Brings to mind that old Michael Hurley tune, Blue Navigator. And while you’re at it, check out Wildegeeses, which is perhaps the better soundtrack for this photo. The man was making “Americana” music long before it became known as such. Truly an American original, both a wonderful musician and visual artist (those are his paintings on his album covers); all in all, a real treasure.
Long ago, I shared a stage with him, at Tuner’s Bar in St. Albans VT. He had asked, very politely, if he could go up on one of our breaks. He proceeded to wrap a sheet around his body and a towel around his head, and went off into ten minutes of something or other – I got to wondering if we would ever get the stage back. I happened to be standing next to a woman at the bar who turned out to be his girlfriend; she had some tomatoes and said “You know, I was supposed to throw these at him, but I don’t think I can do it.”
And then, when the season is the coldest, a gentle snow falls, leaving behind a soft white blanket and a quiet stillness that reminds us – when we are most apt to forget – of the beauty of a New England winter.
The tree here I have not yet ID’ed, but I did see it had some soft tan catkins the other day. There were three (!!) bird nests visible in its branches last winter – a veritable condo complex.
Two of the youngest participants in the Old Saybrook ‘Sister March’, which drew over 1000 people from the area on 1/21. These gals – Ella and Sophia – were the photo op stars of the event.
The band is Java Groove, playing at the Fire and Ice Festival at the Saybrook Point Inn. They play “swing to Sinatra to Sting” (from their website), and the two guitarists each liked to solo, which was a pleasant surprise and a nice treat. Nothing like all the lead guitar you can handle, done very tastefully, backed up by a fine rhythm section.
And out on the dance floor? All ages, 3 to 73 – some stiff, some flowing – a midwinter break to some timeless grooves.
The joint is jumping in the summer, but come the offseason, not so much.
Today I was talking about FL with a Tai Chi classmate (local Y, great class) who was telling stories of Key West: ” You have to bring another liver…”
It’s that time up here in New England when we start dreaming (and talking) about white sandy beaches and warm breezes (even though it was in the mid-50s a couple of days ago).
Went out for a walk during the recent snowstorm, right at dusk, and found our neighbor Paul getting a jump on the cleanup. The rest of the walk (normally an easy stroll) was like being in the wintry wilds of northern New England: howling wind, biting cold, icy footing, and no other soul about.
Brings to mind that old Michael Hurley tune, Blue Navigator. And while you’re at it, check out Wildegeeses, which is perhaps the better soundtrack for this photo. The man was making “Americana” music long before it became known as such. Truly an American original, both a wonderful musician and visual artist (those are his paintings on his album covers); all in all, a real treasure. 
