Summer Rhythm

I opened Castle in the Air to help people bring their everyday lives closer to the ideals they hold in their hearts. It is a place that encourages people to live their dreams. Yesterday I got a chance to live one of mine.

Duncan, the girls, and I had a special Family Band jam yesterday afternoon, inviting several of our dearest friends over to join in the music. To the regular fiddles, guitar, and bandoneon, we added coronet, trombone, washboard, ukelele, cello, upright bass, slide whistle, and Grandpa on piano. Everybody sang. We played "Angeline the Baker," "Polly Put the Kettle On," and the tune that has somehow become Family Band's theme song, "Whiskey Before Breakfast."

As day slid into evening, our living room orchestra was able to make the same sweet music in the kitchen. Everyone pitched in to make salad and pasta with sweet corn and cherry tomatoes. The spirits of Angeline and Polly were with us as we baked plum cake and made tea. (I skipped the whiskey.)

And after all the guests had said goodnight and the girls were tucked into bed, Duncan and I stayed up late for one more project, cooking the final batch of plum jam for the year. It's the season for plum jam, and after all the harmonious living we had that day, I was going to be the last person to mess with summer rhythm.