For our second town we traveled to Richmond to attend a Cranky and Appalachian music concert by two very talented young women. David and I attended an Elizabeth LaPrelle Concert when we lived in Blacksburg Virginia and she was 16. We were very impressed, buying and sharing her CD. Then when I became interested in the art of Cranky making her name popped up again and I learned that she had partnered up with another musician and artist to produce an amazing array of Cranky scrolls to accompany their singing. I am so happy to have rediscovered Elizabeth and her new and continued work with Anne. Follow either of these links elizabethlaprelle.com or annaandelizabeth.com for more information.

My mother met us at the concert and we all got to sit in the front row. Asher enjoyed the music and running around with David at the end. I left very inspired about Cranky making and shadow puppet shows. The included a very intricate one accompanied by one of their songs. The image above shows the back of the screen (a blank white sheet) with an intricately carved framework and velcro to hold sheets of felt to obscure different parts of the frame. The scenes were uncovered sequentially to reveal the events of the balled. What fun!

After the performance we went to dinner at Parkside Kitchen in Richmond and had a very good meal including fried brustle sprouts, winter squash and garlic mac and cheese and maple fries. A very satisfying outing indeed.

Here we are at the restaurant in front of a Vermont mountain scene. Asher is ready for bed.