July 7, 2009
Hello, dear ones,
It's July! It's the month of Falcon Ridge!!!!
Sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself. It's just that we wait all year for this month, and I am so giddy with gladness that it is once again upon us. Meanwhile, here's what we're up to:
We just got back from the Festival of the Eno, our other annual folk fest. Eno is in Durham, NC. Usually the weather at Eno is 97 and hazy-humid. "EZ Bake Oven," is the Carolina shorthand for it, and walking from stage to stage one feels one needs flippers on one's hands. This year, it was 65 and rainy, which was especially weird since it's been 65 and rainy for pretty much all of June here in Massachusetts. I didn't mind, though. It was so marvelous to see our NC friends again after a 4 year hiatus. (Katryna played Eno with Dave Chalfant in 06, but I haven't been there since 05). My highlight was watching from the stage as Katryna demonstrated the ABC Dance during our Kids' show. Her son William and several other intrepid youngsters joined her.
This Saturday, July 11, we play a 7:30pm Nields show at my church in West Cummington, MA. This is the third or fourth year in a row that we've done this show, and in the past we've paid homage to Woody Guthrie since we always perform close to his birthday (7/14/1911). This is one of the best places to see Nerissa & Katryna Nields all year; trust me. The acoustics are great, but what's really special is the vibe. Quite simply, this is a magical place for our family; William was baptised here, as were both of my kids, and Tom and I were married here. Penny Schultz, the music director, is way up in our pantheon of musical greats, right up next to Pete Seeger and Jack Langstaff. So come! Experience the magic of the Hilltowns in July. Have dinner first at the legendary Cummington Creamery.
Then there's Falcon Ridge. Ahhhhhh. Tom, Lila and Johnny and I got a tent the size of Hawaii and we might even sleep in it. I need suggestions about where to pitch it. I can't wait to bring my new guitar, Babe, formerly owned by the great Tracy Grammer. Babe is a Martin 0015 or something (it's a parlor guitar, that much I know) and I love her love her love her. I still have my Taylor ("Hate Free Zone") because I just couldn't part with her, but I sold my John Osthoff to someone with bigger hands than I. May it be played sweetly ever after.
Our DVD is coming out in about a month or so. We'll have a preview on YouTube very soon.
Katryna and I are hoping to have a creativity retreat the first weekend in November. I've been running writing retreats out of my house since 2004, and they are about the most fun I get to have in any given year. What could be more fun? Adding Katryna to the mix! With her gifts and skills as a visual artist and photographer, we are opening up the retreat experience to anyone who wants to explore their creativity (including writing, photography and drawing) in a safe, productive, fun and loving environment. Plus you'll finally get to try our world famous roast chicken with yams.
We are now on Twitter as NerKat or NerissaKat Nields. Don't ask me why we are called that. I didn't have a lot of options. Anyway, we are Twitterrific. Also, the blog is active and healthy and now syndicated on both www.nerissanields.blogspot.com and www.howtobeanadult.com. Enjoy!
Let's have a firefly counting contest. Let's eat a lot of corn on the cob and tomatoes and blueberries and peaches and support our local farmers. Eat more kale, etc. Let's stay up too late with our easy people and sing to the stars.
We love you.
Nerissa and Katryna
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