perfection worth waiting for....

'..they found it..and then, they waited..'

I think it's true that the things you really want are actually worth waiting for. Now, coming from a middle child Capricorn, that is a BIG....no, HUGE thing to say. We....well, me....is/are notoriously impatient. We/I want it...and want it now, kinda deal.

But I have so learned over the last few years that the things you really want...sometimes without knowing it at the time.....really are worth waiting for.

Whether that be the love of your life, a dream, a good meal, a piece of art, tile, an idea or.....

a knob..

I know you are probably thinking, WTF Locke...you have like, totally lost it...and all. Whatever. (haha....oh valley talk is so, like, um....80's).

But it's true...........

We found this knob. We knew we wanted it. That it was like a piece of art to me and my sweet love and absolute perfection in our eyes for what we were dreaming of.

But there was one thing.....we had to wait to get it.

Like, weeks......!!!!! 

Just like we had to wait for our tile.

Just like we have to wait for the beautiful material that will become our bedroom curtains.

Just like we had to wait for each other....until the timing was perfect.

Life has a strange way of doing that I think. Making us wait.

I believe, with all my heart, that if you are clear..and open...and willing to wait but then also willing to jump when you know in your gut the time is right....that life will deliver to you EXACTLY what you ask of it.

And our knob, is the perfect example of that.

It's worth waiting for.

Now wait.....

xxM

The view from here..

Chilling in the sun under my tree.

Tis a perfect day with weary, happy exhaustion to be laying out...taking it all in.

Xxm

Beauty...and tile

I learned how to tile yesterday. It was very exciting and very empowering. This home ownership thing is cool because I do whatever the hell I/we want to our house and no one can say anything...but us.

I feel very fortunate.

And very tired...lol.

I think I laid awake all last night, after tiling our kitchen back splash, day dreaming about how pretty it was going to look...and then forgot to sleep. Doah.

I do that sometimes.

Our mate Dawn came over to guide us in our tile learning and was an extremely wonderful teacher. She even smiled warmly at me when I dropped the huge heavy ass tile cutter machine thing. Ahh, such a good mate. She made it fun and less scarey...and also very arty at the same time. She has been doing tile since she was seven years old (and boy, is she tired....haha...insert sound of slapping own knee here) and it really shows. Her ease and comfort with the process balanced our frantic 'ohmygodwhatifitdriescrooked'-ness.

So this is our beautiful work....the three of us created this using granite and glass tiles (that we found randomly one day and had to wait two months to get in...) and it was a lot of fun to create something with my hands, other than music. It's very zen, and balancing, and unique and....ours. It's a reflection of who we are individually and together and that's the best kind of reflection to have in a relationship, I think.

Ahh, sweet love.....and tile.

ohh...and spaghetti squashes with faces drawn on them

....insert cricket sound here....

or a photo

How the hell am I ever going to eat them if I keep putting faces on them??

I ask you...

xxM

This weeks...

Colour.

Every week it seems a new colour of this flower pops up in our garden. It's an amazing thing to experience the wow of new beauty and I have very...very...small moments of feeling bad for the woman who use to own our house and planted all these plants that we get to witness now.

So if any of you meet a dentist in Ohio called Helena...tell her we love her garden!! (But not so much the dog hair we keep finding everywhere...).

Xxm

fasting...schmasting...

That's all I can say.

It's one of those things that I got into the habit of doing once a week or so, you know, just to give my body a rest. But shit, when you haven't done it for a while, it really takes some getting use to.

And I am not use to it.

I feel all crabby and annoyed. And I just want to eat a big cheeseburger. Mmmm...cheeseburgers.

I know...I know...

I will feel better for doing it. I know. Already.

My girl is doing it today too. Which helps, but I think she wants to cut someone right now.

My mouth is watering at the thought of a cheeseburger. Oh great. See what you started??

Insert photo now...

gardens gone wild....

I think "gardens gone wild..." would be an extremely sexy video series. I wonder why no one has ever thought about it.

My garden grew about 5 inches higher in the 4 days that I was away. I am quite astounded and felt a little scared when I first saw it. I figured the organic soil I paid lots of money for wasn't working and surely there was some secret growth hormone in there (yes I know, it is working and things are thriving); or the over abundance of coffee grounds was working. I even had a moment of feeling overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of it all and in a moment of guilt declared to the universe that I would use the excess to feed all the poor.

