December 31, 2004
La Victoria, Colombie Britannique

My New Years Resolutions
by Kristin Sweetland

1. I WILL learn how to play Rock and Roll guitar.
2. I will not procrastinate taking out the compost.
3. I will stay eternally true to Operation Buns of Steel.
4. I will write everyday.
5. I will eat more chocolate.

Baby on the Sheepskin
For more new photos of my world click here!

December 24, 2004
Victoria, BC

A very merry Ho to you all.
I'm now happily settled into my beautiful new little apartment (at least for a while...) and am getting ready to seriously enjoy the festive merriment encroaching! Making cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes and there'll likely be a Tofurkey involved too.... Mmmm fake meat. And my personal very favourite addition to the festive libation department this season is Flaming Glogg. It's a Swedish hot mulled spicy wine that must certainly have magical curing properties, I know it. Try it yourselves:

Flaming Glogg

1 bottle red wine
Aquavitae of choice (brandy, whisky, yada ya)
Snert of fresh lemon juice
Cinnamon sticks
Cloves
Allspice
Orange Peel
1 cup raisins
inf1 cup almonds
Sweetener of choice (I like honey.)

Put wine, spices, orange peel, raisins and almonds in pot. Simmer 'till almost boiling. Serve warm. Strain if ye like. Don't forget to drop some raisins and almonds into each glass. Mmmm.

Adieu adieu, and happy drinking...

November 21, 2004
Motel-Land Victoria, BC

 

Have been living it up in the Crystal Court Motel in beautiful downtown Victoria... Yeehaw! From my oh-so originally shaped motel room (with walls that flow right into the ceiling) I have a wicked view of the Royal BC Museum totem poles with the roof of the epic Empress Hotel rising just beyond. I'm a happy girl. Not to mention cable tv and lots of MuchMusic! I admit, I love the cheesy pop videos. Gwen Stefani is rockin' my world and Mmmm Eminem...

November 13, 2004
Tofino, BC

After much apartment looking in the city I had to run away up north to Pacific Rim National Park for some wet and rainy unbridled ocean! Have been doing much hiking in the oh-so sodden forests all iridescent green and bright orange with cedar mulch. And it's salmon running season to boot! Have also been spending lots of time inside my fine & sleazy motel working on new tunes. Am feeling inspired by Emily Carr and her deep connection to the spirit of the west coast forest. Have been working on a song inspired by my favourite Carr painting "Vanquished." This place is truly like no other. And not to mention all the insanely delicious restaurants up here! Had one of the most incredible meals of my entire life this evening at the Wickaninnish Inn. Huge gorgeous windows overlooking the crashing waves and rocky coast line while some fine gentleman serves you hot Belgian truffle cake with Marzipan foam... I almost died. 

"Vanquished"by Emily Carr
oil on canvas 1945

 

October 29, 2004
Victoria, BC

Here I am, finally, in the arms of my beloved Vancouver Island. The drive across the mountains was snowwwy and mildly scary at times, but alas, all went well! It feels good to know I won't be going too far for at least a little while. Time to settle in for some winter months and work hard on the business of the new album. All very exciting. (If only I could find a place to live!) But I trust in the Universe to deliver me wherever I am meant to go. And it might indeed be Northwards, up into the Wilderness. We'll see. I'll keep you all updated. Till then I'm planning on seriously celebrating the advent of my favourite holiday: Oooky Spooky Eve. Got a killer costume planned this year, so look out1 (I'll post pictures for sure...)

Adieu for now,

Your Faithful Me

 
Jenny & I Halloween Eve in Victoria... spooky, no? She's got the magic Witchblade gauntlet on that gives her superpowers. I've got the sacred heart glowing on my chest and some serious white robes that hopefully might help me levitate... what do you think?

Halloween Eve at Emily Carr's grave in Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, BC.
Honouring our sacred mentors who have passed on...

