a brief interruption... oh Wales, when will you learn...

Dear Wales, what have you just done?  Iesu mawr...

Once again, the majority of you have aligned yourselves with England and, in this case, voted to leave Europe.  52.5% of you voted that way.  Is Wales disappearing?  It'd be easy enough to blame the English immigrants in Wales for this mess - but in actuality, all of my so-called 'English' friends voted to remain in - perhaps more on that later - so, the difficult truth is, far too many Welshies made the vote to leave.

So let me share with you some of the ways in which you have just screwed yourself up the ying yang.

Wales was heavily funded by the EU.

See all those blue plaques everywhere?  Yeah, that means your village hall, your town centres, your museums, your galleries and your local theatres were all built or re-built with European money.  I hope places like Theatr Felin Fach and Theatr Byd Bach will survive.  But who said communities need culture anyway?  Eh?!  Any money left over will now go sinking back into London and East England.

Year One, Week 32, 33, 34, 35 - dancing round menhir

Okay, another look way back, nearly four years ago...
November 2011...

Elsa and I tried to walk the old train track from Llanbedr to Aberaeron... or at least what was left of it.  The old track had been dug up sometime in the 60s by some Lord numpty.  Shame because the old tracks would have been useful (especially as the buses in Wales have become next to useless and soon to be extinct apparently, but that's for later...)

Anyway, we had a lovely day wandering through fields and over old wooden bridges, enjoying the company of the trees and sheep.  We never did make it to Aberaeron though - we just couldn't find the path through.

Year One, Week 29, 30 & 31 - an early x-mas

All the way back again... look back... waaaaaay back... to September 2011...

The Bethlehem Village Band started rehearsals for the christmas.  Yeah, it was a bit early but then we were trying to record an xmas album after all.

After the success of our debut at the Bethlehem Christmas fair the previous year, we figured we'd be silly not to record.

Of course, it felt completely mad to be playing Christmas tunes in September.

Year One, Weeks 26, 27 & 28 Occasions

This is a look back... waaaay back... all the way into August 2011...

One thing I did forget to write about was the infamous walk.  My good friend Huw was raising money for the Urdd Eisteddfod (and is a part of the organizing committee), to be held in Sir Benfro in 2013 (now since past!).   He had the route all planned and a small chunk of the Celtic crew made their way down to Huw's parents for the weekend.  I had to meet them the morning of the walk itself.  Huw had done the walk and had said it was quite lovely.  It was supposed to have been a nice sunny day but of course it was absolutely lashing down.  Buckets of water... we were all completely drenched, soaked to the bone... except for Jane who opted for the car... but I think she did get her comeuppance some time later...

All told, there was James, Katie, Bjorn, Huw, Sarah and Jane.  Was that it?  I think so... it's been a very long time.

Year One, Week 22, 23, 24 & 25 - The Summer

Right... on the race to catch up...

That first week,  I remember playing in the Gower with the Bethlehem Village Band.  It was a Twmpath in the village hall back in Martin's old stomping grounds.  There was an enthusiastic crowd and some ravers who danced some of those old dances in real style.  Earlier in the day, we all went for a walk down to Pennard Castle - Vicky, Jas, Martin, Sille and myself.  It was a beautiful sunny day, the smell of ocean and sand.  Dai's Vicky was also at the dance and we danced some mazurkas.  I think that's when I started to finally understand that dance.

One Year, Week 19, 20 & 21 - Celtic crew, Cwps & Cwrs Madog

Yes, now a year late...

The Celtic crew... I haven't seen much of them lately.  But last summer we were still playing football (lost to Penrhyncoch 11-3... one funny game!) and playing "Beans" and speaking Welsh and Mgoiyu... that sort of thing.  It was time for Enrique to leave.  Back to Columbia.  It was sad to see him go, the end of an era I suppose.

One Year, Week 16, 17 & 18 - Cardiff, Cwm Du & Sille's Day

"Life is made of meetings and partings.  That is the way of it." - Kermit the Frog
*sigh...

Well, yes, nearly a year behind now.  If I maybe write a little everyday and summarize some of the weeks, maybe, just maybe, I'll catch up.

It's all a blur now anyway...

One Year, Week 15 - Llangranog

Yes, yes... I know.  Been ages, right?  Well, happily it's because I've been so ridiculously busy that I haven't been able to get to the blog.  Must be at least eight months behind.  I'm tempted just to start in the here and now but so many amazing things have happened that I think I'll try to recount all of that.  Probably will lump a few things together for brevity's sake.

So here it is, imagine it now, last summer, a warm and lovely day, visiting my families old home...

One Year, Week 14 - Recording with Julie

Dreams...

This is it... here...

All that I left behind, this long journey, all culminates in this moment.  I don't think I could have dreamed up something so unbelievable, so incredible...

I have written often about Julie.  Julie was the one and only Welsh singer that caught my attention all those years ago.  Her music is what inspired me to take an interest in Welsh music.  Her voice is the voice I hear at night, the voice that carries me forward on my journey.

How is it that I'm now recording with my guide and mentor... I don't know.  But I do know that I now count both Julie and Ceri "Ffliwt" amongst my closest friends.

One Year, Week 13 - Relations and Irish music

Borscht (beetroot soup) is my favourite food.  Just to let you know...

