March 15, 2026

Happy Birthday to my poet hero, Dina Stander.  

She celebrated her birthday at the Iron Horse this morning at the Bluegrass Church.  We had such a good time. I love you, so.  

photo by David

Sitting behind us was an elderly couple having a really good time singing.  The gentleman knew all the words to all the songs no matter what generation the song was from.  It was so much fun being in a room full of multi generations all singing together.  We sang spirituals, Grateful Dead, songs from the American Song Book, Home on the Range, and a Sting song that fit right in.  

Dina read 3 of her poems, one of them is put to My Country Tis of Thee. is that American, the Beautiful?  Blow away poems.  She is so f'in amazing, I'm telling ya, my poet hero.

At the end the couple behind us introduced themselves.  The Iron Horse in Northampton is a really well known music venue that was started by a guy named Jordi Harrold.  Jordi is a local hero icon and has done a lot for the music scene in W.  Mass.   

The gentleman told us we could thank him  for the Iron Horse, he just happened to be Jordi's father.  Really nice guy, good storyteller.  Apparently he and other family members lent Jordi the money to start the Iron Horse.  He was pretty proud of it.  Here I was feeling old and fragile and then this morning I'm singing with 90 year olds and telling stories of the history of the area.  I have been here for 48 years and that musical hall had several people in it that I've known for all 48 years.  Someone asked me if I was Lindy who started The Literacy Project.  I said how do you remember my face.  She said, "from the newspaper."  Made me laugh.  Jim Henry may have been my oldest friend in that room  I think I was listening to him play on that stage by 1983.








I spent the rest of the day birding.  Such a sweet way to use my brain, singing and birding.  I talked to Sarah, which is the best and received photos of EJ and Nash's sugaring weekend in NH.   And Patrick sent me an update of deer. 

I'm so glad I made myself go out today and do something social and a tiny bit physical. I have no way of explaining to people why singing in groups like that is so important to me.  I had so many  siblings that singing at home was always singing in groups and it was one of the few group school activities I felt a part of and almost competent.  I never could play field hockey, but I always sang in the chorus.

The next Bluegrass Church at the Iron Horse is April 12th.  Come join us, it's a feel good time.