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‘S Wonderful, part 2

Summer Roses (photo by Carole Bundy)

I hope you are well as you read this blog post.

Summer has begun here in New England, and I would like to share an upbeat blog post — setting aside terrifying political and environmental challenges for a few moments — in order to savor some BEAUTY!

For example, these roses grow in a friend’s backyard.

They have a delicious, old-fashioned scent — and epitomize summer for me.

My friend also has a small vegetable garden AND a new dog — a Norfolk terrier — who likes to stand with his nose glued to one particular corner of her fenced-in backyard and sniff for rabbits.

Earlier this week she and I and another friend recorded six songs (five originals plus one cover) at Doug Hammer’s studio north of Boston.

Stryder overseeing rehearsal (photo by Molly Ruggles)

My friend’s new dog is extremely well behaved (he didn’t bark once during a two-hour rehearsal we had at their home), but we did not bring him with us to the studio.

Here is a photo of him making sure that we are all singing the correct parts of our vocal arrangements.

He is a very good boy!

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.

Chicken coop and sky (photo by Christianne McMillan)

The song in the player at the top of this blog post is an upbeat 1927 gem which pianist Doug Hammer and I recorded when I was putting together an hour-long program of songs by Ira and George Gershwin.

Longtime readers of this blog may remember that I wrote a blog post about it almost four years ago.

Longtime readers of this blog may also remember that I used to camp each summer for two weeks with family members in North Truro near the end of Cape Cod.

Here’s a blog post I wrote six years ago about that annual experience.

Rooster with catnip (photo by Christianne McMillan)

I created a lot of songs at that campsite; so it was extremely wrenching when we stopped going there due to the arrival of COVID in our lives.

This summer I am trying something new.

My sweetheart and I will be camping at my sisters’ family farm in the Finger Lakes region of upstate NY for almost two months.

One of my sisters is a gifted photographer who documents moments of beauty as she is moving from point A to point B to point C during the day.

It’s wonderful to get these glimpses into her life (she shares them on Facebook and Instagram) when I am living six hours (by car) away from her in Massachusetts.

Here is one of her Australorp roosters passing by some roses and catnip.

I am looking forward to spending time in my tent each day with a ukulele + a rhyming dictionary + my digital recorders + lots of binders full of song ideas + birds singing all around me.

Tasso contemplating a swim (photo by Christianne McMillan)

I am also looking forward to daily walks with my sisters and their rambunctious dog.

Tasso likes to swim in their irrigation pond, and I may end up swimming there, too, as long as I am not intimidated by the water snakes who (according to my sister) live there.

Sheep (photo by Christianne McMillan)

We shall see…

There is also a lovely state park with a great swimming area — featured in a recent TV commercial encouraging people to visit New York State — which I can walk to.

And there are probably water snakes there, too!

Here are a few more of my sister’s photos.

Her sheep are Icelandic and very smart.

They are also very opinionated about where they prefer to graze and do not hesitate to let her know if they would prefer a different location.

Roosters returning to barn (photo by Christianne McMillan)

Most of her chickens sleep in a coop overnight and roam around a penned-in area by day.

The coop and penned-in area get moved to different fields during the year.

But my sisters ended up with a lot of roosters when they hatched some eggs earlier this year.

So now a few of the roosters roam around the barn — where the horse lives with her own paddock area and where the sheep return each night to sleep.

One of my great grandfathers oversaw the creation of this barn ninety years ago. I do not remember the exact details, but I think it was constructed from two other pre-existing barns…

At one point it was full of horses plus a cow or two.

Tasso eating berries (photo by Christianne McMillan)

Now it is home to many swallows, a friendly Clydesdale-Morgan mare, and the sheep (who usually just sleep there overnight…)

I am very excited because I have been told the black cap raspberry harvesting season is about to begin..

They grow in the hedgerows and are delicious to pick and eat.

And put into pancakes.

Delicious bread (photo by Christianne McMillan)

And make into jam.

Some dogs even like to pick and eat them!

One of my summer goals is to learn how to do the morning and evening chores (taking care of the chickens and the sheep and the horse) because, if all goes well, my older sister will be riding the train to Virginia next month to welcome her first grandchild onto planet earth.

Another deep breath in.

And deep breath out.

The circle of life!

My sisters believe in eating well.

