November 7, 2012
Toronto, ON

It's been quite a month. One for the books, really. It's my first morning at home alone in as long as I can remember, with nothing to do but drink my delicious black coffee, and tell you all my secrets. And so it shall be done...

I had crazy dreams last night. Fell asleep half-reading my new Nancy Drew book, and half-gazing out the window at the church across the street. Somebody left the lights on in the bell tower again. I like to make up stories in my head about what they may have been doing up there. As I certainly didn't hear any bells ringing. I did get to climb up the tower once before. They even let me ring said bell! And really, there's not too much up there besides a ladder and a rope. Then my brain goes all Hitchcock on me, and I realize I've been watching too many movies. 

Yesterday I took myself to see Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder in 3D at the Bell Lightbox. It was officially better than no Hitchcock 3D! And popcorn makes a delicious lunch. It was the first of three exciting dates I'm taking myself on this week to celebrate all my recent victories. Tomorrow night I head to the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts to behold My Name Is Not Carmen, a fusion of flamenco, poetry, and philosophical discourse. (They've got my number.) And on Saturday I go to the Royal Winter Fair! It's one of my favourite events of the year. I get unreasonably excited about the giant vegetables. Not to mention, the cowboys. Will be going to see the Canine-Equine challenge on Saturday afternoon for sure. Because, as we all know, I'm a bit of a dog nerd.

And speaking of my recent victories, many thanks to all of you who came out to A Halloween Masquerade Cabaret, and helped make it a massive success! It really was the best party I've been to in ages. If I do say so myself. Amazing photographer Sean Ryan managed to capture some of the evening's magic... You can peek at his photo gallery from the event here.

And in other news, all has been going well with the new album. We get a bit closer every day! Had the dashing Mr. Gary Craig in to rock some more drums for us, and Ken Whiteley -brilliant instrumentalist/producer of my first two albums- came in for some mandolin, banjo, accordion, and bass harmonica. It's gonna be badass. The tracks sound so beautiful, and we can't wait to share them with you all.

Between now and the holidays our work is to get the new Captain Dirt & The Skirt website up and running, then start in on the album artwork! Soooo exciting. I do love me some costumes. And a camera. More on that front soon...

In the meantime, feast your fabulous eyeholes on all the latest photos from my eternal Adventures in Sweetland here.

Love,


xo
KS

Sweet secrets ... More here.

June 1, 2011

Rappahannock County, VA

It's true. I'm down in the holler again. With the cow cries and the fireflies, the Virginia pine and Virginia wine. Well, actually it was Virginia sparkling wine. And it was delicious and served to me by dear friend, teacher and mentor Paul Reisler when I arrived on his doorstep. I'm staying at Paul's glorious sprawling manor for a week of rest, writing, and hopefully artistic productivity! This house is a magical sanctuary of art and inspiration. I'm quite sure I can make anything happen here.

So how about that weather? It's H-E-double-hockey-stick hot in the South and has been for a good week. Even though I wake up in the morning too hot to sleep and by mid-day my brain has melted into a shadowy puddle of its former self, I am just so happy to not be cold! I'll take it. And the heat wave is an excellent excuse to drink beer before cocktail o'clock, and hose yourself down in public. And jump in the river! As if I needed an excuse...

Since last we met my adventures have been many. Left Asheville full of peaches and grits and arrived  in Savannah that evening. Have been listening to Nancy Drew audio books in the car which has been hilarious and seriously entertaining. The Sherlock Sweetland in me still likes to get her detective on on a regular basis. Not to mention it's excellent research for the young adult mystery series I am going to write soon ... So stay tuned!

Savannah was beautiful and enchanting and my gig was amazing.  Thanks so much to Bill de Young from Connect Savannah for writing such a wonderful article in the local entertainment paper. And not to mention, putting me on the cover! That was a surprise. It was a bit surreal to walk around a town where I'd never played before and see my face on every street corner. I secretly liked it.

The morning after my show I took myself on a romantic picnic to the famous Bonaventure Cemetery, site of my "famous" Girl with the Spanish Moss Hair photo from many years back. Me and my tempeh salad sandwich curled up by a nice comfy grave and had a good think. And I wrote some magic postcards while I was at it. (Check your mailbox, you might get lucky!) After that it was a quick drive to the ocean so I could at least stick my feet in ... Then, a whirlwind trip up to Chesapeake Bay for family visitation and some oh-so deliciously deep-fried seafood. Yum!

And now it's now, and I'm about to tuck myself into bed with Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces and ponder the mythical metaphors of my life. And then hopefully have sweet dreams...

Nighty-night,

x
K

P.S. Just posted new photos from my Southerly Adventures in Sweetland!  Have a peek here.

 Old Savannah in the mysterious light of night.

More tour photos here!