Singing all these love songs—songs of yearning, joy, loss—can leave one breathless. Literally. As we worked on Robbie Burns’ “My Love is Like a Red Red Rose,” Maggie’s husband, Luke, passing through the living room, suggested that the deep breath of the accordion might sustain an E chord, against which the lyrics could be sung. […]
May 16th Met at my house, once again with Mother, who seems to be moving beyond the sorrow that gets created by the pretty music, and who is beginning to listen to the lyrics. Sometimes she locks her eyes on to mine as I sing something, say, Our days, distilled, were 90 proof; Our nights […]
May 15th Countdown: In two weeks we’ll be driving through Nevada, heading towards the Arizona state line… Today I worked a lot on my garden, which lovely as it is, is not the best thing to do when you’re trying to build up callouses. No matter what kind of gloves you wear, moistness will work […]