oh yeah

i think we are finally over our various illnesses.

trying hard to regroup at home and at work. i'm wiped out and it makes it difficult. all i really want to do is sleep. and watch niche programming on obscure cable channels.

tooling around on youtube this evening and remembered how much i totally and completely love this song.

a little roxy music to help you settle into your evening. god, i love to sing this song.

realized i forgot to post about something absolutely lovely. a few weeks ago we went to see lyle lovett and john hiatt. i might have posted about that, but what i know i did not post about was this song.

reminds me so much of my childhood. my parents, brothers and me, riding on country roads, piled into the car, singing songs, listening to stories. god. is there anything more family than that?

wilco weekend or the 30,000 calorie tour of columbus

our wilco weekend was great! i'll start with the show. you know, columbus day in columbus? wilco was wilco. not the raucous wilco of so many years ago, but the tight, rhythmic, love-inspiring wilco of today. we had great seats in the wexner center and were fortunately seated next to non-annoying concert goers. i realized during that show the "the late greats" has become one of my most favorite wilco songs.

i will say that we made the absolute most of columbus. this is a town that we've driven through numerous times but never really visited. our first stop on sunday afternoon was german village.

we took this nice walk and visited several bakeries. the best one? this one. we sampled four different macarons and tried this gorgeous pistachio feullitine.

that evening we visited martini, an italian restaurant in short north. we started out with beef carpaccio. i had veal and spinach ravioli. mmm had gnocchi with beef and wild boar. not too shabby!

the next morning we explored the north market. i gawked over the pastries at mozart's north market bakery. the marzipan peach was other-wordly and i hope to recreate it some day.

we explored columbus a bit more before heading to the OSU campus to prepare ourselves for the show. other than my almost losing my purse, we had a great time there as well. a few observations: OSU students don't appear to drink much (as evidenced by the lack of watering holes). they run excessively. and they apparently have an inexplicable love of gyros. who knew?

boothie + ktm = rain

friday evening boothie, mmm and i headed to south park to see steve earle. i had had a miserable day and was completely exhausted (still). we left in the middle of a huge rainstorm. boothie and i decided we can no longer attend outdoor concerts together. we bring the weather.

luckily, the rain stopped just as we arrived. we set up our picnic, poured some wine, and the music started. it was a completely relaxing evening. at least until it was time to go home.

oh and check out this video. we are in the audience!

old 97s

ahh, good times, good times.

sunday evening boothie and i set out on a great adventure. the old 97s were putting on a free show in northeast pittsburgh. sounded close and easy. WRONG. but getting there was half the fun. we arrived at the alleged venue to find no stage and several cars circling the parking lot. a little bit of instinct, a little bit of common sense and we finally arrived at the right place.

early enough to hear the last sound check!!! ahhh! and see them hanging out in their van!!! ahh!

we set up our lovely picnic. drank some wine, ate some snacks and then, then the cloud came. boothie, god bless her, headed for the car to get the ponchos. i have vivid images of her running from a wall of black water as she so selflessly left the safety of the car to bring me my poncho. she made it ALMOST in time. the ponchos worked great. we salvaged some food and the wine (duh).

anyway, the storm lasted maybe 15 minutes. then it cleared, was beautiful and the old 97s rocked!

the ride home was even more of an adventure. unfamiliar territory in the dark. but we talked and laughed and sang and eventually made it.

dinner last night with one, two and three. how often does that happen?

retreat today at chestnut ridge. not bad. not bad at all. oh, and, uh, we got to see the yurt.

magpie to the morning

listening to neko case, middle cyclone, over and over and over and it's just so good. perfect album to start out summer. rich and deep and warm and sort of feels like rain and humidity. sort of slow. lots of nature images and it's just the perfect thing for right now.

odd week, starting off on a tuesday. always nice to be one day closer to the weekend than it seems.

overload

sitting here trying to remember everything we've seen and done in the last 24 hours.  it's been a lot!

first, i spent more time at the pool yesterday and i'm incredibly sunburned.  i look stupid.  bright red and stripey.  dorky, if you will.

