January 30, 2010 

Dalkeith, ON

Mmmm back in Farm Heaven at last! When I close my eyes I can still tell I'm here ... The heat of the wood stove, the mew of the kitten, the waft of bourbon hot chocolate, and the sniff of something delicious Captain Dirt is cooking up in the kitchen! This weekend I decided to escape my urban enclave for a much-needed reprieve, and get my country on.  Four days, three jam sessions, two epic snowshoe missions and a bottle of Gentleman Jack later, I am a new woman. 

And it goes without saying, it's so great to be back with my Capitano. Learning new tunes and remembering the old ones ... Stay tuned for news of coming Captain Dirt & The Skirt exploits soon! 

Woodsmoke and whiskey,

x
K

Epic snowshoe mission #1. With Captain Dirt.
More winter photos here

January 20, 2011 

Toronto, ON

Home Sweetland Home after a wee jaunt to Siberburbia. There I slept like a baby and kidnapped one small furry beast! Said beast are I back in the big city, warming up with some parsnip soup, and some serious Cary Grant.

A couple days ago it was my amazing grandmother's 90th birthday. It would also have been Cary Grant's 107th birthday. While I was out at my grandma's party eating potato-encrusted halibut and black forest birthday cake, my PVR was busily recording the Cary Grant marathon on TCM. Besides being the foremost exemplar of the debonair leading man, Monsieur Grant has also recently been starring in my dreams. For reals. But instead of playing a cat burglar, an anxious paleontologist, or a sexy CIA agent, he took on the epic role of "Captain of my Unconscious." Or so he said...

When I came upon him in dreamland, he was all dressed up like a sailor, in a ship sunk far below a phosphorescent lake. It was all rather Flying Dutchman with him just wandering his ghost ship for eternity, manning the depths of my deep, dark soul. Or something. But he didn't even remotely seem tortured. Instead, quite jolly. And very happy to see me. After une petite tête-à-tête, he handed me a helium balloon that lifted me up out of the sunken ship, through the phosphorescent lake, high into the sky, and onto the platform of an old Zeppelin. Where our hero just happened to be waiting for me with a top hat and a bottle of champagne. Obviously. It was a dream after all ... But what does it mean?

Perhaps I'll never know. But I certainly hope there's a bottle of champagne and a debonair leading man in my future. And of course, a Zeppelin.

x
K

Avec beast. More photos from our bon hiver here!

January 12, 2011 

Toronto, ON

Bonjour from Casa Sweetlandia. I'm all curled up in my new favourite perch chez moi, up the stairs on the landing by the window. I feel like a cat. Me, myself, the white sheepskin rug, the damask cushions, three beeswax tapers, a vase of red roses, a cup of strong coffee, and a jar of moonshine cherries are all enjoying the snowy view! It's been two and a half months since I got home from my last tour, and it feels so strange to not be packing up the van and driving away! I'm settling in well to my life in the city, to my new home, new neighbourhood and friends. This is what I wanted. Time to rest, write, focus, develop relationships, take lessons, go to classes and get lots of exercise ...  I guess I will always have the wanderlust. For the more I sit here, the more I dream of desert highways, truck stops, sleazy motels, mysterious strangers and new adventures.

Then I remind myself I can have all those things here. Except maybe the desert highways. "Les Aventures" is a state of mind which I seem to inhabit perpetually. I love strapping on my boots and setting off into the snowy streets with no particular plan or destination in mind. I've been wandering a lot lately down by the Don River. Along the train tracks, through the old abandoned lots and across the old abandoned bridges. Sometimes I meet foxes, and feral kittens. Sometimes I see footprints leading strange places. You can find the new Sweetlandish photos from said wintery adventures here.

As for the rest of the winter, I certainly have no lack of plans. I'm taking advantage of this long block of time in one place to focus on my studies. Operation Woodshed. I'm also hoping making two records this year! One with Captain Dirt & The Skirt, and the other a new Kristin Sweetland solo album that is so exciting, thoroughly plotted and still a secret. Other than that I'll be focusing on my dancing, and twice-weekly classes at the amazing Esmeralda Enrique Academy of Spanish Dance. It is soooo good for my musical brain, not to mention my thighs. I also start another class next week of a different variety. I'm going back to school for real! This time for Fundamental Music Theory and Ear Training. Yikes. I am going to be so smart come spring...

Till we meet again,

x

K

 Down by the river ... More winter photos here!

January 1, 2011

Toronto, ON

Happy New Year! 

Hope you all had a glorious eve hier soir. My plans for the night went from drinking bubbly in the bubble bath by myself, to attending three parties and perhaps another ... To trying to decide between the blue dress and the black dress ... To getting sucked back into bed and watching North by Northwest never to rise again ... To in fact rising from the primordial ooze against all odds, throwing on some jeans and running out the door to one singular gathering! There I fraternized with lovely folkies, drank my fill of ancient champagne, and discovered the great font of macaroni and cheese. All in a night's work.

Today I'm so excited to begin my new annual tradition of New Year's Day brunch chez moi! It's Sweetlandish crêpes, egg pie, magical mimosas and seriously strong coffee for all y'all who know where I live, and can get over here by 1:11 PM. Because I'm ravenous .... Let the feasting begin.

Santé!