Ken and my lives are nothing if not changing all the time. Back in March of this year we got a request to perform at an event in Grand Forks BC (the town that Ken grew up in). The town is home to a large group of Doukhobors who immigrated to Canada in the late 1800s. Very interesting story, best read in detail here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doukhobors#Migration_to_Canada. Or do a search. The take home point for us is that they are pacifists, vegetarians and left Russia for a life where they could determine their own destiny. It was an event that is held annually, and has been for 75 years to celebrate “75 Years of Coming Together in Peace, Brotherhood and Song”

So we dusted off our guitars, and practiced for a month, got new calluses on our fingers and then headed off to Grand forks. Well we first stopped in Kelowna to practice with friends there, who were going to accompany us. AND we just fit into their driveway…. an inch to spare.

Then we had a great time practicing the songs ……. THIS one is FOR WHOM. a song based on the concept that our children do not inherit the earth from us, we BORROW IT from them.

Irene and Paul also come from Grand Forks, and Irene was the one who “promoted” 😃 us for this event.

We spent Friday night at Lizzies place (Irene’s sister) and one of “the grasshoppers” a band of girls, sisters and cousins who have been playing together for ??? 50 years. Oh and look at Tucker the photo bomber.

AND then the main event. A Doukhobor mens choir involving many generations.

We were dead last on the agenda….. which is always hard, because you spend the whole time getting more nervous. IT HAD been over 3 years. AND I WAS nervous, it DOES take a few verses to get the air moving properly through the vocal chords 🥺🥺 AND there was someone in audience to capture our performance and so here it is. Women in Black after all these years.

I must say that the event was life changing for me. We got such a great response, it just felt so great. Since we moved back to Canada we just have not received so much interest as we did in the US, the politics seemed of less interest in Canada. I guess my fragile musical ego, sort of crumbled after a few events in our area….. and so I guess I put the music away on a shelf somewhere, TOOK on different things.

But to play at an event that was held by a large group of Pacifists, it inspired me. The real message of the event was Peace, and peace comes with pacifism, and not choosing sides.

At the same time, we are now BOTH retired and free to travel, so I am thinking that as we travel this fall that we will try to find events with political motivations that we can perform at. It will make for a very different winter journey… ROCKS and music.

NOW HIS GUY is a real boon to our music…… when we think he is ready for a nap, we just pull out our guitars and he just snuggles into a chair and goes to sleep. Not quite sure what that means, but he just seems mesmerized when we play. ….

Plant Identification.

Oh and I should tell you all about our latest bread ingredient. We have TONS of morel mushrooms, and so I have dried them and put them through the food processor to make them into powder and then just add that with the flour while making bread and presto…. mushroom bread. Incredibly moist, dark and Talon seems to love it.

I guess I am feeling like we are getting our Mojo back…..

Much love from Janet, Ken and Tucker the photobomber hound.