Raggin' Piano Boogie

 

 
HIS SPIRIT LIVES ON! ... BONER, THE PIANO DOG ... November 27, 1994 ... February 20, 2010

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February 28, 2014

Government Center Miami, Florida

The day started out with a drive to the Miami Government Center to see if there were any good places to explore with the Traveling Piano. Constantly I told myself to relax, take my time and enjoy figuring out the street system which is... I can't even think of a word to describe it. I found a spot that seemed comfortable and we stayed there with people for what felt like two hours. Then I went to check out another spot I was told about and met a really enthusiastic musician. That ended up with a drive through the city while he created music from the back of the truck. Going into the night we ended up in the middle of a Miami Critical Mass event. We were surrounded by three or four thousand bicyclists that gathered for a ride around the city. It happens once a month, the last Friday. There was an amazingly little police presence. The event now over two years old is beginning commercial which will probably destroy it. As it is... wow, major intense energy with all types and ages of people. Along with sharing the piano I improvised probably as insanely crazy with energy as I can be. I had to in order to drown out a friggin commercial boom box sound system across the street. Craig the guy I am staying with found us again for the second day in a row. That was very synchronistic. I was more musical today, almost studying what I was creating more than I have ever done before.



The guy I met in Overtown yesterday who told me about this event also found us. I went to a large chain supermarket to purchase food for the house where I am staying. The manager was the only one who spoke English. They packed each item purchased individually in its own plastic bag. I was like, "Is that really necessary, how am I going to carry thirty seven separate bags out of the store." A few blocks from where I am staying in Little Havana there is crazy partying going on. I went to check it out. There were musicians playing in and outside clubs, all the art galleries were open, places next to each other with sound systems were using music to try and drown each other out with sound, Flamingo dancing, Cuban, Spanish, Hispanic music, cigar stores... another last Friday of the month event happening. It was obvious business on the street is very competitive and very mafia too. I learned that the Overtown district where we were yesterday used to be called colored town. There were major race riots there in the late eighties because of governmental system injustices. It is a place where famous black musicians (not allowed to stay in the white areas of Miami) jammed with music and stayed overnight, musicians like... Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Louie Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis Jr., Josephine Baker, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, Aretha Franklin, etc...


February 27, 2014

Overtown District Miami, Florida

First today I stopped at a recovery house in the Overtown district. It was for a guy I met off in recovery from meth and heroin for thirty days as of today. Then I went to where my host Craig works. He is in residence as a family doctor for a health clinic. One of his co-workers got onto the truck and I drove her down the street as she played. It was a one way street so I drove her down and then backwards up the street to our starting point. The was the first backward Traveling Piano drive, ha! After that I started to drive down a street and some guy started to yell at me. Part of his "wardrobe" as he called it... consisted of shoes held together tied with plastic bags. He was just the kinda guy I wanted to connect with today, a local neighborhood guy living on the street so I pulled over in a curb spot out in front of a grocery store. We were able to connect enough to jam together for about ten minutes and then other people started to circulate the area. It became very interesting as the other people living on the street, they all started to police each other. "Let the guy play, stop bothering him" they were saying. I reassured them it was ok, we were having fun. Then the store owner came out with a baseball bat circling some perceived threat and it got so intense I was trying to sooth the beasts with music while praying to God, "please no blood in front of me or on the truck." As the bat was swinging I thought, "crap I'm going to get a dent in the hood." No kidding, so I had some real great interactions and then the store owner asked me to move because I was drawing unwanted people to the front of his store. Gladly, we drove off. I saw a lot of chickens feeding in the gutters of the streets and how they are laying eggs that people are eating. I met a neighborhood lady from all places Yardley, Pennsylvania which is a very pricey area to live in twenty minutes from the house I used to own outside of Philadelphia.



We pulled into another area where people were waiting for public transportation and there was the center for what is now being called the Overtown Historic District. People are trying to revive the area from being a slum, the hood with drugs, alcohol and crime. I thought... good luck with that. It will take a lot of personal empowerment and recovery unless they just push all the people they don't want out and into another area which is usually how it works in this world. When there is talk of a class system starting in America... yep, I can see it here. Lots and lots of very poor people living scrunched up in shit while a few miles away lots and lots of property, gated, luxurious and not being used... owned and controlled by a few people with money. Seeing as part of what I am out to with this journey is to validate and share respect with others, I find it much easier to experience the worth in being a human being... in the hood with people who have nothing. It is much easier than to see worth (soul) here in the ghetto then from people loaded with "stuff' in South Beach spending tens of thousands of dollars with the blink of an eye because with people who flaunt money... the "stuff" clouds my perceptions.



I found this neighborhood with lots of people hanging around so I pulled up to one woman and guy asking, "Do you think I will get into trouble if I just stop here and play some music"? ( I meant shot at or attacked) She said, "we'll see," so I wanted to see. There were lots of people looking out windows on balconies trying to figure out what was going on but no one was going to make a move to actually find out. After creating music for a few minutes, it took some coaxing with me waving my hand and telling people to come over. Finally people, mostly women came over. A young girl, it was confusing because she was covered with tattoos but looked only fifteen, she jumped up to play and then the fun started. Another girl told me she heard the music from her apartment. There is a guy in the complex who acts as sort of a DJ for everyone by playing music from his apartment loud so everyone has music. Everyone tells him what they like to hear. She said she was wondering why he was playing such beautiful, classical like music. It made her want to give him food or something and so she had to investigate. When she found him not home she started to find herself drawn into finding the source and when she realized it was live and called for her mother who used to play the piano. They hung out on a balcony three stories up listening until they got the nerve to come down. On the second floor balcony a guy was smiling with teeth so bright with gold I said he needed to come down so I could get a picture of his teeth with the piano. He came down with his daughter who's birthday is today.



Wandering through the streets, I was conflicted with how long I should keep going not wanting to burn out but at the same time wanting to go on until there was nothing left in me. I found another apartment building that was blue called the blue note with a jazz mural on the wall. The people there were too drunk to do anything. I could easily get a contact high if I concentrated on that from the smell of pot in the streets. Then, back in the Cuban area I saw a place that looked like it would have good Cuban food. (I'm on a quest for an authentic Cuban food experience) No one spoke English... not the people who worked there or the customers or any people around on the street. Eventually we all found someone and in the meantime there was some Traveling Piano interactions to be had. One last thing. A homeless guy gave me five bucks today and he was not the only guy to do that! I told them I didn't want it but they insisted and I accepted in friendship, respect, gratitude, fun, contribution, support and their sense of being part of in life with me and the Traveling Piano.

