So much for the follow through on posting photos before leaving on my trip; I ran out of time and left for CA a week ago. Patma's wireless Internet has been out until this evening, so I haven't been checking email or blogging or even staying in touch by phone.

Patma and I went to the Kate Wolf Music Festival in Laytonville, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, coming home on Monday. We met up with my friends Elaine (the mama) and Cali (almost 10 years old!), sharing a motel room with them on Saturday and Sunday. It was a great mama/daughter experience for us! We soaked up an indecent amount of hot, hot sunshine and listened to music continuously from about 9am until 11pm, moving from little stage to big stage to shade to intense sunny spots to the river to browsing festival booths, etc.

I saw Po' Girl and the Waifs play three different times (each!), and from up close most of those times. Jeremy and Mikey from JT and the Clouds joined Po' Girl and I fell in love with this (fairly-new-to-me) band. We heard Greg Brown, David Grisman and band members, and--the highlight of my festival experience--Ani Difranco.

Here's the thing: I didn't dwell on Ani's festival presence as needfully--or obsessively--as I anticipated Po' Girl's performances. I think this is because Po' Girl played Fri, Sat, and Sunday while Ani was the headliner, the last act, late on Sunday night. Pus Ani was going to be on the main stage, a much further distance than when I was sitting in the dirt and grass 10 feet or less away from the smaller stages. Po' Girl felt more reachable, I guess. And in a way this was really true because before and after they played, you could see Ali, Awna, Benny, JT, and Mikey walking around--as Cali said "like normal people." Vikki from the Waifs did this too. I'd never catch Ani walking around in the crowd of folk festival attendees--she'd be mobbed.

So despite my almost-lack of enthusiastic-anticipation for Ani's performance, I was smitten the moment she began speaking and singing. Her voice was incredibly clear, her lyrics sharp and relevant--emotionally, personally, and politically riveting--and as always her physicality with her instruments was vibrant, animate, beautiful. She is one of those performers that you need to be able to see AND hear. I am lusting after her new CD that hasn't been released and maybe not even made yet. But she played a lot of new songs and when the album does finally come out, it's going to be one of the best of her last decade of music.

I'm sure I have lots more to say about the festival, but I have had a lot of late nights and early mornings in the last week, my headache is pressing in, and I'm thinking it's that time when I should go to sleep. Chances are,  I really will write more again soon!