this one time at band camp...

this chickadee made a mountain dulcimer! a real live, honest-to-goodness working musical instrument. at the beginning of the week it was just pieces of wood and some power tools. five days later, just take a look. here it is, about 98% complete...

there's just a little bit of finish work left to do. but the strings are strung and it has already been played. in fact, everyone in the class finished their instruments too and we all got to play them together at the end of the week. here's a shot of my awesome class/campmates and their dulcimers.

last week was way more than what was earlier described here as a bluegrass band camp. i attended the second week of common ground on the hill, a multicultural, multi-arts experience where students can take printmaking in the morning, sit in on a jam session in the afternoon and spend the evening square dancing. it was too much fun. the classes were great, the music was uplifting and the people gathered there were inspiring. see you there next year!