From the Road/Perry Sunday

Be sure to read Bailey's reports below this one. She is Perry's very own Spot Reporter and she is off to a GREAT start. When I saw what she had written I thought my job was done. She did a great job reporting before the events today. And I know we will have more from her.

Well, it is always amazing when a year long process actually results in something happening. And something did happen in Perry today (Sunday). We got to Perry and David Gonzalez and Daniel Kelly were already here after having flown to Des Moines from Lawrence, Kansas where they were performing. Lin had picked them up and whisked them home to Perry.

David and Daniel began their amazing story/music sharing at St. Pat's church after services, for all the kids and families that stayed. There were a bunch. And I noticed not all were kids and parents. There seemed to be a healthy representation of all generations there. What a beautiful church, too.

After lunch at Highland Elk we all walked over to the library. The day was an odd one with quite stormy rain followed by sunshine. We walked in sunshine. The library welcomed all and had the great refreshments we have come to count on. Daniel played the piano while folks arrived. It seemed to me that he saw the piano and it called out to him like he really NEEDED to play. He played for a long time and it was gorgeous improv.

It was fun to see the kids there in their orange Spot t-shirts, to meet old friends from previous Spot visits and see new folks. The room was full and David told great stories. It seems like using the word "told" stories isn't right. He IS the story as he is telling it and you can see how he captures us all in the telling.

The day ended with D&D meeting with some high school kids for jamming and talking and reading and...well, we kind of stayed out of the way for that one but we heard great reports that the kids were all really involved, interesting, and interested.

So now the quiet, as only an Iowa night can be, surrounds me as I write this out here at Nadine's. When we got here this afternoon, I looked out the window and saw Daniel laying flat out on his back on the ground on the lawn. Well it was Earth Day today and he was maybe getting a feel of the earth. But for me it was kind of a symbol of what getting away and into the country does for me. It grounds me, makes me really love being in Iowa, being in a natural setting. At one point we were sitting around in Nadine's living room. It was pouring and pounding rain outside. I saw a flash of lightening hit the ground just across the road and it actually threw sparks all around as it hit the ground. Amazing. All the Iowa storms I have been in and I had never seen that.

Happy Earth Day.

Ron