Odd violin on ebay

I saw this odd violin on ebay and had to restrain myself from bidding on it. It has an unusual shape and is a 5 string. I have no idea what its tone quality is, but I wanted it. If I hadn't just pluncked down money for a new lawn tractor, chicken supplies, and fencing materials I would have bought it. I didn't get it obviously, but for some reason it appealed to me. Violins have not changed for probably around 500 years. Bows have updated but violins themselves have not. I think that maybe a little innovation is due.

What body types could be tried? What different woods would work? (Say that ten times fast with a woodchuck) What changes to violin music and performance could be achieved by different strings/bow/violin designs? Electric fiddles are neat, but to me rather unappealing. Guitars have evolved through time, but violin design is remarkably static. Maybe that is because they cannot be improved, but I would be interested in seeing the attempts.

Trial with Picassa web albums

We will see if this works. I loaded our winter pictures onto a google web Album page. I am not sure if I like it so these links may not last forever. But check out our deep snow - all pictures taken by Emily our budding photographer, the cats and their mice, Emily and Aleah. Leila is not in any of these. I will try and rectify that.

Click on the picture below to see the album. Let me know if you like it and I will try and load similar albums more often. It seems pretty nice.

feb 2007

Popcorn from Argentina.

Funny things Aleah has said

In a bid to engage Aleah in scriptures last week I decided to skip reading the Isaiah chapter from 2 Nephi that was planned and tell the story of Daniel and the Lions Den. I was good. Both kids were quiet with wide eyes. They were sad when Daniel was thrown down with the Lions but jubilant when he was saved. Afterward I asked Aleah to say her prayers before bedtime.

She looked at me and said, "Won't."

"Won't, what Aleah", I said, hoping it was something unrelated, like "Won't eat junk food." or "Won't play with sharp knives."

But, no.

Aleah responded, "Won't, Lions no eat me. " She had learned her moral from Daniel and the Lions Den: If you pray, lions may eat you.

Ay, Ay, Ay

Another.

The other day I came home and Aleah came up and asked, "Daddy, boy?"

I said, " Yes, Daddy is a boy."

Aleah: "Mommy, boy?"

Me: "No, mommy is a girl"

Aleah, relieved sound in her voice: "Oh, Aleah Boy!"

We have talked and talked about all of the people we know and who are boys and girls and some of the time I can convince Aleah she is a girl, but most of the time she ends up sure that she is a boy.