May musings

Happy Mother’s Day!  So far, mine has been great.  Beckie made an amazing gluten-free peaches and cream breakfast cake for me.  Currently, there is a raspberry cheesecake baking in the oven that she has made for tonight’s dinner.  I am going to miss that girl when she moves to Hawaii……

We went to St. Louis yesterday – starting out at the temple and then going with Emily and family to historic Kimmswich, a little river town south of St. Louis that has cute shops and a lovely restaurant called the Blue Owl.  

 

 This is the bridge over a tributary that flows into the Mississippi River at Kimmswich.  Steve and I are looking over the bridge while Noah and Joe do some exploring.

 

Emily and Lucy waiting for our table at the Blue Owl.

 

Last two weeks were, typically for May, full of music-related things.  I had a studio recital on Saturday, the 29th of April.  CMU wrapped up the first couple days of May – I went there Tuesday to give the string tech final and again on Wednesday to accompany my applied students for their juries.  Done with CMU for the summer….well, except for getting some of their instruments repaired.  Our last errand in St. Louis yesterday was to drop off two cellos and two bows to be fixed.  CIS advanced orchestra played “The Pink Panther” and “Viva la Vida” for their peers Wednesday morning.  They were a big hit.  We also performed at the Candlelight Lodge Mother’s Day Tea on Friday.   My adult string group, the Da Capo Strings, had their performance at Tiger Place (a very elegant senior living facility) Wednesday evening.  Here we all are.

l-r:  Sandina, Tina, Kate, Sam, me, Virginia

Finally, on the music-related news, I bought a bass!   

 

 Ever since I took a semester of bass lessons while at MU and then played bass in CCO for a year or so, I have wanted one.  This had a really good price at a place that sells new and used instruments so I bit the bullet and bought it.  My dream of a family bluegrass band is getting closer to a reality…..

Last weekend was a big event for Melanie.  She graduated from Columbia College with her Bachelor’s degree.  Congratulations, Melanie.

 

 Steven, Steve, Melanie, and Tamara at the traditional ivy ceremony.  (if you look closely, you will note that it is NOT ivy over Melanie's shoulder but fern.....hmmmm)

Below is the Spriggs family who used to live in Columbia (now live in Wentzville) and are very good friends of Melanie.  They attended the commencement ceremonies and the celebration lunch at Golden Corral.