Ear to the ground:

“I call this the pussy wagon, because that’s where I go to cry.”
– Local family man suggesting a bumper sticker for the family truckster

Strung out

This weekend is the first annual – or just the first – Rocky Mountain UkeFest.

The headliners for the event include Heidi Swedberg, Daniel Ward and John Bartlit. Although, anyone outside the ukulele circuit might not recognized those big names, there’s one that just might ring a bell.

Swedberg isn’t just a four-string virtuoso. She’s also the actress who played Susan on the popular TV show “Seinfeld.” The same Susan who played George Costanza’s love interest but suddenly perished during a tragic envelope-licking incident, effectively ending George’s only chance at love.

The Hawaiian native, along with her husband, Ward, and Barlit make up the group “The Smoking Jackets and Heidi Swedberg,” set to play the big show at the Durango Arts Center at 7 p.m., Saturday.

Over the two-day festival, which takes place Friday and Saturday, locals and ukulele lovers alike can attend concerts, workshops and live jam sessions sure to get everyone strumming.

Local ukulele enthusiast Denise Leslie is the inspiration behind bringing the small, four-stringed guitar from its Hawaiian homeland to the Southwest.

“The ukulele festival is really focused on workshops and teaching ukulele skills to all levels of musicians,” Leslie said. “We’ll have ukuleles to purchase along with classes to teach even the novice. We are hoping to have strumming and playing happening all over town!”  

For information or to sign up for events, check out www.rockymountainuke fest.com or call 403-1590.

Buzz kill

With barbecue season on, perhaps the only thing more annoying than running out of beer is running away from blood-thirsty insects. But if a DEET bomb isn’t your idea of a good time, try these eco-friendly mosquito mitigation tips:

- Eliminate standing water in the yard. Buckets, old tires, gutters, kayaks, beer bottles from the last party all make perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes. 

- Change the water in birdbaths at least once a week.

- Use an organic mosquito control like “Mosquito Dunks and Bits,” which knock down mosquito larvae yet are safe for pets, wildlife, children and over-served party guests.

- Wear light-colored, loose fitting clothing. In keeping with their blood-sucking, goth fashion, mosquitoes are attracted to dark, tight-fitting clothes.

- Tried and true citronella candles can provide some short term relief.