Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: GUEST,Rob Naylor on sister's machine
Date: 22 Nov 10 - 06:50 AM

Spaw: The way I read it, the "ladder" was more some rope type affair more suited to transferring to a Landing Craft.   I don't care that she sleeps with birds flying by and shitting on her while she sleeps but using a rope laddder can be tough for a fit 20 year old and completely nuts for an aging folkie at almost 70.

I too love Joan but this was a bit of the dimbulb thing to do.

Nah, I disagree....it's actually GREAT that a 69 year old is climbing rope ladders and sleeping on platforms in trees.

I have a friend who climbed the Matterhorn unguided at 74, still runs marathons at 80 and only last year, at 79, gave up 100km endurance races. The only reason he did that was that his head torch bust on the night leg of one race and he fell over a wire fence, dislocating his shoulder. After walking back to the last check-point (4 miles) he was hacked off that ther stewards wouldn't simply pull his shoulder back in and let him finish the race,but insisted on him going to hospital, so decided to hang up his 100km race boots!

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: pdq
Date: 22 Nov 10 - 10:56 AM

radio announcement: folksinger Joan Baez falls out of her tree, lands on head   

follow-up: Stanford doctors say "X-rays of Joan Baez head show nothing"

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 22 Nov 10 - 11:22 AM

Hey, so Joanie sleeps in a tree? Good for her says me. I like an unconventional girl, even a 69 year old one.
We aren't exactly a conformist generation, are we? Lets continue making the young ones wonder about our sanity, just like the old ones used to.

LEJ
Tree-hugger

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: bobad
Date: 22 Nov 10 - 12:53 PM

"Lets continue making the young ones wonder about our sanity, just like the old ones used to."

Excellent motto for our generation.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: catspaw49
Date: 22 Nov 10 - 04:53 PM

Geeziz........I don't care if she sleeps in a tree or stuffs her ass with pine cones and wild hickory nuts left to her by the estate of Ewell Gibbons. The part that gets me is the rope ladder........She shells out big bucks and has an architect design a treehouse......then opts for a rope ladder?   Meets "Dimbulb" qualifications for me.

John Force races a Funny Car at age 61.......fantastic!   He wears a firesuit, helmet, and other gear and is cocooned in a roll cage, etc. Now if he rode it down the track in his underwear, straddling the blower, wearing a cowboy hat, and screaming. "YAAAAHOOOOOO".................that'd be dimbulb too.

If I had her address I'd send her pictures of stairs, maybe a real ladder.........ya' know?

And DON FIRTH>>>>> Don my friend....Truly sorry to hear about Barbara..... a completely different story! Hope she continues recovery and is back in full stride soon.


Spaw

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: Midchuck
Date: 22 Nov 10 - 05:36 PM

When... he dropped the needle on this weird record he had, and "Silver Dagger " came out, that's when the sixties started as far as I'm concerned.

Yup. Pretty close.

Peter

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 22 Nov 10 - 06:04 PM

Come on, Spaw. It might have been one of Neil Young's hand-woven hemp ladders and had sentimental value or something.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 22 Nov 10 - 06:20 PM

Spaw: The part that gets me is the rope ladder........She shells out big bucks and has an architect design a treehouse......then opts for a rope ladder?   Meets "Dimbulb" qualifications for me.

I don't understand why? What's wrong with a rope ladder? Simple, easy, you can pull it up after you if you want to be alone and if you learn how to climb one properly it's not difficult to master.

I climb up vertical (and sometimes overhanging) bits of rock using tiny edges for hand and footholds in my mid 50s, and hope to be still doing it in my mid 70s. I guess that's dimbulb too?

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: GUEST,mg`
Date: 22 Nov 10 - 07:37 PM

Who knows? I just had a nasty fall on my very slippery porch deck..I had mats out but stepped off one and crashed into a big flower pot. Walking etc. seems OK but there are some possible side effects I will spare you...be careful in this wet and icy weather at least in northern climes. mg

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 23 Nov 10 - 05:56 AM

The news seem to have undergone a typical folk process. I read about a ladder "with ropes" - probably for handrails. It may be a solid wooden staircase, perfect for a romantic (as opposed to a sportswoman or -man). Like every outdoor staircase, in may get slippery. Big deal.

