Feed Her Candy and Tell Her Lies

Happy Halloween! 'Tis the day for ghosts and goblins to cast their spells and reek havoc across the land... watch out for tricksters, and be ready with the treats... it'll get you through safely to November!

We've had some heavy rains and howling winds recently... bringing down the remaining leaves from the trees. Our yard is much more open, letting in light as the sun sits lower on the horizon and the days shorten. Solar gain is important here, the house soaks it up during the day to heat the living spaces... and then we augment that with a nice little fire in the evenings. Very comfy.

Feed Her Candy and Tell Her Lies comes from the first volume of the Portland Collection, which is affectionately known around these parts as PC1, the Blue Book, Purple Book, Indigo Book, the un-numbered volume, and the Book That's Not Green.

Garlic is Good For You

Really, there is a fiddle tune with this name! Garlic is Good for You comes from the Reckless Reel.

This afternoon I planted garlic in the garden. We've turned the garden in for the season... the only things left now are carrots (which are deliciously fresh, especially in the juicer), one plant with brussel sprouts, and some leeks. We've added more loam to build up the soil for next year.

It feels really good to look out over the yard and garden and see it all in order... leaves raked, garden cleaned out, newly planted tidy rows of garlic, and the asparagus plot staked out.

Richard has been closing in the new building, and has electrical service nearly installed... that will make working out there much easier now that the days are shorter (and darker). The firewood is in under cover and we're shortening up our fall 'to do' list. The season is here for more soups and roasts... anything that can simmer and cook for a good part of the day... nice aromas in the house makes it cheery, and the hearty meals are good for the body & soul... all made better with garlic!

Virginia Reel

Our youngest sister is hosting what looks to be a FABULOUS HALLOWEEN PARTY in Virginia Beach... and we sisters here in Maine were feeling bad about not being able to get there to join in the celebration. Not to be completely left out, we came up with the idea of 'Flat Sisters'... to dress in costume, print out lifesized posters, roll ourselves up and be mailed to the mid-Atlantic so that we too could attend, if only in spirit! What fun we had getting the costumes together (in spite of the technical glitches). The package arrived yesterday, and Joline was THRILLED to have her sisters arrive in time for the party... it was all a surprise for her! From left to right are Poison Ivy (Deb), Spider Man PEZ dispenser (Kathy), the Gay Cowboy (Wendi), and yours truly, Red Riding Hood (complete with wolf head in basket).

Joline throws a great bash, complete with decorations and delicious food... I can hardly wait to hear the stories and see the photos... Joline, we miss you, and love you bunches... have a great time tonight!

Virginia Reel comes from the Portland Collection.

Old Timers

When I was a little girl, I thought 50 was so old, and so far away... my perspective has changed quite a lot! Now, it seems like life is getting interesting all over again in new and exciting ways. One great thing about being 50-ish and having friends who are around 50 is that we have all these experiences, tales, and information to share and discuss... great fun. As Avery starts growing up I wonder what his perspective will be on his grammah and grampah and their musician friends... will he think we're old-timers? Maybe, and maybe not... much of what has drawn me and others into fiddling and contradancing is that the old-timers are surrounded by youngsters and everyone in between... and the differences in age are really not that important when it comes to sharing and connecting with music and dance. Today is the birthday of our guitar playing friend Paul and his twin brother Ron... they have a bit of gray hair to be sure, but if you closed your eyes and listened to them you'd never guess they turn 50 today! Happy Birthday guys!
Old Timers comes from Jerry Holland's Collection of Fiddle Tunes.

Happy Birthday to You...

Toby's birthday happened on Friday... we got to help him celebrate today! Cake and ice cream are always on the menu... Toby's favorite cake is Double Chocolate Cream Cheese. This year, to make it a bit more festive, I decorated with fall colors and leaf shaped sugar cookies. A big hit with everyone including Avery and Bryan's dogs! Toby enjoyed the treats and the gathering of family.

Mountain Top

Here we are sitting atop Mt Pisgah on Sunday afternoon after a nice picnic lunch.

Sunday was one of those perfect autumn days... crisp cool air, blue skies, and the last of the great splash of foliage colors for the season. The views from the top of Mt Pisgah are really quite beautiful... the photo here shows Androscoggin Lake. The climb is fairly short, but proved a bit of a challenge for Jen who had Avery in a Kelty pack. Good walk for all.

Mountain Top is a tune from Fiddler's Throne.

Missing Keys

Avery has a good handle on where the tractor key is supposed to be! One of his favorite things when he comes to visit is to sit on the John Deere and pretend to turn the key, bounce on the seat, touch all the buttons and move the steering wheel. Uncle Toby got this great photo!

