IMPROMPTU PROJECT

The Lark Traditional Arts Board has decided to cancel Lark Camp for another year. It's the right thing to do with so much up in the air about variants and vaccine availability, and of course it makes me sad. But I AM looking forward to a summertime Virtual Lark Camp with online workshops, concerts, happy hour, and sessions. Stay tuned for more on that; LTA just hosted a winter weekend version of Virtual Lark and over 700 people signed up. LOTS of those folks raved about it, so I know you'll want to check it out!

Meanwhile, I've been surprisingly busy with various things. One is an impromptu co-writing project with Larry Unger, a multi-instrumentalist and Contra dance tunesmith who lives in Massachusetts. During the pandemic, Larry has been writing a tune a day and he posted one on Facebook that really got under my skin, so I sat down—and in an hour I had written lyrics. I sent them to him privately out of concern that he might not appreciate me hijacking his tune, but he liked them, and re-recorded his video in a better key for my voice. I recorded the vocal, and then created a video using a split-screen so that we could effectively perform it together bicoastally. Give it a watch/listen.

MAGGIE: PUPPY UPDATE

Maggie is really dear, growing like a weed, and looks a little like a bat in Cleopatra eyeliner! She's an odd little beast, and I'm learning some of that is typical for Australian Cattle Dogs (aka ACDs). Usually a puppy sees a newcomer and greets them with a joyful tailwag and wet kisses. Not Maggie! She is cautious and pulls back from anyone who bends down to offer a pat on the head. If they stay upright, she'll stretch her body toward them to sniff, but will keep distance until she feels safe. (I suppose if you're a cattle dog, a pissed-off steer that lowers its head means horns could soon follow, so this is sound instinct!) Also, I'm learning new tricks (thanks to Doggy Dan, the Online Dog Trainer in New Zealand) to establish my role as the alpha female in our four-person pandemic pack. When dogs don't behave, it's usually because owners expect dogs to be motivated by the same things as humans. Really the dog owner needs to learn to think like a wolf. Anyway, I love her, I'm learning to be a good dog-mommy, and I'm really happy to have a dog back in my life!