So, as some of you may know, I’ve been going through a bit of a difficult time lately. I certainly won’t go into much detail here, but it all boils down to too much stress sneaking up on me and then attacking with a vengeance! Sources of this stress were: Facebook, Twitter, completion of my book, completion of the HL album, my worrisome nature and not really dealing with the past. So, I’m taking steps to fix this.

This morning I deactivated my FB and Twitter accounts and it felt wonderful. More stress just floated off of my shoulders. I did like Facebook at first, but it then became a magnetic presence more than a joy. I found myself biting my tongue over people’s posts, wanting to say far more than I ever really did. Why? It was their post, not mine. See, there was the stress. I was so focused on what someone else thought about Michael Jackson’s death, or any number of other topics, that I didn’t tend to my own needs in real life. Yes, I know FB is real posts from real people, and people I know at that, but it’s also a safe little world that you never really have to leave if you don’t want to get out of your chair that day. I felt myself being “sucked in”, and it fed my ego in a very uncomfortable way. I thought “I wonder if anyone commented on what I said/posted yesterday?” and if they didn’t, it was almost worse. No one cared. It was just a big ball of unwanted, stressful agony! So, I stopped. I’m not saying it’s wrong, please don’t interpret it that way. It’s just not for me. Twitter wasn’t nearly as invasive, but it just had to go, too. They’re all distractions from life for me. I was totally fine, and more productive, before they both came along. Besides, with all that twittering and commenting, I have been coarsely neglecting my own beloved site! I’m back now, and will post once every couple of weeks or so when I have something to report. And those word count guidelines on FB and Twitter, well, I just couldn’t be my rambling self and say what I really wanted to say! Where’s the fun in that?

In more positive news, I’m doing so much better. I’ve been reading a wonderful book on anxiety (From Panic to Power by Lucinda Bassett) and it’s helped me tremendously. We all have issues we need to work on and mine have just reached the point where I can’t wait any longer. I have to fix this stuff now. I want to be happy, bright and not wallow in the past or the darkness any longer. I’ve spent way too much time there already. My Mom was right. The thirties will do a number on your mind. It seems to be when the past really catches up with you. That is certainly the case with me. The unresolved is a real bitch!

In garden news, things are still a soggy mess on our lower back level, but it will be ok in time. I have many plans for my good beds and that’s what I’m going to focus on. I’ve ordered quite a few Strawberry plants (three different varieties, 100 plants in all!) and another David Austin Rose, aptly named ‘Strawberry Hill’, which I plan to plant in the empty bed by the contorted Mulberry tree. I figure that Roses and Strawberries do so well in my garden that I can just go forward knowing I’ll have a great harvest! Plus, I can never get enough of those lovely berries. I also love sticking my nose deep into the lush cups of soft rose petals, taking in their heavenly aromas. These are pleasures I never tire of.

This is ‘L.D. Braithwaite‘, another David Austin variety. This is one of my favorite garden friends. He produces heavily and keeps on going all Summer long! Even in a windy spot, he flourishes. He’s a keeper! I love ya, L.D.!!

Amidst these new plantings, I think I’ll plant some more tender herbs, too. I have all of the staples covered, so I might try some Tarragon, Chervil, Dill and anything else that strikes my fancy. I just love a mixed bed! I may try some veggies in little nooks of unused, sunny space, as Marvin suggested, but we’ll see. I’m definitely in a Rose & Berry mood this year. I can almost taste the warm, sun-ripened berries plucked right from the garden. I can see it now: I stand there, berry in hand and ankle-deep in lush plants, and close my eyes. I bite. The berry flavor shoots straight to my taste buds, exploding with succulent sweetness. I sigh that sigh of absolute joy and savor every bite. Bliss! As any gardener knows, there is nothing sweeter than that. I must have it!

I know it’s cliche, but gardening really does help clear the mind. As I weed my garden, my mind gets clearer as well. I start envisioning new plantings, mature growth of my still-forming teenagers, and it lifts my heart. My goal is to spend more time outside when weather permits. I’ll probably be all tan (a farmer’s tan at that) before I know it. Oh, how very sexy!

The warmer, sunnier months are ahead. I’m charging toward them with great expectations! I’m on the mend, and I’m just around the bend.

In whatever you do, take care of yourself. That is the most important thing!

With all of my undying love,

Christa Belle

Well, where to begin? It’s been a hell of a ride this year. While it may not have seemed a busy year to the onlooker, or listener in the case of Hungry Lucy, it has, indeed, been busy underneath the veil! But, this isn’t entirely about what I’ve accomplished. It’s also about what I’ve enjoyed.

In early 2009, I went to the cabin, in the woods, in Tennessee. With me were my parents (George and Sharon), Warren’s parents (Peter & Carol) and, of course, Warren. When six people share one space for 4 days, one of two things could potentially happen. One, they could feel trapped and proceed to infiltrate the space with negativity and general unpleasantness. Or, two, they could embrace the chance to get to know each other and learn more about one another. Happily, it was number two in this scenario. Warren brought along enough musical equipment to write and record if the mood struck, and boy did it strike! Every few hours he’d go up into the loft, bang out a tune, and then come back downstairs and join the rest of us for a while. I loved that he felt comfortable enough to listen to his musical need and go do what was natural for him to do. No one minded that he would, occasionally, and without warning, just go upstairs and not come back for a few hours. It was great! I even had the inspiration from those few songs to write stories to them as I previewed them in Warren’s headphones. A few of those turned out to be on the new album (which will be released in early to mid-2010), and were written from such a pure place. For me, as the lyricist, it was immediate reaction to the music that inspired the vision in my head. That, in turn, made the words flood out in story form rather than lyrics. We let those “cook” once we came back home and they became yet another form of Warren’s original piece. That’s one of my fondest musical memories of the year… working with Warren in a cabin in the woods, and then again at home with new inspiration for music. It really is powerful to create music away from your usual environment. There was something very pure and special about the whole process. It was beautiful.

So, we all chatted, played games, cooked together and just enjoyed time as six individuals, learning more about each other. Mummy Carol with her crosswords and books, Papa Peter with all of his questions and stories, and all of us just enjoying the company and the quiet of the woods. I immensely enjoyed my Dad teaching me how to play Poker, and not doing a bad job at all, I must say! In recent years, I’ve become very close with my Mom and always jump on any chance to get a little closer with my Dad. I was happy for that time. I’ll take more of that, please! I’m excited to say that we get to do the cabin thing again in early 2010. Wheeee!!! Who knows what this visit will bring? That’s part of the fun. No one knows.

In non-musical news, I did manage to finish a second draft of my novel-in-progress, “Days with Indigo”, before the mad rush of the holiday season. My goal is to release the book mid-2010. Completing the final draft is a bit slower than I’d like, but it’s progress nonetheless. I’ve posted many updates on the book, so I’m not going to ramble even more at this point. All I will say is that the feedback I’ve received from some volunteer readers (one finished the book and the second is currently reading it now) is very positive at this juncture in the draft. The scary thing is, I think I may have managed to actually write a good story! I can’t tell anymore. After reading and re-reading it so many times, the story is a little lost on me. But, the feedback is good! To have actually done this much really makes me feel great about accomplishing something of my own, on my own. Speaking as a person who usually has so many “ideas”, and doesn’t see many of them come to fruition, it’s a shock to the system to have come this far on something I simply wanted to “try”. Try, I did.

In non-HL music news, I fell deeply, happily in love with Fever Ray. This was all thanks to a twitter posting from Imogen Heap (another music love of mine, and Warren’s) who had mentioned how cool the video “When I Grow Up” was. I knew this woman had talent way beyond the usual musical realm. Her music comes from somewhere deep, hidden, beautiful and weird. And, the funny thing about me is, I usually LOVE to sing along with artists in the car. However, with Fever Ray, I just want to hear her voice and the music. She makes me shut up. She makes me listen. She makes me wonder. Then, the opportunity to go see her perform in Chicago presented itself. We jumped at the chance! We met up with our friend Sam, and some of his friends, in Chicago and had a great time before, and during, the show. I just adore being able to spend time with friends that I don’t get to see very often. I think the show was made all the more special because of who we saw it with. It was a lovely experience. Lovely memories. Music has such power, no?

You know, I nearly forgot that Warren and I saw Tori Amos again! After Fever Ray, all past performances kinda fell away from memory for a while. I absolutely LOVE Tori, but I must admit that I preferred seeing her with just her pianos at a previous concert. The 2009 show was definitely more of a “rock” performance, complete with a full band, and seemed more showy than I was used to with Miss Amos. It was great, but I did find myself ready to leave before the end. All in all, I love whatever she does. She’s a HUGE inspiration of mine, and I admire her greatly. My own fault was that I didn’t allow the show to be its own experience. I expected what I saw before. Have I learned nothing over the last few years? No two performances are ever the same. Nor should they be. What a silly girl!

