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Something good, every day.

Two +1 Debuts at Bordertown Jam

On Wednesday April 6, 2022, two years and two months after I performed at my first ever open mic (and about a month before COVID cancelled even the idea of an open mic), my dad (Murray), Aldon and I got up on stage for a 6-song set at the mall in Amherst, Nova Scotia for the Bordertown Jam.

We’ve been playing music together since Aldon and I moved back to Nova Scotia in July. We’re heavily influenced by my dad’s love of old country (and our growing appreciation for it), and we all felt ready to try it out in front of an audience, and it was really fun!

Mom came along to cheer us on, and the audience was welcoming and kind. Although there was definitely some nervousness at play, we had a blast! The good folks at the jam recorded some videos to post on their Facebook page. While I can’t bring myself to actually use FB, I’ll embed (nope, stupid FB no longer allows embeds?!) link to the videos below.

The exciting news is that the organizers were impressed enough to offer us a spot on their Saturday afternoon musician series (!!!), so now we’ve got an official gig (dates TBA)! We’re calling our trio Two +1 and I’m pumped to have something to work toward this summer.

Bad Moon Rising

Walk the Way the Wind Blows

Blue Kentucky Girl

Flowers on the Wall

Back Home Again

February Skies

Scrolling through my photos from the month, I was struck by how many were of the changing sky.

Maybe it’s more noticeable when paired with the white snow and ice covered water. It’s typically water that inspires me to capture the scene. The sky is usually just the backdrop, but in February it took centre stage.

I’m so in love with this place.

Hello 2022

Happy New Year! Our zoom dance party last night was silly and fun, which is exactly what I was looking for. Apologies to those who tried to join and couldn’t. I’m not sure why, but I think we’ll try a different platform if there’s ever a next time. For those who made it: you made our night. Thank you!

Whether you were able to join us or not, I hope you found a few minutes to dance. That’s what it was really all about. To shake off the old year and invite the new one in with joy.

Here’s to more dancing in 2022. More joy, fun, music, movement and togetherness.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

… if the fates (and COVID) allow!

2021 is almost over, and what a blur it was! A year of rolling with the punches, keeping us on our toes and counting our blessings. I expect nothing less from 2022.

I would love to write a lovely long Christmas message to share with you again this year (see letters from 2020 & 2019 if you missed them), but in the spirit of slowing down, letting go, lowering expectations and making the most of the season with the friends and family we have near (while loving and missing those dear ones who aren’t), I’m going to keep this short, sweet and stress-free (for me).

If you haven’t been keeping up with my monthly love letter (subscribe here), allow me to briefly summarize for you (with links to the original messages).

In January we took it pretty slow, knowing winter was going to go on for awhile. I started getting more serious about playing guitar.

February was cold and quiet. I spent a lot of time reading and I wrote a silly little love song!

March was my second pandemic birthday, and I got a short term (but well paying) gig with Mt. Allison University in Sackville that kept me busy.

April started to lighten up, and while we still couldn’t cross the border into Nova Scotia, we made the best of it. I was asked to play the role of Titania in summer production of A Midsummer Nights’ Dream!

In May we found out the owners had decided to sell our lovely little rental house in Sackville, NB. Nooooo! Of course that blew up our plans for the rest of the year (including the summer Shakespeare play).

In June, the border between NS & NB was still closed and we really had no clue where we were going to live, but we were optimistic that it would all work out. The house sold right away (posession mid-July) so we started packing up (and giving away) our belongings, Aldon left his job at Cannabis NB and we prepared to go stay with mom and dad in Nova Scotia until we could sort out our next step.

July was tough, but mom and dad were so great about having us stay with them at the beach, and I started working on another web project with Pugwash Farmers’ Market, so work kept me busy and the summer flew by. We also started playing music with my dad!

August was a blur, but we found a place to live!

We moved and got settled into our Pugwash flat in September, right on the water. My aunt got us (me, Aldon and my dad) a music gig, which was a blast.

I love October in the maritimes, and we enjoyed the cooler temperatures and beautiful foliage. Aldon got a tick bite!

In November we launched an Airbnb rental in our building! Our landlords/friends asked us if we would manage it for them, and it’s a pretty sweet suite. It hasn’t been busy yet, but we’re hoping to get lots of bookings for next summer.

And here we are in December. It’s Christmas tomorrow. I’m giving myself the gift of time off, so I’ve been winding down work and enjoying the season. We’re so grateful to get to spend the holiday with family and friends, and that is my wish for you as well.

What are you doing New Years’ Eve?

I got this idea the other day, so we’re going to try it out. Aldon and I will be hosting a short (20-22 minute) New Years’ Eve dance party on Zoom at midnight Atlantic time (11PM Eastern, 9PM Mountain etc.) and you are invited! We are hoping that since so many of our people are in different time zones, you might be able to join us without disrupting your own new year celebration. This will be a very casual thing. No RSVP required, just click this link to join: [party over; link removed]

Come as you are, whether PJs or fancy dress. You don’t even have to turn on your camera if you don’t want to. Aldon will DJ, we will dance like no one is watching and welcome 2022 with a little FUN. We hope you’ll be able to join us.

Until then,

Love from both of us to you and yours. Wishing you health and happiness, joy and peace.

Marsha Amanova & Aldon Brewer (BrewNova) XOXO

Walking in Wentworth

The weather was fantastic yesterday so I took the afternoon off (again) and we went for a lovely drive into the Wentworth valley (again). This time we parked outside the gate of the (closed) Provincial Park and walked in to access the trails. It was a gorgeous day, sunny and warm, and very quiet in the park, just a bit of a breeze.

Autumn Waterfall Walk

Is there anything better, on a beautiful autumn afternoon, than a drive to the valley to check out the leaves and maybe take a little walk to a waterfall?