Reverend's "Do you inspire yourself" thread inspired this.
I just retired from the work I have been doing for more than 30 years. I haven't been able to find the time to play much for the past 5 of those years so I am a little out of shape. And so was my favorite bow. I had it re-haired and I just picked it up yesterday afternoon. What a joy it is to play with with a newly re-haired bow.
Until late this afternoon, today was sort of cool gray misty overcast. (If you know the Puget Sound region, you know what I mean.) But it was the perfect day to make bread and play tunes. The kitchen was warm and comfortable and smelled good, and it felt great to have all time in the world to play music. I played tunes I haven't played for a long time and it seems the longer I played the more tunes I remembered. What a wonderful experience.
It sure is and I know what you mean. When I get the bow re-haired it's a bit like having a new instrument, the feel and weight of is different and somehow inspires a vein of music that I haven't played in a while.
Good on you, enjoy.
Oh John, your post is a great inspiration to me, although on a more humble level. I am ten weeks retired from teaching. I went in at an age when most teachers are retiring, and I have had a torrid past five years with little time for self and the music I love to play. Teaching definitely is a young'uns game, I recon now in retrospect. I too am loving having the time to play away and enjoy tunes I have been missing in that time, potter around the house fixing things that should have been fixed years ago, brightening the house loving it instead of passing through it. and I've been seriously contemplating packing a few bows (that have never been rehaired) into a post-it tube and sending them off to get rehaired. It would be so lovely. I've newly made quite an incredible purchase on eBay (well I like to think so - I couldn't believe the sound of the wonky old fiddle I won when I picked it up and played it - inspirational) and my house is enlivened with eight gorgeous newly arrived half Alaskan Malamute puppies.
As I am a doting proud foster grandmum, here is a link to some photos:
Its been hard to shake those always in a hurry just rushing through feelings and to let loose and enjoy life in the moment, but those little puppies'll be reared to the sounds of their foster grandmum's fiddle(s). They are a bit of inspiration to this "rusty" old scraper out here in the bush.
PS: I'm becoming an dab hand on homecooked doggy dinners as well as a right good fix-it meself handyperson and there's time for smiling and tunes whenever the inclination is there. There is even time to go out looking for bubble rocks for the garden. We have the most beautiful red ones around here with tidal pools and bubbles and things in them from when they were in the tidal zones of a long gone inland sea. Beautiful, sigh.
Your puppies are beautiful, Jan. I wish I lived closer so I could come and play with them. And congratulations on your new fiddle. It sounds like a treasure. I hope you get lots of time to play it, though with those new pups you'll probably be busy chasing them around for the next few weeks. I am fortunate in that I live about a half hour walk from a good violin shop so getting the bow re-haired was not the challenge you have. I recommend it though. Best wishes to you on your retirement.
Sorry, I don't know why, but while I was sitting waiting for the puppies to be born I was playing the newly arrived fiddle. It had been handmade by an amateur violin maker out in the Aussie bush, and the tune that came to mind to have a very first play on it at that particular moment was 'Tennessy Waltz'. I know, not Irish trad, but somehow appropriate to the moment, and I was inspired by the sound of the fiddle. Actually I was bluudy amazed. Jeeze, sometimes I think how lucky can an oldscraper out in the bush well beyond the black stump be? Lovely.
You do home cooked doggy dinners? Is that a taste of Korean cuisine? Don't wait too long or they'll be too big for the microwave!
Seriously, I hope they'll all be well and you enjoy your retirement.
Watch out for those puppies. I used to have a Malamute and they are darn close to wolves. Not over-aggressive, really, but not easy to dominate either. Let them know early on whose boss.
Well now John Knoss, its lucky I don't believe in microwave ovens, but how many dogs, prey tell, do you know who regularly dine on gently simmered minced camel?
Yep, I realise Screetch ... the puppies weren't exactly ... planned ... but the dad is a very quiet dog (just a very good tunneller) and Sasha might come pretty close to a dingo (a wild dog) herself if there was a way of actually telling these things. She is as smart as ... obsessive ... but not easily dominated herself. I think I know what we've got. They won't be lap dogs, they'll be seriously active dogs, good in the bush. Hey, perhaps I can set up a business with a billycart team of sled dogs showing the tourists the sights of Alice Springs. Mush mush. Jest kidding. Thanks for the warnings. I appreciate your concern.
I hope you all don't mind if I join the group hug. John, thanks for the tunes last Wednesday--I would send you a copy of Trip to Nenagh, but it came out just a bit distorted. I will put the tiny recorder further away next time. And Clear Drops, the bag you sent me is still doing a great job of protecting my mixer--it's packed up with my gear in the car, ready for a wedding gig tomorrow. And congrats on the new puppies.
Mickray, I'm thrilled that you've found such an appropriate use for the bag, good jukurrpa in it. Good stuff. Have a great wedding gig tomorrow ... and I am still loving your Kids in a Candy Store CD with the incredible sound production. Really lovely. thesession.org has got long arms, hey, plenty long enough for group hugs round the world.
