tag:filcampbell.com,2005:/blogs/news?p=3News2024-01-27T06:17:00-12:00Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandfalsetag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/73415182024-01-27T06:17:00-12:002024-02-01T04:20:41-12:00Monument to the Unknown Women Workers<div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PSb2IQQsYe0/XlQ9KHSHmNI/AAAAAAAAFpw/_1gpUAFeSFs8XUufPz8We1pvtH6UnPGCACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_8268.jpeg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PSb2IQQsYe0/XlQ9KHSHmNI/AAAAAAAAFpw/_1gpUAFeSFs8XUufPz8We1pvtH6UnPGCACEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_8268.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;">
<br> </div><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;">Up in Belfast a while back there was time for a proper look at this bronze sculpture outside the train station. It is by Louise Walsh and was put up in 1992 beside the Europa Hotel.</div><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;">
<br> </div><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;">The Monument to the Unknown Women Workers apparently had a lot of controversy around it - I always thought it was a tribute to the Millies - Belfast was built on the mills and all the women who worked there - Belfast girls are still - called Millies - but apparently this was intended to be a tribute to the ladies of the night who congregated at Amelia Street across the road, but the artist decided that a wider tribute to the unpaid women workers was more appropriate and the original planners decided against it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align:center;">The Crown Bar beside Amelia Street, the former red light district of Belfast</td></tr>
</tbody></table></figure><p>The statue stands across the road from the Crown Bar, one of Belfast's most iconic places of interest - an original gin palace which still serves great food. Inside, the bar is laid out in booths which would have been used by the ladies who congregated in Amelia Street on the corner. </p>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CowZh-DctDA/XlQ9SLw-bqI/AAAAAAAAFp0/EsuqR-DKPpIq41bgzlA3U1_RP35vzmevQCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_8282.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></div><p>One of the women is an office worker with quotes about equal pay and various office acroutements attached to her<br><br> </p><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KsSfKo-51oM/XlQ9IHrtkNI/AAAAAAAAFpo/cZ1VM8b-tY8lmXyP65vItxnUr9GywaXPACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_8271.jpeg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KsSfKo-51oM/XlQ9IHrtkNI/AAAAAAAAFpo/cZ1VM8b-tY8lmXyP65vItxnUr9GywaXPACEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_8271.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></div><p><br> </p><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zWj8VAXBoDU/XlQ9Lzh09qI/AAAAAAAAFpo/6Io463X2m7MAFds8ppD5tqTcksxnIEfDgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_8273.jpeg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zWj8VAXBoDU/XlQ9Lzh09qI/AAAAAAAAFpo/6Io463X2m7MAFds8ppD5tqTcksxnIEfDgCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_8273.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="400" /></a></div><p><br> </p><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6yZRk4ByEY8/XlQ9NY7Dx4I/AAAAAAAAFps/eofpOPshh7AonkW-hQwvzJFk11MRwSMwgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_8277.jpeg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6yZRk4ByEY8/XlQ9NY7Dx4I/AAAAAAAAFps/eofpOPshh7AonkW-hQwvzJFk11MRwSMwgCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_8277.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="282" /></a></div><p>The second is a mother with the trappings of motherhood, babyhood and the home. <br> </p><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WUreORqioDY/XlQ9PnENjRI/AAAAAAAAFpw/jupXEiNqheUJyBF9QJ9uQJcxkjkNnB-UACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_8281.jpeg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WUreORqioDY/XlQ9PnENjRI/AAAAAAAAFpw/jupXEiNqheUJyBF9QJ9uQJcxkjkNnB-UACEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_8281.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></div><p><br> </p><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sXUjkPBuRP4/XlQ-St3RviI/AAAAAAAAFp8/G8YtWq4m49sbu1JANixamrWJTo6CGs33ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_8275.jpeg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sXUjkPBuRP4/XlQ-St3RviI/AAAAAAAAFp8/G8YtWq4m49sbu1JANixamrWJTo6CGs33ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_8275.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></div><p><br> </p><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GccfOfj7yyk/XlQ-RU0JhAI/AAAAAAAAFp4/a28VLeZuniYmzh_YpkEtoCLR6LafxG_JgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_8276.jpeg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GccfOfj7yyk/XlQ-RU0JhAI/AAAAAAAAFp4/a28VLeZuniYmzh_YpkEtoCLR6LafxG_JgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_8276.