Though I'm not quite Joan's age, I am one of those whose "sanity" has always been questioned. We need not be proud of this, just enjoy the company, in spite of diverse lifestyles and musical tastes.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: catspaw49
Date: 23 Nov 10 - 01:16 PM

LOL.........Christ on a crutch.......Sorry I mentioned it! I too have been known to indulge myself in dangerous and wacko sounding (to outsiders) pursuits. That wasn't my point but since I can't seem to make my point let's just skip it and we can all go back to stuffing pine cones up our asses while singing "We Shall Overcome"......................geeziz........gimmee peace............


Spaw

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 23 Nov 10 - 01:32 PM

yeah, peace on you, Grease. I know that you've been out of your tree for years.
As for me, no one I think is in my tree. I mean it must be high or low, right?

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: gnu
Date: 23 Nov 10 - 01:58 PM

Don... sorry to hear about the fall. I hope she is doing okay.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: gnu
Date: 23 Nov 10 - 02:07 PM

"I climb up vertical (and sometimes overhanging) bits of rock using tiny edges for hand and footholds in my mid 50s, and hope to be still doing it in my mid 70s. I guess that's dimbulb too?"

Wellll, ahhh, check the fine print in your life insurance contract.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: catspaw49
Date: 23 Nov 10 - 08:38 PM

LOL @ Gnu........

Spaw

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: Janie
Date: 24 Nov 10 - 12:51 AM

From Aol, in their scrolling "headlines" box on the front page, in the subtitles of 'other news,' "folk star, age 70, ok after fall."

God, I feel old. Not even worth mentioning her name?

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 24 Nov 10 - 05:43 AM

@gnu: I had to fill in a 5 page questionnaire about my petrophilia when I took out the insurance, so I suspect I'm covered. I hope so, considering the loading they put on my premiums! :-)

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: catspaw49
Date: 24 Nov 10 - 06:13 AM

Great Scott!!!!!   I had no idea you were one of them preeverts!!!!


Spaw

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: frogprince
Date: 24 Nov 10 - 10:55 AM

Lookit that guy climbin' on the f**kin' rock!

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: Don Firth
Date: 24 Nov 10 - 03:51 PM

I get vertigo and my ears pop if I look over the edge of a tall curb.

THIS?

I don't think so!!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Joan Baez falls
From: Don Firth
Date: 06 Dec 10 - 01:32 AM

What?

Don Firth

Subject: Joan Baez fall from treehouse
From: GUEST,Guest - Lin
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 01:24 AM

I remember late last year reading about Joan Baez falling out of her treehouse in her backyard in California. Haven't heard anything new lately or how she is doing. Did she heal from her injuries from this fall? If anyone knows, please post. Right now I am thinking about one of her songs called, "For Sasha." You know how you start thinking about a particular song sometimes and you just can't get it out of your mind. Right now, "For Sasha" is one of those songs.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 07:33 AM

Guess she's fine, as she's been posting things on Facebook.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 05:31 PM

Joan, the long and the short of it is: birds slep in trees; people sleep in beds and furthermore birds don't generally want people sharing trees with them.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: gnu
Date: 23 Apr 11 - 02:14 PM

Who told you that? >;-)

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: Colin Randall
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 02:52 AM

She talked a little about the fall during this concert in Marseille and also later in conversation with one or two fans.

Addressing the audience in French, she patted her lower abdomen and said: "It was a bit of a mess, but is nearly healed." There was a pronounced limp as she came on stage and she did move as if in some discomfort. But it was a terrific concert which was part of a tough intinerary, quite remarkable given her recent experience.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: Genie
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 07:51 PM

Good job, Spaw!

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: Genie
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 07:56 PM

Colin, it does sound like those "minor injuries" were underestimated in press reports, but it does sound like she's on the mend. I really hope there are no long-lasting residues.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: Stringsinger
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 07:06 PM

I've known Joan for a long time now, casually, and she is a nice person and deserves to have our sympathy. She's a helluva lot nicer than other folkies I know.

I think she still sounds great and I enjoy her work.

As for casting judgement about sleeping in a tree platform, we all make some
dumb errors in our life. I think she probably had a good reason for being there.

For a while she was a friend of Julia Butterfly.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 12:19 AM

I see no reason why anyone should criticize another human being for choosing to sleep on a tree platform. The most dangerous thing most people ever do is drive their car. And we virtually all do that, don't we? It's a hell of a lot more dangerous than sleeping in a treehouse.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: My guru always said
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 03:45 AM

Gld Joan is healing. Sleeping with the birds sounds wonderful, something I'd love to do. But maybe access could be a little safer! We occasionally sleep out on the lawn where our birds are fed on a hot nightbut our high-side airbed is fairly safe, so far!

