As much as I love the dark, inclusive days – and more so, the long dark nights - of Winter... not just because they lay far from the hot tasks of summer… but because I'm a New England girl at heart... and love the snow... But there are times when the dreariness of Winter, when it's just -rain- rain- and more rain... becomes just a bit too daunting.

Now… if it were snowing outside instead… covering the weary world in pure, clean, white frosting… glistening the way a new day does, when you wake to find it - freshly blanketed in white…

hum…yes, then maybe if there were snow - this dismal funk wouldn't be so bad… and it would be much easier to content myself with being indoors… But instead - the grey, mundane rain we've had - as of late - has been bleakly - dragging me down… Waking in the dark morning... to streaking tears of rain streaming down the window glass, and the new day's sky... bloated, grey, heavy and dark... ugh... the rain just never seems to end.

So... I climb the stairs to the studio… my quiet haven…
streaching up towards my wonderful retreat... away from the rest of the world… where I can just ‘be’… in no other company but the tops of the mulberry trees outside the window, the steeples from the local churches… and oh yes, “Kalija” - my 6’ wooden, cigar store Indian… but he never really has very much to say...

The stove blazes up fast… thankfully, because there’s no other heat source up here… and it’s a welcome warmth - which chases off the rawness of the day.
So it’s here I can think… write, focus… and learn. Where I can turn the odd crystal of my life - around and around, and examine all the angles, fractures, sides and prisms… I always notice - the refractive, casted colors… that only gleam - to shine forth – when bathed in only certain light… but then… suddenly gone, dark and vacant – in the lights from other sources…

It's interesting how within the fractures - where the crystal has been broken through trials of times - now has many, irredescent glimmers that hold magnificent colors and hues... and that wouldn't ever exist - had there not been the fractures at all... but again - thats only seen - only revealed - under a certain light.

And so... it's here - (obviously)... where my mind rambles about... where no one bothers me… and I absolutely revel - in the solitude… where it's just me - and the wind in the trees. It’s a place that makes me feel better – oddly… when the world’s been particularly horrid… Where I can light my candles, and incense… and hide for awhile… I always thought I’d probably make a good hermit… as long as I could go out for sushi, or a music session - once in a while…

I love playing fiddle up here… tilting back in my chair… bare feet up on my desk… (anyone who knows me even remotely... knows I can't play fiddle - with shoes on) But i love rambling through fiddle tunes... and picking up new ones - with no other demands on me - other than listening… and replicating what I hear... and commiting them to memory.

I like to paint on the walls up here too… my latest endeavor was a pine tree I painted behind the wood stove…

I found a young cedar tree outside… cut it down, sliced the trunk - in half, nailed both halvs to the wall - and made the branches grow from it…(with a brushes & paint). The tree though, ended up growing out - over the door, but I like it... so I went with it...

On the opposite wall is a prior project I tackled a while back...
A pear tree… which was my first tree... I had never tried to paint before...

Though... coming from a line of artists... (my mom who does magnificent work in oils... my aunt, in charcoals, pastels, oils... and my grandmother who could paint in any medium she chose... in addition to being a magnificent sculptor) so I guess... it was in me all along... but just came out on the walls... (why try to be normal at this point?)

I painted a huge willow tree on my studio wall… but decided - half way through, that I wanted instead a 4’ wide… full Moon there... That will be my next undertaking… maybe when it snows... I'll post pics...

So I'm just loving my sanctuary... my studio. No phone… no TV… just the recording equipment, iMac… a few fiddles, a few 12 string guitars… dulcimers, and a herd of assorted drums… (most of which are used as coffee tables)... weird perhaps, but it works for me.
Read More...

The entire band… is leaving on a Celtic adventure… leaving myself & Philip behind… to hold down the fort... so to speak… without all the “Boys”.

It’s times like these… that make me look close… at the band, their individual inputs and the treasured value each member holds to me - in “the Boys of County O’Cean”

We’ll be - without Bob… our steady rhythm guitar and octave mandolin… who’s always able to apparently land on his feet when he gets thrown under the bus, (and HEY… I only DO that - cause I like him!) haha… Bob can figure out any key quickly… and often gives me these big - raised eyebrow looks = (non-verbal questions, usually during a tune) that I somehow understand… but he never complains…

Without Lyn.. the percussive heart beat of the band - who remembers ALL the stuff I seem to forget, (including lyrics) always has a bag of musical toys for children who are near… (egg shakers are her specialty)… and who’s always on ‘the watch’... for without her - OOf!!! I can’t even imagine…

Without Rich… and his cheerful banjo tunes, his honest approach to music, his sideways and often wry humor… not to mention his songs that I often make him laugh -during… (what IS a ‘blunderbuss’ ANYWAY Rich?) and his ever watchful eye and sensing.

