Pay it Forward People.

I took Coco to Coney Island for dinner tonight because she got two, count em' two, Panther Paws at school today.  Panther Paws are little orange circles of paper that one receives if one does something super duper at Emma Smith Elementary.  Stockbridge, as a town,  basically runs on Panther Paws...get with the program people.

In the beginning of the year she brought every single one home because she liked the wow factor of saying "guess who got a Panther Paw today??!!"  At some point, she realized that you could put them in a box by the office to win a prize, so she dutifully gathered dozens of them from around the house and tried to throw the odds a bit, but those other kids were onto her and stopped her short, and we had to settle for the pride of having them at home.

Anyhoo, after a lovely meal of Coco creating "force fields" around her french fries so that I would get shocked if I tried to eat anymore (I just wanted one ok?) (maybe two), it was time to head out.  But then the manager walked up to the table next to us and stated "you ladies won't be getting a bill tonight."

I shushed Coco straining one table over to hear the goods...what was the problem?  raw chicken?  regular coke when they had ordered diet?  What on earth happened to them that they got no bill???

"The woman sitting behind you paid for your meals.  She said to have a wonderful night."

There was confusion followed by awe followed by appreciation.  "But we didn't know her!" they protested.  And that is the point, isn't it?  Random acts of goodwill.  Because you never know when someone just needs someone to do something unexpected and nice for them.

And that is your homework.  Pay it forward people.

And if life gives me too much of anything, let it be poppies and peonies.  Please.

Some Velvet Evening.

Again with the over blogging!  But, as promised, Saturday part deux.

After a lovely evening of wood planked salmon, roasted fingerlings, and ricotta beignets courtesy of Allison, fresh asparagus and salad from our garden, and too many glasses of Smackintosh from Tandem Cider (now available at the Produce Station in A2!), it was off to Johnny's Speakeasy.

Now, if you've never been, I will tell you my secrets.  I may have to kill you afterwards, but at least you will die knowing that some place this magical exists.

In a little old unassuming farmhouse on the west side of Ann Arbor, there is a place, a wonderful place, where music magic happens.   You would never know it from the outside, but after your first decent down those steep wooden stairs into the old fruit cellar, you will never be the same.  The space was used for apple storage for the old farm on the same property.  When Johnny bought the house years ago, the story goes that there were many an interested party.  Each buyer would walk down the stairs and exclaim their excitement over all of the "storage space."  But when Johnny walked down those stairs he saw the best little roots music venue around.  Sold.

Christmas lights draped romantically, old farm implements, and guitars, ukes, and banjos grace the walls.  Bring your own beverage, and maybe a snack to share.  Support good local music, and leave richer for your experience.  It doesn't. Get. Better.

Saturday night featured the lovely duo Some Velvet Evening, composed of the handsome John Holk, and  the lovely Carrie Shepard.  They were backed by Gary Indiana on guitar, and I can't remember the drummer's name (sorry awesome drummer!).  Click here to watch the amazing old school video for their song Shooting the Breeze, part of their self proclaimed "cheating trilogy" on their new album.

Maybe, if you are nice to me, I will take you there some day.  I said maybe, and there should probably be free cocktails involved.  Just sayin'.

A few numbers by Some Velvet Evening!  Waylon Jenning's Rainy Day Woman,
and Once a Day (an original?)

As I finish this I am sun kissed, well fed, and perfectly content after a long day at the beach with good people.  Amen.

Shut the Front Door. (saturday part one)

It started off like any normal Saturday.  Fresh eggs for breakfast, putzing around the garden, cutting flowers for the house.    But my beautiful friend Nicole (click for all of you midwifery needs!) just got invited to be the midwife for a new family down the road, and they were having an open house for their new organic farm and CSA yesterday, and she promised that they were going to be our new best friends, and...wait what?  Shut the front door.  A new young family down the road with an organic farm?  So Coco and I got gussied up and waited on the porch for Nicole to pick us up.  I packed up some eggs, preserves, flowers, and fresh cornbread...and we were off to woo them with our wares and our good looks.

Literally, we were not quite a mile away as the crow flies, when we were welcomed into the beautiful embraces of Emily and Nigel Griswold - the perfect inhabitants of Family Circle Centennial Farm.  Emily,  is a fifth generation farmer, her hands in the very dirt that her great, great grandfather purchased in 1907, her family sleeping under the roof of her ancestors 1924 farmhouse.  Nigel proudly walks you down row upon row of organic food, and eagerly shares his beautiful bees with you at the back of the lot.  Their lovely daughter ran through the grass laughing with Coco.

No, seriously.  This all happened.

We have been so hell bent on finding our community here, and yesterday, finally,  it felt like we did.  We met members of Emily's family who have farmed Stockbridge for generations.  Joe could have talked corn and soybeans with the "good ol' boys" of Stockbridge all night long.  And while Emily's father is a conventional farmer, he sees her passion for organic farming, and was eager to tell us how supportive and excited he was about her new homestead.  Family, local food, planting roots...literally and figuratively - how thrilled we are to have ventured over yesterday, and how excited we are for what lies ahead.

