OCTOBER 2016 - There are clear lights strung across our back yard and hay bales flanking a spotlighted focal point. Apple cider will soon be steaming, and unfamiliar tunes will be carried on the autumn breeze.
This weekend, our backyard will become a stage to showcase the art of six amazingly talented college students, my boy among them. This house show is the last stop on a four city tour that is also serving as the introduction of the EP just released by ethansroom. I don't think I could be more proud.
The four-song EP is written and recorded by Ethan, who I typically refer to as E in this blog. The songs are honest, a little raw, lilting and beautiful. It's the kind of music I can imagine listening to while driving long stretches of open road or whiling away the time in the yard swing out back.
When he and his friends blow into town Sunday, I expect to hear laughter and music and stories that will fill every corner of our house for at least 24 hours. It feels a little like Christmas or Thanksgiving, and I am thankful.
Meanwhile, I am thankful, also, for the good things that have come my baby girl's way. Senior year is proving to be a welcome, positive finish to her public school career. I have enjoyed every second of watching her get ready for Friday night football games, homecoming and hanging out with her friends. She has a job working at a kennel that doubles as a rescue facility, and, just a couple of weeks ago, her high school classmates voted her Most Artistic.
There's a whole lot more life to live after high school, but it doesn't hurt to have a few wins in your pocket along the journey. And, because I know she considers it uncool or socially inappropriate to announce her own wins, I'm doing it, because I know she won't. It is an honor to be selected as a superlative, and dad blame it, at the risk of being THAT parent, I'm proud of her.
She is an amazing artist. She picked up watercolor as easily as most of us learn to twirl spaghetti. She's throwing pottery on the wheel, drawing, painting, tie-dying and conducting art/science experiments in our kitchen on a fairly regular basis. She is most definitely artistic.
But, it is neither the music nor the art that makes me proudest. What has warmed my heart the most has been the backyard conversations we've had over these past few evenings, getting ready for Sunday's concert. As soon as the lights were plugged in, my wife, daughter and I found a reason to sit in the swing beneath the warm glow, amazed at the power of light. It turned our regular ol' backyard into a something special. Suddenly, there was a reason to sit outside, skip whatever was on TV and drink in the ambiance. The dogs ripped through the yard, chasing each other in ever-widening circles while we laughed and talked about nothing in particular. Ethan called on another night, and that, too, was good.
And, I know that every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of Lights, and I will take these moments and celebrate them and be thankful for them.
NOTE: Want to hear Ethan's music, or really do me a favor and buy his music? Search Ethansroom on your favorite music source:
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