Monday, February 13, 2006

heart of gold weekend

it was only a week ago that i was ready to leave my downcoats for spring jackets and just as the crocuses and daffodils were starting to sprout, that ground hog did not see its shadow and i geared for 6 weeks of winter....sure....like the new englander i am, i filled my tank with gas, went to the grocery store, stocked up with essentials and veggies and hunkered down for a storm... i made barley and mushroom soup and turned on the olympics..

the snow started on saturday about 5pm and it wasnt stickin but by 3am, the street i live on was a winter wonderland. By 9am, when i went out to get the paper, i couldnt see my mittens in front of my hands...i came back in and put on the flannels and found the kitty and watched TV til 1230 when i had to get dressed and start to shovel my car free..i shoveled and shoveled and shoveled and bribed the guys with the snowblower not to spray my car by heading over to dunkin donuts to get em coffee... then i saw the poor covered SUV of my neighbor who is 19 and just got his first car, so i shoveled his tail pipe and cleaned off his car... i went to the grocery store of the older americans who live in my building and got Millie some lettace....

the snow drifts are as tall as i am and cars were covered but i didnt care, i had today off so i didnt have anything to do by shovel again... and dig my car out..

i took advantage of a snow day( i have the right boots) and went to see the Jonathan Demme movie on Neil Young's Prairie Wind called Heart of Gold . It was filmed at the Ryman in August as Young was preparing for surgery for his anuresym. Its a theatrical masterpiece. THe direction is stunning, the subject, Neil, his band and friends, and the Ryman are captured as actors in this movie.

the Music is the cd Prairie Wind from top to bottom and then more acoustic music by Neil et al . EmmyLou Harris is featured prominently in the movie as is Pegi Young. There is steel petal, piano, fiddles, bangos and even a dulcimer as actors in this movie. Its a concert film and a retrospective as well as introspective.

I am not a guitar player but i wondered how a performed or guitar player would see this film. I watched the concert and wanted to clap after each songs. Neil speaks and tells some stories about the songs but the movie is a concert. And its a hell of a concert...

see jonathan demme's Heart of Gold is a great concert film...what a way to end a snowed in weekend.....