"When she dreams she dreams...

of a place out near the water....."

That's the opening line of one of the songs that will be on my next CD when that time comes. I've been thinking about the water a lot lately, I think waking up daily to -28c with a windchill factor will do that, none the less, I do love the the water.

I think I got transported back to my memories of it by a couple of emails I received over the past few days, from friends we'd met in our travels. Most recently to the East Coast, where we headed last September to attend Canadian Country Music Awards week, and the seminars and hoopla associated with it. It was an incredible week, riding up and down in the elevator with Patricia Conroy, George Canyon, The Road Hammers. Who'd have ever thought we'd find ourselves there? The week was one thing, but the Maritimes, now they are something else.

I think it started last February when I almost died on the operating table, and realized once again, how fragile life is. During my recovery from surgery, I had a lot of time to think about what direction I wanted my life to take, and all compasses pointed me back to my music. I just didn't know at the time how that pursuit of my passion was going to open more doors than you can imagine. Nashville in March was one. St. John in September was another. Every where I look these days, I swear I see more doors just waiting for me.

Everything about our week in St. John was wonderful, then when the CCMA's were over, having had the good fortune of an early harvest at home, meant that we were able to tack an extra 5 days onto our escape and tour some more of the Maritimes. I'd lived there as a child when Dad was in the Navy, but there aren't a lot of memories attached to that for me (except maybe living so close to the railway tracks in Dartmouth and the noise that came with that...oh ya, and the time the gold fish died, and my dear Mother's panic over how to dispose of the body!) But with those as my only memories, we were open books to drink in all the beauty it had to offer.

I took this picture at Cheticamp as we ventured through Cape Breton. We chose Cheticamp because we were so taken with the music of J.P.Cormier in the CCMA songwriters circles. Funny how we decide our destinations isn't it? Anyway, it was all we'd imagined. Cecil had learned the Acadian way to eat lobster on a tour boat in Shediak, so he'd found a couple in town that afternoon, and enjoyed his feast as this beautiful sunset ended our day. Wow.

The rest of our travel introduced us to treasures like Peggy's Cove, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg and back to St. Andrews NB. I know there was tons we missed due to the timelines, but oh what we brought home! Add that to the wonderful people that we had the pleasure of meeting and spending some time with, and it's a recipe to want to go back!

So now I'm heading off to dream now, because "when she dreams, she dreams!"

L

www.musicwriter.ca

Comes a time...

Yesterday was set aside to be spent exclusively for organizing my office...something that had to be done badly. House was pretty quiet, only Shane and I. Everyone else had decided to risk their necks going skiing, not a skill that I've managed to aquire. However, early in the day, while I was helping Shane pick out something to watch on TV while mom submersed herself in papers, I noticed that the movie channel was going to be playing "Neil Young-Heart of Gold" So much for my best laid plans.

For the next two hours I was swallowed up by his vidoetaped debut of his "Prairie Wind" album at the Rymann Auditorium in Nashville. I bought that album last spring...and I guess I must have worn it out, because it's plum disappeared. I so enjoy his music. As I watched, I realized how strange it was that he's on one the world's most well known singers on one of the most famous stages in the world, singing songs about the little town half an hour away. I wonder if Cypress River ever expected to develop such notority. You listen to his history, to the story behind the songs, to his memories of listening to Ian Tyson's "Blowin in the wind" on a jukebox at Falcon Lake, and you realize that incredible things happen to those who follow their dreams.

I've never met Neil Young, but I've always connected with him. We both come from smalltown Manitoba, we both write our own story in our songs, we both have kids with special challenges. For a long time my old piano teacher Annie Donald had us excited that we were kinda, almost related to Neil Young through his mother, by marriage, once removed....or something. Doesn't matter....however she explained it, made me want to work at the piano a little harder.

Funny how a song can take you back in time too. After all the new songs were introduced, he sang some of his older stuff. I remember surviving my first year of university only because I had an old record player there, and I played "Harvest moon" over, and over, and over....as I listened to him sing 'Comes a time' yesterday, I was instantly transported back to that dorm room, to the naive farm-fresh dreamer that I was, to all the big dreams I'd held. Seems that that girl lived a long, long time ago.

As the nostalgia passed, and the little lump in my throat cleared, I realized that maybe things haven't changed all that much. I still sit in my room listening to Neil (and Jann, and Sarah, and all the other's who have pulled me through), I'm still farm-fresh in a weathered sort of way although not as naive, and I still have big dreams. I also realized how many of my big dreams have come true since that time...the perfect love that was wished for has been found, the opportunity to follow my passion for music has be granted, a happy home (check), a beautiful family (check), a solid circle of friends (check), the dream to feel safe and confident in who I am (check)....I guess it's all turned out the way it was meant to. Now, when I hear "comes a time" I realize that my time has come...I really am one of the lucky ones.
L
www.musicwriter.ca

The end of another busy day...

