Shipment to the Mountain #2

This post is part of a series of posts on developing creativity and sharing your art with the world; in other words its about creating and shipping, no matter what. You can read last week's Shipment to the Mountain here, or come back to it at some later time. If you'd like to see particular issues relating to creativity covered, or if you have a specific question you would like answered, please drop me a note at katrinaboguski (at) hotmail.ca. I enjoy receiving e-mails from readers and will do my best to reply with 2-3 days. If you do not get an answer by then, please resend your message as spam filters sometimes prevent messages from reaching me.

Contents:

1. Musical Notes
2. A list of song lyrics
3. Hot off the Espresso
4. A quote of the week
5. Artful challenge
6. Word of the week
7. Frugal Recipe
8. Listening Suggestions
9. Joke of the Week
10. Question of the Week

Musical Notes:

This week's highlights involved reconnecting with some old friends whose love of singing I've always admired. While the exchanges with them, for the most part, centered around topics other than music, hearing from them reminded me how good it is to connect with people we've known for years.

Another high point of the week was the re-discovery of my Irish tin whistle which had been misplaced and largely forgotten about. It was found under another largely forgotten about item, the bread-maker. Finding the tin whistle solved at least three problems for me. If you care to read about how these problems were solved by finding the tin whistle you can do so here; perhaps reading it might solve one of your problems too.

Finally, this week's challenge to myself was to listen to other indie singer / songwriters. I attended the open mic night at Trees Organic Coffee and Roasting House in Vancouver where I enjoyed music from a variety of local performers.  In addition to hearing these live performances, I also checked out several recordings including two music videos introduced to me by Glen Trujillo of California. The imagery on the first video featuring the song The City captured my attention and reminded me of some of the themes that were going through my head when I wrote Lullaby for the Sheltered.  Both of our songs come face to face with the issue of homelessness which can be ignored easily by many in our world. Glen is currently working on some new songs as well as revisiting some of his earlier work. I'm looking forward to hearing more of the old stuff as well as the new songs as soon as they are available. More of Glen's work can be found on his facebook page. Please take a moment to check out his work.

This Week's Lyrics: 

Oh Sitio
How to Make Friends
Lullaby For the Sheltered
Mala Malo Male Wash em All Away
Life is Like a Rocket (New Version)
Leave Your Baggage at the Station

If you are inspired to write music for any of them please drop me an email.

Hot off the Espresso:

Longer Reads:

What Does a Tin Whistle Have In Common With a Bread-maker

Letters And Songs Jimi Hendrix Shrine

Quote of the Week:
"How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them." Benjamin Franklin

Artful challenge for the week:

Mend it Challenge 

Songs often come to me automatically. When this happens the challenge is to get them down on paper quickly before they fade away or are forgotten. If a pen and paper or keyboard are not handy, there is a tendency to keep singing the song in my head until I can write it down. That often leads to very long songs; the longer they are sung, the more verses get added.

Participating in various song writing groups gives me the opportunity to edit the songs so that the original version can be improved...and usually shortened. I am very grateful for how feedback from songwriting forums improves weak spots that are not always obvious to me, even after reading and singing the lyrics dozens of times

It never ceases to amaze me how simply going back and mending a few small rough spots can fix the whole piece. The same thing holds true in other areas of life.

Fixing a tear in some clothes, fixing a hinge on a door, or mending a leaky faucet are all small things that are easily put off precisely because they are small. Yet, when many of these little broken bits surround us, life becomes stressful, disappointing and, well broken.

The challenge this week is to fix something; anything. Use your tools or your sewing box, some glue or a hammer and a nail. Mend something broken in your life, even a broken friendship or a fence to give you healthier boundaries. What ever it is fix it. Keep the job small to start, and move on to something else if you still have time. Sometimes fixing several small things is more energizing than tackling one big project.

After you've mended something, go back and mend your art. Make an edit, do a re-write, re-arrange a melody or introduce a new step. Mend it with the intention of making it stronger, better, more enjoyable art. Share the mended version with someone new. 

