Scoops of Reflection: A Dollar General Encounter and the Bittersweet Comfort of Klondike Bars

Yesterday, as I stood in the checkout line at the local Dollar General, eavesdropping like a professional conversational spy, I found myself completely engrossed in the animated tales of the woman behind me. She was practically a stand-up comedian, regaling her friend with heartwarming stories about her students. I mean, seriously, who needs Netflix when you have Dollar General checkout entertainment?

"Some of those kiddos were shedding tears today because it's the last day of school. So, to avoid a tiny rebellion, I promised them an ice cream sandwich and now I'm on a covert operation to fulfill my sweet promise," she confessed to her captive audience.

I had a sneaky suspicion that she might be one of the teachers at the school just across the street—the same school that shaped my childhood. Call it detective intuition or just plain nosiness, but I had to confirm my theory. I slyly turned my head and caught a glimpse of her long, flowing blonde hair, sky-high heels (who wears heels in Newville?), and a dress so vibrant it could rival a disco ball. It was like she embodied the spirit of fun and excitement. And lo and behold, her arms were overflowing with what I can only assume were ice cream sandwiches. A frozen treasure trove, if you will. No biggie, just a casual stockpile of frozen delights.

Unable to resist the urge to strike up a conversation with this lively ice cream smuggler, (a woman after my own ice-cream-loving heart!) I mustered the courage to ask the burning question: "Are you, by any chance, a teacher at the school across the street?" To my surprise, she revealed, "Actually, I'm a student counselor."

Realizing the gravity of her "undercover" mission to satisfy the ice cream cravings of her little minions, I decided to play the hero and offered her my spot in line. With a gleeful acceptance, she swiftly took my place at the checkout counter, revealing her secret stash of frozen goodness. And that's when I saw the brand—Klondikes. WHAT?! Those were my father's absolute favorite ice cream bars. It was as if the Spirit conspired to deliver a bittersweet reminder right when I least expected it.

Just the day before, we had commemorated the twenty-second anniversary of my father's passing. Coincidentally (or maybe not so coincidentally), I had recently uploaded a songwriting video on my YouTube channel, delving into the intricate realm of grief and sharing my personal suggestions for navigating it like a seasoned veteran. Talk about perfect timing? It's like God said, "Hey, remember those grief tips you shared? Time to put them into practice!"

In that video, I soft served five practical suggestions for dealing with the whirls and twirls of emotions, even long after bidding farewell to a loved one.

G - Be Gentle: Let yourself indulge in those somber moments. It's okay to have a good cry, trust me.

R - Remember: Dust off those memory banks and relish in the beautiful moments shared with your loved one. Let nostalgia be your guide.

I - Intake: Surround yourself with reminders of their presence—their goofy photos, favorite hangout spots, and of course, their cherished foods. In my dad's case, it's Klondike bars all the way.

E - Embrace: Acknowledge that missing them is part of the journey and embrace the swirl of emotions that come with grief. Embrace those tears, my friend, and let them melt in release.

F - Find Fun: Share hilarious anecdotes and lighthearted memories with your trusted ensemble—a sibling, a parent, a friend, or even a coworker. Laughter, the irresistible topping is the perfect medicine when sprinkled with cherished memories of your loved one. 

Speaking of lyrics and ice cream bars, I had a little secret of my own. When I first penned the song "Missing You" as a tribute to my father, I actually included a cheeky reference to his ice cream obsession. Sadly, my producer thought it didn't quite fit the song's vibe, so it ended up on the cutting room floor. But between you and me, those ice cream bars will always be an unsung hero in the first draft of the song.

As I got in my van and drove away from Dollar General, a mischievous urge led me to make a detour to Sheetz. After all, I am my father's daughter, and ice cream runs in my veins. There, I treated myself to a glorious Klondike bar, relishing each creamy bite as a sweet reminder of my father's ever-present spirit in my life. Who knew that a simple trip to the checkout line would turn into a whirlwind of emotions and ice cream adventures? Life truly has a way of surprising us when we least expect it.

Unlock Your True Potential: Join Us for an Exclusive Eagles Open House with Kevin Miller

In January 2021, I took a significant step forward in my personal development by joining 48 Days Eagles: an empowering online community of entrepreneurs founded by the esteemed career coach, Dan Miller. Seeking to invest in my growth each year, I initially planned to join for just one year. However, here I am, over two years later, still an active and enthusiastic member of this incredible community. It speaks volumes about the tremendous value and lasting impact it has had on my journey.