Missing Keys comes from the Lighthouse Collection.

Anna Is My Darling

Miss Anna has been having some issues with incontinence recently... and it's been a topic of conversation between Bryan and Megan, trying to figure out what the problem could be. After a visit to the veterinarian here in Maine, it's determined to be just what Megan thought... UTI and possibly an estrogen imbalance (a result of being a spayed female). Antibiotics will take care of the infection, and if there is still some incontinence Anna will then be taking estrogen to balance her hormones. Megan is concentrating her veterinary studies on large animals, but she sure knows her stuff no matter what size the animal. Thanks, and good job!

Cherish the Ladies

These are two ladies whom I cherish dearly... neither is directly related to me, but each have had a lasting impact on my life, and I want to take a moment to recognize them.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TONYA

You are a wonderful, loving, and authentic human being... and I love that you share so much with me about self-awareness and relationships. Your style and caring are only matched by your masterful and thoughtul manipulation tactics, and yes, I'm very grateful that you share those too!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY JUSTINE

You are so purely compassionate and giving in everything that you do, without any forethought or planning. Your passion for fun is contagious! Little Sam is lucky to have such loving and fun parents to guide him through life.

My life is rich and blessed by the people with whom I associate (family and friends alike), and I like to think they are a reflection of me in some ways. Justine & Tonya bring out the best in me simply by encouraging my potential and overlooking my shortfalls.

Who are the people in your life that encourage you to your fullest potential?

Cherish the Ladies is a tune from the Fiddler's Fakebook... Cherish the Ladies is also a great Irish band with a lot of energy.

Far From Home

My niece Libbie and her fiance Raupyea are in Maine visiting this week... Lib has graduated from college and also done some special schools before going to Korea. She and Raupyea are spending time together getting to know one another's families better, as they plan their wedding and their future together. They'll both be stationed in Texas soon.
My nephew Sam and his wife Jess will be in Texas as well. Sam is in Iraq right now, and we'll be quite happy when he's back 'home' in the States. Jess is getting their new home ready for Sam's arrival.
Sam's brother Ryan will soon be 'home' with his wife Natsch in Germany... Ryan is also in the middle east right now, and has taken his wife's native land as his adopted 'home'.
When I think about home, sometimes it's an image of the house I live in, or the yard I tend. Sometimes, it's the people I share space with daily... a husband, children, friends depending on what space of time I'm referencing. And, sometimes 'home' is a place in my heart where I hold loved ones close... where I create nurturing and safety.
Sam, Ryan and Libbie have been really far from a physical home with their birth families... and even far from their loved ones emotionally at times. But, when it comes right down to it, they have a home in their hearts that is connected to all of us back here in Maine. My children... Jen, Toby and Bryan... have all experienced this being away physically but still being spiritually connected to those of us at the home fires. And there are times when, although I've always called Maine 'home' I have actually felt somewhat disconnected from things around me.
Today however, I feel very much Close to Home with my family, and I wish all the best to Lib and Raupyea as they travel back to New York and beyond... that they each take with them a small piece of 'home' here in Maine.
Far From Home is a really nice tune you can find in the Portland Collection Volume One.

Double Chocolate Insomnia Rag

We didn't do much shopping in Cape Breton, though we did stop a few places for coffee or a Coke. As we were coming into St Stephen, I saw a sign for chocolates, and thought that a nice box of chocolates would be a great thank you for Bryan, since he had come to feed Kitty while we were away. Most of the stores were closed, but as we rounded the last corner toward Customs, I spied Ganong's and knew we had found THE place to get special dark treats! I've heard such rave reviews (and sampled a few chocolates in real life) from Kathie and Amy Jean's escapades in the Meddybemps region... these girls have been known to make special trips across the border JUST for the chocolates at Ganong! Bryan was quite appreciative of our show of thanks.
The Double Chocolate Insomnia Rag comes from Along the River.

Wake Up to Cape Breton

Richard and I traveled to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia this weekend. A friend of ours rented a house overlooking Mabou Harbor for the week, she's there for the annual Celtic Colors Festival. Though we didn't have tickets to the big concerts (because of our late decision to go up there), we did make plans to drive up the Cabot Trail through Cheticamp and into the Highlands National Park... a beautiful day as you can see by the photo.
Cape Breton Island is known for its beauty, isolated villages, and especially (for me) its music. Some of the finest fiddlers have come from Cape Breton, and as we toured around the island saw sign after sign that reminded us of fiddle tunes we play... Cheticamp, Little Judique, West Mabou Reel, Margaree Reel, Neil Beaton's, Dave MacIsaac's Jig, Jerry Holland's Strathspey, MacDonald Sisters, St Anne's Reel and more. We didn't hear any music but I'm still inspired by what is possible.
Wake Up to Cape Breton is a tune we've played from the Portland Collection, Volume Two.