My dad used to say that Y Gof (the blacksmith) was magic.  That must have been true.  They seemed to have had some sort of secret knowledge anyway.  My grandfather, who was descended from a Blacksmith family on his father's side, was an exceptional poet.  I think he mainly wrote in the old style, using a form of Welsh poem called the Englyn.  Englyn are amazing little snapshots, using only 30 syllables (7+3, 6, 7, 7) and a form of alliteration that twirls in upon itself like Celtic knotwork.

My grandfather, John "Jac Carnowen" Owen-Jones, was captain of a ship and his first mate was his cousin, Jac Alun Jones of Cilie.  Jac Alun was also descended from a blacksmith and his family were quite well known for their poetry at one point.

The two wrote several poems to each other, some of which are published in Morwyr y Cilie by Jon Meirion (mab Jac Alun).

One Year, Week 10, 11 & 12 - The Reunion and Twmpathe

Week 10
The Reunion...

Richard asked me to come visit the Cwps session again, which I decided to do.  And, of course, who I should I run into but none other than the infamous duo, Bjorn and Ifor.

They followed me up the stairs to join in on the English session.

One Year, Week 9 - The Party

The Party...

I went to The Party on the weekend.  It was surreal.


But before I get into that, I should say this.

It starts here... about four years ago, I had three or four harp lessons with Siân James.  It was the first time I ever played the harp.

One Year, Week 8 - Abergwaun, Manorbier, Fernhill in Rhosygilwen

I'm well behind on the blog now... by at least eight weeks!  The next few entries will be rough...

Let's see...

Easter... I don't remember much except that I had a great chat with Catrin.  She's a real character, great laugh and great storyteller!

At some point, I made my way to Pencader and had a quick play with Julie, Christine and Ceri "Ffliwt".

One Year, Week 7 - Aberaeron and Dolgellau

This week I was in Aberaeron trying to create some gigs.  I suppose a strange place to try admittedly.  I had help and loads of encouragement from Elsa though.  Unfortunately, nothing really came of it.  I'll probably try there again later.

On the Wednesday, there was a scheduled Dolgellau session.  I hadn't been in ages so decided to make the trip.

Elsa was eager to make a day out of it.  I think she wanted to experience absolutely everything that Gwil and I had experienced on our many excursions up north.  She even wanted to catch the bus up there with me from Aber.  So off we went, having a nice chat all the way up north.

One Year, Week 6 - Narberth, Llandeilo, Llandre and Cei Newydd

I got up early that Tuesday to catch the bus in to Abertawe and then a train over to Narberth.  Pwyll had died just a few days before rather unexpectedly.  Though as Enfys put, he'd been sitting on the porch watching the ocean when he passed.  No better way to go I suppose.  I had hoped to make the journey down to Llangranog that very week.  A sad loss.  Pwyll's service was beautiful though.  I think half of West Wales was there.  Jon Meirion had written two englyn for the service and there were a couple of beautiful Welsh hymns.

One Year, Week 5 - Ystalyfera, Abertawe and Gower

I made my way back down to Ystalyfera.  I think my favourite bus driver was driving.  The one who always asks me what sort of weaponry I'm hiding behind my harp case and that sort of thing.  I found out he had done sound for the Rolling Stones at one point in his life.  How cool is that?  Very interesting fellow.

Anyway, that weekend there were more gigs with Martin and Sille thankfully... I've said this previously, but without their help I would have been at a dead loss.

One Year, Week 4 - Llanbadarn and Capelywig

Not much happened in week four as I was still recovering... Later that week though, I had a great session with Elsa.  We went over to Llanbadarn church to play.  The church is a beautiful place with a very long history.  The church was said have been founded by St. Padarn in the early sixth century.  The root meaning of Padarn is Pater or father.  It's more than likely the site was once a pagan enclosure and then subsumed by later christians.  For one thing, the church houses two ancient stone crosses which are believed to be pre-christian but were subsequently re-used by the christian community.  The church itself was rebuilt a few times over the years.  I think the main structure was built in the 1200s.

One Year, Week 2 & 3 - the Cwps and being sick...

It was a bit of a night at the Cwps.  I think we were watching some rugby game but I can't remember who was playing.

Many of the usual suspects were there... Ian, Hynek, Buddug, Eleri, Ifor, James, Huw, Sam... would have been a full house if Bjorn was around.  Anyway...

Before I forget, here's a mystery solved.

One Year...

Yep... one year in Wales.  Time to reflect I suppose.

My harp playing still has a really long, long way to go, but it's slowly getting better.  Not too bad for a trombone player anyway...  and I really do love being in Wales...

Wales... Julie mentioned to me that all of this will one day become normal.  Maybe.  But my life has never been normal really.  I've lived three lifetimes in one already, though you might not guess it.  So many stories to tell...

Week 52 - St. David's Day, Poetry, Corelw, Telynau Teifi

I had wanted to celebrate St. David's this year in the actual St. David's but I had stayed in Cardiff after the gig with Sild.  I figured the capitol would be just fine.  On my way downtown, the bus driver said, "The route's changed today.  I guess there's some sort of march on."

So that wasn't a good sign as the "march" he was referring to was actually supposed to be the St. David's parade.  Needless to say, the "march" was very meagre.  Not too many Welshies take to the holiday I guess.  Fair enough.  I suppose it's more for ex-pats and us foreigners.  Shame.  I used to really enjoy handing out daffs and eating welsh cakes.