Another Tag

     Well, I have been tagged again, this time by Joel Ball.  It's the same one as before, so ten more random facts about myself.  Here goes!

1.  While I only take lessons for violin and piano, I can also play penny whistle, and can kind of play recorder, and I know how to play the accordion . . . not that it sounds good when I do play. ;)

2.  I have never actually read The Chronicles of Narnia to myself; they've always been read out loud to my family by my dad.

3.  I think that Ralph Vaughan Williams' setting of "Ariel's Song" from The Tempest is one of the most beautiful choral pieces ever written.

4.  I love old books.  Especially quirky old books that are now out of print (and with names like Leif Ericson the Lucky and The Khaki Girls of the Motor Corp).

5.  I like to sing "Gollum's Song" from The Two Towers movie.

6.  I love playing fiddle tunes on my violin!

7.  I have yet to write with a fountain pen and not get ink on my fingers.

8.  I-ay an-cay eak-spay Ig-pay Atin-lay.  An-cay ou-yay?  

9.  I just got new piano music!  It's sheet music for all of the pieces from Michelle McLaughlin's album "Out of the Darkness".

10.  I don't like microwave popcorn.  Air-popped is way better - with olive oil and salt (regular or garlic salt - both are great!).  Yum! :)

Done!  I'm not going to tag anyone.

The Children's Bells

     I recently found a book of children's poetry by Eleanor Farjeon in a used bookstore.  All of the poems are great reads, but one in particular stood out to me.  It's simply beautiful, and I just had to share it.  (Oh, and the poem references the first  two lines of the nursery rhyme "Oranges and Lemons":  "Oranges and lemons/Say the bells of St. Clement's.")

The Children's Bells

By Eleanor Farjeon

(When the half-muffled City Bells rang in commemoration of the Bell-ringers who fell in the First World War, the bells of St. Clement Danes could not take part owing to damage.)

Where are your Oranges?

Where are your Lemons?

What, are you silent now,

Bells of St. Clement's?

You, of all bells that rang

Once in old London,

You, of all bells that sang,

Utterly undone?

You whom all children know

Ere they know letters,

Making Big Ben himself

Call you his betters?

Where are your lovely tones

Fruitful and mellow,

Full-flavored orange-gold,

Clear lemon-yellow?

Ring again, sing again,

Bells of St. Clement's!

Call as you swing again,

'Oranges! Lemons!'

Fatherless children 

Are listening near you--

Sing for the children, 

The fathers will hear you.

Tag!

     Well, Taisia (http://ablogofmusicstoriesandart.blogspot.ca/) has tagged me...please bear with me, this is the first time I've done this.  I'm supposed to state ten random things about myself.  Here goes!

1.  I absolutely love music!
2.  I absolutely love reading!  
3.  I love maps--especially old ones.
4.  I dislike math, but I like reciting the quadratic formula.
5.  Tolkien and LOTR are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6.  I can write in the Feanorian script.
7.  If someone handed me a big bowl of fish chowder at six in the morning, I'd happily eat it.  Fish is delicious!
8.  Though I've been told I'm completely insane, I actually like the music of Stravinsky.
9.  I've translated the Tears for Fears song "Mad World" (actually, just the chorus--I couldn't get the verses to fit the metre) into Latin.
10.  Hardingfeles are awesome.

Snip, snap, snout, this tale's told out.  That's all, folks!

The Orthodox Celts

I love Celtic music, so when a friend shared this video with me, I had to share it.  These guys are actually Serbian, and they're Greek Orthodox (as I and my family are).  They're really good!  And I never noticed the similarities between Irish and Serbian accents before . . . who knew?  Anyways--enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?client=mv-google&hl=en-GB&gl=US&v=B_e7QbWc5mI&nomobile=1