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Malinda and Adam

Smithville

We had fun. To say the least. Our friend, David - there on the left, went along and had so much fun with us!! I ended up with a blister on my thumb from playing. We met some really cool new musician friends and are looking forward to seeing them at Uncle Dave Macon Days on Saturday. I knew maybe 10 of the songs that we played along with all day. I played a fiddle song on the fiddle that I only know on the guitar and played in the key of F when everyone thought I'd quit playing along because I was a "fiddle player". Adam and David really got to have some good jammin' fun and enjoyed all of the new songs, as well. The weather was so nice... hot, but mild for July 3rd in Tennessee!!

g'night (or morning, depending on when you read this)

:)

M

Family Reunion Fun...

A friend from church asked if we would come and play at his family reunion this past Saturday. Of course I said of course and we ended up having a great time. Danny and Marlene's son, Mark, played with us and we jammed for quite a while. Of course I am not actually IN any of these pictures, but I was there. See? My chair is there by Adam's. There is Mark with his guitar slung over his shoulder. He usually does not play traditional music and followed along like a champ. Even sang along once he got the choruses down.

See? There is my empty seat again!

And a good time was had by all!

Festival Time.... almost...

We played at our friends family reunion yesterday. It reminded me of how close we are getting to festival time. I love everything about it. How hot it is (I actually do wear sunscreen - I buy a can on the way!!), how there is music everywhere, the people who go to hear and see and do, the kids running around in their cute little square dancing outfits.... I have the most fun with the Lovin' Husband. We visit with our musician friends, look at the art booths, sit in the shade and pick, eat greasy food, and then start all over again!!

I try never to live for certain days, but I find myself so excited to attend these festivals that I'm thinking about them awfully hard!!
Have a good day!!!!

M

I Spent All Day Trying to Upload This...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXwdFit9HV0

Please click on the link above if you want to hear some music...

Happy day.

Good Morning

We've had broccoli, swiss chard, and peas from the garden (and baby tatoes). One of our neighbors has brought us some lettuce (yea!) I'd show you some of the garden pictures, but I can't find my camera as of yesterday morning. I know it is somewhere, but I forget where I put it. I figured the morning pictures would do for one more day... ;)


One of my students brought me yesterday two loaves of homemade wheat bread (Mondo promptly ate 1 and 1/2 because I forgot to hide it from him - I tell you that dog is getting down right ridiculous - and quite demanding - in his old age) fresh milk from a cow that lives in the same county that I do, butter made from that milk, and all sorts of other yummy treats.


What I'm getting at here is that we have been enjoying our local resources. Quiche made with eggs from you backyard is just better, folks...


Have a great day and give someone a little encouragement. Compliment someone if you notice a new hair do or a pretty skirt or brightly colored tie. Then smile and tell that person that seeing them made your day and MEAN it!!


don't forget to SMILE!! :)

Pickin' Jesus

About a year ago my mom asked me if I would lead a music group that would do music one Sunday a month. I said yes and Pickin' Jesus was formed. There is Noah on the left. Adam and I share him as a guitar student and he is really doing well. You can tell that he LIKES the guitar. Samantha is next. She is telling me to be quiet because right before I took this picture, I dropped my camera on the floor. I was shushed by an almost ninth grader. I can handle that. She is an awesome young lady and so fun to have in the group. She keeps us guessing. And laughing. She also helps lead the singing and does a wonderful job. Adam is next. He helps so much I cannot even begin to explain. So I won't. I will just be thankful that he comes and plays with us. Thanks, honey!! And there are my feet. Let us not look at those...

There is my sweet Mama. See? Told you you'd see her today! She rocks the guitar and sings. It makes me really happy when she sings harmony parts. :) Ray is next, there, with the mandolin and Julie, whom you can barely see, is our violin player extraodinaire. They both sing as well. Add me on the guitar and singing and you have an overall idea

There is my seat. And my flip flops. I wish I could claim the awesome guitar, but that is Noah's. :) His parents made sure that he would keep up with playing and then got him a guitar that he could really learn on and wouldn't need to replace unless he wanted to. It really made me happy when he walked into his lesson with that guitar. Happy for him, I mean. He is a really cool kid. Ahem... young man.

And here is the mugshot minus me. I sit next to Noah on the end in front of Ma. Fun times. :)

Busy Weekend...

I'm off to do about four days worth of stuff in two days. Lots and lots of music. Lots and lots of family and fun. I get to see one of my church families tomorrow and am excited about that as well. Then more music and a meeting and then more music. I'll be back Monday...

Remember to be patient with folks this weekend. Especially if you're driving.

Bunches of love!!

Malinda

Goings On

This is what Middle Tennessee has looked like for many days now. (The picture is from last May, but you get the point.) I'd tell you how my garden was, but I have to admit it is so soggy I just went down yesterday sans camera for the first time in quite a while. We did have breaks in the rain here and there so Adam added more straw to the potatoes (a story in and of itself - I'll tell you sometime) and we battled the FIRE ANTS. (another story in and of itself) So what I know is this. Everything is growing and needs fertilizer and the weeds are growing and need killing! In order to plant my beans today, I'm going to have to poke them into the ground and then cover them up. Don't tell me I shouldn't do this, please. I'm gonna do it anyway!!



