Big News! We get to open for Olivia Newton John!

Yep it’s pretty surreal.  All those years ago, listening to the sound track of “Grease” (on 8 track LOL!) Knowing every word by heart,never imagining for one moment that our paths would cross on the same stage!  How wild!  We’ll be opening Thursday 9/6 @ the Eagle River Pavilion, more details to follow in the “show” section of this newsletter.  

This goes to show that sometimes just showing up and doing what you love, matters.  Yes, there are 50 million opportunities that might not ever call on you…but you might get that one.  That is what is cool about the music business, (or criminal some colleagues might confess).  You can be playing at a Pizza joint one day and then off to the big giant stage the next and through it all you are still the same “schmuck” with a guitar and a hand full of songs!  Haaaa!!!

It’s perfect psychology food, at least at the level that I play.  I can’t get “too big for my britches” and Lord knows, I wouldn’t want to.  But we get a couple “bones” thrown our way and we are so delighted!  Everyone needs a “bone” coming to them once in a while.  If I knew what it was for you…I’d throw it!!!!  Some people withhold the bones on purpose…they don’t like giving people a thing…usually a person like that has nothing to spare inside.  The best thing for those folks is compassion.  They may have so much but can’t see it…and we’ve all been there at a time or two.

Coming off our Montana tour I am in such gratitude for the people that I met and the landscape that I got to witness…and I should say BEAR witness cause we saw some BEAR up there in the Glacier area!  How FUN!  Our trip started with 3 shows out the gate in Great Falls…the people were fantastic…I particularly LOVED Belt Montana…home of “Pig Ass Porter” what a great group of people and a cute little town!

Getting to vaca. is always a treat on the road and we did just that, heading north to the Canadian Glaciers with trailer in tow.  Then across to the Kalispel/Whitefish area for more shows. Then down to Missoula back to familiar territory of Stanley (which a lot of terrain was on fire). Though it was smokey we played a fun show to great local crowd at Sawtooth Luce’s in Stanly…thank you Josh and the gang for all your amazing support and warmth!  

Now back in Boise we are at it this week at these places:
Wed. 9/5  Smoky Mtn. Pizza  7-9pm
Thrus 9/6  Eagle River Pavilion to open for Olivia doors open @ 6 we’ll play 7-8ish then kick it with you all and watch Olivia do her thing!!!
Friday 9/7  Art in the Park  (Julia Davis) Boise  5-7
Sat.  9/8  Eagle Farmers Market  10:30-1
Sun – Thurs.  MOUNTAIN RIVER Outfitters TRIP  down Hells Canyon
Tues.  9/18  Edward’s Green House for an UNPLUGGED SHOW   6-8

I have so much to share and of course I’m running up to the wire…so I’ll leave you all with that…thank you for all your support and encouragement.  Our opportunities are because people like you believe in us and we appreciate it so much!

Much gratitude!

Niccole & Mo

Who’s got the time?

Those who make time.

I’ve noticed some folks have popped off the e-mail list and some have added themselves.  Life is a fine line of doors closing and opening isn’t it? My motto lately has been…”NO OPINION”.  I’ve been trying to look at things with no opinion, try it…it’s not that easy all the time.  You feel your little “opinion” popping up in your head when conversations are slinging around.  Some people sit back and listen, others get in there and participate in conversation, some folks bully themselves around to be heard.  Some folks you want to hear but dare they disclose their insight.  I love being around people, I learn so much and with “no opinion” I try desperately to “stay in the middle”  of course I HAVE and opinion…everyone does…do you like vanilla? chocolate? Mac or PC?  Coke or Pepsi?  Hendricks Gin or Bombay (ha…had to get that in there for those who’ve been following along!)

I love to people watch and I’ve always said I have the best seat in the house as a performer.  I tell Mo, “I don’t know any one that would be aloud to stand up in a restaurant, bar gig and just look around”…it would be weird if I weren’t singing right?  I mean, could we all agree on that or is it just my opinion?  If I didn’t have a guitar in my hands or a voice popping out harmony…it would be a strange seat for me to just look into everyone’s eyes and stand up in the middle of a place on some random Sat. night.  The show from my perspective is a completely different show than you all might see.

This might freak some people out.  Am I watching YOU?!  LOL!  People might have an opinion about that…some folks might drop off the list and NEVER want to see another show…paranoid I may be thinking something too while I play and gaze around the room.  Some people want to be watched (I’ve noticed) others avert their eyes and others catch a moment and somehow that moment becomes ours.  That shrunken piece of time  where I can see into someone’s soul and they see into mine.  I see their true selves and it makes me smile and they smile back at me for whatever they see.  I just LOVE that.  I think it use to scare the hell out of me at first…”what will they see” ha!  And sometimes when I’m feeling not so confident I can still get a bit nervous and avert my own eyes.  It DOES take some concentration to play, remember your words and to now and then to be hit with a stare that runs so deep,  can derail most any musician.  I’ve seen it happen many times, to myself and others…we are human after all.  Our confidence levels are random on any given day and performing definitely puts a gage out there to be in touch with it.  No opinion helps though.  No judgment about what you did or didn’t do, said or forgot to say, bumbled chord or flawless arpeggio.  Music is great practice for “no opinion” and these newsletters are too.

