Lens-Artists Challenge #75 – Nostalgic

It always seems like the first time you experience something new, it’s the best EVER. And then when you go again, still great, but not as….maybe that’s another reason I rarely visit the same place twice. My expectations get out of whack!

There is a fantastic music festival I like to go to in Marfa, Texas. Marfa is in West Texas in the High desert close to Big Bend National Park. You would think there would be NOTHING there, but the art scene is incredible. In 1971, New Yorker, Donald Judd started to transform it into what it is today. Artists escape here to find themselves, create masterpieces, invent new ideas.

When you drive through town, at first glance, there is nothing remarkable – only one stop light…then you put your feet up, stay a few days, dig a little deeper and you become HOOKED. I think it is one of the hippest places in the United States.

The festival referenced above is called the Trans-Pecos Music Festival ….I went for the first time about 4 years ago….it was AMAZING. Two of my favorite artists of all time – Kaycee Musgraves and Nathaniel Rateliff – were there, front and center. The attendance is so small, you get to stand right in front of the stage and look these people right in the eye. It was truly a magical experience. We spent our days hiking in Big Bend National Park, relaxing in our tents, and our nights listening to some outrageous music.

The second time was also wonderful, however, the weather wasn’t that great, I didn’t find the music to be out of this world and did not love the lodging situation. Our glamping tent was RIGHT behind the after hours stage – so we got to listen to music until what felt like, dawn.

It goes back to the first experiences of something being the best. Maybe I have lower expectations walking into a new experience?

The memory of the Trans-Pecos #1 makes me long for West Texas sunsets, good music, hikes in Big Bend, showers with stars RIGHT over my head, being surrounded by people enjoying life, and sometimes it makes me long to be back in Texas where I spent 26 years of my life. There was so much I didn’t do there when growing up.

Great memories, great times.

This post is my submission for the Lens-Artist Challenge – Nostalgic, posted by Tina at Travels and Trifles. Check out some other wonderful ideas from other bloggers HERE.