Early Days

I'm back from a trip to England and France. Sorry to report I didn't see or hear any dulcimers there. I did go to several music shops, including one in London that was established in 1811. With touring some of the old castles and palaces I did come across some different instruments, such as a very early violin at Dover Castle. There were tapestries for sale in Paris and I almost bought one that had a hammered dulcimer-like instrument on it but the images was a bit dark. A piano in Charles Darwin's house in Downs was played every night by his wife and was interesting to be the center of the room - in those historic pre-television days. Today I'll do some playing from a tune book I purchased at an Early Music store in London. One of my favorite sounds on the trip was hearing an accordion player out on the streets in Paris. A very common sound in Paris and London were the emergency or police vehicle sounds which some people say are a harsh version of a few notes in Somewhere Over the Rainbow. I did hear a cajon (box drum - I sell these now) in Grenoble, France as a local cafe with all the doors wide open so people can eat indoors or out.

The grass tried taken over the garden while we were gone so it's now time to tend the soil and plant seeds. After a few weeks, I'll have some fresh food for my husband, me and the deer, too...