sake mostly in recent years - it's expensive to either have a third vehicle for four-wheeling or to have one of our two main vehicles be a rugged, gas-eating machine.  That said, our feet and legs still work just fine for hiking, so we make time to get out and enjoy the wild lands - not as much as we might like, but we still know the value of the spirit of the mountains and their rejuvenating elixir.

So how about you?  Do you yearn for the mountains and the wild places?

And where does this week take me for gigs?

Wednesday I'll be sharing history and songs for a Boy Scout group from Pennsylvania after they raft the Royal Gorge at Echo Canyon Rafting at 5:30.  This is a private gig, but if you happen to be at Echo Canyon you can listen in from the porch in the front.

Thursday I'm back at the Yellow Pine in Cuchara for the barbecue at 6:30 after a week off for Independence Day.  I so enjoy these weekly barbecues and the fine folks who come out to the old barn for a night of barbecue and music.  It's a great time which you can be part of if you'd like.  Just call 719-742-3528 by Monday night on the week you'd like to attend to make reservations.  (I realize this is a little late for this week, but Jo Anne might still take your reservation if you call now!)

Friday I'm back at the La Veta Inn 6-9.  We've lucked out and been able to be on the patio almost every week, and it has been spectacular!  If you're in the area I'd love to have you there!

Saturday I have another session with a rafting group at Echo Canyon.

Sunday I'm back at brunch at Shadow Hills 10-1.  We had another great group of folks last week, and I even had a friend I hadn't seen in 30 years from college stop in to say "Hi!"  What a treat!

Sunday I also have a group of rafting scouts in the evening at Echo Canyon.

Monday (a week early, I know, but this is important) I have a special concert at Philmont Scout Ranch in the Staff Activities Center (SAC) at Camping Headquarters at 8:00.  I really enjoy getting to play for the staff at Philmont and share old memories, and this year will be doubly special because it's during the annual reunion week for alumni staffers as well, and there are several folks coming who are dear friends and musicians to boot!  It will surely be a night to celebrate and remember!

So it's quite a full week ahead, and I'm looking forward to it!  Be well, and I hope to see you somewhere down the road.  Life is good!

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing at the Barbecue
Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528
When:  Thursday, July 11, 6:30-8:30 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Friday, July 12, 6-9 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What: playing and singing for brunch
Where:  Shadow Hills Golf Course, 1232 County Rd 143, Canon City.  719-275-0603
When:  Sunday, July 14, 10 am-1 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing a singing a concert for staff and alumni
Where:  Staff Activities Center, Philmont Scout Ranch, Cimarron, New Mexico
When:  Monday, July 15, 8-10 pm

Independence Day Memories

I can't believe it's July already.  And it's much cooler this week which is a wonderful change.  And I've been singing patriotic songs and thinking about fun things we did on Independence Day in the past.  When we were kids we didn't need an excuse to blow things up, but firecrackers were great for planting in ant hills and taking apart old toys.  The family firework lighting in the evening was always great fun too.  We usually lit them at a lake where we could watch the folks on the other side of the lake fire theirs off and reflect in the water towards us while we did the same for them.  Of course the fireworks seemed to be pretty simple (fountains, Roman candles, and bottle rockets) compared to the elaborate displays you can see nowadays.  They were still pretty and fun to light off!  One of my favorite memories was the year we came back from a trip along the interstate in Nebraska.  All the little towns along the Platte river and the I80 were north of the highway just far enough that you could see them from the interstate easily, and each town's firework display was like a moving light show as we drove along the interstate.  It was really special!  Then when I married Jen we started going to our local town's display where we had some memorable nights watching the beautiful colors dance in the sky as we shared our new life's beginning.  Today we have pups that are very frightened of the sound and fury, so we mostly stay at home with fans running to mask the sound of any fireworks in the neighborhood.  The displays on TV are fun to watch though, so we appease our pyromaniac tendencies and love of the colors that way - we just keep the sound down so the pups don't get shaky.  So I hope you have a lovely Independence Day, and I'll be out playing all around the holiday.

So where am I playing this week?

Wednesday and Friday I'll be at the La Veta Inn 6-9.  I'll tell you again, I've had some really great folks down there with some beautiful nights on the patio.  I really get a chance to be "in the moment" in this space and time, and it's a great place to be of an evening.  Come on down if you can!

Thursday the Yellow Pine is taking the week off from the barbecue since there's so much going on in town, so I'm thinking of going to the rodeo in Cimarron, New Mexico during the day.  A lot of old Philmont friends still go down every year, and I'm looking forward to seeing them and catching up and maybe picking a few tunes too.

Friday I'm at the La Veta Inn 6-9 like I mentioned on Wednesday above.

Sunday I'm back at Shadow Hills for brunch 10-1.  We had a spectacular time last week with old friends and very yummy food!  This week should be just as good, so come out for brunch if you're in the area.

I have some private gigs in the cracks like playing for the rafting Boy Scout groups like I do ever summer, so I'm plenty busy.

That's it for this week.  Have a great Independence Day, and Happy 237th Birthday to our great nation!

Tom

Details:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Wednesday, July 3, 6-9 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Friday, July 5, 6-9 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What: playing and singing for brunch
Where:  Shadow Hills Golf Course, 1232 County Rd 143, Canon City.  719-275-0603
When:  Sunday, July 7, 10 am-1 pm