Half the time I sit down and write a title like I did today, “who’s got the time” and I go completely in another direction!  I was going to tell you about my dog chasing chizzlers in Stanley (chizzlers = chipmunks)  stomping like a bear with both feet into a wood pile.  I was going to mention about how yesterday I was waiting for a friend so I laid out in her yard and stared up at a GREAT tulip tree blowing in the wind and it swallowed me up with it’s unspoken language.  I was having an opinion that if I shared that, would people think “all I do is lay around staring up at trees and write songs…must be nice to have that kind of time”.  But who has the time to just go out an lay in the yard for 5 minutes and watch the wind blow?  Letting it fill them up?  Anyone who MAKES the time to do that can.  And if you are on your lunch break gazing up at some maple or cottonwood (the best is lying on the grass stretched out…my preference) and cars are passing you wondering if you had a heart attack or if you passed out from heat stroke…that is their opinion or view point.  You can’t control what others think about you…it’s virtually impossible and I always say, “their thoughts are none of my business.”  So…give yourself the freedom and the time to do what feeds your soul.

We hope that you find good “soul time” with us at our shows and with these writings!  Be well and hope to see you this week here:

Tues. 7/31 @ the Liquid there is a fundraiser for Angela…a very important event for this little lady.  We’ll play sometime around 6:30-8 and the details about her are here http://benefitforangela.blogspot.com.  Please make a contribution if you can to the cause. No amount is too small, she really needs financial assistance!

Wed. 8/1 @ the Bardenay in Eagle 6-9 pm for an all ORIGINAL (that means self penned songs) set list!!!
Thurs. 8/2  @ Hyde St. Pub 7-10 pm for another all Original set!  🙂

We will be playing for RIDE IDAHO this Sat. in New Meadows.

How do you know if you have “road-ass”?

Your back end starts to take on the impression of the car seat! 

Or at least your lower back starts to gel into your knees.  Yep!  It was a sweaty drive to Jackson Wyoming last week for me.  A marathon drive to spend a little bit of time with my family.  No, I’m not from Wyoming, but if you listen to “Sweet Wyoming” you’ll know that I’m very connected to that area and so is my family.  They all drove in to the “Hole” as we call it, to kick it for a few days and though it was short it was a sweet trip.

I brought food and packed up our little ride of a trailer.  Mo stayed in Boise to visit her Mom and Big Dog came with me.  I was proud of myself for getting an early start only to be pulled over by a motorcycle cop to my surprise.  Turns out, for as organized as I thought I had been, I forgot to put the TAGS on my trailer!  Ugh!  I HAD the tags…and I knew right where they were once I got out of the truck and looked at the tag that clearly said 2011~ !  DAMN!

So I turned around (as life can “Turn around on you” at any given moment) and drove to the other side of town (still in Boise thank God) where home was and stuck the tags I bought back in Feb. on the trailer.  Now I had a whole 6-8 hour drive ahead of me to call myself names LOL!  Instead of kicking my own butt all the way across the state I decided to dip into some music I haven’t listened too in a long time.

People ask when Mo and I are on the road, “what do you listen to” and really…we don’t.  We get into philosophical conversations all the time.  That’s the great part of Mo…she definitely can philosophize with me about most anything and as you well know by now…I think a lot!  Ha!  But on this day, I decided to rummage through some Allison Krause and then onto a killer collection of random up-comings Rochelle gifted me.  It was great!  The heat was forgiving but the wind swept my fuel away faster than you can drink a milkshake!  DAMN!

I pulled into the “Hole” by 4pm and my family put on a feast.  Infact, I contributed nothing to the table…not even olives (a favorite of mine, green always), Dad had that covered.  We had ridiculous conversations around the campfire.  You know families… the weird things you talk about.  I discovered a great Gin my brother was doling out called “Hendricks”.  Fabulous gin if you like gin.  Essence of cucumber and Juniper…yum.  The last time we all got together in the “Hole” my mother was alive.  So it’s been 10 years.  Wow!  Can it be that long?  It seems impossible how fast time goes.

I sang songs around the campfire with my sister and the dogs figured out their pecking order.  The journey home was a long HOT drive. 105!  Sizzling across the desert!  Just for kicks I put in my older CD’s (Dents and Smile) which kept me occupied for a few hours. I laughed and cried…it was the most bizarre experience.  To listen to  my younger self sing those songs and remember where I was at the time.  To listen through on how we arranged each song and think about ALL that growth! Wow!  My voice has shifted it’s place and I can HEAR THAT!  Blows me away.  It seems to come from a place so much deeper now. How fortunate am I to have a “scrap book” of life on audio.  I don’t listen to my own stuff all that often and I’m always tripped out by those that tell me they are going on a road trip and taking me with them.  I get it now.  I’m quite proud of the whole collection and more and more certain that there will always be more to come.  More songs to write, deeper to go and improvements to make as I hopefully get wiser.  What a trippy experience that I’m ever so grateful.  I will always make music for as long as I can.

And now it’s off to Stanley this week!  Another jaunt but not as far and hopefully a bit cooler!  Here’s where we are playing up there…

Wed. 7/25  Sawtooth Luce’s  6-9  this was such a great show last time.  The owners are such sweet people and the Pizza and view are well worth the drive!