Then, we got to go to England! We stayed with Warren’s sister, Tracy, and her husband Tony. Such a great pair of crazy kids! I could totally see living there in the future. No problem whatsoever! It was so nice to troll about the South Shore, Tony at the helm, taking piccies-a-plenty and enjoying time with T&T, being so silly and having more fun than should be legal! It’s just so lovely to have such common ground with people and not be afraid to be myself. I can’t even describe how I felt while I was there. It was so lovely. I absolutely adored it. Every moment was a treasure. Best of all, Warren got some time with his sister. That’s always a welcome treat. It’s so lovely to see, too. Since I was the part-time “car wife”, as Tony called it, Warren and Tracy sat in the back seat together when we went on car trips (I get insane car sickness, so Tracy happily gave me the front seat. Thanks, Trace!) and they would chatter about together, like kids. Cute doesn’t touch it. It was extraordinary. I could really go on and on about that trip. Again, I want more of that, please!

The holidays have come and gone with much visiting of family from near and far. We had multiple gatherings for November and December. No stone left unturned. I have a large family. It takes a friggin’ village to get us all together! Actually, we ARE the village! Martin’s, Harrison’s, and all he branches in between. We met briefly, laughed and loved, and will hold that moment in time for a little while until we see each other again. As my Aunt Tommie said earlier this year, “All this because two people fell in love all those years ago.” It’s so easy to forget the simple things like that once people are gone. They are the reason we are here. We will always be tied together. Always.

On a more personal note, I turned 35 this year. I don’t know what power this number has, but things are happening to me that I didn’t expect. I almost believe there’s been a switch turned inside my brain. In point of fact, inside my heart. I feel different within myself. I feel, well, like a more concentrated version of myself. The ideas I have are actually becoming something other than just ideas. They’re becoming physical things I can see, hear and touch. I’m not complaining. I find the whole thing rather fascinating! I don’t want to die not doing what I intended with my life. I’m only just now understanding that my purpose in life is to tell stories. Whether that be in music, books, photos, films, whatever. I need a vehicle to tell a story, and I have many within my grasp. How cool! If I want to say something, now is the time! Now’s my chance!

Also, with 35 I realized I wasn’t the physical “me” I wanted to be, nor what I used to be in my younger days. Who says Vegetarians can’t be unhealthy? I’m a pasta addict. Bread, too! So, I’m trimming down and staying a whole hell of a lot more active! Then, I decided, after much debating, to chop my hair off again. It had been many, many years since I’d done this, so I figured why not? Plus, I’d colored it earlier in the year and I never quite got it to a happy state for me. It was dragging me down, making me look old. So, I cut it off. Like, OFF off! I loved it at first, as one tends to do when making such a drastic change, and felt it lifted a weight off of my shoulders. I felt better. I even looked better. But now, after time with short hair once again, I feel the pull of a desire for that which I do not have. Long hair. I knew it was inevitable, but I didn’t know when it would strike. It has indeed struck now. But, no matter. It is, after all, only hair. It will grow back–and probably in less time than I expect! My family is known for how quickly our hair grows. It’ll be back before I know it! Such a fuss we make over appearance. When it comes down to it, it’s really not that important. It’s what our hearts say that matters. I can hear mine now.

I guess it all comes down to where I allow my focus to lie. For now, I’m letting the focus be on creating. I have so many stories I want to tell, and I have no intention of slowing down. If anything, I need to pick up the pace a bit! I do have a rather relaxed schedule. I need not take it for granted.

Here’s hoping 2010 brings a sense of completion for both myself as a new Author, and for Hungry Lucy on our 4th full-length album! Also, I hope that it brings more time with friends, family, and enjoying life rather than wishing any time away. I’ll try to savor. I’ll try to be diligent. I’ll just try and be me.

Be you and know that I love you for what you already are. No change is necessary.

Here’s to a wonderful 2010!

With Much Love,

Christa Belle

Greetings, my friends. October has arrived. I adore everything about this month. Everything. Even my house knows how much I love October and all the creepiness it can bring! I don’t need no stinkin’ fake webs when I have such glorious beauties adorning my home.

I arrived home this morning, from a lovely breakfast bagel with Warren, and found a dainty, dew-wearing web on our mailbox. To add to the October-esque/Haunted House feel, our mailbox is all but falling apart! It never fails that as soon as Autumn hits, our doorway, mailbox and every corner we have gets adorned with the silky tangle of a spider’s handy work… or is it silk-spitting-butt-duct work?

So, to add even more loveliness to this mood, it’s “pea-soup” out there this morning with fog. I walked to the front entry and found multiple Grasshoppers looking back at me. For some reason, they don’t bother me. Even if I get them on me, I don’t mind. I know they won’t hurt me. This guy was slowly walking up a stalk of Russian Sage (they walk really slow, like a Chameleon. It’s so cool! But if they jump, watch out.), but I moved when he did. Hence, blurriness. I still like the “alien” quality the picture has. Soft, yet creepy.

However, I looked down to see another poor tail-end of a grasshopper, deep inside a thick web, being devoured by a large, yellow & black-bodied spider in my Rosemary. Yikes! Again, he knows he is welcome at my house. I don’t want a spider on me (minus the cute little silver spider earring I wear in my ear), but I have a huge amount of respect for spiders. They do great things in the garden. And, I always try to “catch-and-release” them if they are inside the house. But, sometimes, Pullo finds them first and eats them. I can’t count how many spider legs I’ve found lately. Gross! By the way, the pics I took of the spider didn’t do it justice, so I left him out. I think you could imagine him on your own, yes? Hey, is that a spider on your back?? WATCH OUT!! Man, I love Kids in the Hall.

So, it would seem that Autumn has arrived. I hope it really has. But, being in the MidWest, I know no good weather lasts forever. We may hit 90 again before Autumn truly arrives. One just never knows.

Enjoy October and all the misty goodness it brings. It’s going to be a busy one for me, and it ends with a trip to England! Not too shabby.

Happy Hauntings,

Christa Belle

Hello children! And how are you today? ………. GOOD!!

So, another posting here on my safety raft that is christabelle.com. I haven’t been coming in here much lately as I’ve fallen victim to the FaceBook forum. I joined, and I like it. There. I said it! My name is Christa, and I’m a FaceBook-aholic! (hears in head: “Hi, Christa.” from the other junkies!) I’m enjoying connecting to people I haven’t heard from, nor seen, in years! I like that part of it. But, I don’t like that an hour or so has passed, within what felt like five minutes, as I sit there looking and searching. It’s a bit of a life-sucker. I need to practice control. Make a schedule, if you will, as War-N does. He’s always a good guru to go to when I’m feeling all fuzzy and uncertain. One of the many reasons I love him!

Aside from that, I will be meeting with an editor in a couple of weeks to give him a few chapters to edit and proofread as a sort of test for both him and myself. If I like what he does, he’ll edit the whole thing. If not, then I guess I find another editor, yes? But, I don’t think that will be the case. I just have a good feeling about him. So, I’m excited about that! I’m anxious to get “Days with Indigo” off and running. Right now, she’s just sitting there waiting to be revised and perfected. At least she’s not going anywhere. That’s the beauty of a story. There’s really no rush. It’s not all that time-sensitive. It’s still a story, and it will be years from now as well. It’s only me that is impatient. Not the book.

In Hungry Lucy news, things are really going well. I won’t say much more than that, but we’re nearly done with all vocal recordings now. Only two more to go. Woo hoo! Oh, the album got a new title. It was going to be “The Standing Ones”, but that time has passed. It spoke to us in a new voice, and therefore, gave War-N a great new title. I think his choice was a good one. I like it much better with the new name. But, I shan’t spoil it. No more news. I’ll wait until it’s finished now!

Speaking of HL, I really miss doing the podcast. But, you see, there’s a glitch. War-N doesn’t. He’s happy to be done with it. So, what to do? I have had thoughts of making my own podcast with just me and a few guests now and then, but I don’t know if it would be well-received after so long out of the podcast world? People are used to the duo, so would they embrace me as much as they did the two of us? I don’t want it to sound “hollow” or one-sided. A lot of thinking to do. What to do… what to do?

In photo news, I’m anxiously awaiting a new lens for my D300! I had ideas of photos in my head that would require me to get a wide angle lens. I’ve wanted one for years, but never did anything about it. So, no better time than the present! Plus, I will need it to shoot some new HL shots soon. Oh darn! I had looked into the Nikkor AF 14mm/f2.8D ED lens, but it isn’t really meant for the newer version Nikon cameras (which the D300 is), since it was made in 2000. Because of that, there’s a 1.5% differentiation from body to lens. Within that, the 14mm then becomes a 21mm and doesn’t offer the ultra-wide angle that I desired. Not to mention it was very high in the cost department! But, it would have been worth it. It’s an amazing lens! So, I went to my friend Pete at Cord Camera, the one in Kenwood, and he steered me in the right direction, as he always does! I have ordered a Tamron SP AF10mm-24mm/f 3.5-4.5 Di-II LD lens that will make the same 1.5% difference, but then equals a 15mm angle. Not far from the 14mm I was searching for. Make sense? Oh, and because I still have my older Nikon cameras, they WILL work with the 10mm for any film work I want to do. Awesome!! Plus, I get an added expandable option with a short zoom. Flexibility is always nice. With the money I’m saving, I may just get a new flash to go along with it!! I’ve got some good options! Thanks, Pete!!

