Occasional Musings by Kevin Russell
August 1, 2018 I am calling an ‘audible,’ that is a change in play or plan at the last minute. Skiing with friends, that is what we call a trail change on the fly. Instead of going to Chester Pennsylvania for the Tour or Championship show, I have decided to take an extra day back here on the Mill Brook and then go to … Continue Reading →
NightBEAT: from the fifty July 30, 2018 Last night was one of the best drum corps shows that I have attended yet. BB&T Field and the hosts, the Carolina Crown family did not disappoint at NightBEAT in Winston-Salem North Carolina. Sitting in my excellent seat in the mid 40’s (47-yard line and 46 rows up), I had the best vantage for the amazing night … Continue Reading →
Thirty Years of Caring in Carolina July 29, 2018 10:00am I am immersed in the comfort of southern hospitality with my new drum corps brothers, friends and family at a hotel in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I have embarked on my 2018 late season tour of Drum Corps International (DCI) competitions beginning tonight with NightBEAT, a Tour of Champions (TOC) competition that stretches back … Continue Reading →
Monday, July 16, 2018 – Reflections Along the Mill Brook When it hits 90 degrees, I have the best place to hang out – down along the Mill Brook. I am lucky to have such a nice private setting to reflect, write, and act out my natural tendencies. After moving a ton of rocks to clear out the swim hole, I am ensconced in … Continue Reading →
July 2, 2018 A Homecoming. After what seemed like an eternity, I reunited with the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps yesterday in Lawrence, Massachusetts. They have been on tour since mid-June, competing in shows in Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. After the great send-off in Boston, the corps continues to stake its claim within the top corps in the activity, ranking in … Continue Reading →
I have never witnessed so much love in one room as I did last night at the IBEW Local 103 hall in Boston. OK, Dorchester. This was the site of Spring Fling, the annual celebration of the beginning of drum corps season and send-off for the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, as they are embarking on their summer tour. The hall was filled … Continue Reading →
It was a splendid night for drum corps. The ever-present sun was getting low on the horizon and the temperature had descended to a moderate 70 degrees. It was a windy day, but that had abated to a nice cooling breeze. The splendor of the Green Mountains surrounded Spartan Stadium. The corps was spread across the field in clusters of the various sections – … Continue Reading →
June 6, 2018 – Warren, Vermont If you think the world is upside down these days, spend a day at your local school. Recently, I have been substitute teaching at the Warren School, and each day I spend there bolsters my hope for the future. I have been a parent and am now a grandparent of the neighboring Fayston School. Volunteering as a ski … Continue Reading →
The other day, I drove down to Vermont’s Castleton University to see some friends that I made last year while touring with the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps (BAC), and to catch their spring training ensemble rehearsal for the upcoming 2018 season. Spring training for BAC in Castleton is the closest that drum crops comes to my humble home along the Mill Brook, … Continue Reading →
A back country ski adventure in the Phen Basin Wilderness. Yesterday was another magical day in the Phen Basin Wilderness Area in the Green Mountains of Vermont. I booted up the Hemlock Hill Trail for about 1/4 mile to where the disappearing spring snow was continuous enough to ski. It was a cold morning just after dawn in early April. The snow was hard … Continue Reading →