a bowl of berries

that's what life is these days - the raspberries all gone, but the blackberries are plentiful. there's nothing better than going out the door and picking them. that is, when the bears aren't there first. had a black cub under my porch the other day, but he ran off. then the deer in the backyard, and the baby robins over the side door. you'd think i was a nature child or something...

pix are here of the above, as well as a couple from the great night we had at the Bancroft Jazz and Blues Fest. great people, great audience, and a lot of fun singing and playing.

looking forward to our Blues Blowout next Saturday, Aug.27. Minden Legion.

and meanwhile, just enjoying the rest of the summer.

p.s. send me money, universe (or whoever is interested). - i'd like to finish the next collection of songs

when you can't sleep....

been re-reading some old books during the summer - some totally forgotten. here's a quote i love from Fran Lebowitz in her 1974 book:

"Life is something to do when you can't get to sleep."

...not that i have that problem.

p.s. Friday night: Bancroft Jazz & Blues Fest 9-11pm. we'll be there!!

don't ask me; i'm shy

sometimes we all feel like this, right? but on the other hand, it's somewhat fetching.

once, many years ago, when most of the time i did feel like that, i put a scarf on my head (not my face), and zoot told me that it was very fetching.

a good word. fetching. do i fetch you?,

- with apologies to nina simone, who asked "do i move you?", in her song.

news from Italy

just got word that my song "There You Were", about Zoot Sims, and from my show "Zootcase" which i did last summer, is going to be featured on Italian radio on Saturday, August 13. Details:

Direct link to the article on the web site
www.animajazz.it
::
"A VOICE, A SOUL” nr 180

http://www.animajazz.it/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1702

BROADCASTING TIME (WEB DIRECT): On SATURDAY, on
www.puntoradio.fm
- from 8,30 p.m. To 9,30 p.m. (italian hour)
PROGRAM DOWNLOAD: FROM SUNDAY by the HOME PAGE of "ANIMAJAZZ"
web site:www.animajazz.it .

GRAZIE TANTO, BRUNO

deery me

i know it's spelled wrong - i have very few claims to fame, but one is that i got 100% in algegra in grade nine, (1000 years ago), and the other subject i got 100% in very often was spelling. i've only lately taken up bragging.

it's spelled 'deery' because i just left my house and saw a sweet deer out nibbling on the greenery out there. took a picture, but you know the drill....it'll be a while before it's up here.

meanwhile, however, another photo from that jazz-by-the-lake party (this, and the one on the previous blog taken by l.koolurisdobbs); then a gig at kinmount, ontario; a shot of the sunset on the lake just before my camera battery died; and one more of myself (i can never get enough) laughing with the gay abandon that is my wont.

don't forget the bancroft jazz & blues fest. we'll be there, aug.19

and finally something to look at

a few photos of my various singing outings.
the haliburton arts and crafts festival july22 (me in virginal white); later that day at the gull river in minden, ontario (striped tank top); the next day at a birthday party (blue under the blue); then sunday (busy weekend) at the party for canoe fm, where i've had a blues show for 8 years - myself with albert saxby, gord kidd, and amelia, all of us chantant.

then the next weekend, i was at the jazz party by the lake, - thank you to my hosts carole and john - and did a couple of tunes with the band - ted roberts, guitar; don vickery, drums; jack mcfadden, bass; bob de angelis, sax & clarinet; john mcleod, trumpet & cornet; laurie bower, trombone.

you may think i don't have too many clothes, but it's just that it's summer, and i keep jumping in the lake, so i'm constantly in the bathing suit and those shorts that i like. the living is easy....

ah gets weary....

it's a rainy day, and i'm just checking in to say that i still am not at a computer that can post the pictures – honest, they'll be up soon, and you'll be so excited to see them!!!

meanwhile, working on the music for the upcoming gigs in bancroft (jazz)-aug.19, and in minden (blues) – aug 27.

i'd love to go for a bike ride, but alas! - the rain, and a leak in my back tire that i haven't got time to fix. It's one of the joys of life, nach bhuill? That means n'est-ce pas?, which means 'right'?

How do you like all the crap coming out of the mouths of those millionaires who run the economy – that idiotic system devised so long ago by some creepy men (rich white guys), which is so totally unbalanced and unrepresentative (of women's work, for example – well, hey, women ought to do that for free). The system has always been dysfunctional, and now it's falling apart all over the world. Can't say i'm sorry for the people who have stocks and bonds and investments. Personally, i could never afford to have anything but the money in my hand, if i was lucky enough to have that. No savings here. I'm not sorry for the rich folks, because A. they're rich, and B. it'll be the poor people who will end up paying for all the collapse and debt, you can be sure of that.

Oh dear, am i ranting again? Quelle surprise. When the world is just, then i'll shut up. So don't expect it any time soon.

Well, gotta go and improve my mood with music....i really don’t like people, including myself, who complain all the time. There are so many people doing good…..thanks to them.

somebody say 'amen'

and 'hallelujah!!' and thank you to all the gods and goddesses that are smiling on me. and on all the folks who are not, i say not, having to live in war-torn, or famine-riddled, or disaster-hit places. we do have good lives, although we still get mad about the toothpaste tube and the toilet roll, don't we? admit it. stupid little things that aren't really important.

had such a lovely weekend with a friend - lots of sunshine and fun and love, then a beautiful musical interlude at a lakeside party with fabulous musicians and other friends. magic, i tell you, and again i say, 'merci bien'.

but then i get home and as one of my own songs says: "I turn the TV on and find more killin'". it's so horrible, especially when you find out it was over 'an argument', or worse, a case of someone in the wrong place at the wrong time.

as if there is ever a right time for guns and violence. it's all too much, and i abhor the way the world is going.

however, i will still sing, and join forces with those other people and artists who continue to create rather than destroy. some 'good vibrations', please.

and as always, with the computer from hell at my fingertips, i and your good selves are forced to wait for the pictures. can't somebody send me a laptop, or something? amen.