Connecting...
I don’t often wake before the first bird song, but I did this morning. I was up at 4am. That’s because David Newland, my new “webmaster” is really a “taskmaster” and for the last few weeks he’s been urging me to write the initial journal entry for my web site. Well, here I am, reluctant and nervous but nonetheless excited about this new thing in my life - my “blog”.
I thought I’d begin by telling you a bit about my connection to David Newland. He’s from the same town as I am - Parry Sound. He’s a wonderful singer/songwriter, a crafty web designer, a great talker and like all guys from my home town, he turned out ‘downright decent’.
We got to know each other, as many Parry Sound boys and girls did, in the back of a station wagon. It was a brown Toyota Camry. It was January 2003 and we were on our way to The National Library in Ottawa to perform at the first “The Way We Feel” Gordon Lightfoot Tribute Concert. Valdy and Dan Kershaw were in the front of the Camry and they listened and actually seemed fascinated as David and I talked about growing up in Parry Sound.
Although we grew up ten years apart (I’m the more senior) and didn’t know each other back then, we shared some wonderful memories. We both recalled a rare day in December 1979. The bay - Georgian Bay - had flash frozen the previous night. No snow had fallen to warm and soften the ice. The bay had become a perfect, vast skating rink - the kind made only in heaven. It seemed the whole town had their skates on that day. There was a big group gathered around a spot in the middle of the bay where a fish had been frozen deep in the ice while swallowing another fish.
In the Camry en route to Ottawa, David and I wondered “Were we - a grade 5 boy and grade 13 girl - huddled 24 years ago around the same frozen fish? And who else was there? A McIsaac? A Tudhope? A Muzzi? One of the Gates twins”?
David Newland and I likely connected that day in 1979 because of a frozen fish, then in the back of a car in 2003 because of Gordon Lightfoot, and now in 2006 because of my website. So in this, my first blog, I wanted to write something about “connecting”.
Mostly I wanted to say that if you’re a Tudhope or a McIsaac or a Snider or a Poytress or heck, if you’re Gordon Lightfoot or a frozen fish, or if you know me or have any connection to me, then please get in touch. If you’re interested in my music and have something to say about it, then feel free to say whatever that ‘something’ is. I look forward to hearing from you.
Phew. Done. Writing my first blog wasn’t so difficult after all. Next time I won’t lose sleep over it. I welcome your stories and thoughts.
My best to all of you, KW
I thought I’d begin by telling you a bit about my connection to David Newland. He’s from the same town as I am - Parry Sound. He’s a wonderful singer/songwriter, a crafty web designer, a great talker and like all guys from my home town, he turned out ‘downright decent’.
We got to know each other, as many Parry Sound boys and girls did, in the back of a station wagon. It was a brown Toyota Camry. It was January 2003 and we were on our way to The National Library in Ottawa to perform at the first “The Way We Feel” Gordon Lightfoot Tribute Concert. Valdy and Dan Kershaw were in the front of the Camry and they listened and actually seemed fascinated as David and I talked about growing up in Parry Sound.
Although we grew up ten years apart (I’m the more senior) and didn’t know each other back then, we shared some wonderful memories. We both recalled a rare day in December 1979. The bay - Georgian Bay - had flash frozen the previous night. No snow had fallen to warm and soften the ice. The bay had become a perfect, vast skating rink - the kind made only in heaven. It seemed the whole town had their skates on that day. There was a big group gathered around a spot in the middle of the bay where a fish had been frozen deep in the ice while swallowing another fish.
In the Camry en route to Ottawa, David and I wondered “Were we - a grade 5 boy and grade 13 girl - huddled 24 years ago around the same frozen fish? And who else was there? A McIsaac? A Tudhope? A Muzzi? One of the Gates twins”?
David Newland and I likely connected that day in 1979 because of a frozen fish, then in the back of a car in 2003 because of Gordon Lightfoot, and now in 2006 because of my website. So in this, my first blog, I wanted to write something about “connecting”.
Mostly I wanted to say that if you’re a Tudhope or a McIsaac or a Snider or a Poytress or heck, if you’re Gordon Lightfoot or a frozen fish, or if you know me or have any connection to me, then please get in touch. If you’re interested in my music and have something to say about it, then feel free to say whatever that ‘something’ is. I look forward to hearing from you.
Phew. Done. Writing my first blog wasn’t so difficult after all. Next time I won’t lose sleep over it. I welcome your stories and thoughts.
My best to all of you, KW
posted by Katherine Wheatley at 4:50 PM
3 Comments:
An absolutely delightful Sunday afternoon concert in Dean's 'Living Room' in Ottawa KW!
'Twas especially fun to have such lively banter from K & W defining their obvious familiarity as an Act.
Loved the fiddle observations, making one glad to be a violinist instead.
Especially love the fluidity of so many of your songs, that comes out even more dynamically from the stage!!!
Your punniness is pun.
S Dunlop
Hey Katherine,
Just did a little tour in Ont and PQ. It seemed that everywhere I went,... there you was! In the midland heat I was singing your "snow mobile suit" song. Go figure.
I am back home trying to figure out how we can get a house concert circuit going here and then get you back. That would be Halifax.
Keep on pick'n.
cheers
Hi Katherine,
We've met (a couple of times) at the "Live from the Rock Folk Festival" in Red Rock ON.
I've fallen in love with your song "Hallelujah". It's my kind of rhythm. On first hearing it,I couldn't resist reaching for the guitar and playing along. Brava!
Bill Houston
www.billhouston.ca
Post a Comment
<< Home