Jordan On The River

John Denver wrote some wonderful lyrics about the great outdoors, about love and love lost, and about his guitar.

"This old guitar taught me to sing a love song
it showed me how to laugh and how to cry.
It introduced me to some friends of mine
and brightened up some days
and helped me make it thru some lonely nights. Oh
What a friend to have on a cold and lonely night"

I regret I never built a relationship with a musical instrument. Looking back I wish I had the calling to make music.

Jordan got the calling and a couple of years ago she came home from school and informed us she wanted to learn the violin.
Learning any instrument is a fantastic achievement, but she happened to pick one of my 3 favorite music makers. She picked the violin, she could have picked a clarinet or flute, and there is nothing wrong with a clarinet or flute, but she picked a fiddle and I don't think she had any clue how much I love the fiddle.

Jordan picked up the violin while in the forth grade and Vinton Elementary School has an awesome program for the kids.
Three days a week, early in the morning I would drop her at the Middle School were she would learn her instrument from Mr Carbonneau, after she would board a bus back to Vinton School.


When she first started her lessons, we were living in a camper on the property while the house was being renovated.
So try to imagine this, 4 people, a very large dog, and 4 cats living in a 25' camper while a 8 year old practices pulling the bow across the strings creating god awful screeching noises every night. believe it or not, I still love the fiddle and her.
I have attended a number of concerts Jordan has played in, and as I scan the stage full of one time sceechers, I can't help but think that Mr Carbonneau has performed some type of magic.

That was the forth grade, now in the fifth grade she has the ability to play music and my hope is she grows to call her fiddle "her friend". And when my time comes to meet my maker, and when my ashes are scattered to the wind, she will play something sad for me.



If Tommy should decide to play the drums, we will find a way to continue to love him.