Word of the week:

"dictation"

This word seemed worth exploring after hearing a quote from G.K. Chesterton where he said, "Ten thousand women marched through the streets shouting, 'We will not be dictated to,' and went off and became stenographers."  Chesterton's observations of society are priceless and his whit impeccable. His reference to the idea of dictation made me think of  how few people dictate letters today or bother to write them at all. It made me consider the many tyrannical dictators running around the world today dictating all sorts of insanity. It made me remember the dictation tests that used to be part of French class; and for some reason it also made me thing of Dick Tracy, whose name sounds similar to dictation when spoken very quickly.

Consider this word and its different meanings. How many other words have the same root...hint on the first one, you can look in the dictionary to find many more.

Frugal Recipe:

These recipes are intended to help you explore being creative in the realm of cooking. They are intentionally vague in order to get you to experiment, either by researching more precise recipes, or by just winging it until you're satisfied with the results. My cooking tends to be pretty spontaneous, and the results are usually better for me when I follow my intuition rather than a recipe book.  If you prefer step by step instructions, there are lots of recipes available on line for these sort of pancakes. I started enjoying these simple but delicious pancakes after hearing Dick Proenneke mention them on the PBS documentary Alone in the Wilderness. If you haven't had a chance to view this stunning work about Proenneke's largely self-sufficient life in the Alaskan wilderness, be sure to check it out the next time it is aired, or you can purchase the DVD of it online. It is pure art.

Sourdough Pancakes:

Sourdough Starter
Flour
Sugar
Salt
Oil or butter


In a bowl mix the sourdough starter, flour, sugar and salt until it is the consistency of pancake batter. The amount you mix will depend on how hungry you are. The proportions of ingredients will depend on how sweet and thick you prefer your pancakes. The thinner the batter the thinner the pancake.

Add oil or butter to a hot frying pan, pour in the batter and cook until the top of the pancake starts to bubble. Flip the pancake and cook until it is golden. My pancake flipping technique could use some work. There is about a 50/50 chance of my breaking up the pancake at this point, and every now and then they work out perfectly. The fact that I'm only showing a photo of the pancake in its "pre-flipped" state suggests how this one turned out. The good news is that with 50/50 odds, my next one should be perfect.

Serve the pancakes hot. You can add syrup and butter if you prefer or some fruit. I tend to eat mine plain because they taste so good on their own. (If you don't have some already, you can find instructions for how to make sourdough starter in here.

Listening Suggestions:

1. Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes Paul Simon
2. Folsom Prison Blues  Johnny Cash 
3. The Gambler Kenny Rogers
4. The Log Driver's Waltz Written by Wade Hemsworth (this is a well known Canadian folk song that might be new to readers from other areas)
5. The Sourdough / Miner's Song  Written by Bill Staines

Joke of the week:

A musicologist was wandering the hills of Kentucky collecting old folk songs. As he met with one family of musicians he would ask to be introduced to other families in the area who were also known for keeping their musical traditions alive. These families were dirt poor, but incredibly talented musically.  He began noticing that despite their poverty each of the old women wore an enormous diamond ring on her wedding ring finger. He did not want to be rude, but finally his curiosity got the better of him. He asked an old woman who was wearing the biggest diamond yet how it was that amid the poverty of the Appalachians, the women could afford such rings. "It's not all women who's got these" replied the old lady as she held up her ring-clad hand. "It's just us old women. When we was young our husbands were too poor to buy us gold and diamonds so they fastened a lump of coal to a brass ring" "How did you end up with the diamonds then,"  Asked the confused musicologist. The woman replied, "A diamond ain't nothing but a lump of coal that's been under pressure for a lot of years. Nothing has more pressure and lasts as long as a marriage in these hills."

Question of the week:

Every week I get questions sent to me that cause me to ponder my work from a different angle. It was the desire for this sort of exchange that inspired me to start writing a blog in the first place. 

This week's question was a real game changer for me. It came in response to an e-mail I had sent to an acquaintance whose music and photography had acted as a source of inspiration for me a few years ago. I was looking for a cheap guitar and asked if he could keep an eye open for a castoff, used one that might be floating around among his music friends. While he obligingly agreed to keep an ear open for a hand-me-down guitar, he replied with the question,  "Why don't you just buy a good guitar?" I replied immediately with some line about not wanting to spend money on an expensive instrument right now; but somehow after pushing the send button I was was not quite satisfied with that answer. The question tumbled around in my head for a few days until I realized that I was avoiding an expensive guitar in part because I was not sure what sort of guitar to buy. I wanted to hone  my skills on a cheap one before making the commitment to purchase something better.