Without Frank… our sweet, whistling boy from County Lietrum… with his cute accent, his fine songs, whistle and flute playing, his great insights to Celtic traditions that always make us smile, his quick wit and humor… ah… our dear, unorganized Frank…
And I know it’s not just when our dear ‘boys’ are going to be away - that I recognize their real value to us as a band… no. I am always cognizant of how incredibly fortunate we are. I see it, at each gig, each week… what a wonderful bond, blend & connection we have with each other. How we come in to support each other and blend to compliment the tunes…

It’s always humbling for me - to have the honor of playing music with such fine musicians… and have them as such wonderful friends. It’s so amazing that each one of us… play tunes – to make each other sound as best as we can... Not one of us tries to out play the others… or take over… or be louder, (except for Phil on the ‘louder’ part… but he can’t help it really… he plays the Uilleann pipes) But even with that kind of teasing…I know Phil has the same level of sensitivity.

So I’m excited to welcome Eileen McIntyre back to Session while the “Boys” are away. She plays a beautiful Celtic Harp… and we’ve had the pleasure to play a few weddings with her – and it’s always a joy to play tunes with Eileen!

We will also – I think… will have Eric Pedrotty coming by to sing and play Octive Mandolin and a bit of drum. Eric hails from the wonderful band - “The Bantry Boys” - and sometimes comes to sit in with us - on Tuesday nights… His powerful singing voice – and amazing command of his songs is breath taking… and he plays an aerobic octive mando - with amazing - energy.

So this session… should be REALLY interesting! Don’t miss it! Tuesday evening… January 31, 2012… St. Stephen’s Green Public House – 7 to 10 pm!

Read More...

I know it's been a while since I've updated the "Tunes to Share" section here on my website.. But I'm hoping to change some things in this new year.... and be more diligent with updating things more...

I post it here, because no one would expect the new tunes, since I've been so slow with posting them.
Here's a set of tunes we learned from one of our co-session leaders
at St. Stephen's Green Public House - our own - Rich Braughtigam...

Rich - always delights the house when he kicks off this set on his Banjo... It's a lively, happy, toe tapping Americana kinda set. To me... it has that real flag waiving... "God Bless America" feel to it... Check the other tunes I've added in the "Tunes to Share" section here... ---------->

The first tune is "The Girl I left Behind"... and goes into "Rakes of Mallow"... which... at the time I recorded it... couldn't remember the name... Girl I Left Behind + Rakes of Mallow Read More...

The East was getting hit with - yet again – more raw, wet weather this week... and in the bone chilling dampness of the day – I found myself rushing in anticipation - to get a toasty fire going in the wood stove, as the dark day drew to a close. The warmth of the blaze, quickly took the chill off the house... and it was WAY too easy to draw up a big, comphy rocker up by the fire, grab my fiddle... and settle in for the night - right there.

Then... I heard a little 'ratt-a-tatt-tatt" at my door... and found my dear friend Bonnie, after she'd had a long, weary week as well. She was clasping her harp in hand... and had her dulcimer tucked under her arm.

We rode out the raging storm – as it pelted the windows with driving sleet (huh?! In October?!?!) and bitter cold, blustery gusts... but it didn't seem to matter much... for we sat by the fire, filling the night with our music - till it brimmed over with tunes, that cheerfully drifted in the air.... and it was all, generously mixed with a combination of laughter, chatting, and a wee bit of wine!

We are working on a few harp & fiddle duets, and a fiddle/Mt Dulcimer duet… for "Music by the Bay" next weekend... Bonnie Leigh & I will both be teaching there... Bonnie's teaching Mountain Dulcimer workshops, and I'll be teaching a couple Fiddle workshops... I just hope we can get these duets down for the concert... cause we can't seem to stay out of mischief long enough to really focus!!! That's what happens I guess… when two Scandinavian, wild women get together! Look OUT! LOL!
It was a wonderful evening!
Read More...

The fifth annual Music By the Bay – has come around all ready and it seems it's gonna be better than EVER!!!

Last year was awesome... lots of music, laughter... old friends and new friends... it was wonderful!

Starting Friday evening – November 4th – and running through Sunday afternoon, November 6th… there will be endless fun things to do for just about everyone!

Phil will be teaching a few Irish Whistle workshops geared towards novice – intermediate players.

Jennifer will be teaching a couple Irish fiddle workshops – also geared towards novice – to intermediate players… or anyone who has a basic understanding of the instrument. She will give you the basic tune – in small pieces… and build piece by piece until the tune is learned… adding in embellishments and bowing techniques as the tune is grasped by the class. She’s planning on teaching a set of reels, and a set of jigs per class.

An audio recording device is recommended for the workshops… so you can take the tunes home with you.

Of course, there’s an assortment of music workshops - Mountain dulcimer, Hammered dulcimer, mandolin, bodhran… as well as artistic workshops and nature walks, basketry things and some awesome vendors as well.

There will be the legendary Bing Futch coming in from down south – to teach some hoppin’ mt. dulcimer workshops, and our favorite, hometown girl - also teaching mountain dulcimer… Bonnie Leigh.

Now... rumor has it... Bonnie & Jennifer are planning on doing a few duets for the concert... harp & fiddle... if they can get through tunes without raising a ruckus or causing too much mischief that is!!!

There’s also a concert on Friday evening after dinner, followed by a jam session… And an awards ceremony for one of our local musicians on Saturday, followed by a concert and another jam! Should be a FUN weekend… set in the beautiful scenic pinelands along the waters of the Barnegat Bay!

For more information, visit the website: for Music by the Bay

Read More...