Annual SMC Picnic
On Sunday, August 27, SMC members, as well as friends and spouses, gathered at Anne Baier's house for the annual Scottish Music Club picnic. We don't have exact historical data, but we know that this event has been going on for many years - until this year at the home of Sylvia Miskoe in Concord. A precedent has been established: great potluck food, conversation on a multitude of topics, and then playing music. Anne's kitchen, screened porch, and dining room provided ample space for plating up and enjoying the potluck.
The original plan had been to gather for tunes in Anne's great room, which has accommodated several rehearsals, but we had a nice problem - there were too many musicians to fit in there. Fortunately, Anne had an alternative: the barn. Now, this is not just any barn. The barn was built in 1791 and renovated in 2017-18 by Anne’s son. During Covid, they held several musical events there and this past April hosted a barn concert for Jeremiah McLane’s trio, Kalos. The sound was excellent, so it has become a venue for concerts as well as jam sessions. We chose tunes from our Session book, some familiar, others played less frequently. In spite of a little rustiness from not having played together for a couple months, we were reminded of how much we enjoy the repertoire and musical fellowship.
As we move through the coming year with sessions, workshops, and concerts, no doubt in the back of our minds we'll be looking forward to next year's picnic - always on the last Sunday before the Labor Day weekend [August 25, 2024].
If Labor Day would fall on September 1, the picnic would not be on that Sunday. So technically it’s on the last Sunday before the Labor Day weekend.