It seems many people may be in the same predicament when considering what instrument to commit to, and might like the opportunity to learn more about how each instrument might meet their needs. This idea of trying out and researching several guitars led to the idea of writing product reviews to share with readers who may also be considering a new instrument. The first of these reviews will be available shortly. Sellers and manufacturers of instruments wanting to have their products reviewed can e-mail me at katrinaboguski (At) hotmail.ca for details on how to submit your products.

Next "Shipment to the Mountain" ships on Thursday for anyone who wants it. Please share this post with others who may enjoy the read.

Thanks,

Katrina

What Does a Tin Whistle Have in Common With a Bread-maker?

Originally, the title of this post was intended to be ironic. The answer was going to be "Nothing, except for the fact that I found my tin whistle under my bread-maker this afternoon." However, the more the idea was considered, the more similar bread-makers and tin whistles began to appear. Both tin whistles and bread-makers can be easily forgotten about; they have the potential to make life easier when used; once you learn the basics of how to use them, you will be able to produce an endless amount of variations; both can be purchased for very little money, and are the type of items to be found at garage sales where often you can find them still in their packages; people are always surprised by what they can produce and happy to find someone who actually uses them. There are probably other comparisons, but for now this list will suffice. My intention was not to sing the praises of bread-makers but of the tin whistle; this most humble of instruments that has brought the gift of music to countless people around the world.

I've had three memorable introductions to the Irish tin whistle. The first occurred many years ago when a young catechism student of mine brought out his tin whistle at the end of class and asked if he could perform a tune. He knocked our socks off. This little kid had an incredible command of the instrument and had only been playing it a short while.   He no doubt had a natural gift for music and reverence for the instrument. The fact that both of his parents were from Ireland may have meant that he was taught to appreciate its music from the cradle and I'm glad that he helped pass that appreciation on to me. His music gave me great respect for both the instrument and the people who play it.

My second introduction to the tin whistle came when I discovered the online tutorials offered by the Jesuit Ryan G. Duns. Duns taught a course called the Introduction to the Irish Tin Whistle as part of the Irish Studies Department at Fordam University. I can't remember exactly how I stumbled upon these videos, but do remember it was shortly before leaving for Nova Scotia in 2010. Duns' simple videos somehow captured my imagination and the spirit of why I was moving to Nova Scotia in the first place. I was seeking a gentler way of living and wanted to nurture a life where there was still time for things like music, writing and simple pleasures that are often forgotten in our high tech world. The penny whistle traveled with me to Nova Scotia and back home to Vancouver a year later. Although I did not play the whistle much while in Nova Scotia, Ryan Duns' other lessons were never far from my mind. In one of the videos he said something akin to 'find your own voice'. I could not find the precise reference to quote him directly; these may not have been his exact words, but this was the lesson I took from the videos. In Nova Scotia I believe I did find my own voice, and much of what is posted in this blog comes from that voice. It is easier to understand the necessity to find our own voice when encountering people like Duns who are using theirs in unique ways. Through his voice he is passing on not only the tradition of the tin whistle, but many other worthwhile traditions which have been forgotten or are perhaps being heard for the first time by many.

A sample the Duns' tin whistle tutorials can be found here. I would encourage you visit his other videos if you want to learn this instrument, or if you are curious about the other things you may learn from his clips.

The third encounter with the tin whistle was today when I took a break from writing to tackle some other chores. As the sad thought of summer slipping away started to develop, it was quickly replaced by the thought of making bread in the fall. That led to organizing the counter on which the bread-maker sits, which very happily led to the rediscovery of the tin whistle. My Clarke's Original tinwhistle  was nestled underneath the appliance that hasn't been used all summer. I'm not sure when I last attempted to play the tin whistle, but likely it was some time around the last time I made bread in the bread-maker. I was not consciously looking for the whistle, but subconsciously it was precisely the thing my heart was set on finding. Its appearance not only brought back a flood of happy memories, it solved three problems which were beginning to cause me some frustration.

This post is continue here

The Problems Solved by Finding my Tin Whistle Under the Bread-maker

This post is a continuation of a previous post. 

