1. My brother and I attended the Celtic Festival and Highland Games last Saturday. We sampled a couple of “local Stouts” which were excellent. There was a nice size crowd and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. The Greater Richmond Pipes and Drum were there. The band has grown and changed since my time, and continues to play well.
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| Tuning up the band |
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| Preparing for the competition |
2. Kelly wrote about teaching the "Middle Ages" to Catholic children. I always enjoyed studying the period as it was the time of one of my favorite heroes, Roland. I wrote about him back in June of 2011. This was my post.
"The "Song of Roland" is a 12th century French poem about the legendary hero Roland. He was a knight of Charlemagne's court and also his nephew. My middle name is Roland, named after one of my uncles. I love stories of knights and deeds of valor. So this poem became one I read when I was younger. This week the memory of the poem came back to me. The climax of the poem is a classic battle fought between the French Christians and the Saracens from the city Saragossa in Spain. An ambush, for the French rear guard, was set at the pass of Roncevaux. Commanding the rear guard was Roland. He was joined by his best friend Oliver and a warrior clergyman named Archbishop Turpin. The Saracens, numbering four hundred thousand, charge into the small French force of twenty thousand. Many heroic knights, both French and Saracens, are killed in valiant chivalrous combat. In the end the French are defeated but Roland manages to blow "three long mighty blasts on his oilphat," which Charlemagne and the main French army hear. Roland then turns and facing his enemy dies a heroic death. Saint Gabriel and Saint Michael arrive to escort him to heaven. Charlemagne returns and defeats the Saracens.
An "oilphant" is a wind instrument made from the tusk of an elephant."
3. This was a week of yard-work, cleaning up the residual stump grindings, putting down top soil and attempting to repair one of the sprinkler lines. Two out of three went well.
4. My sister Kim had a foot operation, which will keep her off her feet for a couple of months. She is doing well and her husband Frank sent a couple of photos.
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| Kim's wheels |
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| A new cast |
5. “The month of May is the pleasant time; its face is beautiful; the blackbird sings his full song, the living wood is his holding, the cuckoos are singing and ever singing; there is a welcome before the brightness of the summer.”
6. Happy Cinco de Mayo!
7. Mariachi Los Camperos- Popurri
Go over to "This Ain't the Lyceum," where Kelly is hosting more takes.
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