Since joining the community in 2021, my life has been profoundly impacted. I've gained invaluable knowledge and experienced the personal and professional growth I was craving. There are many resources to choose from within the community and I find the weekly online Monday Mentor sessions to be especially helpful. 

Normally reserved for Eagles only, Dan is generously opening up our Monday Mentor sessions to the public on Monday, May 22, 2023 at 2:00 CT. The Monday Mentor Liftoff Calls are a great way to see if this community might be for you. This upcoming session will feature special guest, Kevin Miller.

Kevin Miller is the son of Dan Miller and is often labeled a “serial entrepreneur.” Drawing on the 200 (and counting!) thoughtful and lively discussions he's conducted with thought leaders including Dave Ramsey, Michael Hyatt, Tom Ziglar, Patrick Lencioni, and Seth Godin on his "Self-Helpful with Kevin Miller" podcast, Kevin will offer profound insight on how to identify the roadblocks that are keeping you from reaching your true potential, and practical steps for finding the elements that will create your unique brand of success.

Dan Miller is the author of the widely acclaimed 48 Days To The Work – and Life – You Love, No More Dreaded Mondays, Wisdom Meets Passion and An Understanding Heart. He hosts a weekly podcast that is consistently ranked #1 under Careers on iTunes.

Don’t miss this chance to experience the magic and camaraderie that defines our amazing community. Join us on Monday and get a taste of what makes us truly special and why I keep showing up every Monday afternoon.

Sign up here to reserve your seat for our May 22, 2023, Eagles Open House with Kevin Miller.

As an affiliate member of this 48 Days community, not only am I experiencing personal growth, but I also have the privilege of earning a commission on every sale. If you decide to join the community after Monday’s session, not only will you have the opportunity to experience your own personal growth, but you’ll be supporting my music as well. Thank you!

Sheila Davis (L), Joanne Miller (Dan's wife) and Dan.

Meeting other Eagles in person for the first time on April 27, 2023 in Franklin, Tennessee.

Double Keyed Wins Classical Crossover Album of the Year Spot Award

Some days I wonder if all the effort of writing, rewriting, practicing, crafting, stretching and even straining my music muscles will ever pay off. I argue with myself about what a payoff even looks like. Is it financial, emotional, physical, musical?

One of my songwriting heroes, Molly Leikin, encourages writers to reward themselves for small accomplishments along the way – even writing just one good phrase deserves a reward, in her experience. She believes that the creative five year old inside of us is encouraged to show up more often when we pause to celebrate.

So in the spirit of Molly's advice, last Thursday, I put down my pen, closed the piano lid for an afternoon, got a frilly hair do and went to celebrate at the Hershey Theater where Kirstin Myers and I walked the red carpet at the Central Pennsylvania Music Award Show.

Highlights . . .

Classical Meets Rappers and Rockers

On Thursday, March 30th, Double Keyed felt proud (and to be honest–a tad shy) to mingle with rappers, rockers, country, jazz and pop artists (and the list goes on) . . . at the Hershey Theatre in Hershey, Pennsylvania. We were excited to be part of the parade of artists who were nominated for their creative projects and artistry. These are the moments when an artist can take a deep breath and feel grateful for not giving up on making music.

Piano Teacher Shows Support

Kirstin and I were hustling to get to our seats and voilà...there she stood, at the bottom of the steps, about to ascend to the balcony of the Hershey Theater to watch from above. Donna Houser, my 7th - 12th grade piano teacher (who turned 80 in February), surprised me by coming to the show!

As a young pianist, I'd sit at Donna's beautiful Kawaii grand piano for my weekly lessons where she challenged me to be more than I thought I could be, insisting that I learn to read the notes and not just play by ear! If it weren't for her, I'm sure I wouldn't be part of Double Keyed, and that would be sad.

Double Keyed Wins Classical Crossover Spot Award

Kirstin and I keep trying to get back to our regular music life, but Midwinter's Gift keeps tugging at our skirts. It was fun to give the project a bit of attention.

Double Keyed was nominated for Instrumental Album of the Year and won a Spot Award in the Classical Crossover Album category.

Thank you for your votes, cheers and encouraging words.

Midwinter's Gift Nominated For Instrumental Album of The Year

Just when we thought we were done with the Christmas season hustle and bustle of releasing a new album… Kirstin Myers and I, as Double Keyed, were nominated for Instrumental Album of the Year. 

