Music on Our Porch

While the Bays Boys headed out to play whiffle golf at Tucker’s, we sat in the sun and listened to the Irish fiddle music of their mom and dad, Susan Waters and Randal Bays. Neighbor Betsy joined us and tourists paused in the lane or hung over the fence to listen. Even Barbara Poulshock, at the church rehearsing with the Bayside singers, later inquired about the Celtic music coming from our place. It was magical.

Earlier, Susan and the boys had harvested the apples on our ‘little’ apple tree – twenty pounds of Rajka Rezistas. Susan ate one and immediately declared them perfect for apple pie. Which they were! What a wonderful way to top off a meal of salmon, corn on the cob, and pasta salad – all planned, purchased (or picked!) and cooked by the Bays family as a gift to us!

I think this is one of the few times that the Waters/Bays family has been here without a gig planned. Usually they are here to play at Vespers or at a House Concert, but the last time they were here, we planned this as a dedicated ‘beach getaway’ weekend.  Of course some of their instruments came with them.

I say “some” because Owen (10) left his tenor sax at home, only bringing his concertina and Willie (12) left his baritone(?) or alto(?) sax behind, only bringing his flute. Randal brought only his fiddle, no guitar. I have no idea what or how many other instruments they left at home in Seattle.  And, besides all they brought, there was our piano which Willie played almost non-stop.

Twenty Pounds of Yum

Coming from a totally non-musical background as I do, I am always entranced when this talented family visits. Except when we are all ‘at table’ there is usually music being played someplace in the house. It comes from an upstairs bedroom or from the east porch stoop or from any of the downstairs rooms. Last night, Randal popped the salmon under the broiler and joined Willie in the living room for a fiddle/piano improv session.

Summer Sunday

Randal often credits the boys’ interest and virtuosity to the fact that the family has never had TV. But it’s more than that. I listened with one ear after dinner the other night while Randal was explaining (with the aid of paper and pencil) something about dominant chords. I asked Randal about that later – I think in relationship to Owen’s compositions which are on the family’s recent CD, “A Rake of Tunes.”

“The boys are just beginning to read music,” he said. “They hear it and know it in their heads, of course. And that’s the best way – to learn it in your head first.” No wonder Willie is playing with a jazz band at age 12 and Owen has been composing since he was 8 or 9! What a family!

And what a ‘beach getaway’ – for us, that is! Right here in Oysterville!