This is a beautiful, cheerful song about a farm that has been in Cheryl's step mother's family for generations. Cheryl wrote this song for one of Ruth's birthdays. She only played it when Ruth was in the audience. I happened to hear it during one concert, and encouraged her to play it more often. She played it the next evening. I am hoping she will start to play it as a regular part of her set.
When Cheryl was writing this song, she was trying to decide what made this place so special. It had been a tobacco farm, but now they grow soybeans. It is such a beautiful place, but Cheryl realized that what really stands out is the people. And that is what the song is about: a family gathering at the homestead.
- Sandgates
- Words And Music By
- Cheryl Wheeler
- Down in St. Mary's county, headed south from Baltimore,
- Follow the Patuxent river down along the western shore.
- There among the fertile lowlands, there among the Amish farms,
- Take the dirt road through the fields and past the old tobacco barns.
- Out on the porch, we listen to the lovely sound
- Of the dogs and the children swimmin' and runnin' around.
- I will sit and watch the river, make sure it don't get away.
- Since you cannot be too careful, I will sit and sit all day.
- Float around out on the water, walk down to the point I guess,
- Great blue herron in the marshes, baby osprey in the nest.
- Out on the porch, we might count a couple boats all day
- And wonder forever what makes the flagpole shake that way.
- Go call Betty, Bob and Lynn, Jan and Bill and Caroline.
- Ruth just pulled the crabpots in, Josh just shucked the silver queen.
- Cloud of dust comes down the road, don't know could be anyone,
- Ruth will always let them know they're just the folks she hoped would come.
- Out on the porch all the little children said
- They were not even tired and didn't wanna go to bed.
- When the moon shines on the water with the twinkling distant suns,
- You would need a calculator just to count the lucky ones.
- 3/28/98
- (P) May 23, 2003
- Penrod And Higgins Music / Amachrist Music
- ACF Music Group
- International Copyright Reserved