So, some people may know, it’s not a big group of people that know, that I am a bit of a Dolly Parton fan.

How can you not be?

I watched her Netflix special the other day, and boy, I did not know some of those songs. Dolly walks into life and writes it and leaves it.

She’s having another moment in life. She was just on Brene’ Brown’s podcast; worth every minute. Listen here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unlocking-us-with-bren%C3%A9-brown/id1494350511?i=1000499132046

Dolly has always been a serious song writer. Writing down songs, stories, melodies anywhere and anytime. Scribbles them down on a napkin, receipt, her little notebook that she carries.

She says she carries a tape recorder not to lose a word or beat. As I know, you have to write it down that moment; otherwise, for real, it might be gone forever.

I love her writerly self.

And, super nerdy, because Dolly is having her moment, a moment among many – I couldn’t resist – I could, but I bought her new Songteller My Life in Lyrics book. A Christmas gift to myself.

It’s huge. It’s beautiful and I like to see how she puts her words together, visually and in rhymes. Feel the words move across the page, holding back, jumping over, knowing when to end, and just letting it all be said – if you like it or not.

That’s the way it is she says. “Stories I heard growing up,” while the adults were talking her ears just perked up.

If you can, check out these older songs. You can YouTube these songs. I did not know these songs; you may know them. I was blown away!

Dumb Blonde

The Bridge

Evening Shade

Gypsy, Joe and Me

Just Because I’m a Woman

Down From Dover

Daddy Come Get Me

Traveling Man

Backwoods Barbie

Only Dreamin’

Something Fishy

Early Morning Breeze

The Grass is Blue

Why’d You Come In Here Lookin’ – remember that song?

The real obvious classics, of course. But, then don’t forget Two Doors Down, Here You Come Again, Me and Little Andy, AppleJack, and one of my favorites that I had not heard in a long time is Save the Last Dance For Me.

Endless amount of songs . . .

I love how she tells real stories, stories from beginning to end. You are right there with her, following her all the way through to her last strum.

When I was young, preteen, the whole family went to see Dolly and Kenny Rogers.

And when it came to playing Islands in the Stream at home, Aaron was always Dolly, and I was always Kenny by default. Let’s face it, Aaron, is always, Dolly.

I remember their concert was off the charts – Kenny by all standards was alright, but Dolly! She welcomes everyone. And then who knew years later she would be one of the biggest gay icons ever –

If you have a chance, her bluegrass albums are phenomenal. You can’t go wrong with The Grass is Blue, or The Trio – Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, and Dolly. One of my favorites:

You don’t drink the water if you don’t dig the well – The Sacrifice.

So a thought –

If you can, only if you can in this light of day and this dark of night, folks are hurting.

And note – you can call it out. I bought that book. I am not perfect my any means. I am gathering . . . But if you can please check out these organizations and possibly look around the house if you can, for peanut butter, can soups, can goods, noodles, sauces. Anything you could possibly gather and drop off your local church or food pantry.

Nation wide: https://www.feedingamerica.org/

Western Massachusetts: https://foodbank.org/

Eastern Massachusetts: https://www.gbfb.org/

And to find your local food pantry https://www.foodpantries.org

People are under-employed and unemployment. It’s a bitch of a year.

Much love. Please take care of you and you and you 💜