Raspberry pi home-made oak case
A Raspberry pi is a small computer board that works as good as many old pc desktops or better. Even better, they cost $35, operate on Linux (meaning lots of free, open-source programs), and come with lots of useful software ready to go. They DON’T come with a case, so you have to make your own. The oak case here is one I made for an old version of the pi, but still my favorite case.
Ukulele number 3 was meant to travel , at least that’s why I bought it. It wasn’t actually made for that. Then I discovered the Outdoor Ukulele that is designed to travel because it’s designed to withstand the bumps and temperature changes of travel. Welcome number 5. It is an “American made composite polycarbonate instrument developed for backpacking, camping, and traveling. They’ve been played in the Arctic Ocean, paddled down the Amazon River, and hiked both the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails.” MIne hasn’t gone that far, but it goes on just about any trip I make and played often at home as well, hanging conveniently on a curtain rod in the living room.
A friend showed me his banjolele, or should I say played it for me and I was hooked. Then I saw a picture of George Harrison playing one. What better way to learn a new instrument than to turn one you already know into one. I found the Luna Banjolele online and really liked the design. The clear head shows off a nice panel inside which I correctly surmised could easily be changed as well! I’m less happy with how it plays and have trouble keeping the strings from breaking and so don’t often play it. I solved that problem a different way as you’ll see in later posts. Still, I like how it looks and I want to like how heavy it is, but I don’t always.
April Fool’s day came a day late when our Magical Mystery Tour plans were a bit altered, but not cancelled. Some outside stops, though listed here, where not made and the cemetery tour was a drive-through, although we were briefly convinced that the gate we had driven through was locked behind us.
Craig takes a ride in the propane exhibit.
Duncan checks out the big machines at NMIH.
On June 26 Craig, Duncan, and I traveled to the following locations to see the sites and some graves of my ancestors who lived in those areas.
The Postcard Bldg
Newcomer’s Corner
In my upstairs reading nook on a small pine double shelf that I made I have a collection of books about and by Thomas Jefferson and Henry Thoreau. In addition to the books on the shelf there are four Ephrata Cloister buildings. On the top (L – R) are the print shop and the academy and on the bottom shelf the Saron (sisters house) and Saal. A paper cutout of Thoreau stands behind the Saal. On the wall to the right is a tide clock with a face made from the nautical map of the Bath, Maine area.
Photo from a couple years ago when I met Jimmy DiResta at the World Maker Faire in NYC and we compared “makers’ hands”. I was reminded of this recently and had to look for the photo so I could preserve it here. Jimmy DiResta among other great things, has a YouTube channel here.
After taking Uke 2 to Massachusetts for the Thoreau Gathering I decided I needed something that could be knocked about more to travel, but I definitely wanted one to travel. There’s a Music & Arts store in Vernon, outside Hartford Connecticut where I found this little soprano Kohala cheap that sounded pretty good. It was difficult to keep from playing a new uke, so the next stop at a roadside rest provided some opportunity. Replaced later by a plastic uke for traveling, it now finds a permanent home at my training center for breaktime when I’m working there alone… not during classes.
My second ukulele was bought at Funky Frets in Boyertown, a great place for string instruments, but especially ukuleles. As I said in Ukulele #1 I actually stopped to get a new set up tuners for #1 but wound up buying the set of tuners attached to a uke.
It’s a Lanikai concert LKP-C with Koa top, back, and sides, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, and gold plated tuners.
The hat next to it came later. It’s as perfect a ukulele hat as the ukulele is a great instrument and just as fun. They both sit next to my desk in my basement office for easy access at breaktime.
Piperoid samurai robots take over my mac.