Sat. 7/28  Idaho Rocky Mtn. Ranch 6:15- 9.  This is an epic place to play.  Panoramic view of the mountains and gourmet meals.  They only have spots available to the public for about 15-20 people so if you would like to attend please call and make reservations (208) 774-3544

NEXT WEEK

Tues. 7/31 @ the Liquid there is a fundraiser for Angela…a very important event for this little lady.  We’ll play sometime around 6:30-8 and the details about her are here http://benefitforangela.blogspot.com.  Please make a contribution if you can to the cause. No amount is too small, she really needs financial assistance!

Wed. 8/1 @ the Bardenay in Eagle 6-9 pm for an all ORIGINAL (that means self penned songs) set list!!!
Thurs. 8/2  @ Hyde St. Pub 7-10 pm for another all Original set!  🙂

We will be playing for RIDE IDAHO next weekend in New Meadows.  If you are in Boise, come on out to one of these shows next week and take a trip down memory lane with us!  Should be a great time.  And if you are up in the “hills”, we hope we catch you up there!  Meanwhile, go snag one of your old journals and read through a paragraph just to blow your own mind.  You’ve really come a long way baby!!! 🙂

The moral of the story?  Why beat yourself up (for forgetting tags) life will do that enough.  Be kind to yourself…drink good Gin!  LOL!

Nicc & Mo

Quality vs. Quantity which wins?

Quality vs. Quantity…which wins?

Well, you may say…”it depends.”  I remember a board game back in the 90’s (of course I forget the name of that game ha!) and it was a matter of “True”, “False” or it “Depends”.  You had to play with friends you knew so you could call their bluff…and 9 times out of 10, I always said, “it depends”.   The joy and pain of seeing both sides sometimes pissed off my friends or made them more appreciative…it “depended” on the situation.  (o.k. I had to look it up…the game was called Scruples and it was out in the 80’s  holy cow…gotta love Google! who needs a memory?)Quality wins broadly with me, however if you have a hundred one dollar bills it really doesn’t MATTER the quality of the pressed paper to pay for this or that…so in some circumstances…quantity wins out.  However, why eat cheap ice cream?  If you are going to go the distance and indulge…by God, get the good stuff!  Ya know?

This is my thought of this last week.  We played quality shows and not everyone was a “sell out” (meaning there were still tickets at the box office heh heh) but they were truly fun and powerful.  We had a load of shows in the heat and the smoke filled air, though the air quality was terrible, we managed to breath easily, almost surprisingly so.

I give credit once again to being in the “flow” of life.  I have been filled with so much gratitude for the simplest things.  There has been a calmness that is indescribable.  Each life is like a river.  We all have our path we cut though in the earth.  We all make a mark here, some how and some way.  We flow around things, through things, over things, underthings.  We fall into sink holes and cascade down mountains. We get caught up in the “eddies” of our processes or sucked up by the turbulence of the outer world we live in…but going deeper to the underbelly of the bed rock, getting comfortable with the rush of things going by or the current that takes you to a place “unknown” or in some cases “always known.”  This river, this life,  is an interesting journey that fascinates me each day.  And perhaps my explanation of my grandest “ah-ha” moments are not presenting themselves clearly to you  in the reflection of my waters but I have been mildly blown away with the subtle awarenesses that have come over me (or shall I say, “over come me?”)

The quantity of my mailing list subscribers my decrease due to these philosophical musings and my apologies for my inner ramblings, but I do believe the quality of our audiences have gotten better and better as time goes by.  Is it me?  Am I MORE appreciative?  Am I just getting old! HA!  Do I see the infinite in the finite time we have together?  As listeners, teachers, learners and friends?

Shutting my eyes to a song I played to 10 people at the end of the night,  I was transported, to another space, another time zone it seemed and they all went with me…or at least it felt that way and when I opened my eyes I was dizzy.  It was FABULOUS!  Perhaps I’m just starting to find my niche,  or just remembering more of myself or just “rolling down the river” and not getting caught up.  It sure was GREAT to SPEND QUALITY time and exchange with those lovely people who stayed aboard at Wood River Cellars Sat.   Thank you for being open hearted.  Thank you for such a great exchange of energy and for making my week.

The image I have been shown in my minds eye has been of a river bed rock.  Sitting at the bottom of that fast moving current I have been noticing the waters rushing past me.  I have deadlines on the East Coast to take care of, and students to plan for, engagements to keep, people to connect with, business to do, phone calls, bills, dogs to walk (ha…thought I’d throw that in there!)  practice practice practice….and here I am…observing from the bottom looking up from my bed rock.  Deciding what is important.  Recognizing the eddies I find myself floating into, correcting myself, moving down stream, forgiving myself, moving down stream, stopping to check out things along the way, getting caught up, freeing myself once again, moving down stream, floating where I am now, thinking about past river bends, disconnecting from past, forgiving others, forgiving self, moving down stream, preparing for water falls, letting go, trusting my currents…moving downstream.  I am the bed rock, the river, the obstacles that are in my way, the force to over come those obstacles…andSO……   ARE…..    YOU….!!!  

Is’nt it beautiful????

Oh…and a side note…   a quality show will be happening at Smoky Mountain Pizza in Eagle Wed.  7/18 from 7-9  🙂 

Would love to see you quality folks there.  It’s our only show this week so we’ll make it a good one!    See you down the river!

Nicc  & Mo

Continuation of Lawn Furniture from June’s Newsletter.

Ok…onward to the babble of my brain….

