Author Archives: Jo Hawke

Lucas Is a Harmonica Boy

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Lucas has been playing the harmonica for a few weeks now.

He picked it up one day, and (with my very rudimentary understanding) I showed him how the holes work, in for one note and out for another. We worked out the notes to “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” and he was set on learning it.

After a day or two, he had it down. He played it for us. Very impressive, yes.

But Kevin said he wouldn’t really have it until he could play it from his soul. So Lucas kept at it. The next morning, he got up and grabbed the harmonica and played it perfectly without even thinking.

Maybe the missed notes were about the video, although Lucas says he doesn’t get stage fright. I actually wondered at one point if he were even for real about messing up.

You can hear him tell me a couple of times in the video not to stop it, no matter how many times he messed up. He said that was what would make it interesting. So I let it roll. And I haven’t edited it.

I actually love the way he stops and looks at the harmonica when he hits a wrong note, like it’s betraying him. Very comic. 🙂

Atticus Sings Neil Young’s ‘Ohio’

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Atticus has been a bit obsessed with Neil Young for the past year or so.

Yes, it all began way back when he was only four and a half. Before his dad and I went to see Neil Young live, we downloaded and burned his awesome Live at Massey Hall album from 1971.

Well, Attie went crazy over it, wanting to hear certain songs over and over. He wanted to hold the CD cover in the car, so he could name the songs as they played and he sang along. He had me upload them to his own CD player.

And we sang along with him: Kevin, Lucas, and myself. It’s still a fun family event in the van when number 3 (“Old Man”) comes on. 😛

I’d known all of the songs for forever, of course (Neil’s one of my faves <3), but I’d never known all the words to all the songs. And some of them came to me with new meaning, after having lived through so much since.

It wasn’t long before he’d memorized the songs and could even name which song was which number on the album.

We thought it was amazing.

But anything in excess can get, well, um — even though I feel like a bad mama admitting it — downright annoying … which is to say that we didn’t exactly mind when Atticus started to sway from his Neil Young obsession.

Anyway, as you can see, he didn’t turn away completely and has continued to fan the flame over the months. 😛

Rain-washed Art

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We were busy speaking to an old friend and her grandson after Jack and the Beanstalk. Atticus was the one who noticed the outline of the water left from the thunderstorm that wetted the cars: “It’s a boy!”

Mike & Kristie’s Open Mic Set

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Yes, it’s true. Kevin and I got out of the house without the kids for the first time since we saw Neil Young at DPAC last April.

We went down to The Highlander for Mike & Kristie’s Open Mic. Yay!

My dad agreed to watch the boys, so after I left school, we rushed around to get them and get them some food and get them to my parents’ house. The kids were excited; they always love going to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Plus, they got Transformers Happy Meals!

Mike and Kristie played a few songs. <3 Then, Kristie brought her acoustic over to Kevin. A bit of talking into it and we were up there behind the mics. Here's what we played:

  • Moondance
  • Music Man
  • Every Second of Every Day
  • Are the Good Times Really Over
  • I Don’t Need No Doctor
  • Natural Woman
  • Baby, What Do You Want Me to Do

Mike had the mics hot, so it was fun to be able to sing soft and then back off for the punches.

But I did a little too much screaming, I think, because by the time I got to “Natural Woman,” my throat was a bit raw. (Of course, that could also be attributed to not having sung much in years!)

It was fun. 🙂

I wish we could’ve stayed longer and heard some other people play. And I wish I’d been able to sing with Mike and Kristie!

When we returned to my parents’ house for the kids, my dad said they were great. They painted pictures with watercolors, built a tepee in the backyard, and watched the big screen TV.

Since they did so well, maybe we’ll be able to do it again someday, huh, Daddy????