All in all, things are happily busy at the moment. But, we still take time to relax and enjoy being “War-N and Christa” and not spending all of our weekends as just Hungry Lucy. There is a big difference. We recently went down to the Serpentine Wall at the edge of Cincinnati and walked over the Purple People Bridge to Newport. It was a lovely Saturday together at a place we both hold dear. We should do that more often.

Hope you are well and happy out there, wherever you are. I don’t know about you, but I’m already looking forward to Fall! And with it, many new exciting happenings!

Much Love,

Christa Belle

I haven’t written in a while. So, I thought I’d share some things I’ve been pleased with lately, and things I have been NOT so pleased with. Let’s start with the good, shall we?

War-N and I rarely go to movies unless it’s something that really makes a statement on a large screen. So, we went to see Coraline in 3D last weekend. While the visuals were stunningly awesome, I felt the movie lacked a lot of the good character depth that the book had (which is usually the case in any book-to-movie scenario). Neil Gaiman’s vision just in his head was much more representative of Coraline and her story. I can always go back and re-read the book if I want to see Neil’s world again. Thank goodness for great books!! While that was meant to be a positive, it did sound rather negative, huh? Well, I mean no harm. Just preferred the book. I absolutely appreciate the work, and talent, that went into this animation. It’s absolutely amazing and I felt like I was inside the screen with her. I loved that the fabric was real, along with everything else, and you got a total sense of depth on the screen. Just not within the story.

Something else that I liked was working on new tunes with War-N. But, again, this had a sense of sadness within it. I think we’re both (War-N and myself) realizing that Hungry Lucy won’t go on forever. It’s becoming so much more difficult just to write a song. We’re not forcing it, and that’s saying a lot about us as a band. Who knows where the road will lead. It’s been a long confusing one for HL the past 4 years. But, we’re not in the ground yet!

Then, we come to something I didn’t enjoy… and I’m not alone in this. I had been so looking forward to trying a new Organic restaurant here in Ohio… in Mason, actually. Its called Basilico Organic. I thought it would be a lovely, cozy place with wonderfully prepared organic food that warmed your soul. I was absolutely wrong. The environment was so sterile, bare and unfriendly. Not to say the people weren’t friendly, but they were strange in their approach. Also, they mention a Vegan menu, there were no Vegan items on the menu at all. First, you go to the “ordering station”, place your order and then put a number on the table. No glamor there. Not to mention you couldn’t read the menu to save your life. It was so small! But, the prices would indicate something fabulous was going to be arriving at your table. But, no. Nothing spectacular at all. I know, I know. I have HUGE expectations of restaurants that tout anything to do with Organic or Natural. Neigh, ANY restaurant! They should know better than to serve what they gave us. It was edible, and the flavor of my Pesto was ok (a bit too much garlic). But, War-N’s cold (yes, it wasn’t even hot) pizza tasted like a party pizza that is $2 at any grocery store. Our dining buddies, Peter & Carol (War-N’s parents) both had a Spicy Vodka Ravioli and Carol’s was more like a soup! Peter’s barely had any sauce. The sauce ratio was so off it was embarrassing! That is a HUGE no-no in any restaurant. You just don’t do that. So, THIS is your idea of Organic dining? Well, I think you’ve got it wrong. They gave a false impression with the “dough twirling pizza maker” who basically just pounded on his dough and chucked it into the wood oven. Yes. A wood oven that produced a cold, flat, tasteless pizza for War-N. Pathetic. They were obviously overwhelmed, but I give them no sympathy. If you want to run a restaurant, you better damned well know how to do it! I heard a few people complaining about the service and the time it took for their orders. It was a lukewarm experience. Oh, and the TWO tv’s in the restaurant. That’s just so classy for an Organic eatery. My overall rating is about 2 stars out of 5! I won’t be going back.

I have never liked the whole tv in the restaurant angle. I thought the idea of a restaurant was to go and enjoy your company. Not watch tv during dinner (I’m guilty of this, too) like a lot of us do at home. If I ever ran a restaurant, I’d abolish all electronic devices inside. I miss the days of casual elegance. Simple tables, warm atmosphere and the ability to hear the other person you are dining with. Wait… when have I ever experienced that?? Ah yes. Pitrelli’s in Mason is a much happier choice if you want to dine in Mason. It is the environment I speak of. The food is good and the service is always friendly. Also, if it’s great Indian you’re after, Raja India in Mason is great or it’s sister, and first of the two, restaurant Ambar India (my favorite) in Clifton.

Well, I do have my opinions. You have yours. I think we’re all entitled to speak our minds. At least I give good praise as well as bad reviews! I’m just being honest on my perception of my experiences. People have done it to me in the music world… so, I think that’s only fair. I can dish it out, and take it

To end on a much higher, positive note, Spring is in the air! I have so many things I hope to do. I got an estimate to help clear our drainage problems once and for all. I’ll hear what that estimate is later in the week. My good gardening guide Marvin, of Marvin’s Organic Gardens in Lebanon, came by to do the estimate for me. He and his assistant Ricky, and Lily the dog, spent two hours with me chatting about what we could do, should do and may do in the side and back yard. I absolutely love Marvin and all he stands for. He’s taught me so much over the years whether he knows it or not. He’s my gardening angel. I’ve never seen such passion in anyone in any other trade. He wants the absolute best for the environment and wants to make it right from the start. A rarity in any trade. So, if you need gardening work done in the Cincinnati area, I HIGHLY recommend Marvin and his crew to assist you!! If you’re looking for a healthier way of gardening, this is the place for you. Give 10-10-10 the boot and learn what organic fertilizers are going to treat you right! To quote Marvin, “Out with the old, in with the ancient!”. Go organic. It’s only natural! That’s their motto.

Well, time to start the tasks of the day. I hope you and yours are well in this fluctuating climate. Enjoy the Spring, if you wish, and know with each new season we get new opportunities to learn from nature. I’ll be utilizing this way of thinking as much as I can. A better earth is better for us all.

Much Love (Organic and Vegetarian!!)

cb

It’s late, and I’m so tired that I can’t sleep. The old “toss and turn” monster reared its ugly head. I tried to go to bed after a normal day of activity and an evening of great company, wholesome veggie food and a bit of wine (not too much). Despite my sleepiness, my brain will not allow me to sleep. So, I’ve been up, alone, browsing through old pictures, videos and missing old friends. I tried, in vain, to be productive. It only made things worse. So, I thought I’d write a bit and then try, once again, to sleep.

In my daily life, I’ve been noticing little black shadows surrounding me again lately. I have to look two or three times to make sure a person isn’t standing at my window or hiding in a corner. These little ones are a bit strong! I’ve seen about four today, or yesterday rather, and saw about the same amount the day before. I’m no stranger to this, as I’ve seen it often in my life. I’ve just had such a long period of inactivity since we moved into this house (about 5 years) that it surprised me. So, why am I suddenly seeing things now? I haven’t the slightest clue. But, after a visit from my Eldest Sister today, she said that she, too, had been “active” in her vision too. Well, that helped it make a bit more sense. In our lives as a family consisting of a lot of “visionaries”, we often see things in a sort of cycle together. We either dream the same things near the same time, or start seeing things that we can’t really explain. It never fails that we do this in pairs, or often times, all four of us. My mother, my two sisters and myself. What was even weirder was that I had just written a chapter for my book and it was about an older sister coming to visit one of the characters out of the blue. Then, literally less than half an hour later, my sister called to say she was coming up the next day. I haven’t seen my sister since December, so a sudden trip was totally out of the blue! How connected are we? Coincidence? I think not.

So, maybe the shadows were just a sign of a visit from my sister. Or, are they the shadows of my own mind playing tricks on me just to remind me that I’m never alone? I’m never really sure what I’m seeing at times like this. But, for whatever reason, it does make me appreciate life a lot more when it’s happening. I find it mysterious and wonderful. It never scares me. Maybe something just opened back up inside me and I can see all the spirits that have been hidden from my view? I guess I’ll never have an explanation. But, it’s nice to wonder what it’s all about.

I feel calmer now and a lot more relaxed. Writing about things does tend to help quite a lot… even if no one ever reads it. My eyelids are certainly much heavier. I hope that’s a good sign.

As a little side note, I used to fight the word “blog” when I wrote on here with my little stories and “articles” as I chose to call them. But, hey. I’m facing up to it. I’m “writing on my blog”. Dude. I’m bloggin’!

Also, War-N has been trying to help me get my proper gallery up and running for this site. I am a hard customer, so he’s told me I’ve been very reluctant to post many pics lately as I don’t want to put some of my recent “collections” in the format of a regular post. They deserve a nice gallery, and War-N is helping to make that happen. Thanks, War-N. As usual, you help me get things done. You rock, sweetie!

