February 10, 2011 A bad day, a really bad day I'm writing to tell you about my really bad day. Erin and I left Denver, CO at 12:00pm yesterday (wednesday). We decided that since we ate a late breakfast we would stop in Colorado Springs for gas and a snack. Well, I was driving along and we got to Colorado Springs. This is where the bad day began. You see, usually we check those blue information signs that tell you what's at the next exit, and that's how we decide when we're going to pull off. WELL Colorado Springs had no blue signs, so being much like my father I just drove on! I'd hate to waste time and gas to SEE if there's anything at that exit. I decided that Pueblo wasn't that far away and I had enough gas, so we drove on! Well, as you might know there were NO blue signs in Pueblo! By this time I was getting SOOOO thirsty it was dumb, all of our water was frozen solid. Then I remembered there was a can of coke in the back, so I had sis do some Van Aerobics (that's how we exercise in the van, it gets complicated trying to get from point A to point B in the van sometimes). Erin did some beautiful Van Aerobics to fetch me a drink and what do you know, FROZEN SOLID. At this point I was getting grouchy....THEN I-25 turned into an ice skating rink. I mean both lanes and shoulders were completely ice packed, it was HORRIBLE, so Vincent (the van) and I were driving like 25mph! I was like, I don't know how we're ever going to get over raton pass and I'm just so thirsty and waaa. I was being very pitiful. When we arrived in Trinidad Colorado I was convinced that we couldn't stop until we got over Raton pass because it might take us like an HOUR if the road conditions didn't improve. Well, I should have stopped because the road was FINE! Dry- no problem at all, but now I was SO thirsty Erin was holding the coke up to the heater which was on full blast. I finally did get 2 drinks! You remember how I was going to get gas in Colorado Springs...ya we hadn't filled up yet so by the time we got to Raton we HAD to get some gas, so I pulled into the Phillips 66 and get this, the price was $3.20!!!!!!!!!! AND that station was out of that type of gas. So...oh I was so frustrated, so me and sis were like we are GOING TO GO TO SONIC! I got a snack and a DRINK! and sis got ICE CREAM her favorite and it was only $4.00. Then we got GAS! AND...let me tell you what, for 8 days that we've been on the road every time we had stopped there were either no squeegees, OR the squeegee juice was all frozen solid! UNTIL yesterday! We got to was ALL of the van windows! IT was SO happy! So my rotten day got all better, then we got to the Armstrong house where we had the most fabulous dinner EVER!  Baked Halibut, Green Beans and fresh veggies. I even got to find the recipe for baked fish and cook it up! Which if you know me that made me a very happy gal. The recipe: 1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese 1/4th tsp sage 2 cloves garlic 1/4 cup olive oil salt and pepper So I mixed all of that up into a nice paste and rubbed it on the fish, baked it at 450 for about 20 minutes and had some EXCELLENT tasting fish! My bad day got all better! A few interesting road signs from the day... Bear Crossing! I looked and looked for a bear but never saw one. I asked sis to watch the road, so don't worry! Elk Crossing! After those two signs were about 5 miles apart, Erin said "well that means we're in the middle of no where". Use Cautio, Road Const ahead...which for us meant use caution, road constipation ahead.. Erin and I are having a wonderful day today, we're camped out by a fireplace working, be sure to check our website for Schedule Updates! Thanks to everyone who's been calling us to book gigs, we appreciate you very much! Amber February 8, 2010 Dulcimer Memories This past weekend was the 8th Annual Colorado Dulcimer Festival in Ft. Collins.  I was one of the mountain dulcimer instructors and a few really special things happened-- things that brought back happy memories and created new ones.  I thought I'd share some of those memory moments with you tonight. :) Stephen Seifert was another one of the mountain dulcimer instructors.  I first met him in 1999 when I was 12 years old and he was touring with the late David Schnaufer.  I attended a workshop they conducted where they taught the tune "Elk River Blues."  One year later, I had practiced "Elk River Blues" a thousand times and thus played it for them when they returned to the same festival.  After hearing me play it, they invited me to join them for their concert and play it with them.  It was a HUGE highlight for a little 13-year old aspiring mountain dulcimer player!! David Schnaufer passed away several years ago, but he left behind an incredible legacy of music through his teaching and encouraging.  Stephen Seifert has continued to be a major influence in my dulcimer playing.  I was honored--and a little bit intimidated-- to be teaching alongside him at this event.  Thursday evening after we got everything set up, my sister Amber and I ended up jamming Stephen Seifert and Nathaniel Samsel.  Nathaniel is a young mountain dulcimer player from Georgia who was there with his Dad.  We had so much fun playing together, that Amber and I invited them to play "Angeline the Baker" with us during our concert on Friday night.  It was a special moment! The next day, Stephen Seifert asked me if I would join him for a tune during his concert.  "Would you like to play 'Elk River Blues' with me?" he asked.  As we sat down to practice it together, I almost cried thinking about David Schnaufer, the first time I met Stephen, the incredible encouragement they had been to me, and the way the music was continuing on.  I ended up playing 4 tunes with Stephen, a career highlight for sure! Steve Eulberg organized the festival.  I first met him in 1998 when he hosted a "dulcimer friendly worship service" at his campground at the bluegrass festival in Winfield (same festival where I met Stephen & David a year later).  I hardly knew anything on my dulcimer, but he was very patient and helped me play along.  That year, he won 2nd place in the National Mountain Dulcimer Contest and I couldn't believe I had played with a Champion  We have stayed in touch ever since and he has been an amazing supporter and encourager of my music.  It is always wonderful to see him again, and this trip was no exception! Other highlights included *playing a tune with Bonnie Carol.  Her book "Dust Off that Dulcimer and Dance" was one of my first and favorite dulcimer books.  *meeting Mark Alan Wade. He is a fabulous hammered dulcimer player, plus has his doctorate in trumpet performance & plays the heck out of the piano too.  *eating ice cream for breakfast to celebrate "National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day!" *enjoying the company of some wonderful people who were all brought together for their love of this instrument called the dulcimer.  On top of all these wonderful things, Mark, Stephen, Amber and I all stayed with Steve Eulberg giving us time to visit after each day of the festival.  All of us are Christ-followers, so we had several great conversations about our faith.  It was a beautiful thing to share not only the music which had brought us all together, but the faith which inspired each of us to play that music to the glory of the Lord.  I am blessed. ~Enjoy Life~ Erin Rogers Blog Archive February 22, 2011 Today is day 21 on the road!!!!! Erin and I are both feeling tired and a bit worn down, but wow we've been having SOOOOOOo much fun. I can't tell you how fun it has been being in Levelland Texas! We're getting to connect with old friends, pick lots of bluegrass and play a few shows! It just puts a big smile on my face. I am happy to report that we have not seen any more snow! In fact, it's been so warm in Levelland that Erin and I had to borrow clothes and go to the good will because we only had sweaters! How crazy is that! I'm realizing that it might just be impossible to pack for a month long tour and end up with everything that you need. Some things never change..Erin still really enjoys ice cream and I do really enjoy a nice latte! Tonight we get to go to our favorite BBQ spot in Levelland, LARRY'S!!!! Tonight is jazz night so that will be very fun. Guess what I just did???? I just jumped a friends car back to life! That's right!!!!! Us girls jumped a friends car because we knew how!! WOOHOO! So this was a very random blog, sorry for that, but it's just how life on the road goes, it's random!!! Thanks for all of the support we appreciate it!! See you on down the road! Amber