First let me just say in review of last weeks 6 shows in 5 days,  wow!  From Alive after 5 and all the people, to a fantastic new deck at Smoky Mountain Pizza with a rowdy crowdy there, to fans baking in the sun with us, and the extra bugs on our windshield from driving to Fruitland for a wedding, to the awesome Sue Komen event the Busting Out of Boise folks put on…what a stint of amazing experiences!  I could write a book on just this one week alone!  Thank you folks, for sharing yourselves and being part of these gigs.

Now, on with the “cliff hanger”.  Mo busts my chops cause I have a hard time lying…lieing…no, not lying down…being deceitful.  I think she admires that quality so I don’t know why she teases me about it.  She says I get  a look in my eye any time I try to fib.  It’s pretty annoying.  I can’t get away with much and she laughs at my transparency.  Of course, I have noticed as I’ve gotten older…I really can’t stand to be nothing but honest.  It suits me easier.

Some of you might remember a show where I was telling a story and trying to keep a guys name out of it, then slipped…that’s how loose my mind is…I can’t spend energy on holding in truth…it just bubbles out.  Classic example, if we try to get in some place and I don’t have a ticket…you know, the ol’  sneak in…Mo says I look frantic, and I probably do.  I just hate doing stuff like that, maybe it’s the consciousness my mother raised me with, but I like to be upfront with the extra change the lady gave me at Winco or the guy that I just saw drop a $20 spot on the ground.

So, I went to the store to return some rotten peppers…ha!  The same store I got the chinsey furniture. (Now you are thinking, where do they sell furniture AND food, she’s going to ” __________” ) It was the principle of the matter.  We were all geared up to make stuffed peppers and we cut two of our four peppers open and they looked GREAT on the outside but on the inside they were nasty.  That’s another thing that annoyes the daylights out of me…being deceived! Ha!  The veggies were bad.  Have you ever cut into a brand new avocado to find it simply gross?  And of course you aren’t going to take it back to the store, you have no time.  Well…maybe I have too much time (don’t think so) or I’m just a principle girl but those peppers went back and I got my whole 3 dollars and change for it. LOL!  It’s not the money, it’s “DON’T SELL ROTTEN FOOD TO PEOPLE!!!” lesson ! Arrrrggg!

While exchanging my bad peppers I told the lady about my fight with the lawn furniture.  She recognized and conspired to my agitation.  She had to assemble some things in the stock room and it was a mortifying experience.  So, we swapped war stories and laughed at ourselves and the crap that we buy.  She said, “just bring it back and swap it out for the demo, I’m sure they’ll do that for you.”  Mind you, this woman is in charge of customer service and I’m sure there are all different departments that have to know about this and that when it comes to exchanges.

Well, I put the table together, the simplest of all the items, and I took off the cushions to the chair.  The chair was not going to be completed due to a screw hole that was WAY off the mark.  If I had a drill gun maybe and a tap, possibly but I wasn’t going to get THAT involved over it.   I walked in with my faulty chair and as I passed through the doors I thought, I’m just going to swap this out.  Mo always said, “just act like you know what your doing” and people seem to leave you alone.  So…I tested her theory.  I clearly had my receipt in hand had anyone thought I was stealing the chair.

I walked in the store carrying the bulky item.  Placed it next to the demo, began to take the cushions off the demo.  A lady passed by who worked there and said, “are you finding everything you need” and I piped up and said “YES!”  She quickly kept walking, not noticing the transparent look I might have had on my face.  I picked up the demo, walked out and put it in the truck.  In the parking lot I was wondering if there would be a guy approaching me to say, “hey lady”,  but there wasn’t.  It took me 2 minutes, in and out. My heart up in pulse.

So, is that stealing?  No.  Being defiant…maybe.  They definitely stole my time and I was not into hanging in a line explaining to so and so that the screw was just not going to go in this chair.  Who knows, I could have been faced with a manager of the furniture department hell bent on “screwing” something and I wasn’t going to waste further time finding out.

Sunday morning,  I make my coffee.  A latte’ in fact, hazelnut…my favorite.  Our 6th show of the week still to play.  My eyes are fuzzy and I sit in our new furniture out back.  Osa, my big dog, joins me.  I listen to the birds chirp and think…”I can lie…if I need to…is that good thing?”   Then I look at the table I just assembled,  a bird had freshly pooped on it.  I start cracking up.  Well that’s what I get I suppose.  As I take my 5th sip of “coffee” I realize, I forgot to add the espresso and was enjoying a Hazelnut steamed milk and with that I roared!

May you find a light heart and a peaceful state of mind, even if there is no coffee in your “coffee”.

Hope you enjoy the “inner ramblings of Nic”. Feel free to spread the word and have others subscribe to the Newsletter.

July’s Newsletter

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll tootsie pop?

a one, a two… a three…a THREE

If you are over 30, you probably got the answer correct.  🙂

Or shall I ask, how many times can Niccole out drive a very large animal in the road???  Read on, but first here’s our slew of shows for those that want to get down to business!

Tues. 7/10 Sockeye Grill @ 8-10 with Rochelle Smith (we call her Roxx for short and she’s awesome on the Mandolin, Box Drum and a perfect 3rd vocal harmony!

Wed. 7/11 Owyhee Plaza “Splash Bash” 7-10  Out there on the patio swimming in the pool and staying cool, listening to your favorite tunes, fun for the whole family!