Speaking of the galleries, this will (hopefully) coincide with a new look for christabelle.com. I’ve liked the trustworthy WordPress way of posting, but it’s never looked as I intended. Again, War-N is helping with that. I know a hungrylucy.com revamp is also in much need! But, we’ll finish the album first and then handle the website. I think completing the album is more important right now. Don’t you? The album is only the tip of the iceberg. Oh, just you wait!!

Well, I think I feel much better now. That’s nice.

Goodly night,

cb

It’s me again. Still here. Been somewhat busy writing. Now, this writing I speak of is lyrical, musical and literary. While War-N and I as Hungry Lucy are still gathering songs together for our album, we still haven’t really begun the hardest task of finalizing everything. It’s so easy to write and get things to a solid state, but then, the harder work comes in. Making final decisions on where breaks go, what instruments work, how many harmonies and whether the song still sounds good after all that. Then, we have some other wonderful side things going on that we want to do, but that will unavoidably put a bit of a hold on more progress. Not enough to bother with, so no big deal there. Who knows. Maybe it will help us see more clearly when we return to it? It’s pointless to try and figure out why one weekend brings two complete songs and others bring nothing. It’s all in the moment and what those moments bring. You just can’t plan it. Believe me. We’ve tried!

Secondly, my literary writings are going very well. Up to a beefy (or soy based) 18 chapters now! I didn’t quit… woo hoo!! I don’t even want to think that my story wouldn’t get finished. It would hurt way too much. All I can say is that it has taken turns I never thought it would and I am thoroughly enjoying this writing business. I always wrote poetry in my youth… I think I can say that now since I no longer have true “youth” any longer. And ya know what? I don’t want it back. I’m very happy at 34 years old and wouldn’t have it any other way. Anyhoo, I never really wrote much in the way of stories in my teens and twenties. Poetry is very different and requires a different discipline. I’m liking the novel way of writing very much. I can really get into telling the story instead of making sure it fits into a rhyme scheme or something like that. I can just write and write and then go back and edit later. It’s not better than poetry, just very different. It’s wonderful! As of now, I’m well on my way into the heft of the story and I already know how this book will end. I do know that I believe it will require a series to get all of the story told that I want to tell. Awesomer still!! I’m already thinking on how I will release this monster of a book once it is finished. I think having released all of the music ourselves in the past, I can better deal with releasing a book independently as well. But, mayhaps I should just finish it first and then go from there, yeah? I’m always a step further in my head than I should be. Can you tell?

Thirdly, there is something I do want back. My natural hair color! I got a little crazy due to a wild hair up my ass recently and decided to go partially red on me head! I liked it at first and had grand visions of doing more colors and cutting more and more off to end with a final shave. Well, that plan quickly went right down the old crapper. I’m so sick of not seeing my true self in the mirror. I never thought in a million years that I’d miss seeing “me” so much. I thought about having less hair as well and realized that was no longer what I desired. I’ve done all that and don’t need to revisit it at this juncture. I found it rather refreshing and lovely that I didn’t want to not look like me. Mission accomplished in a weird way. So, I go back to black (or dark brown, really. I’m actually highly allergic to black hair dye! Oh, the horror!) this coming Wednesday and I can hardly wait. I see myself in the mirror this way and just don’t like it at all anymore. I keep waiting for the girl I know. She’ll be back very soon. This is what I looked like at the first day of the red phase:

Not bad, but just not me. Plus, I feel so bad for red heads now. Its incredibly hard to find anything to go with my hair in the clothing department! My trusty blue shirts that I love so much look so disgusting against that red. Ack! Plus, I can’t wear my fave red lipstick at the moment because it looks absolutely horrid with the red in my hair! My admiration goes out to redheads everywhere for looking as good as you do. I can’t pull it off. I’m a brunette. And for the first time in a long time, I’m realizing how special that is for me.

In more personal news, I have been happy to see so many people in the world embracing our new President. I am one of them. I think I’m just more quiet about it. I love that he’s president now. That’s about all I have to say about that. Yeah, I totally Forrest Gump’d it! Now, where’s my box of chocolates?? Oh yeah. It’s in California

In general, I feel happy but a tad nervous. I’m up at nearly Midnight (you see, this is late for me because I am getting old!) because I started thinking of all of these things War-N and I have, and need, to do. That made me wake up and not be sleepy any longer, as I tend to do. And, while I want to do these things, I am so nervous that I’ll screw something up. I just hope everything coming up turns out well. That’s all I want. Geez. We do get ourselves in quite a state worrying, don’t we? It doesn’t help anything and we know this. But, it’s hard to stop it happening, too.

So, that’s my ramble for the week. Still missing “Tea” and looking forward to it’s return.

Hope you all have a great February! I intend to in a major way!!

Good Night. Sleep Tight.

Much Love,

Christa Belle

If you are amongst the handful of Hungry Lucy fans out there, you know we have temporarily stopped our podcast in the hope to use that time on Sunday to work on, and finish, our 4th full length album. While this tactic is working, I just wanted to voice that I miss the hell out of our podcast and can’t wait to return to it! But, as War-N said to me not too long ago “You can’t have your puddin’ until you finish your firsts.” I was just in my iTunes, updating and such, and just really missed our podcast.

So, for those of you out there that may miss it as well, take comfort in the fact that I’m so longing to get back to Tea with you guys! I miss it just as much as you do. But, this deprivation has made me appreciate it even more. When we do return, we’ll have so much stuff to say!!

If you need to hear friendly voices in the meantime, I suggest the following Podcasters who have the skill to draw you in and make you feel good with their tunes, stories and lovely voices!

Three From Leith – The always lovely Grant Mason who has sent quite a few great new tunes my way!
This American Life podcast – The incomparable Ira Glass and his shared stories from people around the world.
Chillin’ with Lovespirals – Anji Bee and Ryan Lum out in La La land tellin’ everyone what they’re up to. Great music, good wine and fun tech toys!
Bloodwire – Fellow Electro-musicians, and dear friends, who do their semi-regular podcast about once a month.
The Smiths Occasional Podcast – Two crazy kids, nearly as crazy as us, and their occasional (it’s in the title!) podcast. Always a quirky, fun listen!
You Look Nice Today - An insanely eccentric podcast! Three guys, a rambling story and brilliantly odd things going on! Beware the Tang Tangs!!

Anyhoo, just letting you know, I miss Teatime with all of you. We’ll be back soon. I promise.

Much Love,

cb

Just a quick little post to mention a couple of things. First off, I just watched the somewhat recent documentary following David Lynch called Lynch (one). As some of you know, those of you that know me, he is my favorite director. Just in the few personal-type things I’ve watched, and read, I have learned so much. He never ceases to amaze me by what he says. War-N said “I wouldn’t like to work for him!”. I can certainly see why. I wouldn’t want to either. At least, not as a fellow director… someday. When someone has such a strong idea, drive and ideal of how things should be, nothing will do but what’s inside that person’s head. No room for company in there, and there shouldn’t have to be. One person’s vision is just that ONE person’s vision. I’d like to think I will have that kind of vision one day. The kind that makes everyone around me want to help me get that vision and do whatever it takes. No matter who is around me, I want to do the work and do whatever it takes. I have great support already. With that, I can go very far.

In other creative news, I’m very happy to report that I am now up to 14 chapters in my “Days with Indigo” novel/story. I don’t write everyday, as I should, but when I do it’s so easy and gentle in my mind. It isn’t hard at all. I do often wonder if that means anything… like if it’s easy, it’s not good. But, I’m choosing to ignore any such thoughts and just do what seems to be a very pleasant thing for me to do at this time. I’m so involved in the characters and the story and this world I’m creating seems so absolutely real to me. I see it happen as I type… like a movie. I have always seen the scenes as they come to me. No problem. it will translate very easily when that time comes! I can sense who is going to talk to me on each chapter and it’s so intriguing and lovely. I just visualize and type as fast as I can. Editing comes later It’s quite interesting. On certain days I’ll think “Well, I miss Indigo today, so I’ll write something to do with her.” and the story just comes so naturally. I’m really loving it! I often get so busy with tons of projects (as a LOT of you out there know!), and while I do have more than the novel/story going on right now, I feel I’m so involved, yet separated, with this idea. It comes back to me whenever I need it and doesn’t go away if I can’t get to it at the time. Not much else like that happens to me. Sure, I get ideas for pictures, videos, short films and music, but it often goes away as quickly as it came. Not with Indigo. There’s something magick in this new world for me. I can’t wait to see how it unfolds!

In closing, I just wanted to thank War-N for everything he does for me everyday. Also, thanks for helping me proofread “…Indigo” as it forms. It absolutely thrills me that you like it as much as I do!! Now that we’re thinking “logic-ally”, I think we’re both on a great path. The best part is, our pathways run side by side.