February 26, 2014

Key Biscayne, Florida

On waking up, I had a good start, no one was around, did some stretching, office type work on my computer, took a shower and then headed out into the neighborhood, Little Havana. I looped a block looking for some Cuban food and found a place where I had for the first time yuca root soaked in garlic butter with other stuff that was Cuban but could also be called Mexican, American and everything else. Craig my host showed synchronistically and took a picture of me, Mo and the waitress getting onto the piano and then I followed him to a windsurfer beach where I was a bit intense with creating music in the sun and wind. We met some people there and then headed to another area with shade trees and skyscrapers across a bay of water. The entire island we were on is man-made, broken coral dredged up from the ocean so big ships have better access to the city.



After interacting with some people in that spot we drove through South Beach, and then the art district and then what is called the Historic Overtown area of Miami. (the hood) I was thinking how the stereotypical South Beach crowd has no clue as to what people in Overtown go through to live life. We got stuck in rush hour traffic, not fun. The truck engine took it well. It was supposed to last two more months, that was seven months ago. I'm just so stoked to be here in Miami. I played so hard today even though it was not for long periods... I practically collapsed once I got back to where we are staying. Both Mo and I are both being stimulated to the fullest with big city life even though its nothing like New York, Chicago or Los Angeles. The Central and South America, Caribbean mix of people who live here in Miami is refreshing as all get out.

February 25, 2014

Little Havana Miami, Florida

The Traveling Piano Man can not be happier. Mo and I and the Traveling Piano truck made it to Miami, Florida! We have been invited to stay in a great house with four roommates... Craig, Becky, Anna and dog Zeus in the center of Little Havana, two blocks off the main street in the center of the city. My last website journey link visualization accomplished! Feeling blessed, feeling gratitude. Can you believe the truck engine carried us through??? Thank you everyone who contributed a few bucks a few months back for the emotional support to get here. That support gave me the where-with-all to keep going. My friends Josh and Courtney turned us onto their friends in Miami. This place has been in my minds eye for years and has now manifested! It is a milestone accomplishment and I felt my way into it. Before we left St. Petersburg, Josh and Courtney treated for a meal at a famous place named Munchies. I have a knack for falling into these kind of places. We had green fried tomatoes and catfish, yum! The ride down through the everglades was uneventful, there is not much to see. After five hours of driving my hosts had dinner ready and then we took the truck out to the street. They sat on the back and played around with music while I drove. A cop appeared and he could not have been more cool and sharp looking. My first impulsive thought was, "Danny, you need to get your teeth whitened."

February 24, 2014

Tierra Verde, Florida

Yesterday I wanted to be all about Mo with his birthday. So I'm writing both yesterday and today now. This is my last day with Josh and Courtney. In their early thirties, I felt total respect from them as a friend and the same goes for their friends towards me. Most of the people I have been gravitating towards are now over fifty like me. Courtney and Josh live a simple stress free life. They don't work for money, they work to play in life. Specifically, they love to travel and Josh has been to ninety nine different countries around the world to date. He goes to work as a hotel bell hop on some days and on other days he works as a captains assistant on a small passenger tourist ferry boat. He loves his jobs because he thinks of them with playfulness in mind. Both Josh and Courtney don't worry or think about if their jobs are good enough, how much they pay, the benefits, retirement plan, duties, etc... they think about working to save money to travel. They have an awesome apartment and no needs because... they don't think about needs. They deal with them as they arise. They have shared there home, food, friends and anything I have needed totally unconditionally and without concern. Life is working for them. Mo and I have been fortunate recipients of that. Zion, their miniature labradoodle, a product of good people! Zion, Mo and I are now strong buddies forever. One more thing, my new friends are music concert festival goers. I always knew there was a culture of concert goers but now I have discovered there is also a culture that is separate with music festival goers. I've been enjoying music videos on Courtney and Josh's big television screen.



Originally the plan was to go play in the neighborhood today but Josh and Courtney's friend Jason was visiting and Jason wanted his mom and younger sister who plays the piano to meet us in Tampa. I was impressed with what I saw in Tampa. Now I want to go spend time there. Neighbors passed while we were in the driveway and Josh's mom, sister and her young boyfriend were there. On the way back to St. Petersburg I stopped several times along the Tampa bay to create music. There are so many places with water around, ha! At a local supermarket in St. Petersburg I found the urban city crowd. Lots of interesting, different and unique looking people here. Intelligent looking in spirit would be a good word to describe people. While I was walking into the supermarket I thought it might rain so I'd better go back and put the cover over the piano. As I walked back to the truck there was a young guy frozen in awe trying to figure out what he was looking at. He was a piano player and then I realized my spirit used my mind to make me walk back thinking about rain but really it was to connect with a whole slew of "like" but different people.



I was determined to spend the day at the beach today and specifically wanted to chill on the dog beach where I locked my keys in the truck earlier this week. I was able to chill for three hours in a lounge chair but had to constantly watch Mo with all the other dogs. I had to allow myself to get dirty with sand, walk in my bare feet, have Mo jump on me all wet, etc... it all felt really good, I hope I can do it some more, a lot more. It took effort to do. Afterwards I drove to the south end of the island and created music while several people appeared. One was a small group of Korean people who are from Austria and have a home here in St. Petersburg, Florida. The sun set before I could get to a spot and create music while watching it. We ended up under palm trees on the edge of the bay until it got dark, chilling a bit more there in a chair and creating music while dolphins swam in front of me and egrets floated through the trees. Mo is totally zonked out and I am more exhausted then when I put in a full frenzied day of work.

February 23, 2014




February 22, 2014

St. Petersburg, Florida

The day started with exploration of St. Petersburg beach. The area was full of people vacationing people from Canada and the Mid-West. There was no chaos with the crowds because everyone was moving at minus five miles an hour just chillin' or in a daze wondering around. There were no good beach access areas for the Traveling Piano but I didn't want to put myself into all the people anyway. A strong fog rolled in and we headed out to a couple beach areas that I knew would be empty.



There we sat in the sand, no waves and four people fishing. I created music with the sun behind me while birds fluttering in the sky fishing. They created the musical flow. The varieties of birds, the shapes and sizes here in Florida are awesome! Then I pulled the truck to another area facing the sun. By that time the fog that had rolled onto the beach found us and I created music in a surreal environment of sand, sill bay waters and fog.



