Winter Solstice Poem with Harp

I wrote the following on the Winter Solstice itself — the sentiment remains!

It’s been pouring here on our little island, with no chance to see the Jupiter-Saturn “Christmas star” conjunction. But I want to wish you all a Merry Midwinter and Joyful Winter Solstice. Today was the shortest day of a very long year. May blessings and beauty abound through these hallowed nights and days when the “sun stands still,” and may they spin us into a year of bounty, health, peace, and well-being for absolutely one and all.

Poet Kevin McManus and I have been collaborating across land and sea (Ireland and the U.S., respectively), with me putting harp to his rich earth-based poems. Please enjoy this video that I put together today. Kevin narrates his poem. Harp music, art, and photos are by me.

This poem is from Spirits in the Forest: A Collection of Poetry by Kevin McManus, available on Amazon UK and Ireland and Amazon US.

Honoring our Ancestors video: Follow the Deer

Last year I put together an audio to celebrate the Ancestor time of year (late autumn, aka now). “Follow the Deer” honors the depth and breadth of our heritage, and this year I added some video. As beings of the earth, even the stones, plants, animals, and bio-regions in which we live are family. Illustrations, photos, narrative, and harp music are by me. This video is only two minutes long.

Radio Show – Episode 51 – Heartwood – June 7, 2020

Show 51 – “Heartwood” – continues our adventure with fairy folklore and greenwood magic, with a pause to experience the tree lore and medicinal properties of Hawthorn. Hawthorn offers powerful medicine for the heart, both in physical and spiritual-emotional ways — and, I believe, wise teachings about connecting to one’s heart for our human family at this time.

The second hour is a re-airing of Show 5. Discover the folklore and magic of the plant Foxglove amidst the music.

As always, you’ll hear traditional and contemporary Celtic music, with forays into other genres.

In Show 51 – “Foxglove Music and Magic”:  Enjoy poetry from Kevin Mcmanus and harp with Shayne White (Distant Oaks), Margot Krimmel, and Siobhán Armstrong (The Irish Consort), and plant wisdom from Darcey Blue French.

In Show 5: Enjoy a Welsh fairy tale as told by island storyteller Allison Cox and read by me, and harp with Alan Stivell, Derek Bell (The Chieftains), Vicki Parrish (The Standing Stones) and Debra Knodel, Cynthia Cathcart, Shayne White (Distant Oaks), and folklore from Mara Freeman.  Find Show 5 Play List and Show Notes here.

Listen to both shows on deman

02:47 Distant Oaks / Against the Tide
05:57 Raw Bar Collective / Baile Mhúirne (feat. Nell Ní Chróinín)
09:47 Sharon Corr / Cooley’s Reel
14:55 Margot Krimmel / The Elf of Wit
18:13 Adrian von Ziegler / The Fairy Forest
Willa Cather / The Hawthorn Tree – poem
19:45 Darcey Blue French / Hawthorn – Faerie Guardian of the Heart – tree medicine
20:44 Adrian von Ziegler / A Celtic Lore
24:12 Natalie MacMaster / David’s Jig
28:56 Julie Fowlis,Éamon Doorley, Zoe Conway and John Mc Intyre. / Port Dannsaidh Hiortach / Deóra Dé
37:09 The Irish Consort- Siobhán Armstrong / Sir John Packington’s pavin
40:43 Margot Krimmel / Carolan’s Ramble to Cashel
44:36 J. J. Sheridan / Patrick Kelly
46:28 Steve Baughman / Lady Athenry
50:55 Kevin Mcmanus / Poem: We are Born from the Earth
53:21 Mannheim Steamroller / The Fourth Door