Monday, August 10, 2009

Festival Fun!!!

This is a pretty long post today. The longest one I have posted yet. It's difficult cramming 3 days worth of photos into one post. Actually 4 days because I am also posting about a festival our daughter's band performed in the weekend before this one.
We traveled to the heart of Idaho to 'The Braun Brother Reunion Music Festival' in Challis.





This is a tiny frontier mining town nestled in a beautiful valley. The population on a normal day is 900, but swells to about 5900 on this weekend that the Braun Brothers have their reunion. They are an Idaho family of great musicians and song writers. They bring in bands from Texas and other states for this festival. It's a three day line-up of great bands playing great music. It started on Thursday and ran through Saturday. Our daughter's band played on Friday afternoon. You can go to her website the (kimstockingband.com) if you would like to read a little more about them.
(I can't get the link to work, so you will have to type in the address.)

This is main street Challis,Idaho.




There are still working gold mines here in the mountains around this town that employs several of the residents here.









It seemed that every third or forth building was a saloon. Just what you would expect of an old mining town.


I loved this old house or business. In the upstairs window there is an old iron bed that I would have loved to see close up. Maybe next year I will get the nerve to find the owner and see how much they would sell it for.




Remnants of the old frontier.




My sweet girl Kimberlee





She was so excited to be included in this years line up of bands for this event. I hope they have her back again, because I would certainly love a repeat of this past weekend. Good music, good scenery, and good company.



There was a great crowd there and a lot of the people who love her music came the two and a half hours to listen to her. (Oh I think I'm bragging, aren't I ) (sorry, I'll probably do more of it as this goes on)








They next couple of pictures are her very talented musicians that play with her. I didn't get a good photo of the drummer at this festival.









These next photos are of the great campground we stayed at while there. 'The Challis Hot Springs' is up a beautiful canyon and sits right on the banks of the Salmon River. It was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful, and I never wanted to leave.

This barn sits right at the entrance of the bed and breakfast and campground.




You can see the B&B in the background. Of course it was full.


A front view of the B&B. I love the wrought iron work on the front and on the balcony.


This is the pool and access to the hot springs. It was a busy place all weekend and there were no vacancies and yet it was so quiet, We loved it!


I wanted to share with you another music festival that Kim's band performed at the weekend before in our own area. 'The Northern Rockies Folk Festival' is a huge event here in the summer
It is held in Hailey, Idaho. I read the paper this week and it said that there were 5000 attendees for this event this year. It didn't seem like that many people to me, but then I didn't stop to count. Kim has been performing at this festival for several years. My daughter Ember used to be in the band with Kim and sang back up vocals. They sounded so awesome together. Ember married and moved off to Boise and had a baby, so you know how that goes. I think this was Kim's second folk festival without her sister backing her up.




This venue is such a great place to have this event. It's right down next to the Bigwood River.



I think Kim is very comfortable performing here. It's her home and she loves it and the people.




Kim has sung her whole life. I used to sing when I was younger and was asked to sing for weddings, graduations and the like, and while practicing for them, I noticed that Kim at a very young age had an amazing voice and had perfect pitch.( oh no, there I go again, sorry for the bragging, but if I don't do it here, who will I get to listen to me) She always knew the songs as well as I did by the time she had heard me practicing for days on end. All of our daughters sing. I really encouraged them to take chorus and choir (actually insisted, really) in school. We love music in our home and did a lot of singing together as a family.















She really has the best guys in her band. So talented and just good men.






Hello...is anyone still there? If you are, thank you for listening to my tales of our great little road trip to Challis,Idaho and enjoying the peace and beauty there. It really was great to get away for awhile. Landon did well on this trip. It was our first time being away from home this long with him, but he did great. He doesn't always do well with routine changes, but he seemed to love this as much as we did. This little break was good for me and just reinforced how great my life is and how very lucky I am. I hope to take little breaks more often so I can keep reminding myself that life really is wonderful.

28 comments:

Weißer Vintagezauber said...

Hello June,
this is really cool a Country music and the suitable area in addition. I find it so nice if a person so fantastically can sing.
I wish you to all love,
make good it,
Elke.

Rebecca Nelson said...

Oh Junie...I'm quite sure your girl has an amazing voice. Can you put her music on your bloggie? I would love to hear her...

The photos you've shared are amazing. I wanna KNOW if you ever get that bed, K?

You are a SCREAM!

xooxRebecca

Anonymous said...

June- thank you for sharing your daughter and trip with us!! I have always wanted to do what your daughter is doing- never had enough guts to sing in public except at church!

blessings
mary

LiLi M. said...

Beautiful post! This is the kind of scenery we had in minds when we were kids when we thought about the USA, like the Wild West. Those wooden homes, beautifully tattered, I just love that! Your daughter looks great performing. Do you have any clips on Youtube? I would like to listen to her as well. Great to hear that you and your family had such a great time. People need to go to out now and then and enjoy themselves, but that only works when everybody is having fun, which was the case, as I understand. Now you have charged that battery, enjoy your day!

Bonjade said...

Oh amazing this long post from you.....
But you are so right.
You must be so proud on her.
A big hug

Carolyn said...

Hi June,
Lovely post. I am glad you had a great time.You're daughter is beautiful and I would love to hear her on You Tube too.

Take care,
Carolyn

One Shabby Old House said...

We just have that right to brag about our amazingly talented children...We Are Mothers!!!! I get tears in my eyes when I listen to my son sing. It is one of the sweetest blessing that I have in life...my precious children.
I read it all the way to the bottom girlfriend.
Coz....you are my friend
Hugs
Becky

Sandi said...