After dark I joined up with Josh and he took me to a few favorite hangouts. The first was an alternative juice bar where I drank some kava. I tried to enjoy the drink because it was healthy but the taste... well, acquired taste thinking came to mind. We went to the Blueberry Patch a Hippi hangout basically in someone's backyard with lots of art, a live band, and people of all ages, shapes sizes. (mostly hippies) That was fun. After the band finished there was some Traveling Piano fun to be had with attendees.

February 21, 2014

St. Petersburg, Florida

Rain was forecast for today, the first day since my arrival in Florida so I wanted to stay close to my home base. While driving around downtown St. Petersburg which was really nice, there were plenty of outdoor cafe style places with parking spots where I could have parked the Traveling Piano into in order to create music but I'm really feeling the beaches and water these days. We wondered into a small park area right on the beach which was perfect. There were parrots nesting in and hanging around palm trees. It was cloudy so there were not many people around. Ocean waves splashed up against palm trees in the sand. It was almost picture perfect for my last visualization. (re:my Where is Bo/Mo website links) So, I now have at least one picture of the Traveling Piano playing music on a beach with palm trees in Florida! Still, I would like a picture in Miami with taller trees. There were wide smiles from people walking or running on a bike path in front of us. Several people got onto the truck for music. There were two young kids very interested so I invited them up onto the piano and the one kid jumped on. We had the usual exchange, gave him my contact info to get his picture along with a cassette and about ten minutes later the police arrived. The kids parents freaked out of course without doing any investigating on their own. Ha, I'll say, shame on people like that for burdening their children, and me... with their own projection of fear. Shame on society when it encourages a police system to spend time looking for trouble.



We were in a public space with people all around. Of course I know all the rational and different reasons and issues concerning fear with parents. Been there, done that and I've had one-on-one interactions with literally tens of thousands of people with this journey, all types and ages. I refuse to relate to people of any age based on a fear mentality. This type of fear from "sheeples" as a guy named Carmen labeled them, will not fly for my life. The idea of not talking to strangers is a cop out for not taking the time to learn accountability and be educated. Strangers becoming less afraid of each other is part of my mission and that applies to any age, especially for children. Also, for parents of children who let their kids go into public places unsupervised and then blame the kids or other people for their own fear... I will not succumb to unwarranted societal pressure based fear. The police ran all their checks on me and searched my camera for inappropriate pictures and I had done nothing illegal to warrant that. Carmen stuck by my side through the entire police exchange. It wasn't until the whole event passed that I realized how much of a support he was. We talked for over an hour and I was amazed at how many thoughts we share in common about life. He is an accomplished swimming, triathlon and health sportsman and also a trainer for high end financial paying clients. For myself, the most courageous aspect involving this journey (and also my past career) is my ability to push through the fears of other people and society as a whole in order to live life as I see it.

February 20, 2014

Egmont Key, Florida

After a night of little sleep, I woke up. Last night around 11pm security came knocking at the door to say I had to move my truck outside the gates of where I'm staying because my vehicle has lettering on it and that is against the rules of the homeowners association. Someone had complained. My moving it was not going to happen. After an uncomfortable fifteen minutes or so they left and it began to ruminate in my mind what my options were. Along with that I was thinking about how the truck door was broke and then also, piano dog Boner died four years ago today. This morning I went to management and created a bit of Danny confusion so everything is in limbo. I don't need to give my opinion on all that. Well, yes I do... ugh. Josh began a job two days ago as a first mate on a ferry that takes people to Egmont Key so Courtney and I went to see what he dies and we got a free ride and checked out the area. Dolphins were swimming around. On the beach I finally began to see gopher turtles. I've been looking for them since I first got here in Florida, because they are protected in every way. Gopher turtles are huge and they dig burrows into the ground that provide shelter for 360 other animal species.



I was so exhausted I could barley walk and the sun was strong. We laid on the beach listening to ocean waves (I found a shady spot) and I realized how I must, must... spend time on a beach doing nothing for at least one day if not more. When we got back to the main land I began to look for an auto place that would help me with the truck door that now would not stay closed. It was broke. The second place I pulled into, the shop owner was really nice, a guy from Morocco and his friends who had just sold the shop to him were Indian and one of the shop workers a African American guy, took care of the door problem for me while his two beautiful, well behaved daughters played on the piano. They did not charge me any money. I played music for a little bit and a guy came up to me to say hi. It was the boat captain from the ferry back at Egmont Key. That was a very crazy coincidence indeed! That we should meet again in a totally different place in such a short window of time. Back at where we are staying I passed out for about two hours and when I woke up and found another gathering of friends had started. Six dogs, Courtney, and six other guys ranging from twenty five to sixty five eating, drinking, getting high, hanging out in friendship.


February 19, 2014

Gulf Port, Florida

If I did not have photos, at the end of the day to look at I would not remember what happened through the day. Sitting on the apartment balcony in the morning over water, beautiful temperature... well, once I got going we ended up at the Fort de Soto Park which was a dog park where Heather a girl we met last night had a dog that well, Mo and Heather's dog fell in love. We all wanted to hang out. Before we got out of the apartment complex where we are staying a guy named Rich stopped by. He's a piano player, singer, lounge performer so we found a spot in the shade and he began to perform for me. He has a cockatiel that goes with him everywhere and the bird sat on his shoulder and then on the piano with Mo for a short spell. I drove him up and down the parking lot while he sang and played and Courtney who we are staying with videoed from the second floor apartment window.



I almost locked my keys in the truck about four times today. At the dog park I was successful in doing that. Lots of stress was involved even though there were plenty of people present to help. Luckily, by some unusual circumstance I had opened the back window of the truck before I closed the door. Unfortunately there was not very much space between the back of the piano and window. People tried to reach in with their arms, stick palm branches in the truck to snap the lock up, use metal wire in the door etc... Eventually, I just began to interact with people musically while others kept working on the door until someone was successful. Then the other door broke. First, I couldn't open it from the outside, then the inside, then the window would roll only half way down, then nothing worked.



I just can't help it, the truck falling apart gets at my sanity more and more as time goes on. Then I spilled a gallon of water into the dog bed on the passengers side of the truck floor. Heather and I did get some time on the beach with the dogs and then she treated me to dinner at an up and coming beach strip in Gulf Port. She's a beautiful twenty eight year old woman and hanging out with her was... different. Believe it or not just about all of my social life is working with the Traveling Piano, thats it. The words fun, friendship and respect came to mind while with Heather. All day I had difficulty formulating thoughts to put into words. At night we met lots more people. There seems to be something happening with Buffalo, New York and this journey... I've met about eight people in different places from Buffalo over the last few days and four have invited us to come and visit with places to stay.