October 18, 2004
Edmonton, AB

Greetings from snowy and seriously brrrrr Edmonton. Have been here for a couple days visiting with the amazing Mr. Bill Bourne. Bill's been giving me some Flamenco guitar lessons (lucky me) and I've been struggling desperately to wrap my brain (and fingers) around the crazy rhythms and such.... It's going to take me a while but I am DETERMINED to learn! Besides the painful negative temperatures I have been thoroughly enjoying my adventures through the Canadian prairies. Driving has been good, but my gosh it is SUCH a long country, isn't it? Had a truly incredible gig the other night in Calgary with amazing Wailin' Jenny's. They were so good I cried all the way through their second set. It was a very magical evening and I can't wait to cross paths with those fabulous women again, soon. I'm here in Edmonton for another day or so- enough time to get my hair chopped and dyed darrrrk ( in honour of the dark half of the year.) Then off though the mountains to the coast I go... Other Ocean, here I come.

xoxo,
Lady of ye Frozen Road

October 13, 2004
Thunder Bay, ON

 

Sooo sleepy in the sleazy motel... and still such a long country to go! Had a lovely drive today, the blue blue sky, the sweet golden sun and the most beautiful autumn colours I have ever in my life seen. I remain in jaw-dropping awe at the glory of nature. And I feel so lucky to have this life that allows me to witness such things! O Glory! Now it's off to sleep next to the railroad tracks with the choo choo chooing and the ever-impending dreamland...

October 10, 2004
London, Ontario

Hey folks, It's a crazy time! I've been home in Ontario for a few days only and have spent this time madly packing up all my worldly goods and getting ready to head westerly for the winter (where I'm very much planning on hibernating.) There's tons of new excitement on the horizon... so stay tuned!! Next plan: Pack van, start driving..... again.

Scene from the glorious autumn forest...by Marilyn Sweetland

September 22, 2004
Still down in the holler...

HAPPY AUTUMN EVERYONE. 

Here I am still, in the little log cabin in the mountains. Never did make it down to Asheville due to unfortunate amounts of hurricaning. Instead, we decided to stay here and make sure the roof didn't blow off from one of the dozens of tornados that touched down in the area. It would have been truly tragique if we came home to kittens in the land of Oz. I have been making good with my "time off" by working like crazy. Have been designing posters and flyers for gigs and practicing praticing practicing like a total nerd. My dad (because he's the best) found me a Learn How to Play Flamenco Guitar DVD set from Homespun Tapes. It rocks, and I'm learning tons. Just wait till I put on my Flamenco shoes with the clickety-clacks and begin singing, playing and dancing all at once... Yeow! Can't wait.

We're having an Equinox bonfire party this eve. Too bad yer all so far away!!! xox

 
Kristin will be showcasing at the upcoming
NEMO Music Festival in Boston.

September 15, 2004
Gid Brown Hollow, VA

Greetings once again from the deeeep damp dank beautiful Virginia holler. I am finally coming out of my week of rest and recuperative comatosis from post summer festival/driving season exhaustion. I had the worlds best summer... too much delight to even mention. But I will say, I did well earn my resting. Have been keeping busy in the holler by reading very good books. Lots of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, poems and biographies (I admit, I've got a dead white guy crush on him...) And a good healthy amount of Dante's Inferno, cause a little bit of Hell fires never hurt anyone. Also keeping up with the serious practicing of crazy Bach-ness and working on material for the new album... Yum. Now it's back to the go go go of business and all the things I gotta do before I hit the road again... Ahhhh the life. Will be here for a few more days, then down to Asheville, North Carolina to visit my pal Chuck Brodsky (Hurricane Ivan permitting) then back for Virginia festivals and off off off to NYC!!! Here I goooooooo....

August 19, 2004
On board the M.S. Chi-Cheemaun crossing Georgian Bay...

The glorious sun shineth down on the decks of the Chi-Cheemaun, a true Ontario institution of Ferry-dom. Just ate too many greezy fries and am so grateful that the waves aren't rockier... or it would be bad. Just had the most beautiful drive ever down around Lake Superior. Bless Ontario where you can drive for three days and still be in the same province (and still have a long way to go...) Have been listening to Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" book on tape while I drive. Cannot believe I never before experienced the brilliance of this true road classic. I am now once again thoroughly renewed in my compulsion to continue my journeying on this crazy ever-road thriving off every delicious morsel of my outrageous adventures. Cause life is far too short not to be fantastically mad and brilliantly insane.

Hence I drive on....

