Balladier Reunion, 2013

"I was drivin' my rig out of Texas, all loaded and bound for ... STANLEY, IDAHO!"

Could there be a more gorgeous spot on earth 

to meet up with some of our favorite people on earth?

I don't think so!
Kent and Linda sent an email asking if the Balladiers 
wanted to get together for a long weekend, September 5-8, 
 at their lovely summer cabin home in Stanley, Idaho.
The words that came immediately to our minds were,
That's a no-brainer question!
When so many responded, 
they booked us to sing at the Redfish Lake Lodge 
and in church on Sunday.
We left from Missy's in Boise on Thursday morning, and by late afternoon, most of us had arrived.
Of course 21 of us couldn't fit in their cabin, 
but bordering their property 
(we walked back and forth to Kent and Linda's)
were these cabins, 
where several of us stayed.

Our cabin was the second one on the left.

These pics are views from Kent and Linda's property.

Here is the entrance to their beautiful cabin.

This view is looking out from their front yard.

Linda assigned each of us, with someone else, 

to be in charge of a meal.

Our turn was on Friday night with Carol and Karl Koerner.

We have no pics of us when it was our turn, 

because we were so busy preparing it.

Roger grilled marinated flank steaks outside 

(I made the marinades and the cakes at Missy's), 

and we had salted baked potatoes, caprice salad, garlic toast 

and glazed lemon cake.

First night, we had Dutch oven chicken, scalloped potatoes and chocolate cherry cake.

Catching up with Kay Anderson

Carol Koerner and I

Explaining something to Morris Angell and John Bouwhuis

Cranking up the music after dinner Thursday night

in the loft upstairs

Notice the nets to prevent the grandkids 

from falling through the railing.

Lewis Rawlinson, our banjo player, 

is on an LDS mission with his wife at Cove Fort, 

so Nate said, "Okay, I'll play it."

He is an amazing, versatile musician!

Pam Baird couldn't be there until Friday afternoon,

and Greer couldn't come.

That's why they're not in the pic.

The Bairds had to leave before we performed on Saturday,

but she and Dennis didn't want to miss the fun 

and drove all that way just to be with us.

Morris playing his twelve-string guitar

Oooo, it feels so good to be singing together again!

Friday afternoon, we headed to Stanley Lake for a picnic.

Pam and Dennis came and found all of us there when they arrived.

Isn't this a pretty setting?

Roger was so excited to wear his Mountain Man hat.

Kent takes his turn with each one of us,

teasing the heck out of us!

He never forgets anything,

so the stories just keep multiplying

and getting bigger and bigger 

every time we're together!

Pam Baird, Mark Zaugg, Carol Koerner, Morris Angell, me, 

John Bouwhuis, Kay Anderson, 

Kent Smith, Marilyn Miller, Nate Day and Don Gardner.

Just let me say that this pic reflects another little story about me

that Kent will tease me about for the rest of my life!

(And, if we end up at the same place in the here-after,

he'll tease me there, too!)

Our greatly-loved Groupies!

A Balladier "trio" and spouses!

After the picnic, Roger and other guys drove, then hiked 

to a gold-mining Ghost Town, Casper City.

Most of the girls went browsing through shops 

(well, there were just two) in Stanley.

Ore Crusher

After dinner, we called Doug and Nan Brenchley on Skype.

Doug is Visitor Center Director in Independence, Missouri.

So fun to chat with them; they are loving their mission!

Next afternoon, after rehearsing all morning, 

we drove to Redfish Lake Lodge, about ten minutes away.

It doesn't get any prettier than this!

We were surprised at how many tourists were there,

milling around, swimming and enjoying the gorgeous scenery.

We followed an hour of Cowboy Poetry 

and did about a 40 minute set of some of our numbers 

that we could work up without Doug, Lewis 

and our darling drummer, Rob Fackrell. 

Rob and Stephanie were planning to come, but Rob is undergoing chemo and was not feeling well enough.

We missed them all so much!

Morris, who lives in San Francisco, had a real fan club 

show up for our performance!

His sister and her husband, who live in Boise, drove up to see him.

Also, he does Tae Bo, 

and three friends, who also wanted to see the beautiful area, 

 flew in to Boise, then drove to Stanley

 and made it just in time for our performance.

Take those shades off for the Pic!

O-kay!

Do we still have it, ladies?

This little guy, after our concert, came up to Kent 

with the biggest grin on his face, and said, "You guys are GOOD!"

We had to take his picture!

We ate dinner together in the Redfish Lake Lodge.

Mountain Man and I 

The wedge salad made a pretty presentation.

After dinner, it was so scenic, Rog took several pics.

Back at the cabin, we enjoyed each others' company!

We called Rob and Stephanie and Rob had gone to bed,

but we had a chat with his darling wife.

She is so upbeat and positive!

Don brought up his boat, and the guys went fishing a few times. During our stay, Don took all who wanted to go 

on a scenic boat ride to the other end of Redfish Lake,

taking turns, six at a time.

Nate's wife, Mary Lynn, Roger and Kathy Gardner

chumming it up!

Coming back in to dock

Sunday at 5 PM was the LDS Priesthood/Relief Society, 

then Sacrament meeting, where we sang, "Our Savior's Love."

and Kent's wife, Linda, played the organ for us.

The Meditation Chapel looks out over beautiful scenery,

which you see through giant windows behind the pulpit.

Five guys and three girls were able to stay 

through Sunday night and sing.

They asked me to lead the singing in Relief Society and 

Linda played the organ then and for Sacrament meeting.

I also briefly shared my story in Relief Society

about my hand.

When the teacher asked if anyone had ever had 

a Priesthood Blessing

that was life-changing, 

how could I not share?

Sunday was Linda and Kent's 48th Wedding Anniversary.

It was also Morris's 68th birthday.

Mary Lynn decorated the other glazed lemon cake I brought

and put on 68 candles and lit them.

With both performances over,

we had so much fun singing new songs that 

some of the Balladiers brought to sing.

Nate entertained us with his amazing repertoire - he is so good

and he remembers words!

Linda and Kent's granddaughter was getting married 

on the following Thursday,

 so Linda was making these decorations 

and recruiting all of the help she could get!

When we drove to Stanley, we came up through Sun Valley, 

and we wanted to go home a different way.

So we went on Highway 21, which was windy, 

but had beautiful scenery.

When we were driving through Idaho City, 

I spotted this structure, and we had to get out and take pics.

It is the world famous Sluice Box.

The old signs all over it are amazing!

And it's for sale, people!

This humorous structure marks a fitting end to a humor-filled trip!

We loved it and we love each Balladier and spouse!

45 plus year-old friendships are the best!