February 18, 2014

St.Petersburg, Florida

We drove to St. Petersburg, Florida today. I thought it would take between three and four hours but it was less than two! We are staying with new friends I have never met before from Couchsurfing, a community of like minded people who like the idea of strangers becoming less afraid of strangers. This guy Josh has been hanging in with me since before Christmas with my attempts to get to Florida. He knows how to go with the flow of life and has been totally supportive in not knowing when I would get around to visiting. He lives with a girl named Courtney and they were both just totally welcoming. Driving into St. Petersburg on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge over the Tampa Bay was just awesome with temperature, sunshine and blue green water and also with plenty of perfect beach places to pull over and create music on. I worked to keep a good mindset because I never know what I am getting into so I think about and visualize the worse staying with someone scenario and adjust myself to that.



At first the neighborhoods were really nice then every block got worse and worse and then I was in the South Side of St. Petersburg and could not figure out what was what. There were wealthy houses, not wealthy, middle income, black and white racially... a very eclectic mix of community. While driving around to check out the area I passed a parking lot full of birds hanging out. It was a local fish shop and a guy was cleaning fish there. The birds were not afraid at all they stood only two feet away from me fixated on the fish being cleaned. The guy there was telling me about how the Wood Stork has a hole behind its eye that it hears through and when the beak claps it sounds like wood. Another bird, the red eyed Black-Crowned Night heron is so tame it flies into the store to eat. The Pelicans I'm told are a pain in the ass and the blue heron was young, its feathers were still grey even though it was three feet high. There was a customer interested in the Traveling Piano and surprisingly it was not too difficult to make room for him to jump up for a minute with all my stuff packed in the back and then I jumped in to create music for a few minutes. .



Josh and Courtney are in their thirties. Almost immediatly neighbors, friends and dogs appeared and the Traveling Piano fun started. Calls were made for friends to come over, people went out to get food, music was constantly playing through speakers, the sun was setting over water from their apartment balcony. A feast began to take shape as new people began to continually arrive and food was prepared. Scallops, shrimp, crap, spaghetti squash, veggies, an amazing mixed salad, pasta... there was so much more. It was just an awesome spontaneous gathering of terrific, interesting and interested people. Jim the neighbor from downstairs was the only other person present around my age, a Vietnam vet. He's a base player and about 11pm the floors began to vibrate as he became inspired to pull his instrument out of the closet and play. I hope I can stay here longer than originally expected because I can tell this is a place to create a lot of music in. This couple's interests lie in travel and music festivals. They live a simple life with simple jobs and live to enjoy.

February 17, 2014

Englewood, Florida

Last night I went to bed more exhausted than any other night of this latest Traveling Piano tear, jag, run, etc... This morning I woke and wow was I wiped! Today was a day to do nothing. I began to pack because I'll be leaving here tomorrow and that is an easy four hour process slow and methodical as in dog stuff in this bag, coffee stuff in another bag, store the pillow and empty bags in a place where I'll remember, consolidate the two cassette bags into one because all the cassettes I have been giving away are almost gone... and then Kandy from next door came over and Greg stopped by. We were going to do something tonight but I'm to wiped, need to rest. Then a friend of Kandy's came by so I got myself together to show him some Traveling Piano and then I must have just laid on the bed for two hours.



Kandy then came over to give me a foot treatment as a gift. She does foot reflexology. It felt good no, it felt great. Then she jumped onto the Traveling Piano with her pup for a few pictures. We drove to be relaxed and take the rest of the day real slow while looking for a dog park and found an airfield where I ran into people that I hung out with last night working on a private plane. There was a guy using a paramotor to paraglide around the airfield which was really cool to see. It is a new technology. Then we ran into a ninety two year old gent who is building a house addition with his fifty seven year old daughter. No kidding! He is a military air fighter vet of several wars living strong and as clear headed as can be because as he says, he is "interested" and also lives off of some "meanness" from within. He is from St. Louis Missouri and his mother used to play piano for silent films. His grandmother used to put a pump organ in the back of a horse drawn wagon and travel the streets of Missouri while creating music!!! Wow, is that amazing? Considering what I do today in 2014...



In appreciation for her foot treatment which I attributed to the surge of energy for the day, I took Kandy out to a local Mexican restaurant where the waitresses could not have been worse but a young seventeen year old waiter ended up taking care of us and for some reason I was drawn to his spirit and manor in a good way. He was attentive. Turns out he plans on going to college for music technology and then I showed him the Traveling Piano. Not surprisingly he also plays piano. Once more it was an unexpectedly full and fun day of Traveling Piano oriented spontaneity and synchronicity.

February 16, 2014

Manasota Key, Florida

Today was different. There was the usual exhausting lots of fun, lots of Traveling Piano interactions, but the day was also full of just hanging out with new and interesting friends. Greg joined up with me and brought his sax along with some other musical instruments and Kandy the women staying in the apartment next to me also came along. First we just hung outside talking for awhile and then we went searching for beach spots to drive the Traveling Piano up to with a palm tree backdrop. There were none here at the beach. A friend of Greg's told us of a house we could use on the bay. I drove the Traveling Piano up under a carport on the waters edge and we created music together and hung out on a wood pier. At one point when we were creating music several types of birds appeared all at the same time and hung out with us. There were small diving ducks, kingfishers, big and small pelicans, egrets, ha, all the grey mullets in the bay also swam towards us. It was only a short while we were there then we walked across the street with a combination for a lock to a beach access path. The combination for the lock did not work so we stood looking longedly into the distance at the beautiful beach and sea down the path through private properties. We could have gone to the tiny public beach with hundreds and hundreds of people crammed onto it but thats just not enjoyable for me. So much of the earths beautiful nature, controlled and locked away claimed by a few people with influence and money who use it only occasionally, that pisses me off. Greg and Kandy both called me on my negativity and I appreciated that. There maybe some jealously going on inside of me that I need to get in touch with. I found out there is a lot of mafia owned property here in Florida because if someone goes bankrupt the state laws prohibit the going after personal property.



