9/10/2012 West Virginia Watching the fog lift off the road leading to our cabin. As the sun hits it it rises like clouds of smoke. The whole morning process of the sun coming up over the ridge, about 8:30 this time of year. The sky is light at 6:30 or so, but it's slow to come over the ridge. The birds very happy that time of day. Cardinals, jays, a pair of hummingbirds, woodpeckers, don't know the other species, magpies of some kind, crows. No raptures today- we do have a hawk who likes to hunt here and a flock of buzzards that love the thermals- so beautiful in flight and so nasty up close! The owls at night. Suki is holding her own for now. She has her routine around meals and forays in the yard around the cabin. She loves to go over the hill and down to sniff at the little swamp where the frogs and willows are. She stumbled into that yesterday and I was afraid she was stuck and would have to crawl down into the brush, but she finally found a spot to turn around without continuing to go downward. And she loves the walk to Honeysuckle Pond. Last year Tom set up a chair there and I spent some time everyday meditating there. She would wait with me, sniffing around. This year it was overgrown and I ended up getting covered in chigger bites so I've not had the inclination to linger. Dan and Tom did clear it for me, but I guess I'm leery. I do still walk down there every day with Suki though she has a bit of trouble getting back up the hill. She just takes her time. This is the first year that walking the road out to the mailbox is too much for her. Sweet old dog, sad to watch her growing so old. The Vet's Best pills I found seem to be helping- White Willow Bark and Glucosmine and not the terrible side effects of the Ibruprofen.

9/8/2012 aft WV Comfy on top of the bed with my laptop. I feel like Meg, who writes the Princess Diaries, who told me she likes to write in bed , did she say in her PJ's? Maybe. Dan has managed to clear the valve on my air mattress and it seems to be holding air, though not to the max firm amount that I prefer. So, we've switched mattresses. He's happy, loves a squishy bed, and I'm happy, like a firm bed. Just as well as I couldn't find a replacement mattress in Spencer, my closest shopping town. Perhaps in Parkersburg, but who needs to run around town looking for a mattress. Do have to keep an eye out for Ozark Air double high though, these air mattresses only last so long. We've three years for these 2 so that seems like a good run. Good day for making soup. My bag of veggie ends in the freezer was full and the stock from that with a tin of tomatoes and whatever few veggies I have on hand seems to be adding up to a yummy smell coming from the stove. I do get into cooking here. Well, I've the time and really there's no alternative, unless you plan on sandwhiches and cereal, which isn't awful. I've gotten into my WV routine now that I've been back over a week. Make my coffee and read or do a crossword puzzle in the mornings. All the NY Sunday times ones that I didn't have time for that I ripped out and brought up in an envelop. Lately I've been feeling so decadent and having toast with jam as well. Then I dress and tidy up get organized for whatever the day holds. Try to practice the harp a bit. Then a light breakfast, yogurt lately. More practice, then reading, maybe work on a song. Then a mid aftenoon break, this week I've a basket of apples from Dan Brindo's house. He must have 10 different trees. I've been enjoying Irish cheddar and a Brindo apple every day. I take my shower around 4, it's still light and warm and we don't have company, which when you have an outdoor shower does make it simpler. Then I start dinner. Have to start the coals for my “oven” ( a 29.99 charcoal burner from Walmart that is holding up a way too surprisingly long time-- oh when do I get my Weber? ) Mostly I use the grill and the few gas burners. Occasionally, I use the crockpot ( makes a delicious tomato sauce with spicy sausage and bell peppers ) I've become quite the gourmet on my cheap little grill. Last night it was meatloaf, with homefried potatoes, steamed cauliflower and broccoli and coleslaw. We were celebrating the finishing of the floor laying up at Dan Brindo's. Tom and my Dan have been up there all week working on it. I've been making dinner for all of us. This week was grilled chicken , smashed potates and salad, beef stew ( love the mix of Hungarian and Spanish paprikas that I brought up and is sitting in my old wooden Coke crate spice rack ), burritos made with revamped version of my chicken with brown rice and veg- added black beans , fresh cilantro, lime and jalapenos and made a yummy fresh salsa. One night Tom donated some incredible sirloin steaks and Tammy also joined us for steak and salad and potatoes. Super good meat up here, both at Foodland, where they will grind it for you and Dick's Market which is always very, very fresh and fresh cut and ground as well. Met a woman named Pat ( O Boyle Boyd? ) at Dick's yesterday. We were at the meat counter and she was looking throught some little bottles of fancy mustard there. Cranberry, honey mustard, now what would you do with that? ( I love a challenge! ) hmm maybe as a glaze on ham? Awful small bottle, and $1.50 have to be single I guess. Well, everyone is always bringing a ham so I guess it's cool to have new ideas for one. She: Would you use it? Me: Probably not- if I wanted cranberries on something I'd probably just buy cranberries. She laughed. Well she says you grow up hard here, and you know a lot about deer. ( but I guess not much about cranberries ) Later at the counter she caught me spacing out and said probably dreaming of ways to use that mustard. I laughed. Then she started to tell me the recipe for cranberry relish that's in her family. It had cups of sugar and crushed pineapple and she couldn't remember the rest. Said she would write it down and leave it at Dick's for me. I must be the only one the peole who work at Dick's doesn't know in this area, so the cashier looked at me kinda strange, but I just smiled and said thanks. I'm not in there too often, mostly go to Elizabeth to drop off the recycling and use the internet at the library so maybe every other week or so and then we're only here a few months at best every summer. Most everyone who lives in Elizabeth is from there or close by and they all know each other. Well as Pat says you grow up hard here, and you know a lot about deer. And you all know and look out for each other . Got a message in my mailbox that I missed the delivery of my boots. Must of been the other postal person, the woman I met a few weeks back came back in here with my medicine. Course I signed the little card asking for it to be re delivered, so maybe that's what I need to do. That or go down to the Palestine Post Office on Monday. Too bad, I could have used those boots today! Our mailbox is too small for parcels, maybe Tom is right and we need a bigger one.

