Category: Music

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The Lion King

Ooooh-hooo…lookey where we got to go–thanks to our sweet little Jillian. She saw Lion King in London and would positively not allow us to miss it when it came here, to our very own town.

But first, for the sake of the evening, we simply had to go to the Melting Pot for dinner. It was an amazing place with melted cheesy fondue in pots on the table with bread and veggies to dip into it.

And then…then…

they brought out the chocolate…and all the incredible things to dip into it.

Yeow.

I personally thought it would be a good idea if they just pulled out pillows and blankets and just let us sleep over. It was that good and the only thing that would have made it even better would have been to not be rushed.

Ahh…but we had a show to get to.

Sadly, this is the only shot I was allowed to take–before the show started. We were strictly forbidden to take any kind of pictures once the play started…and I didn’t want to go to jail or anything. I’m kind of a coward in real life.

But I found a way to show you a bit of what we saw…oh, do brace yourself.

Amazing…

Simply amazing.

Thank you Jillian.

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Musical Chairs

There was a day, long ago, a day I miss deeply now–

when there was some kind of music coming from several different corners in our house, at the same time. Over the years we’ve had a couple of flutes, a clarinet, a French horn, a couple of violins, and always, always there seems to have been a child sitting at the piano. I know that my memory is very selective about this, but I’m fine with recalling our family’s musical years as a lovely melodic blur.

Of course with all those instruments there also came lessons and practicing–oh the practicing that went on…and the treats we bribed the young musicians with. All for the promise of another version of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” to be played for me.

And how they played.

I was asked often how I could stand so much beginner noise in all it’s difficult phases and it surprised them to hear that I loved it…all of it. Though I never played anything myself, really, the instruments fascinated me–and so did the ability to pull a sweet sound from so many different places. As a mother–it’s always incredible to hear your own child create something beautiful–

that you did not teach them.

After all these years, most of the music is quiet now. The once avid players each found different places to spend their creative energies–jobs, missions, marriage, housework, church work and babies. That’ll certainly do it.

But–how I miss the music.

I’m waiting for the day when one of the new children–my musicians children–will come running in with a familiar shaped case and say, “Grammy–wanna hear me play?”

I know just what I’ll do…

I’ll smile and nod and get comfortable in a soft, easy chair. I’ll close my eyes.

and listen to the dear, sweet, scratchy sound of each note.

“Twink-le, twink-le lit-tle star, how I won-der what you are…”

I just hope I don’t start to cry.

Indeed…I can hardly wait to say, “Oh, please, please…

…play for me.

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Train Ride

My cute little daughter, Jillian…

won something very cool on the radio.

We, apparently, weren’t the only ones excited to go to the Train concert.

The wild people came from everywhere to this amazing concert—right on the street of downtown Salt Lake City. No lie. The police just roped off the road and everyone sat around doing…whatever…while they listened.

Since we had to wait for awhile, we just found a decent place to sit–right on the sidewalk, up against some random store. I thought maybe if I’d of had a hat, someone would come along and drop change in it.  You never know.

Finally, finally the band boys came out.

Most of the “street people” —including Jillian, moved forward to get a closer look.

But some of us could hear the purdy music well enough–right where we were, thank you very much–and stayed put.

I did, however, put the crocheting away a couple of times…

just to stretch out my legs…and fingers.

But I’ll tell you–there is something so magical about sitting by the light of the moon…

listening to the sound of  a Train.


:]

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Music Appreciation 101

This moment…

A Saturday joy.
A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from our world.
A simple, special, extraordinary moment.
A moment I want to savor and remember.
If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for us.
Happy Saturday friends!
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“That Holiday Feeling”

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The tradition at our house has always been that the day after Halloween, we can pull out the Christmas music. Not the movies or the decorations–none of that–but the music is on! We are quite faithful in our focus of the Thanksgiving holiday because it is so lovely to spend so much time thinking of how greatly we are blessed. It’s just that at our house we prepare for Thanksgiving—while listening to Christmas music.

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The first year I was married we had no Christmas music at all. Nothing.

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Then my sweet childhood friend Mary Jo asked if we would store a few things for her–as she was moving back to California. In the things to store that she generously said we could use, was her stereo system and a pile of LPs–record albums–in case you didn’t know. One of them–to my utter joy, was called “Merry Christmas–36 Great Favorite Songs-36 Great Artists.” Silly name. Fabulous music.

Merry Christmas LP

But finding out that my time with this set up was about to end and that a friend was coming to pick up all her things way before Christmastime, I devised a plan. Scurrying around, I found an old cassette recorder and a blank tape and decided to record whatever songs I could before the friend pulled up in the driveway. Now please realize that this was long before the “plug in this and that and push a couple of buttons and now it’s all perfect,” days. I had to play the music and put the tiny little microphone right up against the stereo speakers to get the best sound. I was in such a hurry that I didn’t even know some of the songs that I was recording–but it would be something for our Christmas atmosphere anyway. It ended up taping the last song filling one side of that cassette before the guys knocked on the door. I felt pretty pleased with myself.

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Little did we know at the time that that silly little bootlegged tape would become the family favorite for all my children and the very first thing they want to hear when they wake on November 1st.  One year they each received their own copy of the tape in their Christmas stocking. They love it.

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So, as silly as it may seem to play a little Christmas music for you–I’d really like to share the sound that has thrilled my family for over 30 years now–and quite frankly, still does. Oh, and if anyone knows the secret to getting a cassette tape–in this case, a priceless one–transferred to a cd–would you kindly share the info with me?  Tapes don’t last forever and we want to keep this one.

I hope you’ll humor me and listen–just this once. Thanks–and here it is…

 

 

Oh, and…BirthdayLP
Happy 40th  Birthday Sesame Street!