August - Happy Summer Everyone!
HOT ENOUGH FOR YOU ALL YET???
In my realm of the world, the heat has been vicious, but "this too shall pass."  (Makes me long for the cool, crispy days of autumn however!)

Speaking of AUTUMN, I have been busy getting ready for the September 23 and 24 concerts at the Old Theater in Oriental, NC. What magical nights they will be!  The show is titled "An Evening With Anne Haley" and I'm looking SO forward to it!  I will have some of the most talented people I know joining me on stage for an evening I know I won't soon forget. Be sure to come so you won't soon forget it either!!!

That's one of the perks of being in "this business."  You get to meet, work with, and become friends with people who are simply amazing from many standpoints.  I have been so incredibly blessed to make such wonderful friends from so many wonderful performers. I'm so pleased to be able to bring them to my concert event and share them with YOU! 

SO WHO'S JOINING ME YOU ASK? I am thrilled to tell you!  Joining me is a list of "who's who" in great talent.

•  From Wilmington, John Golden, Mark Teachey, Catesby Jones and Jim Clare will be adding their own beautiful voices, instrumentation and personalities plus! 

• From the Outerbanks, Coyote...with Marcy Brenner and Lou Castro...who collectively add amazing instrumentation, angelic voices and loads of beautiful spirit! 

• From  RIGHT HERE in Pamlico County, you will be treated some of the most amazing piano you have ever heard from my friend, fellow musician and partner in crime, John Riggs.   (If you have my "Christmas" album, you will hear John as my magnificent accompanist.)

I told Marcy a couple of days ago that these two shows are going to be so cool it's scary!

That leads me to a thought... which is nice, considering I just sat down at the computer with no real plan in site for what I wanted to talk about in this newsletter. Years ago, I had the wonderful privilege of singing with someone I consider a Master Performer, Livingston Taylor. He was kind enough to invite me to join him during a number of his performances in North Carolina during the 80's and 90's. He had such a major influence on me regarding "how" to perform. I learned so much by just "observing" his style, direction and how to relate to a large group of people all at once.

Over the years, I have been given a ton of "advice" from those who hang out in the "higher realms of the music world", but there was one piece of advice that Liv gave me that has remained with me to this day. "Surround yourself with those who believe in you as much as you believe in yourself."  I got it.  I live it.  And what incredible blessings those words have given me over the years.  I find that fundamentally, I have been able to meet and work with folks who are as talented as all get out, AND are also 'number 1' at being fabulous "human beings."  That's just as wonderful as getting extra chocolate sauce on an ice cream sundae for me!

Perhaps the piece of advice that Liv offered me is one that I can share with you as well.  It works in every facet of life.  "Surround yourself with those who believe in you as much as you believe in yourself" and see how it works for you too.  The trick is... YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!  Everyone has magic just waiting to make itself known to the world.  Once you decide to love yourself and believe in yourself, you are opening up for a whole new way of living life.  So, I'll "pay that advice forward" and hope that you, too, can find the same gifts that I have.  Share YOUR magic!

On to some "farm news" --  live from the Dumb Bell Ranch...  All the goats are doing fine...they're busy surrounding themselves with... "ME!"  HA!  The goat "kids," Grady and Milo, have decided that perhaps I'm their mom...and they follow me just like puppies. Problem with that is when I go up the stairs to go into my house....THEY WANT TO COME TOO! 

That's created a bit of a problem because they're goats. I've explained this to them, but they're not buying it. That saga will just have to continue. (I must admit that the adult goats have been seen peeking into the porch from the deck as well, so it's not just a "kid" problem!)  I'll have to keep you posted on the behavioral training. I'm not expecting much of them...after all...they are GOATS! 

It does cross my mind that maybe it isn't "me" they're interested in at all.  It just might be the fact that I'm the only one who goes to the large green container and (here's that word again!)  MAGICALLY, out comes CORN! Aha...I'm not "mom" at all...just a lowly food source.Goat training advice? If you have it...feel free to pass it along to me! I'm all ears!

My farm family is now basically huge. Six goats, two cats, six dogs, a daughter and a husband.  Keeps me busy, I can tell you that!  I love every minute of it too!
Indeed, I am surrounded not only by a precious circle of family, but a precious circle of animal family as well... and they keep secrets like you wouldn't believe!

I'll wrap this up in saying "Surround yourself"... with those you love, those who love you and all the things that make you happy.  Make time to visit with yourself by reading a good book, taking a nap, catching an amazing sunrise or sunset, or just doing what your heart tells you that you need.  It's SUMMER TIME...make the livin' easy!

Here's hoping to see you all very soon. Drop an email and let me know how your summer is going and what special things you have done for yourself!  I'd love to hear all about it.

Thank you for stopping by. It means so much to share some thoughts with my friends.

Love, Peace, Blessings and JOY to you, the reader.
It's a BEAUTIFUL life!
-Annie