Driving Tour of Historic Sites in Adams...

What Played in Ed's Head -- 

Music listened to for the time-period December 1 through December 31, 2025:

Visit with Pop and Mom!

ArchaeoEd Podcast

Get ready to embark on a time-traveling adventure with the legendary archaeologist, Dr. Ed Barnhart!

Let's unearth the stories of the awe-inspiring civilizations of the Americas. 

These are the tales that only get a fleeting mention in western history books.

ArchaeoEd, S3E9, The Mesoamerican Ballgame

 Episode 3.9 - The Mesoamerican Ballgame

About 4000 years ago, the civilizations of Mesoamerica created the world's first team sport - older by centuries than any other.  It was played with a big rubber ball, in a stone-built ball court, and enjoyed from the Chihuahua Desert to the rainforests of Honduras.

Snowstorm in Connecticut!

"High Points" along trails during December 2025... 

• Metacomet Ridge, Cowles Park, East Granby, CT
• Sodom Mountain, Southwick, MA
• Hill 621, Whitiker Woods, Somers, CT

SPECTRE FOLK - w/ Mark Robinson, Willie Lane, Saturday, January 17, 2026, 8:00 PM

Pete Nolan was Spectre Folk before drumming and strumming in Magik Markers was his main gig, and will be Spectre Folk long after he shuffles off this mortal coil. The main benefit of ghost-folk is: you can play it way after you’re dead, and while you’re alive the Spectre can haunt any decent willing body with a gift for the unreal. This time around, fellow Abbey Road alum and cinematographer Eben Bull creates scapes of sound on keys to accompany Pete, who jams his kief-encrusted thumbprint directly in the center of the proceedings.Also, in the crew are Tuscadero frontperson Mellie Farris on bass, fellow Magik Marker, John Shaw, on drums and Pete's daughter little Violet Ray on guitar.

Mark Robinson is an indie-rock musician from  Washington, D.C. who founded Teen-Beat in 1984. Best known for founding  Unrest (with Phil Krauth and Tim Moran), he has also been a member of  Air Miami, Flin Flon, Grenadine, and currently plays with Evelyn Hurley  (Blast Off Country Style) in Cotton Candy and also with D. Trevor  Kampmann as Fang Wizard. 

Willie Lane, a Guitar player from New England who plays live occasionally.

Attended with Andy.

Willie Lane

Mark Robinson

Spectre Folk (Pete Nolan, John Shaw, Violet Ray)

Spectre Folk (Pete Nolan & John Shaw)

Spectre Folk (Pete Nolan)

Spectre Folk (Mellie Farris)

Spectre Folk (Mellie Farris)

Concert Goers from wayback...

St Brigids Church

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #01 for 2026...

"The Night and the Music", by Lawrence Block, published in 2011.

Matthew Scudder Short Stories Collection.

Summing up the stories (borrowed from Goodreads):

Out the Window - Matt’s still drinking and looks into the apparent suicide of a waitress who worked at his favorite gin joint.

Candle For the Bag Lady - Another one where Matt is still boozing. A neighborhood bag lady was stabbed to death and Matt is surprised to learn that the woman had money and left him a tidy little sum for no reason he can think of. Feeling an obligation he doesn‘t really understand, Matt starts looking into the murder and his investigation gets the neighborhood talking and turns the woman into a minor folk hero with surprising consequences.

By the Dawn’s Early Light - No AA for Matt yet. His drinking buddy Tommy’s wife is murdered and he hires Matt to help solidify the evidence against the two burglars accused of the crime. This is the story that inspired Block to continue the series after he thought it may have reached a conclusion and it’s the basis for the novel When the Sacred Ginmill Closes.

Batman’s Helpers - Matt works a freelance gig for a big agency trying to get bootleg Batman merchandise off the New York streets.

Merciful Angel of Death - The administrator of an AIDs hospice fears that a mysterious woman has been killing the patients and asks Matt to investigate.

The Night & The Music - Matt and Elaine hit New York's after hours clubs to hear some jazz.

Looking for David - While on vacation in Europe, Matt bumps into a man he had once sent to prison for murdering his male lover. Surprisingly, the man invites Matt to lunch and tells him exactly why he committed the crime.

Let’s Get Lost - Another flashback story when Matt was still a cop, and he provides some odd advice to players at a poker game who have a murdered man on their hands.

A Moment of Wrong Thinking - Yet another flashback to his police days where Matt tells Elaine of how his partner handled a case of apparent suicide.

Mick Ballou Looks At the Blank Screen - Matt’s best friend Mick wants to talk about the Soprano’s finale and share some news.

One Last Night at Grogans - Written especially for this collection, Mick has sold the saloon where he and Matt spent so many long nights talking, and the two of them and their spouses spend one last evening in the bar. Hard not to think that this may be Block having Matt take one last bow at the close of the series, but if this is the end, then it was a perfect way to say goodbye.

Review with CWOps.

Cowles Park, 5.4-miles. 

4-Miles at Cowles Park.

Drop Seagull Acoustic, Univox Bass and Silvertone Guitar off at Luthiers. 

3.2-Miles at Bald Mountain.

Shift at JMH early. 

3.1-miles at Bear Hole. 

Cowles Park, 3.3-Miles. 

Visit Pop in Adams, Mom in Williamstown. 

Mom Relaxing

Pop with a new Aran Sweater

Western Summit Mohawk Trail

Mt Greylock from Mohawk Trail

Founding Member of the Grateful Dead, Bob Weir passed away today at age 78.

While The Grateful Dead were together, from 1965 to 1995, they released thirteen studio albums and nine contemporary live albums.

Bob Weir also released and toured under his own name as well as parts of bands.

His first solo album, Ace, released in 1972, is a favorite of mine.

Side one

1. "Greatest Story Ever Told"

2. "Black-Throated Wind"

3. "Walk in the Sunshine"

4. "Playing in the Band"

Side two

5. "Looks Like Rain"

6. "Mexicali Blues"

7. "One More Saturday Night"

8. "Cassidy"

3.5-Miles at McCann Farm.

Shift at JMH early. 

DLV visit to Cardiologist.