we saw a lovely group, the abilene dots at the daystage and later we saw justin townes earle there.  he writes and sings such beautiful and sad ballads.  off then to different parties then the von bondies.  a good rock show and i had forgotten that they sing the rescue me theme song.

richard swift and bishop allen at the mowhaw patio.  very very very disappointed by the bishop allen show.  sound was bad but they really don't seem to be the best live performers.  a nice place to see a show, though.  after that we went to stubbs and saw the meat puppets and gomez. gomez is probably the best show i've seen so far.  i think.  it's all starting to run together!

oh, and in the hotel lobby this group, mumford and sons.  lots of nice harmony and sort of a celtic folk sound.  will have to check them out.

so, today.  no clue.  not plan or path or idea.  i guess we'll just take this day as it comes.  

float on

lyle lovett and john hiatt in concert tonight.  third row near center and it was wonderful.  LL's voice is, well, his own.  the kind of voice you'd like to sing you a lullaby every night.  the two performers played back and forth with one another, answering one song with another.  bantering in between.  highly entertaining.

left feeling an even bigger desire to move to texas.  now i know, i know, we're not ever REALLY going to move to texas.  but there's just something about it i love.  big, open, hot.  music.  rough around the edges, sorta.  the pictures LL paints in his songs make me want to be there.  i picture old wood floors in a farm house, no other houses for miles around.  horses and old men and tex mex.  

aside from the great show, mmm and i had a perfect date night.  good dinner, drinks, trivia, and time at home with no baby b!  heard this song tonight and it's how i feel about things right now. 

a mighty fine a-pickin and a-dingin

went to see ricky skaggs and bruce hornsby last night. a treat to see such fine musicianship. our seats were front row center! that's perfect for me because i love to watch their fingers fly on the various strings. especially struck by the fiddle player. very young and you could tell he was probably trained classically on the violin first. everything he played had a sweet sadness to it.

cold cold cold around here. the car told us it was only 1 degree on our way to work. that is COLD.

wearing my superfav bearpaws today. so comfy and warm.

unrefined pitch of pines

music all day.  listen.  

sometimes i have so much on my mind i can't even get the words out.  hundreds of random thoughts today.  brought on by songs and pictures and conversations.  feeling very much me today.  very much myself and happy with the feeling.

made a tasty-tasty pasta dish this evening.  spicy, and i added rosemary because i like it even though you're not supposed to.

my mind is looking forward.  upcoming trips and concerts.  warmer climes calling my name.  

mine's not a high horse

music music music all day long.  new ryan adams and the cardinals- stellar. want to listen again and again.  lucinda williams, ben folds, bishop allen still and, ever present in my life now, the shins.

mine's not a high horse 

after that confrontation

you left me wringing my cold hands

we shared some information

we might not recover from

and i watch your convictions

melt like ice cubes in an ocean

you were so poorly cast as a malcontent

you've got them all on your side

that just makes more for doubt to slaughter

"i never knew he thought that!"

i heard you say falling out of the van

"don't ask for his opinion

they ought to drown him in holy water"

will you remember my reply

when your high horse dies?

we'd like to go the distance

but not a one of us is going to

you see no one is wise enough

to turn the ancient boat around

these are the muddy waters i am swimming in

to make a living were i to drown in them

it should come as no surprise

you've got them all on your side

that just makes more for doubt to slaughter

"i never knew he thought that!"

i heard you say falling out of the van

"don't ask for his opinion

they ought to drown him in holy water"

will you remember my reply

when your high horse dies?

poison pill

again i ask, why are break up songs the best songs?

"i find a fatal flaw in the logic of love"

the shins, gone for good

read the lyrics here if you care to.  

more music today

should be gearing up for the game but instead i'm beat, my back hurts, and all i really want to do is sit and listen to music.  house is clean, family is fed, drinks are poured and friends are on their way.  i'm sure i'll get into the spirit after kick-off, but right now i'm upstairs, alone, listening to kevin devine.  just can't get this one out of my head.

mass romantic

listening to the new pornographers this morning and very much grooving on them. trying to find a comparison to another act, but nothing fits. talking heads? maybe the beach boys meet dexies midnight riders meet ... who? how do you describe neko case? similar to the other nico, maybe? maybe i just like the idea that neko case is a diminutive red haired girl.