Friday 7/13  Piper Pub @ 8:30-11:30  a down town treat

Sat. 7/14  Wood River Cellars @ 7-9 for those that like wine bar ambiance…this is it!

Wed. 7/18 Smoky Mtn. Pizza in Eagle 7-9pm ...a brand new patio, full bar, great menu…this place has done a fabulous job upping the scale of fun!

For directions and more details check our calander here  http://blazeandkelly.com/calendar-of-events/

OK…in review, we had a stellar time at the Botanical Garden’s Great Escape Concert on the 28th.  600 folks came out to the show and supported the gardens and us…thank you thank you!  That was a blast.  We took to the mountains to play Idaho Rocky Mtn. Ranch and Sawtooth Luce’s.  Both shows were awesome and the mountains were a well needed treat to get out of the heat and get some hiking in.  Big Dog “Osa” managed to find her way to the snow patches for a roll around in the cool white stuff and I walked away with only 3 mosquito bites, yippie!

Well…the answer you might be still reading for…let me qualify big animals…Elk, Moose, Buffalo, Horses and Cattle.

I’ve managed to dodge in past years, 2 very huge Elk and one Moose on a Motorcycle.  I hope to God I have 9 lives!  Last week while driving up to Stanly in the dark hours of the night I was very aware of all the animals on our travels.  I would flinch at any green eyed glow and come to a slow to pass a plethora (yes a “plethora) of deer (that means a LOT)!

Our last 5 miles we were on a straight away.  The speed limit 65 and I had people passing me by easily doing 80 in cars much smaller than mine.  I wondered, “what are they thinking…don’t they see all these animals”.  So I figured lady luck was with them.  I kept my speed around 60… and I’m usually a 5 miles over kinda gal…but, I’ve gotten wiser as I’ve aged LOL!

Last year when we were in Oregon we did a festival with the 13 Grandmothers (a side note…they are original  indigenous folks with many beautiful insights and great wisdom)  I listened to a woman speak of “Heart Math”.  Through scientific experiments, it has been proven, yes PROVEN, that the heart responds to incoming information 8-10 seconds BEFORE the brain! So, without knowing or realizing something cognitively, one can FEEL things beforehand that could indeed save their lives.  I found that fact interesting but really didn’t think about it too much all year.  Sure there was that one time during my teaching years that a volleyball came straight at my head and I gave it a one-two Kung Fu block before it smashed my face.  Yes there was that time I yanked my niece away from a car about to wildly back out of a parking lot.  But my near misses I figured was just reaction time.

So, back to Stanly…sleepy, driving the dark highway…my foot suddenly goes to the brake in a snabbing coolness to slow my Ford Explore to an immediate halt to which I find a Mama Elk and her baby stumbling out on the street!  4 FEET they were from my front bumper.  The Mama and baby both looked at me.  Mo and I looked at them…we both said “Holy Shit”…and found that Osa was buried in equipment that had flung it’s way to the front of the cargo area.  After unburying the dog and catching my breath Mo said, “how did you see them?” I simply didn’t…well, not immediately, it was unexplainable!

Not enough to react in time if I had.  It was that “thing” that phenomena that the woman spoke of…it had to be KNOWING, before I knew.  Now…some might read this and make the “coo-coo  coo-coo” noise and think I’m a freak…that’s cool, you can stop reading, or believing…but haven’t you had a time like that?  Where you motioned before any logic and saved yourself some serious misery?  Some call in divine intervention and yes, part of me believes that too…perhaps it wasn’t my time, or the Elks time or Osa is the good luck dog that happened to be piled on (not so lucky…she was fine, she just laid low til we unburied her).

It also seems to me, when something weird or terrible happens, it could always be worse.  Like  a friend of my pulling his handlebars off his motorcycle after he just parked it.  WHAT!!!  Near misses.  May you all be granted near misses!  There is something to be said for trying to be open enough for “spirit” to move through and kick all logic out.  Logic would not have helped in that situation.

So some are still waiting for the answer…how many times have I almost been obliterated by a very large beast?  A one, a two, a three!  One Elk ran into me up North…very scary…sent my Jeep 3 feet over. She rolled down the side and kept going.  Two, a Moose ran out next to me and looked at me on a motorcycle…she was higher than me and we traded speeds until she passed in front of me, and now this.  There’s also that time when I was 8 years old and not so lucky, nor tuned into the “Heart Math”. I was hit by a car waiting for my bus in the second grade.  Yeah…that was a bruiser…they kept going.  I broke my leg and was hospitalized for a few weeks.

An 8 year old kid in a plaster cast all the way up to the top of my thigh. Ugh.  I use to stuff a coat hanger down it to scratch any itch.  6 months in that cast…so, I haven’t gotten lucky ALL the time.  Here’s just hoping that my karma is cleared and I can ALWAYS follow my heart, even when I don’t KNOW what I’m doing!

I hope that goes the same with  you.  Cheers to “Heart Math” and the wonderance of fate and chance…it’s a pretty magical world we live in!

Hope our paths cross soon friends in resonance of ease and grace~!

Nic & Mo

Lawn Furniture

So, how many hours should it take to get 4 pieces of lawn furniture together?  

(and excerpt from June’s Newsletter)

For those of you that want to get right to the “knitty-gritty” on the show schedule, here’s what we are up to this week.  It’s quite a week.  A reason we bought new patio furniture to collaps on once the shows are over. 

