Quote Originally Posted by artificer View Post
The Great Highland Bagpipes- the only instrument designed to sound better when you're not around them.
Reminds me of a time 15 years ago.

I was sitting on my back porch about sundown having a little drink and reading a book when I heard bagpipes and I thought to myself: Someone must be watching Breaveheart or some such.

Then 20 minutes later the pipes were still going.

I set down my book and my glass and started walking towards the sound.

Some 3/4 of a mile later I came to a park shelter and within the shelter was a piper practicing. I sat at a sane distance listening to him play till he stopped to rest or get a fresh cat--- whatever it is the pipers do between songs-- and then engaged him in a conversation for a time.

He apparently moves from park to park to practice so as not to annoy the neighbors too long in any one place.

But I still remember how clear it sounded on my porch with the piper 3/4 of a mile away, on the other side of a neighborhood and a small wooded area in a shelter and it makes me smile.