Kerrverts, Kerrviphiles, and other such people of Kerr:

I am back now, with a band of chigger bites encircling my waist, dirt under my fingernails, songs in my head, and memories by the bucketful. I wish I was still there, in spite of the hygiene challenges and the necessity of ear plugs.

After 20 years of hearing stories and romanticizing everything, you'd think that it would be hard for me to love the actual Kerrville as much as the one I imagined when I was a little girl. But I guess I was right to romanticize- there is something magic about Kerrville and I don't think I'll miss another festival.

How could I have possibly met so many amazing songwriters and listened to so many amazing songs? I feel like it all could have been a dream almost, but that's probably just because I was only half awake the entire time. (Those 3am song circles got to me after a while.)

I have truly had the full Kerrville experience, thanks to you beautiful people: I've learned The Way of the Partial Capo, I've leaned in from the edges of campfires to catch a lyric, I stood beside Main Stage till my legs were sore....

I was too sleep deprived to think about things much or fully appreciate everything but now that I have time and energy to reflect, it's hard to believe that Kerrville happened to me in such a wonderful way. I completely lost myself in the whole experience. So thank you, thank you, thank you, for giving me my first Kerrville memories.

To all the kind people at various campfires, and to the fine community at Rouse House: thanks for letting me play with the big kids.

To Bill Nash and Co.: I love you all so much. Thank you for supporting and encouraging me and giving me a tent to crawl into at the end of the night (or morning, as the case often was.) Thanks for the capo, the Mexican food, and the total confidence in me.

Finally, Joe! How can I repay for helping me finish the song? I was so nervous about writing, because it was such a hard thing to talk about- I guess I wanted to do it right or not at all. I probably would have deserted it if you hadn't come to the rescue.

But thanks to you, I finally have a song finished that I can't criticize. You had all the tools necessary to grow that song up. I think it is the best thing I've ever worked on and I am more and more at peace every time think of it. You took it out of my head and made it real. Thank you. (Now we just have to record it!)

So, signing out, this is grace, the ex-Kerrvirgin, saying, thanks for the good times and sleep well under that sky tonight.

ps. I talked to my boss and I am coming back for a few more days! (Friday-Monday) See (most of) you there!