If you are new to CSA's (community supported agriculture), here is the lowdown.  You pay a fee in the early spring to a local farm to cover the cost of seed and labor.  Then, starting usually in June, you pick up your weekly box of fresh veggies, flowers, eggs, honey, etc., depending on the farm.  Farms with hoop house usually have fall/winter shares with lots of yummy greens and root veggies.  There is also an amazing meat CSA that my dear friend Allison (click for her scrumptious food blog, the last bite) partakes in run by Emily's cousin Ben (I think I have that right?) (click on Ben for info on Bending Sickle Farm Community Farm, and the farm is moving soon to Stockbridge...keepin' it in the family, or community, or both!!).  I have had Ben's meat, and Ben's meat is goo...oo...ood (draw that out a little when you say it).

So... check out The Family Circle Centennial Farm CSA, there may be a few spots left for this summer!  Or, next time you are driving up M-52, keep your eyes peeled about a 1/2 mile past Leeke rd....on the right...for their organic farm stand!  And if this sweet love story about a girl, her family, and her land wasn't enough to convince you, maybe these will....

Emily and Nigel's Family Homestead

We could have stayed all day, but we were already committed to dinner at Allison's and a night of music at Johnny's Speakeasy...and the night only got better...stay tuned for Saturday Part Deux!

"I love Nuns! Pick Me!" true story.

I may be "over -blogging," but today was somethin' special.

Every week at team meeting, we go through patients one by one and discuss.   Sometimes there is a patient that I get a vibe on and ask if I can get on board and go see them.  Last week, I heard the words "farm" "catholic" country music" and "nun."  What else was I to to but yell out "I get along so well with catholics and nuns...send me! send me!"  They laughed, but they trust my judgement, and so I was sent.

And so, I drove through the beautiful back roads of Chelsea today in search of my new patient.  I missed the house because I was gazing at the majestic long horned steers in the field.  I think I said out loud "Are you kidding me?"  when I realize that I was destined to drive up that dusty drive and park in between the old red barns, those big ol' steers just daring me to try and pet them as I walked up to the stately old farm house.

Four sibling left out of a family of ten, born and raised right there in that farm house, lovingly gathered around one of their own as he prepares to makes his final journey....but not today folks.  Today was God given...today was made for farms, catholics, country music, and nuns.  As I walked up the drive, the full bellied man in the overalls yelled from the barn "I'll be in in a minute for the square dance!"  And so he was.

One of the sisters was indeed a sister.  The whole family had been baptized and buried at St. Mary's in Chelsea - they even spoke fondly of Joe's father.  This was meant to be.  The conversation flowed easily.  We sang and laughed.  I always feel that I am at a particular place when I am supposed to be for people, and that the music is exactly what it is supposed to be for people.  Families and patients request all sorts of quirky music, you really never know what you're gonna have to figure out the chords to in your head while a family stares hopefully at you.  So today, when one of the sisters requested "Hail Mary Gentle Woman,"  there was a moment of panic, and then i was transported.

It was every May Crowning that I had ever sat through.  Fancy spring dresses, always hoping that you would be the special student chosen to actually crown Mary with a wreath of flowers.  May Crowning also always happened to be grandparents day in grade school.  The church would be filled with students and grandparent beaming.  The young choir gloriously singing "Hail Mary Gentle Woman."  Us excitedly knowing that our grandparents got to take us out to lunch on that special day (Grandma Dorothy and Grandpa Clayton would take us to Ponderosa). (Grandma Rosie and Grandpa Joe were Coney Island people).

And so I sang for them.  I put down the guitar and I sang.  They cried and sang too.  I can't cry in that space, it's not my role, but I was so filled with goodness and happiness.  This is what life is about folks.  Family.  Faith.  Roots.  Contentment.  So this is my tribute to May, and the Blessed Virgin, because good Lord we are blessed!  We live in amazing spaces.  We have children and husbands and families that we adore, and that adore us.  We have each other, beautiful friendships filled with good food and belly laughs.

It's a perfect May day ladies and gents, go be good to someone.

And because I like blogs with pictures, here's me and the 

BVM (blessed virgin Mary) the night she was finished.

Rainy Days, Mondays and High Speed Chases.

Sometimes a girl needs a cloudy Monday.  The kind where the wind has the perfect amount of chill through the windows.  The kind where you walk outside determined to do work, but then just walk around blissfully under those big ol' black clouds, admiring your handiwork.  The kind where you walk back in and watch all of your "shows" that you missed over the weekend on the couch with your cuddly husband.

I've been gardening somewhat obsessively (and by "I" I mean "we"), knowing that we have 2 months and counting till the Hootenanny.  Last summer was a year of waiting to see what would come up in the gardens at our new farm. There were sun plants in the shade, shade plants baking in the full sun....it was a hot dry summer spent willing things not to die.  In the fall I divided perennials, dug perennials deep into open spaces, moved plants in and out of the sun, lovingly buried bulbs, and crossed our fingers through the winter.

