“I’ve Got Two Hands” is taken from an old gospel song, taught to me by my friend Jon Cox, who learned it from a Townes van Zandt recording. Jon took out the religious references in the song, and it became a simple celebration of being alive, of having hands to clap and feet to dance and a voice to sing and an open heart. All of which seem like good things.
At some point in my life, I realized I didn’t know how to do anything for myself. None of the basics, anyway, and that all the essentials were being performed by someone in an unknown place, in an unknown way. I wanted to take ownership of my actions, and see the effects of my living. Later, I started looking at all the other forms of life, and wondering what their existence was like.
My inspiration comes from people who live and have lived in intimate relationship with their landscape, who depend on the wildlife, forests, fields, and waterways for their sustenance, and who pay equal respects to the parts of the world that are not of direct use to them.
For that last number of years, I’ve made my living primarily by teaching traditional crafts, wilderness living, and naturalist workshops. And I’ve made my living by not making a living – making, growing, and gathering instead of earning an income and buying.
All said, this is the expression of an effort to try and fully understand how to best live on this Earth which is our home.
Feel free to look around, or don’t. Thanks for visiting.