I was asked to play at Tattershall Castle in Lincolnshire yesterday. Whilst I sat freezing in the great hall playing the harp Dave and Jack were left to explore the village. They started with the Church and found Tom Thumb's grave. It never occurred to me that he really existed. He died in 1620 aged 101 and was 47 cm high apparantly. There is a lovely photo of 'his house' on Tattershall village website - it is perched high on the roof of another house so small you can hardly notice it from the ground!
The castle itself was impressive but the moat was dry. It is normally fed from the river but they have had to close the sluice gates because of lack of rain ... (YES!) no such luck here!!! I am fed up of squelching everywhere in wellies and getting stuck. Anyway I might go back - the knights (booked to fight outside) and the National Trust were very impressed and took cards.
We are catching up slowly after a horrendous year. The harp 'Mystical' which did its first gig in May last year continues to amaze me - it sounds absolutely beautiful and multi-strung harps are like wine - they improve with age. I will never hear it at its best which I reckon to be about 100-200 years from now.
You have to look after harps though - a warning - I have collected 2 harps with central heating damage this week. The wood dries out and every joint comes apart and the harp is damaged permanently. If you have musical instruments in a heated house leave them well away from heat - they like CONSTANT TEMPERATURE. Leave WATER in a dish somewhere near for moisture.
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Thursday, 19 January 2012
The lost Bell
I have lost a bell ... and ... yes ... I do think that Father Christmas borrowed it and forgot to give it back! Bells are extremely difficult to get hold of. A few years ago hand bells were in every Christmas catalogue but not now alas.
This particular bell was my lament bell. These bells used to be wrapped in linen to dull the sound at funerals. I shall keep looking and will have to improvise until I find it!
I am performing at The Square Chapel tomorrow (Friday 20th January) - starts at 8 pm. I have an amazing set of people who follow my music and I love the fact that music brings together people together.
Nearly the entire set has been written by my husband, Dave. (In true spirit of: 'If you can't beat 'em, join 'em'!) We start in Ethiopia, 3,000 years ago ...
Come and listen - see you there?
This particular bell was my lament bell. These bells used to be wrapped in linen to dull the sound at funerals. I shall keep looking and will have to improvise until I find it!
I am performing at The Square Chapel tomorrow (Friday 20th January) - starts at 8 pm. I have an amazing set of people who follow my music and I love the fact that music brings together people together.
Nearly the entire set has been written by my husband, Dave. (In true spirit of: 'If you can't beat 'em, join 'em'!) We start in Ethiopia, 3,000 years ago ...
Come and listen - see you there?
Monday, 9 January 2012
scared of the dark
Our young lad, Jack, is scared of the dark. Has to sleep with the light on. Every night our two donkeys come into their warm and dry, cosy, stable for the night. The last two weekends the weather has been atrocious and some days we have left them inside. (Donkeys are not waterproof so they need to have decent shelter.)
They pestered us to let them out this weekend even though the rain and sleet blew in from the West. Every night Jack and I had to take the torch and squelch through the mud to bring them in. We have a long narrow field that heads down hill by the side of a deep goit. (When I was a child the word goit meant a ditch but round here it is much bigger - a ravine.) Half way down is a Roman wishing well called a Keld and quite a lot of trees. The donkeys, however, decided the most sheltered place was right at the bottom where the stream comes out of the ravine but the field takes a steep dip.
The mud is so deep in places that Jack's wellies get stuck. Of course your legs keep on walking so he ends up taking a very cold step before he realises. I don't use a torch because I like the dark and the moon but Jack takes the biggest torch he can find. This gives shadows and it has taken him two trips before he realises that its best to walk without ... and that the dark is not as scarey afterall!
When Flossy comes up the hill she wanders in zig-zags and knows exactly where it is driest. We tried to lead her but she was adamant and now she leads us. We are always followed by the kitten, Stix. His white paws show up in the dark and his bell can just be heard through the howling wind.
