Pre-Easter post......

I just realized I'd not blogged in awhile.  I have absolutely nothing "quilty" to report, but I have been busy with lots of music at church since my last post. In addition to weekly services, our choir sang an Evensong service and, of course, we have been working hard at lots of beautiful music for Holy Week.  I am also making a gradual return to the handbell choir.  (I had taken a break for over a year.)  For the two services our choir sings on Easter, we will have a brass ensemble with us from the University of Delaware and that should be magnificent.  Soul-stirring music, in my opinion, adds so much to the already-wonderful services at our parish.  We are blessed with amazing clergy and staff there and it is a joy to be part of the music ministry at such a place.

On the homefront, I have now completed 11 piano lessons and am truly enjoying this experience.  My first few weeks, I was practicing on a small keyboard (not full-sized keys...and not very many octaves).  I guess I was uncertain as to whether or not I could really do this.  Once I realized (with confirmation from my piano teacher) that I was doing fine and progressing nicely, we made the decision to get a digital piano.  That was what fit the space (and our budget) the best.  My teacher was kind enough to accompany us so we could make a knowledgeable decision about which one would suit my needs.  I love having it in a prominent place in the house and sit down to play about 4 times a day.  (With my "senior back", I can usually only play in 30-45 minute sessions.....learned THAT the hard way the first week the piano was here!)  I use an adult beginner book, so, thankfully, my practice pieces are a bit more mature than Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!  The book also has some duets in it and that is challenging (but fun) when those are played along with my teacher.   Right now, I will be on a 4-week break from lessons due to our schedule and the schedule of my teacher.....and I am quite sure I will be going into some kind of "withdrawal" symptoms.  Hopefully, I don't regress too much and can jump back in with little "recovery time" needed when my lessons resume late in May.   Below is a photo of my digital piano.  I love that we were able to place it right beneath one of the quilted wall-hangings I made and alongside a curio cabinet that holds some treasured items from ESL students I taught in NJ.  It is a very peaceful and happy place for me to spend time each day!

For those of you who celebrate it, may your Easter be truly blessed and happy....with some truly nice weather thrown in, also.  (After the too-long, too-cold, too-snowy winter we had and the crazy spring so far, I'm really hoping for a sunny and warm Easter.)