I wrote a song on the piano.

But let me back up a bit first. It’s been a flurry of days leading up to this month that is feeling its way into fall. But right now it’s quiet. I’m in the van sandwiched between sleeping dogs and between one day shifting to the next. It’s now October 11th, and that means I arrived on this planet 39 years ago today. That little 3 and I have been through a lot together, and I’m not yet sure how I feel about it leaving its post a year from now. But change is always up ahead, whether we plan it or not. And that brings me back to the piano. 

If I had to guess, I’d imagine that upon reading that first sentence many of you were thinking one or both of the following:
1) Oh I didn’t know she played the piano! (I don’t.)
2) Wait a minute. They live on the road in a van/travel trailer situation. Pianos are large and heavy. This does not compute.

The piano is in a house in south Louisiana. This house, and the piano, are now ours. We’ve lived in it all of a week, and we’re halfway into being away from it for 6 weeks right now. It doesn’t quite feel real yet, but it feels like the start of something beautiful. 

We closed on it while we were in another state, and were initially thinking we wouldn’t be able to physically get to it until later in the year. But due to what was initially a disappointing hole in our schedule, we were able to make the trek across half of the US, rather quickly, to step foot in our home for a moment before taking off again. This also enabled us to drop off the trailer and do the rest of the year’s touring in just the van, saving a bit on gas and making us more mobile and flexible. 

Toward the end of the jam-packed days of driving our current home to our new home, we stopped off in Austin to pick up a few things from Pete’s family (some necessities, like a bed). We were also gifted a beautiful old upright piano. So while Pete drove our van and travel trailer the last stretch to Louisiana, I drove a big yellow Penske truck with the piano inside. As I often do when driving, I started writing in my head. There are a couple of lines that I wrote several years back, with an overall idea, but I was never really able to get much further on it every time I tried. These lines came to me in that moment, and I knew enough had changed since I had tried before that this song wanted to come out now. It’s what the lines were written for, I just didn’t know it then.

I don’t really know how to play the piano, but somewhere on I-10 a connection was made between the piano sitting in the back of that truck and the song started in the front cab. Or maybe the piano gave it to me. Either way, once we got them both home, it became clear to me that they were like dogs in separate rooms scratching at the door. So I sat and tried to figure it out. And I did that again and again. It was a messy and humbling process, but it eventually found its way out of my fingers in a rudimentary simplicity. It needs a little more polish before anyone but the dogs and Pete hear it, but it exists. It’s called Birdie Was An Oak Tree, and I love that the first song written in our new home is about my grandmother (her name was Birdie) and dealing with her sudden loss. It’s the kind of thing you want to happen--have a special song be the first one written in a new space--but don’t want to force. I certainly didn’t intend to try to fit in writing a song while attempting to get settled as much as you can in a week, so I am thankful for this unexpected offering.

And I am thankful for this 39th year, that is clearly bringing change. Change that feels uncertain, but comforting and grounded. Change that feels positive and like it will reenergize our creative sides that are too often put to the back of the line behind other things. Our home is 75 years old, it sits at the end of a gravel road, we have a screened porch, we have cows for neighbors--there will be songs. I cannot wait to write them. I cannot wait to share them with you. 

P.S. This means we will be using our house as a home base (instead of the trailer) and touring in just the van, so we will be selling our travel trailer. If you or anyone you know is in the market for one, let us know or send them our way!

BIRTHDAY SHOW TONIGHT!

10/11 Arlighton Heights, IL - Hey Nonny w/ special guest Heather Styka

10/12 Chicago, IL - Folkstage

10/13 Madison, WI - North Street Cabaret w/ special guest John Statz

10/18 Evansville, IN - Doss Barn Concerts

10/19 Indianapolis, IN - Flying Cat Concerts

10/25 Columbus, OH - Six String Concerts supporting Glen Phillips

10/27 Spring Lake, MI - Seven Steps Up

10/29 Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark

10/30 Lake Orion, MI - 20 Front Street

11/7 - 10 Stamford, CT - Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA)

11/21 Houston, TX - McGonigel's Mucky Duck

11/22 LaGrange, TX - Bugle Boy

11/23 San Antonio, TX - Highland Park House Concert

11/24 Wimberley, TX - Creative Mind Concerts

12/7 Bryan, TX - The Village