I love that yesterday I reached a new high of esteem with the kids by giving them an empty coffee can, two 12"x12" stone floor tiles, and a burlap bag from a purchase of 5 pounds of basmati rice, and saying, "Hey, girlies, can you use these in your fort outside?" Their eyes grew wide at the sight of the unexpected treasures, then in a mad rush they were out the door to find a place for them.
They are living outside these days, drinking in all that is spring.
The red-wing blackbirds are back.
It's supposed to get cold again next week, but I'm firmly ignoring that.
Friday, 17 April 2009
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
bad girl! no cd updates!
A double post today to make up for my sad lack of updates on the CD.
The bass tracks are, I think, done. Uberguitarist finished the last of the songs. For the record, the 5-string Fender bass was amazing, the low notes almost being felt more than heard, and the high notes with such a sweet tone. As before, some parts were what we expected while others grew and came out of nowhere as inspiration hit - notably the end of one song when Tim said "play something high and pretty" and UG nailed it out of the blue on the first take. Guitars are next on the list and I'm looking forward to hearing the songs fill out some more.
This week I'm calling a guy who fixes up old guitars. There's a story to this. Have I told this story before? This blog has been up for a while and I'm starting to fear I may be one of those people who repeats stories while people politely smile and nod, though they've heard it before. Several times, in fact. Here she goes again.
Anyway. Just smile and nod. My dad had, for as long as I could remember, a guitar case in his closet. I very vaguely remembered it being played by him at family get-togethers, so vaguely that I wondered if that's just because I'd seen a photo of it. So there it sat, year in and year out. Then I found out what it was. It's one of those things that make most people blankly say "oh" and guitarists start salivating like Pavlov's dogs. It's a 1956 (or 57?) Gibson Les Paul Junior. Nothing's been changed from the original except for a pickup plate that broke once. The finish, the tuning pegs, even the case are all the real deal. And, for its non-climate controlled storage, it's in great shape. Hooray for damp Nova Scotian air!
Sentimental me thought, wouldn't it be fun to have Uberguitarist play my dad's old guitar on a couple of the songs? But it has a bent bridge that needs a bit of work, so, with Dad's permission (and the very wise stipulation that nothing be done to it that would devalue it), it came here and I will be taking it to the guitar-fixer-upper guy for his opinion.
We're looking into adding one more song to the CD. The Christmas song would be a stand-alone, and we all agreed that we'd just have that on single internet download. Having one Christmas song on a regular CD seemed odd. So, we'd still like to have a full 12 songs which means I need to do some more writing. It's funny, but the thought has me kind of excited rather than stressed. The idea of something being created while the process is going on has a sort of in-the-fray rush about it. And I have several song fragments (bits of songs that I love, but haven't been able to make into a complete song) that might be expanded to fit the bill.
Spring always inspires me. Let's see what happens.
The bass tracks are, I think, done. Uberguitarist finished the last of the songs. For the record, the 5-string Fender bass was amazing, the low notes almost being felt more than heard, and the high notes with such a sweet tone. As before, some parts were what we expected while others grew and came out of nowhere as inspiration hit - notably the end of one song when Tim said "play something high and pretty" and UG nailed it out of the blue on the first take. Guitars are next on the list and I'm looking forward to hearing the songs fill out some more.
This week I'm calling a guy who fixes up old guitars. There's a story to this. Have I told this story before? This blog has been up for a while and I'm starting to fear I may be one of those people who repeats stories while people politely smile and nod, though they've heard it before. Several times, in fact. Here she goes again.
Anyway. Just smile and nod. My dad had, for as long as I could remember, a guitar case in his closet. I very vaguely remembered it being played by him at family get-togethers, so vaguely that I wondered if that's just because I'd seen a photo of it. So there it sat, year in and year out. Then I found out what it was. It's one of those things that make most people blankly say "oh" and guitarists start salivating like Pavlov's dogs. It's a 1956 (or 57?) Gibson Les Paul Junior. Nothing's been changed from the original except for a pickup plate that broke once. The finish, the tuning pegs, even the case are all the real deal. And, for its non-climate controlled storage, it's in great shape. Hooray for damp Nova Scotian air!
