Rock the Garden

More to come on Africa, but for today, I want to remember Rock the Garden 2012 that Andrew and I attended last Saturday.  It was an Ode to Minneapolis.  A perfect summer day- it started out hot and humid, and transitioned to this wonderful cool breeze by sunset.  The Minneapolis food trucks were all around (hello Korean BBQ Banh Mi, will you be my best friend?) and local vodka was served with fruit punch. 

Andrew and I spent much of the day with Dessa and her boy, at least during the part where she wasn't kicking ass and taking names on stage.  After Doomtree's performance, we toasted the fact that they "won Rock the Garden" with some of that Vodka and fruit punch.  And then some more.  Aaaaand maybe a little more.

Just as afternoon turned to dusk, Trampled by Turtles took the stage.  Beautiful sounds with a beautiful backdrop.  We could see the Basilica, the Cherry and the Spoon, and much of the downtown skyline as we sat on a blanket on a hill in my favorite city.

The couple sitting directly in front of us most of the day was probably 65 or 70 years old.  They wore jeans and Chacos and the man had a Jansport backpack with buttons like "Save Darfur,"  "End Human Trafficking," and "Vote No on the Anti-Marriage Amendment."   They were happy and affectionate.  I kept wanting to tell them that I hope I'm just like them when I'm old, but there didn't seem to be an appropriate way to do that without creating much awkwardness.  So I just told Andrew and our friends.

I've been loving this video that the Walker Art Center put together which captures this lovely day so well. 

Under African Skies

It’s hard to believe it was almost a month ago that we left for “A Walk on the Wild Side: Los 4 Hermanos.” It would be a 300 page book to tell every story in detail (or one blockbuster movie coming to a theater near you in summer 2012.) Over the next couple months, I will share some highlights.

There was one afternoon in Kruger Park that we went on a game drive. Those of us not driving had imbibed just a couple beers. It was Sarah’s birthday. It was unseasonably warm and the sun shone bright. We drove through the Savannah listening to “Graceland.” That album, by the way, is an Opus.

I looked out the window, saw different varieties of antelope leap through the grasses, felt the warm wind whip my hair around, and reveled in the yellow-orange glow of the sun surrounding me. I looked into the car and saw my three best friends all around me. We laughed, talked, and made merry.

I thought to myself, who in the world is luckier than me? Pretty clear that the answer is no one.

Here are a few photos from that extraordinary afternoon.