They pestered us to let them out this weekend even though the rain and sleet blew in from the West. Every night Jack and I had to take the torch and squelch through the mud to bring them in. We have a long narrow field that heads down hill by the side of a deep goit. (When I was a child the word goit meant a ditch but round here it is much bigger - a ravine.) Half way down is a Roman wishing well called a Keld and quite a lot of trees. The donkeys, however, decided the most sheltered place was right at the bottom where the stream comes out of the ravine but the field takes a steep dip.
The mud is so deep in places that Jack's wellies get stuck. Of course your legs keep on walking so he ends up taking a very cold step before he realises. I don't use a torch because I like the dark and the moon but Jack takes the biggest torch he can find. This gives shadows and it has taken him two trips before he realises that its best to walk without ... and that the dark is not as scarey afterall!
When Flossy comes up the hill she wanders in zig-zags and knows exactly where it is driest. We tried to lead her but she was adamant and now she leads us. We are always followed by the kitten, Stix. His white paws show up in the dark and his bell can just be heard through the howling wind.
Saturday, 31 December 2011
the cat hat
I managed to stall the camper van in the middle of a busy roundabout and the very next car to pass was the police .... arghhhhh! I was stressed and they very kindly asked if I was okay. I said yes and willed the camper (called ginge) into action. It stumbled across and promptly stalled again but this time I made it look like I had parked it and the police drove off. Then I realised I had my birthday hat on. Dave actually said 'if I knew you were going to wear it I would never have bought it' ... hmmmmmm. It is made out of leopard skin fake fur and has large cat ears on top lined with pink.
We have had a change round so I am sat at a newly-donated computer (thanks Dave). I have promised not to ever place magnets anywhere near it so this means I can catch up.
I have finally managed to clear out some of the kids stuff which was hoarded all the way round the house. I cried as I went through school books and toys and the memories flooded back! All in all though it HAD to be done.
I have some very exciting news about the new harp but it can wait until the next ...
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
We have had a change round so I am sat at a newly-donated computer (thanks Dave). I have promised not to ever place magnets anywhere near it so this means I can catch up.
I have finally managed to clear out some of the kids stuff which was hoarded all the way round the house. I cried as I went through school books and toys and the memories flooded back! All in all though it HAD to be done.
I have some very exciting news about the new harp but it can wait until the next ...
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Wednesday, 28 December 2011
its not just me who has bad days
We were supposed to be on the radio before Christmas - to promote Dave's new book and all the music to go with it. I rang the presenter on the Sunday evening to confirm and, yes, she said we had an hour on air the following Wednesday.
It was Dave's first ever radio interview and he spent hours getting his text ready and sorting out quotes. Imagine our dismay when we arrived at the Radio Station to find another couple waiting, with the same time slot ...
They told us the presenter had rung them up in desperation the day before to fill that hour and they had only travelled from around the corner so we could take the hour with pleasure. Lovely people.
The interview started. The Presenter couldn't remember my name, or Daves, or the books!!! Dave ignored all this and he started well. I played the first tune on the harp (too long, Dave said, but I got stuck in a loop - NERVES!!!!). Then there was a knock on the door and it was over! Dave and I looked at each other in disbelief whilst the Presenter welcomed the next guest ...
To add salt to the wound the answerphone was flashing when we got home. Guess who?
The Presenter ... just confirming that a lady called Rachel was coming to be interviewed that day at 2 pm. She had to listen to the message first saying who she had rung up ...
Very sad really that no-one got to listen to the amazing quotes from Dave's book - which means you'll just have to come to The Square Chapel, Halifax on the 20th ...!
(see you there?) (8 pm)
It was Dave's first ever radio interview and he spent hours getting his text ready and sorting out quotes. Imagine our dismay when we arrived at the Radio Station to find another couple waiting, with the same time slot ...
They told us the presenter had rung them up in desperation the day before to fill that hour and they had only travelled from around the corner so we could take the hour with pleasure. Lovely people.
The interview started. The Presenter couldn't remember my name, or Daves, or the books!!! Dave ignored all this and he started well. I played the first tune on the harp (too long, Dave said, but I got stuck in a loop - NERVES!!!!). Then there was a knock on the door and it was over! Dave and I looked at each other in disbelief whilst the Presenter welcomed the next guest ...
