Oh Lonesome Prairie

Jason Ringenberg's prairie was lonesomer than ever on our last wander

Oh Lonesome Prairie is one of my favorite Jason Ringenberg songs. When he sings, “Your gothic houses, your ancient farms,” it just goes straight through my heart. Our last wander through a very worn stretch of southern Iowa made it came to mind over and over again.

Oh lonesome prairie I know it’s time
To go and see you and free my mind
Those fields of green are calling me
Oh lonesome prairie eternally

Oh lonesome prairie I miss you still
That wind and lightning all heaven’s will
My memory all starts with you
Oh lonesome prairie and field of truth

Oh lonesome prairie the meadowlark
Wind in the wires, those moonlit walks
To see you know would rest my soul
Better than all Ft. Knox’s gold

Oh lonesome prairie where I was born
My mother’s father he built that farm
I long to stand upon your soil
Where winters kill and summers boil

Oh lonesome prairie your tall red barns
Your gothic houses your ancient farms
I hold you deep inside of me
Oh lonesome prairie eternally

The gray rainy day and my mood echo the landscape. I’m missing old friends today. We watched the Bob Dylan movie the other night (OMG I loved it and I’m not the absolute hugest Dylan fan) and it suddenly popped into my head as we watched how much I miss Nick Rudd. And as I looked at Jason’s A Pocketful of Soul CD to doublecheck the lyrics today it made me think of Peter Cooper. When I first met Peter and told him we did house concerts he queried who we’d had play. When I told him Jason Ringenberg he absolutely lit up and he herded me over to Eric Brace and said, “Eric, she’s had JASON at her house.” That memory always makes me smile.

Leo’s busy at a train thing today but Owen is headed over to help us with a few things. Ernie is not feeling well. At all. However he did just drink a whole milkshake packed with protein powder! He has a phone call with one of his doctors on Monday. I need to make a list of things to ask about. Good thoughts are welcome.

Onward.

Love,
Cynthia