Bru(u)ce

First, thanks to all of you who sent good vibes our way regarding Tom’s vision and diagnosis. Greatly appreciated from us both. I will keep you up to date.

A note on spelling before I get to the meat of this blip. We here in the United States have been formally robbed of the more creative and colo(u)rful spelling with the use of “u” in certain words: flavour; colour; and here, rumour. I appreciate that extra vowel in there. I would take up the practice of spelling that way, but people here would say, “You spelled it wrong, man.” So I will add an invisible “u” to all words who will wear it.

I picked up this book at Monday night’s Bruce Cockburn concert in Salem (fantastic show). I enjoy his writing, as it’s the same voice in his songs. Here’s something I found interesting. Cockburn is the second musician/writer from Canada I have read over the last couple of years. The other is the late Neil Peart, drummer of the band Rush. Peart was a prolific writer, and arguably the greatest drummer ever. While Cockburn was born seven years before Peart, their childhoods in Ontario and other Canadian locales sound similar. Both were painfully introverted, even through their musical careers. Both were drawn to poetry, literature, and music. Their other commonality was their love of the Laurentian mountains, lakes, rivers, and plains. Cockburn learned a love of nature there as a young boy, while Peart settled there with a house on a lake deep within the region. Two very different, yet important, musicians, with strong connections to the natural world.

Paula, I have learned more about Canadian culture and geography over the last two years than I knew my entire life. Throw Neil Young into the mix, and it’s the Canadian trifecta.