Goodthoughts

The Bluebird banjo ukulele

It's funny how when you have a dream...sometimes it seems like the whole universe is working together to give you a helping hand!  Well, as some of you already know...one of my dreams is to start a ukulele band at  our church and invite the whole community to join.   No talent required...only a sense of humor, desire to laugh, learn something new, and create a little joy and friendship along the way.

Last year I decided to see if I could find a good ukulele on Ebay...and wouldn't you know it...the 3rd or 4th entry down from the top read, "Bluebird banjo ukulele!"  It was a baby banjo probably made in the 20's or 30's.  I could see from the picture a small bluebird was on its neck with the words "Bluebird" faintly visible.

I yelled, "Chuck! Chuck!  You're not going to believe this...I've found my ukulele!  Can you believe it, a bluebird banjo ukulele!  I really want this ukulele!"

Chuck looked at the picture on ebay and agreed that, yes...that had to be my ukulele.  A few days were left before the auction ended.  He put a bid on it and we waited.  Not much happened with the bidding... until the final day.

I had promised to help at a friend's antique shop during a big sale that Saturday.  That morning, I reluctantly pulled myself away from my computer to go to the antique shop.  The Ebay auction ended at noon.  When I left,  Chuck just looked at me and said, "I'll get you that ukulele!  Don't worry."  I told him I really, really wanted it but not to go crazy.  

A little before noon, the shop was fairly empty and I told my friend about the bluebird banjo ukulele and the auction deadline.  We pulled it up on Ebay and watched as the bidding started cranking up in the final minutes.   It was pretty tense to watch.  Everybody there was cheering and we were all excited each time we had the top bid and then the other guy would bid and we would all go..."oh, no, oh, no!" and then Chuck would bid again and we would be relieved until the next bid showed up. 

But, as the final seconds ticked away, Chuck...what a sweet guy... slid in there with his final bid and....at the stroke of 12 noon...I became the proud owner of a Bluebird banjo ukulele!!  It was a very happy, thankful day!

 When my Bluebird banjo ukulele arrived a few days later...it was all I had hoped for.  It's very old but in really good shape and sounds great. It has a relaxed, mellow feeling about it...like it has a lot of stories it could tell. 

I hope to create a few stories of my own with my Bluebird banjo ukulele.  Stories about people getting together...acting like kids...laughing...making music and memories...being relaxed and mellow...kind of like my old banjo ukulele!

I've learned a few chords and hope...someday...with a lot of practice...I'll be good enough to be mediocre!  Stay tuned.

Read The Ukulele Band to learn where this crazy idea came from!

Singin' and Dreamin"

After living over half my life in Nashville, TN, it’s not surprising that the bluebird would someday put on some red boots and pick up a guitar! In “Singin’ and Dreamin’ ” our bluebird is following his dream to Music City.  He's on stage live at the Bluebird Cafe (where else would you expect him to be!) with the Ryman Auditorium at the end of his yellow road! 

Now, my personal bluebird has no musical ability, but I can understand a life devoted to a dream...of having the courage and faith to stick with the purpose God puts in your heart!

I may just be singing in the shower, but I like the idea of giving up everything secure to hit the road in search of a dream!

Singin' and Dreamin'
Acrylic on canvas
14 x 18 inches
2004

The Ukulele Band

I'm not a musical person.  But I loved to rock and sing to our daughters when they were little.  As soon as Laurie and Amy were old enough to talk, they covered my mouth with their sweet little hands and said, "Hush, Mama!"

A few years ago, Chuck was pastoring a small church in Prospect, Tennessee.  They had a ukulele band with about a dozen members.  We had never heard of a ukulele band before.  Prior ukulele experience was not required so we joined!  They quickly dug up two spare ukuleles, two music stands with cute homemade carrying cases, and two notebooks filled with music and diagrams of the chords.  It was official...we were in!!