March 21, 2013
Farm Heaven, ON

Springtime salutations from sparkling Snowland. I am once again in Farm Heaven visiting my dear Captain Dirt at her famous farmhouse. It blizzarded with a passion on the day I arrived, but I rocked the long drive like an Ice Road Truckers superstar. Today I'm safe and warm by the fire, and quite focused on all my artistic endeavours.

The Captain and I are working out the final arrangements for our last two new album tunes (to be recorded next week) and they sound so good. I'm madly in love with the gorgeous 1978 Larrivée classical guitar my dad gave to me recently. He bought it on a trip out to Victoria, back in the days when Jean Larrivée still worked out of his tiny shop in Market Square. It has brought me new songs. And I am grateful.

Today I've been working on the lead guitar part for my newest instrumental piece "Soul Captain." It was inspired by the William E. Henley poem Invictus - the subject of my latest experiment in the Aristotelian art of mnemotechnics. Piece of cake. And so worthy. I shall repeat it over and over again ... And remember.

I've also been busy with my magical camera in the name of my eternal self-portrait series. From the Great Northern Railroad to the Lake of the Bloody Ice Hole, you'll find photographic evidence of all my recent Adventures in Sweetland here. My latest photography project is my daily Instagram photo, courtesy of my brand new iPhone. I'll be uploading one photo each day with a wee Sweetlandish vignette. Photos will be posted on my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages. So stay tuned.

And although the land around me is still in deep freeze, I can feel the melt beginning on the inside. It is magical and torturous - but we must incinerate the old to make way for the new. My friends and I have a tradition of making corn dolls on Autumn Equinox. We lovingly call them "The Hag" after the Cailleach, mythological Irish creatrix and Queen of Winter. We care for our Hags though the dark half of the year, and they are said to protect us from winter's wrath. We burn them come Spring - a sometimes bittersweet moment, as one often gets attached. My hag has thoroughly gone up in smoke and I am rising from her ashes. Ready for the next magnificent chapter.

Now it's time to strap on some snowshoes and make a journey into the deep dark woods. There is a cedar forest, a snowy churchyard, and a shimmering snow field with my name on it.

xo

Snow Woods

Perhaps the deep dark woods aren't so dark after all...

More photos here

November 21, 2012
Farm Heaven, ON

I have escaped the big city for some country air. It was seriously necessary, and quite overdue.  I can feel the life force creeping back into me at last... molecule by molecule, breath by breath. It lives! I'm all curled up by the wood stove, coffee cup and laptop, with a fine view of the bird tree through the old farmhouse window. We've had many feathered friends come to visit today, and I'm getting to know them all by name. Two beautiful blue jays abound, one hairy woodpecker, a black-capped chickadee couple (who sing my favourite song...) and our newest little amigo, the handsome dark-eyed junco.

Not to mention the red-tailed hawk I found out in the back field. Well, first I found the wing. Then the other wing. Then the talon. Then the head. Something mysterious happened in those woods, I reckon. And I am putting the pieces together... Last time I visited Farm Heaven the hawk gave me the gift of a tail feather. I have honoured it ever since. This time the gift was more significant. Captain Dirt hauled out the bucket and is now preparing the remains for display in her illuminated bone case. But I claimed the talon as my own. Besides its pointy prowess at putting my guitar nails to shame, I could not help but notice that it formed a perfect flamenco hand.

It was a beautiful drive up from Toronto on the weekend. The stark palate of winter field and sky was magic through my rose-coloured glasses. I forgot how much I love this time of year. It was a celebratory voyage for Ladyship the Van and I, as she just turned 22,222 kms on her one year anniversary of being mine! It's a magical life. We had a fabulous time together and listened to my Amelia Peabody mystery audio books all the way... As always, I am brushing up on my detectival skills for practical purposes. For there may be a mystery waiting just around the corner, dying to be to be solved.

However, I haven't solved too many cases yet this trip -perhaps one or two- as I've been focusing primarily on the revivification of my person. This called for a hearty batch of magical warty pumpkin soup, the cure for everything that has ever ailed me! I have been caring for said magical warty pumpkin ever since I adopted her at the St. Lawrence Farmers Market a month ago. She was the mascot for our Halloween Masquerade show and shall live forever in memory, if not in photographs. She was delicious.

Beyond culinary creations, the agenda for my country convalescence reads as such:

- Take leisurely walk through crisp sunny woods
- Listen to classical music while sipping cranberry toddies (feel rather pleased with yourself)
- Practice guitar
- Set up photo studio for Captain Dirt & The Skirt photo shoot tomorrow night!

I think I can handle it.

And speaking of photos, and detectives, I have just begun my newest Adventures in Sweetland photo series "Sherlock Sweetland." (Obviously.) Thus far the camera has caught me at the scene of the crime, and in transit to my secret agent Russian power plant meeting, or about to get beamed up by a spaceship. You decide. Even more mysteries coming soon...

Scene of the crime. More Sherlock Sweetland here. 