 
Miss Jenny 'n Me at Summerfolk more summer festival photos here

 

August 16, 2004
Thunder Bay, ON

 

You gotta love the Kingsway Motel. Every half hour or so the train rips by shaking the walls like crazy and throwing up a wild wind so strong you can feel it through your window in bed... Have been watching the Olympics in French (practicing understanding for my impending spring birthday trip to gaie Paris!) Gymnastics is my official favourite. Man, I'd give anything to be able to do that. Had a long day of driving from Ear Falls today. Spent this past weekend at the Trout Forest Music Festival having the greatest time up in the green luscious Northlands... And saw my very first Northern Lights ever... It was more beautiful then I could have ever imagined. I am such a lucky girl to have this life. Let me tell ya.

July 29, 2004
London, Ontario

Ladies and Gents, 

Lucky me has been relaxing at home for the last 10 days and it has been SOO good for me. Lots of sleeping and cleaning of belongings has been going on, not to mention lots of going to the movies... Saw Fahrenheit 9/11 finally. Michael Moore is a hero of the truest kind. Am off to Blue Skies festival tomorrow and then up up up to Northern Ontario. Universe, let the mosquitoes be kind. 

Amen.

Talk soon, K

With my Raven in the f-o-r-e-s-t.

June 29, 2004
Gid Brown Hollow, VA

Little Darlings, 

Once again, down in the holler I am. Been doin' some serious sittin' on the stoop like a good mountain-chick pickin' away at at my banjo. (altho, I've still got a lonnnng way to go in the banjo department...) Have also been working so incredibly hard at learning Bach's Cello suite no. 1 in G major on guitar (but I'm a delinquent and I play it in D) which I've been studying for possible inclusion on my currently gestating NEW album... (Shhhh, don't tell.) I've got a local gig tonight at the Smokehouse Winery -source of the supremely delicious Smokehouse honey mead I've become famous for toting around the world with me... Yum-a-rama. . All is delightful in the glorious Shenandoahs and I'm remembering why it is so crucial for me to get back to nature. And so far I've only found two snakes in my bed: The first, dropped into my lap by a proud kitten named Evilina. The second fell from the ceiling onto my HEAD while I was curled up in bed watching Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman DVDs on my laptop minding my own business.... (Good thing I'm a toughy.)

I'm here for a few more days and then up up up and away to northern Michigan where my summer festival season officially beginneth at Blissfest. Check out the Shows page for my whole summer lineup. Hope to see all y'all out there...

till then, xo
La K

June 2, 2004
Poplar Beach, ON

How glorious Lake Huron is shimmering in the golden red setting sun... Full moon bonfire tonight on the beach. I've got some things to burn. (Let me tell ya.) Bring it on!!

burn baby burn,
xox
K 

The view from here...

May 20, 2004
London, Ontario

Had the most incredible gig last night at the London Music Club -a fabulous new venue in town that I am so psyched about! Played with my good pal Sam Masich and very special guest Jane Siberry to a house of oh-so appreciative and wonderful folks. Am still gliding down from the glory... Other than that me myself and I have been getting gots of exercise running about the beautiful forests as well as spending lotsa time at the computer working hard on businessy stuff. I've been spending most of my nights painting painting painting (as in on canvas- not walls) whilst listening to high-quality late night talk radio. Must keep abreast of important worldly affairs, says I. 

Hi-ho Hi-ho, now back to work I go...

Come see Kristin and Sam Masich at the London Music Club
Wednesday May 19!
(With oh-so special guest Jane Siberry)

May 1, 2004
Toronto, ON

Happy Happy May Day. How I love this day! Must be 'cause I'm such a May baby ( I get to turn 29 on the 10th....) Am in Toronto with my dear friends Kt, Missy and Melissa celebrating the day with honey mead and possible excursions out-on-the-town. So long as I get to dress up- I don't care. Tomorrow I head back to London to prepare for a month of house and poodle-sitting while my parents are gallivanting about Italy. Lucky them. I'll wash the dishes take out the garbage and mow the lawn. My time has come.

will report soon,
Lady K

April 24, 2005
Winnipeg, MB

Have been hangin' in the Peg for a couple days with my good pal Trevor Mills. Thank the gods for Winnipeg- a grand oasis of glorious folks (and such great musicians!) smack dab in the middle of the long Canadian nowhere-ness... A haven for the girl that's been driving and driving for days... about to go truly and officially insane. Heading into the Ontario northlands for many days of driving yet.... dreaming of my soft bed at the end of the rainbow.

