"Cardinals at the Window"

After being mostly offline and out of it with illness since early September (and on bedrest with pneumonia since the 30th), I reach from beneath the warmth of blankets with a message of gratitude. I am so very thankful to be getting better, inheriting a bedtable from which to work, respecting my body’s mandate to reject grind culture, life, and the opportunity to resume work on unfinished writing and creative projects. TaDaCo, our little family, is the recipient of all of my love and care, but also the fuel which sustains me. My gratitude for the Da and the Co, in our wild and motley crew? Immeasurable. In all of the places I’ve lived or experienced through travel, an element of nature made me feel at home. Asheville, NC, has been a longtime special friend. Together we made many special memories over the years with the help of some amazing humans (and canines too!)

My sweet family has heard all about my prior adventures in Asheville, and told my TaDaCo tribe that it would be an honor to one day show them the magic of that place. Now my heart breaks over the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, and the many people who are now dealing with the loss of loved ones and homes, and amid their grief must figure out next steps for survival.

Help them, if you can, by buying CARDINALS AT THE WINDOW ($10 on Bandcamp): a compilation of 136 songs by various artists including R.E.M., Indigo DeSouza, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Yasmin Williams, Sharon Van Etten, MJ Lenderman, Mary Lattimore, Sylvan Esso, Angel Olsen, Feist, the War on Drugs, and obviously more.

One-hundred percent of proceeds will be divided evenly among Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, Rural Organizing and Resilience (ROAR), and BeLoved Asheville, according to the fundraisers. I bought one for myself and gifted one to my Da. Please do the same if you can! 

With cardinals, a nuthatch, the downy woodpecker, a trio of grackles, many goldfinches, and more feathered friends visiting me during the writing,

-Anwuliazuka 

ps Earl the Half-Tailed Chipmunk and its friend Stripes raced through the backyard leaves while Bow and Little Chrissy, squirrel siblings, hunted for nuts and chased each other up and down the trees.