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="320" /></a></div><p><br>There's a real mixed bag of comments on Trip Advisor which, apart from <a class="no-pjax" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument_to_the_Unknown_Woman_Worker">Wikipedia</a>, was the only place I could find any information about this - some people thought they were ugly and in the wrong place.<br><br>I think they're fabulous. <br><br>The sculpture was commissioned in the late 80s by the Department of the Environment and after it was dropped a private client recommissioned it in 1992.</p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/73309592024-01-09T04:32:00-12:002024-02-01T04:20:41-12:00A new year, a new home<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSYa21O4arREka63E4a5l7tw5FpTOSeDZ4HlEwlrtOJb9OBAzYGD0lqJcIISGh08QFKQP8UkvUQVAMedccoxZlpVFqoZbfgXzAxO96QwuCBJFeoaQ2_QN1SJrRqpygsMxu3NpUSh-sPjotWXY2Xk0Js4O3zrTxlhtHtdJ93aDbPzl05DkUr1qo37ywPDw"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSYa21O4arREka63E4a5l7tw5FpTOSeDZ4HlEwlrtOJb9OBAzYGD0lqJcIISGh08QFKQP8UkvUQVAMedccoxZlpVFqoZbfgXzAxO96QwuCBJFeoaQ2_QN1SJrRqpygsMxu3NpUSh-sPjotWXY2Xk0Js4O3zrTxlhtHtdJ93aDbPzl05DkUr1qo37ywPDw" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="180" /></a></div><p>Like the twisted trunk of this old tree Tom and I have re rooted ourselves and moved West to my old home house on the borders of Co. Fermanagh and Co. Donegal - we're a few miles from the Atlantic and in the county full of lakes, bogland and wide open spaces. </p><p> </p><p>It's been a huge move emotionally and spiritually, totally apart from the physical upheaval. We were in our last house for 20 years and in that town for 30. There's a story I heard once<br><br>, that when a gypsy dies the rest of the tribe burn their caravan and all its contents. That's what I'm going to do if I ever have to move house again - OMG!!!! I'm sure you've all been through it at some point in your lives - where does all the stuff come from! We're here now 4 months and there's still things I can't find. I think that's the hardest part of moving - we lose the familiar - the things you knew exactly where to find them, the shops to go to to get a certain item, the friends to call for a coffee when you're bored or need a break. </p><p>And yet there's a lot that's familiar here - people I went to primary school with still live along the road and have been very kind both to my mother when she was alive and to us as we settle in. I remember faces although I can't always put a name to them yet, and down the years of spending holidays with mum we have kept a foot in this camp which is making the transition a lot easier. </p><figure class="table"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align:center;"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4iD30DDZYGWp4k2h_nHumjYSvaPKDYV8yX3kdLwc3ovdhe2l4RLJq5mPfKMzmvGCv-ccIpYTbwNnbx-Ou75r_SY77y6DGo2oXXjfMfn6k9HRkLLXpDBYoQ7cjMVwRy9UCg18foj5Vjt8fnRGMsgUmc7dhb1L90A6dDCHezj8sSRxpNA-iglb1miOWDig"><i><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4iD30DDZYGWp4k2h_nHumjYSvaPKDYV8yX3kdLwc3ovdhe2l4RLJq5mPfKMzmvGCv-ccIpYTbwNnbx-Ou75r_SY77y6DGo2oXXjfMfn6k9HRkLLXpDBYoQ7cjMVwRy9UCg18foj5Vjt8fnRGMsgUmc7dhb1L90A6dDCHezj8sSRxpNA-iglb1miOWDig" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="180" /></i></a></td></tr>
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<i>Some brave souls going for a New Year's Dip on Lough Erne.</i> </td></tr>
</tbody></table></figure><p> </p><p>So it's time now to get back into some old rhythms. I"m back to tour planning and have started work on a very long overdue songbook and I hope to start doing the occasional blog again. Tom is enjoying doing renovations to the house and we're both enjoying not driving anywhere for a while - the 210 mile round trip that we were doing sometimes twice a week in the last months of Mum's life, we are definitely not missing those. And the new will become familiar in time. </p><p>I hope you are all well - although I've not been posting, I have been popping in from time to time to read your blogs and catch up with you. </p><p>Mostly our lives have been led on Facebook and YouTube so if you fancy popping in there to say hello I'll be glad to see you. </p><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;"><a class="no-pjax" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiA2RnYxKSseIhacG670LRram-G_qX8QQVbD_kHbF-aNAtxzV6jBFfhWfw0q0Nr_HR6FBk2NJu4C0NCHg2NMJX143ceIH72u-uWydqHz3xieyEJPJZATRZW5yrdfz5JByaSsmQneHeZh_CPw9PpilubuPZHXYRW2NZv2zFRMRlyEWIrl8hG_U150BYbHoA"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiA2RnYxKSseIhacG670LRram-G_qX8QQVbD_kHbF-aNAtxzV6jBFfhWfw0q0Nr_HR6FBk2NJu4C0NCHg2NMJX143ceIH72u-uWydqHz3xieyEJPJZATRZW5yrdfz5JByaSsmQneHeZh_CPw9PpilubuPZHXYRW2NZv2zFRMRlyEWIrl8hG_U150BYbHoA" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="180" /></a></div><p> </p><p style="text-align:center;">Happy New Year - may this one bring a little bit of peace to the world. </p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/73300292024-01-07T23:41:34-12:002024-01-07T23:41:34-12:00Happy New Year<p>Greetings from frosty Co. Fermanagh and best wishes for a peaceful year to come. </p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/72440872023-07-18T21:48:03-12:002024-01-07T23:38:36-12:00Fiddlers Green Festival<div style='-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(5, 5, 5);color:rgb(5, 5, 5);font-family:system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;' dir="auto">Having a gentle time at Fiddlers Green this year ... You'll find us at these sessions and round and about the impromptu sessions.