music Tuesdays - Melissa McClelland

Melissa McClelland - Victoria Day

I'd heard her name, but the first time I heard Melissa McClelland sing was a couple of years ago when she performed with Blue Rodeo at Hamilton Place. I was completely blown away by her voice and downloaded her previous releases when I got home from the concert that night. Victoria Day, her latest recording was released in the spring of this year and I believe that it is her finest album yet. The best way I can describe it is old-timey. While the lyrics are fresh and inventive, the musical styles are classic, lots of blues, country, dixieland and jazz influences here. And since Melissa is a local, I love the fact that she references Burlington, Hamilton and Toronto in a couple of the songs. Definitely one of my favourite Cd's of 2009.

I love this video because it shows just how awesome she is live.



As a side note, after my darling husband read my music Tuesday installment of two weeks ago, he promptly took to the internet to find me a new copy of my long lost Rhinos's CD.


Thanks honey. You rock.

just like a vacation...

Even with the internet access at the cottage, my computer time has been limited. My parents and brother were here for 5 days and as they were leaving, our friends Christine and Stewart and their daughter Mackenzie arrived. So it's been busy. But awesome. I love it here. But not much time for blogging. So this may be the last post until I am home next week. See you then.

photo Friday

Glenn Gould, as he sits outside, in front of the CBC headquarters in Toronto.

music Tuesdays - Danny Michel

Danny Michel - Welcome Home

I first became acquainted with Danny Michel's music when I was in high school and he was in a band called The Rhinos. They eventually broke up and I lost track of him. In December 2007, Steve and I went to a live Vinyl Cafe show and Danny Michel was one of the musical guests. He played a few tunes acoustically and I remembered why I was such a big fan. He is a story teller, as much through his music as through his lyrics. His voice is unique. He can manipulate it perfectly to suit the subject matter of his songs. Welcome Home is a collection of previously recorded material all performed acoustically. Just Danny and his guitar. It's thoughtful and introspective. The kind of album you throw on when you just want to sit back and concentrate on the music.

I couldn't find a good video to use from this album, so here's the title track from his most recent release. You'll get the idea.

it ain't over yet...

I'm notorious for starting knitting projects and either not finishing them or taking forever to finish them. I hate this about my knitting habit so I'm making a concerted effort to finish the projects I currently have on the go. It's hard to do because I just don't get a lot of knitting time in. I used to knit on the commute to and from work, at least 2 hours a day. Now I'm lucky if I get 20 minutes a week in. Really, I just need to organize my time better and make the most of the time I get for myself when the little dude sleeps. I'm working on that.

In the meantime, the drive to the cottage was a big factor in helping me finish my first Claptois. It's an absolutely stunning shawl. Most knitters know this pattern, it's a very popular one and I've been wanting to knit it for ages. I honestly thought I was the last knitter on earth who hadn't made one but it turns out that a few of the ladies in my knitting group haven't made it either. If you knit, I highly recommend this pattern. It's easy, fast and incredibly rewarding. I could see myself doing this one again. Once I finish my other projects, of course.

photo Friday

I spent last weekend with an awesome group of ladies at our annual Girl's Weekend at Elizabeth's cottage on Lake Erie. The weather was not fantastic but we sat outside as much as we could, often bundled up in sleeping bags and blankets. There was a storm brewing over the lake. Maybe even a tornado?

I'm a weirdo...

One thing I've had to get used to as a new mom is talking to strangers. When you're out in public with an infant, people you do not know are magnetically attracted to you. I understand this and most of the time it doesn't bother me when people try to interact with Alex. Even though it can get a wee bit annoying if I am in a rush, I realize that 99.9% of the time, these people are perfectly harmless. But every once in a while, you are reminded that there are very strange and somewhat frightening people in the world.

The little dude was having some pretty serious teething angst today and I needed to distract him. Usually this means going for a walk but since it was pouring out, my next option was to take him to the mall. Surrounded by lights, colours and noise he was perfectly happy in his stroller, taking it all in. Now the mall I went to has two floors. As I was boarding the elevator to go up, a woman came in behind me. She was probably in her late 40's and likely past child-bearing age. We were the only passengers on a very small elevator. She spoke.

"Oh, you have a baby! I want one so much"

Then the elevator doors closed.

She then went on to show my a box small blue box in her hand that apparently held a pewter coin bank in the shape of an arc. It was for the baby boy of a friend of her's. His name is Noah. Hence the arc. "Isn't that sweet? I had it engraved." I agreed and made sure to go in the opposite direction when exiting the elevator. I even watched her exit the mall completely. It was that creepy. I wasn't afraid for our safety, it was just a little off-putting.

music Tuesdays - The Vanity Project

This week's entry is not a new release, but it came to mind when I found Steven Page's name in the news today. According to reports, he and his girlfriend bought a house next door to the apartment in which they were busted for cocaine possession last year. Apparently, this is newsworthy. I'm a fan of Steven Page but I don't need to know every detail of his life. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that his personal life is on track since the unfortunate incident, but seriously why is this information being reported as if it were of international importance? One paper even went as far as to print the address of his new home. Whatever happened to journalistic integrity? Or common decency? Leave the guy and his girlfriend alone. Let them get on with their lives. Just let me know when his new CD is out.