Much Love to Everyone!

cb

I don’t know where to start? I feel inspired, excited, alive and nauseated! It’s only half past midnight on a Friday night/Saturday morning. I’m the only one up, except for the cats, and they are looking at me like I’m crazy. Yeah. I’m the crazy one while Pullo chases an acorn around the house! The nausea has come from a bit too much red wine and not enough water. Urgh. And, my sleepiness has now gone away completely. Bummer.

So, I started the day at Panera with War-N. I already new I wanted to go out today. I needed to do something creative that wasn’t related to any of my other projects going on. So, I packed my camera bag and off I went. I drove around the back roads near my neighborhood and found a lovely old abandoned house (the above photo). In my younger, more adventurous days, I wouldn’t have hesitated to go on inside and make myself at home. But, with past experiences being my teacher, and more common sense creeping into my aging brain, I decided to stay at a safe distance. Believe me, I really, REALLY wanted to go inside. But, I didn’t. Plus I knew not what was lurking inside. It was like one of those Terry Gilliam movies (Tideland, for example) where the strangers within were looking out at me, wondering, just as I could have unknowingly been looking in at them. Someone had to win, and I didn’t want it to be them. So, I stayed out of psycho-maniac grabbing range! I took with me only my camera and a feeling of confidence. I did still have some photographic adventure left in my mid-30′s body, and mind. I miss the jolt of finding something I want to take a risk on to get a good photo. While this photo isn’t bad, I see a few things I’d want to go back and fix. The blown out sky, for example. It is nice, but featureless. That brings me to my next point.

As I gazed upon the old, falling apart house, I thought of the current state of Hungry Lucy. Before you get upset thinking I’m insulting my own music, I’m not. I found it beautiful and full of secrets. Sure, it’s getting a bit of age on it, but it’s that very same age that’s making it turn into something else entirely. Something mysterious that holds new surprises around every creaking board and broken window. I have all of this excitement and mystery in our music world to enjoy and bring to life at the moment. And, honestly, it’s nice to just have it to myself and War-N. It’s not ready to be seen, nor heard, for fear of sharing too much too soon. I think that has been a downfall of HL in the past. Not in a major way. But, enough for people to always rely on us to give it up to the public whenever there is something even slightly new to share. Well, not right now. You must wait, as we have waited. You must crave, as we have craved. And most of all you must long for completion, as we have longed. When it is ready, it will be well worth the wait. Plus, it will be so much more than you have ever expected from Hungry Lucy in the past. There are so many ideas swimming, it would be hard to explain. All I will say is that I have had so much visual inspiration and it will be fully utilized when the time comes. Plus, the music is a wonderful new experience as well. Oh, what fun we’ll have when The Standing Ones rise!

In my other projects, I am making some progress. I’m currently working on my “end of year” video project of family videos and events from this year. This is, by far, the most difficult one yet. It’s so difficult, I postponed the viewing until February. December is never easy to maneuver, so I figured why kill myself just to make a holiday deadline. So, I moved it up to be it’s own thing. Not related to the rush of mad December. It will bring our family together to share in the short film as a family. Nothing else surrounding it to take away from the love that it always provides. Well, except for some yummy food to go along with the show Our family is ever-growing and it’s nice to step back and watch them watch their progression. It always amazes me the reactions I get. It’s always something I can be proud of, and I didn’t want to compromise it by rushing it along. so, I think it’s going to be my best one yet. In fact, it may be the last one for a while as I have so, so many things in mind for 2009. But, I won’t go into that just yet. One must complete a thing before talking of another. I have learned that lesson again and again!!! It only leads to disappointment.

Today also held my getting film back from the lab. Yes. I still shoot film! Still one left to pick up next week (a color roll of 120), but I got my 2 B&W 120 rolls to scan and play with. My hope is to set up my wet darkroom again very soon. Just have to organize it and make it happen. But, I just didn’t want to wait for these negatives to be processed. I wanted to show them to my family soon, as one is a family pic. We don’t have many of those these days as we’re all so busy! So, it was nice to get one with the entire immediate family. Lovely!

I’ve been shooting mostly black and white with my old Yashica Mat 124G TLR. Basically, it’s an old waist-finder twin-lens camera that is so quirky it’s ridiculous. I love it! The beauty of this old baby is it was modified before I bought it used. An old doctor had it and, for whatever reason, gave it the capability to be a multiple exposure camera. So, it has this little silver loop that you pull to reset the shutter. Then, you can do as many exposures on one negative as you want. I have a multi-exposure I took recently that I can’t wait to scan and experiment with. From the looks of the neg, I think I done good! The color roll I’m waiting on is a little set of pics I shot of War-N out in the snow. It was such fun shooting War-N just as a subject. Not for Hungry Lucy. It does seem to turn into something else when you know what it will be for. I liked the randomness of it all and just playing outside in the snow with my husband. Thanks, War-N. I now we were both freezing by the end of it!!

So, I’m having fun, getting inspired daily by tons of outside influences and generally enjoying life here in Hamilton. The sky may be blown out, but that just means there’s no limit! I can’t wait to see what the next few months hold. Some very exciting things on my list. I also can’t wait to share them all.. when they’re ready

Until next time, I hope you are well, happy and where you want to be.

With Much Love,

Christa Belle

War-N and I recently (only a few days ago, Saturday November 29th) went to see Amanda Palmer in Pittsburgh, PA. Not only had I been blown away by her solo album “Who Killed Amanda Palmer” (released in September of this year) but this performance has overshadowed all other shows I’ve seen for the past 5 years. I can’t describe the energy, passion, beauty and overall pleasant feeling I got from this show! Along side Miss Palmer, performing beautifully as she sang and played the piano, were The Danger Ensemble. An incredible troop of performers that added just that much more emotion to an already powerful performance. It was well worth the trip! Despite me feeling old amongst the 18 year-old’s, and having a horrid backache from standing for over 4 hours at the show, I have no regrets! Plus, I had my first good Sex on the Beach (a cocktail) since Steve left Warehouse!! Pineapple juice, baby!

Amanda Fucking Palmer is one amazing lady. And, yes. I do mean lady. She shows more grace on stage, and in her blog, than anyone I’ve seen… ever. She is totally herself and isn’t after anything but making great art. She’s done that and, I’m sure, will continue to do so.

There was a big hub-bub about her so-called-belly (which she sets straight in her own blog) in the video for “Leeds United”. Well, I couldn’t see a damned thing wrong with her beautious belly. I’m on board with exposing more belly love! Go here if you want to share in The Rebellyon!!In fact, here’s my beloved belly as well!

Sure, I’m mean to it sometimes by constantly thinking it could be better. But, I always feed it To quote the incomparable Sophia Loren, “Everything you see, I owe to pasta!”. We should all embrace our individuality and not focus so much on what others expect us to look like. I can only be me. Why would I want to be anyone else? So, I shall give my belly, and body in general, more praise and love it for what it is. Beautiful.

When are people in the “industry” going to realize that people don’t fit into one mold that keeps performing for them without question or substance. It’s like getting a big chocolate bunny at easter and then biting into it only to find it hollow and tasteless. It looked good enough, but nothing was inside. Who wants that? Well, sirs and madams, NOT ME!

So, how does this little story relate to me and/or Hungry Lucy? Well, Miss Palmer has just become such a strong influence in my life now in just these short months of listening to Who Killed Amanda Palmer. I have watched, and greatly admired, all of the incredible videos and it has translated beautifully from music, to video to live performance. How she did it all in such a seamless way, I need to learn!!

The things I have taken from this experience is that I am on the right track for never settling to be someone I’m not. It makes my heart sing, and my voice, knowing that there are strong musicians out there that stand up for what they believe in and aren’t in it merely for financial gain. I admire the hell out of you, Amanda Palmer. Keep it up!!

If you haven’t checked out any of Amanda Palmer’s websites, please go! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

Much Love to all, and your bellies!

Christa Belle

Amanda Palmer – main site
Amanda Palmer – album mini-site

In these past few weeks, I’ve had a lot on my mind, and on my plate. The busy party planning days for my Halloween bash are now over. Though it was great, it wore me out! Now, I can relax a bit and enjoy my creativity with writing my book (which is going well, by the way!), my end of year video project and Hungry Lucy music. While my progress is great, I still have an antsy feeling I can’t shake. I think I know what it is, and I hope to remedy it soon. Being October, Halloween and the beginning of a lovely Autumn, I long for days walking about the cemetery crunching leaves beneath my feet and watching the sky.

The cemetery holds many, many dear memories for me. I had been exposed to the Lexington Cemetery since early childhood. My Mother would take me and my sisters to feed the ducks & geese and look at all of the lovely trees and beauty within this hallowed ground. So, I can fully blame my Mother for my love of cemeteries! I’m glad I was never afraid to be in one. That, to me, would just be so sad. And now, to be surrounded by many either way I venture out, I can’t help but crave an adventure in a cemetery a little less known to me. I went to one recently right in Hamilton that I had been wanting to go to for a while. The problem is, I go alone.

