My two boys have their own pile of musical instruments. Don't know where they got that idea from. When folks come by and we play tunes, sometimes Ben and Daniel drag out their stuff and join in. Sometimes they don't. It's whatever they feel like. I don't push it. But now Ben, (the elder of the two) is taking up violin in school. Somebody pinch me, maybe he'll learn to play it properly and then teach his dad. That's what he tells me. I join in with friends when late summer comes around. We set up a tent city out on the prairie East of Denver. Well, smack dab in Aurora we call Homestead City. The setting is always 100 years ago. This year we will be in 1899 and wondering what the new century will bring. So we all have our little occupations during the day. I repair tools and make some as well. In the evening I end up in the saloon or sometimes we have a dance somewhere. I'm always the last one to quit and when I finally do stop caterwallin' it's always the kids (late teens) that are still there. The old folks have gone to bed. Well the last couple of years these kids have been bringing old guitars and having me set them up. They will play along or go off and do their own thing. I feel like I'm priming the next generation for this tent city. In 2020 or so when I'm cooling my heels sitting in a rocking chair on the porch and telling stories, these folks will keep Homestead City or something like it going. Keep the strings ringing.

Rex