Violin Teacher Perks

I am many things to many people: even a blue and red petaled flower!

Mozart and Bach hang out with me in my studio, poised to practice and compose on their pianos.

Many gifts from special people find their way to my Grandmommy's antique oak shelves on the wall of the studio.  Each of these represents a dear student, friend, or family member at a special moment in time. 

More special memories.

I ring these bells as reminders of specific techniques, or as a breach of technique.  It's like a game, however, not a punishment.  The various thumb operated characters are also technique illustrators. The lamb on the left and the tiger can take a bow, bending their heads down,  and curve their tails, like a curved pinky finger on the bow hand. The butterfly can soften and collapse, like a soft bow hand, and the sheep on the right winds up and hops--I use it as a timer for specific repetitions of technique.  

My latest gift from students.  Even my garden has "violin" music!  

McGirls just wanna have fun

Our four lovely daughters ran away to New York, NY for a sister weekend. They celebrated--lunch, brunch, coffee, musicals, parks, art, and CB's 35th birthday.  I was very excited to be there for her original birthday at Mather AFB, CA. 

Now she's grown up, but still playing dolls with Em and Roo.  I feel certain there was giggling with the sisters in NY.  Some days I really miss all that noise. (Sigh)

Love you, McGirls!

Reconnecting with Jonah and Gracie

My ideal scenario for my extended family is that we would all live close enough to meet at our house for hamburgers or pasta or brisket on Friday nights or Sundays after church service.  Real life isn't like that yet, however. We raised our daughters to go where God calls them, and that's what they did. 

Boo and Michael live way out west. Last week Muffin had a helicopter conference in Phoenix, which just happened to be ideal for a visit with their family.  Since we don't see them often, it takes time to warm up the connections and understand each other.  The iphone is a fabulous tool for shortening the re-connecting time.  Muffin has all sorts of mechanical games that Jonah loves to play. Gracie loves to do what Jonah does, so he helps to draw her into the circle.

We collect gifts throughout the year and rather than mailing all of them we take some with us on a visit. Jonah loves logo clothing! And Gracie and Jonah both love books.  Devotions for the Children's Hour, Museum 1 2 3, and Have You Filled A Bucket Today? a guide to daily happiness for kids,  made the trip with us. 

A walk to the neighborhood park is always a hit.  Gracie loves to run and to slide. Jonah likes to ride his Big Wheel all over the basketball court.  

Eating lunch on Mother's Day after church. Going to church with my kids is such a blessing.  I love to meet their friends, read their bulletin, visit with their pastors and staff, get an idea of the spiritual atmosphere.  It's important for families to be in church together.   Jonah loves to sit by Grandpa.

Day 3: Grandpa and Jonah go ladybug hunting and found Bingo III. 

Gracie, in a pile of lego blocks and other toys, discovers that Marmee also has an iphone!

Day 4: While Grandpa was at the helicopter show Boo and I took Jonah and Gracie to CMoP, Children's Museum of Phoenix.  This is one of many, many MANY fast trips Jonah made through the "car wash".  Endlessly fascinating and entertaining, CMoP is perfect for a day of learning and fun.  We stayed for four hours!

Gracie and I in the Noodle Forrest at CMoP.  She had no fear, and ran into it with all the much older kids. Stayed on her feet all the way through and showed no signs of disorientation either.  FYI: this is many square feet of hanging swimming pool noodles.  They are in a huge open room and you must go through the "forrest" to find the bean bag chairs, stuffed spiders, and books at the other end.  

Love it!

Happy Mother's Day to the Moms in our Family

Nannie--The Matriarch.

Nana--with four year old Joybear and Baby Kathleen--25 years ago!

Our first born, CB with Em and Roo a year ago.

Boo and Gracie. 

Beckiboo and Jonah, the first to call me Marmee. 

Love you all the mostest!

In My Garden

Honeysuckle.  Wish you could smell it!

Evening Primrose

Wisteria.  Mmmmm...like perfume

White, old-fashioned vining roses

Wisteria and honeysuckle smell wonderful in my house, too.  

Last Week--Last of the Season

Our final symphony concert was last week. We have a season of 8 concerts--five are classical and three are pops. This was the eighth concert, a very special concert planned more than two years in advance. 

Our guest performing artist was a soprano, a professor from a local university. She performed four of Aaron Copland's Songs, based on traditional American tunes.  

The orchestra performed several collections from Broadway musicals.

The BIG piece on the program was a collaboration with Dave and Chris Brubeck.  Seven symphony orchestras in the USA commissioned them to write a piece in connection with an Ansel Adams photographic exhibit. Chris Brubeck attended our event and the opening of the exhibit took place one night before our concert.  After the concert a "Take Five" exhibit at one of our local galleries celebrated with a jazz band, great food, and wonderful art as the public was invited, which of course, included the orchestra and the audience.  It was an exhausting week with lots of stress, lots of practice, lots of pain from tendonitis in the hands, and lots of relief afterward. But, as always, I enjoyed the music and found myself smiling when we pulled West Side Story from the folder.  It has long been a favorite to hear,  play or watch on DVD.  

Then yesterday the doorbell rang and these were delivered to me.  I was and am thrilled!  

Aren't these nice girls, guys, and grands?  

Love them. Love the flowers. Love the note. Love the thoughtfulness.  Somebody must have raised those girls right!  I'll bet it was their Daddy. 

Texas 'Bonnets

About 10 minutes from our house there is a lovely field of Texas finest spring flowers--the Bluebonnet. On Sunday afternoon Muffin and I took a drive over there and found about twenty other cars stopped by the side of the road, people all spilled out with children, wee toddlers, and puppy dogs.  And LOTS of cameras.  In one corner of the field is an old tractor--the perfect prop for kids photos. Another area had a tiny picnic table, barely taller than the resplendent bluebonnets themselves. Toddlers and puppies looked very cute indeed on that table.  It was a beautiful day for photos. 

Muffin and Marmee

Close up.                                                 Closer.

Watching the other families.

We offered to take their photos so they could all get in the view finder.

Beautiful lake of blue. 

So pretty we even took photos of each other taking photos.  Cheesy, but fun. 

Thank you Lord, for your wondrous works that proclaim your glory!