A most unusual gig...
21/05/10 14:41
We played Saturday
afternoon, for most wonderful family…
An elderly man named John, hired us for an unusual, and rather heart warming gig. We were engaged to play for his family at a ‘party’ at his home… which we learned, was his very own… Irish Wake.
Finding out that he was terminally ill, John decided, rather than wait… he wanted to throw a huge party NOW… and celebrate life, and his family – while he could be there himself - to enjoy it. So with his beloved ones gathered around him, he gloried in the beautiful afternoon, spent with his family and dear friends who came from near and far.
Honestly, isn’t this what living should really be all about? Being with who you really love, doing what makes you happy? Everything else will fall into place... John didn't wait... he's living now and he celebrated life. What a beautiful lesson we can take from this… We must live each day, each moment like it really IS your last… and be with who you truly love… Just BE happy!
I saw this family throughout the day, leaning on each other, bonding, holding, supporting, loving, recalling the past, laughing over things, crying over things, and all the while, the children and grand children were romping & playing. The air rang with the children’s laughter, and our tunes…
This was a bittersweet day... Friends and family gathering together to celebrate life, and love and through the harder moments of scattered tears… But I saw through it all, that it was really about a love that will never be lost… and will – for certain, be found again on the other side - of this hard time they were facing…
The celebration of the life of a wonderful, and much admired man… who just wanted to be there, and to see it lived to the fullest, by his family.
Though I’d just met them, it seemed to be a beautiful life lesson he imparted. LIVE, LOVE and enjoy... this isn’t a dress rehearsal… do what you really want… now.
God Bless you John… and God Bless your family…
Read More...
An elderly man named John, hired us for an unusual, and rather heart warming gig. We were engaged to play for his family at a ‘party’ at his home… which we learned, was his very own… Irish Wake.
Finding out that he was terminally ill, John decided, rather than wait… he wanted to throw a huge party NOW… and celebrate life, and his family – while he could be there himself - to enjoy it. So with his beloved ones gathered around him, he gloried in the beautiful afternoon, spent with his family and dear friends who came from near and far.
Honestly, isn’t this what living should really be all about? Being with who you really love, doing what makes you happy? Everything else will fall into place... John didn't wait... he's living now and he celebrated life. What a beautiful lesson we can take from this… We must live each day, each moment like it really IS your last… and be with who you truly love… Just BE happy!
I saw this family throughout the day, leaning on each other, bonding, holding, supporting, loving, recalling the past, laughing over things, crying over things, and all the while, the children and grand children were romping & playing. The air rang with the children’s laughter, and our tunes…
This was a bittersweet day... Friends and family gathering together to celebrate life, and love and through the harder moments of scattered tears… But I saw through it all, that it was really about a love that will never be lost… and will – for certain, be found again on the other side - of this hard time they were facing…
The celebration of the life of a wonderful, and much admired man… who just wanted to be there, and to see it lived to the fullest, by his family.
Though I’d just met them, it seemed to be a beautiful life lesson he imparted. LIVE, LOVE and enjoy... this isn’t a dress rehearsal… do what you really want… now.
God Bless you John… and God Bless your family…
Read More...
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May Day... Beltane Celebration!
02/05/10 09:13
On the
beautiful, balmy evening of April 30th... We
gathered with a few of our musical friends...
and welcomed in Spring time! After the
long, cold, snowy winter... Spring has come,
curtained in the wonderful scent of flowers, earth,
moss and pine. We welcomed it's imminent
approach, and I couldn't help but feel the
anticipation - for the wonderful evenings that are
right around the corner and so quickly approaching...
and I can't wait to feel the breezes that
usually caress the evenings... after working in
the garden during the day here at the shore.
So this evening... we played lively tunes... and sang OHHH so many wonderful songs - over at "The Irish Peddler" in Brick, NJ... This is a lovely shop run by Laura Seigel Lynch... And FYI... If you haven't checked out her Irish shop yet... you're missing a great treasure... she's got a lovely variety of nice items there, very moderately priced... and if you're looking for that perfect gift for someone... (or yourself!) you will probably find it there! I indulged myself... after we'd played a good part of the evening... when I discovered a most beautiful, Moonstone ring... set in stirling silver... that - struck me as a perfect accessory for the rather mystical, etherial feeling of the night... I'm NOT an impulse purchase kinda girl... but... this just CALLED me!
