ThingsPondered

The four-county area near Boyertown has gained a sought-after artisan typically found only in the largest of metropolitan areas. Djembe builders and repair masters are a rare breed in central Pennsylvania.  Fortunately, we now have one!  A hearty welcome extends to Doug Libby, proprietor of Alive Drumming, with locations at Zern’s Farmers Market, Gilbertsville, and South Jersey.

The djembe is a hand-drum  - not one of the drums seen in rock bands. Originating from West Africa, it is made from a tree trunk carved into modified hourglass shape.  Traditionally, the drum head is made of goatskin.  With the increased appreciation of world music, the djembe’s popularity in the United States has steadily increased over the last twenty years and is now frequently the staple instrument played in drum circles.

Doug glows describing what he likes about djembes.  “Every time I play, especially in our drum circles, I feel so cleansed from daily stresses, almost like a spiritual renewing of some sort…I have learned that the djembe is a very powerful instrument.  Djembes are used in healing ceremonies, they are used for calling spirits within the spiritual world that we are surrounded by, and are used just to have fun.”  Doug is also drawn to the spiritual nature of the djembe drum. “The djembe itself is known to carry three spirits: the spirit of the tree that it is carved from, the spirit of the goat that is used for the head of the drum, and the spirit of the drum maker.” 

Doug first became interested in djembes about seven years ago.  Like many Americans, he really didn’t know much about them.  However, while attending The Swagg’s Greatful Dead Tribute concert in Kansas City, he witnessed his first drum circle.  “I was in awe and really amazed by the trancing beats that were being played.  It was at this show I bought my first djembe from a drum vendor.  My first djembe was a mini baby djembe - a  perfect size for a beginner’s drum.”

After that concert in Kansas City, Doug and a group of friends in Missouri started their own drum circle every Saturday night.  “We called it ‘another Saturday night’ after a well known Grateful Dead song.  At first we didn’t have too many hand percussion instruments.  One of my best friends Paul would actually play on pots and pans … They sounded awesome.  We eventually purchased a Conga set, and some more djembes.” 

Doug’s musical journey continued while on active duty with the Navy.  When he transferred to the Willow Grove Navy Air Base, he wanted to get involved with the drum scene in the Philadelphia area.  “But just playing wasn’t enough for me.  I had a deep interest in building these sacred instruments,” Doug explains.  He found Conrad, a drum builder, online and began email correspondence.  After attending a workshop with this Philadelphia area builder on how to rehead djembes, they slowly built a friendship.  Doug began an unpaid apprenticeship working for Conrad in his shop trying to learn as much as he could. 

Doug relates, Conrad’s work is “so amazing.   My apprenticeship lasted on and off for about a year. I knew my apprenticeship was over when he started to offer money to work for him.  It was such an awesome moment when that time came.”  Through this spiritual skill path, Doug has left the Navy, opened his own drum shop, and can devote time to his wife and baby boy.

It is impressive that Doug incorporates spirit and energy practices in building a drum.  Doug shares, “I like to smudge each step with White Sage to cast any bad energies from the drum and draw in good energies resulting in a pure drum.  That gives out positive energies each time it is played which are spread to others.” 

Alive Drumming is located at Stand # 4 at Zern’s Farmers Market on Route

73 near the intersection with Route 100.  The email address is douglas_m_libby@yahoo.com.  It is well worth a visit to this shop.

Perhaps a reason I can indulge in squirrel watching and thus become enamored of the little rascals is my bizarre work hours.  I work a split shift:  7:00 to 9:30 AM and 2:30 to 6:30 PM.  This schedule permits plenty of daytime deck viewing.  However, I think that 8:00 to 9:00 AM is the ideal time for our neighborhood.  Weekends and weather-related work cancellations afford me access to this window of squirrel gazing.

Our squirrels are definitely morning creatures, as am I.  Just as dawn hints, they are up and checking for food in our feeders and bowls.  As day breaks, if there is bright yellow sunshine the squirrels and I position ourselves to maximize exposure.  For Seasonally-Affected me, I position myself at the eastern side of the house, straining my eyes and soul to absorb as much as possible of the life-giving warmth and light.  Strangely, some of the squirrels do a version of this as well.  The first priority, of course, is to see if food is available.  After gorging on food and water, sometimes a squirrel hops onto a rung of our deck railing to mentally prepare for yoga Sun Salutation.  It digs its toenails into the wood, braces itself against the wind, and thrusts its white-furred belly into the gold glow of the rising sun.

A squirrel wanting to feel the sun on its body  -  I totally understand.

We have outside squirrels.  Some people feed outside cats; we feed outside squirrels.  Actually, we once had an inside squirrel, but that adventure is another story. 

Now that we are luring these rodents (specifically the Sciurus carolinensis) onto our deck, we can more closely scrutinize them.  Aside from the negative rumor that they are rabies-carrying rats with long tails, we’d say they are swell.  (Of course, we continue to keep a door between us and their teeth.) Honestly, they are quite attractive.  Did you ever notice that their abdomens are very bright white?  How do they keep themselves that clean, scurrying up and down suburban birdfeeders?  And, their front paws have the most delicate fingers covered by soft-looking grey fur – it looks like kid gloves. 