Hi June,
It looks like you had an amazing time! You should be proud of your daughter. We are their biggest fans aren't we!!!
Blessings~

Paula said...

Dear June,

I enjoyed your post so much! It think it is wonderful to brag on your daughter, it is so sweet and blesses her! :) She is beautiful and I would love to hear her sing. I would love to hear you sing, too. I love to sing, but it doesn't sound good at all! hee hee! The town looks so charming and all of the old buildings are wonderful! I hope you will be able to go back and get the iron bed.

I am so glad to hear Landon did well on the trip and enjoyed himself so much. I am also glad you had a nice little break. It is so true, those little breaks remind us of how good our lives are and how blessed we are.

Love and hugs,
Paula

Unknown said...

Looks like so much fun June! And how exciting to see Kimberlee up there performing...and you certainly should brag!!! You have every right my dear ;) What a wonderful family and so intriguing to hear about your musical backgrounds...I don't have even an inch of that talent so I am always amazed when others do! Love the photos you shared from your trip {I would have been very interested in the iron bed if I saw it in that window too}. Blessings to you!

Deb said...

What a great post June! I love watching outdoor performances & it sounds as though you had a fabulous time. Idaho looks beautiful & by your discription it is! Thankyou for sharing photos of your fun weekend.

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for all of the great pics.! What a lovely area, just my kind of vacation. I don't know how many times that I have wanted to go and knock on a door and see if they were willing to sell something. But I never have....yet! Your daughter is beautiful and I'm sure every bit as talented as you say. It's our right as Moms to brag on our kids!

Anne said...

What a great post. Thanks for sharing your vacation with all of us. The pictures were just beautiful. I feel like I was right there, the way you were discribing the beauty of it all. Good luck to your daughter and her band!

Julie Marie said...

Hello June, I loved your post (as always) and I am sure you are soo very proud of Kimberlee...I love to hear about other people's family and I alway say it is "no brag, just fact" (well, maybe just a teeny little bit of bragging I do) The little towns look so peaceful, I am sure I could get lost there forever...

Anonymous said...

Morning Junebug! I'd love to hear your daughter's voice. Do you have any video of her or can we look her up on you tube. It looks like a lovely old fashioned place to visit. My kind of vacation. Love the photo's.

The Victorian Parlor said...

June,

You should absolutely brag about your talented daughter! How wonderful to be gifted with a beautiful voice and to sing in front of so many people! I loved the scenery as this is so different from my neck of the woods. It really does look like the old saloon towns that you see in the movies:). Glad you had such a wonderful trip and thanks for taking us along!

Blessings,

Kim

Jodie (everything vintage) said...

Girl, you can BRAG to me all you want to as I've been WATIING for this post to hear all about Kim! She's beautiful June! You have every reason to be a boasting Mother!!!! Your little getaway sounded (& looked) extremely wonderful...I'm so happy for you! So does Landon like hearing his sissy sing in the band? That's awesome he was able to get away too!!! Such beautiful country side, I love the rolling hills. Everything here in Louisiana is so flat. Green but FLAT.
So tell me...are you wanting to buy that iron bed or the WHOLE building??? I don't think you made yourself quite clear! ;)
I'm off to check out Kim's band site!!!!
Thanks for indulging us in your beautiful life June...I love coming here!!!
everything vintage

Jodie (everything vintage) said...

The link for Kim is not working, I can't get there
:(

Suzy's Vintage Attic said...

Hello June
What a great post! You really get a feel of the wild west and what it must have looked like. I do like places which give you a glimpse of the past.
Take care
Isabelle

Unknown said...

How cool for Kimberlee! Looks like you guys had an awesome time!!

:) T

Draffin Bears said...

Hi June,

I loved your post and glad that you had a wonderful trip away.
You are most welcome to brag all you like, as your daughter is beautiful and you must be so proud of her talent and always so great hearing anyone sing. I love music too and growing up we were a sing around the piano family.

Was great to see Idaho and what a beautiful old place.
I will go and take a look at your daughters website now.

Have a good day
Hugs
Carolyn

Ana~A Petite Cottage said...

Hi June,
I'm so happy you had a chance to get away a for bit. Sounds like you had a good time. I'm a country girl at heart, so places like these are so beautiful and peaceful to me. Tell your daughter I say congratulations. Have a wonderful day.

♥Ana

Cindy@Cutepinkstuff said...

Good fun! I'll be in Pocatello vacationing soon. The landscape and general homey feel of Challis reminds me of home!

blushing rose said...

G'eve, June ~ What a gorgeous daughter & congrats on her performing. How very proud you must be. The trip looks like it would have been very relaxing & enjoyable. TTFN ~ Marydon

joanne said...

It sounds and looks like a great time was had by all! I would love to see Challis, I just love old mining towns and the scenery. Thanks for the little vacation break..;p

Teacup Mosaics said...

What a great adventure and Mom you just BRAG away it looks well deserved! THe photos are wonderful and oh so interesting, I would love it if those old buildings could talk. Looking forward to next years post!!!! Take care!!!
Kelley

V I N T A G E O L O G I E said...

Simply beautiful ... you are one proud Mama and I can understand why! GOOD JOB! Any videos posted online of your daughter's band performing?

Looks like such a fun time and that camp ground ... right up my ally, LOVE it.

Thanks for taking the time to share
ALL of this ; )

xo
Jill

Stephenie said...

As a mother, I love to hear others talk about their children.. You're just a proud mom like most of us.. You really should be proud of her.. I would love to hear a recording of her singing one day..
I loved taking a trip with you to Challis,Idaho..Thanks for sharing.
Stephenie