5 things I'm grateful for after my week at Sandbridge

Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot. ~ Hausa Proverb

Just returned from the 11th annual Sandbridge Dulcimer Retreat put on by Ken Kolodner. Feeling inspired and strong at the instrument. I have attended every year! These things ... for which I am most grateful ... keep me coming back:

1. Good food to sustain us - From the Italian-made coffee machine that kept the caffeine flowing day and night to the well-stocked 'fridge and cabinets to the crabs prepared every which way to the daily dose of chocolate chip cookies to the .... well ... the list just goes on and on! Lori Theriault provided gustatory delights that kept our tummies happy. What a treat to eat delicious food that was planned, acquired, and prepared by someone else! In her life outside of Sandbridge, she's a potter in Asheville. Find her at Crazy Green Studios.
2. Time to devote to this passion - There's always some frantic time before Sandbridge spent getting work and chores done up ahead of time in order to clear the week. Then the week after is spent catching up! I'm thankful to my family for putting up with my absence as I pursue my dulcimer passion.
3. An unparalleled instructor - Ken Kolodner has been my main dulcimer teacher and mentor for the past 17 years. (How can that be??) He plays beautifully and knows how to convey what he's doing in the classroom. The bottom line, I want to play like Ken, so I study with him. 
4. Plenty to work on in the coming year - Wow! As always, so much material presented in one week! It will take awhile to process. I'm sure I will not complete the list in one year, but it sure will be fun trying. Ken always chooses interesting and fun repertoire in which to practice skills, techniques, and theory. Every year we come back for more ... we just keep raising the bar.
5. Fun and supportive community of friends - Sandbridge is like a family reunion, except everyone is on the same page, enjoying a shared passion for music! Aren't we the lucky ones?

Several trapezoids of the triangle have attended the Sandbridge retreat over the years. Perhaps you're ready for one of Ken's intensive week-long workshops, or would like to work up to it. Three weeks offered in the fall, and ... NEW in 2016 ... one week in April! Read more about Ken Kolodner's Sandbridge Dulcimer Workshops.