Sorry, I've been out of touch for a couple of nights. My job providing resources for some wonderful folks in the province, took me on one of my road trips this week! I really do love getting behind the wheel and just cruising for miles (and if anyone ever asks, I look really hot in my Jeep!). Okay, maybe not hot, but I do love cruisin' in Libby!
I find driving alone is just about the most wonderful time to reflect and think, and the wheels are just a-turning when I head out I'll tell you! It's amazing how many of your life challenges you can sort out as you watch the dotted lines roll by. I've always enjoyed that aspect of my life.
I've also written a pile of tunes when I'm behind the wheel for long periods of time. Most of the time, I turn the radio off and just let the music in my head play itself out....probably makes you all nervous knowing you share the highway with me doesn't it!?!?! It's true though. There are so few opportunities for that kind of solitude in our day to day living. I do enjoy the quiet. And when I hit that stretch between Dauphin and Swan River where's no cell reception, and next to no radio, solitude is what I get. One thing I've always been really happy to say is that I'm never lonely alone!
Today I wore one of my other hats (I have about 15 that I regularly switch off depending on what role I'm playing). But today was the cattle lady hat. It was one of those busy days, when we gathered the forces and ran all the girls through for the annual pregtest. I'll tell you a day like this keeps you from getting above your raising that's for sure. Oh, the reality of life!
Anyhow, another week is winding up. www.musicwriter.ca has had a stellar start, thanks to all of the wonderful people who have taken the time to visit and explore it. My thanks to all of you.
It's also been a busy week on the family front. Happy birthday to two of my beautiful daughters, Lisa and Bianca. You bless my life by being part of it! Thankyou both for being all you are (Kathy, you'll get your turn in May but you know you're included!!)
I'm signing off with tired feet and a happy heart. Life is so diverse and wonderful!
Later,
L
www.musicwriter.ca

The sandwich generation

By the end of this day, I'm feeling like the filling, that's for sure. It was a busy one, where meeting the needs at both those that brought you into this world, and those you brought in just wears you down.
Last May, Dad suffered a very debilitating stroke, and the huge shift in our life occured that day. It took several months of rehabilitation and hard work for him to finally be released in September. We're glad he's home, and I know that he certainly is.
Now however, instead of calling on them just to come and sit with Shane for a short while, we're being called upon to go and sit with them. The role reversal takes a lot of getting used to. As does the sense of loss for the way things were.
I know that each day we'll do what needs to be done to make sure everyones needs are met as best we can. It will always be done with love and respect. It will be done with the knowledge that that's what they would have done for us. It will be done. But at the end of some days, I need to feel safe saying, I too am done. At least for this day.
Tomorrow, we'll start again, and it will be a fresh start just as every morning brings. It will be a better day. There's already a half written song in my head that confirms that.
So until tomorrow,
L
www.musicwriter.ca

Nashville, Nashville, Nashville....I hear you calling my name!

Oh dear...I'm getting that little twitch to travel. I'd convinced myself, that this year I'd stick closer to home, and work on the songwriting craft from here....but that darn Nashville Songwriters Association keeps sending me the emails that remind me that the songwriters symposium and Tin Pan South are coming up in two months time. And guess what, as convinced as I was...now I'm not! I can't help but remember what a wonderful experience last year's event was....and darnit I wanna go back!
Last year's trip was about as spontaneous as Cecil and I get to be (after we organize for the cows, and the boy, and the....) Okay, spontaneous isn't exactly in our vocabulary...but it was reasonably spur of the moment. I was at the tail end of recovering from my surgery, so I wasn't too immersed in work, and the cows hadn't started calving...we knew Bianca and Lisa could handle what needed to be done at home, so we made the decision to go for it!
I'd bought my brand new 1992 Corsica the November before (okay, 15 years old isn't exactly brand new, but with only 27,000kms, it felt pretty close) so we decided to hop in her and head south. Being convinced that by the time we got out of the car again it would be warmer, I put on my comfy blue moomoo and sandles. I wonder if the vehicle, the attire, and our conviction we were getting to Nashville in both had anything to do with the amount of time it took us to get through customs???? Whatever it was, they sure did tear us apart!
By 8pm the following night, we'd arrived. I can hardly describe the feeling of arriving in that city for the first time, when so much of your life has centred around music. It absolutely put a lump in my throat just thinking of those who had walked these streets before me.
Over the course of the next 5 days we saw it all...the Opry, the Rymann, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the streets and shops and musicians that are everywhere. But none of what we saw, could compare to the people we met. The syposium allowed me to connect with songwriters from all over the states, and even a few more Canadians! It was a really unique experience for me, because as you may or may not have guessed, there are not a lot of songwriters in Lavenham, Manitoba. Coming from a town where I'm the only one I know of to a city where I'm surrounded by 25,000 other songwiters all dreaming of thier big break, well I can tell you it was a bit of a shock to the old system! But, man, what a wonderful group of people to connect with!
Where else in the world though, in the course of five days, could you find yourself having the opporunity to meet the legendary Mac Davis. Or spend time chatting with Steve Fox after his gig? OR...put the knowledge you gathered from being a loyal Oprah fan to use, and actually find Davis's General Store and be able to eat a bologna sandwich on the same bench where Tim McGraw and Faith Hill go for their's? And I don't even like balogna for crying out loud...but darn it tasted good that day!
Heading for home, we couldn't be that close to Graceland without actually seeing it, so we made the stop. It's ablsolutely surreal standing at the foot of Elvis's grave, and being in the centre of all he held so dear. Wow.
And we can honestly say it was a whirlwind trip home....who'd have thought we'd be outrunning tornadoes through 3 states in March! But we made it.
Yup.... it's just calling my name. I have about nine more weeks to convince myself that that's not where I need to be. I'll keep you posted on how that goes.
L
www.musicwriter.ca

