Read.Eat.Listen: Big Pictures

Another benefit to road-trips/tours is the capsule that the car becomes, be it for listening to music closely, having long conversations or reading. Last week's run up and down the 5, to Washington State and back for shows and family visits contained all of that. The passenger gets to be reader, sometimes to oneself, sometimes aloud, and much of my time on this trip was consumed with news and long-form essays on big picture issues. On the way North, it was climate change, on the way down I scared the bejesus out of us, reading aloud from the New Yorker article about the Cascadia Fault, while driving through the very landscape which would be irrevocably altered by a mega-earthquake. By the last day, we were in outer space, marvelling over the NASA reports about Pluto. I'm not sure why I'm seeking solace in geologic and space time, time where I'm small, a speck of animated dust just holding on like a bee in a hive, working for the honey. Part of it might be the sheer wow-factor: all this big science reminds me of how wondrous the facts, including our little lives, are. And part of it, I think, is that as much as I find the thought of huge earthquakes and tsunamis terrifying, I'm always glad to know the earth knows how to take care of itself even as we humans so often fail it.

Read: "The Earthquake That Will Devastate Seattle" by Kathryn Schulz, in The New Yorker. 
"When the End of Human Civilization Is Your Day Job"by John H Richardson, Esquire
A view of the worlds around us With the fly-by of Pluto, we now can visualize all of the planets in our solar system. Here's a two-minute tour of the sun and the nine planets. Posted by Los Angeles Times on Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Eat: Healthy eats at Harlow PDX

Portland was the food winner on this trip, and how nice we were staying walking distance from gluten-free veggie Harlow. Just read their menu and get the idea.

Listen: Kwame's brother Kwab Copeland is another fine musician writing and playing "raw, rustic verse set to rollicking badland bomp" (Chris Estey) out of Seattle. He, aka The Demon Rind, just released a winner in "Love Is Perfect":

KCDC duo NW Mini-Tour

Read.Eat.Listen: Art & Magic

The pursuit of truth and beauty through plumbing one's own line of particular inquiry is a road I trust, even if it's fairly unmarked. I've been neck deep in a bunch of projects this month, while planning a whole course on getting projects done, so I was pleased to be tagged on Facebook as part of an artist challenge earlier this week. The challenge is to post your work 5 days in a row and tag two other artists while you were at it. Already on day 5, I realized I've a lot more folks I want to tag! Oh my! 

In the meantime, I flew up to Portland for a few days, mainly to spend more time for my sweetie whose been traveling a lot, and also to enjoy that hyper-creative city. It was raining, and cold for most of my visit, but the trip started beautifully, with a view of a rainbow over the Willamette River, and ended sweetly with a big slice of gluten-free berry pie, with a good helping of quality time with my husband, yoga practice, good coffee, writing sessions and catching up with friends who live there. I got back in touch with a dear and brilliant artist, Kitty Wallis, who I knew years ago in Santa Cruz, while in town. She was already a master colorist when I first met her and I'm lucky to own a couple of her pieces. What a delight it was to see her current, just that much more realized work! If you're in Portland, look her up and seek her out. She's also continuing to teach her vivid and inspired approach to painting. 

Read: I've pretty much designed my life to be surrounded by creatives.  So I love coming upon this book:  Forty-One False Starts: Essays on Artists and Writers, by Janet Malcom. 
Eat: I ate out a lot this week, in Portland, at home, for Easter. I'm grateful for all the good food, and happy to see spring is busting out on menus in the form of an abundance of artichoke and asparagus based and laced dishes. Artichoke and asparagus on pizza, artichoke ragout under poached fish, artichoke grilled with x on top, asparagus on goat-cheese ravioli, asparagus lightly with brown butter...you get the idea. Go green I say!
Listen: With a name like,  Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, how can I not want to listen? Love the sass and soul of this group. Check out Mama Knows: 

Quick Change: Northwest Shows & Staying Loose

"A flexible spine equals a flexible mind" is an oft-repeated phrase in yoga circles. I believe it. And during weeks likes this, I'm especially glad I've a regular yoga practice. A run of dates in the Northwest have been on the calendar for months, but in the space of a couple of days, my musical accompaniment for part of the trip changed, a show that was the impetus for the tour was postponed, the tour was rerouted through Portland, I added a new date in a town in which I didn't think I'd be playing, and I'm leaving a day early.   Here's to applying to your day-to-day what practice teaches — breathe, focus ...and get out there and rock it! If you're in Oregon and Washington the next few days, come on out to a show.