Sentimental me thought, wouldn't it be fun to have Uberguitarist play my dad's old guitar on a couple of the songs? But it has a bent bridge that needs a bit of work, so, with Dad's permission (and the very wise stipulation that nothing be done to it that would devalue it), it came here and I will be taking it to the guitar-fixer-upper guy for his opinion.
We're looking into adding one more song to the CD. The Christmas song would be a stand-alone, and we all agreed that we'd just have that on single internet download. Having one Christmas song on a regular CD seemed odd. So, we'd still like to have a full 12 songs which means I need to do some more writing. It's funny, but the thought has me kind of excited rather than stressed. The idea of something being created while the process is going on has a sort of in-the-fray rush about it. And I have several song fragments (bits of songs that I love, but haven't been able to make into a complete song) that might be expanded to fit the bill.
Spring always inspires me. Let's see what happens.
old house
I love our old house. I've said this many times. Sometimes the quirks are charming, like the trap door I found in the living room floor when I pulled up the wall-to-wall carpet that had been there. Others can be annoying.
We need a new oil tank. Apparently ten years old is time to put old oil tanks out to pasture (and there's a picture that will make me snicker for a while), so we're getting a nifty new one that apparently will last 30 years. It's sort of the bionic man of oil tanks, but costs significantly less than six million dollars. The nice guy from the oil company recommended that the new tank be inside, in our basement. I laughed.
Two steps down the narrow stairway to our dirt-floored, stone-walled, 3 1/2-foot high crawlspace, he laughed too. The joists are tree trunks, bark still attached to some. The basement always does give me some pause. Given the age of our house, it would have been dug by hand, the rocks for the foundation set aside as they were found, others brought in from the fields or wherever one got rocks back then - certainly not Home Depot or the local landscaping company. I can see why they didn't make it an 8-foot high ceiling with a walkout door.
Then, last night another quirk raised its quirkily-annoying head. Our front door is under the bathroom, and the paint had started to pull away from the wall. Hmm, not generally a good sign. You're supposed to put the paint on and have it stay there, I always thought. Last night D was standing there, prodding the plaster that should have been solid underneath but was definitely softer and proddable. Wet plaster under a room with plumbing. Drat.
D: "There are things I like about this old place, and things I don't like so much."
me, being positive: "Well, what things do you like?"
D: "I like that it's cozy when the furnace works."
me: "Anything else?"
D: "I like that it's on the farm."
me: "See? Lots of good stuff."
D: "And I like that you're in it." note: big brownie points awarded there.
I can't wait until a warm day to open the windows. Spring and summer breezes make this place's quirks all fade somehow. Now about that plaster ...
We need a new oil tank. Apparently ten years old is time to put old oil tanks out to pasture (and there's a picture that will make me snicker for a while), so we're getting a nifty new one that apparently will last 30 years. It's sort of the bionic man of oil tanks, but costs significantly less than six million dollars. The nice guy from the oil company recommended that the new tank be inside, in our basement. I laughed.
Two steps down the narrow stairway to our dirt-floored, stone-walled, 3 1/2-foot high crawlspace, he laughed too. The joists are tree trunks, bark still attached to some. The basement always does give me some pause. Given the age of our house, it would have been dug by hand, the rocks for the foundation set aside as they were found, others brought in from the fields or wherever one got rocks back then - certainly not Home Depot or the local landscaping company. I can see why they didn't make it an 8-foot high ceiling with a walkout door.
Then, last night another quirk raised its quirkily-annoying head. Our front door is under the bathroom, and the paint had started to pull away from the wall. Hmm, not generally a good sign. You're supposed to put the paint on and have it stay there, I always thought. Last night D was standing there, prodding the plaster that should have been solid underneath but was definitely softer and proddable. Wet plaster under a room with plumbing. Drat.
D: "There are things I like about this old place, and things I don't like so much."
me, being positive: "Well, what things do you like?"
