HOW KARAOKE BROUGHT BACK MY JOY!

 When I was a sophomore in high school, I took private voice lessons from the high school music teacher.

This was a rare occurrence!  He only coached two of the Sophomores. and two of the Juniors.  I must have disappointed him, because when it came time to try out for the Concert Choir as a Junior, I was not selected.  I auditioned again as a senior and was not selected, again.

This hurt my heart so badly that I didn't sing again until I was in my 60's!  Yes, I sang along to the radio and our CD's occasionally, but I could not (and still can't) sing in church.  My throat closes up!  

When I was in my mid 50's, my husband and I built a home in Arizona.  After a few winters there, the restaurant at the golf club started hosting Karaoke night.  I would go up there and sing.  I only had a few songs that I liked to sing, but then we bought a portable Karaoke machine and more CD's and I started just singing in the privacy of our own home.  And you know what?  I didn't sound too bad!

Then our community center in Arizona started a Karaoke club.  Now I have a repertoire of favorites that I sing.  I don't know if I am any good, but I do get encouraged to sing each month and some of my friends have even requested songs.

We don't document many of the months, but here are a few photos from those fun Karaoke nights that friends have taken and posted.

The above photo is from our 40th anniversary in 2009.  My girlfriend, Marcia, and I sang a duet.

The photo above is from the 70's night at our Karaoke Club.

This is April 2018, at Waddell's Longhorn bar.  The one below was within the past four years.

Valentine's Theme karaoke!  Singing 'My Valentine" , by Martina McBride, to my sweetie, below. 

February 1, 2018.   We were the club hosts that night.

The one below was in Feb. 2020

Another country themed Karaoke Club night.  Don and I were the emcees  Our daughter Katherine was visiting and sang the first song!  

These photos are from January 2018, the theme was denim and diamonds.

Singing at a private St. Patrick's Day party in 2015.

St. Patrick's Day theme for our  Karaoke Club.  More singing!

The above photo is from an impromptu get together many years ago in Arizona.  Below is another Karaoke Club country night.

Another winter night at our Karaoke Club.

Occasionally friends get swept up in the moment!  Our dear friend, Elaine!

 Occasionally!, Don sings, too.  This was in a bar in Sturgis, SD on our way to the bike rally.

Can you guess which month the above photo was taken at the Karaoke Club?

The man in black usually sings songs from The Man in Black (Johnny Cash.)

The above photo is from our resort in Cabo San Lucas.  Don singing with the band!  (Ring of Fire!)

This was Don joining our resident songbird, Dawn Latronica, at a private karaoke party the during the winter of 2022.

This last photo was the Karaoke Club night on November 2022.

Not that flattering!

I am looking forward to December 2022, when I will be emcee Karaoke Club again!  At least I am able to enjoy singing once again.

Dec. 2019

WHO DOESN'T WANT TO GROW UP TO BE IRIS?

 

A New Look Without New Decor

 

I always come home to our Minneapolis home in the spring and immediately head for our "wardrobe" of white flowers.  They include Tulips, white Hydrangeas and white Bleeding Hearts.  This year I located some Lily of the Valley that we had, also white!

I try to arrange the decor differently without buying anything new.  Of course that never works completely.  I did order six small blue and white Chinoiserie ginger jars for next Christmas dinner and decided to use them on the mantel, after removing the packaging!  

I fell in love with the mini ginger jars when I saw that Haderways (in the Scottsdale Market Place) had them sitting on plates at each individual place setting.  It took me a while to find ones that were small enough.  I had gotten one at the French Bee in Scottsdale, and a friend gave me another one from there, but I need eight!  So, I found an importer and ordered six more.  I tried to vary the designs, which inadvertently resulted in me getting two that are slightly larger than the others.

They go beautifully with my other blue and white pieces.

I reused our tulips on our kitchen island.

                                   

More blue and white accessories around the living room and dining room.

Below are some Tulip photos from past years.  These are the same Tulips, used at Christmas time.  They are mixed with evergreen branches.

More Christmas Tulips but from a different year.  These have a green wreath at the top of the urn to corral the tulips.  

This is an even older photo from the 90's.  Yes, they are the same Tulips, year after year!

Springtime Tulips.

We have white and pink Tulips that I use in Arizona, too.

More photos of the Lily of the Valley.  

Here they are in the primary bedroom in  Arizona!  It is great to drive back and forth, so I can change things up in the houses!

We have a Christmas wardrobe of white Amaryllis (also in red) in Minnesota.

We also have "wardrobes" of Delphiniums, Hydrangeas and Bleeding Hearts in Minnesota that rotate every year!  But that is another story!