I loved the Old Songs Festival. I had about five hours of shape note singing, took in a couple of concerts, listen to some Appalachian story songs, heard some traditional ballads and enjoyed some great banjo music. In addition to the shape note singing class I participated in, I took a class wherein I learned old-style Connemara reel dancing. That one nearly killed me. The group I went with were really nice family people with a total of about ten children who were also nice to spend time with.
I slept in a tent for the first time in a hundred years. I can't say I'm a natural born camper. I had an air mattress, but when it comes to sleeping comfortably, there's no place like home.
The festival was in Altimont, New York, right near the Catskills, one of my favorite parts of the state. The weather was very unstable all day Saturday - one minute it would be pouring buckets, the next minute it would be dazzling sunshine. I ended up not staying for the third day. I had seen everything I had wanted to and I wasn't in the mood to sleep rough again.
I plan to go next year, probably tacking on a trip to Saratoga Springs and/or Cooperstown.
Today kicked out my summer movie watching. I watched The Road to Perdition this morning and Billy Elliot this afternoon. I got half a mitten knit, so I'd consider it a productive day.
