(+3 insets!)

Are you getting weird weather patterns where you live? It's supposed to be abnormally hot this weekend and it's been very warm all week. Got outside this morning and it was already 67 degrees! I knew it would change from cold to hot in the course of a week or so because that's how it is around here. Southern Oregon jumps into the deep end when it changes seasons and doesn't believe in a slow, gradual change! Sheesh. However, it's been so lovely, we've been trying to ignore the temperature.

I've been doing my best to catch up with everyone, so many gorgeous pictures from everyone to enjoy and comment on! I do apologize if I haven't gotten to you yet, I'm trying to make my rounds as best I can. It was a bummer when we were out camping to not have any signal at all. We are hoping to rectify the situation for our next trip but we'll have to wait and see if the booster we get works as promised! :)

Today is….SATURDAY SELF CHALLENGE! I really look forward to this group's themes. I often get to take pictures of things I don't normally concentrate on and this week was no exception! The theme is "Music" and I knew exactly what I'd take a picture of when the time came.

About 10 years ago, Steve and I were down in Ashland which is about 30 miles away. There just happened to be a artist street fair going on that we hadn't been aware of, what fun! Don't you just love going from stall to stall and looking at the creative genius of each artist or vendor?! As we wandered along, we found ourselves standing in front of a fellow's lovely display of thumb harps, all made with knobbly gourds. Each was a different size and shape and all of them were expertly tuned by this man who was both an artist and musician. He played some music with the harps and we were absolutely enchanted. Looking over his beautiful instruments, we picked out a favorite and walked away with our wonderful prize! When we got home we found the perfect spot to display it in our living room and every once in a while we take it down and play "chopsticks" on it if we're able to manage! :) (By the way, these African-based instruments are also known as kalimbas, thumb pianos, or mbiras.)

My main image shows our wonderful thumb harp and since I can never seem to share just one picture of a challenge subject, I have several insets as well! Each of them are macros and I had such fun showing off the wonderful keys in different ways. :) I hope you enjoy the show!

Pam, I looked up "music" on your stream and found your awesome shot of the Trans Siberian Orchestra. It's such fun with the fire blasting out in the background! You obviously had a fabulous time at this concert, what a wonderful memory to look back on. For me it was Genesis: Invisible Touch and Peter Gabriel: So. Talk about LUCKY…they are known to be two of the very best concerts and they are the only ones I've ever been to! :) Yay for us!! :D Oh, thank you for your words of wisdom to live in the moment like our happy hounds. They do know what's important, don't they? I hope that you had a nice day, Pam…*BIG HUGS* from southern Oregon!

Explored on 5/12/19; highest placement #4.