Those of you curious of Zen and the art of assembly, by all means…read on after the schedule!  🙂

Wed. a double header (starts with a BANG!) We will be opening for the “Pole Cats” @ Live after 5 (approx. 5:15-5:45) downtown Boise on the Grove!

Then off to Smoky Mtn. Pizza in Eagle from 7-9

Thursday at a new venue “Busters” off of Broadway  7-10pm

Friday a Private Party

Sat. a wedding

Sunday a Sue Koman benefit that YOU are invited too, BBQ, great prizes and a good cause.
All details about the shows you can find here on our calander with links and everything!

Click  http://blazeandkelly.com/calendar-of-events/

Next week is Botanical Gardens Concert Series Thurs. the 28th!  Yay!

Now onto that patio furniture story for those who share the frustration of cheaply made things you pay too much money for here in America! We’ve been talking about getting some new “digs” for our back yard patio.  The ones we’ve had for the past 7 years was a hand me down from my sister and the pieces where shedding.  Not to mention, the squirrels did a number on the cushions.  Most of the batting is up in the tree, providing wonderfully for their nest.
The fat and happy squirrel stretches out on the tree limb gazing down, laughing at me.  Plotting it’s plan to attack our new furniture when big dog Osa is off duty.  While making coffee one morning, I looked out the back window to see this little rodent cheek a yard of batting after ripping apart the cushions.  Stuffing it’s face it looked like a kid in a marsh mellow eating contest with green batting foaming out the mouth.

So, the torn cushions was part of our motivation and also the frames were shedding and who knows, on a day when I was really full from one of Mo’s mighty burritos, I could collaps one of these chairs.  (She makes 10 lb. burritos…the size of an infant baby!)

We of course check into different places and yes, Craig’s List too.  I’m sure I’ll get a dozen people to respond and say,  “I could have GIVEN you our furniture had I known”…but it’s too late.  The damage is done and I should know to ALWAYS ask my listeners questions regarding stuff like this…my bad.  So, thank you in advance to  your response, be we are invested now.

We go to the department store (of which we will not mention…why should they get free advertising for selling cheaply made stuff!?)  After 3 shows in 2 days we are collapsing at the store…checking things out…truly relaxing.  We had lots of people walk by, and many who stopped that wanted to do the same but were off on their shopping agenda.  It’s of course a toss up between two styles so we go get some other things and let the decision roll around in our heads and agree…”O.K. this one”.  Yep…agreeing is nice, and we usually agree about most things thank God.

We take the mere 138 pound box home!  All of that fit s in this box and dare we try to lift it out of the truck? Nope!  Part of Zen mastery of lawn furniture…let it REST where it is and bend as necessary.  I’m serious…bend the hell out of it!  Those screws don’t fit…and the holes aren’t lined up.  The guy that drilled the original holes was asleep or hungover on a Monday talking to his friend on the job!  I attempted the task myself, it took me 2 hours to put one chair together!  And I’m GOOD at stuff like that!
The chinsey allen screw that they give you is made of a metal that will flake eventually, which is why they give you 3. But no extra screws mind you, if you lose it in the grass, your toast. The whole thing is a set up…a test.  There should be a real life TV show based on putting crap like that together.  You’ll see the dynamics of the relationship form before your eyes.  Kind of like watching a couple back a trailer up at a camp ground.  The guy is in the driver seat yelling at his wife…she’s trying to direct him and yelling back at him.  It’s hilarious!    You need a stiff drink to help your patience along and if you are like me…from New Jersey…there is a whole slew of limited Neanderthal vocabulary that we call around this house hold as “truck driver talk”.
I kept it together, but was amazed at what a pain in the butt it was!  Letting go, acquires a sense of humor.  We get attached to our goal.  We figure, o.k. we’ll have this up to sit in it by dinner time.  No such luck.  4 hours the first night, and hour last night and I still haven’t put the table up.  The Zen of it all is…don’t sweat the small stuff.  I will put that damn table up when I’m good and ready…plain and simple…it’s frustrating as hell.  No amount of mind altering substance could make a task like that better, only the sheer release of bitching about such a task.  Which has led me to now.  You people are providing me with the levity to “take on the TABLE!”  The last of the lawn furniture!  I mean, it looks great and is comfortable…but man, the way it is put together!  It could be a pre-test for a psychological diagnosis!  For those of you old enough, think of Pink Panther and the lawn chair that would not remain open.  Think of Mo holding this metal chair leg and me pushing to align the screw and then the damn washer falling in the grass.  Now listen to the truck driver talk…you get the picture?  The whole time I’m laughing as well cause it’s truly ridiculous.

So, pick a time when you have the patience to be annoyed as hell.  It really makes you wonder how things like that get built.  Buy American would be best, but do they sell American made stuff like that?  Probably not.  I had a hunch it might be a bugger to assemble, listen to your gut.  If you can, buy the demo on clearence, save yourself hours of frustration.  We should have had one of you run over here with a video camera to film it, perhaps America’s Funniest Video would have given us a prize.

This story is to be continued.  The table is the last to go…so far it’s 5 hours and counting!!!  Breath deeply, laugh loudly, swear, get up and pet the dog, let it rest, come back when you are ready, don’t go at it alone and hug your partner or friend after successfully putting it together and giving it the sit test!  And to the squirrels, does anyone have a pellet gun they’d like to get rid of?  Ha!  (Just kidding squirrel lovers!)

