The hawthorn tree behind the house is in full bloom, and the young Winter King hawthorn, planted in our garden three springs ago with buried offerings, is close to blooming. This evening I stepped out and tied ribbons on its branches in honor of Beltane. After a long, difficult break, I am harping again. It [...]
Filed under: Holidays | Tagged: Beltane, David Kortier, historical harp, Historical Replica, Lament, Queen Mary harp, Simon Chadwick, Trinity College harp | 1 Comment »
It’s Imbolc, or Brigid, the first day of Spring on the Celtic calendar. Crocuses are in flower in the garden, and the sun visited for the entire day. In honor of Brigid, patroness of smithcraft, poetry and healing, and in observance of the 6th annual Brigid poetry festival by some people I know, let’s listen [...]
Filed under: Holidays | Tagged: Brigid, clairseach, clarsach, Imbolc, Lament, Pibroch, Piobaireachd, poetry, Portland, singing | 6 Comments »
It’s Samhain (Halloween) night, and I’m playing harp in the front room in between visits from trick or treaters, who are thick on the ground this year. We’ve had nearly 30 visitors to our door, which may be a new record for this house. I’m working on a piobaireachd with Simon, my teacher, and at [...]
Filed under: Holidays | Tagged: Ancestors, Ceol Mor, Halloween, Lament, Pibroch, Piobaireachd, practicing, Samhain | 3 Comments »
