Magical Moment 503, "Pop Up Pianos"

I can't believe it, but it's been exactly one year since Eddie's and mine's adventure of the Play Me, I'm Yours pianos.

Last summer, our very first summer living just outside of New York York City, a charity organization called Sing for Hope placed 60 pianos all over the city. On a more or less "whim" I decided I wanted to play each one and drug my husband all over creation to help me complete the goal.

We spent about a week exploring the outer boroughs of NYC for the first time, and discovering parts of Manhattan we would probably never see otherwise. It was quite a feeling of triumph when we crossed off the 60th piano from our list. Tired, exhausted, and hot, we now felt like true New Yorkers who had seen it all!

Sing for Hope is repeating the program this summer, calling it Pop Up Pianos. As a Donor Artist for Sing for Hope, I had the honor of taking part in meetings to help plan the project. This time, there 88 rather than 60 pianos. Eddie and I won't be playing each one this year!

Here is a video from last summer taken at Greeley Square in Manhattan.

For all other 59 videos, click here!

Click here for more information on Sing for Hope and the Pop Up Pianos

**In answer to some of the questions, the pianos stay for 2 weeks. Each one has a "buddy" who covers and locks it at night. And yes, anyone can play them!

Magical Moment 625, "Thailand - the Elephants"

Needless to say, my favorite part of our Thailand vacation, was our week long volunteering at Elephant Nature Park ! The logging industry was banned in Thailand in 1989, leaving thousands of elephants unemployed. These elephants are now used for tourism. You may have heard of elephant shows featuring the animals playing soccer or painting pictures with their trunks. They are no doubt amazing to watch, but the sad truth is that these elephants have gone through a series of torture and abuse to "break their spirit" by their trainers. This short clip is very hard to watch, but it will give you an idea of what the elephants in captivity in the country of Thailand go through. The only elephants in Thailand who do not endure this, are the very few baby elephants who are first generation born in "safe captivity" at places like Elephant Nature Park. Every other elephant at this park has been brutally abused. Some have been blinded by their owners, le

Magical Moment 620, "Lilac Garden"

Eddie and I visited the Lilac Gardens at Ringwood Manor in New Jersey, a pristine and beautiful state park with 8 species of lilacs and several varieties within. We went on a rainy afternoon, which turned out perfect because the rain stopped for us when we got there, and began again as soon as we left. It also decorated the plants with gorgeous rain drops, adding to their beauty. And now for a quick game of "Where's Elizabeth?" And "Where's Eddie?" ~~Have a great weekend! ~~

Magical Moment 280, "The Eleventh Hour"

The Veterans Day Parade, NYC On July 29, 2001 , five exceptional men were honored by the President of the United States for their remarkable military service. They were involved in a top secret mission that required unfathomable intelligence and as a result, literally won a battle which was instrumental in winning the war. Not the war that was happening in 2001, not even the Gulf War. It was World War II, and they were the Navajo Code Talkers who were largely responsible for winning the bloody battle of Okinawa. The only problem with the ceremony was that just 5 remained of the original 29. Our country was too late in thanking the other 24, and nearly too late in thanking those 5 men. On March 10, 2010, three hundred women won the Congressional Gold medal for their outstanding war service. Unfortunately, 800 received the award posthumously. These were the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II, who devoted themselves to flying military aircraft like the B-26 and B-

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