Even though they have their own gardens, they also belong to a local farm share AND a local bakery share.

Black caps (photo by Christianne McMillan)

And my younger sister happens to be a wonderful chef who once worked in restaurants in New York and Massachusetts.

When I helped her and my nephew pack up and move east from California a few years ago, I learned that she has an extensive collection of recipes clipped from newspapers and magazines (remember when we used to read newspapers and magazines?)

She is a fearless cook who will prepare anything which attracts her curiosity and interest.

She also is happy to make old favorites like Eggs Benedict.

Yum!!!

Eggs Benedict (photo by Christianne McMillan)

Another one of our great grandfathers was a professor of poultry science at Cornell University.

There’s even a building named after him — Rice Hall.

So eggs and chickens have a historical resonance for our extended family.

Thank you to my grandmother and grandfather who bought this farm almost 100 years ago.

Thank you to my grandmother and father and great aunt and great uncle and cousins and aunt — along with an ever-changing constellation of helping hands — for keeping it going after my grandfather died.

Thank you to my sisters for daring to move to the farm and raise their children.

Thank you to all of the birds and animals and insects and trees who also call the farm their home.

Thank you to my sisters’ wonderful neighbors who help in myriad ways — small and large — on a year-round basis.

Thank you to my older sister for letting me use her photos in this blog post.

Thank you to my younger sister for all of the delicious things she creates for all of us to eat!

Thank you to Pixabay for a lovely summery image of a notebook with roses which evokes a spirit of creativity…

Thank you to Doug Hammer for his exuberant piano playing and patient engineering/producing chops.

Thank you to Gretje Ferguson for taking the photo which Stephen Fischer incorporated into a fun graphic design for this song (and thank you to him as well for his creative handwork!)

Thank you to the long days and short nights of summer.

And thank you for reading another one of my blog posts.

What are YOUR summer plans?

ps: You can find my recording of “‘S Wonderful” on your favorite streaming service by clicking here.

54 thoughts on “‘S Wonderful, part 2”

  3. I have no summer plans because I still seem to be in a passive mode about my life. However, your summer plans sound wonderful Will. To spend time in a cooler climate on a farm with family and partner enjoying nature sounds fantastic to me. Enjoy!

    Reply

    • As you well know, Brad, because of your connection with the cycles and seasons here on planet earth, there is a time to lie fallow. Maybe that’s what’s happening for you these days? I do not know how my experiment of extended time in a tent will unfold this summer… but I am slightly curious to find out. Let’s slooooow down during July and August and see what happens after that…

      Reply

    • Thank you, Audrey! As you probably know, when one spends a lot of time with any animal, their personality reveals itself… Those various hens and roosters all are individual characters with whom my sister becomes very well acquainted. One of my hopes is that I can (gently) convince her this summer to upload a bunch of her best photos to some sort of card/mug/T-shirt-on-demand printing company because I (at the very least) would love to have cards of her photos… I hope you have a nature-filled and restorative summer.

      Reply

  5. Oh my goodness. What a bundle of happiness and positivity this post is, Will! Enjoy your camping trip. Finger Lakes is a lovely area.

    Now that I’m officially “retired”, I’m looking forward to a relaxing summer. A highlight will be a trip to Ireland in August with my mum and two of my sisters. Mum is 91 and has a brother and three sisters still alive in Ireland so it will be a family reunion.

    Have a lovely summer!

    Reply

    • Congratulations on your official “retirement!” I know you have been thinking about this milestone for a while… The trip to Ireland with your sisters and mom so that you can all re-connect with HER siblings sounds very powerful! I hope it all flows smoothly and gently…

      Reply

  7. There will always be worries and tragedies in the world, so we have to stop and smell the roses – like your neighbor’s beautiful one. Nothing is gained unless we enjoy and appreciate what is around us. Like camping at your sister’s farm in New York. I dearly remember your post a few years ago when your family gathered there. I think it might have been Christmas. Will, this will be food for the soul (pun intended), and a great respite to get back to what is important, family and all that nature gives us. I am smiling big time at this post. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Hurrah for some smiling!!! Your blog posts always leave us readers uplifted; so I am glad to return the favor. Have a lovely, rejuvenating summer, Jennie! ps: I was talking about you earlier today because a friend told me he is going to see Audra McDonald perform at the new arts center in your town…

      Reply

      • That’s so nice, Will! Thanks for your kind words. The new arts center is incredible. I’m sure your friend will enjoy it. Keep smiling. 😀

    • Thank you! I often feel like I would be very happy joining the flow of YOUR life after I read one of your posts. Let’s savor summer while doing what we can to help others prepare for this upcoming election cycle!

