Hello fabulous VIP members!
We’re hoping you had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with friends and family. We were in much gratitude this Thanksgiving holiday for each and every one of you, and all the incredible support you’ve given us! We take your fabulous energy with us in our travels, and get the opportunity to share your energy and our music with the rest of the world. What a gift…..
We just returned from Jackson Hole and are so grateful that Mother Nature was on our side, helping us arrive safely there and back home again. We left early, and got to Jackson just before the snow flew last Wednesday. Now, “early” meaning 6am, was a challenge, I cannot lie, especially for us entertainers, but in lieu of a potentially dangerous journey, we rallied to get on the road while still dark, and fought off the sleepy stick, enjoying all the sites because we had daylight to lead the way. Osa had the best seat in the SUV.
Traveling over the Swan Valley and Teton Pass, 10% grade, slick and scary, is not for the feign of heart. Good thing Niccole is a fully bonafide commercial driver. I feel safe in her hands, totally trust her. And then of course, there are just certain travels/roads that she’d rather be behind the wheel anyway, because to be a passenger while I’m driving can sometimes be a scary thing, at least for Niccole.
We landed at our friend, Sarah’s place near Teton National Park. A magical little wonderland that’s nestled below the incredible Teton mountain range. You cannot imagine the amount of wildlife we saw! We thought we could be in National geographic! A family of 8 deer, about 4 fawns the rest does, came up as close as the porch to say hello and feed off the grasses barely visible cloaked by new snow. Moose were known to frequent the property but we didn’t see any this time. However, you’d think we were in the Elk Refuge from the incredible herds of elk that came through her property……amazing!
We spent Thanksgiving eve with a group of folks we didn’t know, but with whom we quickly became friends. One of the gals, named Sue, did photography as a hobbyist, but could have easily been a professional photographer for any wildlife outfit. Beautiful authentic pictures of grizzlies and their cubs, a bear that took down a bison, wolves, and rams antlers locked in the fight for the next female. Stunning pictures, and so many stories she shared. It was a special treat.
We not only had a food coma, but a sensory coma with all the incredible beauty we got to see on film .
Friday we headed over the hill to the party that we were hired to play, after a much needed rehearsal. We landed at the Teton Teepee hotel, on the way to Targhee Ski Resort where the party was hosted. We played for a gals’ 70th birthday party. She and her husband has seen us play throughout the years, but approached us last August while we were playing at Redfish Lake Lodge and asked if we’d come out Thanksgiving weekend in Wyoming to play for her special day. We couldn’t have been more delighted to have such a gracious invitation at a time to give thanks.
The beauty of this venue is that we were all enclosed in this gi-normous great room, that looked like a gigantic wooden teepee, and somehow that all brought us close. Nicci called it, they all wanted to dance. So we pulled out our dance tunes and the dance floor became full of folks shaking their tail feathers! So much fun! Lots of great laughs and smiles witnessed that night. We retired to our hotel room where Osa excitedly awaited us to hear of our recent adventures, and bite our hands to signify she was happy we were home, well Super 8 was home for this particular night.
Saturday, the “day after” as we’ve affectionately coined it, we had fun. In other words, the gig is behind us, we have no other commitments for several days so we can just relax, and unwind a bit. We spent the morning swimming laps in the hotel pool and taking a soak in the hot tub. We had the whole place to ourselves. While the prospect of skinny dipping under these circumstances was appealing to me, we decided to play it safe. Afterall, we had brought our bathing suits. Would have just preferred not to have to wear them.
We then visited an outdoor store, so Nicc could get a better jacket for winter. Something warm, but stylistic. And we found it, on sale no less, so we were very happy campers. This was in the little town of Driggs, ID. and I couldn’t help notice the Thai restaurant down the way. So off we went for some lunch, and OMG! It was absolutely amazing!!! Truly authentic! Don’t know if you realized, but Nicc and I are total foodies! Any delicious, delectableness is right up our alley! So we were in hoggie heaven, and thoroughly enjoyed our indulgence, which included a decadent Thai ice tea too!
We then ventured over the Teton pass again, free of snow thankfully, and made our way to Sarah’s in Jackson Hole. We had a leisurely couple of days at her homestead given the fact that it snowed on and off the rest of the time we were there. Got to get our exercise shoveling her porches and driveway, and of course, there were lots of good meals to prepare. It was very relaxing, and we found ourselves feeling free of stress, obligation, or worry. It was like a continual meditation. Everywhere you looked was unprecedented beauty with the hopeful promise of something fresh and new.
Upon our departure at dark-thirty Monday morning, 100 elk came meandering through Sarah’s property. Babies, Bulls, and Mammas! I could hear the babies calling to their mammas. Sounded like mewing kittens. Incredible! Of course witnessing this monumental event delayed our departure a bit, but we were the better off for it. What an incredible site to witness. So majestic!
Now we’ve been home for 3 days. The to-do lists have piled up, and our offices are a mess, but we are so grateful to be in the holiday season, and feeling the fabulous holiday spirit in the best way possible! At home, with family and friends, and with much to be thankful for. Hope you’re enjoying the new CD, “The Sun Runs.” May it run a little extra slow this holiday season so that we can truly take in all the beautiful memories we have to behold, and those precious moments that simply unparallel any others.
Wishing you all the best this season! May the most you wish for, be the least you receive. May you always share what you’re grateful for, and may you have health and happiness abundant!
Happy Holidays to each and every one!
Love Mo and Niccole, and Dig Dog, Osa
