Flash mob: Beethoven's 9th Symphony

I love this: a flash mob playing a portion of Beethoven's 9th (choral) symphony (popularly known as the Ode to Joy) in Spain.

"Wow!"

I love it when people spread joy like this.

Wanna know what was especially neat? I had a hard time hearing this video clip and kept having to pause it... because my own little cellist was playing her instrument right below my office. No problem by me, it was a beautiful sound.

Staggering gift

Almost three years ago, Younger Daughter started taking fiddle lessons from a remarkable teacher named Andrew Wilson. He and his wife met as traveling musicians and they now have four (homeschooled) kids who are nearly as talented as their parents. During the summers, they often hit the road as a family and make music around the country. Last summer, Andrew won eighth place in a national fiddle competition. It has, to put it lightly, been a privilege to have him teach Younger Daughter.

So imagine our dismay a couple weeks ago when Andrew told us he would be touring with his family again this upcoming summer... and not coming back. Yes, the entire family is hitting the road for a whole year, touring musically. Sadly, at the end of that year they'll be looking to settle permanently elsewhere, possibly Texas, where fiddle music enjoys a more popular footing and he can draw from a larger base of students. He plans to keep about one-third of his "favorite" students (his word, not mine) and teach via Skype. Younger Daughter is among that group.

Meanwhile, Younger Daughter has been enjoying a new instrument: the cello. If you remember, Andrew loaned her his own personal instrument to try out. “I wouldn’t give it to anyone,” he told her, “but I know you’ll take good care of it.” She has treated that cello like the finest china, knowing the trust that is placed with her. She has also fallen absolutely in love with it. Her progress has been nothing short of astounding.

So imagine my shock last week when Younger Daughter's lesson was over and he asked to speak to me privately for a moment. He told me since his family had to pare down their possessions in order to fit all six people into the RV when they hit the road, he won't be taking the cello. "I want to give it to Younger Daughter," he told me.

My jaw hit the floor. And I mean, hit the floor. Gifting her with his own personal instrument? "But your wife gave you that cello for Christmas," I sputtered.

"We talked it over. She's in total agreement," he told me.

I sputtered some more, but he said if Younger Daughter doesn't take the cello, it will either go into storage (which doesn't do stringed instruments any good) or will go into the loaner program. Neither option is a fate he wishes on this instrument. He'd rather it go to someone who will get enjoyment from it.

I went home in a state of shock and discussed the matter with Don. Together we decided to accept the gift with the graciousness with which it was offered. Then it was Younger Daughter's turn for her jaw to hit the floor.

After a day or two of almost shying away from the cello -- purely because she couldn't believe her good luck -- Younger Daughter has been playing it five or six times a day. She's not practicing classical cello pieces; rather, she's exploring Celtic music (her favorite genre) and using the cello for alternate purposes. Andrew couldn't be happier that his gift is being so well used.

He told me today that he's been on the lookout for a student he felt was worthy of gifting his cello. Younger Daughter is humbled and honored to be the one so chosen.

We are going to miss Andrew and his delightful wife terribly, and can only wish them the very best on their year of adventure and wherever they chose to settle in the future.

Brain dead at tax time

I feel like I haven't been posting much lately, but I have a good excuse: I'm working on our taxes. In fact I've been working on them both day...

...and night. (Well, verrrrry early morning. I don't DO nights.)

Our tax appointment is on Friday and I'm pretty brain-dead at the moment. So, in the absence of any cognizant neural activity not related to crunching numbers, I'll post some random pix until I recover my mental faculties.

For some time now, Younger Daughter has been hankering to try a cello. Her fiddle teacher very kindly and trustingly loaned her his own personal instrument for the week. Here he's giving her a few pointers on how to hold her bow and position her fingers, which are slightly different than fiddle technique.

Oh my goodness, she played that instrument the blessed week long, just fiddling (so to speak) around, playing fiddle tunes on the cello. Really neat to listen to.

When she went back this week, her teacher was so impressed by her progress that he assigned her a couple of specific cello tunes and let her have the cello another week. Hmmm -- we may be renting a cello in the near future.

Not to be outdone musically, Older Daughter just went through an ordeal. One of our church pianists recently retired, leaving the congregation a bit short-handed in the music department. Older Daughter was asked to step into a void when both our other pianists would be out of town, and play the church service. Last Sunday was her nerve-wracking debut, and she did outstanding.

She has a hard time operating the pedals in shoes, so she always kicks them off.

Both my girls hate to perform in public, so this was indeed an ordeal for her which she passed with flying colors. She has one more Sunday to play -- toward the end of May -- so she has lots of time to practice the hymns.

While taking a walk this week, our neighbors had released their hunting dogs to get some exercise. They plastered themselves against the fence as we walked by...

...then raced Older Daughter as she ran along the road.

Climbing over a fallen tree.

The distant mountains are firmly capped with snow.

A neighbor drove by on his four-wheeler...

...with his dog along for the ride.

Speaking of dogs, here's a twelve-foot-high model outside the Aslin-Finch feed store in Spokane. Arf.

Science lesson for the day: the Coriolis Effect.

Older Daughter was practicing with her archery set the other day. She didn't notice that the fletching on one of the arrows was broken. The arrow went astray from the haybales where she was aiming and punched through the wall of the barn.

Good thing there were no livestock around!

Gas prices March 24.

Gas prices April 3.

It must be spring. Our local feed store has chicks.

Chickens eating apple peels.

Lydia lounging. What a life.