Pondering

I am often amazed that the tulips find their way out of the dark deep earth and stretch themselves to the sun each Spring. Often I feel winter leaves my eyes a bit blinded to the new spring sun, warmth overtakes me and as I enjoy all the aromas Spring has to offer I am filled.

A year of processing I have undergone, through music and writing, relationships and connecting my own dots from childhood to this place called now. Old beliefs patterns that are unserviceable I have been identifying for myself to inevitably experience freedom. Freedom from the automatic processing, automatic reactions. I want to live NOW, fully in the passionate moment. So many seconds tic away as we go from one thing to the next.
I wish to be mindful, yes of others, but now, after so long, of myself. It’s a different place for me to ever come from. I thank my “teachers” along the way! They have taught me through the agony of their hard lessons how to care for myself. And isn’t that all we really need to do?
Paying attention to the “Little Voice” inside and asking what you or perhaps your “little girl/boy” needs. That phrase has been made so cliche but it holds true. What did that child not get and how are you displaying your life to try to fill that void? Something to ponder as I sit…finally, still. As I sit looking out over the water from a long memory of yesterday. How many lives have I lived?
I share this not for you to creep into my head, nor my psyche. There have been too many that have done that in the past wanting to gain from me what they couldn’t get from themselves. I share this, because I am strong enough to share it.
The music starts from these thoughts and aren’t we all alike? We all have our work to do. I am unafraid to do mine, even though it sets my body in a fever. The veil of fear comes away and I stand clearly, regardless of the outcome.
How many ledges I have fallen from? How many times I have thrown my heart into the flames or have been tumbled from a disillusion? Countless it seems, but what hasn’t broken me, does make me stronger, and the things that have had made me learn how to heal over.

Release Parties, Gigs, Recordings and Ellen!

Hey Folks,

Well,  happy Friday!  It’s been a little while since I’ve written and life rolls along rather quickly.  The sun is starting to shower us with more day light and getting up earlier has been a bit easier.

For those of you that want to know the skinny (shows) and move on, we are playing at:

The Piper Pub 3/9 -8:30-11:30 right downtown Boise

Season’s Bistro 3/10  @   7-9:30  in Eagle

The Lock Stock and Barrel 3/15   @  7-10

The Sockeye Brewery w/ Roxx 3/16   @   7:30-10

Brundage Mtn. Resort 3/17 @ 2:30-4:30

For the rest of you, let me tell you what’s been happening.

First I mentioned that there will be a CD release party on April 28th for  Jenn Snyder’s rocking new CD @ Shorty’s Saloon! (The date is changed from the previous time I had announced this).  I am honored to be playing electric lead guitar on this record and also proud of the production process.  She’s a little gal with a huge voice,  absolutely amazing!  You don’t want to miss this show,  it’s going to be a honky tonk high energy night!  So git cher boots on!!!

Gary and Cindy Braun will open the show @ 8:00

Rochelle Smith will be on bass, mando and vocals , Travis Hardy on drums  (who played with  Reckless Kelly), I will play lead guitar and other random parts and the lovely Jenn Snyder will work her magic on the mic and acoustic guitar.

Shorty’s is right across from the fair grounds in Garden City.  Unfortunately no minors are accepted and smoking is permissible.  There will be a $2 cover which is a steal of a deal for the entertainment you will witness!

We are planning our summer schedule.  An East Coast tour is on the agenda this year, as well as a trip through Montana, and a  possible tour to Indiana.   I will be heading down to L.A. next month to attend an ASCAP writers show case and learn more about marketing  songs and hopefully making some great connections.

While I’m down there,  I’m stopping in on my great friend Ellen Degeneres.   Well…it may be a one sided friendship, but I enjoy it!  🙂  Yes,  I scored tickets to see her show and I will let you know when it airs.  I’m very excited about this!

I had the pleasure of laying down some tracks in my home studio and playing 3 songs I knew my father would know.  While he was here I asked him to sing on those songs.  He will be 81 next month and to hear his voice on these songs is such an endearing experience.  I’m thrilled and proud of him that he stepped up to do it and was willing to push through this emotional experience.  Thanks Dad!

I’ve been doing a lot of free writing.  I have written some new songs and one in particular called, “Oh Idaho”.  I would like to record this song within the next few days at home and put it on you tube.  I will keep you posted on the progress of this assignment  and I  welcome anyone to use this song to encourage non-violence and the strengthening of our civil rights.

We do  hope to see you soon and that you are enjoying the “whisper” of Spring on the horizon!  If you need to know where any venue is or more information, feel free to click on the website link: www.blazeandkelly.com

Peace!

Niccole & Mo

Behind Bars to Escape Hunger!

Hey Folks,
The title doesn’t mean I started a really weird diet for the year of 2012 and I have no will power! Nor does it mean I’m starving…well, occasionally but not currently.

I will be behind bars in the Old Penitentiary from 6-7pm on Friday night to  help Idaho State Historical Society’s MAKE HUNGER HISTORY!!!  See details below*** here’s our schedule for the week also!  Hope to see you soon!!!

