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| Notes from all the John Denver Potluck Remembrance Day Picnics in Upstate NY at Saratoga Spa State Park 2000 - 2006 |
| These picnics begun from an idea that my dear friend Meg had. If not for her we would not have started them. |
| Meg and I had been online at the WFJD. I had noticed she posted about being from near Saratoga. I thought surely not Saratoga, NY! I only live 40 minutes from there. I had all I could do to contain myself. We both went to John's concerts at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, but we were not with each other since we only met after John's passing. |
| I have been a fan of John's since 1972 after I fell in love with the most beautiful voice I have ever heard. By now, I do not think there is a JD song out there that I have not heard save for some rarities that I may have missed. |
| Listening to John's Some Days Are Diamonds album while I typed this is such an inspiration for me as is all of John's wonderful melodious music. On the day of the first picnic, I arrived there at 8 a.m. I am not sure what I was thinking there. :-) The early morning air was lovely and the silence was golden. |
| Over the years people have come, friends of friends, friends of mine and family of ours. Everyone has been great!! I have met some very wonderful people! |
| We have seen ducks in the creek, squirrels, birds and dogs that come to the park with their owners. At the 3rd picnic, we even had a squirrel who was intent on getting us to leave the park since we had invaded his territory. He spent quite some time throwing acorns at us. After he realized we were not leaving he gave up and proceeded to take a nap in the tree he was in. |
| People at the picnic have gone wading in the drink to cool off, taken walks around the park, played frisbee, played guitars, signed to John's songs, sat, talked and relaxed. Some of us took naps and others tried their hand at playing air guitar. We even had 2 dogs and a cat in a carrier there once. |
| So far, we have had two picnics that were rained out the 5th(2004) and the 7th(2006). |
| In 2006, we started out early. On our way up, we stopped for ice and then went to the park. At that time It was just Myself, Michael and his mum Sarah. As we were unpacking, a little rain came. So we left our foodstuffs and other things covered and hoped that the rain would quit. |
| The rain slowed up and we waited for Norma and Donna T to come. (I do not stand on ceremony..I figure people can eat whenever they feel like it.) Donna T and Norma came on in. As we began eating lunch, the rain came stronger than before. |
| I was waiting for Donna M and her husband to come. A person who contacted me from the RMH newsletter and my other webpage. It is so hard to imagine that we are so connected by one man, but we truly are no doubt about it. |
| Unfortunately, the rain got much worse and we had to pack it in. That is not what we wanted, but there was not much to be done. I was very glad to have spoken with Donna M when she called my house. The rain had quit, but we did not know it would. |
| After being home and talking, Michael had to leave, but the rest of us girls, DonnaT, Norma, Myself, Sarah and my mum Joan played Dominoes until 6 p.m. |
| For the 8th annual picnic, 2007, I have a friend who is bringing a screen house for the food. In case of the rain, but we are really hoping it does not do that. |
| Back to Darcey's main webpage. |
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| This background is, in my mind, pictures of the song "Darcy Farrow." |