House of Dreams
The Cowboy Trail, Alberta
I fall into your rhythmYour beauty I do flyI rush into your melodyI linger till I die…Just a Dream by Griffin HouseI wish I were a good enough writer to set the scene the way I want to. I’ll try.Driving home up Highway 22 (The Cowboy Trail) near the Waldron Flats. It’s only 5:30 in the afternoon, but the December afternoon is dark and the highway is deserted. To my left, the icing sugar prairie lounges against foothills that roll like waves against the dark, jagged Livingston Range. Everything is silvered by moonshine that looks like it would be a pretty smooth drink.Music filters from my ipod through the cable installed by my favourite brother and out the crappy front speakers of my truck. Just a Dream comes on and I feel like I’m in one. Snow snakes slither ahead of me as I drive. The tires on the highway sing in harmony with the low throb of House’s voice and when the drums kick in, I feel like I’m living the music. By the time we hit the part where the (*heartache) raw raggedness comes, the truck’s gearing down and we’re climbing into the foothills and the music is rocking, then, sweet release, it’s downhill and the song’s over and I think — how fortunate to be able to write a story with words and music.I’d love to see him perform live.It took a while to recover from the utter disappointment of missing the Griffin House/Bob Schneider San Francisco extravaganza back in October. Those two artists on the same stage will probably never happen again, but the chance for a work-subsidized trip to New York doesn’t come around every day. Had to choose. Sorry guys.
Highway 22 (Cowboy Trail) in Summer
This past summer I had the chance to meet and work with one of my writing idols, a dream I'd nurtured for a long time. I was more than a little starry-eyed. Those would be the stars I saw when I was knocked for a loop by the hard work he put our class through! Around the same time, likely looking to avoid completing my assigned work, I was noodling around on the ‘net and found myself at Griffin House’s website. Scrolling through his posts, I found one that referenced the work he did with Alison Krauss on his song River City Lights (probably my favourite of all his songs.) I loved how this down-to-earth musician, already blessed with a good deal of fame in his own right, was blown away by working with someone he so admired. It made me feel a lot better about the giddy silliness I inflicted on my friends and family when speaking of the writer I worked with.(I wonder though, if Griffin House was just as nervous as I was? I wonder if Allison Krauss had to say something like “Geez, I’m just a regular person, no need to be so shy.”)Yeah, right. Sure.Speaking of dreams. Feeling giddy and silly again today. Manuscript is printed and ready to be mailed. Just need to write the cover letter. Which is why I’m noodling around again, this time on the blog.Back to work.Song of the week - Just a Dream – Griffin Househttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojwh0CmwXBkBook of the Week - This Cake is for the Party – Sarah Selecky*props to Gordon Lightfoot :-)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta0a3DFUU0Y#aid=P6F1mm4QiDA