Lucky me...

I have two very sweet and special students, a brother and sister, that I give lessons to every Sunday.  He is learning the guitar and she is learning the violin.  Both have a great sense of humor, fun personalities and plenty of musical talent.

When they came for lessons this past weekend, they brought me this belated Christmas present, made by their own hands.  It is a beautiful and luxuriously soft fleece blanket with musical symbols.

All of my students continually overwhelm me and this was no exception.  I count myself as one of the luckiest people in the world to know each and every one of my students!

Do the Wav!

The Snarling Fiddler

A fun trip to the local music store this week resulted in a score!  Here's a pic of me trying out the new NS Wav electric violin.  This particular model was the 5-stringer in the amber burst finish.

The fiddle is oddly shaped but played like "butta."  After about a half hour of playing around, I ordered the 4-string version in red burst.  It will be delivered in about a week or so.

"The Time Has Come...,"

The Walrus said, "to talk of many things.  Of shoes and ships and sausages and sealing wax and kings."

Okay, so that's not how it really goes.  But sausage and cabbage does go so well together!  This pic is from a great family tradition of sausage making for the holidays.  My cousin, Brian, and I were the official apprentices this time around during my visit to Ohio in November.  Rumor has it that they're at it again this week for the Christmas feast.  I can still smell the garlic!

I've been busy this past month.  The fall concert for my string groups has come and gone.  As I said above, I took a trip to Ohio -  for the Thanksgiving holiday.  I'm up to my eyeballs in rehearsals and concerts.  (Tonight I will play in the orchestra for a church performance of portions of the Messiah, Shortwaaave will be performing at Faithbridge Church on Christmas Eve and Mark and I will be performing with a band that calls itself Buddy's Notes at the Inn at Grand Glaize for New Year's Eve.)

Next week, the Surf office is closed and I'm looking forward to having some crafting time at home.  As I'm not nearly ready for Christmas this year, I think I'm going to turn back to my old tradition of making all of my gifts for 2011 and next week will be the perfect time to start!

Something in the air...

When you look out your back door and are greeted with the handiwork of God, it's a great time to stop, give thanks, and take a picture so that others can experience the joy.

Crop Circles

I took this pictures just outside my front door this fall.  Just what in the heck are these things anyway?

Immediately my mind starting to conjure up an image: tiny aliens (I pictured the Marlboro toking skinny guys from MIB) making crop circles while they talked down about their bosses at break time.  One of them is leaning against the siding with one foot against the wall, puffing smoke rings into oblivion in the morning mist.  I hear them making coarse and gravelly giggles when the one that is sitting in the boxwood bush remarks that the "head cheese thinks his shicoogfzfnt doesn't stink." 

On the lighter side, literally, I've lost an official 4 pounds since I started my diet.  Nothing to put in the evening news but definitely a step in the right direction.  At this rate, I think I can safely set a goal for losing 10 pounds by New Year's.

Happy Halloween!

I found these cute aprons at Hobby Lobby and just had to make them for my nieces.  Happy Halloween, girls!  I wish I could be at that party, too....

October in Full Swing

I travelled to San Antonio this past week for business (more on that later).  On the way home, my boss commented that his October was almost over as he had two more trips that he was going to take before the month was up.  Mine, hectic as usual, is just beginning.  Here's what I can remember off the top of my head:

October 11th, orchestra rehearsals
October 12th, band rehearsal
October 14th, lessons
October 16th, wedding in Camdenton
October 17th, performing at the Lutheran church in Camdenton
October 18th, orchestra rehearsals
October 19th, performing at the Baptist church in Camdenton
October 21st, lessons
October 25th, orchestra rehearsals
October 26th, band rehearsal
October 28th, lessons
October 30th, judging the Miss Missouri pageant in Lake Ozark

And this is only my evening schedule. Oh, yeah, and I have to prepare for all of this, too.  Yikes!