Becoming a Drummer

I have always been a dancer. As a child I danced to any and everything, any time and any where much to my parents chagrin. As an adult I danced with my husband every chance we got, and as a mother, I danced with my children on my hip and then holding their hands. Finally at 30 I took belly dance lessons and loved it. The djembe drums were always what I loved dancing to the most. I danced at festivals around huge bonfires and the live drumming was what kept me coming back, they fascinated me.

At one festival, when Sophie was only two. She began mimicking a drummer on a small djembe. She was so good at it that I bought her a tiny one of her own. I loved it myself, but the size was not easily played by an adult. Friends I knew had and played djembes and I longed for one of my own.

Finally, I have one. Found at a pawn shop of all places. I have no idea why someone decided they needed to a pawn this beautiful instrument. But I am glad that they did. I cleansed it with sage and now it is mine.
My church has an informal drum circle that meets every other Saturday and I recently attended my first one. It just happened to be the one where the musical director sat in and decided that he wanted us to play with the choir and band the next day. Play in front of an entire church congregation!!!! Me!!!  Well, since I have long ago decided to stop saying no to things that I later regret, I did it. I showed up the next morning early to practice and we played along to four songs and a full choir. It was so much fun and I felt great afterward.

It is a strange feeling identifying myself as a drummer, a musician. I have always felt un-musical, so to speak, never really learning an instrument completely. Always dancing to the music. Now I am the one making the music. It is a really nice feeling.

Peace, Yarrow

New Bohemian Home!

We finally found the perfect home for us. It is just right, on a beautiful piece of fenced property in the school district that we wanted to keep Sophie in. It has space, space for all four of us, and for the four pets, as well as the puppy that Sophie is requesting for her 10th birthday next year. I am so thrilled with it. I was at work today thinking about how the light shines through the many windows in the living/dining room and catches the sparkles in the sun catchers and crystals that hang there. I was wondering what my hubby was doing in our lovely new home. I have so many bohemian plans for the space, and especially the garden/yard. More on that to come. Peace.

Works in Progress

I have been working to finish my cloak and a new skirt, the one I mentioned in a previous post. Here are a couple of photos of the new portion of the cloak hood and the "hippy" patch on the skirt. I think they are both going to turn out well. But I may have made the skirt too long, with all teh weight I have lost it is not coming up as high as it would have before. So it may go up for sale, don't know yet.

Recent Boho FInds

Here are a few new additions to my bohemian home;

a fabulous table runner, I think, from India. I am going to use it as a wall hanging its just so gorgeous. David brought it home from the thrift store, he knows exactly what I like.:)

Here is 'Ericka' former beauty school head turned hat model in my living room.

And another awesome vintage Samsonite case. Once I have a couple more, I will make them into a night table.

Hippie, Hippie Shake

Here I go again.....what is it about the spring and summertime that bring out my inner hippie full blast? I mean, I really get into the whole hippie deal, you know. I dig the whole scene. lol I think it is really groovy to flow with the it all and let it all hang out. I find that I tend to dress more hippie like and my tastes in music and movies turn toward the early to mid seventies. It is cool to find vintage things at flea markets and thrift stores too. I try to go as often as I have some bread to spare for shopping. Though that is not very often these days. I have been checking out some different websites lately and learning a lot more about the decade that I was born into. Being born in the Summer of Love seems to have had a big influence on me, in ways that I am just now understanding. Groovy, man. So here are a few of my favorite photos that I have come across on the web. Hope you enjoy them too.

Thrifty Hippie Find

Check out this awesome suede patchwork jacket that I found at the local thrift store. I am so loving this thing! It is so retro looking, but I believe it is fairly new, though I can't find one online like it anywhere. It is suede patchwork with faux fur around the collar and cuffs. Love, love , love it!!! It so fits in with the boho style I have embraced.

Boho Hippie Style

What is it about the spring time that makes my passion for bohemian/hippie style arise anew? I don't know, but I have been really into it this past week. I have pulled together a lot of my vintage/retro stuff, and turned my living room into a boho paradise. Well almost.....I am also embracing the bohemian/hippie style of dress. I admit that I have always loved the style, but never had the guts to wear it and be myself. Now, since turning forty, i have no such problem. I embrace who and what I am and I love it! I don't worry about what anyone might think, if I like it, I wear it. I am sure that you can expect to hear and see more of this kind of thing in the weeks to come.

I have also been working on some new designs for my hippie skirts. Here is one I like. And this great piece of artwork is right up my alley.