We ended up back at Greg's place for the afternoon and hung out there with people and music. Playing music with Greg feels totally natural and in sync. The experience was a rarity in my life. I was learning new musical nuances through creating music with him. That was a first. It created an urge to play music with other musicians which has happened less than ten times in my entire life. It was funny to realize the music we were creating together sounded like my life's most least enjoyed jazz type of music but here I was creating it and loving it. A friend listening made the analogy of using a jet ski... an intuitive experience that you are loving in the moment but for others watching its nothing but noise and racket. Before it got dark we walked around Greg's property munching on loquat fruit, orchid tree blooms, moringa leaves (full of protein) and nasturtium flowers. I really enjoy eating natural vegetation. I enjoy people who value relationships. Several people I hung out with today have had several marriages that have ended peacefully where close friendship still exists. At night I forced myself to go hang out with a guy named Dana and his friends. I blew them off last night because I was so tired. If I had gone there earlier tonight I would have had a good dinner but I kept putting it off because I was tired but finally I went there around 9pm and am really glad I did. SImply hanging out with people, no music just hanging out learning, "shooting the bull" and such, it was very fulfilling. Sometimes I yearn for more when I leave people who are fulfilling in friendship because with the nature of my journey there is little continuity with the same people in ongoing personal friendship but tonight, I felt fine, grateful, fulfilled and reminded of how this journey is all about creating, learning and enjoying people no matter how short the relationships are.




February 15, 2014

Englewood, Florida

I wanted to get up and out by eleven this morning to spend the day at my hosts place of business to hang out with other artists, locals and visitors. We met lots of people and kids and Mo played with Charlie a small poodle he met a few days ago. I zoned out for a good hour with music all by myself while people nearby gave massage to clients, did work in the gardens and artists painting away the day. We met Maria today with the Traveling Piano. As an infant, she was a holocaust survivor from Poland. She speaks Esperanto an international language created and used to transcend nationality, foster peace and neutralize politics. Another guy named Dana was real interesting and I was going to stop by his place for dinner with his friends but I was totally exhausted once it got dark.



I've been meeting all these people from up north who move down here and get work for the winter or just to be in a warmer climate. It feels strange like these people are drifters, floaters, lost, etc... when in fact they own several homes or are doing exactly what I am doing, traveling around, living life and enjoying it, making their way creatively in their own ways... its just that I was totally indoctrinated with this way of life as being wrong, a losers life and unacceptable. I remember meeting many people a couple years ago in the southwest who go from north to south and back with the seasons. Some have money, some don't and its not a small part of the population (which is relative) lots of people live a transient lifestyle. Greg told me that four days is enough for a stay here and it brings up the idea of trust concerning boundaries and limits when discussing contribution with the journey. It takes courage for me to extend myself with people in staying places and asking how long and it feels totally courageous to me for hosts to make the decision and say how long is long enough to stay.


February 14, 2014

Englewood, Florida

We left our friends in Port Charlotte to head off to Englewood not far away. We met Greg and Evelyn only a few days ago and they run The Open Studio in Englewood which is an artist/agricultural community. Its always a little uncomfortable not knowing what we are getting into but Greg could not be more accommodating and welcoming. He has several properties and gave Mo and I an unused apartment in one of them for how long I am not sure but at least four nights. Before leaving John and Dominique shared one more luscious meal with me, their friend Maria gave me a heart box of chocolates for valentines day, I had a Traveling Piano exchange with a guy named Tim who is doing yard work for them. Tim who is apprenticing as a tattoo artist suggested I stop at the shop of his mentor because he would enjoy us and is also originally close to where I lived in Pennsylvania. I drove and met the guy and his wife and their amazingly alive and joyful baby girl along with a few other people who crossed our path. The most common thank you for the Traveling Piano is accompanied with details of how people are having a difficult day and how our exchange made everything better. It makes my fun/work feel incredibly worthwhile.



At the place we are now staying there is a woman named Kandy also staying next door. She made ready the apartment and brought over a sunflower in a vase and offered to assist with any needs I may have. She was so naturally giving and wanting to be so helpful I had to start giving back immediately. I had some mellon to share and an extra candle in a container a friend gave to me. Usually, I allow people to give to me and keep my end with the time, music and piano but with Kandy, I just want to give up everything I can to share with her. She's that type of girl, unconditional in her own giving nature. Before the sun set I wanted to take Mo for a run at a local dog park but never made it. We meet up with a retired music teacher grand mom and three wild Harry potter interested grandchildren who climbed onto the top of the piano with Mo and played music both with hands and feet. Nearby, there was a gopher turtle protected area. I need to see one of these turtles in Florida before I leave. I'm looking all the time. They are big and live in big holes in the ground. People in Florida are gaga over them as far as protection goes. I'm told if one is walking across the street all traffic stops while someone gets out of their vehicle to move it off to the side of the road.


February 13, 2014

Arcadia, Florida

Mo's outtawack, so am I. Me with breaking things, he ran behind my hosts computer system and tripped a wire somewhere and all the internet and computers... down. Full moon arising. My new friends have been making dinner and breakfast for me like home cooked plentiful mommy meals I have not had in years. My host for tomorrow got very excited with our coming to his place so he posted on his business page with total 100% innocent, honest intent "Piano with Piano Man Danny Kean" ...Please join us on Saturday from 11AM on, to paint in Gardens Park to the beautiful music of Danny Kean, Traveling Piano. Danny and his piano on the back of his pickup truck showed up at TOS yesterday. He is such a wonderfully gifted piano player on an incredible journey, we invited him to stay with us for the weekend. Bring your own painting supplies and enjoy the fun and music in the gardens. I freaked. Knee jerk reaction along with all the other craziness around me. I immediately posted on the page... This is a great idea but no one has told me about it! Ha, but I don't perform or entertain... don't know if I will be in the area Sat because its only Thursday... (but I hope to be) More often than not I am sleeping at 11am in the morning. I do want to spend time with everyone but I don't pre-plan anything in advance. lol... I'm living in the present moment, hope you can flow with me and we will meet in the spirit of my journey which is with synchronicity and spontaneity. I would enjoy doing something like this but we need to talk it through first. Looking forward... It is very difficult for people to understand how the journey works. People understand expectation, obligation, performance, exchange for service, fun, musicians... how, when, where and why they express themselves but my form of all that... with no agenda and simply as a guy on a journey, with his dog and a piano on a truck sharing it and his music with no specific plan in a somewhat professional way that in reality is not professional at all... is unique.



On the way onto the west coast of Florida I passed some poor enclave communities and fresh produce places that I wanted to go back to so I drove back east to Arcadia looking for them. You would think that there are mom and pop fresh produce places with the best fruit to be had and outside of the supermarket chains, stuff like oranges? Up north no one would purchase the oranges I've been seeing. The taste is the same, the size not even as big, the looks not good at all. I've been looking for over a week now. It was windy and cold today. I ended up at my host's daughters place of work at the local hospital, met her and some co-workers, then I could not find the places I was looking for so I began to drive back. I saw a sign for a boat launch earlier, was looking for it along the road, found it ending up at a little restaurant tourist spot on the Peace River. They had fresh New England Clam chowder for sale, I brought a small cup, it was eight bucks, I was like wow, yikes for a few spoonfuls, it tasted like double wow the best, I was like... one is enough! The people let me drive through the property to then end on the river and I created music I think for an hour over the sun setting behind me with palm trees blowing over the river, a fish jumped four feet into the air in front of me. Hawks hunk out about thirty feet above in the sky probably wondering if Mo might be food. While creating music I was thinking, "Wow, you made it to Florida, this is a unique environment you have never before created music in, I'm in heaven again." Then two by two, people began to appear and the usual fun began. Once I returned to where we have been staying I met several property tenants of my host John and Dominique a family in Florida from Michigan and an artist named Ben who has been here for about eight years.


