A reflection on this moment (and video!) from our own Chris Good, inspired by our song "On the Other Side."

"The deeper the darkness the more the world needs your light.

Today, my offering is a simple song of encouragement & commitment. A video expression of pure love between parent & child. I'm keenly aware of my own privilege, aching for those who deserve these precious moments of carefree joy & safety no less than I do but are targeted because of the color of their skin, their country of origin, or their religious belief.

I've been keeping my daughter extra close these last few weeks. As if somehow my loving embrace can extend out across the miles to wrap up all of those parents and children so cruelly separated from one another..."  (to read the full statement click here)

Bursting into summer next week with an eclectic run of shows. We'll be rocking a legendary rock club with some bluegrass/americana heavyweights on Wednesday (Ann Arbor, MI), kicking out some lakeside jams for a free community concert series on Thursday (Prudenville, MI), and cozying down for a hometown house concert/community singalong on Friday (N. Manchester, IN). We'd love to see you.

Wednesday, June 20: Mark Lavengood, Fireside Collective, Friends with the Weather at the Blind Pig 6/20
Thursday, June 21: June Third Thursday Free Concert ~ Friends With The Weather
Friday, June 22: Friends with the Weather & Yurtfolk at The Redwood

We're thrilled to release a brand new song (and lyric video!) today, "Be the Song." Available for download through our store or at bandcamp.  Check out the lyric video below!!

We live. We love. We belong. In times full of fear, conflict, and pain, it is so easy to forget one of life's first lessons...the power of holding hands with those beside us. Stepping with courage into the unknown with simple acts of strength, grace, & resilience reveals a different way...a way of healing and a way of hope in honoring our shared humanity.

Out of the devastation of World War II, many stories of hope would emerge. Individuals & communities across the United States & Canada responded to the call to care for & transport livestock on an epic journey across the ocean, delivering the animals to the families & communities devastated by the war. This work continues more than 70 years later through the work of Heifer International, using this "give a cow, not a cup" philosophy to work with communities across the world to end hunger and poverty and to care for the Earth.

This project would not have been possible without the support & generosity of Peggy Reiff Miller, who has spent years archiving these inspiring stories of the "seagoing cowboys." Peggy, through her archivist work, her children's book, and her public presentations captures the many layers to these adventurous stories & has chronicled them for us to continue to learn from. Thank you so much, Peggy, for granting us permission to use these photo & video treasures from your collection.