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Here’s the fossil too. I’m afraid it’s going to be after Xmas before I have time to take any new pics but I’ll see what I can get of the artwork then. Meantime, a very merry Xmas to all.
Okay, that was the feet. I’m not very good at posting photos. Looks as if I’ll have to post the others one per message.
Bless you Deb, I wish I could take that credit but she has a strength and courage I know I didn’t put there. Here’s to a wonderful New year all round!
Deb – would you forgive me if I also muscle in with a bit of good news of my own? This just seems like the perfect place to do it.
Although I haven’t wanted to say anything publicly, one or two people here know that my 33-year-old daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer back in March this year. The past nine months have been a nightmare round of chemo, radiotherapy and all the nastiness that goes with that but I’m thrilled to say that everything has gone well. Although she still has another year on drugs of varying sorts we had two wonderful signs of progress this week. The first was when she came to visit without her wig or hat and it is now very clear that the hair that fell out during the chemo is growing back beautifully and looking wonderful – a short crop really suits her.
The second relates to her work. As she was a temp at the time of diagnosis her empoyers were actually allowed to sack her and that was a devastating blow. I suspect the fact of being jobless and the daunting prospect of having to job hunt again after her treatment was over have been the worst parts of the whole thing for her but she has now been offered a job with a former employer who she was very sorry to leave. She will be back at work in the new year, probably starting slowly and working back up to full time. Although 2013 probably counts as our worst year ever as a family it really looks as if 2014 might be amazing! Being able to share in your good news as well, Deb, just makes it even better.
Thank you, Tracey and Randal for your continuing interest. I’m ashamed to say I have been very lazy about taking photos (too busy playing!) but I will try to do some more and very soon – so watch this space. I promised Tim I would send him some too and still haven’t got round to that so you’ve rightly jogged me into it! It is possible to see the detail better by clicking a couple of times on the pic to enlarge it. I will also make sure that I take closer pics of the wood grain because it is remarkably beautiful: the ‘flaming’ creates a rippled effect that many people have descrbed as ‘shimmering’. I’ve had her for 9 months now and am still as excited as I was then. My husband and I recently went to visit a harp shop an hour or so from where we live (something that is rare indeed in the UK) and it was wonderful to come out whispering to him “Nothing there even half as nice as mine!” They tell me smugness is not an attractive quality but it is a very satisfying one 😉
Well, here’s my beautiful Eleni – http://www.harpcolumn.com/forums/coffee-break/posts/62693!. I am lucky enough to have a wonderful luthier nearby so it was an easy decision, when upgrading from a 26-string Sharpsicle, to have my next (and probably last) harp hand-made to my own design. It’s the most exciting way possible of getting a new harp and I was even able to visit a few times during the process to see the work as it was happening. The thread that accompanies that photo will probably tell you more than you could ever want to know about my choice and it is an entirely personal one.
A great deal will depend, of course, on the choices of carving and/or decoration that are available to you. I wanted something very different that would mean a lot to me personally and over which I could let my imagination run riot but my main criterion, regarding the carving, was that it must enhance, and not detract from, the beauty of the wood itself. I’m very happy with the result though I’m sure many purists would shudder at what I’ve done.
If you don’t want to go crazy with carving, why not consider some kind of enclosure? As you’ll see, I chose to enclose a 175 million year old ammonite in the design and it’s probably the part I’m ,fondest of. My original idea was to have a piece of agate set into the wood but once you let your imagination go wild there is no end to the things you could choose to have built in, provided, of course, that the people making your harp are willing to do this.
Please keep us updated on what you choose s that we can share in the excitement and don’t rush your choice – this is something to really savour and enjoy!
Another recommendation here for the Harpsicle but if durability is the issue (and how could it not be where kids are concerned?) then I don’t particularly recommend their accessories; my stand started falling to bits within just a few weeks of buying it. I’m not sure who makes sturdier accessories that are suitable for Harpsicles but perhaps others will have suggestions.
I only started to learn as an adult so can’t really comment on the times given for children but that 90-120 minutes looks about what I do, with longer sessions on otherwise blissfully empty days. I’m just drooling at the thought of those 5 hours recommended for a college music major; just imagine having 5 hours every day to spare on practice! I’d guess the general rule for practising any instrument would be ‘all the time you can spare – plus a bit you thought you couldn’t’ while bearing in mind that enjoyment should always be the key and once that goes there is no amount of time put in that will make up for it. Better to practise less and love what you’re doing than practise all day and hate every minute.
I’ve seen several threads where you do this kind of thing David. I don’t think my playing is ready for this kind of piece yet but I do think it’s an incredibly kind and generous thing to do for other players and I wanted to thank you anyway – maybe one day I’ll be able to take advantage.
Well, I’m thrilled that you’ve made your choice. Have you now bought your harp or do you have to wait for delivery and, if so, when do you expect it to arrive? You’ve clearly made the right choice for you and I hope you have many years of enjoying this little beauty. Please come back and tell us all about him/her when she/he moves in.
I hate to say this but I also suspect some of the bias against wind instruments may well start when girls are at the age of taking up an instrument at school and may be put off by the facial expressions involved. Doubtless they soon grow out of this but by that time they may have already become used to playing something else.
Well, thank god at least for rehearsals! Just imagine turning up on the night and having to get through all that – at least now they have had the chance to put all those things right. I do hope they think this is worth their while for one year of having a VIP player because next year they’ll have lost their long-term, professional harpist because of it (oh, plee-ee-ee-ase don’t let them tempt you back!)
To be honest David, I think you are treating them far better than they deserve and I hope they’re grateful but do remember that the place to draw the line is once their behaviour makes you or your performance look bad, so don’t let that happen and make sure they know you won’t allow it. If they think there’s a chance of you getting up and walking out in the middle of the performance (I know you wouldn’t actually do that) it just might bring them to their senses.