February 12, 2014

Englewood, Florida

When I think about how I dislike people sometimes, yes it is a fact... I know deep down in my soul that nothing interests me more. There is nothing more gratifying than to learn and understand why people are as they are. John and Dominique are the first strangers I have stayed with in more than a year and I am reminded through them how every person is unique and difficult and accommodating, loving, caring, empathetic and indoctrinated and everything else. John and Dominique as well as everyone else I have ever stayed with remind me how much I love people. I woke up at eight in the morning on my own... whoo hoo! The day did not start out so good. My mind would not work. I had a headache. People talking completely blocked my ability to gather my thoughts or separate them. While thinking there was no place to get my head together I broke my special coffee cup that took two years to find. When I left the house I thought I'd better take my rain coat and had to completely unpack all my clothing only to realize I had put the coat into another bag so I could have easy access. The sun was hot and I am always thinking about the truck engine which is in a slow death mode. The oil that has been baking on it has been on my mind for a year. Now was the time to take care of it. I stopped at a self car wash, parked to the side and jumped into the back to search inside the piano storage area for the oil wash I had purchased a long time ago. The car wash owner came over to me to tell me I could not park on his property. Being there less than three minutes I said I was planning to give him some business. Then his story changed but said I could not use my product I had to purchase his. What a dick! Its a self car wash and whether I pay for just water or his soap its still all the same price. I left while thinking how I must stay away from toxic people or I will become one of them.



The traffic lights in Florida may set the record for length anywhere I've been. While taking the Traveling Piano out everyday and having fun interacting, always in my mind... "how many days left where I am" "which direction and where will I go" "get motel room or stay with another stranger" "how much am I willing to spend" "how much comfort am I able to forgo while staying strong and feeling fresh at the same time" "when will I get the time to decide, research because I want to do everthing" "what to eat, when to eat, drink water, will my hosts be cooking dinner for me, should I bring home dinner for everyone" ...it goes on and on. I was heading for Manasota Key but got lost. I found a senior living trailer park that had benches and water down at the end of the road so I drove to check the space out. I could smell cans of soup cooking from trailers like chicken and tomato soup. At the end there were three guys older than dirt sitting, hanging out. I sat with my headache and told myself to push through it because I knew we would all have a good time if I could just get out of the truck and get started. Focus on the good stuff, choose everything except the pain in the ass stuff, I told myself. Everything was a good time with music and chatting until an old fart came out of his trailer to claim I was on private property and making noise. The other guys began to run away (very slowly because they were old). The fart was also a Canadian, the first unhappy Canadian I've ever met in America. I told him he was going to die soon so he should relax and enjoy life and then I left.



On the way to Englewood I was looking for pottery places to find a new coffee mug but gave up because every store I was seeing was generic and in a strip or shopping mall. I must have something personal and special as a coffee mug. Before... and next to the trailer park on the way in I had noticed a yoga, holistic, message place. It just stood out in my minds eye for a moment. As I was approaching it on the way out I thought how I wanted to be taken care of. Could I treat myself to a message, spend the money? Not that is was going to happen or I had any intention of doing it, just a passing thought. Then I saw the word pottery along with message and yoga on a sign. A voice in my head said stop now! It was a community of artists. A place integrating art with agriculture. I went in to look for a mug and immediately crossed paths with the owner who was reading the Traveling Piano sign out loud as I passed behind him and I said, "yea, wanna play some piano?" He said sure, and the rest was exhausting, emotional, fun, full of friendship, full of feeling part of, respect... I have never felt such a connection with artists, especially the variety of arts as I did today. It was relaxing and energetically exhausting at the same time. I was taken for a walk through a food park where people simply walk around and eat food that is growing. Wow! The owner, Greg went home to get his sax and when he returned we created music together. He made me laugh because he was so... "random" with his music. We had real fun. I was treated to a smoothy made of beets, carrots, apple and ginger which was awesome. The place is called The Open Studio. I mentioned I was looking for my next place to stay and Greg immediately without hesitation said stay with us. He gave me the perfect coffee mug! When I go there a woman will create a painting along with my music which I have been wanting for years. Heavy rain began later in the day, right after I pulled under the tarp in the driveway where I'm staying. Every time I push through the headaches, pain, frustrations, obstacles... every time the reward is beyond my wildest of dreams... every single time.

February 11, 2014

Port Charlotte, Florida

I'm so tired I'm too tired to be tired. Its a good thing because I am tired from having fun with the Traveling Piano today and I am thankful I'm not up north. THis is the first time I have ever been south in the winter. There is no question that I'd be crazy by now with the cold, snow and ice. Today here down south it was sunny and warm. We drove along a road with lots of pull off areas along a bay. It was the normal cycle in meeting people.



After changing locations I found the Port Charlotte beach. Free parking for the day, not many people, we found the boat launch area and I was very careful because people were laying on the beach only a few feet from the truck and everyone was quiet and relaxed. I did not want to jar anyone's state of mind. This was the first time ever I was at a beach with people, palm trees, the sand and water so close. It was amazing, a new experience for creating music. it felt almost surreal. I played very simply. It was the picture that for years I have been looking for in my minds eye but the sun's position did not cooperate.



We met people from all over... Canada, England, North Dakota, New York, Pennsylvania, Germany, locals... in the late afternoon John, my hosts granddaughter Shahara who is six years old and taking piano lessons met Mo and got onto the piano to play with her grand mom Dominique. I drove them with Mo on top of the piano up and down the street while they created music. Can we talk fun?



At night I went to a weekly discussion group that John belongs to where random people get together to have discussion on different topics that have been suggested over time. Beforehand some people came early to have a Traveling Piano experience. The discussion topic was using corporal punishment verses what else to control behavior in kids or whatever. You can be sure the talk got spirited and when it comes to opinions the older I get the stronger they become for me. I'm not sure if that is always a good thing.