I realized yesterday as I stood there and looked at it all that I have very strange emotions around a garden.  After a number of years of not even having to be responsible for an indoor house plant I figured I had probably 'done something wrong'. Like my garden growing to extreme levels was some how my fault and terribly irresponsible.

I know, sounds bizarre, right?

But it is what it is and it was what it was and I just watched the emotions and the feelings gently and then laughed at myself.

And then got to work weeding and staking and giving things room to breathe.

That's a big thing in my world..

making
sure
everything
has
room
to
breathe.

I have learned a lot about that idea in the studio. Recording songs and laying down instrument parts and vocal parts and always being mindful that everything has room to breathe, to stand on it's own, to be allowed to shine and exist on and IN it's own right. And I know I have translated that idea into my daily world.

Whether it be me or my sweetheart or my friends...or my songs, or my guitar playing, or my art.....or my home or my body and yes, my garden too. I believe EVERYTHING in this world, alive or not, needs to actually have room to breathe...to have air around it and in it. I know that air is what sustains us and my garden, but I believe it actually sustains everything. 

Giving a beautiful piece of art enough space and air to shine makes that piece of art look completely different than it did a minute ago on a wall filled with a hundred other pieces of art crammed together. Music takes on new life when given a minute to exist, our bodies and our minds change when we take a moment to breathe air deeply into our lungs and release, truth comes out when air is blown through a lie, fake people fall when they are breathed upon and gardens produce and dance like super human 5 years olds when given air.

I might not have done a great job with what I initially planted in my garden, I may have planted too much all at once because I was excited. But really, whose to say? The proof will surely come in the pudding as my mumma says....or in the case, it will come in what gets produced and I will learn for next year...and the year after...and the year after that.

But for now, me and my garden are giddy 5 year olds.....

xxM

The view from here..

This was my view this morning out the back of our friends Suz and Kel's house. If this was a fully interactive blog you would be able to hear the bazillion frogs in this lake. It's a very bizarre sound but one I always associate with a relaxing space. The first time I stayed with them I was giddy like a child at the noises and would sit out here and laugh every few minutes at a new sound they would make. I love the way nature has the ability to make us feel so many emotions. Well, at least it does me. I sit in awe of it often.

We are still a few hours away from home after a wildly successful weekend in Milwaukee. It was one of those weekends where you work your ass off and feel like what you got back was equal....very rewarding and inspiring.

Now we have a bit of time to relax, play with our mates at home (licking my lips as I think about ginger margaritas) and get creative all over again. I have two new songs in the works, d is trading djembe lessons for drum lessons, my garden is growing so insanely fast that I am certain to pluck something from it this week and we have a whole slew of custom orders to make.

I live in a constant state of gratefulness and wonder.

How is it that I get to live this life?

How is it that I get to sit and listen to frogs?

Xxm

The Adventures of One Little Aussie - Episode 12

Oopsey...someone just reminded me that I actually forgot to post this video here, to my blog. Doah.

So here it is. The last installment. Another one will hopefully be up soon!

xxM

What awaits...

We are driving home in the rain after a wet weekend in Michigan. Seriously water logged and weary. We were at the Mt Clemens art fair in Michigan this weekend and after a long four days, we just want to be home.

Especially since we were sent this photo of what awaits us. We have this fantastic group of people we have fallen in with in our neighbourhood. Artistic, cheeky, warm, kind, belly laughing funny and generous souls who do things like pick the cherries from our tree and then make us cherry pies.

Like this one.

Our friend, and master drummer and maker of all things with cherries in them, Jamie, sent us this.

A photo of our soon to be cherry pie.

I can't even tell you how happy this makes me feel and how much more it makes us want to be home NOW.

Never mind the fact that they are all just starting a margarita throw down that we are also trying to get home to partake of. We havent been a part of their.community for very long but miss them all already.

Life sure doesn't suck when you are blessed with such people.

Xxm

a stage and it's story....

I think every stage has a story to tell. Oftentimes I need to stand on one for a long time while I sound check and sometimes that time is spent just waiting....so, it gives me time to look around and have a think.

I often think it's quite beautiful actually.

