My last two essays on Substack have seen me returning to fado, the Portuguese song form I published a book about fifteen years ago. In this second one, I focus on Misia's 2001 album Ritual.

open.substack.com/pub/songstud...

Merry thoughts from me and my Christmas cough.

Should I offer feedback?

Saturday evening moment.

My robin chum again yesterday: ‘I’ll keep you company in exchange for worms’.

From a recent visit to Sin É, Cork.

Storm Conall looking like Hokusai's wave there over the Netherlands. Scary.

'Shells collected from the shore of Newton-by-the-Sea / The smell of the ocean / In a used handkerchief / A lattice of hairpins combing the beach’
—Richard Dawson, ‘Wooden Bag’

Book shelves partially blocked by seasonal decorations.

A tree earlier this week. Cork, Ireland.

En route to Newcastle Town Moor parkrun this morning.

Today’s trees.

Today’s tree.

This week's Songs and Objects post focuses on Mary Chapin Carpenter's 'This Shirt' from her State of the Heart album. That album was a formative one for me for getting into 'new country' and Americana at the time and this particular song was formative in setting me on the Songs and Objects journey.