Do you know the satisfaction of green things sprouting, and then filling your beautiful spaces?  Spilling over rocks... orange, red, and purple blossoms just kissing each other through the places that fill with sun?  It's turning into heaven out here.  We should be in full beautiful swing come the pig roast when all of you pretty people walk into my life.

And, a high speed chase was promised, and a high speed chase you shall get.  This morning a white car flew by the house, followed pretty closely by the undercover officer that hangs out on our block (?we don't know why he hangs out on our block?) with his lights on.  A few minutes later, 6, yes 6 state trooper SUV's also flew by.  Now, it turns into dirt and gets very curvy about 100 yards down the road, so God only know what happened down there (we investigated but couldn't find the car).  And, I say car, because as Joe was coming home from assisting at school, he saw 8 police vehicles, twice as many officers patting each other on the backs, two K9 dogs, and one suspect covered from head to toe in swamp.  Because, you see, he had ditched his car, and been chased through the swamp by the K9 doggies.  And the doggies won.  Joe regaled the story in great detail, stating that he didn't even know if the guy was black or white...because he was covered in swamp.

Never a dull moment.

How about a few before garden pics...you have to come to the pig roast to see the after ;)

The peonies are ready to pop!

The Mandevilla.  Since I couldn't name the puppy Harriet, I'm naming this beauty Harriet.  If she likes me, she'll climb right up the trellis onto the porch spindles.

Exactly two rows of state fair zinnias.

The front perennial garden that gives me bliss.

The dahlia bulbs wintered perfectly in the barn, and are clearly eager to see me again!

Lettuce ;)!

Enough talk already.  Kittenpants and I have work to do.

And, I have piles of clothes to iron, photograph, and list.  New shop goodies coming this week!

My Blue Heaven.

Well, the asparagus is a foot high, the eggs are still in the coop, and the dishes are all put away wrong....mom must have been at a conference!!  And so I was.

While it may appear that I have a happy go lucky existence of cocktail hours and running through the field followed by majestic chickens and well dressed children, I do actually hold down a full time job.  And, like most working mommy professionals, sometimes I need a little rejuvenating.

I've been attending a series of conferences the last few years to get a special accreditation to tack on to my credentials - officially making me a "Hospice Music Therapist."  And, for the last four days, I have been thick in the trenches,  14 hour days, back and forth to Detroit, home and to bed.  While I crawled into bed each night spent, this is what music therapists do to get rejuvenated.  We lock ourselves up with other music therapists for days until we all are brimming with love, excitement, and new music to share!

So I guess first lets do Hospice 101.  Anyone meeting criteria with a 6 month or less diagnosis can be on hospice.  Sometimes people are on for a day, sometimes for three years.  The earlier the better...because, along with your death, we want to make the remainder of your life beautiful and comfortable.  We want you to enjoy the time you have left in a pain free, comfortable existence.  Hospice is covered 100% by Medicare, and sometimes by private insurance.  The government mandates that this include a home health aid, nurse, chaplain, social worker, and volunteer.  Amazing hospices, like ours, also offer music therapy, which brings us to....

Music Therapy 101 -  The use of music to attain non-musical goals.  A music therapist has a full music degree with lots of counseling, psych, and the like.  Lots of school, lots of practicums and clinicals, an internship...lots of training.  We are board certified, and work with about any population you can imagine...psych units, special needs children, prisons, etc.   So a nurse or the doctor will write me an order to see a patient, not to teach them to play guitar, but to address some issue that the whole hospice team is working on - only I get to do it with music.  So typically we're talking things like pain management, agitation or anxiety, quality of life issues, respiratory issues, spiritual issues, etc.   Sometimes I'm singing Patsy and Hank all day, and sometimes I get called in when it's go time to sing people to heaven, literally. I am not opposed to climbing on your bed with my guitar and just being with you so you are not alone.  I mean it people...I will climb on your bed and cuddle you.

This is getting long winded, so lets cut to the chase.  I just spent four days with some of the most amazing, talented, and gifted therapists around.  We laughed and cried.  We sang and played.  We had a special five hour gospel course on Sunday given by the lovely Taryn Thomes (seen here teaching us a perfect little song to use with patients)  (conferences are full of little burst-into-song moments), and you talk about going to church?  It was church in that room that day.  Just soul moving stuff folks.

So, my point is, I feel so rejuvenated.  I can't wait to try all my new knowledge this week... look out dying people...I'm a comin'.

And, thank you to the beautiful blond with the unruly curls for teaching me this one...

And, we got a puppy because, oh, because why not?   Miss Beatrix Cesarz - we call her Trixie ;)

And thanks to Joe and my mother in law for holding down the fort...clean house, hot meals...you can put my dishes away wrong anytime!