our first snow, last for the season
april 13 catskill mountains, new york. 2 weeks ago today we arrived. somehow we've managed to make a big old place feel cozy... very cold in the first week. even a dusting of snow one morning, the sort we'd get once a year on the farm growing up. i am in the woods, in the mountains. still seems like a fantasy... steven, the magical blind cat, is a constant source of inspiration and entertainment. he boldly explores his new territory in his own unique way, always pushing his boundaries... i have begun setting up the music room. looking forward to making new sounds in this new world... the old wood stove has become a focal point for me. i love getting up and building the fire from the previous nights coals. it's like i'm always camping... first buds appearing. some days are warm. chilly again today. love the changes but still glad we arrived at winters end. we have the better part of a year to prepare... april 20 i remember feeling anxious in years past. waking worried, thinking there was always so much to do. more and more, i'm letting the day determine what gets done. hell, it's all worked out up until now somehow. even the worst of it. this place makes the letting go process even easier... outside the kitchen window there is a riot of bright yellow blossom where only a week ago all was bare. these big forsythia bushes - i just read they are best known for ushering in spring - remind me of the golden wattle that blooms in the countryside where we grew up. takes me way back... hamish is in a gospel choir with our parents, dawnie and big dave. who'd have imagined? how does it feel mate? 'the glorious mudsingers' just played the national folk festival in oz. looking forward to catching a show one of these days... i have been playing my telecaster most days. experimenting with a new toy - a multi effects pedal. i usually kept it simple in the past. i was the bass player for how many years? 4 big strings. easy. but i'm really enjoying exploring new sounds and possibilities. the loop station is opening up a new dimension too. drew gave me a few tips on that puppy, now i'm up and running... feels like rain today. as my brother once observed "fresh water falls from the sky"... angus
wood stove	soup on the stove
tending the bangers
inside barbie
exploring the backyard