I hope you are all doing well. It’s supposed to be Spring…however Boise has been hit with snow storms and cold weather so, it feels like the winter wants to hang on and give us all extra time to hibernate. Ugh!
The good news about this is, the ski season is longer. I didn’t really get a chance to ski much early this winter as I was down in Arizona but due to the “extended winter” I have gotten up to Bogus a few times AND we returned home earlier last week from a great trip to Grand Targee Ski Resort. This is located on the West side of the Tetons. Driggs is where we stayed, East Idaho and the Trap Bar is where we played music for the patrons there.
Part of the fun of playing here is it brings people from all over. It’s like an annual get together with people from Salt Lake City, South Carolina, Michigan, Sun Valley, Wyoming, and now and again California. These folks who have enjoyed our shows over the years, make it a point to come the weekend that we are playing! It’s super-duper great to see, ski and spend time with our friends Andrew, Bob, Joyce, Carol, John and others. Bringing community together is always fun and even MORE fun to see them become friends! I think this is probably one of the single greatest gifts we’ve gotten to bear witness too. Music brings people together and friendships are created! This is what I love about music!
The snow was beautiful and we had an epic blue-bird day! We could see the Tetons from the top of the slope and carving our turns seemed pretty effortless. I needed the exercise, the trees, the sunshine and letting my mind unfurl with the beauty of nature and the sound of my skis.
I use to snow board and I miss it, but this body doesn’t really miss the after math of a boarding day. The sensation of snow-boarding is a lot like surfing they say, I’ve never surfed so I don’t really know. Surfing down a mountain is a pretty epic feeling and I can snowboard most ANY terrain, powder, steeps, trees etc. Skiing however, I need to really stick to the groomers. My independent legs don’t have the skills required to maneuver in powder, but…I am ok with this. I find the comfort of getting on and off the lift easily over rides all the struggle it takes to tack my snow-board down. Also, cat tracks are not fun on a board and neither is bonking my head if/when I fall. I’m sure I have symptoms of whiplash from years of boarding.
One thing I have been noticing is my body aging and the effort things take. I don’t mean for this to sound like a complaint at all. I love skiing and sports; I love playing music and thank GOD I have been an athlete all my life because music requires one to be in good shape. I go in and out of being in decent shape. This long ass winter gives way to a few extra pounds, like a bear I am hoping spring will eventually come along and I will shed my un-needed layer. But I noticed just loading the equipment during this trip took a lot of air.
We are up at 8000 feet of course, so there is the thinner air. I was panting at the top of the steps with carrying equipment up 4 sets of stairs. Also playing fast rocking songs with little air really gets the ol’ thumper going! I just wonder, at 55…how many years do I have of this?
This is a question I have skimmed over time, in my mind. How long do I have at this, am I making the most of it? I am in appreciation always for being able to live from something I love to do.
Sometimes we lay the ground-work of our lives out and LIFE has a completely different plan. I find when I let go and “flow” with life’s plan instead of trying to “force” MY plan, life seems more harmonious. I haven’t had the conventional…anything in my life. Sometimes that causes misunderstandings, hardship and feelings of loss, but most times I feel very blessed. Deeply blessed! To be able to play music and watch people enjoy or be moved by it, this is a wonderful feeling!
Mo and I are going to clip at a slower pace this year. We always seem to SET this as a goal, but always wind up grinding out by the time the season is over. Up until this last Nov. the “season” for music really wasn’t over the last 10 years! It rolled right on through the winter.
We are trying to find that “work-life” balance for ourselves, individually and as a team. It is crazy how much preparation it takes to pull off a good performance. Many hours of practicing and studying that people don’t realize. Thus, the life and life-style of a musician is 24/7, yet it doesn’t appear this way. I am fortunate not to have to wake up to an alarm. This is my idea of success! Ha ha! I’ve NEVER liked waking to an alarm! I respect those who can and do this to put food on their table. I feel quite spoiled about this indeed, but I also know flip side of our lives too! There is hardly ever a weekend that is free! “Everything is a trade,” some obscure song-writer wrote. LOL!
So….I hope you enjoy the flash drive with 21 songs for your downloading pleasure!!! Yes! This is the doozey you’ve been waiting for! A live show at the Sapphire last March of 2022. We just released this in March of 2023!
The Sapphire Room flash drive is a recording of Mo and I with Meghan Kelly Watters on percussion and our first concert with the lovely Debbie Sager on backup vocals and percussive accents! The show was a powerful one and even though the recording is not PERFECT, it’s a very wonderful take on a beautiful evening! I hope you all enjoy this!
Be well sweet friends. I hope peace is easy for you all and each breath of life feels like a true gift!
Much love,
Niccole, Mo & Juno
