We could make a case for Casey Dienel, not just being one of the most intriguing and lovable songwriters in the world, but for also being a frontrunner as the most interesting person in the world. Recently in the Chicago Tribune, two columnists challenged each other to a mini-year (three months – the length of the summer) contest, during which time they would attempt to fulfill all of their hopes for the warm weather months. One planned to deny himself sweets and cheesecake, especially. The other made a pact with herself to go swimming more, to read more books and to make the most of her bicycle and the trails along the Lake Michigan shorefront. They ended their term feeling that they succeeded mildly and failed overall, not really capitalizing on their summers, but squandering them. For all that they left on the table, Dienel probably made up for all of their shortcomings plus some. Mostly playing area shows around Massachusetts this the summer, Dienel lived a life of leisure that was commendably ideal. She ate lots of pizza, cooked breads, took mid-afternoon naps, rode around Brooklyn on her bike, visited and re-visited the Natural History Museum to see blue whales, giant squids and sperm whales, visiting Portland, stole a lot of fresh figs, drank Willamette wines and unfortunately allowed her tomato plants to fry in the merciless New York heat. There were other things that Dienel did too. She’ll tell you about them. And while her summer is whiling away and she prepares to play some shows across America with Damien Jurado and Rosie Thomas, Dienel is arching a slightly anxiously brow toward the fall that’s just around the corner.

”The leaves aren’t turning, but the sun here is already that candlelight color. Very pretty. Autumn’s on its way,” she said. “I’ve been testing out my sweaters again. I had a show the other day and played all of these sad songs in honor of fall.” – Sean Moeller

These are things that have put a bit of spring in my step:
1. John Southworth’s “Life Is Unbelievable”
2. Delicious Beverages (a bicycle gang/service that delivers homemade beverages like Lemonade to parties and friends in the NYC metropolitan area)
3. Warm Zucchini Bread (featuring the overgrown zucchini from my mom’s garden, see recipe below)
4. Whistling
5. Fidel Castro eating yogurt with Hugo Chavez while wearing red jumpsuits.

I’ve been preening the domestic side of myself, which I tend to do when I’m not touring. This means a lot of cooking. There’s a Martha Stewart in me that’s dying to bust out! In the past week I’ve ridden borrowed bicycles through the streets of Brooklyn and Portland,
stayed up all night laughing and drinking with friends, stealing fresh green figs from the trees, singing “Life Is Unbelievable” to myself no matter where I am (in line at the bank, coasting down Mt. Tabor, at stoplights, while greasing baking pans). It’s been a nice break from all of the sad and frightening newspapers I’ve been reading lately. At a certain point, I’ve found it better to sing “There once was a year, a year when the veil came down…”

Paula Dean’s Zucchini Bread
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

Casey’s Dienel’s Daytrotter Session—so not to be missed
Casey Dienel