 

Upcoming Dates

Wednesday, July 9th, 2014

Volcanic Theatre Pub- 8:30pm

70 SW Century Dr Bend OR 97702 USA

With Johnny Nash!

 

Friday, July 11th, 2014

Soulfood Books and Music - 8pm

Redmond WA 98052 US
Heading back to Redmond as part of a summer NW tour. We had a great time paying here in January. Come on down for acoustic music in a great listening room. With Sue Quigley.

 

Saturday, July 12th, 2014

The Playwright Public House

8pm-10pm 258 A Street Ashland OR 97520
Our first time playing this pub in one of our favorite NW towns.

Wednesday, July 9th, 2014

Volcanic Theatre Pub

8:30pm

70 SW Century Dr Bend OR 97702 USA

Friday, July 11th, 2014

Soulfood Books and Music

Acoustic in Redmond - 8pm

Redmond WA 98052 US

Heading back to Redmond as part of a summer NW tour. We had a great time paying here in January. Come on down for acoustic music in a great listening room.

Saturday, July 12th, 2014

The Playwright Public House

8pm-10pm

258 A Street Ashland OR 97520

- See more at: http://www.deborahcrooks.com/shows/#sthash.wFD1QFL6.dpuf

Wednesday, July 9th, 2014

Volcanic Theatre Pub

8:30pm

70 SW Century Dr Bend OR 97702 USA

Friday, July 11th, 2014

Soulfood Books and Music

Acoustic in Redmond - 8pm

Redmond WA 98052 US

Heading back to Redmond as part of a summer NW tour. We had a great time paying here in January. Come on down for acoustic music in a great listening room.

Saturday, July 12th, 2014

The Playwright Public House

8pm-10pm

258 A Street Ashland OR 97520

- See more at: http://www.deborahcrooks.com/shows/#sthash.wFD1QFL6.dpuf

Wednesday, July 9th, 2014

Volcanic Theatre Pub

8:30pm

70 SW Century Dr Bend OR 97702 USA

Friday, July 11th, 2014

Soulfood Books and Music

Acoustic in Redmond - 8pm

Redmond WA 98052 US

Heading back to Redmond as part of a summer NW tour. We had a great time paying here in January. Come on down for acoustic music in a great listening room.

Saturday, July 12th, 2014

The Playwright Public House

8pm-10pm

258 A Street Ashland OR 97520

- See more at: http://www.deborahcrooks.com/shows/#sthash.wFD1QFL6.dpuf

January Music Dates: Little Bird NW Tour

After a wonderful couple weeks of holiday rest and celebrations, I'm getting ready for a run of dates in the Pacific Northwest and San Francisco. Here's my route:
Saturday, January 11th, 2014  Redwood Curtain Brewing Co - 8pm
505 S G Arcata Ca USA
Tuesday, January 14th, 2014  Good Bean 11am-1pm
165 S Oregon S Jacksonville OR 97530 USA
Wednesday, January 15th, 2014  Oberon's Tavern - 7pm
45 N Main St Ashland OR USA
Thursday, January 16th, 2014 Cloud & Kelly's Public House - 9pm
126 SW 1st St Corvalis OR 97333 USA
Acorn Rebellion opens
Friday, January 17th, 2014 Soulfood Coffeehouse - 8pm
Redmond WA 98052 US
Sharing the evening with the lovely Jean Mann
Saturday, January 18th, 2014  Metronome Coffee - 8pm
3518 6th Ave #101 Tacoma WA 98406 USA
Sunday, January 19th, 2014  Twilight Gallery - 7pm Price: $7-10
4306 SW Alaska Street Seattle WA USA (206) 933-2444
A special show with Seattle friends Willow & The Embers and Sue Quigley!
Monday, January 27th, 2014  Osteria
KC Turner Presents Acoustic Bistro - 7pm No Cover
3277 Sacramento St San Francisco CA 94115 USA
Monday nights are happening when KC presents three acoustic acts at this swell Italian restaurant. We’re on Jan 27 along with You Knew Me When and Dawn Angelosante. Make your reservation now by calling (415) 771-503.
- See more at: http://www.deborahcrooks.com/shows