Being the fashion mavens that they are, they also wear matching socks with toes!  Next time you see one, check it out.

My partner and I made the decision to start feeding the backyard squirrels.  We have accidentally fed them birdseed for years, but now we are consciously choosing to feed them.  As this was an impulsive move, we are shooting from the hip so far.  

What is official squirrel food?  For the moment, it is whatever the local big box store says it is.  And that is dried ear corn.  This was not the best option; it was the only option.  Thus, until we do our feed research, in ear corn we trust.

We have a heated squirrel water bowl (really a birth bath) and a ceramic bowl for feed.  Into it, I excitedly placed three ears.  That was today, the third day of squirrel over-wintering parenthood.  Now, I am realizing that watching the little rodents happily chomping away on our deck may not be as easy as we imagined.

Pecking order.  Birds have it, literally.  Wolves have their hierarchy of power with the alphas, betas, and so forth.  Humans have it.   Then, it should not astonish anyone to acknowledge that squirrels have dominance ranking.  I observed it this morning as one precious-looking squirrel was at the bowl with the three newly poured corn cobs.  He (or she) was happily springing on an ear to extricate one kernel, then leaping back about a foot away to happily chew.  This was repeated several times until…

A more dominant squirrel appeared. Older, bigger, cannier, and wise in the ways of the squirrel world, this creature ambushed my cutie.  The ambush was just a “get out of here” maneuver, not infliction of bodily harm.  However, this dominant squirrel contrived to deprive me of my squirrel watching pleasure.  This meanie picked up a cob in his mouth and scampered away with it!

Alright.  This happened on our first day as well.  However, what has me on the warpath is that the scalawag returned to do it again three minutes later. What chutzpah!  Obviously, I leaped up and banged on the door.  Unfortunately, when an ugly huge human does this, not only the meanie, but also the cute, squirrels run.  In annoyance, I went outside and peeled the kernels from the only remaining ear into the bowl.  My thinking was that the “one-at-a-time” dainty eaters will still be able to eat within our sight.  In contrast, the muscular tricky squirrels will not find anything worth hauling.

I wonder what can happen next?

        Thanks for the curbside Service to Go!

I live in a development that is only about twenty years old.  The real estate investors and building contractors did something unspeakably heinous in order to throw houses up as cheaply and as quickly as legally possible:  they mowed down all the trees.  Therefore, we went many years without seeing critters one expects to see in a suburban Pennsylvania yard.  Among these critters were squirrels.

Happily, after much approved (and covert) planting of trees and bushes on the part of many homeowners, we are seeing many birds, squirrels, chipmunks, woodchucks, and the occasional skunk.  Life is back to normal.  However, my partner and I are developing a new habit within our regained normal ecosystem’s flora and fauna.  We are officially providing food and water for the squirrels. 

This did not blossom from a sudden devotion to rodents.  No, it was not so much an act of commission as one of resignation.  No matter that we intended to feed our birds; the squirrels’ communications network kept them immediately informed.  Furthermore, as they are bigger and scarier than the finches, sparrows, juncos, titmice, and similar little dudes, they get first pick of the seed and fresh water.  Since my partner enjoyed watching the squirrels so much as he sits at our kitchen table, we decided to go public.  We have purchased a heated birdbath – which we renamed a heated squirrel water dish, and are buying dried ear corn (a squirrel staple.)

As expected, the word is out. 

Would you like to know how relaxed and slow-moving life in the USA was for your grandparents or great-grandparents?  Why not travel back in time?  Marty McFly did it (backwards and forwards) in the Back to the Future movies.  Unfortunately, maybe we won’t live to enjoy that sort of technology.  However, despair not.   Even if you weren’t alive in 1958, it really is not at all difficult to get a sense of it.   Just consult a catalog from The Vermont Country Store .

The catalogue includes fashions such as Tangee and Tabu make-up from way back when.  There are even hair curlers, dusters, pettipants, granny panties, and portable hair dryers with the plastic-bag-type bonnet.  For the men, Bay Rum cologne is offered.

Within housewares and other supplies one can purchase the reusable douche/enema bag (a familiar sight half a century ago.)  Chenille and rib-cord corduroy bedspreads, flour-sack towels, manual typewriters, cloth handkerchiefs, and oilcloth kitchen appliance covers are some of the other treasures still made.

In foods, once again you can purchase and enjoy a bottle of cod liver oil, movie house Crows gumdrops, or Chiclets gum.

Please know that I mean absolutely no mockery or ridicule for this “Voice of the Mountains®“ family-owned establishment.  The store sells up-to-date products such as Pilates balls and Neti pots.  However, its vast array of older products is its jewel.  The Vermont Country Store is obviously meeting needs.  The bonus is that in doing so, it is providing a valuable lesson in anthropology for today’s young students and a nostalgic look back for the old gomers.