I is for instruments

Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday Round 4 has reached the letter I. To enjoy the entries of other participants, click on link above or on the banner at left.









Whenever the our family gets together, their musical instruments come with them, or, if for some reason they are left behind, others will be provided.

L to R: Kristin with violin, Anna with violin,
son Otto with Colin Dipper concertina.

Kristin son Otto and granddaughter Anna Smith are here on the ferry to Seattle as they drove us from Port Townsend to SEATAC a few days after Christmas. As usual, their instruments were attached to them like extra appendages, and as soon we ascended to the passenger deck, they began to play. In background one of many of the delighted passengers dances his child to the rollicking fiddle tunes or Christmas carols. Here the musicians are in fiddle mode, but all are accomplished violinists. Same instruments, different styles. Kristin is concert master of the Port Townsend symphony where Otto has played a concertina concerto.

For Christmas granddaughter Anna received an accordion to add to her other musical instruments - although the violin is still her instrument of choice.

At family reunions those without their own instruments are provided with some other music maker.

At our first family reunion in 1991, Kristin Smith, Lenore Vanderkooi, David Vanerkooi, and Elnor Ragan, all professional musicians, are an accomplished string quartet. (relationships to us: Kristin is son Otto's wife, Elnor Ragan was husband Otto's sister, Lenore Vanderkooi is her daughter and David is Lenore's husband).

Son Stan and his wife Dianne flew out to visit us in early December, and here Stan plays my Gurian guitar. Otto and I tend to collect guitars. Stan is the one who found husband Otto's rare 1850 New York Martin guitar in a "Ladies' " size that has both beautiful tone and surprising volume.

In Ontario, Oregon, at my daughter's house at another Christmas, Grandchildren Cedric and and Myrtle Shock play carols on violin and piano.

And at a musical gathering of the family at grandson Joe's home in Port Hadlock, great-grandson Ocean brings out his very own instrument (we start them early!).

This photo at our home shows son Otto's delight as he plays our Mathushek grand piano.