Mountain House

Saturday afternoon was a lovely day for a ride in the country. Our destination was the Stone Mountain Arts Center in Brownfield, Maine to join in celebrating the wedding of friends Dean and Kristen. I have been interested in seeing the SMAC for some time now, after reading about how this performing arts center evolved, and I was greatly rewarded... it is everything it presents itself as. A very rural setting, there is a feeling of peace and nature. The drive through the western Maine mountains gets you prepared, but then when we turned onto the dirt road and drove up to the cozy farmhouse and red barn I truly felt like I'd left most of the worries of the world behind.

The barn itself is absolutely beautiful, timber framed and open with light pouring in through floor to ceiling windows. Beer and wine are available, the dinner served was absolutely delicious, and the decor was simple yet very classy... rich colors and lots of wood. The fall leaves added their own splash of color.

The wedding was beautiful and emotional... there were family and friends of the bride and groom as well as friends from the contradance world. Music and entertainment from Jay Unger & Molly Mason, Carol Noonan as well as presentations from family and friends.

It was a bit of a drive, but not much more than some of the dances and jams we attend around Maine... and definitely worth the drive!

Mountain House is a waltz written by Jay Unger, and can be found in the Waltz Book Volume Two.

Bare Necessities

I like to believe that I'm fairly thrifty and that I don't shop without a purpose... I'm not usually one given to mindless purchases or overindulgent spending. That said, I have a lot of "stuff" and on occasion I do buy things that I don't need, and things that I didn't have any intention of getting. I almost always like what I buy, but I often don't need it and sometimes I feel a bit wasteful about it... but not enough to take a stand. Until now.

I have come across an idea so revolutionary, so simple, so easy and so difficult... so foreign and yet so close to my heart. It's called Compacting... you can read stories about it at http://sfcompact.blogspot.com/. In a nutshell, it is getting out of the consumeristic rut and finding mindful and resourceful alternatives to shopping. Even as the big consumer holiday season is just around the corner, I'm considering taking the plunge and getting back to the basics of life. Here are a few excerpts from the Compacting compact...

To aid us all in getting started and sticking to the regime, I've compiled the guidelines we set in stone at our great dinner a few weeks back.
As agreed, The Compact has several aims (more or less prioritized below):
1) to go beyond recycling in trying to counteract the negative global environmental and socioeconomic impacts of U.S. consumer culture, to resist global corporatism, and to support local businesses, farms, etc. -- a step, we hope, inherits the revolutionary impulse of the Mayflower Compact
2) to reduce clutter and waste in our homes (as in trash Compact-er)
3) to simplify our lives (as in Calm-pact)
So, here goes for the rules:<>
First principle - don't buy new products of any kind (from stores, web sites, etc.)
Second principle - borrow or buy used.
A few exceptions - using the "fair and reasonable person" standard -- i.e., you'll know in your heart when you're rationalizing a violation:
food, drink, and necessary medicine (no elective treatments like Viagra or Botox)
necessary cleaning products, but not equipment (don't go out and buy the Dyson Animal, for example).
socks and underwear (utilitarian--non-couture or ornamental)
pajamas for the children
Utilitarian services (plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, veterinarians, dog/house-sitters, fire/paramedics, dry cleaners, house cleaners, etc.) -- Support local and encourage used parts (rebuilt transmission, salvaged headlight unit, etc.)
Recreational services (massage, etc.) & local artisanal items - Good sources for gifts, but should not be over-indulged in for personal gratification
Charitable contributions (Seva, Heifer, and the like) - an even better source for gifts
Plants and cut flowers - Whenever possible, cultivate from free cuttings or seeds. Ok in extreme moderation (yo, incoming oxy) when purchased from local businesses (i.e., not the Target Garden Shop)--and again, within reason
Art supplies - First line of attack: SCRAP. When absolutely necessary (for the professionals and talented amateurs in the group), from local businesses
Magazines, newspapers, Netflix - renewals only, no new subscriptions. Even better to consume online
Video rentals and downloadable music files (non-material) -- freely shared and legal, please

So, blog me your thoughts...

Oh, Bare Necessities is a waltz from Waltz Book Volume Two.

