I grew a beard this summer. It’s the first beard I have physically been able to grow. When I’ve tried in the past, I often end up with random sprouts of hair on my face. Mind you, my moles are consistently the most prolific whisker makers. There is a mole on my right cheek that if left a day or two, becomes the consistency of a needle. So much for Montreal style greetings. I have to keep that one well trimmed, at least for the sake of the French.

Anyway, it’s been a season of highs and lows. I lost some friends this summer, and their passing was unexpected and deeply saddening. Spending August in the woods with my family brought me some light. The beard might have been a kind of protection from the reality of the hard news, or at least a cover to give me a chance to be sad for a while.

For most of August, I went cottage hopping with my family across northern Ontario. It was nice to be with friends, and to swim around in cool, dark lakes. We had a wicked time at Ed’s cottage, where we had a record rap-up party. Ty and Ed smoked a huge brisket for everyone. They started smoking it at 1AM. Tyler might be late for a lobby call but he’s not late when it comes time to smoke the brisket. Because of Ty’s generous catering of the record, I taste his cooking whenever I hear the album. I hope fans can catch a whiff of Stewart soul food while sampling the new tunes. Vegetarians, don’t worry, he includes salads with every serving.

Another highlight of my summer was canoeing in Algonquin Park. My family teamed up with our friends Capella and Greg (who play in the string section on the record) for the trip. I remember watching the sunset streak orange across the sky, and I tried to come up with reasons why the scene was so beautiful. I found a smoothed out part of the Canadian Shield that fit my back perfectly. When I watched a humming bird disappear as it flew across the lake, I tried to think about all the things around me that I’m unable to see. Algonquin is always a place of wonder for me. Maybe, that’s another reason for the beard. I was able to live my Grizzly Adams fantasy. Well, only for a short time, but I’ll be back.I’m looking forward to rocking in Rockford on the 5th. This show will be my first big step out of hibernation. Bring it on.

Comments   ShareThis