April 16, 2004
Sudbury, ON

After a big lonnnng drive 'cross my home and native land I am settled for a few days in the Big Nickel. Have been kickin' it up with my darling Darlene and dear pal Carrie who has been gracious enough to house this travelling wayfaring songstress... The time here has been extremely creatively productive and Dar and I have been practicing our sword and hoop dance (among other performatory extravaganzas...) And have had many a video and photo shoot to boot. Filmmaker Peter Zwarich took some insane footage of me doin' my sword thang and edited it together with some footage from last night's gig at the Townehouse. It's worth checking out, man. Click on the link below... (Don't forget to download and updated version of Quicktime first.. or it won't work!) As well, masterful Sudbury photographer David Wiewel was so kind as to snap a ton of mind blowing images of all the action. You'll notice his photos all over this page, but click on the links to see more...

Can't believe I'm finally back in Ontario... It's been 22,000 kms of true glory.

Thanks Universe for protecting me all the way!

Welcome home Sweetyland.

Watch Kristin's new
Copper Kettle video Filmed and edited by Peter Zwarich
(You'll need to an updated version of Quicktime to watch...)
download Quicktime here

With Darlene at the Townehouse in Sudbury... more photos here!

April 5, 2004
Edmonton, AB

I love Edmonton. Have already been here for a week and I'm just not ready to leave yet! Rolled into town on March 27th to play a house concert at Bill Bourne's place. Bill and his partner Tanja just moved into a gorgeous house near downtown Edmonton they're calling it"The Beach House" and are beginning a house concert series there. Yay for that! So I got to come be the inaugural house concert performer for what ended up also being their housewarming party- and Bill's 50th birthday party! Felt so lucky to be a part. Since then I've had some great gigs with Bill around and about not to mention the Junos were in town this weekend so there have been much festivities pertaining to that. I had a Junofest gig on Friday night that will go down in history as one of the most memorable gigs of my life EVER. The Northern Lights Folk Club sponsored two nights of Junofest performances at The Masonic Temple and I got to play in the Masonic Inner Lodge Room. There was the big checker board floor with the star in the middle and the big thrones and everything. I mean, how many times in her life does a girl get to perform in an inner sanctum, man? And it sounded sooo beautiful. Counting my blessings as we speaketh... This tour has really been the best ever. And that's saying a lot. And more adventures yet to come! talk soon...

love,
Lady K

March 22, 2004 

Victoria, BC

Finally it's Spring! weeeeeee! Ohhh how Victoria always feels like coming home. I've been a bit delinquent at updating my adventures of late for a couple reasons. Firstly, California was such a blast.... On my. And I was very distracted by inordinate amounts of Fun. Folk Alliance was truly unbelievable this year and the Little Red Hen room rocked the house!! Thanks so much to everyone who participated. After the conference I headed up to LA with pals Po' Girl and Chris Brown & Kate Fenner for yet another adventure in the City of Angels. Apparently I had more fun that my wee body could handle as I ended up coming down with a super nasty case of strep throat and had to find myself an emergency clinic fast.... Ended up passed out in a Motel 6 in Santa Barbara county for five days on heavy doses of antibiotics for my throat and an ear infection watching nothin' but X Files reruns. La Pauvre K.

But all is oh-so well now and I'm so glad to be back on my beloved Vancouver Island. Time for resting and recuperating and frolicking about the beautiful forests... 

There's no place like home.

February 24, 2004  
Hollywood, CA

Holeeee Hollywood girl! I'm so incredibly excited as this is my very first ever trip ever to tinselly-town! Got myself a nice Hollywood sleazy motel and am heading out for some serious sight-seeing. Wanna go check out the Foulcault Pendulum at the Griffith Observatory and then hit Beverly Hills for some very important shoe shopping. Not to mention I could really use a manicure, pedicure and maybe even a massage.... go team decadence! 

Little Red Hen showcase poster for San Diego Folk Alliance 2004

February 22, 2004
Santa Cruz, CA

Ohhhhh California. Thank the Goddess! Mmmmmm ocean and sun and all things sweet. And believe it or not the ocean even washed up dozens of roses at my feet when I finally arrived...(no lying.) This is the life. And Maybelle did indeed recover from her bout of convulsing and I found out I have a big time new power steering leak brought on somehow by the painful painful desert coldness. Just need to check the fluid levels all-the-time now cause I can't afford to get it fixed at the moment. All is better now that I get to lie on sunny beaches and eat sushi. Even more fun times to come.... can't wait.

