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 continue reading…
adult contemporary
Spring has Sprung
We have gone from winter to very warm spring in one weekhere in Saskatchewan. It is lovely to have no snow and it is also a jarring transition. I keep thinking about transitions, both in my music life and in my nursing and home life. They can be jarring. How can I smooth out the edges? In performing how do I transition easily from one song to another, giving myself and the audience time. I am so aware of any silent spaces, as I allow myself to really prepare for the next song, to let go of some of the continue reading…
All of a Sudden
All of a sudden two weeks has passed and it is time for me to write another post. I have done some fun things these past two weeks, shared a new song with my songwriters group, had two paying gigs and had an interview with a freelance journalist about my music. Who says the Universe is not helping out. When I asked the journalist how he found me, he said he found me because another musician he interviewed was following me on Twitter… Wow. I also heard from my sister that they continue to play my music on my hometown continue reading…
A Week of No Social Media
I have been doing the Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron these past few weeks and during one of the week’s activities she strongly suggests not reading. The book was written 25 years ago so social media wasn’t a thing and I figured a break from that would be very beneficial and it was. I immediately had more space in my brain and way more time then I would have anticipated. The other thing I have noticed now that the week is over is that I am back to a lot of my old habits. Checking Facebook especially when I am continue reading…
All Things Creative
I just reread my last blog post and ideas that I shared there have been put into action. I decided to redo, The Artist’s Way, a Julia Cameron book that has supported me in the past and is doing so again. I am giving myself the time that is needed to nurture my creative self. I am sharing this journey with a group of other artists. I realized as January came to a close that I needed to refocus. I wanted to be clear about why I am doing what I am doing. It is so easy to get pulled continue reading…
Time is What we Need
Growing up folks had a difficult time with my last name so they opted for groundhog. Well, as a child growing up this wasn’t very complimentary. I realize now that they do tell us if spring is coming fast or slow which seems to me to be a helpful skill. And here we are in Saskatchewan in the middle of a not so nice winter, extreme cold, rain and ice. This is a rare combination for us. We usually deal with extreme cold but don’t have it mixed in with ice or rain. I have been very grumpy about continue reading…
Where are you Going?
In the plane going to Montreal last month I started to seriously think about 2018 plans. Now for those of you who know me on a personal level you know that I love to plan. I think it helps me to feel more secure. Even when the plans might change. I noticed that I had a lot I wanted to accomplish in 2018 and it helped me think about the realism of my plans. Balance these past six months has been a challenge. Family, nursing work, music biz. I hope next year to be a bit more balanced, however as continue reading…
Mountains, Churches and Galleries
Five days after my CD release party I headed out for a ten day trip/short tour. I had no idea how it would really go but I was counting on friends and family to help as I moved through a couple provinces. I had a second CD release party in Shaunavon at a local gallery. A group of twenty fit into the small gallery and it was lovely. I felt grounded in this space and I could feel my songs being absorbed by the audience. One person said she felt like she had heard an evening of poetry put to continue reading…
CD Release Party My 58th Birthday
I am back from my mini-tour and trip to Montreal. There has been a couple days of rest, some much needed rest. There was so much to do up to the CD release day of October 13, which was also my 58th Birthday! When the day arrived I wondered if I had taken on too much but it all went well! The day started off with a bang. They played my song Where Are You Going? From the Shifting Sands album on the CBC Regina,SK. Morning Edition. I sat and cried while I listened! How cool was that and a continue reading…
Shifting Sands CD Launch
I have experienced so many different emotions in this last month, from elation to depression and everything in between. This last week especially has been one of uncertainty and vulnerability. I have been doing things, like sending out a Press Release, that is a whole new experience for me. I do think I have something to offer with my music but still self-promotion ( which is necessary if anyone is to know about the music) can be exhausting and there has been a never ending list of things to do as I move closer to the CD launch. As I continue reading…
