OK, I promised the Summer line-up. But first I thought I'd share the process by which I am thinking about the time coming up. Usually, I wouldn't think too hard about what events I'd partake in each year, but it seems like the ones for this year are coming back after 2 years of quiet and their appearance has been like pea shoots in the garden. Oh, look at that - String Summit is happening again and for the last time at Horning's Hideout - ok, I must get tickets to that! And the events just keep popping up. But after 2 years of quiet and lots of solitude, I'm not sure I want a summer filled with big public events. Oh well, I can always decide not to go (I did a lot of that for the past 2 years - deciding something didn't feel safe enough - at the last minute). So, we'll see what I go do this year :) And I always say "this is the year I'll camp more and do big public events less" - this is probably not going to be the year for that :) Oh well, someone has to go and do these things! Please consider joining me for something on this list - they all are a lot more fun together!

OK, here goes.

4.13-26 - Visiting my family and the cabin in Pennsylvania (if you're out that way and want to hang out, please get in touch - I'll have lots of time - would love to visit the cabin with you!)

4.28-5.1 - Hoping to attend Puget Sound Guitar Workshop's Spring Retreat weekend. I think this is the first time PSGW has happened officially in person in a couple of years and it's one of my favorite music-making experiences. I say hoping as I am asking for scholarship funds and have not heard back yet. This is 4 days and nights (late nights) of playing music by a lake. Good food. Good people. Good times!

5.11 - Happy 61st birthday to me - I want to plan something fun as I wasn't able to have a bigger gathering last year.

6.16-19 - Hoping to get tickets to Summer Solstice at Breitenbush (would be my 27th year?)

6.21-26 - WDSX - The World Domination Summit (last one). There are still tickets to this floating around. I've been holding onto the one I bought a couple of years ago and am very much looking forward to being with this fun collection of people in Portland this year! This is the last one of these and it really is transformative.

6.30-7.3 - Songwriter Soiree Retreat. This is round 2 for this retreat and like everything else, it's been put off for a couple of years. I don't really consider myself a songwriter, but I do like playing music, and Sara Tone is going to be there offering drum classes, and Lewis Childs and Jonathan Brinkley, and Robin Jackson - so, you know - it's going to be lovely. Can't wait and there are probably a couple of slots still open.

7.6-7.11 - Oregon Country Fair. A fun fact about this event is that I've recently taken on a new role of being one of the admins for the 28K-large FB group for this event. That's introducing me to more people who are Fair Family than ever before. I'm grateful for this. If you've never been this is one of the most fun things that Oregon has to offer.

7.21-24 - String Summit (Strummit). The last one at Horning's Hideout and likely sold out (but there is a way if there is a will :)

8.12-15 - Singing Alive - likely tickets available for this still - very sweet singing event East of Salem.

This is what I know so far. There are some maybes - there's a chance I might cancel something. There's Burning Man. There's a chance you might invite me to go camping with you - purty please! I bring zee guitar and zee 1,000 songs! We sing into the night together!

Well, the day is moving along and I think it's time to send this missive out into the world. I hope you are doing well. I know it's challenging times - but keep working to keep your sanity and your spirits high! Light at the end of the tunnel. Snow melts. Spring comes. Subscribe to Heather Cox Richardson's newsletter if you haven't already. Robert Hubbell's, too.

And keep on keeping on - cause that's what we do, right?

Adios.

Alberto