D: "I like that it's cozy when the furnace works."
me: "Anything else?"
D: "I like that it's on the farm."
me: "See? Lots of good stuff."
D: "And I like that you're in it." note: big brownie points awarded there.
I can't wait until a warm day to open the windows. Spring and summer breezes make this place's quirks all fade somehow. Now about that plaster ...
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
and on it goes
Spring seems to be really here, with no March snowstorm to mess with the robins' puny brains and bury the first brave crocuses.
Of course, in so saying I have doomed Ottawa to a storm.
The fields are that browny-yellow that always looks as if they are thinking and planning the summer green but can't get the time to put it all together. Driving anything through the fields would leave ugly churned tracks, assuming that the vehicle itself didn't get stuck, so there they sit in their yellowed expectancy as the rain clouds glower overhead and rain swells the creek. March is, to my thinking, the ugliest month on the farm. May and June, with their fresh, lush green, are its apology.
The past few weeks have been busy ones as R & A finished their enrichment program projects, did their final tests, and presented their history projects for the school-level Historica fair. With R taking first place and A second, both are on their way to Ottawa's Regional Historica fair. While part of me would have been happy to pack the projects away and be done with that phase of the year's schooling had they not advanced, I was so proud of them for their presentations and all their hard work.
Meanwhile, the CD does continue on its slow way. Last Tuesday we got the bass tracks done for three of the songs. With drums, bass and piano, some of the songs finally sounded complete - especially 'Let it Go' with its slow jazz feel, not surprising as drums/bass/piano is a classic jazz trio. Tonight we're heading to the studio for more work on that. I feel kind of useless there, as I'm just sitting and listening, and pitching in the occasional comment and deciding what I like, but I know it's part of the process. The synergy we had going last week was great, with ideas getting thrown around, tried, altered, then changed more or laid down to be the Real Live Recording. In a way it's nice to just sit and listen, and enjoy the sounds. I know my days of more active work on it are coming.
Of course, in so saying I have doomed Ottawa to a storm.
The fields are that browny-yellow that always looks as if they are thinking and planning the summer green but can't get the time to put it all together. Driving anything through the fields would leave ugly churned tracks, assuming that the vehicle itself didn't get stuck, so there they sit in their yellowed expectancy as the rain clouds glower overhead and rain swells the creek. March is, to my thinking, the ugliest month on the farm. May and June, with their fresh, lush green, are its apology.
The past few weeks have been busy ones as R & A finished their enrichment program projects, did their final tests, and presented their history projects for the school-level Historica fair. With R taking first place and A second, both are on their way to Ottawa's Regional Historica fair. While part of me would have been happy to pack the projects away and be done with that phase of the year's schooling had they not advanced, I was so proud of them for their presentations and all their hard work.
Meanwhile, the CD does continue on its slow way. Last Tuesday we got the bass tracks done for three of the songs. With drums, bass and piano, some of the songs finally sounded complete - especially 'Let it Go' with its slow jazz feel, not surprising as drums/bass/piano is a classic jazz trio. Tonight we're heading to the studio for more work on that. I feel kind of useless there, as I'm just sitting and listening, and pitching in the occasional comment and deciding what I like, but I know it's part of the process. The synergy we had going last week was great, with ideas getting thrown around, tried, altered, then changed more or laid down to be the Real Live Recording. In a way it's nice to just sit and listen, and enjoy the sounds. I know my days of more active work on it are coming.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
where am i again?
Wow, things are pretty dusty in here.
I've had a 5-week-ish hiatus from blogging, not for any amazing or earth-shattering reason other than that I really didn't feel like I had much to write about. How very dull. Not even feeling particularly witty.
So to summarize since last time (warning: it won't be too exciting):
- spring is teasing us again, with a warm sunny weekend followed by freezing rain
- the chickens came outside and seemed shocked that the grass had really, truly been there all along under that awful white stuff
- I still miss Tash. Every time I look down the creek I think of her.
