S is for...

Saxophone. My oldest son is entering middle school this year. Music is required for the students (YES!), so he needed to decide where his interests lie. He tried cello and viola and trumpet, sax and clarinet and decided unequivocally that the saxophone was his instrument. He really is very much like his Dad, so I was not surprised, considering that was his instrument of choice as well.

In fact, our son will be playing that very same sax. It was in our basement for around twenty "ahem" years, so it smelled like mildew and mold and ick. The music shop is pretty much taking it apart and scouring it with Comet, so the instrument in this picture is our "Sub" sax, as my son has affectionately named him.

S is for Shaylee. My baby!!!!!! Wanna see how gorgeous this baby is?

S is for Sherri. I miss you sis! Eight-plus years without her. It still hasn't sunk in.

S is for Simple. Come on people! Let's not complicate things. Keep it simple. I'm a simple girl.

S is for Sunflower. I've seen some tall and beautiful ones in my days. This one was in my back yard several years back. It was supposed to be 4-6 feet tall. Hmmph. Sassy sunflower.

S is for Spaghetti, which is on the stove, so I better go.

S is the first letter in my last name and a simply, sumptuous sounding letter... sssssssssssssss... S.

J is for Jazz

I got into jazz music when I fell in love with my husband. He was a serious saxophone player in high school and very involved in the jazz band ensemble.

My interested first echoed my hubby's preferences, mostly smooth, modern jazz. I really started to appreciate the likes of Spyro Gyra, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Kenny G, David Benoit, and the sultry music of Rick Braun. (There were many, many more too. I really got into it... aaahhhh what love will do to a person.)

I had such a love for this new found music, I decided to take a jazz appreciation class at the local college. It was so enlightening. I was exposed to the broad world of jazz and had a chance to discover what I really loved about it. It turned out that my real affinity was for the more simple, old-style impromptu jazz. Give me a trumpet, sax, piano, drums and upright bass played by skillful hands and uninhibited musicians and I am loving it!

Jazz, in that format, has a raw, honest quality that is relaxing, invigorating, pure and intriguing.

It's been way to many years since I've enjoyed that in a live setting. I don't see time for it in the near future, but it is an experience I will have again and I'm really looking forward to it.