You know when you're on the right track

Saturday, I was gigging with my friend Bobby at Java Creek, our local acoustic and original music hot-spot, during a much-needed rainstorm. It ended fairly quickly, and someone came in and said there was a double rainbow over us. I thought, "Damn right there is!"

When you're doing what your heart and soul call you to do, magic happens. Things that might seem like coincidence are suddenly chock-full of meaning and importance. Little threads get woven together, one-by-one, threads ordinarily unnoticed, until there is an unexpected piece of fabric warming your life. Rainbows light up where you are. You get happy. Oh, my gods, you get happy.

Wednesday June 20 is the Solstice, the longest day of the year when the Sun is at its most radiant and powerful. It is a day to embrace the bounty that summer brings, to relish the lush and verdant life around us. It is important to acknowledge, even in the midst of celebration, that the planet is moving and turning, and six months from now we will keep vigil through the longest night of the cold winter, and celebrate the birth of the New Sun.

How is any of that relevant? Well, as musicians we go though times of plenty and times of poverty, and in times of plenty we need to take a few moments to be grateful, and maybe be a little proactive about planning for the times when gigs are scarce and guitar strings are precious. So let me take a moment to say "Thank you" to all my musical companions, and all the bookers and venues that are enjoying this fruitful time with us, and a big "Thank You!" to the fans who are finding their way to us with hungry ears. Let the magic continue as long as it can! May the gift of song bring joy to every life it touches!

Mass exodus

Ray Bradbury and Doc Watson passed away within days of each other. This has nothing to do with anything, there's no connection... But for me, these were two heroes, two icons from my formative years. So many of my youthful influences have passed beyond the veil in the past few years... And it finally occurred to me that I've reached the age where youthful heroes pass on and allow those they influenced to become the next heroes.

I don't feel like a hero... I don't feel qualified... But then again, I don't think anyone was more surprised than Doc that he was such a hero. Still, I'd rather not... I'm from Iowa, we don't like to draw that kind of attention to ourselves. So I'll do it if you'll do it.

New people take me back...

I had a rehearsal with my dear friend John Waite last night, and a new musical friend, Dustin Busch, who I had met a couple times before but never played with until now. He's wonderful. And all night I had deja vu moment after deja vu moment, not because I had played with them before, or even played those tunes before, but because I was remembering the days when I was steeped in music, surrounded by it, eating, breathing, sleeping, living it every minute... And I didn't even realize how much I missed those days.

So Friday, June 8 2012, John, Dustin and I will be at The Wieting Opera House in Toledo, IA, starting at 7PM, along with Sam Knutson, Thankful Dirt, and the amazing Dave Moore...

Wow, that was... effective...

Dang, I blogged three times before I completely forgot to do it...

Life has been like that lately, though, and I guess we all go through it from time to time. Chaos. I used to think that chaos bred creativity, but now I'm not so sure. I think I was so prolific because creativity kept me SANE.

So once again, here we go. I will try to do this. It's good for me. Keeps the chops up. Keeps me thinking. Yep. Here we go. Any bets on how long it will take me to forget about it this time?

Rainy Fridays

I feel like rain and gray skies should somehow inspire some romantic thing in me, make me feel like writing wonderful, melancholy, strange songs or sad poetry, but it doesn't. I just want to take a nap. I have so many things to do, but the thought of doing any of it makes me want to cover my head with a blanket and put roots down into this couch. And then I start beating myself up, because I have so much to do, and I should be PRODUCTIVE!!!

So what about fallowness? Letting the fields rest for a season or two so that the nutrients necessary to grow food bursting with flavor and vitality have a chance to recharge? We forget to do this for ourselves. I have had a week consumed with activity, much of it not of my own devising. This is how a lot of us spend our time: Fatigue and depression are rampant.

One of the best things I did all week was take a drive out into the Wapsi River Valley with my son and traipse around with him while he took copious photographs. Some of them are fantastic. Some of them are gallery-worthy. But none of that is as important as the fact that my son and I were out in a part of the world where cell phone reception is non-existent, on a gorgeous day, taking pictures of stuff.

Photo by Byrn Dafydd Paul, April 11, 2012.

Spring is a funny time

Spent part of the day sneezing my head off and feeling utterly miserable, and part of the day outside helping the man I love tear part of a tree to bits... I had noticed a lot of dead branches in the redbud tree and mentioned it, and instead of weeding the dandelions and mowing like responsible, sane people, we attacked the redbud. Well, it needed doing. Redbuds must be really terrible wood - the wood almost shatters when you break it. So I broke several large branches and a whole mess of smaller ones into small enough pieces to fit into the city yard waste bags. It's meditative work, quiet, peaceful. You would think I'd have spent the time musing upon life, the universe and everything - but I did not. I spent the time in the moment, enjoying the breeze and the sunshine and the crisp spring air, not thinking of anything in particular. Sometimes you just have to let it all go. We shall see what has been stirred up in this head of mine in the days to come, however... Just you wait.

Well, No Promises Were Made...

It's been several days since I started this up again, and wow, true to form I have completely ignored it. Whaddayagonnado?

It's a quiet and reflective morning of laundry and grocery coordination... Feeling all domestic and have a strong urge to hibernate. All Fridays are good, but this one... Well, define good... Most people get a day off so this de-facto Christian Nation can celebrate a mythological character getting nailed to some boards and left out in the sun for a few days. Have fun, y'all, but keep it out of my face, would ya please? You don't have to rub it in. I'm going to make deviled eggs and eat chocolate, sure. I love deviled eggs and chocolate.

I have finally managed to put together the Inventory of Projects that I am currently in the middle of. Eesh. It's a big list, and I think I have forgotten a few things. But at least now I know some stuff won't slip through the cracks completely. Like, for example, this blog...