A Thing for Strings

Okay, I'll jump right in. One of my current obsessions is string instruments. I've recently acquired two mountain dulcimers, after hovering over the keyboard, waiting with bated breath for the ebay auctions to end. I've also ordered books with plans for building various folk instruments, and this morning, made another ebay purchase: a beginner-sized hammered dulcimer (don't tell my husband, yet; I'm trying to figure out how to break it to him - it was such a DEAL!). All I'm missing is a bowed psaltery I can afford, and I think I'll about have this itch scratched. May have to build that one myself, though. (Ha! We'll see how that goes.)

I'd only had my hands on a mountain dulcimer once before, at my sister-in-law's house, years ago. Thought it was interesting, but I was on another tangent at the time, probably. Now it is an all-consuming interest. My husband laughed at how quickly it became an obsession, but then he knows me, and goes along for the ride. My friends and family laughed, too, but that's okay. I watched for a bargain, found two, and now we have more music in the house. Well, something approaching music. It'll take practice.

I want to have a music room, with various instruments available for the kids to pick up. I want us to learn to sing in harmony, sit on the front porch on summer evenings and entertain the raccoons and the tree frogs with traditional rounds, that kind of thing. I want, I want, I want. I've got plenty of ideas, not so much in the "doing" department.


I'm trying to learn to play "The Parting Glass", and although I realize I sound horrible in comparison, this duo on Youtube has inspired me, and my mother picked up a book at her library that has the tablature, it seems to be a similar arrangement.

(There's also a vocal version on Youtube that gives me goosebumps (that usually means harmony!), done by the Wailin' Jennys.)

-Took a break to set off a few fireworks for the kids.-

I would try to neaten this up and post a picture, but hubby is wanting the computer for a while, so I'll figure that out later!

Well, here goes...

I've thought about keeping a blog before, but never quite followed through with it. Does anyone else get hung up when they're required to choose a name? That's not the only thing that's stopped me, of course. Mainly, I didn't know where I'd fit! We homeschool, but I often want to ramble about random things. I'm interested in homesteading, but I don't get much accomplished beyond dreaming. I want to write, but again, I have a hard time sticking to one focus! In the end, it's "just me", and whatever is on my mind at the moment.

I imagine it will take me a bit to settle in, figure out which buttons to push and knobs to turn. Ideally, this will be a place for me to jot down what's going on in my life, a sort of journal. Somewhere to vent, organize my thoughts, and look back through what's been happening. Hope I can stick with it.

So, we'll see. Here goes!