JUNE 30th .... LANDING DAY

This is the last day of lobster fishing on PEI all of our friends went out into the water today to hall in their gear for another year. Hope everyone had a good season.. I also hope that you have some of those "yummies" stashed in the freezer for us in TWO weeks! Next year we hope to be on the island for lobster season and we will be loading up our freezer with those beauties to treat ourselves all summer long.. YUMMY YUMMY..

I hope that Vic had a great time on Cape Breton for his first trip of the summer season.. We will be introducing him to the island while we are home. I think he will enjoy his time with us! Fiddle Festival, Monticello Dances, a few good feeds of mussels and lobster.. What could be better! See you all soon.

Have a great weekend!

The Back..

Hope these photo's ease the minds of people who thought this might be a SCAM.. Not something we would do..Have a great evening everyone. Think of Vic..the lucky guy is on Cape Breton Island right now..BUT next month at this time we will be on the island! YEAH!!!!!!

Zoe Darrow featured in Advocate this week

For those of you who pick up copies of the Valley Advocate. You will find a very nice article written about our favorite young fiddler. The reviewer has obviously listened to her new CD and has some good things to say about her work.

Keep it up Zoe.. just don't forget us when you are famous...

Our latest model Bodhran is READY

14" extra deep rim has extraordinary tone.. It is a dream to play and can be used both with Kerry style or topend drumming. Pictured forever in the side column. Have a great week everyone..SCHOOLS OUT so watch out for the "little ones"..riding bikes and darting after balls..

1/2 way through June

OR.. next month at this time we will be PACKING FOR THE ISLAND! I cannot wait. This year we will be there for a month. Our daughter and granddaughters will be coming along. ( WE HOPE! ) They are all looking forward to the time away. So we hope that things will work out so they can come. It's always tough when adult problems get in the way of children having fun. Molly and Morgan both talk about PEI and have memories of the beaches and their little playmates. Keep them in your thoughts everyone. Our daughter and her daughters need some powerful prayers right now! Have a great weekend everyone..


KGH

GRANDCHILDREN

What a joy they are! This is a photo of our oldest granddaughter dressed up like "Grampy"...I remember my mother saying that one of the greatest joys of being a parent is being a grandparent. Now I know what she meant. You love them fiercely, and want nothing but happiness and joy for their lives.

The hardest thing to do is sit back and know that you have no real say in what happens to their precious lives. Sometimes watching is very painful. You have to trust that your children will make the right choices, will not be selfish in their love, will not become frustrated and angry. You have to hope that you have given them the tools to be good parents and make good choices. It's hard and painful sometimes, but not often!

Last night's fund-raiser

Hartford has changed! I lived in Hartford for a few years before I was married. It was a vibrant busy city with a thriving shopping district. G-FOX, Brown Thompson, and lots of trendy boutiques. I walked to work everyday. I worked in Travelers and would spend lunch hours walking about and shopping. Now there is NOTHING! The lovely old department stores are gone, the Main Street Shopping district is gone..The Steam Brew Pub is located in the old Brown Thompson building..across the street is another glass nameless office building. The old city charm is GONE. Too bad..

The session was great fun though. the musicians seemed very close knit and played for about an hour with very few breaks. P. V. O'Donnell acted as "session master" and his playing is superb. The effort raised close to $1500 which will be sent to Jerry Holland. One of the nice things that happened was a video which was made of the crowd grouped together cheering for Jerry and his recovery. Videos are being made at all of the fund raisers and will be shown at the Savoy in Glace Bay on July 18th..Hope to be there to see it! Have a great week everyone!

Fund raiser tonight

For Jerry Holland at The Hartford Steam Brew Pub..Main Street in Hartford, Connecticut.. 6-9:00 doors open at 5:30.. Not much info available but COME IF YOU CAN!!It is advertised as an IRISH session hosted by renowned fiddler P. V. O'Donnell. Sooooo I guess you should bring your instruments and join in the fun! Hope to see some friends in attendance!

KGH

Hammered dulcimer: with floating sound board

This is the latest hammered dulcimer created by Dan. It featured a "floating sound-board"..The resulting sound is amazing. It is what Dan has been reaching toward for thirty years. We are thrilled with the outcome. Instruments like this one are available for purchase in two form's; the first( as pictured) using Honduran mahogany, maple pin blocks, and redwood soundboard; the other using laminated birch, Maple pin blocks and redwood or cedar top.

Here they are:

Recycled Cardboard Mountain Dulcimers.. Made to be Played....Now available from Kelticgrasshopper. Happy Thursday everyone. Tonight is the final session with Dan's lecture series. He will be offering tips and techniques in the building of hammered and mountain dulcimers. Hope everyone is well and happy. Don't forget about the fundraiser for Jerry Holland this Sunday at The Steam Brew Pub in Hartford, Ct 6:00 -9:00... See you there.

KGH

Save a tree..Play a dulcimer

Available soon the latest instrument "made to be played" by Kelticgrasshopper...our very own Recycled cardboard mountain dulcimer. Perfect for starters, for practice, for travel..for KIDS.. An affordable playable musical instrument.. Dan has been hard at work on these beauties and they are almost ready. I'll have a picture up by weeks end. These instruments make a perfect birthday gift for the "musical child" in your life. Have a wonderful day everyone..Remember RECYCLE RECYCLE RECYCLE.. SAVE this planet for future generations!

Old friends found, new friends made...

Yesterday I heard from a friend that I haven't seen in almost 40 years. We use to do all sorts of things together.. I adored spending time with her and admired her mother who was the editor of our local newspaper. Evie and I were members of "The Sweet Adeline's" we went to the worlds fair and sang wearing silly sailor suit costumes.. I drank my first beer that day..We did some really crazy, stupid things too but I won't write that down.. All of a sudden , she was gone. I had a boyfriend that took all of my time and I lost touch with her. I often wondered about her, where she went, what happened. I'd see her mother around but she acted like she was angry with me so I didn't pursue asking.. Mrs B was not someone you messed with.

WELL about two weeks ago my niece said that a friend of hers worked with Evie B..I was thrilled and sent a note to her via that friend. Last night I got an email.. Seems that she moved away in 1969.. out to California..still don't know why.. but I have a feeling we will keep in touch.. She married out in California, has since then divorced..but moved back to New England and has setteled in the town where we attended High School. She has a daughter with the SAME NAME as my daughter.. We hope to see each other very soon..So I will say that my old friend was lost but I hope now my NEW FRIEND will be part of my life forever!

Lhasa Apso Puppies!!!!!!!

I can just picture this little guy running across the 3 acre lawn on PEI ..Well maybe not him/her but with any luck one from the same breeder.. We plan on getting a new puppy next May/June just before we 'Head north" . CAN'T WAIT

Hope everyone has a great weekend. TWO great concerts to remember.. THE THUNGS at Pearl Street, and Zoe Darrow and the Fiddleheads at the White Church in Blandford, Ma.. Both tomorrow night..

Have FUN!! Frolic with a puppy if you can~!