      Reply

      • You’re welcome, and thank you, Will. That’s very kind. Yes, indeed, let’s savor what we can–though I could live without the current mugginess. 🙂

  9. Thank you for sharing this part of your life with us, Will! Enjoyed listening to the song you share here, too!

    This summer has been a bit of a departure from the usual for me…and Adventure of sorts. I love learning about what’s up in other people’s lives. Iive in central MA, so also a New Englander.

    Reply

      • My summer Adventure is finding a new home to land in after having to sell my home of 14.8 years in co-housing last month as part of the divorce process. It’s all final…I’m free…and my spirit of Adventure is alive and well! Been staying with friends, which is lovely….but cannot move my cat around with me, so I miss him…so I want to settle in a new home in a new lovely community by August or September. Would love to stay in MA…my dream place is Cape Ann, though I’ve enjoyed visiting Cape Cod over the years.

      • Wow! That’s a big change. 14.8 years of co-housing is quite an accomplishment. I hope you and your cat find a new home base in a lovely MA community (maybe on Cape Ann or even Cape Cod….)

    • Yes, our media here in the USA seems more and more determined to stoke division in order to attract/retain eyeballs — even if it means that our democracy is dismantled. And there are dispiriting headlines from MANY other places on planet earth right now. Deep breath in. Deep breath out. Your blog posts often remind me about wonderful, loving things and help me to re-set my psyche at a more loving and optimistic frequency. I am glad this blog post helped you in some small (and similar) way!!! Another deep breath in. And deep breath out.

      Reply

  11. Wives and Lovers by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. My sis performed it in an extended jazz-rock arrangement during her 4th of July concert last night.

    Hope you had a great 4th.

    Reply

  12. Pingback: Smorgasbord Blogger Weekly – July 5th 2024 – #Review Harmony Kent, #WritingCommunity Damyanti Biswas, #Prehistoric #Navigation Jacqui Murray, #Rashers Linda Bethea, #Volcano Esther Chilton and Roberta Eaton Cheadle, #Goodthings Will McMillan |

    • Thank you for reading and listening! The Gershwin brothers wrote a bunch of wonderful songs — both upbeat ones and ballads. In past years I’d camp with family members on Cape Cod (which is part of Massachusetts in New England), but this summer we are right next door to New England in New York State (in an area called the Finger Lakes…) And yes, lots of beauty here!!!

      Reply

    • Thank you, Cindy! Your posts always make me happy; so I am glad to return the favor. SO far camping (even with rain) is going well. And we figured out how to use a new portable solar collector, which is now re-charging a cell phone, an electric toothbrush and a couple of laptops!

      Reply

  16. Ahhh the simple things in life. This is a beautiful post Will and I think we can all use some focus on the beauty of the world instead of the fear mongering that the media portrays. Your sister’s photos are fabulous. And your words and imagery beautiful. Enjoy getting back to basics and your camping trip. Being out in nature and amongst our four legged friends truly is the best tonic. Sending love and warmest wishes from down under. 💚

    Reply

    • Yes, I have been removed form the media’s fear mongering for a week now (except when I check my email each night), and my mental health is certainly improved as a result. Yesterday I rode on the back of a neighbor’s tractor and helped plant many rows of seedlings. Today an adolescent hawk who spent a lot of time crying for help/food from parents… Thank you for the love and warmest wishes from down under. I send some back your way!

      Reply

  19. What a summery post – I love it. That photo of roses at top is heart-melting, so beautiful.

    I think you must still be camping on the farm. Goats, chickens, neighbors and pancakes — and berries! This is real life.

    Reply

    • Yes. Not a lot of computer screen time and lots of natural world time. A hawk lives near where we are camping and swoops around us on a regular basis. I have been able to swim in an irrigation pond dug by my sisters’ neighbors. I get to spend lots of time in my “tent of creativity” each day, working on new songs and re-writing/editing pre-existing ones which haven’t yet been recorded. I feel very grateful and blessed. I hope YOUR summer includes time with nature!!!

      Reply

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