Halellujah to that!

xo
Cali- K

   
Don't mess with Calamity Sweetland. Somewhere deep in the Mojave desert... 

February 16, 2004
Amarillo, TX

Oh my, poor Maybelle the van is having a slight hard time of it. Seems she couldn't quite handle the intense searing desert-cold of last night and she is having a mild case of convulsing disorder out in the motel parking lot. had to go find myself some mechanic with no teeth to take a look at her. Hope I make it to New Mexico today man... I guess we'll see! Cross yer fingers for me- and send love to Maybelle.

love love, 

Krissy-kins

February 14, 2004
Shreveport, LA

Happy Valentines Day, kittens. Today I woke up in my Mississippi sleazeball motel and decided to make a pilgrimage to find myself a Valentine. Drove all through northern Louisiana past Shreveport -almost to Texas- through some pine bayou or another and down some dirt road or two while big fat juicy snowflakes fell on my head. Then finally, I reached Shiloh Baptist Church and there I found Leadbelly's grave. Brought him the stalk and bud of cotton I was given after playing my Hugh's Room Leadbelly impersonation show as his Valentines present... Thanks for writing all those precious Timeless tunes Huddie Ledbetter. I know there was the small problem of you bein' a bit of a murderer and all... But, you know, at least you did it for the passionate torturous glory of love (altho it was still very wrong!) But you know, I believe it was that intense passionate edge you had that really made your songs stand the test of time. And they do. Thanks for that.
 

Onward Ho to Texas in the morn'!

xo

LadyValentine

February 13, 2004
Deactur, GA

Have been having a blast in Georgia. Played a show last night at Eddie's Attic with my pal Molly Bancroft. Shows at Eddie's are always SO good... The people are so great and the sound is always highly superior. . And some folks from Phlashnet came out to record the show for live feed off the internet- so you can even listen!!

Listen to a live clip from my Eddie's Attic show!

xxoo

February 9, 2004
Sperryville, VA

I must say, 'tis rather brrrr down here in the frozen Virginia holler! Have been visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains and steeping in the glory of rural Virginia yum. Played an amazing gig down here on Saturday night at the Smokehouse Winery. Got to sing all night in a gorgeous little stone cottagy thatched roof medievally inn-like room in the middle of the beautiful Virginia Nowheres... Deliciosa. Now I'm off down south for some time in sunny Georgia, and some hopeful warmer-than-here-ness... talk soon

love,
me

January 27, 2004
London, Ontario

Hello my lovelies. Here I am snuggled up to my computer as yet another ginormous winter storm comes down upon us. I must say, I am getting rather sick of being painfully freezing cold all the time! And not to mention the whole scraping layers of ice of your windshield thing whilst cursing like a sailor.... But alas, my time in the serious brrr-fest is about to come to a close as I pack up and hit the road in one week! Hoooray! First stop, the enchanting Virginia holler as I go have a visit with my friend Jenny in her 313 year old log cabin that use'ta belong to a bootlegger... Altho, last I heard the pipes were frozen, the chimney was in rip-roaring danger of bursting into flames any second and the power outlets were smoking... Hmmmm. I guess we'll see how that goes. From Virginia it's off to Georgia for some exciting times down south and then -oh my- I'm drivin' to California! There will most certainly be many updates from the road of the encroaching adventures so be sure to peek back here soon!

xoxo
K

January 3, 2004
Toronto, ON 

Happy New Year sweety-pies. I've been having a grand ol' time in Metropolitan Torontonia for the past couple of days. Played and AMAZING show at Hugh's Room last night called "Girls Play Boys" with the delicious likes of Katherine Wheatley, Arlene Bishop, Suzie Vinnick (who SO rocked the house with her Supertramp-express) and many more... Got to dress up in a girlie-tux with bowtie and sing Leadbelly songs all night. I absolutely loved it. Now I'm off to lounge in front of the telly for some quality repeats of Angel, coffee to the max and some serious relax-n-recuperation time... Mmmmm Angel.

Home County Folk Festival presents Kristin Sweetland and Darlene in concert January 23rd in London, Ontario!