Friday, February 15, 2013

Friday Favorites

Each Friday I am sharing a photo (or several) of something from the past that I loved.   So far, I've shown a favorite kitty and favorite dogs. 

 In answer to some comments about my dogs, yes I do miss having a dog but have no plans to get another as long as we live on such a busy street.  And for anyone wanting a good guard/watch dog, I'd highly recommend a German Shepherd.  I feel the best time to get one is when they are very young and you can train them yourself.  And, yes, some of them can be very mean, my older brother had one, but we never did and I think it has a lot to do with training and socialization

 ~ my children at my grandmother's piano~
 
This week, my favorite from the past is a piano.  Or pianos.
Above is my grandmother's piano that I loved to play on when I 
was a youngster.  In fact, my grandmother was probably the one who got me started playing the piano.  Even my children loved to play on their 
great-grandmother's piano, although at that age I'm not sure just how well!
 Gran's piano was always cluttered with sheet music, hymnal
and photos.  If you look closely on top of her piano, you might get a glimpse of yours truly's senior photo next to my younger brother's.
~my children, my piano~
       
This is my square grand piano that used to belong to my parents.
I remember that my dad bought this piano for 25 dollars at an estate sale when I was 12 or so.  I only took piano lessons a few summers from a neighbor and learned just enough to play for my own amusement.  I wish I'd inherited my grandfather's piano skills.  He died before I was born, but I'm told that he could really make a piano sing.  He could play anything by earI usually had to have sheet music unless I had the music memorized.     
 
After I married, and we were living in the country, I was given the piano.  We had a nice sized dining room that it lived in.  Then, when we moved to our present house we sold the quite large and heavy piano because we just didn't have room for it and we didn't want to put it in the basement at the time.   

I'd love to know the history of this old square grand.  Who played it before it came into our family and where it is now.  I hope they enjoyed playing it as much as I did
 
 How about you?  Did you or do you have a pianoOr maybe there is another musical instrument that you loved to play.  Do tell!

Until next time... 

29 comments:

  1. I loved playing my grandmother's piano. She gave it to me for a few years and then my uncle went to college to learn how to write music, and he came and got it. I was absolutely broken hearted when I came home from school and it wasn't in my room anymore. I never got another. I don't know whatever happened to it. My uncle recently moved to a retirement neighborhood in South Texas and his apartment is very small, so I am sure he no longer has it. It's a shame, because I would NEVER had let it slip out of my hands had I been allowed to keep it!

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  2. Morning Cheryl, what sweet pictures of you playing the piano.....Love looking at old family pictures.......Never played, Hugs Francine.

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  3. Love your photos, Cheryl, and the stories of your piano love. I have not a shred of musical skill or talent in my bones. I admire those who do. blessings ~ tanna

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  4. Oh, I love that old upright piano! I have one (it's at my ex-husband's house). My mom bought it for me when I was probably about 10 years old. $25. My ex refinished it for me after we were married. It's in need of lots of repair though. I'd love to find an old oak upright.
    I always had to have sheet music, too, and envied those who could play by ear.
    Have a good weekend!

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  5. i never had a piano, always wanted one and could play hymns by ear, but only on the black keys. i played on the church piano, my dad was a Baptist preacher. when we lived in KY most of the homes had old pump organs, and i loved to sit and pump and pump and play on the black keys.

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  6. What wonderful memories! I took piano for about 4 years as a kid. One of my biggest regrets is that I didn't stick with it! Fabulous piano! 25.00 at an estate sale?? Awesome!

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  7. I love your beautiful photos. I learned to play the piano on my Grandmother's piano. I was going through my scanned pics this morning and saw one of me with a recital dress on. Do you remember what a big deal recitals were? I still play the piano and so does my husband. Sweet hugs!

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  8. I love the connection of your piano memories with your kids...

    I took piano lessons for years but because my sister was very talented at the piano, I rebelled and refused to take it seriously...Am I sorry? A definite yes....

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  9. I wish you still had it. So pretty.

    I play the guitar but not so much in the last year. I think every person should play one instrument.

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  10. Ohhhh, I feel so BAD that you had to sell it, with the wonderful memories! It is quite fancy, I have not seen one like it. And beautiful pictures of your children with the pianos. Do you still play any? Do your children play? Phil plays, and he plays piano in church as well. Also accordion. We have a piano in the basement and he practices there for church playing, and the girls like to play a bit, just playing around. I inherited it from my grandmother. I WISH I could play, that would be awesome!!!

