So after many days on the road, I have finally calmed down enough to remember to update the blog.

Colorado was Rad! I spent a day with my Uncle in longmont, touring around and seeing the cleanup following the epic flooding last year that ravaged several surrounding towns. I Spent a couple days in Denver with my cousin Kaitlin and her husband Carson. I cut a few coins while at their house and continued down to Colorado Springs to see Adam Leech over at the Leech Pit. My former baby sitter Jennifer hosted me for an evening before I headed east to Atlanta.

The blade show In Atlanta went very well and I returned with three new blades, a SOG Double bit axe and a SOG fast hawk for fun and a R. Cover liner lock that is going to be an amazing engraving project.

The Engrave-In was awesome in Monteagle Tennessee, I conversed with many new and old friends and truly had an amazing time! I discussed several options for mobile studio vehicles with other engraving gypsies, and from that I came to the conclusion that the Nissan NV2500 is the best candidate.

After a rainy couple of days at Scotts Ranch I left for Michigan and My Home town of East Lansing. My return to Michigan was Magic, The first night at my Dear friend Megan's Place had us up all night talking till dawn. Over the next few days I touched base and reconnected with several of my mothers Friends and family members of her generation. I Toured my old high school and found a pair of art teachers that had me for classes years ago. As we left I bumped into another set of friends that I had lost touch with several years back. It was all very fortuitous and could not have been planned to work so fluidly.

I left for Holland after teaching Megan's son to engrave a coin and throw an axe or two. My grandmother who turns 98 this year, greeted me with warm words and a meal. We talked nearly nonstop for a couple days and I was able to gain some additional closure to my mothers death. In addition to remembering those dearly departed, we discussed many topics long thought to be forbidden. Without disclosing too much I'll say that I was very happily surprised by her response to my admissions and divergent opinions.

I returned to East Lansing for a day and met up with a few more friends before heading off to Chicago. Megan Joined up for the trip and we met up with Dre (another friend from grade school) She walked us through her neighborhood and treated us to local food namely spicy fruit and fresh roasted corn. We had so much fun we nearly peed ourselves and the laughter never ceased. We crashed at a Castle in Hyde Park and after a delicious lunch we hung out at millennium park. Our parting hugs were bittersweet at union station where Megan hoped the train back to East Lansing.

A series of Beautiful Cloudscapes and an Emotional sunset ushered me across Illinois and into Iowa. Which brings me to the present moment where I am resting before heading out to Nebraska tomorrow. Happy Solstice, and Many Blessings!