I miss the days of my friends and I wandering about, taking photos and chatting the day away. We were unaware of what distances would separate us in the future. Probably better that we didn’t know. Sadly, this separation was my own doing. I’m the one who moved away. Therefore, I feel I took away my chances to be with my dear friends. I know, we all have our own adult lives to lead now. But, I miss the days of carefree adventures with my three friends in Lexington. This time of year, especially, I miss it so much. There are also other friends I have made with a high regard for cemeteries. How I long to go and shoot pictures as I used to. I do go shooting now and I love it, don’t get me wrong. But, there was a magick in it before that seems to have gone away. Now, they simply seem like statues when I look at them. There’s no one to share the moment with as it happens. It’s just me, my camera and endless pictures with no soul. At least, that’s how it feels right now. I hope my mood will lighten and I can just enjoy the day of shooting at the cemetery. It is still a highly pleasurable experience just to be there.

Even though I miss those days, I love my present days, too. But, I never have quite made a close friend here in Cincinnati. I don’t make friends easily. But, when I do, it’s for life! But, I’m rambling and beginning to make no sense. It’s my site, though. So, I can if I wanna!!

I have never felt like I’ve really grown up. I kinda like that. I don’t feel that it’s silly for me to feel this way. Or any other way, for that matter. I always feel like “real” adults think you should push back certain feelings and concentrate on being an adult and all of the responsibilities that come with it. Well, pardon my french, but screw that!! I just want to follow my heart. How can that be bad? My Mother did always encourage me to be expressive. As did Mimi, my Grandmother. So have many others along the way. I will always thank them for that and for allowing me, though a bit reluctantly at times, to just be me. Now, I have a wonderfully supportive husband that does the same. He’s always encouraging me to “go for it” and be as creative as I possibly can be. I’m trying, sweets. I’m trying.

I guess the moral of this blabbering story is that with or without friends to share the moment with, you still have to make your own moments and cherish them. You can’t go back. Only forward. Make the best of it and don’t wish your life away. I know… easier said than done.

Much Love to Everyone,

cb

PS…this picture was taken at the glorious Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, OH.

As most of you know, for those of you who visit my personal site, I am in the band Hungry Lucy. Yes, we’re still around! The band, as it were, consists of myself and my husband, War-N. When we do work together, we work very well together. But, as is the problem with a lot of musicians, we don’t always get to work when we want to. Or, the even more dreaded problem, we’re not inspired to work! But, lately, we have been so inspired to work on music. This all came about by stopping our bi-weekly podcast, Tea with Hungry Lucy, for a spell just to see what came about. Well, something clicked and we’ve been very productive just in the last couple of weeks! This was also due to a computer switch and, in turn, a music software switch as well. We now have our music on a Mac (about bloody time!!) and it’s so much more intuitive. War-N is loving it! So, the lapse in “tea” and a new system has really helped draw out the music. It’s lovely getting to work side by side with War-N again and make the music that we so love!

This has all made me think a lot about dedication to the Muse. I was watching an interview with the great Tori Amos this morning and she said a key statement roughly saying that if you were constantly waiting for the Muse to show up, maybe they didn’t want to perform when you needed them. You have to have the dedication and devotion to THEM. Sometimes one needs to summon the Muse rather than waiting for the Muse to summon them. For more inspiration from the Great Red Goddess, click here and here for the interviews I watched. I’m glad I took the time to sit and listen to her chat about this and that. I always find inspiration in her whether it’s an album or watching one of her live shows.

Another thing that has been bothering me lately is the amount of years that we’ve had between releases. This is the longest amount of time that HL hasn’t put something out to the world. Do people really forget an artist if they don’t put something out for a few years? What is the right amount of time between releases? Do the fans really care about quantity? Quality? These are the thoughts that have stopped us dead in our tracks at times. We’d think “Are we too late? Should we give up?” and the answer always came back “No!”. I was guilty of using a bit of reverse-psychology on War-N time or two. But, it made him realize he didn’t want to stop making music. We just needed some time to gather our thoughts, take some time for our own inner selves and time to re-group.

In taking this time, we discovered that “tea” wasn’t what it was originally intended to be. It became the “War-N and Christa” show and the music fell by the wayside. Tea with Hungry Lucy was becoming a huge chore and felt so forced and empty. The love for the fans is always there. But, when a podcast about music turns to gardening and cooking for topics of the day, it’s time to stop, take a breather and come back with some more, um, what’s the word… MUSIC!! We also discovered that we have no more mystery left in the world of Hungry Lucy. Everyone knows everything about us now and therefore it feels like they have no more drive to want to know more. Ya know? So, we’ll be a bit more absent for a while in order to do what we need to do as musicians.

These thoughts have made me see that without the perspiration of hard work, nothing will get done. It’s ok to think that “if it’s not fun anymore, it’s not worth doing.” But, where will that get you? I can speak about this from personal experience. If you give up because you’re waiting for something, or someone, else to make it happen, it just won’t happen! Without your own devotion to whatever it is, it will sit silent in the corner collecting dust. I, personally, have a lot of projects on my list that I want to do. I am doing half of them and trying to figure out how to go about the other half. I am stubborn, willful and moody. Therefore, I’m best when working on my own. But, there is one exception to this rule and that is with music. Without War-N, Hungry Lucy would not be the great thing that it often can be. I think he is my Muse and I am his. Since neither of us were sending out our summoning waves, neither of us felt inspired. But, now we’ve woken the sleeping Muses and they are singing once again. It’s soft at the moment. But, I feel them starting to find their voices more rapidly now. They are strong, different and amazing. Now, we just need the dedication to make it all happen! We have a plan, we have the music and, best of all, we have each other.

So, if you don’t hear from us for a while, think of it as a good thing. When we do come back, and we will, we’ll have so many new, interesting stories to tell. Plus, we’ll have new music!

Until next time, summon the Muse within you and see what happens!

Much Love,

Christa Belle

Summer is nearly at an end, thank goodness, and I am getting in that creative state of mind. With Autumn comes introspective thoughts, cozy days with endless pots of tea, kitties on the lap and a true sense of self. Though I love the garden in Summer, I also love it when it starts to fade and go to sleep. It speaks it’s last words in crimson, rust and golden hues abound. A gentle reminder that just because the leaves fall, the trees are not dead. They just need time to rest. We all do. So, with that last glorious, colorful display, my thoughts turn inward to writing and reading.

But, before the Autumn starts, the last bursts of bright summery colors make their way to the eye. Sometimes, they hold within their colorful sheath a surprise or two. I had cut a small bouquet of flowers a while back and I arranged it prettily on my kitchen windowsill. As I filled the kettle for an afternoon cuppa, I noticed a little fellow inside the flower gazing up at me. It was a tiny spider, holding onto the stamens of the Lily. Me being me, I quickly grabbed my trusty camera and took a picture of this interesting sight. Then, I released the flower, and spider within, back to the outdoors. Just because it made for a cool picture didn’t mean I wanted it to hang around right in front of me! Spiders do their best work outside, so that’s where he ended up. The flower stayed happily in a vase on the large wooden picnic table in the company of Rosemary pots in my back garden. Although I had put it outside, it was still quite charming and lovely to look at.

Recently, War-N and I had a wonderful surprise guest come to visit. Our dear friend Justin! In that brief visit, I got the chance to really sit down and chat with Justin as I never really had before. He is always a welcome visitor and we always enjoy his company. I felt I could truly be myself around him, as I am with War-N, and it just felt so nice to sit and talk to someone and not feel I had to do anything but be myself. It got me thinking that we (as a people) often try to do too much to be ourself around others. In doing that, we get nervous, bumble around and get all twisted in our own thoughts. Why do we feel such pressure to “entertain” and we feel we must apologize for just being our daily selves? I suppose part of it is upbringing and how we were raised to behave around others. I don’t know? But, I do know that as I get older I feel more and more like I know who I really am. I don’t make any apologies for that, or at least I’m trying not to any longer. I’m simply me and no one needs to know anything other than that. As I continue to dissolve my invisible wall of distrust and shame, I am walking more upright in my own skin. Thank you, Justin and War-N, for loving me for me… and enjoying my cooking! And thank you to all of my dear friends and family scattered all over the world for your kindness and understanding over the years. You never wanted me to be anything but me and I love you all for that! I’m catching up now and enjoying my newfound freedom.

So, I’ll withstand the last hot days of September and prepare for my retreat into my inner sanctum. I look forward to writing more of my “Days with Indigo” book (I’m up to 8 chapters now. Yay!), making skirts, writing music and just enjoying life in general. And on special mornings, I shall settle in, get all cozy and enjoy a few hours with my friend Victoria. I’m so glad she came back into production!!

Until next time, always be yourself.

Much Love,

Christa Belle

In the past couple of weeks, I have been gearing up for many things. I’ve been working on getting things ready for the garden, working on my Cemetery film and preparing for my youngest sister’s baby shower (for which I’m making the cake). This is not including any Hungry Lucy work, so my brain is a bit of a fast track at the moment!

