Harrisville, New Hampshire where began my summer immersion into weaving, gaidhlig (gaelic) language, gaidhlig song and dance. It became a confluence of the things that I love that took me from a picturesque village in New Hampshire to the rocky shores of Cape Breton, from a workshop with clattering looms to Angus's sitting room overlooking the quiet waters of St Ann's Bay where we immersed ourselves in this beautiful language and the song that is at once living history, heritage and tradition, yet speaks of a common humanity irrespective of time and place. I experienced exceptional hospitality and a thrilling introduction to step dancing and Cape Breton fiddling and the summer culminated in music-making and dance at a Scottish Country Dance weekend back in New Hampshire.
As I sit here on the screened porch overlooking the pond on a tranquil late summer morning, I venture into something new.......in writing my first blog, The inspiration for this has been my dearest friend, who is a writer amongst so many other things and visited with me from South Africa after many years. On hearing of my planned trip, all my interests and the things that I love to do, her face lit up and she said " But you need to write a blog so that you can explore and write about your weaving, spinning, singing, dancing and gaidhlig song. It will be a place where it all comes together!". So here you are, my dear....I will begin.
