Sometimes music hits like a sledgehammer

Bob Franke came to my notice when one of his songs, called For Real, hit me like a sledgehammer between the eyes. And then it offered healing.

Some of his songs are wonderfully joyous, especially The Great Storm is Over; some are just funny (like Boomerang Pancakes), all speak from his heart to the listener's.

So when I got email today from Bob about a new song, I clicked the link, and now I'm sharing it with you -- see the vodpod ribbon on the right.

-- Rachel Holmen

Dickens Fair 2008

So much fun! Two friends and I went, and we had a ball. We took BART to Glen Park station and then caught a free shuttle, so no traffic or parking worries. We ate fabulous meat pies, drank mulled cider, bought among us a hat, some pirate socks, a hooded scarf, some beads, a stick puppet, and some fudge. We were tempted by corsets, jewelry, candles, fans, shawls, and yet more hats. Here's one of the vendors we visited -- she makes porcelain angel figures of everything from armadillos to zebras (including giraffes, dogs, and elephants); Queen Victoria and her handsome escort; and my two friends hamming it up under a Christmas tree. We may have to go back next weekend.

You can get a $5 discount just by showing your BART ticket; or buy online tickets at http://www.dickensfair.com/tickets.htm. (I'd definitely recommend buying tickets in advance, since there was a bit of a wait otherwise.)

-- Rachel

Craftswomen

I made my contributions to the economy today: earrings from Dotty Calabrese (Just For Fun), a rag rug in a cheerful red for my bedroom (Margaret Thompson, Monterey Fiber and Design), a fragile but beautiful pottery bowl from "Forms In Clay" (Lyn Swan), some bookmarks made of interesting textured paper (Marie Kelzer Designs dot com), and a tiny upholstery fabric purse and a blue silk flower from Jennifer Shors. This was the second weekend of the Women's Building Craft Show, one that I always try to attend. It's held at Fort Mason in San Francisco; I lucked out today and found a good free parking place. (This probably offset the small traffic accident that had delayed me, when a white pickup backed into the front of my tiny Honda Civic.) -- Rachel Holmen