On Sunday, (January 15, 2023), in another shocking turn of events, 𝕄𝕚𝕕𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣’𝕤 𝔾𝕚𝕗𝕥 was announced as a nominee for the Central Pennsylvania Music Hall of Fame “Instrumental Album of the Year”!! We give a HUGE thanks to whoever put us in their Board of Director’s radar because this certainly wasn’t on ours!

One really great thing about this is that YOU can tangibly help us because…

There is a fan voting component!

Click HERE to vote for Midwinter's Gift. 

ANYONE CAN VOTE! Fan voting runs from through 11:59 am on 1/31/23. One vote per person per device. 

"The CMPAs are not designed to be determined solely by the popular vote. The 42-person, professional panel of CPMHOF Board of Directors and the Advisory Committee vote based on overall quality and 2022 accomplishments." — CMPA website.

𝕄𝕚𝕕𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣’𝕤 𝔾𝕚𝕗𝕥 has literally been the gift that keeps on giving. We are so proud and grateful to have had the opportunity, experience, connection and recognition that this album has brought us. From cookies to Billboard…we are simply stunned.

Please vote (and share!) if you feel so moved and THANK YOU so much for your continuous support

In The Bleak Midwinter

 

I'll never forget the day my producer, Eric Copeland pointed out my frequent mention of death in my songwriting. "You write a lot of songs about death," he said. This was news to me. He jokingly suggested that my name could be "The Grateful Dead". Of course, I didn't know who they were. I laughed as if I did. Fast forward to November 2022. Double Keyed (Kirstin and Frances) landed a spot on the Billboard charts. You can probably imagine how excited we were (and still are). I feel like I'm the big sister of the two of us and believe me, I'm very proud of my little sister! However, we've been bumped off the charts by—of all things—a dead man. I find this hilarious . . . given my history. Sorry Kirstin. Oh well. Since we don't know what we did to get on the charts in the first place, we figure maybe we'll appear again! Either way, we are still recovering from the shock of placing ANYWHERE and we're very much alive. We DO know that your streaming and purchases through online sources helps us dance around the charts. :-) Thank you!

Our first tour date! Yesterday started our official concert schedule as recording artists. Today, we will be recording an interview at WITF in Harrisburg, PA. We'll let you know when it's released.

How we came up with the title, Midwinter's Gift. Midwinter was a title that presented itself early on when we were incubating the album. Based on the lovely song, In The Bleak Midwinter, written in the 1800's, we knew we wanted this song on the project. From the very beginning, we both felt as if this album creation was a gift to each other as musicians. Putting the words midwinter and gift together seemed like a natural progression. You'll appreciate the unfolding of the journey from bleakness to beauty in this new video featuring the title track. "In the bleak midwinter, Frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, Long ago." — Christina Georgiana Rossetti (1830-1894)

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies Inspire Midwinter's Gift Album

The new Christmas album, Midwinter's Gift was inspired by the waft of peanut butter blossom cookies. Really!!

It all started when my friend, Kirstin Myers (oboist) was baking Christmas cookies for her family last December. Being a busy oboist, performing in various symphonies in the South Central Pennsylvania region, she didn't have time to bake cookies until AFTER the holidays. She had been too busy making music for everyone else's Christmas celebrations. We had originally met—because of Christmas—when Kirstin was hired to play oboe in my annual Portraits of White Winter Concert orchestra.

So there she was, the day after Christmas, making cookies. She confesses that she may have been devouring the Hershey kisses before they even made it to the blossoms. She was also listening to her favorite music playlists—for three solid days in a row. 

In the midst of this baking, nibbling and listening frenzy, while waiting for a batch of cookies to finish baking, she was struck with some nagging yet intriguing observations . . . that she says went something like this:

"There were no oboe tunes popping up on my Spotify."

Perhaps oboists need more quality Christmas music. 

Scrolling through Spotify for ‘oboe’ and ‘Christmas’ and not finding much . . .

"Wouldn’t it be cool to create more?"

"What if I could record an album?"

No, you can’t do that. Take the burning cookies out of the oven.

"But what if I could? It would be something I could give the kids."

Eat more cookie dough.

"Who knows how to record an album? Who could I do it with?"

My friend, the piano player, Frances.

(Kirstin and I [Frances] had already formed a duo called Double Keyed and were enjoying performing together until COVID brought our in-person performances to a jarring halt.)

After running through many more doubts in her head, Kirstin texted me. 