So, I went to the Spring Grove cemetery yesterday to try (yes TRY) to shoot some video and a bunch of pics. As you can see, it was a very sunny day and I got loads of “sun beams” in pics where I didn’t necessarily want them. While I got to shoot pictures, my camera batteries in my video camera died flat. BOTH of them! I got a few panning shots of trees and such, but not much else. As I got lost in the midst of Spring Grove (which is VERY easy to do!), War-N called me on my cell phone. I had a nice little chat and suddenly, mid-sentence, my phone died. Plus, I had to pee so bad!! Knowing this may have scared War-N, I eventually found a payphone (you know they still exist, yeah?) to tell him I was ok. And yes…I found a bathroom, too It’s now 50 cents to make a local call. Crazy!! Now you can’t even tell someone “Here’s a quarter. Call someone who cares!”. You’d have to say “Here’s 50 cents. I’m awfully sorry it costs so much, but call someone who cares!”.

Blah, blah, blah…I went to cemetery #2 near Sharonville. I don’t know the name of it off the top of my head, but it’s one I frequented when I worked in the area. An old friend introduced me to this cemetery, but you’ll find out more about that story in the future film!

Anyway, I used to go here and have lunch in my car and then walk amongst the stones. I wrote a lot of poetry in this cemetery. One in particular I remember being inspired for was a poem called “Perrinne”. I thought it was a very lovely last name that I had seen on a headstone. I’ve always remembered the first line “Perrinne, you soothe me, calm me down. When things have gotten too busy…” and I sometimes go back to that statement and can find calm in the stone of Perrinne. Anyway, they have some of the oldest stones I’ve seen in this cemetery. It’s a blend of old and new stones from plot to plot. You can’t even read some of them anymore. I find this so sad. Even graves aren’t permanent. But whacha gonna do? It’s stone. It does what it wants.

Now I am preparing my seedlings indoors in a flat, in the typical fashion, under a grow light. I hope no one suspects me of growing anything of an illegal nature! We do live across from two cops and they can see my seedlings here in the library from the street. If they insist, I shall show them my tomatoes and peppers!! I had thought about starting other seeds indoors, but the other things I’m growing are all best when directly sowed. These are things such as carrots, lettuces, peas, beans and a few flowers (cornflowers, sweet peas and the like). I must say I’m absolutely dying to get out back and garden like mad! But, I must have patience. That’s the one thing gardening has taught me. As much as I may want to, you just can NOT rush things in the garden. So, I shan’t.

In my “cake trials”, as I have been calling them, I am trying to make the ultimate shower cake. I started with a Martha Stewart recipe straight from her Baking Handbook. While it was “ok” I knew I could do better. So, I replaced the cake base of Martha’s with an elegant White cake recipe. The Lemon Curd layers stayed the same and I made a straight Vanilla Swiss Buttercream instead of my first Lemon Swiss Buttercream. Cake #2 (pictured) was a definite improvement over cake #1. BUT, I still think the buttercream could be much better. It still had too much butter, which made it a bit greasy, and it didn’t have the fluffy whiteness I was hoping for. So, I shall do one more icing trial and hope for the best. I must say. Swiss Buttercream isn’t that easy! I find it wonderfully challenging. I was, however, quite pleased with the white cake I made. It was so light, moist and full of flavour. I also learned that Lemon Curd wasn’t that difficult to make. Guess what I won’t be buying as much at Jungle Jim’s?? So, in a nutshell, the cake making is going very well. We ate that one up real nice!

Ahhh…that’s better. I can’t stand having all of this stuff stuck in a deadly loop in my brain! Best to get it out and talk about it. Meanwhile, at night I’m dreaming about dried-up seedlings, lop-sided cakes that I can’t ever finish icing and a swamp of a garden that spits out whatever I plant. The brain is a weird, marvelous, quirky thing. Mine has certainly had it’s share of activity lately! I love being so busy, but sometimes my brain won’t rest when I need it to. But, it’s worth the weirdness. I’m getting things done! Now, on to a recording session for Hungry Lucy tomorrow. I’m quite excited about that, too!! But first, a grocery shop is a MUST!

May you have a splendid weekend!

With Love,

Christa Belle

Today, January 31st, I feel very much calm and happy. I had breakfast with my War-N and that always makes for a good day!

As we sat and talked, I realized how unusual our relationship really was. I always hear people say how “marriage is hard” and I just don’t know why? I know we don’t have kids, so that is a different scenario. But, to have to “work so hard” to be with the one you love…well that just seems so strange! My Mother once told me that the more time I was married, the more time I would appreciate having to myself. Sorry, Momma. I don’t feel that way yet. I’ve been with War-N for 10 years now and I still feel the butterflies when he comes home. Whenever this “work” is supposed to come into play, please don’t tell me. I’ve avoided it thus far and we are both the better for it!

I think maybe people work too hard to make something work that shouldn’t. “They say” it’s all about sacrifice, compromise and all that jazz. Why? If you aren’t with someone who appreciates all of your quirks, methods and madness, why are you with them in the first place? And before you say something, no. This isn’t a ramble about how perfect my marriage is. I’m simply going through the thoughts in my head trying to figure out what a “normal” marriage is judged by. And I’m certainly not judging anyone else’s marriage. Just thinking out loud on my blog. That’s allowed, right?

I also feel like there’s a difference in “working things out” after an argument and “working to stay together”. All couples have arguments, no matter how big or small, and have to find a resolution. But, to have to constantly find a way to want to stay in the same house? That must be a terrible feeling. Well, I know. I used to feel that way long ago, before War-N. That brings me back to a comment War-N said this morning about how divorce can be a good thing. For example, in the 50′s and 60′s people just didn’t divorce. It was not done! It was looked at as a sign of giving up or abandoning your spouse and family. But, I have learned that it can also be a sign of giving up on yourself if you DON’T get a divorce. Complacency. How terrible!

I think this came about by watching the film “51 Birch Street”. A WONDERFUL film! It’s a documentary about Doug Block and his family. I’ll say no more than that, as it will ruin it for anyone else. I’ll simply say you MUST see his brilliant film and learn everything you can from it!! I certainly have. Not just as a viewer, but as a future film-maker.

So, I hope I am never “normal” (I haven’t been by any standard thus far!) and continue to live in a calm world with my non-normal husband. Life is what we make of it. If someone is always telling you to give in, compromise or not be yourself, where is the life in that? I’m very luck to have found War-N. It wasn’t an easy road at first, by ANY means.Obstacles everywhere. But, as our buddy Clete Francis said, “If we can get through this, we can get through anything!”. You said it, Clete!! I think that’s why we’re such a strong couple today. We learned what we were early on. We embraced it and never looked back!

I hope you, yes you, are happy and know who you are within yourself. That’s the key to finding true happiness!

Much Love to everyone!

Christa Belle

As some of you may know, I recently did a DVD project for my close family and friends. For the last three years, I have done an “end of the year” project documenting events of that year. Well, the one I did for 2006 never got given to anyone, so I decided to make a ultimate DVD set of the years 2006 & 2007. It is now finished and either in the recipient’s hands, or on it’s way to them.

To describe how I felt while editing all of this material would take a long time. I’ll just say I re-learned a few things that needed re-learning. All of the people in my life are so precious to me and sometimes a video is my only way to communicate that. Yes, I communicate my feelings through music, too. But, I feel pictures and video say things that songs cannot. That said, I also made a soundtrack for the “first flush” of recipients to enjoy. Since I wasn’t selling this DVD, I just wanted to make each person a “mixed cd” in Soundtrack style. I know, I’m rambling. But who cares??

So, the design for the cover was very important to me. We had used a technique with Thorn Apple (collaboration band I was involved in) years ago where we decided to print on vellum. The look is very beautiful and ethereal. I went back to that technique and feel it made the picture look like an old Polaroid transfer or something. I LOVED it!! However, some folks couldn’t read the text, as it was a bit faint on the vellum with all that black ink. So, I made a second version on crisp white paper. It’s much more legible, but I don’t like it nearly as much. I gave the first recipients the vellum variety and the people more concerned with the reading the crisp variety. I actually remembered to make myself a copy this time, too! So, I made a vellum version for me

The picture on the front of the DVD is my Grandparent’s old porch in Athens, KY. I was VERY fortunate to go and take pictures before the whole area was torn down. I still miss that porch, place and, most importantly, the people. I often go back to Athens to the cemetery, the old town streets and buildings and just re-connect with my childhood memories. I sit on the rock wall, staring up at the stars and know there was a lot of love here once.

There is also a school in Athens, which I believe will also be torn down, that I made a menu picture on the DVD. I had taken pictures there on a recent trip to Lexington and it was perfect for a Menu backdrop. One more lovely tie to the past. Great!!

I don’t know how this will come out, but I often feel like the family documentarian. I feel like I am preserving my own life as it happens and I can look back on it any time I want, or need, to feel my human connections. I called the DVD set “Laughing through the Tears” because that’s what everyone says they do when they watch my little films. “I laughed, and cried, and laughed some more” and so on. So, the title was born. Plus, it was a line in Steel Magnolias that I just loved. A scene in the back yard where Dolly Parton’s character says “Laughter through tears is my favourite emotion.” I have to agree 100%.

