Bo and Mary @ Mercers through Joyce's eyes ...

From a Distance...but up close and inside ...

Before the walls came down on the expansion ... at Mercer's Fresh Roasted Coffees in Charlotte Harbor, Florida ... the musicians and listeners were inches away from each other. And the customers joined in the music as they came through the gathering to get their favorite roast from the shelves you see behind this Frump. 

The sounds of Music and friendships growing... 

Ashokan Farewell

The Ashokan Farewell

"Ashokan Farewell" is a piece of music composed by Jay Ungar in 1982. It has served as a goodnight or farewell waltz at the annual Ashokan Fiddle & Dance Camps, run by the composer and his wife, at the lakefront campus (near Ashokan Reservoir) of the State University of New York at New Paltz. The tune was later used as the title theme of the 1990 PBStelevision miniseries The Civil War,^[1] as well as the 1991 compilation album Songs of the Civil War.

http://en.wikipedia.org

Mary and Roy stopped in for the Nov 16th circle at Mercer's Fresh Roasted Coffees in Charlotte Harbor, Florida and delighted the group with The Ashokan Farewell.

Mercer's Saturdays Jams, a weekly gathering of musicians in the local Charlotte County, Florida area, presents a multitude of talented friends and friends of friends. The group of friends encourages and lends support to every level of talent and is also supported by a following of regulars who come for the afternoon. Customers of  Mercer's Fresh Roasted Coffees who stop in for their favorite roasted fresh beans are often surprised and treated to some great group playing which they otherwise would never have experienced.

Approaching it's six month of Saturdays celebration, the Jam's founding duo, Bo and Mary Kirgis, are thrilled with the growth and weekly revolving talent which supports them in this endeavor to bring acoustic music to Saturday afternoons. The expansion of the Mercer's floor space, partly due to the growing numbers on Saturdays, now offers a quiet seating area for diners, and drop ins for the Wi-fi and beverages, while the attentive audience fills the new addition of comfortable seating. 

Weekly gatherings of local talent , great coffees and friends ... Mercer's Fresh Roasted Coffees in Charlotte Harbor ... oh yeah ....

Saturday afternoons at Mercer's Fresh Roasted Coffees

Hope

The following is a poem by my granddaughter, Arrielle. This morning we discussed an incident which occurred yesterday, in her life, which ended in a discipline of short term suspension from an activity for all who were in some or any way involved. "I was in the wrong place, at the wrong time." These are her words to me regarding the event. "Are you okay with the discipline you received?", I asked her. Her response amazed me, in the maturity she revealed; "I understand that everyone who had any part in this, had to be treated equally. My greatest regret, is that I have disappointed Officer N, by my involvement, regardless of how much or little it was." Taking a deep breath to regain my composure, I asked one more question. "Have you told her how you feel this way?" Arrielle replied, "No, I haven't had the chance yet, but I plan on talking to her Monday."

Finishing our conversation with the idea of expressing feelings through writing, and this venue for posting, so we can learn from our own experiences expressed, I opened my email hours later to find this...

Hope

by Arrielle Smith

Lightning Strikes When Least Expected

Nothing Can Prepare You for the Pain of a Broken Heart

But the Night is Darkest Just before Dawn

And if You Just Keep Holding On

Hope Will Never Be Lost

Because Hope Will Live Within You and You Alone

Because No One Can Bring You Down

Once Lightning Strikes

You Will Be Strongest In Who You Are

Never Letting Go, Never Looking Back

No Mistakes, No Regrets

The Only Way to Know For Sure

Is to Try