I had already made plans to head up to Sacramento because my friend Sharon was visiting Sacramento -- and she lives in Moscow, Idaho and I don't get to see her often. We were supposed to meet for dinner there at the Old Spaghetti Factory, so I thought, why not post to the good ukulele folks of Sacramento that I'd like to have an "impromptu ukulele jam" in that park we loved so much -- Fair Oaks Park. The Strum Shop was just getting started...
I was running super late, so I pulled into the park area just a few moments late -- a whole group of people waited for me. It was a hot day, not unusual for Sacramento, but still -- it was only April!
I had song packets prepared and everyone who joined me -- around 15 people, most with ukuleles, was thrilled to receive a packet of songs! Some of them even gave me money -- I tried to tell them they didn't need to, but they did anyway. A guy named Budd was there and he was pretty good -- and so was Dave (who calls himself DRW) and they helped me lead the Beatles songs which was so cool. Gary didn't show up, nor did Stu or my friend Sue because apparently there was a Hawaiian ukulele event happening that day as well. So I was just glad for the people who showed up -- we of course sang this Land Is Your Land and I told everyone it was Earth Day -- and they seemed happy about that!
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| Some of the people who jammed with me on Earth Day at Fair Oaks Park! (too bad I was too busy playing music to think of getting a picture when everyone was still there!) -- but there's Budd and Dave and the gang! |
After I parted ways with the ukulele gang, I headed for the Old Spaghetti Factory located in downtown Sacramento to meet with Sharon and her grandsons and her friends for dinner! I looked forward to seeing her and finally meeting the grandsons she had talked about for so many years. It was fabulous to meet everyone and hang out...! I talked about my ukulele gathering that I'd just come from and my 8-string ukulele. Then I mentioned that we'd sung this Land Is Your Land in honor of Earth Day. It was Sharon's grandsons Nik and Elliott who said we should definitely sing that song again -- outside!!! So I ran all the way back to my car which was parked a couple of blocks away because the parking lot had been full at Old Spaghetti Factory downtown, and got my 8-string ukulele.
And after dinner, we went into the parking lot and sang "This Land is Your Land" at the tops of our lungs! It was so much fun!
It was a good thing Elaine got a video of us singing the song on her iPad because her niece had attempted to video it on my camera, but somehow it didn't work. She shared the link with me through youtube a couple of days later and I sent the link to the Harmony list because I remembered that people were singing This Land Is Your Land.
I had NO idea that Hali Hammer would ask for a copy of the video so that she could include it in her MAJOR 15-minute documentary on youtube of people all over the world singing This Land Is Your Land! I was thrilled about it and so was my friend Sharon, and Heather, and her grandkids as well!
Actually, Elaine took the video for "Grandpa Josh," Nik and Elliott's Grandpa who couldn't make it to Sacramento!
Here's the video of us singing This Land Is Your Land in the parking lot of Old Spaghetti Factory in Sacramento, CA!
The only quirky thing was, apparently, everyone was "supposed" to play This Land Is Your Land in the key of D -- and I had NO idea! I wasn't even sure what the heck was going on!
So here is the amazing 15-minute video put together by the lovely Hali Hammer...and we ARE in it! (along with many, many others -- I LOVE IT!
and there are other people playing ukuleles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAPPY EARTH DAY!
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