Muesli and Music

My regular breakfast

For my breakfast this morning I added the strawberries that we bought from a roadside stall of a Wexford grower yesterday and to honour this years crop I decided to listen to my old buddy Colm playing some of my favourite tunes. Afterwards I thought to share my experience.You will have to imagine the taste of the Strawberries but you can listen to his music.

" And Now The Weather " - Agus Anois An Aimsir

The other day a small package arrived in our letter box. I could say that it was a surprise but that is not strictly true for a good friend gave me fair warning to expect a copy of his latest CD in the post.

Recently we put aside the mundane and gave ourselves time to listen to the music of
Colm Mac Con Iomaire's new album "And Now The Weather" which I can best describe as a medley of melodies whereby the tidal movements of the Celtic Sea carry the listener to experience audible depths of beauty that stir the emotions.
It is magical.

The CD comes in no ordinary packaging for it is well designed and tactile. One can feel and see the waves of the sea on the cover. The golden image of a boat was inspired by the one the found in the Broighter Hoard, Co. Derry and it is considered to be a votive offering to Manannán Mac Lír, the sea god.

The inside of the gate-fold cover complements both the front cover and Colm's music
with two small gold discs similar to a pair discovered in the roots of a tree at Tedavnet in Co. Monaghan and dated as Early Bronze age.

Under the CD lies a surprise for there is a large gold disc created by the covers' designer, artist Sheila Mac Nally.

 "Agus Anois An Aimsir - And Now The Weather" is truly a delight both musically and visually.

Card and front cover of

And Now The Weather

Agus Anois An Aimsir

Inside of cover

The man himself and his music

Please visit the links below

http://www.colmmacconiomaire.com/home/

https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/and-now-the-weather/id975577106

Almost end of Summer

The end of Summer is but a few days away November 5th/6th and it will be Samhain, it seems that nobody has told the Calendula or the Roses to stop flowering.

This red bush beyond the arch brightens the day. I have no idea

what it's name is.

The Calendula has jumped out of the planter

and looks to be very healthy

This delightful lady never ceases to bloom

Orange berries send me their name please ?

Just to the left of the picture is an Oak whose seed was germinated

by Colm Mac Con Iomaire a few years ago when he was recording at studio in France.

A certain  German silversmith whose name I shall not metion nearly killed it when using my strimmer, fortunately it recovered!

This blog will be exceptionally quiet for awhile. For am busily engaged writing a book for my Grandson Ollie who was four the other day and has now left his babyhood behind him.

Ollie at 4

A Cool Scene

My activities are some what curtailed today so I decided to visit YouTube for some relaxing music

and I found this piece from Colm which I hope you will all enjoy .

NOTE! The video time shows 0.00 - 0. 00 don't be fooled just click on the picture and it will start to play - in this case bullying is good!

A JOINT BIRTHDAY

My friend Ita and I share the same birthday and often have a joint celebration, I should stress that there are several years of difference between us, however that day is the 9th of January.

The niner's at play

OUR JOINT PARTY

Started at 3pm when our friends arrived some of whom where musicians and we partied away for 12 and half hours before falling into bed. It was a brilliant time of song music and dance; the nominated photographer slipped into the joviality and the consequence is that very few pics were taken.

Musicians in session

Charles on the harmonica, Seamus on the accordion

and Colm Mac Con Iommaire on the fiddle

Sean-nós dance is an older style of traditional 

solo Irish dance and is a casual dance form. 

A SECOND PARTY

Took place on the 12th January at 3pm for those who were unable to make the one on the 9th, this one was minus musicians and it focused mainly around a Storyteller who arrived and sat in the kitchen entertaining guests by the telling his tales for most of the night, similar to the first party this one went on till gone 4 in the morning!

I have gloriously celebrated my 70th birthday and am looking forward now to my 150th !

If I had any doubts this card sure told me

The grand collection of cards

A special gift from Lucy

representing Earth, Air, Fire & Water

her web site

http://crelegra.com

Ita and I wish to thank everyone who attended both parties, because we know that some of you travelled many miles from all over the isle of Ireland to be with us; our very special thanks and appreciation go to Mrs H whose organising ability astounded us ! 

A BIT OF BACKGROUND (about me)

A wonderful event took place in Birmingham City Children’s Hospital on January 9th 1943 at approximately 0520, the timing, place and date were unique for it marked the umpteenth rebirth of Me. Little did I realise at the time that a warm welcome heralded my arrival, for evidently several resounding blasts were heard in the locality.

These were caused by the Birmingham Blitz of heavy bombing by the then enemy (9 August 1940 - 23 April 1943). Overall, about 2,000 tons of bombs were dropped on Birmingham making it the fourth most heavily bombed city in the United Kingdom. Is it any wonder then that sound of a propeller driven plane flying at night has always awakened me?

Happier events though were around the corner when hostilities ceased and chocolate, biscuits and other goodies became available and better still, we departed from ‘Brum’ in 1946 to soft and sleepy Somerset.