9/8/2012 West Virginia The rain is soft, softens the colors, the sounds of everything. No, it doesn't rain all the time, not at all. It's been sunny and gloriously beautiful and very warm all week. Perfect for hanging clothes on the line and reading on the porch in my nightgown. But today the rain has come. Straight down and quiet, almost have to think oh, is it raining? Till I look up and see the leaves dancing. That sort of invisible misting rain, that reminds me so much of England. Not like the torrential pouring rains with all it's drama smashing down on the tin roofs and bending palm trees of the Keys. Making every street a river instantly, then drying in the sun . No this is like a mist that comes to life, occasionally to crescendo then back to the living mist. Having said that it starts to Really crescendo, with the wind picking up and blowing rain sideways over the porch and everything on it. The temperature drops a good 5-10 degrees as well, making me wish for socks. Trouble is the socks get wet when I slip on these little Crocs to go to the bathhouse. I looked for boots but only found big heavy rubber boots made for mucking out stalls. A bit much for just walking out to the loo. Our friend Saffra left me a cozy lined perfect pair last summer, but they had a leak that we tried but couldn't fix. I decided to go modern and last time on the internet at MacDonalds ( where I had my first meal, a sugary sweet yogurt parfait ) ordered a pair of lime green lined perfect boots from Amazon.com. They'll be here on Monday. So cold feet today, but it's still fairly warm , just a reminder that it turns cold in the morn and eves quickly. One day it's 50 , the next 80. This time of year is totally shizophrenic that way.

9/5/2012 West Virginia Sitting on the porch staring at the ridge of poplars, willows, the fog hanging heavy today in between the rain. Reading Breece D'J Pancake stories. Recognizing some of the people in these stories as those I see going about my business here in WV. Those older folk sitting on the porches we passed riding the jeep yesterday with Tammy,, down the dirt roads, up the ridges through the hollows. People I see and empathize with but whose lives I don't really know. Catch a glimpse of them in stories people tell or lying in the pitch black in the damp nights in this valley. Walking around with the stars to go pee at night. But I have a flush toilet in my bathhouse and an umbrella for the rain. Feel their stories but my body betrays me. Always be a city girl. Blow up with chigger bites, hair won't lay down for bangs or grow that long ponytail. Frizzes up with the genes of Eastern Europe and the mediterranean, the warmth that I'm so used to now from living in Key West, and which suits me. Never could take the winters well, my hands would get too cold, couldn't play the piano or much else. Even now, in the damp nights my hands cramp up. Our heritage singing in our blood no matter where we go. Is that what Pancake was saying? He paints such a vivid picture of these hills and these lives, you can taste the dust, smell the woods. Feel this whole life dying. The folk growing older whose clans settled here and whose roads carry their names and their lives. McCutcheon Run, Munday Ridge, Frog Hollow. The young torn between being from here and needing to leave here. Not so many options , maybe college or sports open up a few more. Otherwise it's the military, or driving a truck or workin somewhere in town, a garage a small diner. Or it's less romantic, Walmart and Welfare. Driving through the dirt roads, almost all the homes have ramps- so many older folk. A 97 year old woman lived there, was still climbing up on the roof to clean out the gutters. She died a few winters back and the house is falling into the earth. Family still owns it, but no one to live in it, love it every day. Still, it's the last little bit of the family farm that hasn't been divided up, sold. Even if you can't live here, or even want to, you still love this earth, this smell, the simple making do .

