Thought Distillery

By about 12:30 today I finally had my act assembled and stepped out to an usually bustling downtown. I guess it is the shopping season isn’t it? Off in the distance my ears detected some sweet yet familiar sounds. At about this time last year I awoke on more than one saturday to the soothing yet haunting sounds of pan-pipes drifting through my window. Sure enough as I spied the crowd of people down the street, the same folk musicians from the Andean mountains of Peru were present garbed in colorful wool ponchos and filling the air with pipes, keys, and percussion. Inspired, I added bamboo pan-pipes to my list of instruments to learn (after the next in line blues harmonica).

Stepping across the street I entered the bookstore (my intended destination) to do a bit of shopping myself. Might as well join the masses, I thought. Anyway, just as I entered I was greeted by more music – this time by a small ensemble including oboe, clarinet, french horn, and flute. Normally by this time of year I’ve become sick of holiday music, but this live treat was just the perfect touch for a most pleasurable hour of book-browsing.

Normally Corvallis is a fairly sleeping little college town, but every now and then days like today come along and create lovely little unexpected surprises. I think I like it here.