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Steve Earle — Alone Again at the Dakota

Last night Tammy and I saw Steve Earle at the Dakota. Mazie and I saw him last year at the Dakota. I also saw Earle’s Copperhead Road 30th Anniversary show in 2018 and saw him at the Minnesota Zoo in 2017. I’m a fan of Steve Earle and love these solo acoustic shows.

He played for nearly two hours and covered a big part of his catalog. I loved his comment about writing “Tom Ames’ Prayer” when he was 20 and “God is God” in his 50s.

He shared one of his favorite quotes from Townes Van Zandt:

There are only two kinds of songs; there’s the blues, and there’s zip-a-dee-doo-dah.

He called out to his “teachers” with songs and stories: Townes Van Zandt, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Guy Clark.

It also happened that the show was on the 4 year anniversary of his son Justin Townes Earle death from fentanyl. This was the second time I’d heard him talk about the loss of his son. So very sad.

Bearded man with long hair and glasses plays acoustic guitar and sings into a microphone on a dimly lit stage under a blue neon Dakota sign.

Shannon McNally

Shannon McNally opened the show with a solid set that I enjoyed a lot as well. She shared great stories of the road and her songs were inspiring.

Woman with dark hair plays acoustic guitar and sings into a microphone on a dimly lit stage under a blue neon Dakota sign.
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The thing that bugs me about Now pages is that they don’t have history. How about a “Now” category and then redirect the /now URL to the most recent version? Or maybe a Now page that is very long with a section for each update? 🤔 In the meantime, my now page is back.

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My Mom and Mazie (I chipped in too) decided it was time to reclaim the completely wild garden plot at the cabin. It took a couple of hours but is restored! We even caged volunteer tomatoes on the paths and put down straw for winter. First picture shows the before situation. 👩‍🌾

Two people holding pulled weeds and smiling beside full Home Depot lawn bags next to overgrown raised garden beds outdoors. Restored raised garden beds mulched with straw and fitted with tomato cages, a child tending plants in one bed, shed and houses behind Two women stand beside restored raised garden beds filled with straw mulch and leafy plants, with a tall metal sculpture behind them.
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POAP 7180533 at First Computer Build.

White PC case with RGB fans glowing purple and blue, sitting on hardwood floor, labeled First Computer Build August 15 2024.
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I queued up with the newest High Kings vinyl and got it signed after the show.

Four members of The High Kings signing vinyl records and CDs at a table after a show. Signed vinyl record cover for The High Kings album The Road Not Taken, with four band member autographs, resting on a wood floor.
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Tammy and I had a great time seeing The High Kings at the Parkway Theater tonight. 🎶

Parkway Theater marquee showing The High Kings on 8.15 at 7:30pm with people gathering at the entrance below Four musicians performing on a colorfully lit stage, playing keyboards, acoustic guitars, and a mandolin, with an audience in the foreground. Four musicians performing on a stage with red curtains and colorful stage lights, playing guitars for a standing crowd indoors.
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Tyler got his gaming PC assembled and running tonight! It was super fun to help him out with this. So many LEDs! 🤩

White open-frame gaming PC case with blue LED lighting sits on a wooden table, connected to a white gaming mouse and keyboard, with a TV visible in the background. White open-frame gaming PC tower with RGB lighting sits on a wood table alongside a compact RGB mechanical keyboard and honeycomb gaming mouse.
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Wet Summer 💦

We’ve had 28.26" of rain in 2024, just 2.97" behind the wettest year on record in Minnesota. However that 1892 record had what must have been an absolutely wild July 27 when 6.36" of rain fell in one day! Before July 27 this year has been setting new records by a good margin

We are 38% above normal precipitation levels. We’ve had 5 days with more than 1" of rain, with May 21st being the wettest at 2.33".

August 11
Current Year-To-Date (2024) : 28.26
Accumulated Daily Normal Precipitation: 20.49
Wettest Year-To-Date (1892) : 31.23
Driest Year-To-Date (1910) : 6.02

This is why our sump system has been working overtime all summer! Data from Minnesota DNR.

Line chart showing 2024 Minneapolis precipitation at 28.26 inches through August 11, well above the 20.49 inch normal and near the 1892 record of 31.23 inches.
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Only 52 °F on Cannon Lake this morning. The air still clings onto summer humidity as the sun gets up over the trees. But crispness of the cool air suggests of the impending arrival of autumn.

Wooden deck overlooking a sloped lawn and calm lake at sunrise, with ornamental grasses, hydrangeas, and yellow patio umbrella nearby.
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Due to all the flooding this year we just now got out on the pontoon!

Man and child taking a selfie on a pontoon boat on a sunny lake, child wearing a Minnesota United FC jersey Four people and a fluffy white dog enjoying a sunny day on a pontoon boat on a calm lake with tree-lined shores.