25 July 2012
The still after the storm of writing sessions with Steve Vantsis is a bit overwhelming. Bottle bank visits back to normal service again and a slight element of detox crept in.
Highly positive first session and now a few weeks off for yours truly to get whittling words and joining some dots. Steve is back again mid August and I am sure I will have a few days at least with Foss and Frank before then.He left on Sunday after mixing down and copying the various pieces we had been working on so I have somethings to reference to and nudge me along while I walk around the garden with my Marantz voice recorder amusing or frightening the neighbours.Saturday we recorded a small spoken word session for Egbert Derix who has put together a piano and string quartet arrangement of “Pseudo Silk Kimono” for his new album.
It’s a beautiful moody piece and it was interesting and strange recording the lyric as a spoken voice rather than singing it!
First time we ever had to stop a take because the cat was snoring too loud in the control room.
Egbert will be providing some string arrangements for the “Feast of Consequences” album later in the year.
Last couple of days I’ve just been enjoying free time with my girlfriend. Lifting garlic and clearing some raised beds in between downpours.
Monday evening was balmy which inspired a decision at 1am to sleep outside in the garden in the tent. Cue Simone waving mag light beams and a small amount of me cursing wearing the head torch and within 25mins it was up, air mattresses in and bedding dragged from my room.
My daughter looked on with disbelieving eyes and the reversal of roles as she played the part of unamused parent. Quite funny really! 🙂
All went well until the heavens opened around 5am and yet another forecast of summer was blown away.
I must admit it was fun being out in the tent in the pouring rain and childhood memories swarmed.
Woke up with our clothes in a puddle at the tent entrance and still waiting for the tent to dry out!
Roast garlic straight from the garden with first broadbeans shallow fried with fresh onion. Yesterday was herrings for lunch and dinner, game stew with first of carrot thinnings. It’s been great getting back into cooking again and getting inspired by the garden which in return is inspiring me to think about new crops and developing the kitchen garden once more.
Today was a walk down to the Tyneside to pick up the car left behind after an extra hour in the pub.
The walk was great with a count of 2 large deer exploding out the hedgerows and a grey heron statuesque by the Tyne just above the still roaring weir.
Ordered windchime repair kits from someone in Texas (the only supplier of parts I could find!) and tonight we are going to the cinema to see the Batman movie.
And I know in the dark corner of my mind I will be thinking about Denver. 🙁