Doing the Doo at Boo-Nanny
Wendi's Word Nest at Boo-Nanny
After a couple of whirlwind months of bringing Poetry Alive! to schools in various states I caught a ride with the Screaming Js caravan to the Doo-Nanny in Seale, AL. We arrived at 6am Friday and while the sleepers slept I covered J.P.'s big green van with magnetic poetry. There is something cleansing about having a few hours of silence to yourself with nothing but birdsong for inspiration as you pull random words from a bag and try to make sense of them.
Screaming Jake's Church of the Dead
I saved one small box for Screaming Jake's church of the dead which was raised quickly once the sleeper's awoke. I didn't take pictures of the poetry on the church, so that will have to remain a memory in the thoughts of those who had a chance to explore it for that moment in time.
After all the magnets were placed, J.P. & I put the finishing touches on the backstage "Green Room" which gave me the perfect place to hide out while practicing or watch the world from above while typing. Then it was our turn to go exploring.
J.P. in the "Green Room"
That night we ventured downtown for the Possum Trot auction & a delicious boil of shrimp, sausage, corn & potatoes. I heard the whole life story of some locals enchanted by the glimmer of bubbles & regretted not having a single dollar on me to bid on the amazing art going at bargain prices. We danced to Screaming Jake's juke joint piano playing until the sweat streamed off our faces and then loaded up to howl to the moon from the stage with whatever song bubbled up. The best thing about that night was reaching the point when we were all playing...no longer performing.
When you perform for a living, the stress of the work often can take the fun out of it. Especially when folks assume that because it looks like you're having fun that you're willing to entertain them for free. They miss the part where you've spent six hours balancing artistic egos in a car and another six setting up the stage & equipment & magic that makes it all look and sound so fun knowing that when it's all done and you're exhausted it will be time to take it all down and move on to the next job.
Friday night was a night for the artists to play and after a sound night's sleep we woke slowly to the drizzly grey day of the Doo or Boo-Nanny since it was also Halloween. We mostly kept to the caves we built for ourselves as the locals came in to view the Doo. I sold a few poems off the wall and gave away more while taking some time to stare at the sky and listen to others do the work. Finally when the rain let up Jenny Greer & the Screaming Js took the stage for the lighting of the Doo-Nanny to an impromptu rendition of Burning Ring of Fire. That was the spark that set the music in motion with non-stop boogie until at 1:30am. As if in a daze, we finally abandoned the lights of the stage realizing it was cold enough that we should gather close by the bonfires for ghost stories, tall tales & more sing-alongs led by the ever shining Jenny.
The full moon lit the village and made mystery of the mist rising off the lake in the wee hours as we each found a spot to burrow against the chill before dawn. The next day bloomed bright and beautiful and I finally found time to explore Butch Anthony's Museum of Wonder. That alone is worth a visit to Seale, AL any time of the year. After a little time to myself for practice we packed up & hit the road again.
Finally, I now have a few days to spend at home & want nothing more than to continue to sing, dance, play, & make art. Do the Doo.
DooNanny Poem from the Underwood
Crossing Bridges
Bridge crossing out of New England
Food for thought…
Like Aesop's fabled raven
dropping stones to raise the water
media piles words under the surface
raising the level of consciousness.
Oh happy fools who plug ears
resisting the weight of worry
reserving senses for heaven's rain
more precious than stoney accusations.
Has America's thirst for news
grown so insatiable and needy
it will gorge on half formed thoughts
rather than filter the feed for truths?
Spread Joy up to the Maximum!
Last week I drove to Memphis and back by myself. I've made long drives before so I was prepared with charged cell phone, healthy snacks and a whole pile of CDs to listen to for the journey. There is something completely liberating about flying free. The two weeks of workshops in Memphis were a lot of fun and I took a bit of time to actually get to know the "real" Memphis, not just the Beale Street tourist section. The history of music and civil rights in that city run deep, but today there are shadows around it's former glory. Whole streets of businesses and houses are boarded up and empty while the next block over is alive and thriving.
I returned to my home with a new pile of tunes from the CDs lodged in my head that include artists like Willie Dixon, Bo Diddley, Dr. John, the Drifters, and Professor Longhair. This particular song seems to be on constant "repeat" in my brain. I had a recording of Johnny Mercer singing it, but Aretha is fun too...
What a handy thing to have in your head when you come home to a pre-foreclosure notice in the mailbox and a large two trunked red oak tree across your driveway! I'll admit, the sight made me shed a few tears, but a few calls to the right friends had me on top of the situation quickly. This week began the Mountain Clearance Giveaway. I'm unloading the burden of stuff that has weighed me down for far too long and it's truly liberating. Rather than making a mountain out of a molehill, I'm taking apart the mountain. One of the things I enjoy doing best is helping people find what they need. So...I'm inviting folks to bring a car full of joy by the house this week and take something you can use away with you. We all benefit that way.
Once I'm free of the baggage I don't need, I look forward to spreading joy in my own quirky way to as many corners of the world as possible.
Waterlogged
Blair Martin's Studio
Today I woke to the sound of tin roof rain downpour and the dim light of thunderous weather. Part of me wanted to hide from the wet world in my tree house and just enjoy the cozy warmth of my room looking out at the storm. I did for a bit while I sorted email & voice messages on my phone trying to coax myself out of the house. The past week has brought such a variety of new inspiration that I felt like I needed time to process it all.
