Mike’s Dancing: CSA Summer ’13 ” Week #7

 In CSA Newsletter

Our dancing friend's Big Lebowski shirt

Phish is Mike’s favorite band in the world. He has loved them since he was a teenager, and he has yet to tire from listening to their music. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the band, Phish is kind of like a newer generation of the Grateful Dead. They are a jam band that got super popular in the early-mid nineties.  People went on tour with them and mimicked the parking lot party atmosphere that was part of the Dead.  Their dedicated fans have aged, but Phish can still fill up stadiums 20,000 strong.

While I do not share Mike’s intense passion for Phish, I do think they are an excellent band and I enjoy their music. Over the years of being with Mike, I have learned that I never want to miss a Phish show with him. Why? Because for 3 + hours, I get to watch my husband in a state of pure joy. It’s a beautiful thing watching someone you love feel so happy, so excited, so free.  Whenever the music doesn’t capture me, I just watch Mike. Unadulterated happiness.

This year the show was in Chicago at a place called Northerly Island. It’s right on Lake Michigan, downtown near the Planetarium and Field Museum. It’s a spectacularly beautiful venue. And for Mike and I, it was an especially spectacular night, as it was our first true date since our daughter Edie (now 10 months) was born.  My sister, who lives in Chicago, watched our girls. We were both giddy as we walked away from her home. No children. No car.  Just ourselves, two tickets, cab fare, and beer money.

We could hear the music mingling with the sound of Lake Michigan waves as we neared the entrance.  Pretty awesome.

Once inside the show, Mike got down to the immediate business of dancing. Mike’s dancing is something special, something wild. The first thing you need to know about Mike is that he has no shame, no inhibitions about dancing. The second thing you should know about Mike’s dancing is that it takes up physical space.  It’s aerobic.  He jumps up and down. He skips around. His arms punch the air in excitement. The final thing you should know about Mike’s dancing is that he doesn’t really have a conventional sense of rhythm.  He dances to his own internal rhythms as inspired by the music.  He is truly a sight to behold.

Please do not mistake me for mocking my husband. I think his dancing is incredible. And you know what?  Just about anyone who watches him dance thinks the same. I secretly enjoy watching concert-goers take in Mike and his dancing. Generally their first instinct is to kind of smirk and giggle at him. (He never notices, though, because he doesn’t care.) But after the first smirk, the casual onlooker can’t help but keep watching him…. and then, almost always, he or she begins to smile a genuine happy smile, with all the smirk and mock washed away. It’s hard not to smile at pure joy.

Here’s my favorite example from this past weekend’s show. We had just arrived and decided to go to the bathroom before really finding our way into the crowd. As we were waiting in line, Mike just busted out dancing. There was a guy standing behind us in line who started watching Mike. He had on a Big Lebowski/Da Vinci t-shirt and some sweet shades.  I watched his face as it shifted through the stages I described above. And then, in a very Lebowski-esque way, he said, “Well, alright.”  And then he just started dancing with him, right there in the bathroom line.  Awesome.

Despite the journey home and the inevitable aftermath of kids out of their normal sleeping routines, it was worth it.  As a couple, we needed the time to ourselves. As farmers, we needed the time away from the farm. And it was great!  A little recharge, courtesy of Phish.

Enjoy your veggies!

In the Box:

  • Basil
  • Bell Pepper, Green
  • Broccoli Shoots
  • Carrots
  • Cucumbers
  • Eggplant, Japanese or Globe
  • Purplette Onions
  • Sweet Corn
  • Sweet Onion
  •  Zucchini 

REGs only:

  • Cabbage, Green Baby
  • Scallion

EOS only:

  • Head lettuce (either Summercrisp or Romaine)
  • Green Beans

Green Beans and Eggplant Dish – one of my favorites!

Summer Week #7: Wednesday, July 24th ” Group A EOs