Thurs. 1/12  The Lock, Stock and Barrel right in  Boise from 7-10pm

Friday 1/13  The Old Penitentiary from 6-7***  THEN the Piper Pub in Boise from 8:30-11:30pm

Sat. 1/14  The Buzz Cafe off of State Stree from 7-9pm

Sun 15  Crusty’s Pizza in Mc Call from 7-10pm

***
The Idaho Foodbank sees a dramatic drop in food donations in the month of January. So all month long in January the Old Idaho Penitentiary and Idaho Historical Museum provide half priced admission to any visitor who brings two canned food or non-perishable food items for the Foodbank.
As part of MAKE HUNGER HISTORY, on Friday January 13th from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., the ISHS support organization The Friends of the Historical Museum will present the first ever “Escaping Hunger Celebrity Lock Up”; a free community event held at the Old Idaho Penitentiary.

Special drawings, tours, prizes and giveaways will occur all day long. While there is no charge to attend, food and monetary donations are encouraged! All proceeds will be divided between the Idaho Foodbank and a scholarship fund for Idaho school field trips. Local celebrities will be locked up from 6:00-7:00 p.m. Their goal will be to get the most food and monetary donations. The winning celebrity will be presented with the “Warden’s Cup” and bragging rights for the year!

Please come down and make a donation and explore the historical place we have here in Boise, I’m sure a few prison songs will be flying between Bill Coffee and I, and some other greats in the community!

Let’s put an end to hunger…come bail me out!  Hope to see you soon!

Niccole & Mo

Happy New Year!!!

Wow!  Here we are again, on the brink of another New Year!  Some  say  it’s “our last”,  and of course others would argue that perhaps it’s just the beginning.  I wonder if that falls in line with “is the glass half empty or half full”?

Whatever your personal preference our show, “will go on”!  🙂  (Boy am I just using as many cliché’s in this one or what?)  Yes, it is the winter time now and we are huddled up not playing as much.  A pretty typical and very needed little break, but what that means is…the shows we DO have are fresh and fun!  So, if you get the chance, come down to:

The Lock Stock and Barrel, Thurs. 12/29 from 7-10pm.  Great atmosphere, good food, full bar, and  the music that night is suppose to be awesome! (Did that confuse some of you?)

The Wood River Cellars, Fri. 12/30 from 7-10.  I could say the same as above, yet…no full bar, however some fine wines and brews.  This is a very relaxed atmosphere and the management is new (again) so, we hope to make a good impression…we’ll see.  Life is a continuation of starting over again isn’t it?

We won’t be playing again until the 13th @ the Piper Pub so if you can…come to a show and we’ll sing you a song!  I hope this finds you with your glass more than half full!  Thanks for supporting live music and we hope you have a wonderful New Year!

Cheers!

Niccole & Mo

New You Tube Video!!!

Hey Folks!

Wow, the year is coming to a close and it was my goal to get something on video this year…ha!  Am I just making it or what?  I always was that student who put off the report until the night before and pulled and all nighter and mama always told me  “a leopard doesn’t change their spots”.  True true!  I am happy to say while we were on the East Coast a  listener set her PHONE…that’s right…her PHONE up to catch a video.

Infact, she filmed many songs that night, which we will post later but I wanted to start with this one and let you all know where you can see it for free and enjoy a little bit of the magical sound of the Penn Square in Lancaster P.A.  This place had to be one of the most all time favorite places we’ve ever played as far as sound was concerned.  It was just us, with our little Bose sound system and a couple of the the establishments speakers that we rigged up.  I can’t believe how GREAT the sound was as it bounced off the high ceilings between the beautiful chandaleres.  The brick on some of the side walls gave the show a natural reverb for all you tech folks.  It’s a stripped down performance that sounded like we were in a very elite studio.  We loved it!

All captured on a phone.  I’m amazed at technology these days.  Incredible!

Feel free to “like” it or leave a comment.  We’d appreciate.

We’ve got some inquiry about playing house concerts on the West and East Coast.  If you live in the Bay area of Cali.  or on the East Coast between New Jersey and New Hampshire, and are interested in hosting a house concert let us know.  You can drop us a line  through our contact page on the web site.   We’ve been asked back to both coasts and we may be planning a tour mid spring to the West Coast (SF area) and the East Coast (NJ, PA, NY, MA, NH) in Oct. again.  Nothing is in stone yet, but if you think you could bring 30-60 folks into your living room (back yard, garage, front porch) for a private concert, let us know.

On the home front here in Boise, our Brundage gig in McCall was cancelled due to NO SNOW (booo!)  But we will be playing

Friday 12/16 @ the Piper from 8:30-11:30pm  w/ special guest Meghan Waters on Cajon (a box-like drum)  Yaaay!

Friday 12/30 @ Wood River Cellars 7-10pm   Yaaay!

So if you are in the area, swing on by!  And if you are somewhere in between (the EAST and WEST)  we really do want to get to you too.  Feel free to let us know if there are special events, festivals, concert series in your area you think we’d fit and we will research those ideas and make plans accordingly.  The one thing I have learned this year is that it takes a “village” to get your music out there and play in new areas…so pass us along and know we are in gratitude.

As the year switches calendars I would like to thank each and every one of you for making 2011 another successful musical year!  A year that will be imprinted in my memory for many reasons!  Let’s enjoy this new year coming too!  My goal…44 NEW songs…original or cover this next year! I have 2 down 42 to go ha!  So hopefully I won’t be looking at 2012’s end of the year with 40 to still do!  HA~!!!!!

Hope to see you soon!  Enjoy the video!

Happy Holidays!

Niccole & Mo