Spider Woman - My name is Sue Lovan aka Spider Woman or just Spidy. I live at Lake of the Pines with my husband Dick (chief flute finisher), and we are next door neighbors to Dan and Sheree.

My story really begins when Dan started playing his flute in the morning and in the evening while feeding his dogs. Wherever I was or whatever I was doing, when Dan played his flute, the music found me. Whatever I was engaged in and the music was playing, and I didn’t know it, a strange feeling followed me and I had to stop doing whatever it was. When I stopped my activity I was able to hear this sweet melody, no matter how faint. A soft piercing to my soul. A haunting sound that moved me tremendously and I knew that I wanted to learn how to play.

For our Birthdays, Dan bought us a flute kit. Dick drilled the holes, sanded and finished the wood. It was beautiful but I could not play it. The holes were too far apart for my hands, (not Dicks fault), but those were the measurements.

Then Dan bought a PVC flute kit from the Oregon Flute Store. There were seven flutes total. All the flutes were white except one. This flute is sprayed black and in the key of “B”, and they gave it to me as a gift.

In the meantime we were playing Mary Youngblood’s music like crazy, ordering her songbooks with the tablature also from the Oregon Flute Store, and listening to other Native American Music. We were privileged enough to get tickets to see Mary in concert in Grass Valley. What a thrill, and in the meantime, my “little black beauty”, was beginning to sing. I would play along to all her music in the key of “B”. I apologized to my husband and my dog for my inexperience, and not too many plants wilted.

Time passed and again I was given the gift of a wood flute. This flute came from Jim Pappas and is in the key of “E”. I am truly amazed at the diversity in wood flutes. Each one has its own story and its own song to be heard if I take the time to listen.

When we would get together, our fears melted and we were like children. So many questions, so many over-blows, and so much enthusiasm.

Everyday is wondrous as I learn of the miracle in wood, and the music that flows forth. We have had some very magical moments playing our flutes together, as the sound of the spheres surround us and travels through us and out our flutes: and nature is alive again.

Spider Woman
Spider is the symbol of the Osage,

May...
May our drums beat as one
May our flutes sing our song of beauty that is within
As we come together
To honor one another
May our hearts beat to the rhythm of the universe
May our animals enjoy our music
and
May Reika learn to eat off a fork

Spidy
March 26 2006