My Life In Pictures

We have floated on over into Autumn, and Summer, as per usual, has flown. For any readers who have visited from time to time for a new blog, apologies to you and hopefully you haven’t given up completely! This past weekend I shared a show with a new found music maker from England, living in Germany, Ben Meech. Thanks for the kind words, Ben. Sometimes all it takes is someone saying “Go for it! I will read your blog!” .

So here I am once again, after many moons and MANY life experiences, it’s hard to know where to start! Many times I thought of writing about our tour through the United Kingdom (mostly Scotland) but I was waiting for the wonderful Canadian musical website “Roots Music Canada” to post the blog I wrote for them, “A Soul Full-filling Tour in Scotland” which you can read here.

We spent six weeks on the road, driving through the U.K in a 1996 Mitsubishi which we Lovingly named “Gypsy Heart” or Gypsy, for short. I recommend this journey for any and all. There is just SO much beauty around every corner, I had NO IDEA the majestic beauty of Scotland. It simply blew my mind…..

Loch An Eilein Castle, just outside of Aviemore, Scotland

We did a LOT of wild camping, and saw a LOT of castles! Loch An Eilein Castle, (which I could swim to) is just outside the town of Aviemore (which reminded me a little of Banff, Canada.) I had the pleasure of doing an interview with Speysound, a local (and wonderful! community radio station) while there.

We toured a LOT of the country and one of our destinations was Urquart Castle, on Loch Ness. Once upon a time this castle was inhabited by the Grant family (my mother’s side are the Grant’s) so naturally we had to go have a tour!

Naturally, I had a swim in Loch Ness it was a MUST!! So coooold, but refreshing. No Nessie sightings, either.

Living on the road and camping in a tiny home on wheels, I might just have to devote an entire blog to just that subject but if there is any desire at all to do such a thing, I say go for it. We had a solar panel, which helped immensely, charging our Ipad/Iphone and the wee cooler (fridge) we took along.

We played a good few shows and really got to see the ins and outs of Scotland (again, to read more and look at more photos, click on the link above re: Scotland Blog on Roots Music Canada.) Of course we also had to take in a Whiskey Tour, which lead us to Talisker, the Lovely distillery on the banks of Loch Harbort, on the Isle of Skye. What a spot and I had no idea how it all went down. Yummy stuff!

Talisker Distillery

Also, we climbed a mountain. My first ever mountain! It was pretty much the hardest physical thing I have ever done. At the time I thought “GET ME OFFA THIS THING!” And I was cursing life. But the next day, as we were driving away from the area, I saw that majestic mountain from a whole new perspective and it got me thinking that I might even try doing another one sometime. Ben Hope…. A gorgeous rock!

Holding on for dear life at the top of Ben Hope 937metres

Moving on from that EPIC adventure in Scotland, and onto some great news…

After months of waiting, I finally received a few boxes of freshly pressed brand new CD’s. A lot goes into the manufacturing side, not to mention the performance side! There were NERVES let me tell you. The past winter, I had a concert in the city of Bern with a fellow (wonderful!) songwriter Peter Finc, who happens to also record LIVE SHOWS! Double whammy of goodness… So we recorded this “Live In Bern” project And I am happy with the way it turned out, even if a few of my nerves are present… You can order a copy from ME personally and I will send it to you snail mail style. I am not releasing this one online. Just shoot me an email lindsay@lindsayferguson.com

Onto deliciousness… We are into the third year now, of having a garden/food forest. It has been so generous this year. Every day heading outside with a basket, collecting free organic, no pesticides, food grown from seeds. It blows my mind. My husband is more the green thumb but slowly I am getting into it. I SURE Love to cook and prepare the stuff. Small miracles in the back yard…

Calendula and Green Onions

Oven roasted potatoes and beets from our garden

The last weekend of Summer, 2018 was a goodie. I had the opportunity to sing in Osogna, Ticino, Switzerland. It is the Italian part of Switzerland, you have to cross the Gotthard pass (mountain) to get there. What a weekend of beauty. From mountain water pools, to balmy nights eating figs to glaciers…

I welcome Autumn. It is my favourite time of year. I look forward to the nights geting longer, making pumpkin soup, eating by candlelight, wrapping up in sweaters and scarves. Hikes through the forest in the Fall, there is nothing like it! I am happy for it’s arrival and that I too, am here to enjoy it.

We Are Warriors

We might not be fighting a war, half naked, wearing pelts to keep us warm, with purple lips, lice filled hair, our bodies caked with mud and blood. We might not be fighting herds of axe carrying humans leaving hoards of the dead in our wake. No, we are living in a much later time, somewhat as barbaric but nowhere near the days when humans believed the Earth was flat. We can, however, still be warriors in our own right.

11th_century_warrior_axes_from_the_Castle_Gruyères

Every person is fighting something. I wake up some mornings, groggy, fighting the desire to return to my dreaming. Instead I focus on my breathing and prepare for the day ahead, visualizing what will become of it. Centering myself in light and hoping for a fresh perspective, hoping for the essence of positivity.  Some mornings I am too tired to meditate on this, or too busy/late to think about it. Doubting if any of it works anyway.  Focusing on what is good in life, does not always make me feel good. My inner fight between resistance and doing is constant. Game of Thrones or Guitar? Sweeping or Singing? Hiking or Hiding? There is always a choice and always an opposite. I am always in the "throws." Assuming you are too, what is the secret? To do or not to do.

Lindsay_in_a_pose_of_uncertainty_two_minds

Speaking of TWO MINDS... here is a song from my new RECORD featuring JOFO https://soundcloud.com/secretchameleon/two-minds JOFO has also just released an awesome record... Check HIM out HERE

We always get through, don't we? One foot in front of the other. I suppose there are ways to enhance our days, perhaps meditating on the good stuff, incorporating that into our daily lives (like I try to do in the mornings!) Maybe those seemingly small things are what makes it all okay at the end of the day.  I do know that all of it takes hard work. It is true that nothing great comes easy and fast. I was having a conversation with a friend of mine yesterday, about the music industry (a can of worms!) She is just about to release her first album and is feeling defeated. I too feel this on a regular basis, there is nothing quite like comparing ourselves to others!  I am almost ten years in and am working on NOT doing this. Still, we bust our butts and climb that mountain! There is no try, there is only Do or Do Not. (Thanks Yoda) That inner fighting continues "Am I good enough?"  Quieting the negative and holding onto your Warrior. This is what matters....

Warrior_Goddess_Painting_at_Castle_Gruyères_by_Konrad_Busslinger

There is so much noise out there though! So many people with so many opinions. It is so hard to figure out what to learn from and what to leave. Don't we all get mixed up sometimes? Where to draw the line, what to keep and what to discard. It's funny, someone will mention to me after a concert, how touched they were by my performance. I need those words of encouragement! Sometimes though, 'the not so pretty' stuff sticks and I find myself in the middle of singing a song, thinking about that time someone told me they didn't like the song. That I shouldn't sing it at all. If only we could hold on tight to what matters and let go of what does not. It is a constant struggle though, isn't it? Oh to be a warrior!!

A_little_warrior_bird_that_we_saved

I can only do what is best for me and hope that in some tiny way I am getting through to someone out there. It is true, not everything I do will resonate in a positive manner, but I will do my best to fight the resistance within, release the harmful thoughts of others and be that warrior!! 

Hugs and Love from a computer somewhere..

Lindsay xo