Monday, September 28, 2009

Happy Birthday, Eberle!!


As you’ll continue to see right here on Robert Frost's Banjo, I like folks born around this time of year; September & October are two of my favorite months, & always have been, & some of the best people I've known have been born this time of year. But of all the wonderful September people I’ve known (both Virgos & Libras, for the astrologically-minded), none has been more wonderful to know than Eberle Umbach.

I’ve known Eberle for a good long while—we first met in 1984 in Charlottesville, at a party at the house of writer George Garrett. We remained good friends throughout much of the 1980s, having many marathon conversations about things ranging from courtly love & religion to the French Revolution & poetry; we sure smoked a lot of cigarettes during those! Ah well.

For various reasons we fell out of touch at the end of the decade, with me moving to San Francisco & Eberle ultimately moving to Brazil where she spent a few years in the interior living on a farm. We got back in touch in 1996, & a whole new phase of my life began—a phase that involved music & country living & the kind of true companionship I’d mostly missed until that time. The subsequent years—despite the ups & downs that inevitably come to us all—have been very happy & filled with amazing collaborations, especially on the musical front, from our first days playing music together in my San Francisco apartment to our most recent show at the Alpine Playhouse earlier this month. We’ve been companions thru a succession of bands, various farming ventures, lots of fun road trips (short & long—practically everything’s a road trip when you live in Indian Valley), & thru good & bad times.

Words can only say so much—so I’m adding a little slideshow I think Eberle will enjoy—& hope you will too. The background music is me singing a very old tune called “Green, Green Rocky Road,” which Eberle tells me is her favorite of the songs I perform; the pictures are ones we took of an old homestead just about a half mile down the road from us. It’s one of Eberle’s favorite spots, & tho it’s dilapidated (even more so now than when these pix were taken!) it still captures her imagination.

So hope you, our wonderful cyber friends also enjoy this little virtual party! Happy Birthday, Sweet Pea, & many, many happy returns!




16 comments:

  1. Lovely, especially the last shot of dual shadows. Happy Birthday, Eberle.

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  2. Well, I certainly love you, John, for posting this delightful song and slide show for all of us to enjoy! That last shadow shot is just marvelous.

    Happy Birthday to your Sweet Pea, Eberle!!!

    (How did I know she was a Libra?) :^)

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  3. What a wonderful tribute, John. Happy birthday to Eberle, and all the best to the both of you.

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  4. Hi Jacqueline, Willow & Sandra

    Jacqueline: I remember we were quite taken with the prospect of that photo. Those were taken on film, so there was some guesswork involved!

    Willow: Glad you like the show!

    Sandra: Thanks for that.

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  5. beautiful song and beautiful photos - there is nothing like a dilapidated homestead to capture the imagination...if walls and ruins could talk, but I guess they do!

    thanks for the invite to the party, it has been fun!!


    hippo birdie dear sweet pea eberle!!

    xxxx

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  6. Hi Mouse: Glad you enjoyed this--& I love the phrase "Hippo Birdie!" Had never heard that one.

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  7. Love to you and Eberle as you celebrate this happy day! Hippo birdie is so perfect for Eberle, Mouse. I'm going to start saying that!

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  8. a really lovely tribute. happy days to you both.

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  9. Hi Audrey & Lana--& thanks. Eberle's coming back from her retreat at Sandpoint, so she won't be home 'till this evening. We're (mostly) celebrating tomorrow!

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  10. Happy Birthday, Eberle...
    And John, you are a sweetheart.
    You both are lovely together :)

    Peace - Rene

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  11. The music, the images - felt transported - a Birthday surprise for all you have stopped by. Thank you Eberle for inspiring such delight. And Thank you Dave for being so inspired. HAPPY HAPPY to all for all your days!

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  12. That is a smashing tribute. It's almost like being at your party. Happy birthday Eberle.

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  13. Happy Birthday to Eberle and best wishes to you both. Wonderful slide show with a great soundtrack!

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  14. Great song, John, loved the 'soda cracker/chew tobacca' rhyme,great slideshow too of the beautiful old homestead, but above all and much more importantly very HAPPY BIRTHDAY EBERLE! Pip, pip!!

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  15. Happiest Birthday to Eberle! Thanks to you, John, for introducing us to your music and this area and the wonderful writings of both you and Eberle, your Sweet Pea.

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  16. Hi Rene, Rose Marie, Alan, K, TFE & Karen!

    Wow! Thanks to all of you. What a wonderful cyber party--you folks are always welcome!

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