Oh, my. We closed our eyes, took a deep breath, and by the end of the exhale it was 2010. Doesn’t that sound like we’re living in the future? Bleep, bloop, it is 2010. Our resolution is to wear only silver lamé clothes, this being the future and all.

We had a busy fall, lots of shows, so much music, an immersion for what is by necessity a once-in-a-while band. And then we used all our onces for that while, and Dan and I have been holed up in our little house, writing. It’s the winter. Winter is not for skidding across the frozen yard carrying a giant bass and a very delicate banjo. Winter is for coaxing life out of—into—these woodstove-dried instruments and finding new ways of saying old things, like but baby it’s cold outside, and is that all there is? and solid stone is just sand and water. So that’s what we’ve been doing. We are thinking of different ways of bringing the songs into the world, like maybe it’s true that CDs are obsolete and we should think outside the jewel case, etc. As soon as our recording software works again (I will admit to you, and only you, that I well and truly buggered it), we will have a couple of new songs to put up here.

Because that’s how we make it through winter, through grief, through these dark and cold and trying times, right? Pick up the guitar and hope someone will know what you mean.

Happy new year. May all your leggings be lamé.

penelope