Music Monday - Scarborough Fair

Now that it is officially *summer*, the outdoor fairs (art or otherwise) commence in earnest. It always reminds me of this song...

Music Monday - Beyond the Sea

Love this performance.....

Music Monday - Auld Lang Syne

 - cuz it's about that time! (This version via Celtic Woman):

Music Monday - The Voice (and May Day!)

I love this piece from Celtic Woman. Seems appropriate for Beltane -

(And oh! I love those drummers! Wow..Want them banging drums in my gardens out back - kind of  every day, all of the time :-).

 To celebrate the new month, a friend and I went to Camlann for Mayfest.

 It's been such a damp, cool spring - everything was totally moss and fern encrusted.

 We spent some time chatting with the village candle-maker. Hearing about her process, and materials (there is a history lesson in every character here!), and it was certainly nice to stand by her fire!

 Heard about the various things used for dyes - especially for those near-black 'corpse candles'...

Also got to spend quite a bit of time talking with the blacksmith. He was very chatty and told us much about working iron vs. working steel... 

 My friend Michelle even got in the act and got to pound a bit on the steel knife blade he was working on.

 There were musicians playing in the background -

 Sheep anxiously awaiting to be shorn -

 Costumes were worn, games were played -

 Floral garlands were made -

-a medieval lunch was had, and then we headed out to a magical garden center, full of plants and animals. 

Pictures of *that* adventure will come anon!

A happy May to you!

Belated Music Monday - plus reunions..

This past week, my husband and I went to retrieve our son who has been away from home the past 2 years serving a mission for our church.

(Here is Celtic Woman's version of 'Beyond the Sea' - which is a lovely reunion sort of song...)

It was wonderful to see him again. But our daughter was not able to take that much time off from school, so today I drove my son up to WWU to see her.

It was very gratifying to watch. :-)

It's great having them both at hand for a bit. :-)

Music Monday - Beyond the Sea (Retreat, Part II)

I spent the bulk of the retreat looking at, or walking along the water (an inlet of Puget Sound), so I am accompanying today's water-themed photos with this magically atmospheric version of "Beyond the Sea", sung by Celtic Woman:

This was our view of the Sound from our deck (tide going out)....

Entry to the beach (low tide) -

The neighboring cove (tide coming in...)

One of our many low-tide strolls along the rocky shore....

Exposed oyster bed (low low tide). Makes me start reciting 'The Walrus and the Carpenter"...

A sighting of the Olympics in the distance (tide coming back in) -

...and beautiful sunsets....

...every night....

...beyond the sea....