On Sunday afternoon we drove down to Norwich, VT for some live and festive music. We fell under the spell of Windborne, an acappella group. From their website:
But there’s another, crucial dimension to Windborne that guides and roots their artistry. They are adherents to folk music’s longtime alliance with social activism, labor and civil rights, and other movements that champion the oppressed, the poor, and the disenfranchised. Their songs burst with lyrics that, while penned decades or centuries ago, still ring true in modern times, and Windborne’s dynamic harmonies breathe new life into these songs.
Two hours slipped by as Windborne sang, and Batman and I agreed that we need to get out more often! Do check them out via their website. They are offering a Livestream concert, Music of Midwinter, on Sunday December 17, 6:30 ET, tickets can be found here.
Everything is on fire,
but everyone I love is doing beautiful things
and trying to make life worth living,
and I know I don’t have to believe in everything,
but I believe in that.
-Nikita Gill (British-Indian poet, playwright, writer and illustrator)
I’ve spent some lovely, snowy afternoons in my studio, working on holiday gifts and listening to words that fill me up. (I do not listen to the news in my studio, it is counterproductive.) One of my dear friends shared this story with me, and when I started to listen I realized I had heard it before. Recorded six years ago, it seems more poignant than ever, “Gate 4-A by Naomi Shihab Nye”.
I’ll be back soon with a few more pics from Scotland and some book talk. Sometimes we all need a bit of distraction…