Occasional Musings by Kevin Russell
August 11, 2021 This morning, I am sitting in a public park near Centerville, OH with nobody around, basking in quiet reflection. It is great places to socially distance and catch up with you on yesterday’s travels and adventures and last night’s show at the Elks Stadium in Centerville. It was another perfect evening for outdoor drum corps. Deciding at the last minute to … Continue Reading →
August 10, 2021 “It’s raining outside, and that’s not unusual. But the way that I’m feeling is becoming usual.” – Uriah Heep 1972. That tune is going through my head as I am sitting comfortably in the Hilton Gardens in Akron, OH. Time to catch up on my blog. I’m feeling great after another fantastic night of DCI. The Bluecoats’ home show never disappoints. … Continue Reading →
August 7, 2021, 4:20pm – Allentown, PA Yup, by the sheer grip on the wheel at 9:30 and 2:30, and the pedal to the mid-metal, I have transported the loaded Silver Bullet and myself to Allentown, PA. Ten bucks gets the choice parking spot behind the Hamilton Family Diner, one block from J. Birney Crum Stadium, home to DCI’s East Coast Championships. This year … Continue Reading →
August 3, 2021 Zoom is the operative word as I traversed several states in the pursuit of my favorite summer things – hiking, and the musical and visual experience of DCI, youth performances. Caffeine, cruise control, and rock n’ roll was the mode in the Silver Bullet (Volvo) and I arrived safely at Patriot Place in Foxboro, MA in record time. 80 + 1 … Continue Reading →
July 24, 2021 Today is Saturday, and I gave my feet the pleasure of a walk around the Waitsfield Farmer’s Market and a short stretch of the sidewalk, crossing Main Street twice. The past week, they have propelled me along roughly forty-six miles of hiking in the Green Mountains and the Champlain Valley. Not accustomed to that much confinement in my waterproof boots, I … Continue Reading →
July 18, 2021 It was a day in the Green Mountain National Rain Forest. Intermittent, sometimes strong and steady, the rain did not deter our progress along the Oak Ridge and Moosalamoo Trails. Long-distance hiker Denali (trail name) and I were off on her 4,700-mile mission to complete the North Country Trail. We were traversing the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area, near Ripton, Vermont, a proposed route … Continue Reading →
July 12, 2021 “It was like the stadium was wrapped in a curtain of love,” remarked Tim Martin following the opening night of DCI. Tim had just been inducted into the Carolina Crown Hall of Fame with three other deserving Crown Family members – Jim Williams, and Susan and Ron Murphy. “I’m just a drum corps kid from a drum corps family,” Tim said … Continue Reading →
July 9, 2021 The anticipation is palpable. After 22 months of no live drum corps, I am heading to Charlotte, North Carolina to join friends, the Martin Family, for a night of music and celebration with the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps. These past several months I have enjoyed the online content and virtual performance of the various corps, frequently checking out YouTube … Continue Reading →
September 13, 2020 I’m a little behind in my putting down some words here along the Mill Brook, so it is time to catch up a little. This is the time of year that we enjoy the crack between the seasons here in the Mad River Valley. That is, the time when we get the Valley back to ourselves, with visitors and second homeowners … Continue Reading →
By Kevin Russell I recently returned from two days immersed in Vermont’s forests, though I spent most of my time indoors, seated at a conference table. I attended the Vermont Forest Industry Summit, a Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund conference held at the Burke Hotel and Conference Center at the venerable ski area in the Northeast Kingdom. This was the second annual gathering of representatives … Continue Reading →