Ukuleles Can Change The World

Jammin' with Los Horribles at the Mud Puddle in Niles.

Today as I reflect on the senseless tragedies in Paris and all over and mourn for the lives lost, I find myself grateful for the opportunities to surround myself with beautiful music and scenery emulating with peace and love. Being so distraught after watching the horrific events unfold in Paris, the only logical thing to do was to drive to the mud puddle in Niles with my ukulele to play music with my friends and share the joy of being surrounded and enveloped by one of the best mud puddle jams ever. 

Me and Margaret with Michael McNevin

Michael plays an original...my good friend Janet plays the mandolin.

I stumbled upon the Mud Puddle in 2012 when I lived in Union City for two years, sharing a house on a hill overlooking Niles with my son and his little family. It’s technically part of Fremont, but driving or walking into Niles, you feel like you’ve gone into a time warp with the old, historic buildings and theatre which still stands. Charlie Chaplain and Bronco Billy’s silent movies filed in and around Niles before they moved to Hollywood.

Michael McNevin owns a tiny remnant of the past, a small 300 square foot space which at one time was a barber shop and perhaps a pharmacy for a while. Now it’s a place where people gather to play music together, lovingly called “Los Horribles.” Also, musicians have performed concerts in this tiny space – but somehow even those concerts morph into jams. I never go in there without my ukulele and have spent the last three new year’s eve celebrations there opting for a place where I can play and share music instead of just listening.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Then yesterday after reading a blurb in the Santa Cruz uke news I drive to the beautiful pigeon point lighthouse to meet the dharma strummers and perform with them at the 143rd anniversary of the lighthouse!! So beautiful there...breathtaking. Large waves crashing against the shore and the majestic lighthouse overseeing it all. Tallest lighthouse in the west coast! It was a clear sunny cool day. 

This fellow who helps take care of the lighthouse sang a lovely sea chantey for us.

There I am with the Dharma Strummers who welcomed me!

The Sona Dharma Strummers welcomed me and I felt like I was part of their Gang immediately as we strummed and sang songs they specifically chose...that's how it is in the Ukulele world. You simply show up and you're part of the group. If only the whole world could be like that!!

After we played a wonderful group whom I knew from the SF folk music group played Celtic music and sea chanteys!! Perfect music for where we were! I'm so glad I hung out to hear them and enjoy the ambiance of being there. Kids were able to make lighthouses in arts and crafts and free hot drinks for all. It's also free to go to the lighthouse but it's in need of repair so you can't go in. 

Dave (on the left) is a friend of mine and this wonderful group played Celtic music and sea chanteys after the uke players. Perfect music for this scenario!

But there are free tours around the lighthouse and a panoramic view of the ocean behind it where a bunch of us watched the sunset and I happened to be standing next to a young man who proposed to his girlfriend. 

Wow! I don't even know their names...

It was incredibly moving, touching and beautiful! There is still hope for the future because there are still so many beautiful in the world.

Who knew there would also be an amazing slide show at dark filmed on the actual lighthouse lighting it up! Never seen anything like it in my life!! Lots of people there for this...I was so amazed and excited to see that!! Yes they're raising funds to help restore the lighthouse but a worthy cause and they're not pushy... 

And the entire history of the lighthouse unfolded in the dark. Right after it was over the stars peeked out...yes there is hope for the future.

On Sunday, I played ukulele at the Red Victorian on Haight Street in San Francisco with my San Francisco Ukulele Rebellion friends. The Red Victorian was built in 1903 and survived the San Francisco earthquake.  Dean, our organizer, was able to rent the space for us – and what an amazing space it is with old hardwood floors and colorful Halloween-ish décor. I walked by the Red Vic so many times as a kid – it’s been Red Victorian since the 1940’s, a hostel where people could rent rooms really cheap – still to this day not too expensive. People actually live at the hotel, and the guests enjoyed our ukulele playing.  We’ve played in various locations all over San Francisco, and have gotten nothing but positive feedback from everyone. Several new members joined us, some a little shy sitting on the outskirts.

“Come join us!” the regulars say, clearing a space right next to them so they can share the Daily Ukulele songbooks with us and play.

“Oh but I’m just a beginner,” one slender older woman with a ukulele said shyly.

“That’s okay, you’ll catch on!” I smiled at the woman and she joined us in our circle. Surrounded by my close friends and the newcomers, we strummed our ukuleles and sang our hearts out, and all was well with the world as it should be.