X is for Xylophone

X is for xylophone which is one of the many percussive instruments that DoodleBug played while in high school and continues to play in college.  I may have mentioned before that her high school band took first place at state all four of her high school years.  And, they have continued this tradition for the two years since she graduated.  Yeah, that band is PHENOMENAL to put it mildly.  I have never heard another high school band produce such pure tones as I have this one-and only some college level bands.  They ALWAYS took first in the music category every time they competed---which was anywhere from 5 to 8 times each marching season.  DoodleBug was eXtremely serious about band.  As a matter of fact, state is always the first weekend in November and we had to plan her sister's wedding around the state competition in 2008- DoodleBug's senior year.

((I tried to put a picture up of her freshman year first BUT most of those are not on disk AND, the ones that are--well, Walmart did it and they are all upside-down and I can turn them but they won't save...thank you, Walmart, once again, for a job well botched.))   

That's DoodleBug on the left...at summer band camp sophomore year.  At the end of July-beginning of August...temps in the upper 90s- heat index around 105.  Band camp runs an entire week with an exhibition on Friday evening.  It starts every day at 8:00 am and ends when it's over...usually, she was home by 9:30 or 10:00 each night.

She's on the left again.  This is the warm-up before the exhibition.  They are in their summer uniforms.  That's Kim (read about her further down) on the bass drum in the background.

Band camp, junior year.  Now she's a cool band geek. The percussion kids put in at least two weeks more practice than the rest of the band every summer and that doesn't include the extra practices here and there. 

DoodleBug's last state performance- senior year.

There's a percussion concert Friday night at the high school.  All the percussion alum are going to attend and perform in memory of another student- a good friend of DoodleBug's, Kim, who passed away from cancer on January 14 of this year.  She was 21 years young.

Four of the percussion ladies at the Band Banquet in 2007. DoodleBug, Jordan, Kimmy, Kim. This was Kim's junior year.  My goodness she was one sweet cookie! We miss her. 

I tell you HONESTLY- if I owned a business that hired students (we have a lot of this down here as we are a tourist area) I would ask if they were band students and, if they were, I would hire them--ON. THE. SPOT.  These kids are polite, well-mannered and the hardest working young people I've ever been around in my life.

On a lighter note, according to DoodleBug, X is also for Xenophilius Lovegood...

"WTH?"  I asked her.
 "That's Luna Lovegood's dad in Harry Potter.  He's the editor of the Quibbler and wears the symbol of the Deathly Hallows in order to show he is on the quest to find the three Deathly Hallows which will make the possessor the master of death."

DoodleBug actually has a tattoo of the Deathly Hallows on her wrist but for an entirely different reason which she explained to me but I'd heard way more about Harry Potter than I ever wanted to know by that point, HOWEVER, it had something to do with something Dumbledore said about not forgetting what it is to be young or always seeing things through a child's eyes and being open and nonjudgmental...something along those lines.  Sound advice, I'd say.

Only two more letters to go on this A-Z Challenge- I certainly do appreciate all y'alls patience with this challenge and your kind, funny, generous, encouraging comments through it all!  

All on a Sunday

I'm one of those people who believes that every day is a blessing- even when it doesn't really seem like it is.  Or, maybe ESPECIALLY when it doesn't seem that way because it's on those days that I look harder for the blessing.  Today was one of those days that contained blessings so obvious, they would have convinced the Grinch AND Scrooge!


It all began during the morning walk with Tucker:

The ducks were out, preening.

And showing off!

I hadn't seen this Ibis before today.

This lovely Egret is out there almost every day.

And so is this Little Blue Heron.

Table for 3 for breakfast please!

Beautiful landing!

Two buddies, just hangin'.

Time to go.

Me too!

 And then, in the afternoon, DoodleBug's (DD4) Wind Ensemble performed at a church near the college.  DoodleBug was a percussionist in the high school band all four years--and, I might add, the first 4 years of the band's consecutive years of taking FRIST PLACE AT STATE!  This year marked their 6th consecutive year (Yes, I'm still proud even though we no longer have a high school student.  Once a band parent, always a band parent!).

I've included some pictures of the interior of the church.  Charleston is full of historic churches some from as far back as the 1700s.  The performance was held at Trinity Methodist Church. 

The percussionists-that's DoodleBug on the left.  The cute one with the glasses.

This time she's the 4th from the left (counting only those standing up)

Oh, there were others playing as well! 

My DoodleBug again!

And one last time!

Here is the pulpit area of the church were they played.  The wall color is a very light blue (Carolina Blue)

A wider view from the back of the church.  Look at the ceiling!

Here's a better shot of the ceiling.

And here.

This is a view of the balcony from the pulpit area.

Hope your Sunday was filled with blessings as well!

Oh, and if you haven't already entered my VERY FIRST GIVEAWAY, you can do it here!