Church Street

Every fourth Wednesday of the month there's a jam session held at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Augusta, ME. Folks gather from around the area, some driving an hour or more. Most of the jams we attend have a pretty regular core group of musicians, with a pretty regular cast of occasional players who make it whenever they can. It's quite possible to book every evening of our week with opportunities to play music... and there have been a few weeks that we've done just that! What happens though, is a breakdown in the structure of our personal life. It's so important to have balances... to identify what the priorities are and to create time to participate and enjoy each of them. It doesn't mean "Do it all, and do it all now" but it does mean to be mindful of how our time and resources are utilized. Sometimes it's as simple as coordinating a jam session with maintaining social connections... or playing music at a community event... or spending an evening at home playing duets after a walk in the woods. For me, the UU jam is a priority because it is close to home (only 25 minutes away), involves the contra style tunes that we've focused on right now, and offers a chance to keep in touch with some friends.
Church Street is a tune we've picked up along the way somewhere... one of the many pieces of sheet music that has been shared with us, possibly at a UU jam!

Honest Woman of Many Trades

There are many instruments in which I have interest... obviously the fiddle is my main focus these days. There are times though, when it is useful to speak fluently with other instruments. I can pretty easily provide enough guitar backup, and can pick along with the mandolin at a moderate pace. Tonight at our jam I got to play the mandolin, the fiddle, the bodhran... and a bit of banjo with the help and instruction of my friend Terry. I feel challenged and empowered to learn more strumming chords with the banjo and work into some picking, flailing, and maybe even some claw hammer if that style appeals to me. The fun thing about music is finding the group of people that you can let yourself try new things. Our Tuesday night jam this week offered just that sort of environment... safe and encouraging. We had a great time calling out tunes and playing.
We had a guitar, two fiddles, a banjo, an egg... and an assortment of other instruments that I got to play as the mood caught me. There can't be much more fun than that... other than the jokes, laughs, and camraderie that overtook us between tunes!
Honest Woman of Many Trades can be found in the Lighthouse Collection as well as Jerry Holland's Collection of Fiddle Tunes. I like to think that I'm an honest woman (I also like to think that those who disagree with me just don't know me well enough) of many trades (do you know that I've dipped leather, ran spinning machines, cared for the elderly, mowed cemeteries, sold groceries, dipped ice cream, and washed hair)... Ah, life offers so many opportunities when the mind is open to possibilities!

Queen of the Fair

The Common Ground Fair was held this weekend in Unity Maine... a celebration of rural living in Maine. Richard and SK attended yesterday, and today I went with SK, Toby and Bryan. Saturday brought rain all day... today we experienced a few light showers and some sunshine before the heavier rains set in. The exhibits, food, and demonstrations were all great.

We went to the new tradition of Fiddler's Showcase in the morning... a kinder and less stressful presentation of music than the older tradition of Fiddle Contest. The Showcase is presented in a style similar to that of Maine Fiddle Camp, and I'm sure other venues... those who wish to participate sign up and get to play their favorite tunes and medleys. There were a few other opportunities to listen to music... a Spotlight Stage featured different musicians throughout the day and there was at least one jam session going on that evolved into an impromptu contra and square dance. It was nice to get out and see the different colors, crafts, textures, and people who love farming and being close to the land in one way or another. Very inspirational. There are so many crafts and activities that I have tried over the years, some that I have loved, others that I'm glad I tried (and moved on from!).

These days I love fiddling. I'm also constantly drawn to colors and patterns that remind me how much I love piecing quilts together, so I'm hoping to create time to do that soon. Today's outing certainly gives me motivation to do just that!

College Hornpipe

Saturday night found us at the Norlands, playing a barn dance for a "live-in" experience. The Norlands is a living history center located in Livermore Maine, not far from where we live. This is the second barn dance we've been invited to play and we anticipate another invitation in the near future! The Norlands depicts rural farm life in the 18th and 19th century as it chronicles the lives of the Washburn family. The group we played for were in a college credit course through University of Maine Farmington, and they were thoroughly enjoying learning the basics of contras, circles and squares.

Stir the Soup

Fall weather is here... perfect for hearty soups. This culinary creation was made by Bryan, and shared at our house for dinner last night. Lots of vegetables, a variety of beans, a tasty herb broth, and my personal favorite, SPAM... absolutely delicious! Avery was not crazy about it, but you can never really tell from day to day what he'll want to eat... this report comes from his mom so we weren't too surprised when he opted for a peanut butter sandwich instead. We also had salad and biscuits to round out the meal... and then apple crisp later on for dessert. It was nice having Avery and Bryan here to share dinner with us!

Stir the Soup is from the Reckless Reel.

Almost Equinox

The autumnal equinox is nearly upon us, marking on the calendar the change from summer to fall. The leaves have started changing color, and night time temperatures have begun to drop... though our days continue to be sunny and warm for the most part right now. This is my favorite time of year!

Almost Equinox comes from the Reckless Reel.