Music and Cats

A sunny, breezy April Sunday would have been reason enough for joy.

A gorgeous, glowing shade of orange would have been reason enough for joy.

Beautiful, edible wild spring greens (wood sorrel and miners lettuce) would have been reason enough for joy.

But what brought me so much joy today that I couldn’t keep from grinning were the musicians who, lured by the lovely weather, came out to play for the crowd at the Ballard Farmers Market. The Tallboys‘ Charlie and Charmaine, my nephews’ favorite clogger, were just setting up Paul and I arrived, but a little ways down the block, a young fiddler was playing old-timey tunes on her tiny violin. Rhythm, intonation, poise; this young lady had them all… as well as parents hovering nearby, cheering her on. I added a dollar bill to those already littering her fiddle case; she smiled back at me as she continued to play.

Farther down the block, three more seasoned musicians entertained the young fiddler’s peers and their parents.

Do you want to see what joy looks like? Look at the little boy in the brightly-colored cap — the way his small body leans in toward the music, the delight on his face. Look at the small girl in the green-striped dress — airborne as she dances, her hair flying.

And see the face of the fiddler, watching the pleasure that the music he’s making brings to these little ones. There is joy in the making of music, but seeing such a response to it ups the joy quotient immeasurably.

Joy in the sunlight, and in the music. Joy on faces, and on the breeze.

* ‘Upping the joy quotient’ is a phrase I’ve borrowed from Terrilynn, who used it in a comment on a post I wrote a couple of years ago about some other tiny dancers.

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