Posted on

Episode 40 – Radio Show – Midwinter Magic – December 22 and 29, 2019

Celebrate the season with Celtic and Celtic-inspired music, folklore, poetry, and a tale in which we help the sun take wing. We’ll enjoy a sparkling landscape of beautiful and lively tunes to honor the illuminated Dark, and to beckon the Sun to return. Pure enchantment!

Harp music  is sprinkled through the show. Enjoy the song and harp of Beth Gadbaw and Margot Krimmel (respectively),  and harp by Debra Knodel,  Órla Fallon in Celtic Woman, Kim Robertson, and a mystery harper or two (if you can identify them, please let me know!).

The second hour of the show is the rebroadcast of Episode 19 – Midwinter Day.

Listen here.

You’ll be able to hear this show on demand for two weeks.  Links to the artists forthcoming!

12:00: Spookytree – Lochaber No More
12:01: Margot Krimmel & Beth Leachman-Gadbaw – Icy December
12:03: Phil Cunningham and Manus Lunny – When the Snow Melts
12:09: Debra Knodel – Abbots Bromley Horn Dance
12:12: The McCallans – Highland Christmas
12:15: Altan – Soillse Na Nollag
12:21: Susan Cooper – Poem
12:22: Eimear Quinn – Winter Apples
12:26: Celtic Woman – Don Oiche Ud I Mbeithil (That Night in Bethlehem)
12:28: Kim Robertson – Gabhaim Molta Bride / Gabriel’s Message
12:36: Johnny Cunningham – King Holly, King Oak
12:40: Jane Valencia – Shell and Govan and the Little Sun
12:48: Scott Cossu – Last Snow
12:53: Alison Kraus and Natalie MacMaster – Get Me Through December

Posted on

Radio Show – Episode 39 – Stone Music – December 8 and 15, 2019

From the great henges to cairns, rocky mountain and cliffsides to cottages and hearths, stones in the Celtic landscape offer strength, materials, presence, healing properties, companionship, and blessing. They can be doorways to otherworlds or invite one more fully into our earthen one. In today’s episode of Forest Halls Celtic, Show 39, we explore tunes, folklore, song, and tale related to “Stone Music.” Discover Stones of Destiny, dance with trolls before sunrise, join in the race between the Tortoise and the Hare, and make a wish in the rock that saved the life of Sant Gofan – Saint Govan of 6th century Wales. Enjoy harp music from Anne Roos, Margot Krimmel, Mary MacMaster and Hazel Askew, and – in our encore airing of Show 18, “Snow and Flame,”– from harpers Aine Minogue, Knodel & Valencia (Spookytree), Sileas, Kim Robertson, and more!

On Sunday Dec 8 and 15, from 12 noon-2pm PST, join us on KVSH 101.9 fm on Vashon, or via streaming at Voice of Vashon. Or listen on demand for the next two weeks at Voice of Vashon.

12:00: Spookytree – Lochaber No More
12:00: Maurice Lennon – Stone of Destiny
12:05: Matt Molloy and Sean Keane – The Gooseberry Bush / The Limestone Rock
12:09: Zoe Conway and John Mc Intyre – Faoiseamh a Gheobhadsa
12:13: Flook – The Tortoise and The Hare
12:20: Anne Roos – Trollspolska
12:23: Margot Krimmel and Beth Leachman – Rocking the Cradle
12:30: Manran – Oran na Cloiche
12:33: Goitse – The Eagles Rock
12:37: Songs of Separation – Soil and Soul
12:42: Jane Valencia – Stone Music
12:52: Jane Valencia and Starr – Mist and Mountains
12:53: Barde – The Trowie Burn / the Dark Island

 

Posted on

Salmon Returning Home – a Song for You to Sing

Salmon Leap – Illustration by Jane Valencia

As we’re swimming with the Salmon, thematically speaking here in Forest Halls, by way of blog posts and my radio show,  I thought I’d share with you one of my favorite Salmon songs.

Salmon Returning Home was composed by my dear friend Kristina Turner, and is a wonderful song to sing with kids, families, and in community.  Kristina has generously agreed to share her song here so that you can sing it too.

Here’s what Kristina writes about the birth of the song:

The song has a story – it arrived on Summer Solstice during 24 hour prayer-vigil drumming at Burton Hill on Vashon. It is a healing song, dedicated to salmon fisherman and friend, John Schindler.

Listen to the song here

And here are the lyrics!

Salmon Returning Home – Lyrics and Music by Kristina Turner

Swimmin’ upstream
With my belly in the river
I’m salmon returning home

repeat verse –  you can sing it call and response.

CHORUS
Makin’ my way
From the sea to me
I’m openin’ up to the powers that be
I’m swimmin’ upstream
With my belly in the river
I’m salmon returning home

Verse 2:
Wrigglin’ over rocks
With my belly in the water
I’m salmon returnin’ home

repeat verse

CHORUS

Verse 3
Swimmin’ upstream
To the place I began
I’m salmon returning home

repeat verse

CHORUS:

finish by repeating the last line 2 more times
Salmon returning home
Salmon returning home

Song etiquette:

Please remember to credit Kristina when singing this song. Please do not record/distribute it for personal use or profit, or change it without contacting Kristina and discussing your idea and intention with her. You can reach her here.

And I invite you to take a moment to get to know Kristina! She is a wonderful creative, wise woman who knows how to play! Her questions and insights help me pause and wonder, and to dig into my internal landscape with curiosity and delight. Kristina knows how to follow the Salmon — of one’s passions, creative vision …  — and help others to follow them too. I’ve harvested many a hazel nut of illumination by way of her, and found my way to new streams of possibilities.

Thank you for sharing this song, Kristina!

Kristina Turner
Kristina Turner, composer of “Salmon Returning Home.” Visit her at kristinaturner.com.

PS. Watch a performance of Salmon Returning Home in the video Heart of Vashon  – Telling Our Story. Find it at 1:19:50. (yes, that’s me leading the singing).

A Final Salmon Note: I hope you’ve had the chance to listen to the latest Forest Halls Celtic streaming radio show, Show 38 – Salmon Return, which is a river of music, musing, poetry, and a tale with this amazing creature. If not, I encourage you to listen sometime this week, as this episode will cease being available for listening as of Dec. 8.