New Perspectives from the Badlands

I went to the Badlands last weekend for a music festival. It was a fundraiser for an old school house that is now a museum and it is situated in the hamlet of East Coulee along the Red Deer River. The Badlands and the valley are very cool with formations in the hills that look like dinosaur feet, old coal mines, hoodoos and this gorgeous river that runs along the river bottom. New views and new perspectives. The music festival called the East Coulee SpringFest takes place in the school museum along with the town’s community center. There is magic with all that music and the musicians, music lovers and volunteers all smashed together in this small space. It felt a bit like being on retreat. It was the first time performing at a music festival and I had such fun meeting other musicians, music lovers and the volunteers. It was also a treat to perform in the Tea room with a great sound system and tech. The audience also added to the whole experience by being attentive and appreciative.

The whole trip was a step back in time for me. The setting of the festival certainly was a step back in time with the classroom set up with the old desks and teachers rules from the 1920’s gracing the chalk boards. I also visited old friends whom I had hung out with at a different time in my life and saw how things have changed in my own life. My life was quite chaotic 15 years ago and is a lot different now, both with a more stable life and the focus on music. A new perspective.

I have had a lot of opportunities to share my music lately and for that I am very grateful. This perhaps gives me a new view of myself as well. New perspectives can be helpful, they can open up our view to see what else might be possible. I am off to the lake for a week and I look forward to the new perspective that may bring as well as to hopefully do some songwriting.

A busy summer awaits, of shows, time at the lake and a trip to England. I look forward to the new perspectives travel and performing bring with the resulting creativity that can occur. May your summer be full of opportunities for creativity in whatever form it comes.

In all things creative,
Wanda G.