Friday 9302011 wv

The things a girl has to do to go pee. Put on my galoshes, grab an umbrella and slosh out to the bathhouse. It's been raining for hours and it's cold, well relatively, low 50's I'd say maybe lower. Need to get a thermometer. We've turned on the car and read the outside temp for perspective a few times.

Dan and Tom are up on the ridge at Dan Brindo's, or northern Dan as we say. It's the final Drink and Plink party. Well, Dan's got a wide porch and a nice warm house to recover in. I suspect there's a bit of moonshine and some other drinkin to go with it, part of the party. Our sweet boy with a trumpet pic leaves this world tonight. Sayonara with a smile I say.

Good thing we burned the bonfire last night. It was just Dan and Tom and I but seemed the right time. Have to go by the weather when you're living mostly outdoors. It was a beautiful fire. And all the brush from the trimmed autumn olives went up with a rosy flame high into the sky. We sat out staring at the fire and up at the stars. I love it. Both of us smelled like wood smoke in the bed. Suppose you'd get tired of that after a while, but not yet.

Had some patches of sun as this cold front blew in and Suki got her ride home bath. Weather changed quickly and I felt sorry for leaving her on the porch so cold when we went into Elizabeth. She and I are in the front room all warm and cozy now. I watched the new version of True Grit, pretty good. I do like a happier ending though, but I guess it's more artistic when it's truer to life. I'll have to go back and see the original sometime.

We leave in two days. All this rain and cold, guess it's time. I never got to half what I had in mind though. Writing songs, practicing some piano. I did put some time in on the harp though. That and did a stack of NY Times Crossword Puzzles.Read some good books too, Machine Dreams Jayne Anne Phillips, Drown- Junot Diaz. Listened to The Lock Artist and The Help too, both really good. Why I find the puzzles so relaxing I don't know, I've never finished one, though I 've come close a few times. I have the answers to some – maybe I'll learn something.

Fortunately I love what I do in Key West. I'm sure once I get over the shock of my busy schedule that I'll be glad to be there. I do have some really great jobs, I'm a very lucky girl . I always miss being outside though. Maybe I can figure out how to outwit those backyard mosquitos and spend more time. Could be I'll figure that into the renovation of the front room. Maybe a screened porch off that room? Well, can't come true if you don't dream it. Look at what happened here.

Sept 26 2011

When the weather is cold is wet, this is when it really feels like camping. Sloshing to the bathhouse to pee, hunkering under an umbrella to wash the dishes. My friend Saffra was here for 4 days and upon returning to Philadelphia commented that what she missed was being outdoors all the time. True, our place is spacious and comfortable when we have the outside porch and walks as a part of it. Today, however, it's chill and wet and muddy. I did use the rubber boots Saffra left me to go to the bathhouse during the night. Kept my feet dry and warm, I admit I was very sleepily slipping into them and glad nothing else had decided to climb in as well!

Fortunately we also have the 2 rooms and a lovely heater in each. So here I sit, blogging away on the comfy couch with the heat on just enough and a few layers of clothing. This last week given to just trying to rest and relax and empty the freezer and pantry items I've accumulated . I've enjoyed having time to cook , and to have friends to dinner. Last night we were joined by Tom and Dan and Nancy from up on Fairview, our immediate family. I made meatloaf and had time to saute vegetables, make breadcrumbs. I have to plan an hour ahead to bake or roast here, as I need to ready the coals for the grill and then get the grill cleaned and set and of course let whatever cook. I used the coals lined up on either side method last night instead of in a circle. Keeps it a bit hotter if I can stack them up, but made the coals wider in the grill. The ends of the loaf a bit crisp, but I actually liked it so no harm.