clearly, i find them indescribable and completely palatable.

noise, melody, psychedelic (which i normally do not enjoy).

choice lines:

"mass romantic fool wears foster grants
his books on tape ring true
like everyone wants to say i love you to someone on the radio"

"the tune you'll be humming forever
all the words are replaced and wrong
with a shower of yeahs and whatevers
you trade me away long gone

where have all the sensations gone?
it's the song, the song, the song that's shaking me"

m is for manchego

enjoyed a self indulgent dinner this evening.  a tartine of fig jam, manchego, prosciutto, blood orange olive oil and cracked black, red and green pepper.  it was incredibly tasty.  layered.  sourdough bread- yum. then the sweetness of figs and butter meet salty creamy manchego.  indulgent prosciutto followed by the KAPOW of strong pepper.  then back to sweet with the blood orange olive oil.  i done good tonight, folks.

listening still to justin townes earle.  my god is he good.  nothing at all like his father (who i love), something different altogether.

another night of baking ahead- sugar cookies and a pear tart.  pears from luellen's tree.  nice to have someone to share and trade with.  

random memory

listening to justin townes earle and remembering the first time i listened to the album in its entirety. mmm and i driving in late may after dinner at oliverio's with friends. windows down, muggy night, sad songs playing loud. a bit too much wine and baby b with gram.

i raced my hand through the air outside the passenger side window.

i love that kind of remembering.

beautiful

this has got to be one the most beautiful songs i've ever heard. kind of like pete yorn meets bryan ferry.

joseph arthur, "honey and the moon"

don't know why i'm still afraid

if you weren't real i would make you up now

i wish that i could follow through

i know that your love is true

and deep

as the sea

but right now

everything you want is wrong

and right now

all your dreams are waking up

and right now

i wish i could follow you

to the shores

of freedom

where no one lives

remember when we first met

and everything was still a bet

in love's game

you would call; i'd call you back

and then i'd leave

a message

on your answering machine

but right now

everything is turning blue

and right now

the sun is trying to kill the moon

and right now

i wish i could follow you

to the shores

of freedom

where no one lives

freedom

run away tonight

we're made out of blood and rust

looking for someone to trust

without

a fight

i think that you came too soon

you're the honey and the moon

that lights

up my night

but right now

everything you want is wrong

and right now

all your dreams are waking up

and right now

i wish that i could follow you

to the shores

of freedom

where no one lives

freedom

run away tonight

we got too much time to kill

like pigeons on my windowsill

we hang around

ever since i've been with you

you hold me up

all the time i'm falling down

but right now

everything is turning blue

and right now

the sun is trying to kill the moon

and right now

i wish i could follow you

to the shores

of freedom

where no one lives

freedom

run away tonight

foy vance and politics

another favorite i discovered in the past year.  foy vance.

mmm and i saw him at the belfast/nashville sister cities party.  i fell in love with his voice and his presence.  the usually reserved ktm actually gave mr. vance a big ole hug after the show and said "your voice is crazy awesome!"  but not before asking him "where's the bathroom?"  class act all the way.  you should certainly check him out.

mmm, by nature and by profession, is drawn to watching speeches.  any and all speeches.  therefore we are enjoying every blessed second of the republican national convention.  help me, people.  please please help me.  if i hear "country first" one more fucking time....  and the overriding kenny loggins theme?  seriously?  

bizarre as the convention is, it cannot match the whacked out commentary provided by my socialist husband.  

but wait, there's more

another kevin devine related post.

the last time i saw him live was in the bar of the driskill hotel in austin. the driskill was built in 1886 and is the epitome of cattle and oil men luxury. it's lit up like a honey colored cake at night, windows and doors all open, and i can never resist walking in and looking up at the stained glass on the ceiling, or grabbing a pastry from the bakery. one of my favorite buildings in my most favorite city.

so to see one of my favorite singers there was really something special.

i remember every detail of that night for some reason. the texas heat, the dust on my black flats. sitting on red velvet chairs with mmm in an alcove in the driskill, waiting for KD to take the stage. thinking how lucky, how very very lucky.