out of hibernation

with my impending departure i break radio silence.

tomorrow, weather permitting, i fly to the east coast.

there, i meet the fellas and we play what is this year truly

the mid winter festival.

apparently there are feet of snow on the ground.

2003 anyone?

takes me back to this time last year in the catskill mountains.

shovelling snow, splitting wood,

keeping the wood stove stoked, often in the very wee hours of the morning.

a great experience but i am happy to be here now.

we have some bracing weather for sure,

but it doesn't take my time and energy.

in this time of hibernation and preparation

i have been blessed to be with my family.

asa does just about everything as soon as he can.

and with incredible passion.

what he can't do, he practices over and over.

he is my inspiration.

his early inclination to laugh has blossomed

into a wonderful bubbling chuckle.

my favourite sound in the world.

of course he grows incredibly.

his understanding of himself, us and his world does too.

and so we communicate better every day.

an increasingly rewarding experience

as he happens to be the most fascinating human on the planet to me ...

and so, as i contemplate the road again,

i do so committed to making this life of music

complement life with my family.

as we look to fill the rest of the calendar,

it will be with a view to having my greatest inspiration along for the ride,

wherever possible.

this weekend however, i'll be braving the snow alone.

some good hard playing with dalbo and drew. and a beer or 3.

then valentines, a day late, with the love of my life ...

the next day we drive to LA, meet up with the fellas again,

and see how our new live album sounds.

it's been a couple of months now.

fresh ears always helps.

stay warm out there ...

angus

i wonder

winter solstice has just passed.

as far as the earth is concerned it is a new year.

i spent the last few hours of the shortest day

playing in my new music room - the green room.

it is coming together nicely.

it is a good space to work on and to work in.

the the aim is to have it bizarre and inspiring

for all who enter ...

i've been thinking about our coming new year show.

and it feels like a good way to celebrate

our recent time living in the mountains.

and so, i have been looking again at some of the songs i wrote there.

i chop wood

i make fire

i feel good

a little higher

she makes bread

with special flour

we drink wine

any hour

gluten free for me.

appropriately it will be t on drums.

t, our neighbour in the catskills,

introduced me to many of the mountains secrets

on our regular cross country walks as the seasons passed there.

it already feels like so long ago.

an amazing chapter in our lives.

one that gave us a baby.

and so, new years eve will be an evening to reflect on

and say good bye to my time as a mountain man.

i wonder, will i shave?

angus