As I write this, Mother Nature is bestowing upon us a good old fashioned snow storm. Despite the snow, spring is on its way, and I’ve already begun my spring cleaning. For the past few weeks I’ve been cleaning and purging, getting rid of cookbooks I never used, bike shoes that no longer fit, and … More If it brings you joy…
I’m usually not one for making New Year’s Resolutions, or maybe I should say I’m not one for keeping them. But this past year I learned a tune a week for an entire year so I’m feeling pretty confident on the resolution front in 2022. A little background When I was a child, I loved … More New Year’s Resolutions
This week I embarked on taking a finger-picking class on my ukelele. Monday night was the first class of three. Mostly what I know on the uke are songs I learned from Youtube, so taking a class from a real live teacher is pretty cool and is also forcing me to practice instead of just … More What I learned about my fiddle from playing the uke
Whether you’re a mountain biker, road cyclist or just a casual rider who pedals around the neighborhood on your bike, you’ll notice that there is nothing flat about Vermont. No matter where you go, there is likely a hill you’ll have to reluctantly climb. I live near Perry Hill trails which is a mountain bike … More Learning tunes is like riding a bike
I had only been playing the fiddle for 5 years when I wrote my first tune. I called it Mothers and Daughters. I wrote it for my mother on her 50th birthday. It was one of only two tunes I’ve ever written (the other was for my dog). As a child I always wanted to … More Mothers and Daughters
Learning tunes by ear is no easy feat. It takes time, patience, and then more time, and more patience. Read more for tips on how to work through the hard stuff. … More How to work through the hard parts
January 6 is the final day of the 12 days of Christmas. In Ireland, this day is known as Nollaig na mBan or Women’s Christmas. The day was intended to be a reward, a day off from all the housework the women did during the Christmas season. Traditionally men were supposed to take over the housework while … More Nollaig na mBan: Women’s Christmas Covid-Style
A few days before COVID hit, there was an Irish session about 30 minutes away from my house. I debated whether to go because it was getting dark and I was getting lazy after working all day. I opted to stay home, cuddle up on the couch, and plant myself in front of the TV. … More Why do today, what you can do…?
Though we cannot gather for holiday music this year we can celebrate the Winter Solstice and the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. … More The Winter Solstice & The Great Conjunction
This has definitely been a tough year. Since Covid hit we’ve missed birthdays, festivals, concerts, live music, and get-togethers with friends and families. Some lost their jobs, some lost their businesses, some lost their loved ones. It’s been a tough year all around. But there is always something to be thankful for. This pandemic forced … More Feeling thankful
Session Obsession 