February 10, 2014

Port Charlotte, Florida

We left Ron and Sue's place today. I sat in the truck wondering if I was going to go north, west or south. Ron said he could never meander like I am doing. When he was younger, yes. I agree, it is more difficult now but after all this IS called the Journey of Peregrinating (as in meandering) Musical Exploration. At the last minute I called some folks I had made contact with in Port Charlotte, Florida on the other side of the state. Ron and Sue were my first step into staying with people again so I thought it may be important to keep the momentum going. John and Dominique were strangers, people I have never met, now in their 60's. Dominique from France has been a hospice nurse working 60 hours a week for over 30 years and John, originally from Canada is a housekeeper who has fibromyalgia and sells stocks. They have children now grown and out on their own. There are eight other people in the house and they still said come on over I could use the loft in Johns office. They had no time to prepare so it was a really messy space and that was fine by me because I'm not out to be impressed, I'm out to feel welcomed into strangers homes. There are no house keys for this place, the doors are never locked. John was not present when I arrived and a woman visiting named Mary got onto the Traveling Piano to play while we waited. After we were done I went inside and John was sitting in a chair. We did not see him arrive. I asked him why he hadn't come outside and he said, "I don't like music." God, that made me laugh. He said, "I have no use for music." He doesn't understand why governments subsidizes music for society. I have to love a guy who is not afraid to be himself. I feel a little driven to get into his head to find out why he does not like music but can tell he is a hard nut to crack. Driving across the state it was almost all farm land. Palm trees farms, did you know that there are over 2,600 species of palm trees and 12 are native to Florida? There were sod farms and lots of cows and of course orange groves. The largest trees with the most fruit and color where next to a long water irrigation section that borders the humongous DeSoto county Florida waste landfill dump. Walmart has been advertising oranges on television for over a month now. I wonder if they are selling from these groves because the largest building site for the entire ride was a Walmart distribution center. Lots of retired old people in Port Charlotte and just about every home is on water. Everyones backyard has a boat ramp. There are lots of living restrictions. (like many places are creating nowadays) Back in Port Saint Lucie, Ron was telling me how some politicians are talking about using helicopters to spy on peoples backyard pools from the air so they can generate governmental income by saying they are not keeping them clean enough which reduces property value and creates mosquitoes. Makes me want people to rethink Florida's "stand your ground" law and make it also "stand your air"... so people can shoot down helicopters simply from fear of threat in flying over/on their private property. I know thats stupid but so is that law.

February 09, 2014

Hutchinson Island, Florida

It was a full day. I did not wake up until one in the afternoon because I was feeling really weak and achey. Once I got up Ron said it was supposed to rain by three in the afternoon so I shook off my grogginess, got a cup of coffee and we took off. Before we got out of the driveway, neighbors appeared and we had some starter fun on the truck with the piano. Then we drove to meet some of Ron and Sue's family, then to Jensen Beach and then to the Indian River inlet.



Once onto Hutchinson Island we drove around until we found a special spot on the beach. Actually, it was the only spot I could drive up to and be on the beach with the truck. It was illegal but nobody bothered us. Like Ron said, it was like a revolving door for the Traveling Piano with people stopping by and then when they finished up and left other people would appear. It was a steady flow just like always, never crowds and that is good. Three young couples all dressed in white and a different times found us. One was dating, the other just became engaged and another came up to us to thank me for providing the beautiful music for their marriage. They were just married in front of us on the rocks with the waves splashing, sun shining (the rain never appeared) and the music of my spirit full of gratitude.



We were at the Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge which was a US life saving service shelter with food and clothing for survivors of shipwrecks and storms at sea commissioned in 1875. There are lots of sea turtles, a many people get married there. We met a couple of the Hare Krishna movement. Except for the guys pony tail he could have passed as a fundamental conservative from Arizona! Once we arrived back at the house there were more neighbors with kids jumping onto the truck to play. I'm feeling kind of numb. Tomorrow I leave and I have no idea where we are going or how long we will stay wherever that is. Its becoming more of an unnerving feeling as time moves on.


February 08, 2014

Fort Pierce, Florida

When I woke up it was warm and humid. Its really strange to open the door and walk outside to find it is warmer than inside. My health is totally fragile. I was not sure I could even get out today but I decided to push myself to see just how fragile... and am glad I did. Ron and Sue my hosts lead us to the Fort Pierce beach and then it got really cold, cloudy and windy which was fine by me because thats what I have been used to. We stopped and gave some fisherman a musical break. Found another spot and met three women from Germany and a family from Michigan. There are perfect places for the Traveling Piano everywhere here in Florida. People are very happy to find the music and me and Mo and the Traveling Piano truck. It creates a major jolt of joy for peoples day and that just transfers right into me and out again. I was treated to dinner at a small local Italian restaurant that made the best chicken parmesan ever. One of the most favorite things about this journey is being taken to small special restaurants that have no need to advertise because they area so good and as a result only local neighbors know about them. Nothing is better than when people connect with my music and nature at the same time in present moment and are able to soak it all in even if only for a few minutes.




February 07, 2014

Jenson Beach, Florida

Today turns out to be my host Susan's birthday. Her husband "Turtle" and I drove to Jenson Beach to check it out. The lifeguards let us drive onto the beach so I could create music in Florida for the first time and get a decent picture. What a dream come true! I can't believe it took as long as it did but the bottom line is... we made it. The surf was beautiful. The feel, the energy, everyone around was enthralled, including myself. It happened all sweet and short with pictures all around and I just felt nothing but gratitude. It has been a while since staying with people and am reminded of what an honor it is, how privileged I feel and grateful. Sue is recovering from a recent double mastectomy that had complications. This couple really opened themselves to me with who they are, what they are about and obviously how they care to share their lives with others. They have two dogs one named Barney and the other named Odie. They are as easy going as Mo. I was treated to Susan's birthday dinner and met Turtles eighty year old mom who works forty hours a week as a full time nurse! Also I met Turtles brother and his wife. When people tell me their life stories I am always amazed. Not only that they share with me life... but how interesting and varied peoples lives are. It took allot to get off my butt and into the spin of staying with people again but its happening and I hope I can keep it going. I think the secret will be to find people who will allow us to spend longer periods of time. Changing places every three days at this stage of the game just will not work.