So now I guess you're wondering... WHAT IS Beltane? It's the celebration of what we refer to as "May Day" - is... But in the Celtic Genre... "Beltane" is the magical celebration of springtime & new life... In ancient Celtic times... it was believed that on this day - the veil between the human world and the magical world was the thinnest... so that the fairies could come and intermingle with us... and make merry and - of course... mischief! In preparation of this day... folks placed garlands of rowan and hawthorne around their doors to keep the mischievous fairies AWAY!
But for this evening... being the "Plan B" kinda girl i am... I figured... if the garlands didn't keep the mischievous fairies away... maybe the sight of what could possibly be perceived as an amazon sized - six foot tall 'fairy' - just might! No mischief goin' on here thank you!!! haha!
Now, folks here in our good old USA use to celebrate Beltane - but we had known it as "May Day"... and we use to put up a "May Pole" to dance around... bedecked with shimmering ribbons of vibrant, brilliant multitudes of colors... Each dancer would hold the end of the ribbon... and circle the pole, dancing for joy... We also used baskets brimming with flowers... for decorating, and then... sometimes even create a little gift of some sort... usually a basket with a few Spring flowers bound in a pretty ribbon... and leave them on a door step for a favorite friend to discover first thing in the morning... or some kind of small token, mystery surprise that you felt might bring a smile to someone you adored... It was a fun distraction from our every day lives... that we'd hope would bring a smile and unexpected joy to a friend. But now I think... why did we stop doing this? Have our lives gotten too busy to remember to do a ramdom act of kindness... perhaps... Hum... just something to think about!
So enjoy your day! Embrace beauty! Show someone - a random act of kindness... and more likely than not... it will come back to you ten fold...
Read More...
So this evening... we played lively tunes... and sang OHHH so many wonderful songs - over at "The Irish Peddler" in Brick, NJ... This is a lovely shop run by Laura Seigel Lynch... And FYI... If you haven't checked out her Irish shop yet... you're missing a great treasure... she's got a lovely variety of nice items there, very moderately priced... and if you're looking for that perfect gift for someone... (or yourself!) you will probably find it there! I indulged myself... after we'd played a good part of the evening... when I discovered a most beautiful, Moonstone ring... set in stirling silver... that - struck me as a perfect accessory for the rather mystical, etherial feeling of the night... I'm NOT an impulse purchase kinda girl... but... this just CALLED me!
So now I guess you're wondering... WHAT IS Beltane? It's the celebration of what we refer to as "May Day" - is... But in the Celtic Genre... "Beltane" is the magical celebration of springtime & new life... In ancient Celtic times... it was believed that on this day - the veil between the human world and the magical world was the thinnest... so that the fairies could come and intermingle with us... and make merry and - of course... mischief! In preparation of this day... folks placed garlands of rowan and hawthorne around their doors to keep the mischievous fairies AWAY!
But for this evening... being the "Plan B" kinda girl i am... I figured... if the garlands didn't keep the mischievous fairies away... maybe the sight of what could possibly be perceived as an amazon sized - six foot tall 'fairy' - just might! No mischief goin' on here thank you!!! haha!
Now, folks here in our good old USA use to celebrate Beltane - but we had known it as "May Day"... and we use to put up a "May Pole" to dance around... bedecked with shimmering ribbons of vibrant, brilliant multitudes of colors... Each dancer would hold the end of the ribbon... and circle the pole, dancing for joy... We also used baskets brimming with flowers... for decorating, and then... sometimes even create a little gift of some sort... usually a basket with a few Spring flowers bound in a pretty ribbon... and leave them on a door step for a favorite friend to discover first thing in the morning... or some kind of small token, mystery surprise that you felt might bring a smile to someone you adored... It was a fun distraction from our every day lives... that we'd hope would bring a smile and unexpected joy to a friend. But now I think... why did we stop doing this? Have our lives gotten too busy to remember to do a ramdom act of kindness... perhaps... Hum... just something to think about!
So enjoy your day! Embrace beauty! Show someone - a random act of kindness... and more likely than not... it will come back to you ten fold...
Read More...