Back to re-hairing bows, I selected the two worst bows for rehairing now, and the two useable ones for when the first lot come back. Yep, going to do it ... but while trying to put the first bow, the hairless one that came with the recent fiddle, into a piece of poly pipe ready for shipping, I wasn't careful enough, let it drop through the pipe and in the process the pipe broke off the tip. Sliced straight off at the stick just like that ! Moral of the story, be very careful when packing yer bows they aren't as indestructible as you think. Now it has to be mended as well as re-haired and I still haven't found an address to send them to (durgh!)
Thanks, Clear Drops. I have passed on your nice compliment to Gil, whose production skills far surpassed my humble fiddling. But please, spend your time listening to better examples, OK? That CD was just something to hawk at gigs, give to friends, etc.
(See, you cowards out there? Some of us didn't wait for Will CPT and Sound Lantern, etc. to start sending our homespun efforts around the world. Go ahead, put something up for the rest of us to hear. If mine didn't destroy Civilization As We Know It, I don't think yours will, either.)
Anyway, good on ya for hanging in there, in the Outback. Say hi to the pups for me.
Hey, the incredible sound production is on top of the lovely fiddle playing, you silly billy - I didn't send Gil the jukurrpa bag, now did I . Lovely tone and lovely slow takes on the jigs there mickray, you were way way ahead of the pack, must have been at least a year ago if not longer ... heavens, if you hadn't reminded me I'd have forgotten about the bag, but never the CD It was a very nice thing you did for an old scraper out in the bush sending it to her (me!) ... and you are playing with the newly retired John Culhane (who I hadn't met till this thread) and now I've met the two of you! Very special.
The Joy of Time and a Re-Haired Bow
The Joy of Time and a Re-Haired Bow
Reverend's "Do you inspire yourself" thread inspired this.
I just retired from the work I have been doing for more than 30 years. I haven't been able to find the time to play much for the past 5 of those years so I am a little out of shape. And so was my favorite bow. I had it re-haired and I just picked it up yesterday afternoon. What a joy it is to play with with a newly re-haired bow.
Until late this afternoon, today was sort of cool gray misty overcast. (If you know the Puget Sound region, you know what I mean.) But it was the perfect day to make bread and play tunes. The kitchen was warm and comfortable and smelled good, and it felt great to have all time in the world to play music. I played tunes I haven't played for a long time and it seems the longer I played the more tunes I remembered. What a wonderful experience.
# Posted on June 20th 2008 by John Culhane
Re: The Joy of Time and a Re-Haired Bow
It sure is and I know what you mean. When I get the bow re-haired it's a bit like having a new instrument, the feel and weight of is different and somehow inspires a vein of music that I haven't played in a while.
Good on you, enjoy.
# Posted on June 20th 2008 by john knoss
Re: The Joy of Time and a Re-Haired Bow
Oh John, your post is a great inspiration to me, although on a more humble level. I am ten weeks retired from teaching. I went in at an age when most teachers are retiring, and I have had a torrid past five years with little time for self and the music I love to play. Teaching definitely is a young'uns game, I recon now in retrospect. I too am loving having the time to play away and enjoy tunes I have been missing in that time, potter around the house fixing things that should have been fixed years ago, brightening the house loving it instead of passing through it. and I've been seriously contemplating packing a few bows (that have never been rehaired) into a post-it tube and sending them off to get rehaired. It would be so lovely. I've newly made quite an incredible purchase on eBay (well I like to think so - I couldn't believe the sound of the wonky old fiddle I won when I picked it up and played it - inspirational) and my house is enlivened with eight gorgeous newly arrived half Alaskan Malamute puppies.
As I am a doting proud foster grandmum, here is a link to some photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3711&l=a60ec&id=1213494535
Its been hard to shake those always in a hurry just rushing through feelings and to let loose and enjoy life in the moment, but those little puppies'll be reared to the sounds of their foster grandmum's fiddle(s). They are a bit of inspiration to this "rusty" old scraper out here in the bush.
PS: I'm becoming an dab hand on homecooked doggy dinners as well as a right good fix-it meself handyperson and there's time for smiling and tunes whenever the inclination is there. There is even time to go out looking for bubble rocks for the garden. We have the most beautiful red ones around here with tidal pools and bubbles and things in them from when they were in the tidal zones of a long gone inland sea. Beautiful, sigh.
# Posted on June 20th 2008 by Clear Drops
Re: The Joy of Time and a Re-Haired Bow
Your puppies are beautiful, Jan. I wish I lived closer so I could come and play with them. And congratulations on your new fiddle. It sounds like a treasure. I hope you get lots of time to play it, though with those new pups you'll probably be busy chasing them around for the next few weeks. I am fortunate in that I live about a half hour walk from a good violin shop so getting the bow re-haired was not the challenge you have. I recommend it though. Best wishes to you on your retirement.
