A Little Catch-Up Post

I’ve recently swapped over the way my blog posts are delivered via email, and also how they are sent to my Facebook page. So this is just a little test of that new system to see if it’s all working. Hopefully, if you’ve subscribed to my blog via email you will have received it safely, and if you’re reading this on Facebook, well, that works as well. Fingers crossed!

But as I’m writing I will take the opportunity to give you some updates on writing, recording, touring and some other bits and bobs too.

After the few in-person live shows I did last year, it has been wonderful to get out and play more live shows and festivals this year. Last year I think, like a lot of other people, I was feeling somewhat institutionalized and not that comfortable being around crowds after the lockdowns and the Pandemic. This year that has gone and I’m absolutely loving being with my community in person again. This weekend I’m playing at the mighty Mercian Gathering – always an incredible festival – and I can’t wait to get into that marquee and start playing my songs again.

The House Concerts continue, and I have no plans to stop them any time soon. They are very different from playing in-person shows, but they have their own special atmosphere. I love seeing all of the little profile pics and everyone from all over the world joining together online as one big community. Being able to interact with you all live, answering questions and responding to your comments, is wonderful. It’s a monthly, life-affirming, joyous get-together, and I love them.

Creativity has had to take a back seat for family stuff this year after Dad died at the end of January. Mum has taken it very hard and much of my energy has been with her, making sure she is safe, and well, and gently being with her as she moves on with her life without her partner of 60+ years. All of this in her 80s too. It’s been tough for her. But yesterday I took her to a Scrabble afternoon with other people of her age, and I saw the biggest smile on her face since February, which made us both feel so good. So that will be a regular weekly thing for sure.

Also, there are some big changes in other areas of my life, but these changes will open up more time and space for music, and that is really what I personally need. I am at my happiest when I am creating, writing, recording, playing live, and being with other people of like mind. Looking into the future I’m excited and hopeful.

The new YouTube channel me and Cerri have created is great fun, and that’s really what is all about for us. A good excuse to record stuff from Cerri’s allotment, and for us to visit some of our favourite Sacred Sites around the country. If you haven’t seen the Green Grimoire channel, pop over here, and take a look, and if you like what we are doing, subscribe to the channel.

The new music album? Seven songs written and recorded. If you’ve seen me live, either at my in-person shows or the online House concerts, you will have heard some of them. I want at least ten for the album, so three more to write and record, but, as I said above, finding the mental space for that creativity has been hard this year. Sometimes other things in life need a lot of attention and care. As the year wanes into Autumn and Winter, and the nights draw in, those songs will arrive along the River of Awen, and I will be there, fishing rod in hand (my guitar), looking to catch a beauty.