Monday, February 7, 2011

Amaryllis Incentive


A bit of color in this winter white out season. The best ten dollars I've spent in months on this pre-potted bulb full of promising color. Lucky me my amaryllis grew two shoots with two fabulous blooms and four more on the way!
Another form of incentive came today. A wonderful email from my mother's cousin Fredric Brough Sr. complimenting me and encouraging me to blog after reading a post of mine from back in 2009. The post was of my reunion with a favorite childhood book called Magic Elizabeth which sits along with my other favorite books. I wonder if I will ever have a grandchild who will read it and love the story as much as I? Time will tell. Thank you dear Fredric for your email. I hope some day to meet you!
And lastly, yet another form of incentive. Nick's home for a few days! A bit thin I might add. Incentive to spoil him rotten and fatten him up. So Aurora is coming for dinner tonight. I'm slow cooking spare ribs and garlic mashed, some kind of sauteed veg and baking cookies. Alas I'm working on a new batch of songs. I have a few nice gigs to look forward to and I'm blogging which always leaves me in a self important glow of satisfaction. So today...life is good. Now if the garage would only call an tell my my car is fixed...

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Skyway Open Mic


The next three Skyway Open Mic's at the following venues.
Nichols and Beal, January 28th 7pm
Hamilton Center For The Arts, February 25th 7pm
The Barge Canal Coffee House March 18th 7pm Hosted by Gregory MacBain
Hope to see you all out there! All money raised to help promote this year's Skyway Festival on June 11th at the Hooks Wiltse Field.
Headliner act TBA

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Happy New Year






Well...that dang holiday season was a long haul. Way to much work and I'm really glad it's over. Happy New Year! I'm up in my studio and already in a state of frustration. RICH! I'm finally mentally ready to jump into the job of scanning all my grandfather's slides. A job Dad an I were gonna do the winter before he croaked but never got to. Aunt Loretta and my Uncle Ken set up the ole slide show projector last winter and weeded out all Gramp's travel shots, narrowing the collection of slides down to just the family shots. So now its my turn to scan them all in an get them to DVD. And since I've cut the dickens out of my middle finger. Now is a good time to start EXCEPT...My scanner is screwing me around...Again. RICH! What would I do without my dear know-it-all-about-everything-mac-related friend of mine.
So A Skyway Community Christmas was a complete success with musicians and attendance. We didn't hardly raise any money.
It's the most frustrating thing to get people to donate to this cause yet everyone wants to get up and hone their music craft.
My x husband showed up and it warmed my heart to get a family shot of me and our children. My wish is for everyone to be productive, creative, healthy and happy. And may my kayak float over many lakes and my hiking boots wander many trails. And when my finger heals may my latest CD, Year Of First's finally come to end.
Cheers!
Cheers!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

A Skyway Community Christmas


We Skyway organizers are teaming up with the Barge Canal Coffee House to present A Skyway Community Christmas Open Mic. The event is hosted by pianist Gregory MacBain. Sign up sheet is at the Barge and we are stressing the two song quota rule to give everyone a chance to perform. The event is Thursday, December 23rd and will begin at 7 at the Barge. Skyway Cd's with songs from past Skyway performers will be available for a 10 dollar donation. I plan on videoing the performances so practice up your favorite Christmas songs every one!!!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Andrea's Country Wagon and Aurora's Apple Crisp






Mom and I took a short trip over to Glen Aubrey to pick up the box of slides my grandfather took over the years. This winter I'm prepared to see the life of Swan's pass before my eyes as I scan them all in. Here are a few autumn shots of my cousin Andrea's Country Wagon store and my dear daughter Aurora with her home made apple crisp.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

A Windy Kayak On Inlet River







The last few weeks, Bill and I have had some nice but short excursions up to the Adirondacks. We usually take off on Thursday, and rent a room where ever we end up. Lately its been Clarks beach house. No five star accommodation to be sure. But with a screened in porch over looking the pond in Old Forge, walking distance to anything downtown and they allow pets! It's cheap and perfect. Lou LOVES this place and somehow manages to pee on every rock that lines the outskirt of the park on his morning walks. So Thursday morning, I played a gig in the activity room of the Norwich Community Hospital in front of twenty or more senior folks. The folks that manage to stay awake loved the music. It was actually a nice gig. My heart goes out to these dear old folks. And it payed well! After unloading music equipment we loaded up our kayaking and overnight equipment and headed once again. NORTH!
The last time we were up we had dinner at the Knotty Pine, one of my favorite dinner houses in Old Forge. This time up we had dinner at the The Steak House. It was good yet I still rate Knotty Pine ahead.
Waking up to a clear indigo blue Adirondack sky, I leashed up killer Lou for a morning walk. At the far end of the hotel, Lou had his first encounter with two female deer. They were standing not ten yards away and if I didn't have a dog in toe I probably could of walked right up to them! So tame the deer in Old Forge. Finally one deer bent her head to graze which caught Lou's attention in which he quickly let out his squeak-toy-barking voice. The deer just looked up totally amused!
During a breakfast of hot tea and yogurt the gray clouds and wind rolled in to dampen our plans of kayaking the Moose River. Bill had gotten two free pick up coupons from the Mountain Man as when he bought our new kayaking trailer, one major part was missing...The main shaft that holds the ball to the car! Whatever that is called. Kayaking the Moose requires two vehicles, one at each end as its a one way, two hour paddle. Or a lift from the dudes at Mountain Man.
With all the rain we've had lately raising the water quite significantly, and the wind quite blustery, we decided to kayak a more quiet river and headed for Raquatte to kayak up to the waterfall's of the Inlet River. Lou was NOT excited! It took 50 minutes of pretty hard paddling up and an easy 30 minutes back. The small falls were roaring! A noise Lou wanted no part of it and took off into the woods! Oh god! A mere morsel for a hungry bear loading up to hibernate the winter away! I ran after him and thankfully Lou had his life jacket on so he was easy to snatch up as there's a handle on the back of the jacket!
I got him! We're home again.
Now to tackle the leaves...and oh the leaves...