February 06, 2014

Port Saint Lucie, Florida

All the way from South Carolina and two hours into Florida I cursed the weather. When are we going to escape the cold? Each rest stop seemed to be colder than the last. I could see my breath in the air. I refused to turn on the heat in the truck, damm we were in Florida, the need for heat? By the time we arrived I was driving with the car windows were down and it was such a relief, seventy degrees. It was nighttime and took ten hours of driving. I can't see shit at night anymore, almost totally blind when driving in the dark. Its an age thing. The speed limit was seventy on the highways but the Traveling Piano does not go over fifty five. This was my third drive to Florida ever. The police in Georgia, same as always... we must have passed at least fifteen different state troopers and sheriff cars looking for trouble... even standing outside squad cars pointing radar speed guns at everyone from the side of the road to generate money for themselves. We are staying with my friend Cindy's childhood friend and her husband. Totally out of my element I prayed that I could bring something good to these people who have invited us into their home for a few days. I started to talk about the first rest stop in Florida. There was no welcome sign but there were big signs saying the areas were patrolled by "armed" security. Aside from Florida being the only corner of the United States we have yet to visit on this journey I am also here to support people repressed from political gun laws that justify people killing each other simply because of fear they will be harmed. Its called the stand your ground law. Its bad. I've dealt with enough waste... teenagers and heads of children blown off because of bad, or lack of gun laws. I've personally experienced gun horror with the Traveling Piano at Virginia Tech and in Sandy Hook, Connecticut. My new hosts brought out their gun to show me. Ha, I have a feeling this will not a discussion topic to elaborate on with my new friends. Next... we are in gator land and the first thing Mo found was a gator in the bed.

February 05, 2014

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Yesterday, I met a guy named Joe with his dog Z who wanted to connect today so we met at the local dog park. That led to lots of dogs with the Traveling Piano and a few dog owners too. It had rained all night but the sun came out by afternoon and it is the warmest day yet... humid too! My stomach has an ache and I'm wondering if it is from breathing in all the tile glue in the hallways outside my motel room. The've been ripping up carpet and laying tile in its place all week. Glad I'll be outta here tomorrow. Dealing with the noise and chemicals... the price of a really nice and cheap room on the beach. It was worth it.



When I started out from West Virginia a few weeks back, I brought two cans of cream of mushroom soup with me. Why? Ha, general thoughts of "don't waste a penny" "use everything you got" "these will come in handy for food" "canned goods won't go bad" ...but really, I didn't have room for them. Anyway, I purchased fresh mushrooms, peeled baby carrots, precooked turkey cubes and celery to go with the soup. It might have been easier to just purchase a dinner somewhere. I also brought a pot and an electric burner with me which is now plugged into the wall on my motel bathroom sink and... its all simmering just about ready for dinner.

February 04, 2014

Beaufort County, South Carolina

Even though it was cloudy and cold there was no rain or snow so I just had to make use of the day. First I headed to a beach where I wanted to take a long walk with Mo like yesterday. It was a dog beach we had visited last week but never got a chance to explore. On the way I got lost ending up on a toll road so I figured, "just find any spot and create music for yourself." We came upon a boat ramp overlooking a huge marsh. A large restaurant was next to us in the distance and it seemed closed. After about fifteen minutes a car pulled up behind us. Two girls came out to explore and once they got onto the Traveling Piano I saw staff come out of the restaurant waving approval so we drove over to meet them. Can we talk fun? Constantly people remark about the spirituality of my music. Afterwards, I drove out of the driveway and the beach I was looking for appeared less than a mile away. That was crazy because I thought we were far from it but had no idea where we actually were. After a walk in the sand and in trees off the beach past vivid bushes of holly and berries I coincidently ran into a group of friends. Before heading out of the area, I stopped back at the Old Oyster House where we played music earlier and the staff treated me to oyster sliders, fried oysters and hush puppies. Everything fell into place today. The day was totally synchronistic and spontaneous, just as I love my days to be.


February 03, 2014

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

It was cloudy today and had rained all night and it was warm so the day (afternoon) was spent on the beach. Mo and I walked (really, Mo ran) for at least four hours alongside seagulls, pelicans and sanderlings flying in the air, diving into the water and running on the sand. Also, there were about eight huge dolphins swimming close to shore back and forth the entire time. It was the longest time spent not in journey mode that I can remember since hiking in glacier park after piano dog bo passed in 2010. It took about an hour before I became present with nature and nothing else. After a while I found a bench and took a short nap. All of that felt really, really good. The rest of the day... processing and publishing pictures from the past few days for people we had interactions with. Just about everyone emailed me for their pictures which is unusual and also makes me feel happy.

February 02, 2014

Bluffton, South Carolina

Workers have been ripping up the carpet and sanding down the walls in the hallway outside my hotel room and it is oh, so loud! When I opened the curtains I was surprised to see the sun out so after taking a quick shower it was onto the road. Finally, it was sunny and warm so warm I could not wear my hat or a jacket. That was amazing, lol. On goggle search there was a dog park in sun city about 45 minutes away but it did not exist. I stopped at a campground to ask questions and that ended up in a total time of fun, friendship and respect with three different couples. One of the older guys began to cry while I was creating music. Thats insane! I just cannot believe my music can move people in that way. I know it does and am used to it now but still, I'll never be able to take that for granted. So, the next place I was going to head for was the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge but I was told there really wasn't much to see. There are alligators in the water here so I'm getting used to that idea and not letting Mo run around so freely. It was suggested we visit Bluffton, South Carolina where we would find a place to pull the truck up to water. Unfortunately there were trees blocking a view there but then I meandered around and found the Bluffton Oyster Company which was closed but the owner was there.



He went home to get his family while I pulled the Traveling Piano onto a bed of oyster shells above the bay. I was creating music next to the last hand-shucking house in the state of South Carolina and it has been family owned and run for over a hundred years. Old Bluffton is an interesting little town where back in the early 1800's people fled to from Savannah, Georgia to escape yellow fever and malaria. The sun was so bright I was thinking about sunscreen for my head and noseeums, little bugs that bite but you can't see them where abound. It feels like forever since I was around bugs. It felt good yet not good. Neighbors from nearby came over and invited me to their home for a spell. Once again my music got a woman crying this time, she said it was the passion. Amazing, amazing, amazing. I wasn't talking with them five minutes and the guy asked me where I was staying and offered his guesthouse for us to use. I am so happy there are people in this world who are willing to open their homes to strangers in a blink of an eye. I'm set with my room but maybe in the future I will take him up on his offer. Mo and I met their friends and all through the day there were dogs galore to hang out with.

February 01, 2014

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

It was cloudy and rainy but at least the temperature is rising and staying inside has given me some time to catch up on filing notes and pictures, and correspondence, etc... I'm posting a few more pictures from Savannah, Georgia and Tybee Island from yesterday. Please check out the Support 2014 link to the left of this page.