Still thinking of Texas...

On Monday this week, we flew up to our next venue - Purdue University, 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis, in Indiana. We're here until Monday next week, with 3 shows this weekend - Fri, Sat and Sun. The past couple of days have been time off. With almost freezing temperatures, snow today, and an annoying cold, I've been sticking indoors, fiddling and writing blogs so haven't seen much of the area yet. We're basically in the middle of a uni campus, which is reminding me of the 4 months I spent at University of Rochester, 10 years ago now! Can hardly believe it's been that long. I was invited to work in a lab there as part of the PhD.

The cold is making think long for Texas and of how great an experience we had down there. The chuckwagon breakfast at the Tommy Duncan festival was definitely one of the highlights. I spent 3 and a half years in Nashville and really thought I'd experienced the south but Texas is definitely it's own thing. Meeting the Duncan family, and being welcomed in the way we were was just amazing. I loved seeing the old wooden house too, where Tommy & his siblings grew up. Texas version of an old croft house I suppose. It was a perfect Sunny Texas afternoon and was like standing on the set of an old Western film, everybody standing around in cowboy hats and boots. The afternoon and music and dancing was second to none. The genuine ease that Texans take to the dance floor with has to be seen to be believed, and all in the middle of the afternoon, without a belly full of drink... There's something hypnotic about the Texas two step... The Western Swing Band sound is hypnotic too... and sounds like this: Jody Nix Band. These guys played in Hillsboro that Saturday. Brilliant! Austin was a completely different experience - big bustling city and the capital of Texas. It's unlike any other US city I've been though - really well kept, bursting full of musical life, but laid back too.

South Congress has great shops, bars and bohemian feel. I strolled through there the day before we left and found what might be the best shop I've ever been in - second hand & antiques, all kinds of everything and laid out more like a museum that a shop. It's called Uncommon Objects and well worth a look if you find yourself in Austin. It was about 75 degress so perfect day for sitting out, listening to music and even dancing on the street, as some people were doing outside Jo's Cafe on South Congress. Great way to soak up an Austin Sunday. I'd noticed the view down South Congress towards the Capital building the day before but realised it would involve standing in the middle of the road. With 20 seconds flashing for the green (actually white in the states) man I just had time to get the shot. Mission accomplished. Ah Texas, I miss you already and you've only just gone! Could do with some of the 75 degree heat now!