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.

Adventure Awaits Us All

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The first flight I remember was when I was seven years old. We were heading back to Bermuda, my first home. I will never forget seeing the world below me get smaller and smaller until we were above the clouds, and all you could see for forever were mountains of white, gray & purple. I used to dream about what it would feel like to be out among them, bouncing around, floating, having my own kingdom in the clouds. Turns out my imagination is the only place where I can actually do that....

The next trip I would take (I was eleven) would be again, to Bermuda. This time I was alone, meeting my Dad over there. It was the only trip we would take (alone) together, and I hold those memories near and dear.   Whenever I smell gas (petrol) I think of my Dad, either on the back of a moped leaning in, or snugged up tight on the back of the ski-doo out in the wild snowy fields of Prince Edward County. 

Travel and Adventure started at an early age, perhaps already in my soul from the start, but thankfully, my parents gave me many an opportunity to do so,  I still Love exploring various parts of the world. The people you meet, the places you see, the scents, the sounds... It really is an incredible feeling; sometimes stupendous, sometimes humbling but always life changing.

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As a touring musician, I have been given the opportunity to play in and feel the vibe of some pretty marvelous spots. Being able to get to far off places with guitar in hand, is awesome and (I must say) pretty addictive. There's something about the connected-ness of it all, meeting folks with similar mindsets, soul wishes and more. That "Hunt for life, for life" I have spoken of before just keeps on playing....

There are people who would rather stay home. I too am one of them at times, there is a time for everything, but for the folks out there who wish upon a star to go somewhere different, to see something, to feel something new, I encourage it TEN FOLD. There are many ways to do it if money is the largest worry. I am lucky because I have music to pave the way, so I know with that skill, it makes things a little easier, but the world is so much bigger (AND SMALLER) than I ever thought. People will always help you along the way, from a bite to eat to a hostel/camp-ground recommendation, to a smile, you will never be alone and such connected-ness helps to dwindle fear.

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You just never know what kind of magic awaits or what kind of food or what kind of splendid architecture! Visions of wonder and beauty imprinted on your minds eye forever...

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The friends you can make! I asked my Grandfather, nearing the end of his 95years, what he thought the most important thing was, his gift of advice to me... He said you can never have too many friends. He and his wife (of nearly 65years) traveled across the world from Quebec to New Zealand when they were in their eighties. Amazing. And so far he has been right. There are many guest rooms, couches and back yards that we are privvy to, just because we went out there in search of travel adventure. Every person I have ever met started out as a stranger, so there's that....

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One day, I too would like to get down to New Zealand and Australia. I suppose one has to reach far and wide to get where they need to go. In the meantime, home is also a valuable place to be and a much needed sanctuary. However that search to find out about other people's lives, taste food from the soils of far away, dream up and off into clouds above new scenery, laugh together under a different set of stars, sitting round a campfire smelling of peat, or the view from a mountain village or the scenery of an old seaside town... Ahhhh so very fulfilling and wondrous indeed! The things I don't know that I yearn to know, through travel....

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Home is where the heart is.

Come People

There is a river rushing outside my window. You can hear it and it runs pretty quickly especially after a long rain, which is happening right now. The river here is not one for diving into, as it is mostly shallow, but it is crystal clear and you can bend down to drink it's glorious cold right from your hand.

I also hear the harmony of bells from the sheep and miniature ponies, grazing on the long green grasses in our fields around this old farm house.

I Love to open all the windows and just revel in all the sounds that are flowing in. The days and nights are getting colder though, and this unique soundtrack will be missed. Living here in Switzerland is different from our Canadian life, but similarities balance both. The food may taste a little different, friends and family have different ways and faces and the hills around here may be a little steeper than those in the Gatineau.

Bottom line though, I have learned through travel and massive change, that you will be who you are wherever you live. You will find things that piss you off and you will find ways to bring joy into your life. You live with yourself your entire life and the way to get through it is not running away hoping for a deep, profound change from within. This ideal/new “solution” will last until the newness rubs off, and then it's back to you again. You with all your fear, strength, insecurities, happiness, anger; over all mood swings (that may or may not be a part of your life.)

Some folks look at me with stars and dreams in their eyes when I talk about living between two countries. For the most part, I do not see it that way. I used to, when I first came here forever ago, it was so new and I was given a fresh perspective for awhile, but me and my life will follow me wherever I go, there is no escape! There is only will. Will to keep going, will to better oneself, will to face fear, will to accept fear, will to conquer fear, will to eat better, will to be better, will to make art (in some form) a part of your life (cinema, art exhibits, baking, reading, music, whatever, there is so much choice in artful ways!!)

Finding the will to teach and to learn is also fundamental. Finding that balance between hearing and being heard...There is no simple way to blast through this cosmos, we are all one in this case, and we can all do it. I suppose accepting that there will be days filled with frown and days filled with smile, and sometimes the two shall meet. Wherever we are in this world, one foot in front of the other, trying to find our way through this beautiful and sad place, knowing we are not alone in the battle but rather we are one. Now HERE is a profound and beautiful heart lifting song that might just hammer that last nail in about what I am going on about... Music speaks louder after all! Introducing Xavier Rudd's COME PEOPLE.