I want to play fiddle. With our method I am able to pick out melodies very easily. But the problem is that I have neck trouble and holding the fiddle under my chin is a no go. I put it in my gut but that seems to limit the mobility of my fingering hand. So I felt I needed to come up with … Continue reading ‘Fiddle Holster’
Every year for the past seven years, we help put on “The Johnson Farm Picking Party.” It’s held on 92 acres of beautiful land in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The farm was homesteaded in the 1800′s and still looks like it might be of back then. It’s a perfect place to play “mountain music.”
A tradition formed early on. After we arrived and set up, Luke and Kyle went into the children’s playhouse to jam. There, Luke finally coaxed Kyle into playing some fiddle tunes, instrumentals that Kyle strongly dislikes. It was another year before Kyle played another fiddle tune, and that was at the next Johnson Farm party. Since then, they’ve been doing the same thing every year. As you see, other friends join in too.
See also: Playhouse Jamming in 2008
Last evening we went downtown to play music on the sidewalk. We are not the only folks who play downtown. There are many regulars and others who show up now and then. There is unspoken etiquette among people who play. One is: “Don’t set up too near someone else,” for obvious reasons. And it’s first come, first get that spot. It’s basically dog-eat dog with some rules. No biting, etc.
Well last night we saw a spot and were going to start playing. A girl around 19 was sitting on the sidewalk near and had a “Spare Change” sign. She saw us and said, “You can’t play here!” I looked at her quizzically and asked … Continue reading ‘Barking downtown.’
Carl and Kyle gave a Playing by Ear workshop at the Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival. Someone wanted to buy our Song and Learning Method book and CD. We were selling them cheap at 15 dollars to make room for our new books. The fellow only had a 20 dollar bill and I didn’t have a 5 dollar bill for change. Hmmm. . . … Continue reading ‘Good tastin’ Bad Business’
We got the first new car of our lives in 2005. It’s a Mazda minivan and works great for us. But there is one thing that is odd; if it gets wet, it dries with white spots wherever the water was, including the windows! The first time it happened I took it back to the dealer to say … Continue reading ‘Out of control’
All right! We have a popular downtown. Pacific Ave is the main drag. I go often to do errands and be among fellow beings. But now I’ve come to the conclusion that I am out of my element. I don’t have a cell phone. I have nothing against them but don’t have one. (The photo below shoes me talking on my flip flop.) I don’t feel the need. But…
While walking to the beach from our house I saw that the Laundromat had a new paint job with writing that says “Historical District”. I noticed right away that one of the pictures was the Abbott Row Houses. Our neighborhood has many Victorians in it although some were torn down in the 50′s. Carl’s parent’s were very into historical preservation. When they first came to
We live a few blocks from the main drag in downtown
A few months ago, just in the gate from being downtown, I heard yelling by ducks and ravens. I saw a red tailed hawk with its broad wings taking off to the top of the telephone poll as if in slow motion. I looked around to see if the ducks were okay; we have three, and saw only two living. Under the orange tree, lying spread open was bright red blood and feathers and exposed breast bone.… Continue reading ‘Baby Monitor Is For the Birds’
We don’t travel much. Our lives are pretty busy and content on the home front but Luke had an opportunity to go to Cordova, Alaska to teach music at a 4-H camp, meet new people and see some of Alaska. Saturday came and that meant going to the airport. My alarm clock was set for 4:30a.m. to wake up to drive him. I asked Luke to set his alarm clock too just in case I didn’t wake up or mine didn’t go off. I woke up like clockwork but at 3am and couldn’t go back to sleep. I lay in bed for awhile and then got up to really wake up before hitting the highway. Luke woke up and we were out the door in a few minutes.
It feels neat to get out on the road while it’s still dark and there are very few cars. We did hit some tule fog but no problem. The airport is in San Jose (45 minutes away from us). We got there and there were plenty of people. But Luke easily checked in. I had had in my mind that we would sit down for a nice breakfast before he left but that wasn’t in his mind. I think he was anxious to get on with the adventure. We hugged good-bye and he went into the “Passengers Only” gate.
Since I don’t travel much, that was a little to quick for me. I wasn’t ready to turn right back. I looked and saw a trusty Starbucks. When it was my turn to order , the kind looking fellow asked me where I’m from. He probably thought that … Continue reading ‘In time’