A new song written on our journey to Asheville, NC, where we will be living next year (After we sell our house) but meanwhile transitioning too, visiting with family, becoming acclimated to the wonderful artistic mountain culture.

 My impression of the culture, initially, was of an art town, filled from northern transplants. But it is a far more diverse community than than, with many folks with deep roots in the Blue Ridge mountain South, many folks struggling to make ends meet, working low-wage and second jobs, or unemployed--as we see throughout the country. Many without (or with inadequate) health insurance. yet, among them I have noted that a spirit of good will prevails--with some exceptions, of course) in Asheville, NC.

It is amazing. We are about a half mile from the Blue Ridge parkway, and the trailer we are buying is in a tiny settlement in the hills. We had a huge snow and ice storm over Christmas, and it was extremely difficult to move about at all, and folks lost power, and snow plows did not operate as they should. Yet, the people adapted and survived.

We look forward to being close to linda's daughter and her husband--two of my adult step-kids (how do you say it, these days, in a blended family). I look forward to music collaboration in the area, while Linda looks forward to pursuing her arts and crafts. I may attend a Celtic church near Black Mountain while she will practice her Bahai faith.

It will be a good new phase of our lives together. We will express our individuality, while continuing to nurture our commitment and bond.

I almost forgot: we may work part-time, teaching or counseling. And I will continue with advocacy for the poor and grassroots work as a loyal Democrat, moderate-liberal and Obama supporter.

Will all be rosy, with no personal trauma, or at least significant bumps in the road? Of course not. My generally eastern perspective (Taoism) informs me that life consists of an endless series of ups and downs, but hopefully will be characterized by gradual movement in the direction of (spiritually based) mindfulness. Both Linda and I have experienced life trauma, of course, over the years. But I believe that we are on the pathway of healing--though we stumble along the way.

Best wishes and happy new year to all of my Facebook and OpenSalon comrades, and to our family and friends...

(If you want to hear a rough rendition, here is the url...)

 http://www.4shared.com/file/185376557/b644d22e/blue.html

You must hit download several times to get to it...Now, the copyrighted lyrics...

I'm gonna be travelin'

be travelin' on

I'm gonna be searchin'

for the truth

and singin' my song

I'm gonna make

the future real

leave the past behind

I'm gonna take my woman

with me to the Blue Ridge line

We're gonna dream so fine

Now, it don't matter

what the future may bring

In the fire of dusk

we're gonna sing

We're gonna share

life's mystery

with the people we find

we're gonna make our final stand

near  the Blue Ridge line

I'm gonna share

my simple songs

with folks so true

a guitar man

who I met. We're gonna

play it blue 

 I'm gonna make the future real

 leave the past behind

I'm gonna take my woman

with me to the Blue Ridge line

We're gonna share our love

for free near the Blue Ridge line

(copyright 2009 by Patrick Frank)