Tag Archives: JJ Heller

What Uma’s Do

It is now my summer time.  It actually started about two weeks ago.  The university is pretty quiet now and I don’t have my sweet grand girls five days a week.  I am still adjusting to the quiet and the freedom to stay in my pjs for hours.

The girls did come over for a few hours the other day.  Since the first one was born, Lucy, I sang to her.  She liked to fuss a lot with me and singing certain songs always worked to comfort her.  They still do at the age of four.  One song I sang to her was Sloop John B – I changed the words a little so I wasn’t giving her ideas to drink all night and get into a fight to: Singing all night – till it was nearly daylight.  It works.  Her other favorite is JJ Heller’s song, The Boat Song.  She both loved the song and the music video on youtube.

Penny, however, didn’t take to those songs.  Her comfort songs became How Much Is That Doggie In The Window, Jesus Loves Me, and Shake it Off by Taylor Swift.  She can watch that video over and over.  She travels to a different beat.

Since I took up the Ukulele a couple of years ago, I play their songs for them (except for shake it off – I do that a cappella).  Well, I must show you what Penny June did with my uke.  I normally don’t let them play it.  But I put her hands in position and off she went……. I am bragging, I have that right, I think she is a natural.

Drum roll please…….. Penny June singing and playing How Much is That Doggie in the Window……..

Enjoy!

cate b

Happiness is a Warm Ukulele

I love to write about things that make people happy.  That bring a smile and a hope and joy. I hope this makes you happy as it has me.

I have a ukulele!  I type that phrase with a big smile on my face.  I can play guitar and chords on a piano or keyboard.  I can play around on a Native American Flute.  I’m not considered an accomplished musician and I’m not excellent on any one thing.  I just love music and I love to try new things.  So recently I got it in my head that I wanted to play the ukulele.  It just looks and sounds like fun!

So, while on a family vacation last month I picked one up from a local music store.  It was a gift.  I held it and walked out of there with a smile on my face very much like a child holding a bag of candy sticks from the local General Store.  I scored big time I thought.

I took it back to the house and googled what strings they were.  I had no idea.  I searched my iPhone for a ukulele tuner and chord chart.  Found one for free.  I tuned it and I played The Boat Song by JJ Heller and Sloop John B.  Such fun.

Now I pick it up when I sit on the couch and just strum and sometimes sing along.  It is a very happy instrument.  It does wonder for me when I get down.

So glad that a little instrument with just four little strings can bring such a contentment to a troubled soul.

IMG_3429 I’m not ready to video tape me singing along.  In time.

Find your little instrument in life to bring peace to your soul and happiness to your life.  We all get those dark times.  For some it will be music for some art work.  For some gardening.  But do it.  It is healthy and the outcome is great.

 

 

 

ukulele moon Next goal is to learn to play Over The Rainbow – Iz style.

http://youtu.be/V1bFr2SWP1I

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy!

cate b