pennywhistle music and irish festival

So, I'm expanding this blog a bit... Another important thing in my life is music. It's been there longer than knitting has. I play the flute and now the pennywhistle. Since some of my roots extend from Ireland (McCallum) and Scotland (Clan Anderson) I'm sure that's why I'm playing the music I am now.
Below are some resources for pennywhistle sheet music. It always helps a bit when starting out especially for me since I was trained to read music.

Irish Songs Lyrics With Guitar Chords By Martin Dardis
Traditional Irish Music Tunes & Instruction
TinWhistle Music
The Session

I'll add more as I find them!

The North Texas Irish Festival was AWESOME! I saw some really neat groups. We all sang to the Wild Rover. I was so excited that I remembered most of the words. Drank several a Guiness, petted many Irish Wolfhounds and Great Pyrenees. I found one lady who was spinning wool into yarn but didn't run into any knitters to talk about jumpers (sweaters). The lady spinning was busy when we went by, so I didn't chat with her. She probably knew some knots. Next year I will take a started project and ask around for someone to show me some knots if I find any. I was pretty overwhelmed with everything that was going on! There were several booths representing Clans, though Clan Anderson did not have one that I saw. Perhaps next year. There is however a National Tartan Day celebration March 28, 2010 in Dallas, where I hope to find some kilt-wearing Andersons!

I should be sleeping...

I work nights. This gives me a lot of downtime, a lot of time to think.

Thinking... is not what I want time to do.

I have decided to be a copycat. To make an experiment. As a way to save myself, to keep me from overthinking thus getting depressed about my current heart-ache, I shall blog about knitting.

I am currently reading Casting Off by Nicole R. Dickson. I picked it before the break-up, probably subconciously knowing I would need a book in the future about letting go. Also, another book filled with Irish humor, scenery and... knitting.

Though I just started knitting, I learned to crochet in junior high. My step-mom Andrea taught me. I never did finish that scarf. I have finished several scarves now and hats! Working with different yarns, sizes of needles, playing with different stitches... this is my life now. That and blogging about it!

This shall be an effort to be honest (might as well be since no one's reading, right?!), committed (every day!), and to challenge myself to keep going (I can't just post about knitting single knit stitches every time... I must push towards new horizons!).

I will post pictures. Write stories. Talk about books about knitting, Irish sweaters, sheep, knitting patterns I have tried, knitters I have met, spinning (when I get there!), what knitting will mean for my future. And of course when I am not blogging, I will simply knit.