The Lung is frozen and sleepy. The weather seems to be on vacation and the Lung doesn’t care. Downed trees are cemented in place for the winter by old snow. There are hardly any bird calls and the only leaves I see are the transparent, yellowish Beech who cling on to the branch until the new buds force them to vacate. Skiing is impossible and walking is hazardous thanks to a moose who likes to use my ski tracks as a trail too. (Moose, if you are reading this, I am a HUGE fan) I sink violently up to one knee out of nowhere every few minutes or so. Now my shins feel like corn cobs with the corn scraped off. But I press on to visit the forest. It’s just too good for the soul. On a walk with my friend we see the tracks of the other mammals living their best midwinters; coyotes, raccoons, mice, mink and most exciting, the bobcats! Talk about a mammal crush! Ugh! The turkey tracks look straight out of the Museum of Natural History T Rex exhibit. It thrills me every time!
One of my favorite little tricks to play on a room full of smelly children (4th graders, generally, but often kids enduring various degrees of adulthood into middle age and occasional octogenarians too) is ask them, when the subject comes up (as it often does), "Hey, you want to learn the Ojibwe word for moose?" and after the enthusiastic outburst of "Yes!" I say: "It's 'mooooze."
Yes, the word we all use is essentially the Ojibwe word, if we just drag the "oooo!" out a little longer – as it really should be, shouldn't it? – with just a hint of a "z" at the end. 🫎
i looove the idea of a mooze following in your footskids 😍 happy recording! and thanks for sharing. instead of demystifying the process, music making now sounds even more magical and unknowable than before...
Lovely! You live amongst some exotic creatures out there in the woods. Here in Milwaukee we have fog for days. It carries the sound of trains making their way through the Menomonee Valley, and even foghorns from Lake Michigan way.
You have described the moose postholes perfectly! We have had record snowfall this year which has meant that the moose have been sticking to the trails. For a while, I couldn't figure out why fresh bruises kept appearing on my shins 😄
I miss sinking in the snow. The beauty of February when the doors don’t open. Well, for now, I can only dream and pretend I am making snow angels around moose trails. Lovely. Stay warm.
One of my favorite little tricks to play on a room full of smelly children (4th graders, generally, but often kids enduring various degrees of adulthood into middle age and occasional octogenarians too) is ask them, when the subject comes up (as it often does), "Hey, you want to learn the Ojibwe word for moose?" and after the enthusiastic outburst of "Yes!" I say: "It's 'mooooze."
Yes, the word we all use is essentially the Ojibwe word, if we just drag the "oooo!" out a little longer – as it really should be, shouldn't it? – with just a hint of a "z" at the end. 🫎
It's a name that is also a tribute! :)
Troooooly!
i looove the idea of a mooze following in your footskids 😍 happy recording! and thanks for sharing. instead of demystifying the process, music making now sounds even more magical and unknowable than before...
Lovely! You live amongst some exotic creatures out there in the woods. Here in Milwaukee we have fog for days. It carries the sound of trains making their way through the Menomonee Valley, and even foghorns from Lake Michigan way.
You have described the moose postholes perfectly! We have had record snowfall this year which has meant that the moose have been sticking to the trails. For a while, I couldn't figure out why fresh bruises kept appearing on my shins 😄
Mmmm. Moose. Thx for the update. See you soon?
Piano covered with snow in the woods gives me a smile. Thanks, Neko.
Snow shoes, darling.
Peace+love.
As a layperson I am ever amazed by the frequent magic of what happens in the studio with the recording process.
And I love that photo, Neko! Lovely to see you’re getting the winter we’re missing just a few hundred miles away.
I am so jealous! Absolutely no snow in my part of southern Ontario. I miss winter :(
fantastic piece. i hope you come to the casbah in hamilton ont with the new stuff
I miss sinking in the snow. The beauty of February when the doors don’t open. Well, for now, I can only dream and pretend I am making snow angels around moose trails. Lovely. Stay warm.
Is that one of the pianos mentioned from the epic Wait Wait episode years ago?!?
Your description of winter is so beautiful and magical and yet I wish I enjoyed the season more. A bobcat sighting might change my mind, though…
Can you have “I am so POTENT!” on a t-shirt, please?