This letter may self-destruct, or not.

xo

La Sweet

August 11, 2012
Farm Heaven, ON

It's one of those rainy afternoons in the old farm house. The kind where you're stuck inside with the cat and start looking for a hidden room to explore... I've crawled inside the old wardrobe in my bedroom, in hopes it may open up to another world. Somewhere beyond these boots and bunny fur coats there surely lies a secret passageway to Sweetland. I've been up in Farm Heaven for the past week, resting, healing, practicing, studying, and engaging in highly attractive farm chores. Captain Dirt, my partner in musical crime, has been putting me to shame with her gardening prowess. But I do a great job of holding the umbrella and taking photographs. At the same time! Mostly, however, I just wander about the garden and contemplate my life. Me and the farm flies, the bumblebees, the blue jays, the blackbirds, and all the little butterflies. My favourite is the ruby-throated hummingbird who always comes to visit. Today I wore fuchsia so she'd think I was a flower. It worked.

Beyond the glorious world outdoors, there has been much action inside in the band room. I've been diligently rehearsing two of Lyndell's gorgeous hymns for our new instrumental album! I'm back in the studio next week to record them, as well as a couple pieces of my own from a Sweetlandish suite I've been composing. The Adventures of Captain Dirt & The Skirt... coming soon!

Tonight, pesto-making and picture-taking! Tomorrow, all roads lead to Toronto... Where I will once again be a dame-de-ville.

xo
Lady Sweet

Farm chores are hot... More photos here.

April 6, 2012
Toronto, ON

I'm home at last after my epic tour down to Texas, and subsequent artistic hibernation in the land I call "Farm Heaven"... I have so many stories to tell, I'm not even sure where to begin. So I reckon, at least for now, I'll let the photographs I took speak for themselves. Sweelandish tales to follow shortly, I promise. Not to mention NEW ALBUM UPDATES! But I can tell you this much ... We start in the studio next week! Woooot!

More very very soon,

x
K

You'll have to guess where I am, and what I'm doing there.
I'll never tell.

January 19, 2012 
Dalkeith, ON

Well it sure is winter here in Farm Heaven. The winter we, in the big city, thought might never come... I found it. It was at the end of a long road, down a dirt road, all along. And I was pleased to find it quite happy to see me. With that particular brand of bitter cold that freezes your nosehairs, seizes your lungs, and illuminates a sky bursting with stars. Crystal clear. Like no other time of year.

That being said, I have not strayed far from the wood stove. Just perhaps to turn on my amp and put the kettle on. Cup of tea, and kitten on loan from Captain Dirt complete the picture. All with a rock 'n' roll soundtrack. Like seriously. The Captain and I have have been plugging in, and turning way up. Good thing we have no neighbours here in Farm Heaven.

It's actually good it's been far too cold to frolic out of doors for long. Or I'd go out on Operation Snowshoe, taking strange photos, and chasing strange animals, all the livelong day. This way I stay home and focused on all the things I want to create before I leave. There are new tunes and grand plans in spades! And not just musical, also photographic. I've been playing with my brand new studio lights. I know, très fancy. For Ms. camera in the back pocket climbing a tree, it's a whole new world, baby.  Give me a little time to figure it out, then call me if you want your Sweetlandish portrait taken...

Time to throw another log on the fire!

xo
Svetlana Ice Princess

P.S. I saw a wolf.

More wintry wonderland... here.

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

December 19, 2008
Dalkeith, ON

Word up from Sweetlandish Siberia and the frozen glacial fields of Ontario farm heaven. It's a balmy minus 18 degrees Celsius (That's zero Fahrenheit my precious Americanos) BEFORE windchill, and dropping! Just in from a trip to town for supplies, hauled some wood and am now snuggling by the fire, waiting for the mother of all storms to hit tonight. Lyndell and I have perfected the recipe for hot toddies which I'm calling "Appley Snickets" in honour of the secret ingredient (cider!) and the omnipresence of true Lemony goodness. Try it at home, kittens:

Pour as much apple cider as you can dream of drinking in a big pot. Add pileloads of shredded and pressed ginger. Then, squeeze in the juice of one giant lemon ... or two. Bring to a boil then simmer gently for so long as you can stand not drinking it. When it's strong, strain out ginger then add the aqua vitae of your choice (whiskey is GOOD!) Drink and enjoy while it cures everything that's ever been wrong with you in your life.

And when you're done ... midnight snowshoe mission, anyone?

x
K

December 6, 2008
Farm Heaven

It's family weekend in farm heaven and all my ladies are here for a wee country vacay. I've been reading the Twilight series (like a good little girl) and have been joking that my gal pals are my "vampire family." Because of my usual need for photographic mayhem I declared it "family portrait night" in Dalkeith, Ontario. Made everyone get dressed up after dinner and glory ensued. Miss M called us "Mom, Dad, the Irish twins and the accident." But who's who? ... Ha ha, glad I am so thoroughly able to entertain myself in snowed-in farmhouse-land a million miles away ... kiss, K

P.S. we saw ponies!

The Whole Fam Damily

May 1, 2008
Dalkeith, ON

Mayday Mayday! Hope you are all fabulously well on this most decadent of days. All is supreme here in country-fried farm heaven. I've been very active and getting loads of cool things done. Have also been working hard at mastering the lost arts of leisure and pleasure. This has included the preparing of majestic feasts, reading books for fun, tromping though puddles in my new rain boots and partaking in some very civilized lawn sports. My daily farm photo project has turned out to be entertaining as hell and everyday I cannot wait to see what will come out of my camera! Stay tuned! 

xo

Tulips from heaven