No time for my morning walk. Drove to the post office and remembered, or realized, it’s a federal holiday. Had a busy day. Wrote a poem from the new set of letters and caught up on a variety of things. The day started so cool, and it was hours before the day warmed. So, I thought I would take a break and swim at the club pool, which is heated. Then, going outside, realized it was actually quite sunny and hot. So, I drove to Farm Pond. The water was quite cold, actually! And a wind was up, a good sailing day, and the boats were out, but for a swimmer it was choppy. I didn’t mind; it was a hearty workout.

Happy Juneteenth! On the way home from my swim, I caught a snippet of a re-run of a Fresh Air program with the artist Rhiannon Giddens from 2017, at the time of her release of her album, “Freedom Highway.” In honor of Juneteenth, they replayed it. Very moving and gorgeous music. I copied a Youtube video from the album below:

Giddens' Freedom Highway is an exploration of African American experiences, accompanied by an instrument with its own uniquely African American story: the banjo. Originally broadcast May 11, 2017.

https://www.npr.org/2022/06/20/1105830131/rhiannon-giddens-sings-slave-narratives