Life & Caramel Apples

This morning is all about getting ready for the afternoon. You get up, get dressed, clean the house, practice the piano, research, study, run errands... For breakfast, I ate some apple pie leftover from Thanksgiving: the top is still crackly with sugar and cinnamon. I adore apple pie. If I were Snow White, the wicked step-mother of the fairy tale would have to slightly change her methods of poisoning. "Here, love. Have a slice of pie." "Is it apple?" "Yes, my dear, certainly is." "Is it poisoned?" "Yes, love, it is."

Who cares about little details like that when apple pie is involved? :-)

I am officially into my second week of teaching. The students arrive in good humor and less shy than they were last week. Yesterday, they were all trudging up the driveway through the mud and landed on our doorstep two inches taller in ruined shoes. Poor peoples! Megan made me laugh when she left... she kicked her shoe and mud flew everywhere. Some of it hit the house... some of it landed high in the trees... some of it ended up on her mother. (Which is why I stopped laughing as soon as I could.) 

This has to be the start of my favorite season. I know why they have so many holidays in the winter: we need a reason to celebrate. The cold here can be simply unbearable and dull.. I so enjoy having a reason to bake and cook and buy gifts for people. On Sunday, we had Thanksgiving dinner with Jesse's extended family. We had chicken. Chicken is definitely my favorite fowl. It's moist and has that lovely chicken taste that (despite the rumors) nothing else in the world has. 

Next along is Jesse's birthday, Halloween, Christmas, New Years... 

I bought cream today so I could make caramel apples. Any friend care to join us? :-)

You know, when I began teaching I never thought I would be pushed so hard and so far out of my comfort zone. No one person is the same. I prefer folk, hymns, celtic... music I consider gentle and beautiful. And yet, I am endeavoring to each musicals, rock, country. If I am to teach these genres, I must find something to appreciate in them. I must learn to love something in them. Thank goodness that there are elements in every genre that I am already comfortable with. It does not matter what type of music it is, there are certain qualities that are always the same in good music. The fundamentals, the love and passion the artists express into the songs/tunes, talent, effort/hard work... and we all need to understand these qualities before we can understand any type of music. 

Back to the subject! I love being pushed far beyond my limits. I love getting advice from my husband and other musicians. I love it when I have to wrack my brain in the middle of a lesson to find the best worded answer. I love hearing parents tell how much they like the motivation their children are expressing. And yes, before each lesson, I am scared. I pray and search my heart (soul) and mind (intelligence/knowledge) for the best means possible of teaching this individual who has come to me to learn. 

Without teaching or performing (or some other form of musical expression) it is very easy to let what you have sit and mold in the corner. Because of my job, I am forced to grow in ways I never would on my own. In this way alone, teaching is a life changer. 

And now, I shall get off my apple box and get on with my day. If there are any students or their parents reading, thanks for helping me become a better person.

I am wishing you all the best of Wednesdays. May you find some joy today!

Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear. -- Thomas Jefferson