Robert Johnson tears it up on the Mushroom Stage.

Posted on by Thor

0n November 29th, Terry and I went to Kim Bucheit‘s 24 hour “Old Sport” or “Black Friday Boycott” party. When it got dark, Robert Johnson set up his equipment on the Mushroom Stage. Blue Christmas lights were strung out on the stage and larger warm bulbs were hung around the periphery of the tent. Solar bulbs illuminated each of the 4 corner supports. About 15 feet from the tent a large bonfire snapped and glowed. For several songs Robert was joined by drummers who set the primal beat.

Robert has two original songs that I absolutely love. One is about an artist painting his masterpiece and the other is an ode to Orlando. Robert draws most of his influence from the road. He is a poet, writer,
producer, and visual artist. For the past 3 years, he has spent his
time recording demos for upcoming projects, and touring through America
and parts of Europe. His solo sound is that of a gypsy-pop folk singer
heavily influenced by American music of the 50’s; soul singers; and Euro
gypsy music. Between sets, Robert offered me some of the good stuff to help me loosen up my line work. When the music died, everyone gathered around the fire to tell stories.

Some partiers had their tents. Terry and I had our sleeping bags and Kim was kind enough to find us some floor space.  The younger crowd stayed up all night keeping the fire burning. In the morning the fire kept us warm as we enjoyed mimosas and muffins By next year this stage will have been taken over by bulldozers to make way for a new parkway. Old Sport and Old Florida are slowly becoming things of the past.

A 24 Hour “Old Sport Party” in Sorrento FL.

Posted on by Thor

The Old Sport party was also known as the Black Friday Boycott Party. The Wekiva Parkway is due to come through Kim Bucheit‘s property by this time next year, so friends went to enjoy Wise Acre Farm while they were able. It was time to make plans to chill out and share fun at Wise Acre Farm Thanksgiving weekend!
Many of you “card carrying” party goers know the drill.
If you have been meaning to come out to the farm, this is an ideal opportunity to enjoy it while it lasts (before the Wekiva Parkway goes through).
It’s a 24 hour extravaganza with something for everyone. Friends dropped in whenever it suited them, while others started early and went the distance.

In my sketch, friends were just beginning to gather on the porch. A propane heater and a bunch of solar lights had been purchased for the party. The solar lamps leaned toward the sun to catch the rays. There was a corn hole tournament and after the sun set, a bonfire was built for everyone to gather around. The open garage was where the bar was set up.

Old Sport

Posted on by Thor

This year, the Old Sport Champagne Badminton League and Postmodern Literary Society presented 24 Hours of Old Sport – 2013 (First Annual Bonnet Edition).
Saturday March 23, 1 PM to Sunday March 24, 1 PM. Old Sport is a yearly two day party that happens at the Wise Acre Farm in Sorento Fl.

Getting to the Wise Acre Farm was an adventure in itself. Winding country roads gave way to dirt roads. The GPS kept Terry and I on track but the road seemed to stop. We pulled into a horse farm where a suicidal dog kept walking in front of the car.  The dog wasn’t barking but Terry was sure we were in the wrong place. We pulled out and drove through a gate and then drove through a field up a hill towards a gazebo. A bonfire hinted that we had reached our destination.

The Old Sport “Super Committee” consists of
Kim Buchheit (Custodian and Referee)
Naomi Butterfield (Bonnet Judge and Egg Stasher)
Rachel Kapitan (Old Sport Stylist and Mixologist)
and Mr. Robert Johnson (“Token Male”, Live Music and Jam Leader)Terry and I arrived just in time to sample dinner. Everyone sat in a line in their lawn chairs watching the fire. In all there were perhaps 30 Old Sports in attendance. Everyone had been issued lanyards and you could get stickers if you performed stellar deeds. Terry got a sticker for her pink bonnet. Half way through the night she discovered that the hat was meant to be worn inverted inside out. Rachel Kapitan won the egg hunt contest. She knew she had a shot at winning since she was a home town egg hunt champion in her youth. The bar was located in the garage and I sampled the white wine we had brought.

Robert Johnson began performing on the make shift wooden stage set up under a tent. His band “Everyday Ghosts” had split up so he sang solo.  The stage was lit with citronella candles and the fire’s blaze. Electric lights also rimmed the tent’s edge. I was offered a sticky smoors and a milky herb drink as I sketched. People circled up around the fire and the tribal dancing began with drums keeping beat. Dancer, Micihael Sloan, kept the dancing primal and borderline dangerous. He jumped over the flames with grace, and did cartwheels. He wore some pink bunny ears and by evenings end he was christened, “the fire bunny.”



Terry and I had brought a tent but Kim offered up her studio which is where we crashed for the night. Amazingly, the next morning the fire was still blazing. All the Sping trimmings from the farms trees had been burned. A pink blaze on a wooden fence marked the spot where a freeway would one day cut through the property. Robert Johnson’s stage was likely in the south bound lane.