Love

"When love beckons to you follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.

And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you.
Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.

Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant...."

"But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears."

The Prophet

exploding with alien sickness

My face is aching. my body is jell-O. my nose is rosy and raw. my throat is hoarse, rusty and out of tune.

these ukulele's tug at the corners of my mouth in an upward motion.
http://www.koolauukulele.com/

No shows scheduled.

i'd blow you goodbye kisses, but i don't want to spread my alien disease.

adieu!
Mary Mugford

the result of The Big Red House Basement Show ...

The Big Red House Basement show was incredibly successful! It left me feeling filled up with all great and lovely things.

I got the opportunity to meet and greet new faces along with familiar ones. Everyone there was incredibly helpful and supportive--and created an atmosphere that was giving and fun. I had an absolute blast. What a positive experience!

Since I felt so comfortable there, I could really use my voice as an instrument. The environment helped me to "go with the flow" and use my voice as i saw fit in the moment. It really was a fun experience. Speaking to the audience in between songs was something else. I had so much fun trying to make everyone laugh.

Leah Anton and The Rusty Borealis were inspiring.

Leah is strong but humble. I really enjoyed watching her become lost in her own songs with pride and strength. She is something else on that guitar. I intently watched her fingers move from fret to fret. I would imagine how she wrote those songs. Her voice reminded me a lot of a musician from California named Misty O'Dell. There were parts of Leah's songs that had a bit of the blues hidden in there....man, I wish I could see her perform again! What a bad ass. That's something I look up to in her--she is real tough--but incredibly kind, accepting and comforting at the same time.

Rusty Borealis rocked my socks off. I asked them if they had any recordings--and they are in the process. I am insanely excited to have their cd in my hands in the future. I would suggest you check them out, but it seems they do not have a myspace music page or anything similar. If you're in Marquette and hear of them playing, do yourself a favor and attend their next show.

Mark VandenBosch and I danced our feet off in the low ceiling basement--and didn't give a care how contorted our bodies had to be to do it. You just had to dance to it, no matter what you had to do to make it happen. I laughed often and when I wasn't, a smile substituted. What a great time.

I'm really enjoying performing these days. I am becoming more comfortable and confident. My favorite part of it all is meeting people before, during and afterwards. I am grateful for these opportunities and am looking forward to what the future has in store, no matter what it is!

I contracted an alien virus in my nasal cavities. it's taking over my brains.

love,
mary mugford

Big Red Basement Show of smiles.

Good morning!

I woke up this morning and drank coffee and watched a rocket crash on the moon.

The air was cold and crisp outside and a purple hue dyed the clouds blanketing the sky. the lake looked like home. the leaves on the ground reminded me of the time of year.

I received an opportunity to play a basement show last Saturday in Marquette. It went incredibly well and i felt so incredibly grateful. I received a lot of positive feedback and was asked if i had cds/recordings. I'm now going to work on making that happen. I hope it isn't my ego that is swelling, and it's simply my heart. I really love music. I really love helping people smile. If the two go hand in hand, it's like a dream.

I had a performance tonight at The Big Red House on 2128 Presque Isle Ave at 9:30pm. I will be sharing the night with Leah Anton and Rusty Borealis. I am incredibly excited to hear and see both of them. Of course, my bones are shaking a bit as they always do.

I don't know how these opportunities to keep playing music arise and i don't quite know if I am looking for the absolute answer(s). But I do know that I feel so incredibly lucky and grateful. I do know that I keep saying 'yes!!' with enthusiasm and the rest of my time is spent floating. thank you!

Looking forward to seeing familiar and new faces tonight!
Love,
Mary Mugford

the sun is in my head.

This is where I can update you and update my thoughts, although I will keep many for myself.

Will you read the ones I share?

I hope it is sunny in your brains!

Love,
Mary Mugford