Fortunately, I took screen shots of our conversation. I had a feeling I'd want to keep a record—pun intended.

This text was followed by some banter about money, potential arrangers . . .etc., etc., and I knew it would get to be a long conversation by text, so I suggested we meet for coffee to talk details . . .

After we met for coffee, I began thinking about places we could stay in Nashville, if we ended up doing a project there. I texted Kirstin with more ideas . . .

Fast forward to August and we were on our way to Wildwood Recording in Franklin, Tennessee to record our project. At the recommendation of our arranger and producer, Nashville's own Phillip Keveren, we chose this studio because Phillip said it's the best Yamaha piano in Nashville! Being a piano player, I was concerned about finding a great piano for our project. 

Phillip was right—the piano was incredible. At one point, I said, "This piano is like a race car that doesn't want to stick with the speed limit." The guys liked that analogy.

Frances warms up on the Yamaha, August 3, 2022.

Long story short, the little somewhat obscure oboe is now making a splash! Even the English horn got to be a part of the production on three songs; O Holy Night, What Child is This? and O Come, O Come, Emmanuel—which ended up being the first song we recorded on our two-day recording spree. I remember Phillip's comment after we played his hauntingly beautiful arrangement of this 15th Century song. "This project is going to be world-class," he said confidently. My heart tried to absorb the words. It was uncanny that he used this particular phrase.

I've always wanted to be a world-class performer. I only tell you this because I'm learning that setting goals is such a key to getting where you want to go and becoming the person you want to be. I had decided years ago that one of my goals as a singer-songwriter and pianist, was to become world-class. It was a goal that I knew would always keep me motivated to improve—even if it took me a lifetime to achieve. So you can see how hearing this comment was monumental for me. 

But we had nine more songs to go! In the moment, I had to keep focused. 

You see, I was facing the challenge of playing the piano in front of the arranger of the music (and the producer of the album) with him sitting in the control room, listening to me. I also knew that he himself is a very gifted pianist. His Sojourner project with The London Symphony Orchestra is one of the most beautiful albums of all times, in my opinion! 

Knowing I would be recording in the presence of a master craftsman, I had been strategically conditioning my mind to focus for the seven months leading up to this moment. Not only had I been practicing the technicalities and musicality of the arrangements we commissioned Phillip to create, but I had been practicing overcoming the trepidation and downright terrification (a word I made up during this season) of playing in front of him. I had moments of sheer terror while practicing. I had to learn to ignore those monsters so I could support Kirstin without falling apart when recording day came and the engineer would push the record button.

Hearing Phillip's genuine comment after our first song was a beautiful gift and a perfect way to start off the two days of recording. He was fabulous to work with!

Kirstin Myers (oboe, English horn), Kent Hooper (Recording engineer), Phillip Keveren (Arranger, producer), Frances Drost (pianist)
August 5, 2022

By November 4, 2022, we had our new Christmas album, Midwinter's Gift ready for release on Bandcamp and many streaming sites, including—of ALL places—Spotify. People responded. In fact, by November 15 (just 11 days after release day) we discovered we had charted at No. 13 on Billboard's Classical Crossover Album chart. 

After waking up on a Monday morning to an email notification from Alex at Billboard, I texted Kirstin and told her to check her email. I had forwarded the big news to her.

Now, Kirstin and I are very busy getting ready to tour, responding to sweet comments, filling orders and enjoying building a listener base on Spotify! We have filled that void and now Kirstin won't need to scroll through Spotify this Christmas looking for soothing, inspiring, elegant and classy oboe music. Way to go my friend! You've done it . . . and in world-class fashion.

Midwinter's Gift is our gift, first to ourselves as musicians, secondly to our families and the most fun surprise gift of all—a placement on the Billboard charts!

We think there might be something special about peanut butter blossom cookies . . . or maybe it's as simple as having an idea, setting a goal, following it through, giving it wings and watching it soar. Is that simple?!

Double Keyed is having fun watching our album help the world fall in love with double reeds. 

P.S. The instrument Kirstin is holding on the album cover is her English horn. The oboe is working through a bit of envy since it didn't make the front cover—but wants us to know that it is truly happy for the success of the English horn and is thrilled to be on Spotify.

You can order Midwinter's Gift CD here.

You can also find us pretty much everywhere on streaming services.

