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!

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. :)

A "Play Date" With the Lovin' Husband

Just imagine me in the chair next to Adam. You never know who is going to call you and ask if you'll play, but I'm glad my friend Vicki thought of us when organizing this event. Check out the awesome door prizes!!

Here was our contribution to that little extravaganza.

I've always enjoyed doing stuff like this, but it has even become more fun in the past couple of years as my sweet husband has been gigging with me!

He's so fun...

Have a good day!!!! Tomorrow you will see the massive garden post. Also, kittens that REALLY want a new home..... :)

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!!!

A Trip to See the Fiddle Maker

I had the pleasure of accompanying one of my students to Rockwood, Tn to purchase a violin from Mr. Charles Horner. He made the violin that I own in 1984 and I am here to tell ya that they just keep getting better and better. He is an easy going, wonderful man to meet and personable as the day is long. I think it is neat that he has "scrap" Gibson mandolin necks and headstocks just hanging around...

We got him talking and had a grand time discussing fiddles, different woods, fiddlers, and how different each fiddle sounds. He told us about Mountain Mahogany (that isn't really mahogany at all), blood wood, box wood (he is allergic to that so doesn't use it much), maple, spruce, you get the point, I'm sure!

I guess these didn't cut the mustard...

This one's varnish is drying. Isn't it pretty? It had a highly flamed, BEAUTIFUL one piece back. "If I had a million dollars.... " (Name that song...)

Here are some of the ones we had to pick from. The reddish/dark one on the far right sounded BEAUTIFUL and so lush and mellow.

Here is one in the process of coming to greatness...

I can't say enough good about this man. I am so glad to have met him and also glad that my students have the opportunity to experience going to his "shop" when they decide it is time for The Fiddle of their life...

Hangin' in There...

Today is my busy teaching day. Kiddies with violins, guitars, and mandolins all wiggly and giggly after school. A good day, but a hectic one. So I'm makin' like Mr. Catapiller up there and hangin' with the best of them. It is a daunting perspective when sitting in my quiet music room.

Music will be made and kiddos will sing and laugh and the teacher, well the teacher will smile and sing and play along. And laugh, too. They make me laugh - the little ones. So often I find it so much easier to talk to a five year old than their parent. What does that say about me??

Have a good day, folks, and remember to find some quiet time. No TV - no radio - no music even. Just sit and let the quiet help you think. Note: if you go outside in the country, the quiet is deafening!!

Laughs,
Malinda

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

One Month of Lessons ...

I'm at the beginning of a hellish two days (hellish because of all of the driving and not hellish because I get to see my Rachel and Sadie through their annual Christmas concert) and thought I would take one of my only minutes to myself that does not involve driving to share a typical "Elena Lesson". First of all, I must say that this is her fourth lesson, I think. Close to that anyway.

The kid loves to play.... she's memorizing songs already... and figuring out the mechanics of moving her bow and her fingers at the same time.

Mind you, her fiddle is too big... I didn't have one that was her size, so she is playing a half size violin in tune and with GREAT technique I might add.

When she plays for me without her music, this is what I see. I guess it takes off some of the pressure? I like it, though. She's a neat kid and I'm so happy to have her as part of my studio.

See you after tomorrow is over... the recitals and concerts of the kids that I teach really take it out of me. I know that they will do well...it is just the doing of it. The seeing things through that is stressful to me - because giving your own recital is a big deal, folks. When I start teaching someone like Elena or any of my younger students, I look forward to the day that they can give their own concerts and then when that day comes, I feel like I am going to throw up!! Then I get over it, act like a big girl, and become a proud teacher.... until the next recital...

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.