About Us

The redhead with two dogs meets the lassie down the street with two dogs. They commit to jam every Tuesday night on their ukuleles, non-stop! And, non-stop they do. Eventually their ukulele collection gets out of hand (you know how we ukulele lovers are.) They soon discover that when they show up with their ukuleles, magic happens. The magic that only music can bring!

We like to keep it short and sweet. Actually, one of is short, the other … well, we’ll let you decide. After bopping around the uke scene, we got antsy! Hence, with divine guidance, and a little bit of pixie dust, the Sassy Lassie Ukulele Retreat was born ... seven years ago. 

This is us … the highlights. The lowlights are in a bank vault in Bermuda.

• 6,000 years of ukulele experience (well, it feels like it because we’ve had so much fun!).
• The ability to communicate with all species of ukulele.
• Multilingual in 1,364 musical languages.
• The ability to recuperate from   10  hours  of  strumming  by  waking  up  and  strumming  all  over again.  
• The ability to believe we sound like Annie Lennox when we might sound like Bob Dylan.
• Time travelers who never escaped the sixties (even though we were only 7-years-old.)
• Flunk-outs of all wind instruments.

Diana Donlon is an energetic redhead whose superpower allows her to be a plan-a-freaking-maniac. Whether she is orchestrating girls’ nights, large-scale women’s expos, publishing a magazine, planning staycations, vacations, or a simple picnic, she just can’t stop. 

She wears many hats, with her favorite being the giant peacock feathered, award-winning hat at the latest high tea fundraiser. 

She has enjoyed more than 30 years in the music education arena throughout the midwest and southwest Florida. Wearing her responsible day hat, she has toured as an artist-in-residence, published award-winning books and music, written curriculum, developed programs through symphonic orchestras, and she currently teaches piano, ukulele and voice in her private home studio, and at a school in southwest Florida where her students begin their ukulele experience in kindergarten. 

Her inspirational style and passion for teaching has been described as “a breath of fresh air.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SASSY LASSIES SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES

"We had so much fun. What I remember most from the very first time was your guidance and encouragement to put ourselves out there. I fell in love with a microphone and became an insufferable mic hog. May the Sassies live on! Thank you for making it all happen."

-Virginia

"Another great magical weekend. It was great! Thank you for coordinating."

-Claudia

"Thanks for organizing the retreat. It was so much fun."

-Julie

"Thank you for inspiring me! You have helped me step out of my comfort zone."

- Abigail

I  have  always  wanted  to  learn  how to  play  an  instrument,  and  now I  can!  I  love  playing  the  ukulele.  Much  thanks  for  guiding  me with  my  new  hobby.  You  both  are  the  best.  I  recommend   the  Sassies  without  reservation! 

 -Pat

Carole Morris-McHugh is from Scotland and grew up playing the bagpipes, dancing at ceilidhs, and roaming in the gloaming. Well, not exactly, but it does sound romantic!

In the corporate world, she was a professional writer and communications consultant. In the non-corporate world, after a very early retirement, she is now a music-loving gypsy. Well, she doesn’t have a gaily-painted wooden caravan, she recently traded it in for a very cute Mini Cooper.

Carole has had musical experiences and adventures while living in Scotland, Toronto, New Jersey, Houston, Vancouver, and Florida, and traveling to too many places to mention.

No matter where she is living, she loves to give back to her community. Over the years she has been a volunteer ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher - helping clients develop a lovely Scottish accent along the way. (Salty swearing forbidden.) She has also had incredibly rewarding volunteer experience with Hospice, and with several dog rescue and Humane Society groups.

Playing the ukulele and singing gives her ultimate joy! She has too many pastimes to list, tops for her are cross stitching, fire walking, dog walking and cliff diving. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What  an outrageous, amazing weekend! I needed this time away so bad, and then ... this weekend exceeded all my expectation. There's nothing better than music, laughter,, newfound friends, good wine, and no curfew. Thank you Sassies! You rock."

-Helen

"I love your dedication to the Sassy Lassies. It was great spending quality time with wonderful women and adding great songs to our repertoire."

-Lulu

"A truly magical weekend indeed, thank you both for such a pleasure to meet you and the others - really harmonizing group, felt friends for ever!! Magical! You are incredible ladies. Such a feel-good time through music. THE best!!!"

-Joanne

"You both have such a beautiful passion for music and it shows in your retreat."

- Nicole