Anyone with Joan Armatrading in their collection is alright by me. When Duane and I first met and I learned that not only did he know of Joan, but he LIKED her music, I was smitten. In fact, one of our earliest dates took us to her concert at the old Tower Theater on Westheimer. Magical. When she sang “Willow” and we flicked our lighters and swayed to the song, the theater overflowed with love. And, I swear it wasn’t one of those self-conscious clap your hands with the band scenarios. It was pure and true.

So, here I sit in our new digs in Nelson, NZ listening to Joan Armatrading and once again I’m feeling the love.

Whenever I visit a new friend’s house, I like to snoop. No, it’s not the drawers or the diaries, it’s the books and the music and the walls. What are they reading? listening to? hanging up? From this inventory I see how we relate. Is it all Tom Clancy and pictures of bluebonnets? If so, we may not go far. Do I spy Barbara Kingsolver’s Poisonwood Bible? maybe a little Catpower playing in the background? Have wild flowers been plucked into a little glass vase…..ah, in that case, I see a blossoming friendship.

And, so it is with our new home. This house, this space enchants us. I feel a connection with Kathleen. Her shelves are lined with books I’ve cherished. And, who can deny the wisdom of Dylan, Van, REM……..and Joan? The garden is beautiful…. not too manicured, brimming with alyssum, impatiens, agapanthus, lobelia, and, well, too many to name. We even have strawberries, figs, lemons and tomatoes – can we be self-sustaining? Not quite.

I guess you might say we’re happy with our space for the year. Honestly, it’s all we could have hoped for from an internet search and some jpegs. There’s plenty of space for the kids to explore, a sweet kitty named Smudge and lots of nooks for Duane and I to sip a glass of wine and look across the bay to the mountains. We hope you come join us.

This is not the best recording, but here's some Joan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl3i1GMuyeU