# Posted on June 20th 2008 by John Culhane
Re: The Joy of Time and a Re-Haired Bow
Sorry, I don't know why, but while I was sitting waiting for the puppies to be born I was playing the newly arrived fiddle. It had been handmade by an amateur violin maker out in the Aussie bush, and the tune that came to mind to have a very first play on it at that particular moment was 'Tennessy Waltz'. I know, not Irish trad, but somehow appropriate to the moment, and I was inspired by the sound of the fiddle. Actually I was bluudy amazed. Jeeze, sometimes I think how lucky can an oldscraper out in the bush well beyond the black stump be? Lovely.
# Posted on June 20th 2008 by Clear Drops
Re: The Joy of Time and a Re-Haired Bow
Cross-post ... and best wishes to you in yours. it is great, hey!
# Posted on June 20th 2008 by Clear Drops
Re: The Joy of Time and a Re-Haired Bow
I get a small taste of that feeling whenever I pull out a brand new, pointy plectrum
# Posted on June 20th 2008 by Reverend
Re: The Joy of Time and a Re-Haired Bow
You do home cooked doggy dinners? Is that a taste of Korean cuisine? Don't wait too long or they'll be too big for the microwave!
Seriously, I hope they'll all be well and you enjoy your retirement.
LOL, Reverend...
# Posted on June 20th 2008 by john knoss
Re: The Joy of Time and a Re-Haired Bow
Congrats, sounds like you're having a great time!
Watch out for those puppies. I used to have a Malamute and they are darn close to wolves. Not over-aggressive, really, but not easy to dominate either. Let them know early on whose boss.
# Posted on June 20th 2008 by Marklar
Re: The Joy of Time and a Re-Haired Bow
Well now John Knoss, its lucky I don't believe in microwave ovens, but how many dogs, prey tell, do you know who regularly dine on gently simmered minced camel?
Yep, I realise Screetch ... the puppies weren't exactly ... planned ... but the dad is a very quiet dog (just a very good tunneller) and Sasha might come pretty close to a dingo (a wild dog) herself if there was a way of actually telling these things. She is as smart as ... obsessive ... but not easily dominated herself. I think I know what we've got. They won't be lap dogs, they'll be seriously active dogs, good in the bush. Hey, perhaps I can set up a business with a billycart team of sled dogs showing the tourists the sights of Alice Springs. Mush mush. Jest kidding. Thanks for the warnings. I appreciate your concern.
# Posted on June 21st 2008 by Clear Drops
Re: The Joy of Time and a Re-Haired Bow
I hope you all don't mind if I join the group hug. John, thanks for the tunes last Wednesday--I would send you a copy of Trip to Nenagh, but it came out just a bit distorted. I will put the tiny recorder further away next time. And Clear Drops, the bag you sent me is still doing a great job of protecting my mixer--it's packed up with my gear in the car, ready for a wedding gig tomorrow. And congrats on the new puppies.
Ain't it great, being Citizens of the World? :>)
# Posted on June 21st 2008 by John Galt
Re: The Joy of Time and a Re-Haired Bow
Mickray, I'm thrilled that you've found such an appropriate use for the bag, good jukurrpa in it. Good stuff. Have a great wedding gig tomorrow ... and I am still loving your Kids in a Candy Store CD with the incredible sound production. Really lovely. thesession.org has got long arms, hey, plenty long enough for group hugs round the world.
Moral of the story, be very careful when packing yer bows they aren't as indestructible as you think. Now it has to be mended as well as re-haired and I still haven't found an address to send them to (durgh!)
Back to re-hairing bows, I selected the two worst bows for rehairing now, and the two useable ones for when the first lot come back. Yep, going to do it ... but while trying to put the first bow, the hairless one that came with the recent fiddle, into a piece of poly pipe ready for shipping, I wasn't careful enough, let it drop through the pipe and in the process the pipe broke off the tip. Sliced straight off at the stick just like that !
# Posted on June 21st 2008 by Clear Drops
Re: The Joy of Time and a Re-Haired Bow
Thanks, Clear Drops. I have passed on your nice compliment to Gil, whose production skills far surpassed my humble fiddling. But please, spend your time listening to better examples, OK? That CD was just something to hawk at gigs, give to friends, etc.
(See, you cowards out there? Some of us didn't wait for Will CPT and Sound Lantern, etc. to start sending our homespun efforts around the world. Go ahead, put something up for the rest of us to hear. If mine didn't destroy Civilization As We Know It, I don't think yours will, either.)
Anyway, good on ya for hanging in there, in the Outback. Say hi to the pups for me.
# Posted on June 21st 2008 by John Galt
Re: The Joy of Time and a Re-Haired Bow
Hey, the incredible sound production is on top of the lovely fiddle playing, you silly billy - I didn't send Gil the jukurrpa bag, now did I
. Lovely tone and lovely slow takes on the jigs there mickray, you were way way ahead of the pack, must have been at least a year ago if not longer ... heavens, if you hadn't reminded me I'd have forgotten about the bag, but never the CD 
It was a very nice thing you did for an old scraper out in the bush sending it to her (me!) ... and you are playing with the newly retired John Culhane (who I hadn't met till this thread) and now I've met the two of you! Very special.
# Posted on June 21st 2008 by Clear Drops