The Vanity Project - The Vanity Project

Released in 2005, The Vanity Project is a collection of songs written by Steven Page and Stephen Duffy. The two first became acquainted when Page wrote Duffy a fan letter. That correspondence led to a songwriting partnership that produced a few excellent tracks (Alcohol from Stunt, and Jane from Maybe You Should Drive, to name a couple) included on some earlier Barenaked Ladies albums. This album consists both of tunes that didn't make it on to BNL records and that were recorded specifically for this project. Page performs all of the lead vocals, so really, it feels like a Steven Page solo record. But truly, this album is all about the songs, so Duffy's contribution cannot be ignored. Both men show off their gift for lyrics and melody and that's what really stands out for me. I also enjoy the folk feel of the album. You can totally imagine these songs performed acoustically, outside, under the stars. Now that Page is no longer a Barenaked Lady, I hope there is another Vanity Project in his future. Wherever he may be living.

how sweet it is...

I try to buy locally grown produce as much as possible. Sadly, our grocery stores are filled with imported produce even though our little patch of suburbia is surrounded by rich farm land. As I was on my way to drop the little dude off at my parents' place this morning so that I could go to a doctor's appointment, I noticed that the sign for Hutchinson Farm, located a mere 8 kilometers from my parents' house, was advertising that their raspberries were ready. I love all berries and raspberries may be my favourite fruit. So after my appointment I convinced my mom to accompany Alex and I to Hutchinson Farm.

In addition to these deliciously, sweet raspberries...


I picked up these lovely beets.


They also had some beautiful zucchini, both green & yellow, but I didn't buy any since I had some in the fridge at home. I see by their website that they also grow several varieties of tomatoes and peppers among other items. I was so impressed by the freshness and quality of what I bought today that I will definitely go back and check out these crops when they are ready.

Now I need to get a damp cloth to clean the raspberry stains off my laptop. :)

photo Friday

The addition of the music Tuesdays feature has really helped me keep up with the blog. I find that I am more motivated to get a post in before the next Tuesday rolls around, simply because I don't want this to be a blog of just music posts on Tuesdays. So I've decided to start a photo Friday feature in hopes that it will get me blogging even more. And I do take a lot of pictures that just end up sitting on my hard drive. Also, I'm over a year behind in updating my Flickr, so this might help with that problem as well.

Okay, enough talking. Here are few pics from our last trip to the cottage.

The black squirrel was scurrying up a tree with a mouthful of sunflower seeds we had thrown out for the animals.

We think this gorgeous heron nests on the property. He doesn't normally get this close. The picture is a bit fuzzy because it was taken through the glass of the front door.

Enjoy your summer weekend!

...one beer

It's not very often these days that I buy the beer for the household. Since I don't drink a lot of beer, Steve usually does the purchasing. But once in a while, I make the beer run. Now in Ontario, one normally goes to The Beer Store to purchase their rations although the LCBO also stocks beer. At most of the Beer Store locations you walk up to the counter, place your order, and your case of suds appears, flying down the metal rollers from behind a plastic curtain. Magic! But some locations are what I like to call, the Women's Beer Store. You walk into a giant cooled room and pick up the case or cases of choice. So why do I cal it the Women's Beer Store? Well if you follow social stereotypes, men hate shopping and women love it. Men go in, get what they want, and get the hell out. Women browse, checking out every aisle, whether it contains what they are looking for or not. I usually go into the Women's Beer Store with a pretty good idea of what I will be leaving with, but I look around anyway and always end up picking up a little something interesting. And that's what I did last week.

Brewed by Toronto's Mill St. Brewery, the Belgian Wit may just be the ultimate summer beer. It's an unfiltered, wheat beer and refreshing doesn't even begin to describe it. Orange peel and corriander give it both a fruity and slightly spicy taste. I would suggest enjoying it with a slice of orange. If you're a fan of Hoegaarden or Keith's Premium White, add this one to your list. Fantastic.

music Tuesdays - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

Today's music pick is not a new recording. But it's newer than you might think.

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights

I first heard of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings on The Lascivious Biddies podcast (more about them in a future installment of music Tuesdays). When I checked it out, I was blown away. This album sounds like it's straight out of the 1960's. It was recorded in 2007. Sharon and her incredible band sound like they are channeling Aretha Franklin and James Brown, just to name a few, but totally making it their own at the same time.



See what I mean? Just a few weeks ago, they played at the Toronto Jazz Festival. Steve and I went and we both agreed that this was one of the best live shows we have ever seen. And we've seen a lot of them. I took a bit of video during the show. Not the greatest quality, or steadiest camera work, but here they are doing a little tribute to Michael Jackson, the day after his death.