There's something about a stage being marked out that inspires me, excites me, makes me realize I am not alone. And of course, it's just pretty.

This was the stage at Virginia Women's Music Festival on the weekend and as you can probably tell, it was pretty organized. A great crew of women took great care of us. You know it's good when hours before performance someone asks you if you need 'room temperature water' and 'towels'. Seriously, these things make a difference to a show. Especially an outdoor one in the middle of a hot day.

Such a good crew of people out there and I always feel so in awe of the work they all do....and feel so honoured by the chance to be looked after by them.

So thank you, it would have been shitty without you.

xxM

ps....the Lilith competition is still an unknown right now. We moved from #1 to #2 to #1 to #3 all within 12 hours. Still means we have a shot at being in the running for a performance and we are visualizing like mad.....see us performing there!!! Please, it will help!!

Help...

Here we be. In the middle of Kent Store, Virginia. It's 92 degrees.90% humidity. We are sweating our asses off.

And its the final 12 hours of the Lilith Fair competition.

We are in the final top 10 and keep moving from #1 to #2 and back again...and need your help to get us back to #1.

http://www.ourstage.com/contests/3995-lilith-local-talent-search-indianapolis

Set up an account, takes a minute. Hit the judge tab. Listen to 15 secs of each artist only once. Click through the votes until my cd comes up and give it the highest score you can. And keep voting, as we will come up more than once, through all 45 rounds and know that we send you abundant thank yous.

12 hours left. That's it.

Xxm

....finding a way to live differently

"radically bring about a transformation of the mind...to not accept things as they are...but to understand it, to go into it, exact it, give your heart and mind into finding a way to live differently. But, that depends on you...and not somebody else."   Zeitgeist: Addendum

I started watching the movie below this morning over a cup of coffee. I couldn't sit and watch the whole thing because of time but I know I am going to want to sit down and watch it fully, to understand it. The whole BP fiasco is pissing me off on a whole new level and I just don't want to sit around and wallow in the thought process that nothing I do will make a difference...that its too big and too scarey or that nothing ever changes. That kind of thinking creates complacency and is exactly what the powers that be would love. That way, they can go about their dirty business and we will all keep quiet...letting them line their pockets with the blood of our earth, with the sweat of the people who have gone before us and the people that are out there working for them...sitting in their fucking gold lined offices, probably smoking cigars and laughing it all off.

Hell is too nice a concept for those people.

I am a believer that conversation and engaging with people helps us create change in ourselves and so am grateful that this movie was suggested to me. To at least keep me learning and open and aware and to give ideas about what I actually can do on my own 'martine level'.

It's two hours long but hopefully a lifetime of change will come from that two hours.

xxM

The things you see...

Representing domestic chickens everywhere....

My mate Gini just happened to be here....at earth day.

Xm

ahmmm....and ps, Gini, your chicken zipper is down 

...change

I am realizing with the over taking of Facebook that I *think* I am writing on my blog a lot more than I actually am. Instead of sending notes here, I seem to be sending them more. That's fine though, change is good and necessary and all that stuff.....I know, deep huh??

I am also not sitting in the van for days as much anymore....like I am right now. Seems this is what I do when we are driving to the next show...

Anyway, here we both are. Driving. Heading up to Joliet for shows this weekend...or first time in Illinois this year.

See....that's different too!! Use to be that I had hit IL at least twice by now....

Ahh yes, change.

What would we do without it?

Xxm

.....the most beautius garden in the world

I have been working on my garden a lot the last two weeks. Trying to get everything planted knowing that we were starting to head out on the road more and that time would be limited for a few months. 

I am happy to say, she's planted...she's growing and wow, does she look beautiful. 

I think I would have to say it's the most beautiful garden I have ever seen. 

And yes, I know I am bias.

This whole 'making home' thing has been good for my soul. Good for the balance of my being, it seems. It's also a little worrisome as I woke up the first day on the last tour and realized that I missed our home. That I had started to get really attached to it, which...you know, is not necessarily good for someone who tours for a living. 

I have had to get use to the feeling of 'missing' a lot over the last 12 years so you would think that I was use to it. 

But...nope, not so much. 

It still pangs as hard as it always has. Whether it's people, places, events or now....my garden and my home....it still aches. 

