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'tis rambletide and off we go...

Winter 2008

Autumn 2007

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May 2007



May

Beltane

Welsh: Mai

In Gaelic:
Mios bochuin -
the month of swelling

Maia, the Roman goddess of growth and increase

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JON CLEE

It is with great sadness and heartbreaking sorrow to experience the loss of Jon Clee, who was hit by a car as he crossed the Gabalfa Interchange in Cardiff the night of Saturday, May 19th and passed away on Monday evening, May 21st at the University Hospital of Wales. Jon was an integral part of the Cardiff music scene and a good friend to me in the short time that I have known him. My thoughts are with his partner, Laura B., his family, his close friends and colleagues. Rest in Peace dear Jon. xxxxxxxx Pamela

Please take a moment to visit his websites to see his stunning graphic design.

www.apedesign.com
www.myspace.com/apedesign

Say not in grief that he is no more
but say in thankfulness that he was
A death is not the extinguishing of a light,
but the putting out of the lamp
because the dawn has come.

- Tagore

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April 2007

The month of the Cuckoo

The month of the Goddess Eostra

The month of The Fool

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WINTER 2007

Februrary

The Month of Purification

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WINTER PORRIDGE:

Ev'n winter bleak has
charms to me,
When winds rave thro'
the naked tree;
Or frosts on hills of Ochiltree
Are hoary gray;
Or blinding drifts wild-furious flee,
Dark'ning the day!

O Nature!
a' thy shews an' forms
To feeling, pensive hearts
hae charms!
Whether the summer
kindly warms,
Wi' life an light;
Or winter howls,
in gusty storms,
The lang, dark night!

- Robert Burns

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Autumn 2006

September

Harvest Home

Welsh: Medi -
the month of reaping

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In the midst of recording two CDs.
One experimental and the other is rooted
in more traditional song structures but not entirely.
To be released in August 2007.

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What a magical treat!
The most beautiful songwriter in the world, Vashti Bunyan,
came to the Pioneer Valley.

the joy of summertide ...
rambling through fens, ferny fronds by river banks, through hills and dales, along the cobblestone alleyways, sweltering londungeon, abbey ruins, bowling hall lounges,
sleeping in a gnome home in glastonbury, meandering through mystical tintagel,
climbing the strangely calm cliffs of cornwall...
and the places i played and the wonderful people i met:


THE TROUBADOUR, LONDON


with the incredible and inventive,
Ana Da Silva (THE RAINCOATS)


with the illustrious, Bert Jansch

(a Wizz sandwich)
with the lovely Chris Fowler and Wizard o' Guitar,
Wizz Jones

the gnome home i slept in. glastonbury, england

inside the gnome home

AUTUMN 2005

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Summer 2005

June
Month of the Midsummer Moon

July
Month of Haymaking

August
Month of the Harvest

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Little did I know that when
I was 16 years old and
in the attic of my
mother's house
free-tuning my guitar to
EAEAAE
and writing an Indian-influenced instrumental entitled,
"Strange Landscapes in the
Realm Under A Wave"
...that I was
channeling the great
Davy Graham,
who this summer I would
share the stage with.
Life has a funny way
of weaving and wending
you down paths
that lead you to your maker!!!

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Dorothy Wordsworth was
my guardian angel throughout
my excursion in England...

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From "July"

"Loud is the summer's busy song The smallest breeze can find a tongue, While insects of each tiny size Grow teasing with their melodies, Till noon burns with its blistering breath Around, and day lies still as death. "

- John Clare (1793 - 1864)

Wynsum Wanderings
Through England and Wales:
John Clare Festival
The Chapter, Cardiff, Wales
The Cwmcairn Hotel, Cwmcairn, Wales

First stop John Clare Midsummer Cushion Festival
Helpston, England

9th July 2004. Walking towards the "Gloomy Village" of Helpston

I attended a sweet festival which celebrated the poetry of
my favorite poet from the 18th century, John Clare.
John Clare, in addition to writing deeply moving pastoral poetry,
also played the fiddle, collected songs and
folk customs of his village and country dances.
Look for George Deacon's book, "John Clare and the Folk Tradition".
The last night of the festival, in the church, I sang Clare's
poem "Song" (One Gloomy Eve as I Roam'd About), which I wrote
music for. More to come of Clare's poems set to music.

Pictures from the John Clare Festival

The Procession: Children of the John Clare Primary School
bring their Midsummer Cushions to the Churchyard
to place around John Clare's grave stone.

A Poet is Born Not Made

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