"In the Company of Friends"

I was reminded today why it is that that song resonates so strongly in my heart and in my life. Last night was the first time in a long time, that I actually had a little time, so I spent part of the evening emailing friends and aquaintances to let them know that my new website was up and running and to ask them to take a peak at www.musicwriter.ca and let me know what they thought of it.
This morning when I got going, I had an email box full of compliments and good wishes from family, friends and aquaintances! Every one had not only taken the time to check things out, but had taken the time to drop me a line about it. Wow, I just hope at the end of the day I'm as good a friend to others as they are to me. Thankyou all!
There are people that look at my life, and think that I'm about the unluckiest person they know. Granted, my life has had more than it's share of pitfalls and heartaches, but those that don't see the whole picture can't know that for every one of those heartaches, I've had at least a million blessings; they can't know that each and every time events brought me to my knees, an army of family and friends rallied around me to lift me back up; they can't know that every fork in the road that I chose that may have appeared to be the wrong one eventually led me right to where I am today. And that's exactly where I'm supposed to be. I haven't got one single doubt about it.
I dedicate "In the Company of Friends" to all the amazing people and relationships in my life that give it such value and meaning. I know without that circle, I certainly wouldn't be where I am today!
L

Reigniting your passion

www.musicwriter.ca this is what happens when you reignite the passion within you after years of allowing it to sit dormant. It's been an incredible journey to get to here. I find it so hard to explain in words how it feels to fulfill a dream that was tucked down so very deep in my heart for so very, very long....
It started in April of 2005 when it came to light that over the past many years while I'd focused all of my attention and creativity on meeting the needs of my son, and doing what needed to be done for both my job and the farm, the music that had once defined me had disappeared. A conversation with co-workers made me realize that the majority of people that know me now, didn't have any idea that for the first 30 years of my life, music had been my passion and my focus. How did it happen that something that had been so much a part of me for so long was tucked so far down that no-one even knew that passion existed.
'In the Company of Friends' was the result of that conversation, and the match that rekindled the flame. On a challenge to write a song that would encompass the importance of friendship, I was reminded about how much I enjoyed allowing that creative side of me to flow freely. It started things going.
At the end of June that year, Kelly Tomchuk, who'd been a friend of mine since childhood passed away as a result of a brain tumor. The family asked me to sing that song at the memorial...and that set off another chain of events. The compliments from the song, and the emotional turmoil that came with losing someone my age that I'd known so long was the catalyst that pushed me into what I lovingly call my mid-life crisis. On the way home from the memorial I said to my husband "gee, I really wish I'd done an album of my songs when I could have", and his response was 'why not do it now'.
From that moment on, it was like every single necessary thing just fell into place. My brother, Michael james Dickson, was able to line up a freind with a studio and set up the musicians. Chris Rolin, of Rolin Sound Studio, had the time necessary to engineer the project. The funding that was needed to accomplish this dream made itself known and available. Every single star aligned! My time had truly come!
At the time we did the cd, we stuffed 15 songs onto "Reflections", because I was convinced that this was going to be a one time thing. But I know now, that's not going to be the case. I refuse to die with my music inside me, and I've come to realize that there is so much more in there.
The world is such an amazing place, when we have the chance to reach out and touch folks around the earth with our song. I know that my commitment to my son is going to limit how far I can travel or push this dream for the next few years, but that's a minor limitation compared the the one I put on myself for so long.
Follow your passion, embrace your bliss, be who you were destined to be doing what you were designed to do. I can promise you, from my own experience, it will change your world. The missing pieces of the puzzle we call our life will fall into place and all will seem right again. Don't let your music die inside of you, whatever your music might be.
L