I found that serendipitously the rain stopped as soon as I was ready to leave the house. Though the sun still refused to shine, I discovered the brightness and warmth of Blair Martin's Studio in Tryon as I arrived to interview her about her work for the local paper. It made me realize just how heavy and dark my own home is on a gray day. When I returned there I tried practicing the piano and finally, feeling uninspired, returned to the house in Asheville where the tree asks "Y" in the back yard and the living room is sunshine yellow. It's amazing how much environment can impact mood.
I know I was never meant to live my days in a little gray box staring at a screen under fluorescent lights. I find that I cringe at the thought of even checking email these days. I don't want to waste away without being present for real life and real adventures. So, with that, I'll sign off for a bit to find food, friends, and good music as refreshment before getting back to the editing task at hand.
Night Rider
30/30 NaPoMo Challenge
In case you haven't heard, it's National Poetry Month. That means I pick up a few more Poetry Alive! shows and many of the writers I know are furiously hammering out a poem a day to meet the 30/30 challenge. I'm already behind. Is it possible to have word jammage of the brain? Between memorizing Eve-Olution, re-memorizing three Poetry Alive! shows, and writing/editing two articles each week while keeping up with hundreds of emails, facebook notices, and twitters I feel like the letters have started dancing out of place to simply trumpet sound without sense.
That's when I turn to music. Granted if I get caught in song lyrics (I know I've driven 18 hours to Austin without repeating a verse or song) that still includes words. What I'm talking about is the sound without words. Whether its whistling with the birds or jamming with new friends, there's something refreshing about tossing sounds through the air and catching harmony. I feel like it somehow clears my brain. That's why when I reach the end of my day I don't turn on the television to hear the corporate babble-on but instead seek out live music where real people are making the real sounds of change.
So, if I ever catch up with myself this month, my 30/30 Challenge may just have to include a few "tone poems" or songs without words to be able to communicate clearly what's jammed in my brain.
Simone
I had the joyous pleasure of meeting and interviewing Lisa Kelly Simone for the Tryon Daily Bulletin today after hearing her sing and field a million questions from the kids at Tryon Elementary. I feel blessed to have been in the presence of such a bright star sharing her light with the world.
It's a gorgeous day today as I finish up the computer work on my porch listening to the sounds of birds and watching pileated woodpeckers flirt among the locust trees. What an amazing spot to call home!
This evening will bring a reception for Simone and in some ways it feels like Nina Simone has finally come home to Tryon through her daughter. May her spirit receive the love from this town that raised her on music even though the politics of the time sent her away feeling like she could never come back.
Songs lyrics in my head recently in no particular order
Never was I - Mad Tea Party
Paper Moon - (Arlen & Harburg)
It's All Right With Me - (Cole Porter)
Love will Come to You - Indigo Girls
Christine - Screaming J's
The Pearls - Jelly Roll Morton*
Shadows of the Night - Pat Benatar
Rock & Roll Music - Chuck Berry
Dream a Little Dream of Me - (Andre, Schwandt, & Kahn)
My Inspiration is You - Annette Henshaw (Levant, Rose, & Dixon)
*Okay, this one doesn't have lyrics that I know of, but the tune has been insistant lately.
A Wiley Westward Caravan of Sound
March 26, 2009 starts the Redwood Jazz Festival in Eureka, CA. I've been informed "this is the one to go to" this year.
I had a great time road tripping from Seattle to Sacramento last May for that festival and learned so much and met so many amazing people I'm eager to get to another festival. I'm also due for a visit to my parents in Washington since I skipped the holiday madness. I was considering trying to buy a plane ticket, but then started thinking...
Do I actually know enough people from my travels that I could drive across country and back with a couple musicians in tow and find enough gigs to let us eat, sleep and buy gas along the way? It would be a great way to visit some of my favorite people while the money I make here continues to feed the house as a place for other travelers to rest on their way through my neck of the woods.
I'm working on hashing out some details on my end, but suggestions, ideas, and contacts are certainly welcome!
I love…times 10
I'm sitting here listening to the sound of the rain outside and just read the lovely Miss Caroline's blog about her 10 awesome things that happened yesterday and couldn't help but be inspired to list some of the things making my own world a brighter place this week.
I love...
1. The roaring sound of rain on the tin roof outside when the world around me has seemed far too flammable lately.
2. A furry, purring cat by my side and a fluffy puppy at my feet while sitting on the couch and writing on the computer on a cold night.
3. Taking a detour to discover something new and a home cooked meal.
4. Listening, dancing, playing, singing, and just plain being in the middle of talented, inspiring, live musicians nearly every day.
5. Friends who don't assume to have the answers, but help to find the questions that allow us to grow together rather than apart.
6. People willing to share stories about themselves.
7. A quiet, warm house when I've grown world weary and need rest.
8. The smell and taste of fresh ground coffee brewing at home.
9. Mistakes that allow you the freedom to change your perspective and salvage what's good while you rid yourself of baggage.
10. Turning a grimace of frustration into a smile and laughter.
You are under no obligation, but please feel free to post your own ten things and keep the love flowing to brighten the dark.
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