It may make sense to read that first

Please click here if you wish to do so.

The first problem has to do with the need for a musical instrument. Writing this blog has introduced me to many fine musicians who have begun setting my words to music. While I've enjoyed the experience of communicating with them by e-mail and Skype, my frustration has been in not being able to play a musical instrument along with them to convey the melody I had in mind. Although I took piano and trombone lessons as a kid, I don't currently have either of those instruments in my home. Besides it's been a long time since I played either of those instruments and was (as music teachers and former band members will attest) never very accomplished at either one. I wanted to take up a new instrument that would serve the purpose of passing along a few musical ideas. The tin whistle does that very well. 

The second problem has to do with wanting to research instruments used in folk music and bluegrass. I'm particularly interested learning about older instruments that have have influenced modern music. As I research the history of these instruments I also wanted to experiment with them and write product reviews. I was itching to start writing these reviews, but am still waiting for the first new instruments to arrive. Today I began researching the tin whistle, and the first product review will be written on the one I have.  (If you sell or manufacture instruments and want to submit one for review please check out the product review page for the instruments currently being considered). 

The third problem finding the whistle solved has to do with the direction I want to take this blog. While I want it to be a place to hang my words, I also want it to be a place to interact with creative people and especially with people who are nervously venturing into creative projects for the first time, or revisiting with them greater resolve than before.  Often people suggest lack of financial resources as an impediment to creativity; my experience has been the opposite. As necessity if the mother of invention, poverty is also the wellspring of creativity. In addition to posting my own creative fruits for collaborative work, my aim is to remind people what they can do with resources that are readily available to them. In order to remember what it feels like to try something new and challenging creatively, I resolved to push myself to try new forms of writing AND learn a musical instrument well enough to jam with some of my favourite musicians. The penny whistle will be a good starting point to refresh my knowledge of music before launching into the guitar. It is available to me today, so that is where I am beginning.

While considering how happy I was to have these problems solved so swiftly, it occurred to me how important music has become in my life and how grateful I am for what musical training I did have as a child. I was fortunate to live in a school district with a very strong music program and was also provided with lessons by my parents. At the time I did not fully appreciate how lucky I was to receive these opportunities, and as an adult I've come to realize how difficult it is for some parents to provide these resources for their children. If you are preparing to send your kids back to school and wish that music was a part of their education, consider offering your children music lessons via the many online resources that are currently available. In fact rather than just offering it, why not insist on it. Establish the habit of scheduled online music lessons and take them as seriously as you would private personal lessons. Learning music does not have to be expensive. Find a cheap harmonica or better yet a tin whistle...if you've simply misplaced the one you have already, check under the bread-maker.    Before you lament the end of summer, consider how welcoming your home will be this fall when it is filled with the smell of fresh bread baking and music from your children. Neither of these simple pleasures need to be expensive, but both are priceless additions to a life worth living. 

Free Music Lessons

Leave Your Baggage at the Station

Musical Influence: Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues
Content Influence:
Sign at Train Station
Main and Terminal Vancouver
Trip to Fluevog shoes in Vancouver

I wandered through the alleys

And the back roads of my mind

I carried too much baggage

Only some of it was mine

Wandered through the streets

Praying for a sign

Wandered to the station

Could not believe my find

Right up on the wall

There for all to see

Was a sign that seemed posted

Just especially for me

It said “Unattended baggage

May be destroyed”

When I read it

My heart was overjoyed

I took my baggage and my mess

A lifetime full of stress

I left it right beneath the sign

Now everything is fine

That unattended baggage

Was no longer mine

I left it unattended

For someone to destruct

I had so much baggage

That they had to bring a truck

My whole life turned around

Beginning with my luck

I left behind my baggage

I left behind my shoes

I left behind my bluejeans

And all of my bad news

I wore nothing but my long-johns

And a great big happy smile

I hadn't had such freedom

In really quite a while

I walked on down to Fluevogs

And I bought some brand new shoes

Good roads ahead 

And even better news

Now I'm whistling Dixie

And don't ever sing the blues

Who ever knew? So much to gain 

From losing so much pain

If you want a happy life

It's your baggage you must lose

Leave your baggage at the station

And walk off in brand new shoes