Broken Crown

There was a lot to admire about my mother. I think what I admired, and to be honest, envied, most about her was the absoluteness and utter resolve with which she held to her priorities in life. I suppose part of that was simply a matter of her generation’s need to...

Brooks’ Trains

Writing a column is a funny thing. Some months, a plethora of topics flow like artesian wells in Calistoga. Other months, pounding sand comes easier than a novel idea. There was a two moth stretch when Bert me to the punch on a couple of themes that I thought were...

Bubbles in My Beer

Tonight in a bar alone I’m sittingApart from the laughter and the cheersWhile scenes from the past rise before meJust watchin’ the bubbles in my beer (Bob Wills)I do a lot of that these days (watching the bubbles in my beer). You see, I have a new hobby. I...

Bucket List

(Editor’s Note: So what was Jean bucket-lisiting five years ago? Let’s have a look at this 2009 Welcome.) There’s an old saying, “be careful what you wish for.” A few weeks ago, I posted a question on the message board asking others about their bucket list. I then...

Bucket List

There’s an old saying, “be careful what you wish for.” A few weeks ago, I posted a question on the message board asking others about their bucket list. I then proceeded to tell everyone in CBA land that I wanted to learn to “take breaks” on my guitar while jamming...

Buegrassian Questionnaire with Roger Siminoff

(A continuing series of interviews I’ve based loosely on the “Proust Questionnaire” – bluegrass style!)Key in a quick Google of Roger Siminoff and you’ll immediately find yourself neck deep in his accomplishments and passions as a luthier, teacher, historian,...

Bullwinkle and Waffles

Who taught you to cook? Was it your mom or dad, or some other family member? Did you read a lot of cookbooks or maybe figure it out from trial and error? Or were you in school when there were lots of homemaking classes available to teach you? Maybe you were lucky like...

Bullwinkle and Waffles

Who taught you to cook? Was it your mom or dad, or some other family member? Did you read a lot of cookbooks or maybe figure it out from trial and error? Or were you in school when there were lots of homemaking classes available to teach you? Maybe you were lucky like...

Bullwinkle and Waffles

Who taught you to cook? Was it your mom or dad, or some other family member? Did you read a lot of cookbooks or maybe figure it out from trial and error? Or were you in school when there were lots of homemaking classes available to teach you? Maybe you were lucky like...

Burn at Both Ends

Last night I played at a bar in San Francisco. It’s a fun venue (the Amnesia), but them city folks like to party LATE! The time before when we played there, we went until 1:30 AM (this is on a Monday, mind you), and I was determined not to do that again. So, starting...