What do lawn chairs, mosquitos, music stands and the summer solstice have in common?
They were all in evidence as members of Ukuleles of Paradise heralded the first day of summer with an evening of “Plunkin’ in the Park.”
More than a dozen of us gathered at Paradise’s Rotary Grove Aquatic Park (aka “the duck pond”) just off Buschmann Road for the fun. While we began the evening with some classic summer tunes (“Yankee Doodle” and “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”) we had plenty of time to strum and sing some of our “old” favorites before the evening was through.
Some interesting findings from that evening:
- We didn’t appear to scare anyone away who was already enjoying the park.
- No ducks joined us in a musical chorus.
- Mosquitoes become more aggressive as the shadows grow longer (but my new OFF! “clip-on mosquito repellant” device seemed to keep the little biting buggers away from those downwind of me—or perhaps it was just something about me???)
- Collapsible lawn chairs without arms are best because there’s nothing to interfere with energetic ukulele right- and left-hand techniques. Over at Walgreens (corner of Skyway and Bille) they have the perfect outdoor jamming chairs: only $6.99 and they come in turquoise, deep blue, green and PINK!
How about joining us in July? We’ll be at the same place and time (6:30 pm) on Monday, July 19.
(Oh, and if you have great mosquito repellent, I want to sit downwind of you!)