To add salt to the wound the answerphone was flashing when we got home. Guess who?
The Presenter ... just confirming that a lady called Rachel was coming to be interviewed that day at 2 pm. She had to listen to the message first saying who she had rung up ...
Very sad really that no-one got to listen to the amazing quotes from Dave's book - which means you'll just have to come to The Square Chapel, Halifax on the 20th ...!
(see you there?) (8 pm)
Friday, 23 December 2011
soggy moggy
We have a very 'festive' stable here - really! Donkeys, dogs and puppies, guinea pigs, rabbits and hampsters! We have so many because my daughter has brought her pets with her for Christmas and the dog had pups last night! Our kitten, Stix, is very curious about it all and has to check each food bowl and bucket. He got in the way yesterday and was shooed away. He decided to jump onto a down pipe to get a better view. It fell off straight into the water butt. As the down pipe disappeared into the water Stix was frantically trying to climb up the pipe. Even his tail was spinning to try and gain bouancy. Luckily I was watching from not-too-far-away and ran ... I caught him just before he disappeared under the water!
This is a very special Christmas for Dave and Jack. The first thing Jack did when he came into the house was to check out all the fireplaces to see which one Santa would come down! He had his 7th birthday last week so the excitement is high. We have a house full but luckily one of my Christmas presents was a huge ham from Mum. It has already nearly gone! Stix is continually trying to sneak a taste but has been foiled on every attempt so far ...
We called in at The Barearts in Todmorden on Thursday and I am thrilled to say that Cathy has agreed to paint one of my harps. It was made for me using old oak and mahogany but don't worry! - the soundbox is made out of less-exotic wood and this is what will be painted - more on this soon!
Well all to say is to wish you all a very Peaceful Christmas and Happy New Year.
I am at The Square Chapel on Friday 20th January - 8 pm.
This is a very special Christmas for Dave and Jack. The first thing Jack did when he came into the house was to check out all the fireplaces to see which one Santa would come down! He had his 7th birthday last week so the excitement is high. We have a house full but luckily one of my Christmas presents was a huge ham from Mum. It has already nearly gone! Stix is continually trying to sneak a taste but has been foiled on every attempt so far ...
We called in at The Barearts in Todmorden on Thursday and I am thrilled to say that Cathy has agreed to paint one of my harps. It was made for me using old oak and mahogany but don't worry! - the soundbox is made out of less-exotic wood and this is what will be painted - more on this soon!
Well all to say is to wish you all a very Peaceful Christmas and Happy New Year.
I am at The Square Chapel on Friday 20th January - 8 pm.
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
I love teaching!
Had a lovely reception last night from Clitheroe Ladies - thank you. They were 'guinea pigs' for the new repertoire and it went down a storm - even asked for CDs - its the next job!!!
Dave came with me as the weather was very snowy here. However they had hardly any snow but it was very icy. All week the Sat Nav has been sending us down tracks and driving us mad! Last night it directed us up a track opposite the pub marked 'no through road'. We needed to turn round so headed up to find a gatehole. Much to our amazement this track took us to the main A59 and proved a brilliant short-cut.
It is very 'wuthering' here today with snow on the ground and a bitter wind. There is a local story that this was the very farm that the Earnshaws lived in when the Brontes were alive. It is difficult to prove as it was tenanted and split into 2 houses, then fell down and was re-built 10 yards in front.
Suddenly I am in big demand as a teacher! I am juggling harps around and having 32 harps is just about enough!
Dave came with me as the weather was very snowy here. However they had hardly any snow but it was very icy. All week the Sat Nav has been sending us down tracks and driving us mad! Last night it directed us up a track opposite the pub marked 'no through road'. We needed to turn round so headed up to find a gatehole. Much to our amazement this track took us to the main A59 and proved a brilliant short-cut.
It is very 'wuthering' here today with snow on the ground and a bitter wind. There is a local story that this was the very farm that the Earnshaws lived in when the Brontes were alive. It is difficult to prove as it was tenanted and split into 2 houses, then fell down and was re-built 10 yards in front.
Suddenly I am in big demand as a teacher! I am juggling harps around and having 32 harps is just about enough!
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