Give me my flowers 💐

It’s been a wild ride since my last blog post and one I’m happy to be on. ☀️ Spring has bloomed at The Music House and I’m an untrained but grateful gardener. I’m like a proud mama with these beauties! And I’ve already started using the chives and the chive blossoms in my meals.

As I’ve been tending to the garden, the creativity has blossomed as well. I’ve been digging (pun wasn’t intended lol) into my feelings. And not just pain and sadness. Those feelings are often easy to access when it comes to my writing. Passion and intensity are what I find most easy to write. Even my “silly” songs about dive bars and such are filled with a touch of grit and world-weary humor. But I've discovered it’s much harder for me to write a light hearted song about love and the sweetness surrounding dating, for example. It often feels too simple. And the mushy feelings tend to make me uncomfortable when I’m writing. Well The Music House gardens have cured me of that and I’m happy to be writing sweet, simple songs about love and about the possibility of love. Not going to lie, it feels freeing to be able to access this part of my heart again.

One of the new songs I wrote on Monday night of this week will be part of my residency finale “Jeni Grouws: Songs from The Music House” this Saturday, May 17 at Jewell on Capitol in Omaha. The band and I had our one rehearsal at the house Tuesday night and damn these musicians are good! I’m honored to have them. Andrew Bailie, Mitch Towne, Jonah Bennett & Grant McMullen are going to wow you as they have me. And special shoutout to my friend My Friends Call Me Mel for coming in to rehearse a special song with me. She’s 🔥.

While I work on all of the bells and whistles that come with doing a performance like this, I was surprised this morning with a knock at the door. My girlfriends Julie, Sarah, Stephanie & Elida took the time to send me their love. And these beautiful flowers. And yes, I cried happy tears. To be thought of by people you can’t be with but that wish you happiness and love in their absence is a special thing indeed and I do not take it for granted.

Blooms in the garden, flowers for Mother’s Day, flowers from my besties and the blooming of this creative heart all month have me feeling as alive and renewed as the spring itself. And while I will likely always be a self-deprecating Midwesterner, this month has been filled with reminders that sometimes it’s ok to be ok with getting my flowers. See you at the Jewell on Saturday. 💐

Thank you. 💛