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  11. These are such nice photos. :) I never played the piano. My son took lessons when he was about five. He plays guitar and drums for fun. He never got back to the piano.
    I have always enjoyed listening to piano music.
    Hope you have a great day!

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  12. such cute kids. :)

    no piano. had a small organ for a while. yikes!

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  13. Delightful pictures! With memories.

    My husband's mother was one of those natural piano players. Could play anything! Amazing...

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  14. I know that the trend is to go to a small electronic thing, but I do love my piano and still play. My grandmother was an amazing pianist having taken weekly lessons for twelve years. My niece now has her piano, which looked a lot like your grandmother's with all the sheet music and hymnals, photos...they were a treasure trove of family history.

    I like your piano, too. I hope that whoever has it now enjoys it and plays it.

    (Wish I could see more of the photos on top of either of these featured pianos. Your kiddos are adorable!)

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  15. Yep, I have a piano. I've been playing since I was 8 years old. I love your photos. Takes me back to the good ole days.

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  16. We moved so much that a piano would have been impossible. I have always admired those who could play. Yours was really pretty and had great looking legs.

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  17. Wonderful memories & they're so cuuute! heheheee
    I love the oil lamp on the 2nd piano... I only have one so far, but I've taken a liking to them recently =)

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  18. What sweet photos. That square grand piano is a beauty. We had an upright piano in our living room and I took lessons from grade 2 to 8 but sadly, don't play a note now. My husband is a very talented pianist and we have keyboards at home that he plays. He plays at our church every Sunday and loves it. We love music and enjoy it in our home all the time. Have a great weekend Cheryl. Pam

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  19. That big square piano looks amazing. So sad it didn't fit in your house when you moved. I'm sure it's with someone who loves to play as much as you did.
    Yes, I do have a piano. I myself play quite poorly, because I didn't enjoy practicing my lessons, so I didn't ever get very good. So I poke my way around the keyboard and make quite a few mistakes and hope no one is listening. ;-) My piano used to belong to my parents, but they passed it on to me when they made their move back to the west coast several years ago. My kids did take lessons for a short time, but neither of them ever really got in to it. (Our son later took up trumpet in the band, though.) Perhaps I will have grandchildren that play the piano someday... and then I can pass it on to them.

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  21. Beautiful pianos Cheryl and great memories! No pianos here. Took piano lesson when I was little but the piano teacher gently suggested to my Mom I might want to try something else.. :) I got a horse!

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  22. Nope, no musical talent other than singing along with the radio and that isn't entertaining to anyone except me. Lol.

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  23. We had a piano in the basement when I was a child. My sister and I took lessons for a few years, but none of it has stuck with me. The piano was left in the basement when we moved in 1973 because it would no longer fit up the stairs after a remodeling project. When the new owner learned that she was inheriting a piano she said "oh no, another piano". It seemed her previous house also came with a piano and she had no interest.
    Your memories of your grandmother's and your own piano are so much nicer :). Your piano was very pretty and looks like an amazing find for $25.

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  24. Cute kiddos- and two fine pianos. I don't have the patience to learn, but I've always wished I did.

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  25. I not only play the piano, but I teach piano lessons! The piano we have was the one my hubby grew up with. His father and mother were both very musical and my hubby had a few years of lessons, but doesn't play at all. I love to sit down and play some classical pieces but mostly I love to play the hymns. They bring back such wonderful memories to me and my fingers just seem to remember exactly where to go!

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  26. Both of the pianos your grandparents and your parents and you owned were quite lovely!

    My Mother bought a piano when a neighbor moved when we were young children, but we never had lessons and none of us learned to play it besides playing "Chopsticks." When my grandmother came to live with us My Mom had to sell it as we needed the room.
    I bought the piano in my present house from the lady who sold us the house. I hope my grandchildren will learn to play one day--I hope to treat them to piano lessons :)

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  27. i don't play anything :((

    my son plays guitar and he's very good!!

    i always stressed music to my boys,i always thought a passion for music was important!!

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  28. I loved your memories on this one. The pictures are precious of our children and the piano. That grand square piano is beautiful. I can't believe your grandfather got it for $25.00.
    I took Piano for about 7 years when I was young. Then for a few years we didn't have a piano. About ten years ago I took piano lessons again; but didn't practice like I should off. I have played for family events but I get nervous and make mistakes. I started back playing just a couple of weeks ago and now I want to stay committed to learning hymns and a few other pieces. Whether I play in front of others sometime, right now I am just enjoying the challenge again.
    Blessings and thanks for the memories. Loved this one!

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  29. I love this post, the pictures and the memories. How nice of you to share.
    I am a guitar player myself but always wanted to learn piano.

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