July 14, 2004
Nerissa speaks
Don't you love summertime? I do. Katryna and I got a week off at the end of June. She went South, I went North. I
went to the Adirondacks and practiced doing Nothing. Sometimes I was successful, but mostly I worked on my novel, The Big
Idea, and hiked up mountains. Also I learned "Sixth Avenue Heartache" by the Wallflowers. And I saw Fahrenheit 9/11 which
rocked. It was such an event! We stood in a line that went around the block to be at opening night at the Academy of Music
in Northampton. It was a Happening.
As much as I love doing Nothing, I also like to do Something. Especially play music with my sister. Fortunately, that's
going to happen this month. Besides some fun summer gigs in fun summer places, July means one thing and one thing mostly to
us Nields. And that is FALCON RIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL!!!!! We will be there with the proverbial bells on, and of course, we are
celebrating the occasion with our CrackerJack Band: Dave Chalfant, Dave Hower and Paul Kochanski. And then to top it off, we
are going to PARTEEEEEE with the Democrats in Boston by doing a show at Passim during Convention Week. Part of our loot is
going to MoveOn.org.
My August Writing It Up In The Garden retreat is booked up, and there was a waiting list. I abhor a waiting list. So I
just decided to add another weekend retreat. It will be July 30-August 1. THEREFORE...if you are a writer of any sort
(poetry, fiction, memoir, Big Lies, songs, plays, grants, checks) join me because we are going to have a blast. For more
details, see here.
Things I'm psyched about:
- Biodiesel
- John Edwards
- my writing workshops
- this poet I like named David Whyte
- that Wilco has a new CD, though I haven't bought it yet
- Amelia's new scooter
- Dan Zanes
- flowers!!!!!!
- my new niece and nephew, Reese Nields Hillman and Emmett John Hillman.
Ta ta for now.
Nerissa
Katryna speaks
I am so looking forward to this month's shows. We have been having a great summer so far. Highlights were meeting
Dan Zanes at Clearwater and then singing to the glorious and significantly cleaner Hudson River just as the sun was beginning
to go down with Pete Seeger, Holly Near, Dar WIlliams, SONiA, Vance Gilbert, Pat Humphries, and so many others. What a
thrill. We then had a blast travelling to North Carolina to sing to the great Eno river. It was there that Nerissa and I
continued our fascination with and investigation into BioDiesel. Isn't it odd that you never hear about it from CNN when
they talk about the energy bill in the Senate? Hmmm...
Next we are off to Middlebury, Vermont where we will sing on the green. It is one of my favorite gigs. I don't totally
know why. There is something wonderful to me about Vermont in summer. Also I love the Inn, but that Green is just a
great place for music.
We are playing a house concert in the Boston area. It will be fun. It will be intimate. Watch out, though... When
we sing in a living room we often expect a chorus.
Then we prepare for the joy of joys. The wonderful Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. We are playing the main stage on Friday
night just before the song swap. I cannot wait. We will then hang around all weekend. We're playing a children's show
again. yay! Amelia is already planning what she wants painted on her face. She approves of that aspect of folk fests.
So far she has become a fairy and had a butterfly and a flower on her face.
The week after Falcon Ridge is the week of the Democratic National Convention. We are going to have a mini rally of our
own at the famed Passim. There will be rabble rousing. There will be singing. There will be great optimism. You
should come too.
We can't wait to see you this summer. Get out the sunscreen and come live it up in the Garden!
Love, Katryna
Merchandise Update
Songs for Amelia cd (The Nields' children's cd) is BACK...We have made some more and they will be available
at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival (FRFF). The Nields Childrens set at FRFF is on FRIDAY at 12:30. The Songs for Amelia cd
will be available online after FRFF.
This Town Is Wrong songbook will be available at FRFF and online at Bulletproof after FRFF. Includes excerpts from Nerissa's forthcoming novel, Plastic Angel.
Katryna will have some new amazing paintings available at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.
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