Never chronicled about my day of the animal kingdom roadkill. I drove into Spencer one day a week past and I swear there was one of each animal around here that had been hit on the road. Even ones I don't normally see like bobcat and coyote along with the more familiar sights of deer, red fox, possum, raccoon and squirrel. I heard some grouse last week as well although never did see them.

Suki and I are enjoying the path to Honeysuckle Pond. It's become one of our daily treks. As a city dog, she still likes to get me to walk her. Of course, if she needs to, she still goes off on her own. It's either habit or she just likes the company or both. She won't go off with anyone else but Dan and I though. I suppose that's a good thing. Walking that path a few days ago Saffra and I came upon a black snake about 3 foot long. I wasn't sure what it was as it had a white belly and black top. The next day we found the skin, in it's entirety . It's so cool, tail and head and eye holes and all! I keep moving it around as the wind blows it away though and the tail has come off. It's new home is in the bathhouse. Maybe it will strike fear into the mouse population who like to sneak in to nest when we leave, though I doubt it. One thing about mice, they are bold and resourceful, even so small as they are. I have to keep all the garden vegetables in the pantry as they came one night and took one little bite out of every tomato. It reminded me of a box of chocolates someone was testing!

We head back on Monday and I am trying to live each moment and enjoy it. I'll stop and now and go back to my favourite morning activity, sipping coffee on the porch and catching up on the Sunday Times crossword puzzles.

WV Sunday afternoon 942011

A slight breeze is stirring and the air is coming in a bit cooler.It's been high 90's and brutal. Glad we have fans here. Sitting in the rocker that came from Dan's mom's house at the end of the porch overlooking the ridge, my favourite spot. Just finished reading my friend Bud Navarro's new play “So The Boys Can Cry”. It's about the first responders set in a neighborhood bar near The World Trade Center the day of 9/11/2001 and the eve before. The play is good, really good. The subject stuns me to silence. The words of what people saw as they ran in to help when the towers collapsed. The image of shoes everywhere in one character's dialogue stays with me. I remember my sister telling me that her friend's boyfriend worked downtown and saw arms and legs flying. That image has never left me.
The frustration and anger, the difficulty of forgiveness of moving on. Stunned by the enormity.

Struck by the irony of life. Quietly here in the middle of the West Virginia hills, amid the sounds of crickets and birds, I stand in my kitchen mixing Tabouleh salad for tonight's dinner. I've Greek olives and hummus with vegetables to serve with some grilled chicken I made the day before. We are all mixed together just like the food.

The saloon where Bud's play is set reminds me of several saloons in NYC that I have been to with Bud! The dark funky bar downtown with the great jukebox and cheap drinks. The yuppier bar on the upper West Side where Bud received his mail and his drycleaning.

I was going to fly to NYC to use a free US Air ticket I have. But I'm not so anxious to travel right now. I need the time to rest and practice and a book of songs I've started is tugging at me. We go next week to visit Dan's mom and also meet up with Dan's brother and his wife. I'm hoping to stop in Morgantown on the way back to visit my new friend Cynthia. She and I met in Barcelona at the Festival of Song masterclass.

I sang two Spanish songs acapella for Bud's play. Interesting getting back into my soprano voice and the Spanish words. I sang Lloraba La Niña by Granados and Respóndemos by Rodrigo. Two pieces I began work on in Spain. Nothing is coincidence as Bud asks if I can send him an mp3 of some ¨flamenco vocals¨. I explain that I don´t remotely sing the flamenco wail, but find songs with a Sephardic, southern Spanish style to send him.

Music becomes a part of the daily life here. Dan has been writing some spooky music that sounds like the wind singing through my harp . I practice just about daily. Last night we jammed with Lisa ( Buck and Diane's daugher in law ) who is a fiddle player. She is studying at ETSU for a degree in bluegrass. Anita Morrell was so proud when she told us that was being offered! Lisa and Morgan and their two children live in Johnson City, Tenn right down the road from Bristol! We had fun last night. Playing old time bluegrass and some of my Celtic and Spanish songs. Dan played guitar and I played harp and our painter friend George played bass. It was a blast, sitting on the back porch of their farm as the stars came out. We ride out over Davison ridge to get there. Dan and I have walked over before, 7 miles along the ridge ( and a 2 mile huff to the ridge road that we haven't walked yet – but Diane has. ) Memorable gathering of friends, food and music.

And sometimes life is grand.