I drove up to North Georgia this weekend for Homecoming. I was thinking of Glenn Schultz along the way and wishing I owned one of his whistles because the next day I played taps on a little whistle of mine after I had helped scatter my mother’s ashes at Talking Rock Creek. I should point out that this area is apple country in North Georgia with apple trees everywhere…and when I got home the applewood low G by Mack Hoover I bought from Medit8b1 here on this board was waiting for me at my PO Box (along with the replacement for my Sweetheart Pro D which had gotten broken…much love to the Sweets for that one). So now I have an applewood whistle to remind me of that part of Georgia. Thanks for putting up with my questions Mack.
My son entertained our extended family at Homecoming with his version of Down By The Sally Gardens. All and all it was a very strange weekend that will probably return to memory with various tunes on the whistles for the rest of my life. My only regret was that in trying to get to North Georgia on time I couldn’t take time out at 6pm on Friday to raise a toast to Glenn Schultz…but I was thinking of his contributions on or about that time. And as a lover of wood whistles I must say that he contributed a LOT.
Nice rememberences, Scott. Thanks for sharing them.
It’s amazing how these simple instruments become woven into the fabric of our lives and how they can touch us and those that listen to them.
Yes … such a small thing, a penny whistle, yet with such potential… history, memories, possibilities, craft, art, soul, heart, love, and beauty… even the most simple tune, even by a beginner, brings much joy.
May your mother’s soul fly free and dance to the whistle.
it sure is, you can give it so much character and feeling with one. you can make it sing or cry. i am sorry for your mother.
Thanks to everyone for the thoughts on my mother. She actually passed away last December. We were just waiting for homecoming in the foothills of the Appalacians to scatter her ashes. Now I’m trying to decide if I should keep using the whistle I played that day, or mount it on the flag case that houses the flag that was draped on her coffin (yeah, my mother wore Army boots 
).
A lovely gesture, to be sure, but I would guess that she might rather you continue to play it, and she’ll continue to hear it… just my own view…