Hello all. At the moment, Harold is stoking the wood stove, and the thermometer outside is reading 20's. Snow is being predicted for the weekend, so I guess it is time for the annual Solstice letter from the Evans clan.
I must say, this has been a very uneventful year. No drought, no floods, no earthquakes, no tornados, no natural catastrophes to speak of, knock on wood. Everyone here is in reasonably good health, and to be sure, we all got our flu shots the minute they became available. I hope it helps. We hope all of YOU will be spared the flu as well.
The violin shop is chugging along and business has been quite steady. We have an ad on the local PBS radio station, and Michael is fully involved now that he graduated from college last May. Though he didn't want to, he dutifully donned the flowing robes and marched with his classmates to make his mom and dad proud. His senior recital last February was wonderful. Michael has a handful of violin students, does some free lance playing, and is learning the fine art of violin repair. He is already a whiz at selling the things; now he's learning to fix them too.
Jewel is up to her usual. She changed both her music teachers this year. Her new piano teacher is a real bear, and so her practicing has become a bit more intense to say the least. Her new cello teacher is a stern taskmaster as well, a European gentleman of the old school, and her playing is reflecting his fine teaching too. Jewel is continuing to study jazz cello/piano and composition with the renowned David Baker, and this year is taking one class at the local high school, Advanced Jazz Ensemble. Since she is home schooled, we thought her participation in a school music group might be fun for her. She auditioned, and was placed in the top group right off the bat. Another group at the school, the Bloomington North High School Marching Band, was featured in the Macy Parade this year, so that attests to the quality of their music program. It is not often, if ever, you see a cellist playing big band jazz. "Why not?" says Jewel. "Have amplifier, will travel!" She volunteers regularly as a docent at the local children's science museum, and was a science camp counselor last summer. Her very limited free time is spent on line, or on the phone with her boyfriend, who is a first year cadet at the Maritime Academy in New York. Thank heavens for unlimited weekend minutes!
Beth doesn't have time to do much other than school her daughter and taxi her to her various appointments. She does, however, play early music with a bunch of like-minded ladies on Saturday mornings. (Early music meaning 13th through 16th century dances and madrigals!!) Her instrument is the viola da gamba. These are fretted, 6 string bowed instruments that pre-date the modern violin family. You have probably seen them played by angels on Renaissance theme Christmas cards. Anyway, the group jokingly refers to itself as "The Violators", and spends as much time laughing as playing. None of the musicians have had more than a handful of lessons on these viols, and we muddle along quite happily-jazzed on caffeine and sugar from the mandatory coffee klatch that starts each rehearsal.
Harold has been doing what he came to Indiana to do. He works in the violin shop, and plays with all his farm stuff. He splits wood, drives his tractor and mows our many acres of grass. He enjoys swimming at the YMCA, and he soon will be getting back in the swing of music with quartets and chamber orchestra. He is just about finished varnishing Jewel's new cello, and we are looking forward to hearing her play it. He recently got a seat on the local water board, and gets to do his civic duty once a month at meetings. Out here in rural Bloomington that is about as politically involved as anyone gets.
We all pray your families are well this holiday season, and hope to hear from you. I will leave you with a few words borrowed from a poem by a local man we recently met at a friend's art gallery. I am sure Gary won't mind my sharing them with you .
"Gathering in the darkness and chill.
Blessed be.