Howdy Autumn to you, my friends.

 

I started autumn on September first, as is my longtime tradition. It’s a short month and I need to squeeze all I can out of it. I’ve been riding my bike in the afternoons along the Snohomish River and loving the little bit of color and coolness. It’s a mood, don’t you think? Several months are mood states, but I sure like how September and October do it. 

 

I’ve been getting a very slow start to recording my new album. I’m working with Jay Kenney who engineered, played on and co-produced my two all-time favorites of my albums; The Way Out West and House of Sky. Jay has a more than full-time career and so our recording is slow, wherever we can fit an evening in. The best thing about that is that it is giving me time to finish many new songs I have been writing over these last few years. The worst thing you can do to a song in process is to hurry it. I love the ones I’m working on and am excited to let you hear them along the way.

 

Last week I performed my first Live Zoom Concert in almost a year. In many ways it was my most satisfying one. Our connection, the audience in attendance and me, was just so rich in content and depth that it made the whole evening better. Between most songs I would ask if anyone had something to share and almost always a hand would go up and surprise me. Almost always it would lead me to a story I wanted to tell or a memory I wanted to share. By the end of the evening, I felt like it was the most intimate, meaningful concert I’ve ever done.

 

I’ll be doing one more this year, a Holiday Concert Alive on Zoom, on Sunday December 20 at 5pm Pacific. I hope you can attend and spend a couple of hours listening to songs of the season, about winter and late fall, about Christmas and all the Holidays. I’ll be playing several songs from my two Holiday Albums, Songs of the Season and Winter Tales. And I’ll play some songs that are not holiday songs but just beautiful to sing. 

 

Tickets will be on sale in a couple of weeks. 

 

It has been a little tough to celebrate the Holly Jolly these last few years. So much going on that is chaotic and less than generous toward Living Things, ourselves included. But something I’ve learned over time is that sad, depressed people have no energy. And we need our energy to carry on and find better ways to live and love and treat each other. That is what my music is always dedicated to. 

 

Also, it’s been two years almost since I launched my Substack letter, The Morning, Brilliant Blue. I have loved writing it, even more over time. And I appreciate those of you who read it and those who have become paid subscribers. That is a part of how I will pay for these new recordings, so thank you so much for your belief in me and your support. 

 

I still host my Breathing/Meditation gatherings on Thursdays. After six years, I am no longer hosting EVERY Thursday, but usually two or three a month. I still love doing them, I still feel better after every one and I still appreciate the people who attend. We have helped each other through many difficult times over the last six years. And still, new people come now and then to give us even fuller perspectives and more enjoyment. You can always visit my website to see when the next gathering is. I hope you’ll join us sometime.

 

Autumn is young and it makes me remember being young. And sometimes it takes my attention and imagination and I actually feel young again. May you have some of those days this autumn. Blessings to you all.

 

Your friend in the wind, Michael Tomlinson

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