You never know where your 'kids' are gonna come from

You just never know where your kids are gonna come from....that's another one of my life lesson's. Six years ago I lost my first husband to cancer, after a valiant, but hopeless two year battle. At that time, after the battle was lost, there was just Shane and me. Oh, of course there were lots of extended family members...the moms, dads, sister, brother, cousins, aunts....you know. There were the wonderful friends that have blessed my life for over three decades all just a phone call away. But at the end of the day, when the lights were turned out, it was Shane and me. Things were pretty quiet.
Then along came Cec. But Cec has never travelled alone...oh no! And amidst the luggage that he toted along, were my future children. Granted, for the most part they were grown by the time he and I had connected, but not completely. So in a world where there once existed just Shane and I, we've had to make room in our hearts for seven more children....and along with those seven children, there comes the next generation of ten grandchildren....my mind boggles at how smoothly it all has happened. So now we've become a spin off for "Eight is enough". We aren't joking when we say that!
But like I said at the beginning....you never know where your kids are gonna come from. I spent a wonderful day today with one of my 'kids'. Bianca came to me as part of the package 5 years ago, but little did I know at that time, that in that beautifully wrapped little 14 year old parcel that was part of the "baggage" (society's terminology, not mine) I'd find the daughter that my heart has longed for my entire adult life. Please, don't misunderstand....I love the other daughters and sons that this union has brought into my life more than I can say, but timing and logistics have allowed Bianca and I have the opportunity to connect hearts just a little bit differently.
Today was one more affirmation that on our days together we just are. We do our thing (which usually includes the word spa) and we are.....and it's really wonderful.
I know there are folks that are waiting so impatiently for that perfect little bundle of joy to come into their lives and make it complete....waiting for the ideal 'child' to come along. I can only imagine the pain they must go through. I hope those people waiting for children aren't limiting themselves by what society views as the norm, because that ideal child might already be out there, just not in the package envisioned. My'child' didnt' come into my life until she was 3/4 grown....when she did arrive, we certainly didn't have our eye, skin, and hair color match....but honestly, if I had sat down with God himself and drawn a blueprint of my perfect daughter, I can't see that one thing would be different from the one I've been gifted to have inherited through fate.
Pud, thanks for a wonderful day!
I know my journal is supposed to focus on all that is wonderful about www.musicwriter.ca (although I'm gonna have to harrass that wonderful webmaster of mine to figure out how I have to do the darn link properly).....but, the special people in my life are what www.musicwriter.ca is all about....and today I wanted to share my thoughts on this particular special person with you all.
Later,
Lynda
www.musicwriter.ca

January 18...what a very special day this is for me! First and foremost always, it was 15 years ago today that my beautiful son Shane was born. It was the day that changed everything....my focus, my purpose, my understanding of what's really important. Little did I know that day, just how big the change was really going to be!
Now, 15 year later, I'm introducing my new baby to the world! After weeks in the making, I can finally say that my new website www.musicwriter.ca is finally ready to come out and meet the world! What an amazing time we live in! Here I am, in my little corner of the world, chasing goals and watching life long dreams coming true, and being able to share these dreams with folks who could be anywhere on the big, beautiful earth of ours! Wow...wonder what Grandpa would have thought about all of this?
www.musicwriter.ca celebrates the CD "Reflections" that I was able to do last year. Doing that cd allowed me to fulfill a dream I'd held onto for 30 years...I can not tell you how cool that was! At the time we were working on the cd I thought to my self "this is great, but it's a one time thing...I'm just so happy I got it done!" I was wrong! It's great alright, but it's more than great, because in doing that, I found a peice of myself that had been missing for years! The puzzle is all fitting back together again, and it's incredible to have found that part of myself that was missing for so long. It really has me wondering what other dreams I have tucked deep down in there that I'd better bring back to the surface and take a second look at!
I've been learning too, boy have I been learning! I owe a world of thanks to an amazingly patient webmaster, who I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, but who has patiently walked me through this process. If anyone out there has a hankering to use the world wide web to expand their own hopes and dreams, I'd highly recommend you connect with www.heartlandgraphics.ca and bounce your ideas off Chris!
I think for now, I'll keep it brief. I have a ton of things I'm dying to share with you, but, after all, it's a big day with all of these birthday parties going on! It's going to be a very busy time coming up, but I'll fill you in later. For now, I've got a very special young man waiting to spend some time with his Mom. What could be more important than that! Later!