- the older girls completed two big research projects, one on a French-Canadian explorer and one on a chemist. The quote of that session was from A, who learned about atomic researcher Niels Bohr: "Daddy, what's quantum mechanics?"
- I got a new vacuum cleaner (see the above disclaimer on excitement, or lack thereof), since the old one had broken beyond repair and while I can sweep, there's just carpets you can't do. I pondered wrapping the dog in saran wrap or duct tape, but he doesn't stay still long enough.
- the girls are involved in a kids' choir and still enjoying riding lessons on days when it's not too cold. They'll be in a short March Break camp next week for riding.
- D and M shared one of those moments last week, the time when a father passes his knowledge on to his progeny and one sees how the wisdom of one generation is taken up by the next. He showed her how to use a spreadsheet. M was delighted.
- a group of youth from our church will be heading to North Carolina in June for World Changers - like R did last summer, a week of hard work helping people in a community who lack the money to fix up their homes. R is very keen and excited to go, and will mark her 13th birthday while away. I'm proud of her but of course the mommy in me is "but ... but ... my little girl's going to be away?"
- I rewatched Becoming Jane and was amazed at the liberties they took with the plot. Good movie, yes, some great lines and wonderful moments - but so much fabrication! I'm not sure Jane would have approved.
- oh yes, the recording. I knew that was in there somewhere. I got the drum tracks back, all mixed by Tim, and after having not listened to the songs in a while, I fell in love with them all over again. Uberdrummer did an amazing job, and while some songs weren't what I had had in my mind, when I heard them with drums the drums just made sense. Next is bass and guitars, and we spent an evening with Uberguitarist hearing some things he'd come up with. WOW WOW WOW! I was smiling the whole time I listened. Next stop is the studio for him.
So, nothing monumental, just life - and life is good.
I've had a 5-week-ish hiatus from blogging, not for any amazing or earth-shattering reason other than that I really didn't feel like I had much to write about. How very dull. Not even feeling particularly witty.
So to summarize since last time (warning: it won't be too exciting):
- spring is teasing us again, with a warm sunny weekend followed by freezing rain
- the chickens came outside and seemed shocked that the grass had really, truly been there all along under that awful white stuff
- I still miss Tash. Every time I look down the creek I think of her.
- the older girls completed two big research projects, one on a French-Canadian explorer and one on a chemist. The quote of that session was from A, who learned about atomic researcher Niels Bohr: "Daddy, what's quantum mechanics?"
- I got a new vacuum cleaner (see the above disclaimer on excitement, or lack thereof), since the old one had broken beyond repair and while I can sweep, there's just carpets you can't do. I pondered wrapping the dog in saran wrap or duct tape, but he doesn't stay still long enough.
- the girls are involved in a kids' choir and still enjoying riding lessons on days when it's not too cold. They'll be in a short March Break camp next week for riding.
- D and M shared one of those moments last week, the time when a father passes his knowledge on to his progeny and one sees how the wisdom of one generation is taken up by the next. He showed her how to use a spreadsheet. M was delighted.
- a group of youth from our church will be heading to North Carolina in June for World Changers - like R did last summer, a week of hard work helping people in a community who lack the money to fix up their homes. R is very keen and excited to go, and will mark her 13th birthday while away. I'm proud of her but of course the mommy in me is "but ... but ... my little girl's going to be away?"
- I rewatched Becoming Jane and was amazed at the liberties they took with the plot. Good movie, yes, some great lines and wonderful moments - but so much fabrication! I'm not sure Jane would have approved.
- oh yes, the recording. I knew that was in there somewhere. I got the drum tracks back, all mixed by Tim, and after having not listened to the songs in a while, I fell in love with them all over again. Uberdrummer did an amazing job, and while some songs weren't what I had had in my mind, when I heard them with drums the drums just made sense. Next is bass and guitars, and we spent an evening with Uberguitarist hearing some things he'd come up with. WOW WOW WOW! I was smiling the whole time I listened. Next stop is the studio for him.
So, nothing monumental, just life - and life is good.
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