New arrivals this week

I'll be offering some new things in my Dulcimers In Duluth web store - teardrop ocarinas and McSpadden dulcimers with the 24" long fretboard which helps people with shorter fingers. I also am well stocked on the Helen Johnson books and will be doing a Mel Bay order this week. If anyone has any specific Mel Bay books that I don't normally stock, let me know on or before Friday. Maybe you would like a Ukulele book or harp book?
Thanks again to everyone who has signed up for Dulcimer Day. It's less than 3 weeks away. Tonight I will teach a beginner mountain dulcimer class through Duluth Community Ed. My bag of cardboard dulcimers is ready to go. If you would like a class taught in your area (Northern WI or MN), send me an email. The instruments are portable and the class works well for adults or intergenerational. If there are at least 5 people wanting McSpadden Dulcimer kits I will put in an order. Otherwise, I will not be stocking them anymore. Building an instrument is a time commitment but gives you the extra connection to your instrument. I've taking a wood carving class for fun and have sketched out a design to put on one of my outer legs on the hammered dulcimer stand. So many possibilities.
Last week I plugged in a nykleharpa (Swedish keyed fiddle) for an exercise class at a Long Term Care place. The cultural music was a nice flow to stretch and do imaginary waltzing, too.
It was a surprise to have snow on the ground today and places further north in Minnesota had even more. Spring is slowly coming. Meanwhile I place a seed order to do some planting of some vegetables on other plants. Ever heard of the sensitive plant? It moves when you touch it. It would be cool (or maybe freaky?) if a plant would sing or make a sound when you touch it. We played with and videotaped the sensitive plant in a greenhouse in the Kew Gardens in London last May. I'll see if I can get some plants growing around the house. Maybe I should offer some seeds with the purchase of a dulcimer? Of course, we wouldn't have any dulcimers if it wasn't for seeds being grown at some time or another. Maybe we should make a song honoring squirrels who probably planted some of the seeds of the trees the dulcimers came from. In fact, it may have been squirrels FORGETTING where they buried their future food/treat supply. So does that mean we should be thankful for forgetting?
Enjoy the coming of spring. Every day has so much happening.