Cover photo and album artwork by Erick Anderson Photography, Nashville, TN

I wonder what kind of cookies Kirstin will be baking this December? ;-)

Double Keyed Announces 2022 Christmas Project

Frances Drost (Piano) and Kirstin Myers (Oboe/English Horn)

ABOUT Frances & KIRSTIN

It all started when I, (Kirstin Myers / oboe / English horn) was baking Christmas cookies. Somehow, the cookies inspired the idea for a Christmas album and so here we are….announcing our first recording project as Double Keyed—an instrumental piano/oboe/English horn project with classic Christmas songs arranged and produced by Nashville’s own Phillip Keveren.

Since Double Keyed initially connected because of my (Frances Drost / piano) Portraits of White Winter Concert, we felt it would be appropriate to make our first album a collection of favorite Christmas tunes!

About Us:

Frances Drost is a pianist and concert artist who began her own company, “Musical Creations” as a way to encourage people on their journey through life. Take years of life experiences distilled into “three-minute messages” of lyric and melody, interwoven with story-telling in between and you get the unique ministry of singer/songwriter Frances Drost.

Oboist Kirstin Myers holds degrees in Music Education and Oboe Performance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and in 1999 she graduated summa cum laude as a full scholarship recipient from Michigan State University with a Masters in Oboe Performance. For the past 21 years she has been on the faculty of Millersville University and York College of Pennsylvania and in 2016 was also appointed as oboe professor at Lebanon Valley College.

In addition to her collegiate appointments, she is the oboe instructor at York College’s YCPrep Community School and maintains a private studio at her home in the Lancaster area. Her students have gone on to win positions in LLMEA County, PMEA District, Regional, State and All-Eastern Bands & Orchestras. She currently performs with the York Symphony Orchestra, Berks Sinfonietta, Reading Pops Orchestra, Trio Jolie, The Silverwood Trio and most recently began collaborating with Frances as the duo “Double Keyed” performing a variety of classical and popular selections (and if Frances asks nicely, sometimes songs Frances wrote). She has also been part of the Portraits of White Annual Winter Concert for seven years.

More about Frances…

As both a singer and songwriter, Frances has a unique way of presenting real-life experiences and meaningful messages that are gently woven throughout her music.

• Frances has served for a total of over 16 years on staff as the Director of Worship at various churches and she brings that experience into her worship leading at conferences and churches. As a worship leader, she has shared many platforms with well-known author and Women of Faith speaker, Carol Kent. She has also shared the stage with Kay Arthur, Dee Brestin, Ruth Graham, Margaret Feinberg, Bonnie Keen, and Ellie Lofaro.
• Frances has also been featured as a guest on the Chris Fabry Live Radio Show.
• Frances is also a songwriter for Songs Of Love – a nonprofit organization that connects songwriters with terminally ill children. She has composed and recorded hundreds of songs for the families with their child as the star of the song.
• Her most recent release (June 2020) is a meditative solo piano project combining music with sounds of nature woven into classic hymns and hints of classical melodies. Perfect for your meditation moments, you’ll love Sunrise Meditations.
• “Portraits Of White” is a Christmas/Winter release filled with a beautiful wintery mix of familiar carols and new tunes, instrumentals and vocals. “Portraits of White” has turned into more than just a CD project; it is now a beautiful winter concert featuring a mix of songs from her winter album and beloved holiday favorites. The musical extravaganza also features other talented local musicians, including Kirstin Myers and that’s actually how they first met.
• In December 2016, Frances released a pop album titled “Brand New Me”. It’s an audio-journal of the work God has been doing in her life in the past decade and challenges audiences to believe that God can still change a heart and make you into a new creation.
• Frances was the winner of the 2009 Momentum Award for “Female Artist Of The Year” and was also nominated for “Inspirational Artist Of The Year” at the 2009 Momentum Awards ceremony in Nashville, TN.
• Frances and her husband, Tom, love to ride their Yamaha Vstars when the weather is perfect. 
• Frances has 3 indoor cats and has been known to feed most outdoor strays who come to visit.

More about Kirstin…

Kirstin has been a featured soloist in a multitude of musical groups, including:

• Johnstown Symphony
• Berks Sinfonietta
• Reading Pops Orchestra
• Millersville University Wind Ensemble
• IUP Symphony
• New Holland Band
• Lyric Band of Hanover.
• Kirstin was also 1st oboist of the New Holland Band for 16 years.
• In addition to her work as a freelance musician and teacher, she thoroughly enjoys spending time with her 3 musical children, 3 un-musical cats and her wonderfully supportive and great music aficionado husband, Ken.