So, I will continue making memory archives and living life as if each day is my last. I’m not going to waste my time “saying” i’m going to do something. I’m going to actually DO it. My wild heart is finding it’s beat once again and isn’t afraid of what’s to come!

Much Love to everyone, everywhere!

Christa Belle

Before you think I spelled it wrong, I didn’t! I made invitations using the art of Edward Gorey, so nyah! I would show it, but I’m afraid I’d be committing some unspeakable copyright infringement. I don’t wanna disrespect the “Ed”, so I shan’t.

Anyhoo, most of the party went according to plan. I didn’t get my menu tags out in time, so there were no labels on the food. But, I think people could tell what most things were, so it was all good. It was a family affair with most of my family attending. The few that weren’t there were missed. Hope they had fun with their other plans Below is War-N as “Undead Priest” and Peter as “Dracula”. Later on, you will see the Devil Woman, too!

I set the mood with a bunch of candles, orange & purple string lights and a few special items, like this picture I was given while on tour with my band, Hungry Lucy. I met this guy, who was in a band also playing that night, and we started chatting about photography. He happened to have his portfolio with him and offered me an original work! I gladly accepted and had him sign it for me. I thought choosing a photo of him, by him, was highly suitable. It marked the occasion nicely. He, Feightner, was such a nice guy and so humble about accepting compliments on his work. It was all stunningly gory, and beautiful. I thought it fit in well with the party and offered a very special touch!

I set three tables with different things. One Vampire table, one Ceremonial table and one Skull table. Each of which are below in corresponding order. I liked the ceremonial table the best just because I LOVED the photos of it!! Plus, I discovered a great way to use napkin rings as votive holders! I had them beside me on the table, before it was dressed, and I thought “Ooooh…that would be nice!”. It was, and I was happy Also a great use of cheesecloth, don’t you think??

Then, there was the food. I made Rabbit Poo, Spider Legs (complete with cheese body), Pond Scum, Plasma Fizzures and everyone else brought many more gross-sounding, but delicious, food! I was so busy that I couldn’t take photos at the time. But, Mummy Carol (Devil Woman in the photos) managed to come through for me as she shot a lot of photos that evening. Thanks Mummy!!

The Rabbit Poo was the most labor-intensive thing I’ve made in a long time. Basically, it’s tiny hand-rolled truffles served in a bed of toasted coconut. You can see a cup of it in the above picture, next to the spider, in the silver muffin cups. I figured the best way to serve them was in a bundle, as I didn’t think tons of fingers on the truffles was a very sanitary thing. Eew!

I’m not including a lot of the pics of other people, as I don’t know if they’d want to be online for the world to see. But, everyone looked so great! My youngest sister, Shara, had the best, most original costume of the night (in MY opinion). She was a Deviled Egg! She had on white scrubs, red devil horns and a tail. She completed the look with a yellow yolk on her belly! Brilliant!! But, here’s me as a Murdered Faerie. War-N did my hair, as I couldn’t get it large enough!

Here’s Dracula and Devil Woman together. Other attendees included a different Faerie (My eldest sister, Angela. We were both Faeries and didn’t know it!), an Undead Swamp Creature, Murdered Al Capone, Tina Turner, Dark Angel, the Pig from Saw, Ghost, Death, a Hot Mummy and my Dad as himself! What a list of visitors, ay?

Then, we put our projector and fabric walls to good use for a background. We played the old movies Nosferatu, Dracula and Frankenstein. We put music to it (a LOT of Skinny Puppy) and it made for a great feel.

Overall, a great night! I, as the hostess, had a few things I wasn’t happy with. But, hey. Whatcha gonna do? Everyone had a great time, so that’s what matters!

Enjoy the pics, even though they are posted rather late, and I’ll talk to you again very soon!

Take care,

cb

When I was a child, I always remembered being fed biscuit after biscuit…usually covered in homemade sausage, or sometimes hamburger, gravy. While I don’t eat sausage or hamburger anymore, I still indulge in biscuits on days when I need to feel more connected to my family. Granny Martin (Clara Belle, who I was named after in part) made buttermilk biscuits by hand more times than I, or she, could ever count. We all ate them happily, greedily and sometimes we had just one too many. Oh well! We were never hungry at Granny’s house

As I got older, I realized how much talent you really do have to have to be a cook for 11 people on a daily basis! I don’t know how Granny did it. Anyway, I got curious on a few of Granny’s tried and true recipes that I had lived on for years and wanted to know how I could make a few at home. One day I asked Momma how she made them. It’s one of the classic responses that you get when asking for a family recipe, “Well, I don’t really know how much she used of this or that, but we can guess.”. Momma did a very good job showing me, here at my home, and my first batch turned out pretty good! Even Daddy liked them! I made sure I had Strawberry Jelly on hand for my Dad Momma makes them often too, so she was the perfect person to ask.

Before we started Momma gave me the facts she did know and the technique of forming the biscuits. Really, they HAVE no form. They are what you call ‘drop biscuits’ and you pretty much drop them in the pan and that’s the shape you get! But, Granny had a special way of dropping the fairly wet dough onto a pile of flour, picking it up, and then sort of tossing it from one hand into the other, from above. I’ve gotten pretty good at that and I think it’s so much fun! Who says you can’t “play” with your food? The trick is that you can’t leave it in your hand so long that it wants to ooze back into liquid form before you get it to the pan. They spread out very quickly, so you have to work fast. The more you can get side by side, the taller your biscuits will be. Momma said Freda, my Aunt, makes one smooth top biscuit! She’s got that technique down pat.

As I stood at my baking counter, watching Momma, it took me back to watching Granny make the very same biscuits. The only difference now is that I didn’t have to stand tip-toe to watch Momma as I did with Granny. The curiosity and wonderment were still there though. It was lovely! We stood, side by side, forming the biscuits. I’d say “How big?” she’d respond “Well, what’s in the spoon looks about right, but add a little more.” We went on and made a large tray of these lovely babies. Thanks, Momma!

Of course, no one’s biscuits turn out quite like Granny’s, but they are all made with the same special Martin Family ingredient…Orneriness!. We’d be damned if we were going to fail at making biscuits!! You can’t bring a Martin down, easily. Now, I make my biscuits in the same bowl that Momma used to showed me how. Yet another form of tradition. I do a few things differently, like using Olive Oil instead of Vegetable Oil, and I don’t use a lot of self-rising flour, so I make my own when I need to. Granny always used White Lily Self-Rising flour, but I don’t. I use half All Purpose Organic flour and half 00 Italian flour and it makes for a very light biscuit. I guess, really, I “Italian’d” mine up a bit!.

Ok. I’ve totally gone around my initial point! So, on this particular day, I was in the mood for some homestyle comfort food. Buttermilk Biscuits are the ultimate for me. Instead of a plate of heavy gravy to smother my pretty butter-top biscuits, I decided to just have them slathered in butter and honey. Can you say YUMMMM?? Plus, it was so easy. I have made them quite a few times now, and it’s just second nature.
There is no real recipe, so you just make however many you think you want and it’s very easy to adjust the quantity as you go. Need more flour, add more flour. Need more buttermilk, add more. It’s really that easy. In total, there are 3 ingredients (5 if you make the flour self-rising). None of them have an absolute amount. But, once you get the feel for it, you never forget.

Something else I like about homemade biscuits, as opposed to restaurant biscuits, you don’t get that nasty “Grease Teeth” feeling after these. Nothing but clean flavour. So many times in “big chain country cookin’ restaurants” I’ve had the saddest biscuits I’ve ever tasted. How some restaurants can call what they make food is beyond me!! I always prefer to eat at home whenever possible. Yes. I am a food snob!

Back to the biscuits… There is a debate on the oven temperature. I usually do 425 F, but sometimes I do 400F. As long as you watch them, it really doesn’t matter. I would stay at least at 400 F though, otherwise they get gummy and bouncy when you bite into them. Generally, they need 15 to 20 minutes to cook.

Earlier that week, I had made yet another Martin Classic ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ and I can’t tell you how friggin’ good they were!! Of course, I made them in a cast iron skillet Granny would be so proud. I sat and ate my non-greasy tomatoes with ketchup (weird, ay? ketchup on TOMATOES??) and could just see my Dad in his t-shirt at the dinner table. I just love when food evokes such memories. But, the tomatoes were from my parent’s garden. They came up for my birthday and brought a bounty with them. I’m gradually cooking the tomatoes where I can. Thanks guys!

Even though all of my grandparent’s are gone now, I can remember them through their gastronomic lineage…or fond foodal memories When I think Vegetable soup, I think Mimi. When I think Buttermilk Biscuits, I think Granny. They were both such amazing cooks, and they are still teaching me today. They always will. “Lord-a-Mercy!!”

Much Love,

Christa Belle

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June 26, 2007

Takin’ the Hot Rod for a Spin!

posted to Stories to Share @ 2:52 pm

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