Today is a music day. Adam and I are playing at a conference for elderly awareness at the park in town and then he is teaching.



Adam has been telling me for months to put a video of us on here making some music, so maybe I'll do that soon...




Have a good day and if it is sunny where you are, enjoy it for those who haven't had any for FOREVER!!!

Easter Morning

I had never been to a sunrise service until this year. I'll never miss one again if I can help it. The first thing I saw when I looked out my window was this. (below)

The next thing I saw were my Irises blooming beautifully.

We don't have a big dinner. I don't even usually get a new dress. This year I wore a skirt that I found at the goodwill and hadn't worn yet! My husband isn't much a church goer and I mostly just celebrate Easter in my heart. Which is ok with me - but this year was a little different.

Our church and two others switch out community services for sunrise at Easter and also others like Thanksgiving and what not. The minister at the church we were going to this year asked me to play a couple of songs. I have always wanted to arrange hymns for solo violin in an appalachian style, but never had and decided that it was way past time. The newness of Easter was just what I needed to inspire me to actually get a marker and transcribe what was going through my head when I played.

I have learned this easter season that it is ok to be spiritual. That it is ok to be moved emotinoally by the enormity and mystery of it all and that it is even ok that I celebrate it alone (not alone at church, of course). Because my faith is just that - mine - and that God wants me not to shout at folks what I believe, but to live it quietly. To be the hands and feet of Jesus does not take many words at all - if any.

I have a different feeling this year. A feeling of hope and goodness and being loved and saved. Deep, still waters in my soul....

I hope that you feel hope. That God blesses you with peaceful waters and a stillness in your soul.

All my love,

Malinda

There is Hope...

Two months from now, I'll go out to the garden and see things like this:

There will be no more cold fronts - no more frosts. Now - am not wishing the time away. I enjoy my days, but I'm goin' CRAZY. I'm ready for the cold to be less frequent. Not that the weather should be based upon what I want, but I'm COLD. :)

We've planted potatoes, onions, peas, kohl rabi, and turnips and transplanted a TON of garlic. There are more potatoes in the house waiting for us to do something with them and I still have to get some broccoli in the ground. Lettuce too. Maybe a quarter of the garden is weeded and ready - our neighbor is fixing our tiller. We didn't want to use it, but will have to just to keep up for the spring, anyway. So we have garden prep to do, still, and getting beds ready (we do a funky kind of semi drought resistant raised bed system). We are also wanting to start some rain barrels this year.

There are five 3 day old kittens on the back porch (that will need a home in 5 weeks and 4 days) and 30 chickens on the deck in a pen that keep reminding us to build them a permanent home. They're not ready for it yet, but will be soon and we need to get busy! We are also looking for mutt homes. I have TOO MANY dogs and they are driving me NUTSO. If you need a mutt, let me know. I can help.

It is time to start tomato and pepper seeds and also time to be planting some apple, pear, and cherry trees, methinks. We're gonna cash in ye olde change jar and see how many trees that'll get us.

On top of all that is lesson preparations for students, lessons, house cleaning, window washing, church stuff, and music playing. One of Adam's friends down at Flat Creek Market gave us a four track digital recorder with an MP3 encoder, so we have a new toy to play with.

All this being said... I have plenty to fill my time until I can bite into a juicy, homegrown, bright red and purple heirloom tomato. That thought alone will get me through the spring time craziness!!!

I love life, I really do. I'm happy to be alive and see all that God has created - to be a part of it. There is so much to experience and do in this one short lifetime that I feel full of God's love and am in wonderment of His beautiful creation. I feel rich with all He has given my husband and I.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Keep warm!!!

Love,

Malinda

ps. I tried to separate my sentence groupings, but good ole blogger keeps putting them back together again...

Too Blessed :)

I have been trying (unsuccessfully) to post a video of the new baby chicks and have decided rather than to try again on the video, I would make a different post for now.

We've been busy lately and computer time is not very high on the priority list. So.... I decided to hop online while Adam and David were entertaining one another with their guitars. (tee hee)

I took a lay speaking class this month. That was fun. I learned a lot and met some cool new people.

We have been playing a lot also. We recently went to Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church in Wartrace, Tn with the music group that I work with (Adam has been helping) at my dad's church. I stared at this very window while leading the service. Isn't it beautiful??



This just makes me happy...

How We Roll.....

They'll sleep all day, but when we start playing, it's over. They play and bark and get all manner of excited when they hear music. And they LOVE the good friend David. Once they calm down, they'll jocky for position at his feet.

When a Group Lesson Turns into a Photo Shoot...

What do you get when you put Mary.... and Weibke together? You don't know, you say. Well, my friend, I can help you out. Telling isn't near as fun as showing, so here goes.

You get this. Two very happy, energetic kiddos. Here's how a group lesson goes down. When they stop counting rhythms and reading notes and seemingly FORGET how to play their respective instruments we pause....take a deep breath....and I get my camera.

Why get irritated with the sweeties when I could just take their pictures for DAYS?!?!

They are just soooo fun. I'm thankful that I've met these two and am so happy that I get to be part of their lives.