Music, Music, Music

The Irish/Celtic music is calling me today and it isn't even St. Patrick's (Pádraig) Day!  For the past three days I've been listening to some of one of my new CDs of the most fabulous world music - in my humble opinion of course.

It's amazing to me how music is such a driving force in our world these days.  Everyone seems to have an MP3 player of some kind, and it seems everyone walking, running, or even driving past me these days seems to be groovin' to some tune!

As a child of the 60s I was exposed to so many music genres and I learned early to love folk and of course the early forms of Irish music that hit our shores here in the States.  (I also have to admit there was a certain bit of rock music that I enjoyed as well!)  But since my life has developed a craziness about it lately I've seemed to be going back to my musical roots.  From the Irish and Celtic, to the many shades of folk and folk/rock I find myself deeply immersing myself wherever I happen to be - in my car, on my iPod, or on my home stereo.

My biggest challenge this year has been to put together compilations and share the music with my grandkids.  And I have certainly discovered they love it as much as I do!  From those good ole songs of the folk era during the 60s, to my constant companion the Irish music, they are enjoying and singing the tunes wherever we are at the top of our lungs!  We have even drowned out a few thumping cars at the stop lights which I can not believe!  The looks we get as those occupants heard the thumping beat of our song, "We're the Boys of Belfast," by the Irish Rovers will stay with me for a very long time!

Yes, I believe music drives all of us these days, as it has throughout the centuries.  Whether it was through listening to the organ, lute, tape player, CD player, or MP3 player we certainly all can find our own personal groove any time we want, and thankfully music has always been a source of fun and that's been a great thing!

T'is the Season!

The season of green has come again. No, not springtime! It's that season of the Irish better known as St. Patrick's Day! if I am honest today it is also crocus day since my first crocus is blooming, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

This is what I saw a week ago next to our home - the first greens of the daffodils. There's not much here, but just those tips conveyed such hope!



Today we had such long and waving daffodil leaves! The smallest wind set them to dancing.





And then, I walked the yard and found this tiny fragile flower - but it certainly was not the only one in the garden!







This deep purple wonder
caught my eye a moment later.



I have to admit, it is St. Patrick's Day and the sun is shining, but it also seems that spring has chosen the day to make her appearance in her fancy garb!

Happy Springtime everyone!

Ireland's Call

The end of that once a year green day is upon us. The phenomena which is St. Patrick's Day always amazes me...to many people it is simply a drinking holiday that as an aside is a way to raise a pint to the Saint for whom this day is remembered. But there is so much more to this simple day which is more remembered for the color green, than the country who has survived a painful history.

The 17th of March is a celebration of the saint who returned to Ireland after being held as a slave there during his early life. He thought the peoples of this Ireland were worth the deep dedication he gave them the rest of his life. From then to the push for freedom from 1912 to 1922 this special day became a rallying point for many who stood for the rights of those who were the Irish. The day still gives a sense of pride even today for those of us who share a familial link to the country of Ireland.

From shamrocks that supposedly stood for the way St. Patrick shared the trinity, to the color green that is so intensely a part of the country and the image which has become synonymous with its beautiful land and people.

Here the color green can mean all the newness that is spring, but in the country of Ireland it has always stood for the way the people have look to each new day as a gift of new beginnings...I think we can learn a great deal from this little island that has spread it's most famous holiday all over the world.