mystic river train

these shots were taken by david kraai on the fodfest tour. we got to hang out in tupelo long enough to see the bed that elvis' mother gave birth in. it was suddenly graphic, standing up over the bed since it was little more than a one room and the bed was the biggest thing in it. poignant and graphic too. we met up with other fodfesters todd, will and andy all tooling pell-mell for memphis...



between tupelo and memphis, depending on the road you take, there's a gravesite to visit. never thought of visiting gravesites much myself but it sounded good, and this was a fella i didnt know. we faced down a serious shift in weather. this is early fall mississippi, tornados are common. it was raining heavily by the time we got there, and the site was set off back down a variety of roads and around a few twists, but then, there, near what was supposed to be a church, it was. i kept watching for hail and sideways water, and grinned demonically at the camera.





well. there are so many views out over the rim of an amtrak window! i took a ride from boston into new haven to meet mike deming about the new record. it was what i would call a perfect fall day: completely overcast so you can never tell what's coming ahead and dont think to look, and the leaves were starting to turn but not rediculous, and there were those very-bright blue-painted river buildings, whatever they're called--wharf houses? fisherman spots? dunno. very pretty. and the trestles were all rusted and spectacular, the bridges we crossed all strong. a very good ride.

all the way there, i kept thinking i should have a better idea of what i was going to finally say about the direction we're going in. he's been incredibly patient about not knowing the songs still. but it was quarter to two and i thought after three years of talking about it, i should get down to it. truth is, ive been changing my mind about it constantly since the summer. last year it was definitely one thing, an almost chronological recording of songs ive written. but i just couldnt do that this year.  nope. cant do it. so its a big mystery.

the amazing thing is, im incredibly calm about it. maybe it's october, which i find kind of frightening. not really an october kinda person anymore. i cant seem to see more than two feet in front of me, like a hibernation-mind or something.

funny.

meanwhile, tomorrow is november and cant be avoided.