For Kate Poole

I've been a bit busy and yesterday did not end my day in time to post. There are so many things going on. The window project is just one aspect of my tiny country life. I have friends going through horrible times. I'm there with them only through phone calls and greeting cards. I'm heartsick about it. Too many middle aged people are going through serious medical issues. I know cancer strikes at any age but it is too frequent in our environment. One of my friends who is very ill is a life long artist who railed against pesticides and is an environmentalist.

Today's post is for her. She is also a glass artist and we have collaborated on pieces when we were both active in the glass community. She is also a singer/songwriter who has written some songs that when played in any audience has the room standing at the end. One of those songs is entitled Big Woman Love. I know Kate's favorite music and will play it today. I also am making a CD for healing that I'm sending for when she gets out of hospital.

Glass: Yesterday I cut glass most of the day. It is my favorite part of the entire process. I felt so moved at one point that I stopped, sat down and wrote a poem. No, You'll never see that poem. I had a successful time of it, having only two pieces slated for re-cut. I had my client over for some final colour choices. I like to do that when possible. They are the people who are eventually going to live with this and also are paying me. I'm easy.

Today I ground, or grinded each piece of galss to fit perfectly with the next, like a jigsaw puzzle. It is my least favorite aspect of the process. It went well too, though I'm not 100 percent finished. I want to double check everything so will build my jig before beginning the foiling process.

A window has to fit into the space provided. It can't at the last minute not fit. Glass panels can grow. This is what I checked the measurements so carefully a few weeks ago. I am being extra careful so am finished for the day and will start with fresh eyes tomorrow.


Kate loves John Prine's, Angel From Montgomery and if there is a party and a guitar, she usually sings it. She can also sing Nanci Griffith songs like no one else but Nanci Griffith. I've had the pleasure of travelling with Kate a few times. Once on our way to a glass conference in Halifax she sang Nanci Griffith songs and noticeably made the trip shorter and more pleasant. Here's Nanci with Across the Great Divide.

I'm with you, Kate.

Ducks and Music

I'm feeling ducky! My ear feels much better and I got outside a bit. Yesterday was really warm and would have been a perfect day for an outing but I'd planned to paint with my sis in law. We happily finished our second paintings. Today turned out to be colder and windier so I was less pleased to be going outside with a sore ear but did venture out and got a few shots. I should have gone to town but really didn't feel up to that much activity. I have business to take care of but it can wait.


I raised ducks for years and when I went outside my back door, the ducks in the pond stayed. If I called them they came up to get fed and go to bed. Now I have wild ducks and they take off as soon as I go outside. I can't get many decent shots. It is easier when, at least, they walk onto the ice for an easier take-off. I have a quite a few of these. My daughter would like to raise ducks sometime too as she remembers it so fondly from when she was a kid.

I love the music that's out there. I know I've said that before but again have to say how much I appreciate all the music I listen to every day. The internet, and especially Youtube, is such a great way to listen to whatever music you want. Whatever your fantasy playlist you can probably find it. I listen to new music every day most of the day when I'm online.

When I'm posting I usually pick songs out of the files of music I already have and play them while I'm writing and flip through them and play and replay. I have all these favorites, too many, and collect versions of those songs and I have favorite performers. I'm a huge Van Morrison fan but have been asked not to play his music here so don't but he's still in my top three list. I love to listen to the great writers and the great performers. If my computer breaks, I have hundreds of cd's, cassette tapes and albums and the machinery to run it all on. A passion to say the least.

Here's I Still Miss Someone with Nanci Griffith and Rodney Crowell dedicated to my daughter and Ruthie Foster with Joy On the Other Side with wishes for my ear troubles to be over tomorrow. To the Music!!!!!!

My computer is really, really slow today.

An Aaahhhhhsome Day

Today I start my new work schedule with an additional day off - Mondays!!!! Those exclamation points can hopefully express my excitement. I'm so in need of an extra day off and I'm enjoying it fully. I have friends coming for dinner and have all the salads made, the lemon meringue pie in the fridge, the ribs slow cooking in the oven and the floor swept. I've been very busy but I'm not going to work. Yeah!!!! I don't like being indoors for the dishwasher cycle so took that time out for a visit with two friends so I feel happy all around. An extra day off will do that, much like a long weekend usually does.

I have resident crows. The same ones hang around and keep watch knowing I will often feed them. They are checking it out constantly. There are three in this first photo - one is in the shade to the left of the tree. I like having them around. I've always admired their shiny black feathers, their intelligence and fierce tenacity. They are a bit shy even though they should know after all these years that I'm no harm.



I've been blindly clicking different playlists on the mp3 player every time I sit at the computer. That there is so much great music always amazes me. There is more than any of us could listen to in a lifetime if we played music from this moment on. Like books, where couldn't ever read them all - even a speed reader. Here are two good songs I listened to today that are no longer on the music pages. Baby Please Don't Go is done here by Greg Brown and Bill Morrissey. Here are a couple of other versions too. One from the late, great Dutchie Mason and one by our Harry Manx. I won't play Van's version as was requested a while back by the Net Sheriff.

Oh oh, Dutchie's is no longer here. If I knew how to make the horizontal line through it I would. I'll put it back some other time. Mississippi Fred McDowell's is gone too.

The other choice today is the traditional blues song, Trouble in Mind, by Snooks Eaglin and here's a bonus. It's the song that's playing at the moment. Speed of the Sound of Loneliness by Nancy Griffith and John Prine. This song always reminds me of a friend who sings and does a fine job with both these artists.

My friends are here. I will add music later.

Update: When I look back on this post after a few drinks and a great dinner and visit with dear friends, I see a strange mixture of music from me. It's not related other than the songs were all on playlists I'm listening to and they grabbed my attention. So much more than just these songs has enthralled me. I listened to a live cut from The Waifs live album on one of the playlists and have enjoyed it so much in the mix.

Birds and Boots

I just polished and treated my boots. One of those little maintenance jobs of everyday life of which there are hundreds. Housework encompasses hundreds in itself. This big old house sometimes overwhelms me in all that there is to do and maintain.

We are having cold winter weather. It is sunny so the sun's heat shining through and taking away the grey....something to be thankful for. The nights are brilliantly starlit like you see only on cold winter nights. The moon is almost full and at 5am it almost seems like daylight. I so love moon shadows.

Since I started with boots I'm going to end with boots. Boots of Spanish Leather by of course Dylan and also by Nanci Griffith.

Half Stormstayed

It was sunny and cold today (minus 17) and quite windy. Everything on the Island shut down. In a normal year this wouldn't happen but everyone needed a storm day. We, of course, shut down for major storms but this was basically blowing and drifting snow which made a fairly high windchill factor, terrible driving, and the real need......a day off.

Storm days are part of the Canadian culture. We love them! I laughed at one of the radio's public service announcements. They announced that all government offices in Souris were closing and said, "This also means the liquor store." Folks in Souris were disappointed I'm sure, because many a good party has begun from being stormstayed.

I must say I didn't venture outside. I had no reason to and was warm and cozy. I would have liked to get some photos though. Since it was sunny there were some cool shadows in the snow photos waiting out there.

Music: From a Griffin and a Griffiths. Stangely, I have relatives with both names. I found this puzzling when I was a little kid. Pattie Griffin with Top of The World and Nancy Griffiths and Friends with Wasn't That A Mighty Storm.