I try to have the studio to my home each year for a party. After all, as I live about an hour away from campus, it is unusual for students to just “drop by.” We’ve fallen into a routine with these gatherings: lots of food (usually with a Mexican accent), mountains of homemade doughnuts and a searing bonfire out in the yard. Finally, a free-form jam session in which everyone passes around the oddball assortment of instruments on hand (including but not limited to a drum set, steel string and classical guitars, a bass guitar, a piano, a mandolin, a banjo, a violin, a viola, a cello, several recorders and harmonicas, an accordion and all kinds of hand percussion. This can be pretty entertaining.

This year, we proceeded according to form with little change. We got to eat outside, as the weather was great. A new element was a laser-tag battle between my students and my four grandkids, aged 5-15. I’m not sure who won…

Instead of a simple bonfire, we had three, right next to one another. I’d removed nine trees last spring and piled the branches and brush high into three piles. We waited all summer while the wood dried out and the time was finally right to reduce them to ash and reclaim our yard. I knew burning them at the same time would be either amazing (good) or terrifying (maybe bad).

After the fires we had the customary music, but as I was busy playing the whole time, I forgot to take pictures. Ah well—next time!

The studio attendance was small. We missed Archie, who had a conflict. But, with family and friends, we had a great party. Here are some shots from the evening….