That's okay though because I have realized that I would rather feel everything deeply, truthfully and respectfully, than not at all. Tis no life to live with no feeling, or with a feeling of indifference towards things. 

Do you think if I look at it hard enough, something will grow enough for me to pick it and taste it before I leave again on Friday??

xxM

YES!!!

photo stolen from Jamie Price....thanks mate!!

You know those days when you have a long list of things to do. Things to finish. Things to start. Things to sit and think about a little longer?

And then something happens.

Something that changes everything. None of those things on your list gets done (or hardly any of them) but you really just dont care because the thing you DID do ended up being the greatest thing you could have actually done with the day?

You know THOSE days?

I had one of those days today........

My 'to do' list sitting in my head. A moment with some new friends that was one thing and ended up turning into something else entirely. Something amazing and magical and more unique than anything else in the world.

It was one of those days.....and here is a little moment of evidence to share.

These are some of our new friends here in Indianapolis. Friends that we have magically fallen in with, friends who surely heard the universe whispering into their ears and who came and found us and swept us up into their gracious, honest, welcoming arms.

Our afternoon was spent swapping stories and playing music and drinking margaritas and laughing enormously...and it all happened because we were all willing, in that moment, to be spontaneous.

A moment where we all said...YES.

xxM

(or 'fuck, yeah'...as I would say)

Help us get onto the Lilith Stage!

Okay....heres the 411....THIS IS NOT AN INVITE TO THE GIG....just an invite to vote for us TO GET THE GIG!! We have been floating around in the top 10 since it started and need to remain up there!

It's a lot to ask, I know, but leave us a note on the fan page to let us know you voted and we will pick someone's name out of a hat and send that person a copy of the last 5 cds, a tshirt and a rocker girlie Musekraft piece as a thank you.

The contest is split up into three rounds of voting. The first round is May 1st May 24th to select the Top 20.
If Martine makes it into the Top 20 voting will commence May 25th May 28th to select the Top 10.
If Martine makes it into the Top 10 voting will commence May 29th May 30th for the winner of the Local Talent Search!


Here's what to do........

Sign up on www.ourstage.com with a Fan account

You have the option to sign in using your Facebook account, which helps!

Go to Martine's fan page :
http://www.ourstage.com/profile/martinelocke/fans

In the right-hand column you will see 'Is this your favorite artist?'

Click the green tab that says Make This My Favorite Artist

Go up to the top and click the Judge tab

Over on the right click Lilith Fair Contest

Select Lilith Fair: Indianapolis

Check out their 3 steps to voting!

- Listen to at least 15 seconds of all songs

- Choose which one you like better

- Put it in order of least favourite to best...and click lock in your vote


If you don't get Martine's song 'Don't Hold On' right away, keep clicking through until you do!

Go back to Martine's page and tell us you voted - we would love to know and will put your name into a hat and send one person a copy of the last 5 cds, a tshirt and a rocker girlie Musekraft piece as a thank you.


PASS THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS!!! EVERYWHERE...AROUND THE WORLD!! INVITE THEM ALL....

And thank you....

Who knew....

That tulips could grow on trees? Not me. But it seems this is, indeed, a tulip (not lily) tree...and on this cold Saturday afternoon, that makes me very happy!

Xxm

Friday night!

This Friday night from 5-7pm, my sweet love is having her first ever exhibition premier. Her installation is called 'walkabout' and features photos she took while we were in Australia this year. I am so very proud of her and the work she has done and hope if you are free and live in Indianapolis, that you would consider coming. It's actually up for two months and before we had finish hanging today, one piece already sold.

So....

Bjava tea and coffee
5510 lafayette road

Come and see!

I'll be serving wine!!

Xxm

Oh me oh my o

We're driving back from Ohio...sing along with me everyone!

We are driving back from a oneday craft fair in findlay, Ohio....this is our dinner!!! Not only because we both love vegemite but also because we don't want to stop. We just want to get home.

Musekraft just vended at its first ever craft show and I gotta say, it wasnt very successful. We have been talking about it driving home and really, its the first unsuccessful festival experience we have had in the year that we have been doing them.....and from what everyone tells us, its totally bound to happen.

So now that we have that out of our system.....here's to realizing again to not take it personally and just keep the pony moving forward!!

And, its back to the vegemite sandwiches...which are, of course, the answer to everything!

Xxm