Author Archives: J R
Women Writers of Mystery
This summer I’ve been enjoying the Women of Mystery – the many women who write fictional mystery novels. I’ve been reading, listening to, and watching their mysteries – and enjoying participating in the process of trying to solve the mystery while developing an appreciation for their detectives. For years, I’ve been a fan of Agatha […]
Best Mandolin Pick / Plectrum
I’d never thought so much about picks (or plectrums as they’re formally called) as I have since I began the quest to find the right pick for the varied playing demands of a mandolin. There is the flexibility of the pick (or thickness/weight) and the shape of the pick that make a huge difference in […]
Hitty Dolls Celebrate Canada’s Birthday
If you wondered what carved wood dolls, named after Hitty, were doing on Canada Day then be sure to check these photos. Naturally, they were celebrating! And they wanted to go fishing in the beautiful Muskoka Lakes near the Canadian Shield. Can you blame them for wanting to paddle out onto the clear, crisp water […]
Hitty Namesakes: The Walker Sisters
Hitty sisters I recently carved made a trip hiking in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The Hitty sisters, wood dolls, share the heritage of Methitabel, (“Hitty” for short) a carved doll starring in the Newberry winning book Hitty, Her First Hundred Years. While I enjoy carving the dolls, the detailed tiny clothes are fashioned […]
Summer Song Sale: Flutes, Kanteles
In the heat of summer, what can cool you immensely is sitting in the air conditioning and playing a soothing musical instrument. During the summer, I am often making instruments and getting ready for my Fall art and craft shows that I travel to. Some of you have asked why I don’t have more flutes […]
My Elixir Gazpacho
When I was in Barcelona, I had some absolutely fabulous gazpacho. The best gazpacho I have ever tasted! We ate tapas in a cafe outside the Sagrada Familia. The waiter brought the freshest gazpacho. I long to go back for more. You can understand, then, that I have been on a quest to recapture that […]
The Changed Nashville
In May 2017 I was in Nashville, Tennessee, city of country music, to attend the Four Voices Concert. I stayed downtown to be able to walk to the Ryman Auditorium for the concert at night. During the day I looked forward to sauntering into some nearby musical instrument stores. But I was in for a […]