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: Colin Randall
Date: 02 Jul 11 - 04:34 PM

These were the relevant comments as posted at my site Salut! Live. They add a little detail (and a useful link to some excellent photos from the concert in Marseille) ...


And those of us who have been wondering for months about the details of
Joan's treehouse accident now know that she fell close to 20 feet -
yikes! No wonder the tweet she sent out at the time said it was a time
for rejoicing, a free-fall from that height could break a back or neck
or crack open a skull....

Posted by: pinkokweer | April 10, 2011 at 10:29 AM



I was in marseille...She told that she fell from her tree-house after a night in it, in the morning...
Now she feels better...as she told me....Sometimes tired but it doesn't hurt her....
The concert was excellent. She finished with here's to you, with a standing ovation ans the public singing with her.
Posted by: Jean-Michel | April 10, 2011 at 10:32 AM


We've waited a long time for any details at all about her fall, thanks to all for passing along her comments. Can you imagine her simple, human EMBARRASSMENT at having fallen while doing something so familiar to her - and which means so much to her?!

Posted by: Martha | April 10, 2011 at 10:33 AM


Did anyone notice that, if you click the second link under the photo in Colin's review, you get to another review, in French - I believe by the photographer. It has the set list ("possibly a bit out of order"), and ALSO a "bonus video"- a piece of a song.

OOH! and a whole gazillion pictures! Link snuck up on me, here it is directly:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/pirlouiiiit/sets/72157626443324332/with/5596185581

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: catspaw49
Date: 02 Jul 11 - 05:00 PM

Thank you MGAS.......finely we get a reasonable post. The rest of you are now free to sleep in giant Redwoods with hickory sticks up your ass!


Spaw

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 02 Jul 11 - 05:20 PM

You talk like you're quite experienced at doing that, Spaw... ;-)

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: GUEST,banjopicker
Date: 28 Nov 11 - 10:52 PM

Oh My reading some of your guys post made my night. I know this thread is old but I have to say I have a lot of respect for joan as a singer/activist and for being able to climb up a tree at 70. If you seen the PBS documentary called how sweet the sound. I dont think she had much of a childhood so maybe shes trying to have one now.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 29 Nov 11 - 12:19 AM

I think Joan is wonderful, and if she wants to sleep all night in a treehouse, more power to her. The air is much fresher up there, and it's peaceful. Sounds like a healthy practice to me, and certainly less dangerous than driving a car.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: Don Firth
Date: 29 Nov 11 - 12:31 AM

Not much of a childhood?

Well, judging from what she said in her autobiography, it sounded pretty normal to me.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: GUEST,banjopicker
Date: 29 Nov 11 - 12:54 AM

What I meant is that she said she moved alot when she was a kid and didnt really have time to make friends ect. I didnt say she didnt have a bad child hood just not much time to do child like things when she was a kid

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: Bobert
Date: 29 Nov 11 - 06:44 AM

BTW, she must be over the fall because she just performed 2 weeks ago here in Wingate, NC @ Wingate University...

B~

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: Elmore
Date: 29 Nov 11 - 02:48 PM

Saw her perform with Kris Kristofferson. on Letterman a couple of weeks ago.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Nov 11 - 05:11 PM

I'm very glad to hear she's OK.

I'm astonished that no one has commented on the writer's crediting her with "Blowing in the Wind". Aaa, what the hell, singer, writer, what's the diff? (As if.)

And I was wondering if anyone else had thought of this line and its context:
"Once I do get to sleep, I shall go on sleeping, whether I roll off or no. And the less said, the sooner I'll drop off, if you take my meaning."

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: Greg B
Date: 29 Nov 11 - 07:16 PM

One of my buddies was fortunate enough to have her as... his guitar teacher!

You know what?

If she wants to sleep up a tree, and fall out of it and break her neck, that's HER choice. She doesn't owe us anything. And it beats hell out of insomnia.

If she prefers a rope ladder to a staircase, that's her choice, too.

I'd rather die in the gym or on a stair-climb than on my couch. Or on an airplane engine-failure with no suitable emergency-landing field.

Us folks of a certain age realize that there's a lot worse things than dyin'

Subject: RE: Joan Baez fall from treehouse-how is she?
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Nov 11 - 08:18 PM

geeziz.............yet more zealots.................

Spaw