I am writing songs, mostly quiet, sharply etched vignettes like Red Bird with occasional outings to try to make sense of what's crazy, like Half a World Away, a song about the war's aftermath inspired by American soldier John Crawford's explosive memoir, "The Last True Story I'll Ever Tell".

I'm back to making pots and teaching pottery. It's a vast, dignified field, as rich and as misunderstood (heh) as the process of making music. It's good to be back.

And I have the best job in the world managing missy raines & the new hip. No two days are alike, we're making it up as we go, and it's intensely satisfying to help this gifted musician find a broader audience.

Fall is setting in - the quality of sunlight in the hours after work makes everything in the world look like what your heart's been longing for. The crowns of maples, the rise of asphalt on the hill up ahead, the corona encircling your darling's curly hair - it's all so golden it really becomes too much to take in.

Looking forward to playing a showcase with truly the finest writers in bluegrass here in Nashville September 29.