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We played at a small John Deere work party for engineers. The party was unlike any we’d ever been to. Think of the typical engineer and then picture this: a group of engineers all singing “Head and Shoulders Knees and Toes” and doing the actions!!! Wow. Anyway, we had fun. J
Guess what? We are currently working on producing our fourth CD and are very excited! For the first time, we recorded at Catamount Studios, an ‘acoustically brilliant’ 4,000-square-foot, world-class recording studio in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Catamount has 16-foot ceilings with bass traps. Each room is on a different slab of concrete to keep vibrations from traveling between rooms. There are absolutely no parallel surfaces or 90-degree angles, leaving the room with a beautiful, warm sound. We were even able to record during a thunder/rain storm without knowing it! We loved having the room to spread out and not be squished together. The grand piano was a wonderful addition to the CD in place of the electric piano we regularly use.
We gave a concert near Gypsum, Kansas for Temple Church’s 125th anniversary celebration. There are some wonderful people in that country church.
Visiting our grandparents is a huge highlight for us each time we are asked to perform in Kansas! We have a blast with them and enjoy learning from their experiences.
It rained… and rained… and rained while we were there, but I’m not complaining! The people were very excited and thankful to God for finally getting rain for their dried up ground. In the area we visited, the total rain for the last 10 months was a pitiful amount.
Buttermilk, Kansas - This was the first time we have given a concert at a church some of our cousins and an aunt and uncle go to – spending time with them was a treat! Speaking of treats, before the concert, our uncle cooked up some Cajun food – hot, spicy, and full of flavor.
If you ever long for some truly delicious pizza, you should definitely drive over to Dave’s pizza. Without a doubt, it’s some of the best pizza I’ve ever tasted. Never mind that it could take you a long while to get there, the wait is worth it. Yup. Coldwater, Kansas is a bit of a drive from here. Piping hot with the perfect golden crust and toppings piled on, Dave’s pizza is famous across the state.
A big thank you to Dave from Dave’s pizza for taking the pictures of us playing that evening! (The only reason I could be in the pictures!)
Horses played an important role in this church where we gave a program on the 16th. Horses as greeters - I wonder if anyone told them not to horse around while they were at church. J
After the western-themed service, guess what. A potluck and pie auction. Fun, don’t you think? (Especially since we got to eat some!) With over 30 mouth-watering choices including a banana cream pie made by the pastor (!) we enjoyed watching the bidding go up … and up. Would you pay $50 for a chocolate pie from Bishop’s café? Or $51 for an apple caramel crumb pie? How about trying for the sour cream raisin pie with brown sugar meringue or the Turtle Pumpkin pie – Mmmm!
P.S.
Are you hungry yet?
It went this way. We were playing away on our instruments one Saturday evening to a nice audience. The beautiful strains filled the air. Then, DUCK! (except it wasn’t a duck, it was a cow) a cute two-year-old with a mighty throwing arm hefted a cow in one hand, gave a big heave, and sent the cow toward the stage for a close-range visit with our family.
Well, it was an interesting program. ; )
I’ve never seen a purple cow,
I never hope to see one.
But I can tell you anyhow,
I’d rather see than be one.
On the more serious side, the church had several good reminders on their walls. Did you know that the message of the gospel is illegal in 52 countries? We need to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ! “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” – Romans 1:16a While we are safe and comfortable here in the United States, millions of Christians around the globe are being persecuted and martyred for their saving belief in our all-knowing, all-powerful, Creator – our Lord Jesus Christ.
On a field trip to National Music Museum in Vermillion, SD, we were given an amazing personalized tour by an extremely knowledgeable guide. He showed and told us all kinds of interesting facts, explained intricate details, answered tons of questions, filled us in on part of the progression of musical history, and demonstrated various instruments for us, one of which was a Nickelodeon!
Have you ever seen a viola like this one?
Lunch was a special treat at Café Brulle, a French restaurant. If you are ever in the area, it's a fabulous place.
We gave a concert at the Boys and Girls Club in Avon, South Dakota:
Setting up...
After games and a ping pong tournament, we ate supper.
Root beer floats were served after the concert... I think I'm getting hungry.
"The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof." - Psalm 50:1
"Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined." - Psalm 50:2
Getting an “A” to tune her violin
Theme: Family Togetherness
We had a great time with the families there: meeting new friends, hearing thought-provoking sermons, and watching the movie "Divided". Thank you for your wonderful hospitality, Finck family! We enjoyed the tour and the amazing creativity showcased in your house!
Can you spot Seth in this volleyball game?
Another highlight for us was watching the videos some of the families had made about their family businesses and what they do together as a family. Wouldn't you like to learn about making tortillas, making chips, growing and harvesting asparagus, tree trimming and tree removal, logging, and making maple syrup?
Silas and our new business cards!
A maze of cords – it takes a while to learn where they all go.
Speaking of contests, Abigail won second place in the ragtime piano contest and
Silas received third place in the Junior Performer contest!
The Le Mars Bluegrass Festival
(Oops! This post is a bit late! September is long gone by now.)
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, we played music on various stages, practiced, jammed with others, learned a lot from old timers, listened to other families perform, and were immersed in music from dawn till dusk. (I have to admit though, there was one time that we left the festival and drove to the Le Mars Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor for some monstrous, chocolate-dipped, cones piled with flavors you can only buy at Blue Bunny Ice Cream parlors.) :)
Did you know? “The storage freezer at our South Ice Cream Plant in Le Mars is 12 stories high, a city block long, holds 53,000 pallets of ice cream and maintains a 20 degrees below temperature making it one of the largest and coldest freezers in the world.”
We're jamming here with a right-handed fiddler who has to play left-handed!
Hey you! What’s your favorite flavor? Huckleberry, Raspberry Rumble, Peanut Butter Cup Perfection.... Oh, the choices!
Jamming...
Wow! What a fun evening! At this church, they had us play in their beautiful shaded park. The weather was delightful, the food was good, and the people were great. Isn’t it wonderful to give glory to God, our awesome Creator! What more can I say?
Decorations at the church...
A few special items...
The bride’s sister made the cake the night before and then decorated it the morning of the wedding!
Can you believe it? The bride designed and made this gorgeous dress herself!
Thank you Erica for taking the pictures of us playing during the wedding! (Photos that are designated "photo by Erica" are copyright © Erica Kastner)
© 2024 The Johnson Strings
Website Design - Luke & Laura Johnson; Pictures & Video: Laura Johnson
As you can tell from the pictures, Karen’s ankle is healing well!
