I have written nothing since, whoo, six months ago. We have been planted in the Georgia mountains, for covid reasons I suppose.  There has been nothing to write about to interest anyone.  We are living life in an Airstream village where we know too much about each other.  Long ago, when we lived in Shreveport I drove 17 miles north to my home town and my Mom’s home, Mooringsport.   We would sit in her swing and talk about life in her neck of the woods.  One lazy Sunday afternoon we’re sitting and swinging when a big black dog wanders down the middle of LA Hwy 538, Mooringsport’s main street.  She wondered out loud “What’s ol’ Skokie doin’ down here?”  Who is ol’ Skokie?  “That black dog yonder belongs to Plute McConnell way out there in The Subdivision.”  On the way home it struck me that when a place is so small you know everybody and their business Plus that of their dog, it’s too damn small.  We left Sunday, one week ago.  Maybe I can write again?

Let’s start with half a dozen of my favorites from Willie and friends.

1. Stardust, 1978.  Along with Nate King Cole’s this is considered one of the best versions ever.  Written by Hoagy Carmichael and Mitch Parish in 1927.  Use this link to the Willie music:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T6WKdrxzyY    Willie, Trigger, and Leno were younger then.  The recorded version is more polished with superb production values, and if you’re interested here it is.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpUepGmiDuA
2.  Merle Haggard was his best country & western duet partner.  When Times Were Good is on the Seashores of Old Mexico album, and while Merle sings enough here to be a true partner in it, Willie is as good help as anyone could wish for.  Listen for the best Martin D-15 in the business, Trigger!   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDRZ5CQjEmE        Ah, they hired great studio musicians, too.
3.  Sheryl Crow was his best lookin’ duet partner.  They do a fine version of Crazy, written in the ‘50s by Willie the songwriter before he became a recording artist.  Patsy Cline sang it, and became more famous, and established Willie’s songwriter bona fides.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkOsjxh0htU 
4.  Ray Charles doing C&W? In my book Ray is his most musical duet partner.  Here he is with Willie in Seven Spanish Angels.  Notice how smoothly Ray’s blues accents work in this venue.     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8A9Y1Dq_cQ
5. Come on Back, Jesus has Willie in the lead except for one stanza where his sons Lukas and Micah take it.  Yeah, it’s borderline sacrilegious, but still a bit funny and with Hamas and Israel going at it, quite timely.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QSqei3vD40
6. Today we are 300 miles west of Top of Georgia, and it feels fitting to conclude with On the Road Again.  This is a good one.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6Ggp3TJjuE 

We are en route to Cossatot Reefs outside Gillham, AR.  We reserved three nights there to locate the best spots to witness the next total eclipse of the sun in April, 2024.  There will be over four minutes of totality, and if the clouds aren’t in the way, there will be plenty to write about next spring.  Meanwhile from there it’s on to Texas and William Elder for his 6th birthday on November 3.  I will predict his exact words when their front swings open and Kat and I walk in:  “What did you bring me!”