</div><div style='-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(5, 5, 5);color:rgb(5, 5, 5);font-family:system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;' dir="auto">Sunday night 23rd 7.30pm, Opening Concert, In Tune with Nature in the Lecture Hall presented by <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.facebook.com/colum.sands?__cft__%5B0%5D=AZVqFKwRl_ZJ37CZ35MDfECLaLrKHBjBeP-PFtbhSveJAT1IRlDwSYHOgYJCM9wupgzxoc8yEF2IY-K2sTuhQpNZdrRWxmfFykwSnhSjyYD64LEcrPZ3XetTz2Aq1x-BjjTmTjqcJOI4B7qxqgwNF5ubviNGnDlXFMNup8UDVZMN_leGPoM3yuKopk6eXOt4krs&__tn__=-%5DK-R" role="link" tabindex="0"><span>Colum Sands</span></a>
</div><div style='-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(5, 5, 5);color:rgb(5, 5, 5);font-family:system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;' dir="auto">Tuesday 25th 3pm - Songs for the Soul, Star of the Sea Church - a beautiful afternoon concert hosted by <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100052869786388&__cft__%5B0%5D=AZVqFKwRl_ZJ37CZ35MDfECLaLrKHBjBeP-PFtbhSveJAT1IRlDwSYHOgYJCM9wupgzxoc8yEF2IY-K2sTuhQpNZdrRWxmfFykwSnhSjyYD64LEcrPZ3XetTz2Aq1x-BjjTmTjqcJOI4B7qxqgwNF5ubviNGnDlXFMNup8UDVZMN_leGPoM3yuKopk6eXOt4krs&__tn__=-%5DK-R" role="link" tabindex="0"><span>Matthew McGrath</span></a>
</div><div style='-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(5, 5, 5);color:rgb(5, 5, 5);font-family:system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;' dir="auto">Sunday 30th July - Hosting the Sunday singaround - 1pm - 3pm St Bronagh's GAA club rooms, Bring a song or story or instrument and join in the farewell session with visitors and guests.<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/393260/c39fd6b25f09857ab70f3256deb4d5eb733b1658/original/fiddlersconcept.jpg/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></div>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/72360682023-07-02T09:46:38-12:002023-07-02T09:57:29-12:00Check out our new live video<div class="video-container size_xl justify_center" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="s7Gw_eTlyiY" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s7Gw_eTlyiY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>We had a very enjoyable session at Slemish Sessions in Broughshane with Andrew and Brian recording this live video of "People"</p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/72288812023-06-19T02:40:00-12:002023-06-26T08:00:03-12:00We're now on Patreon<p>Come and check out our new Patreon site <br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.patreon.com/filandtom">https://www.patreon.com/filandtom</a></p><p>If this is a new thing for you, check out our very off the cuff welcome video and we'll explain how it works. </p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/393260/6a490ab6728c3943b627bbfa8814dcccb372d5f9/original/screenshot-2023-06-19-at-15-38-49.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/72288852023-06-19T02:36:51-12:002023-06-19T02:36:51-12:00Fun at Bloomsday<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/393260/cece9354309ec6b9f10e332e933fd101154edc60/original/img-2061.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" />All dressed up for Bloomsday - we were part of a lovely evening of readings from Ulysses interspersed with songs mentioned in the book - check out our version of <a class="no-pjax" href="https://youtu.be/GCy9_le6OiQ" data-link-type="url">Love's Old Sweet Song</a> which is referred to as being sung by Molly Bloom . James Joyce's epic novel is set entirely in one day - 16th June - and Bloomsday (from the character Leopold Bloom) is now celebrated all over the world. While the majority of the action takes place in Dublin, one of the characters, a pub waitress, Miss Douce, talks about her recent holiday in Rostrevor - hence our connection to the book. Organised by the<a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.lighttheatrecompany.org" data-link-type="url"> LIght Theatre Company</a> </p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/72251422023-06-12T02:10:03-12:002023-06-19T02:28:02-12:00Bloomsday<p>Blooms Day is the annual celebration of James Joyce's epic novel Ulysses where all the action of the novel takes place on 16th June. One of the characters travels to Rostrevor by the sea and our local theatre company The Light Theatre company have been doing an annual celebration of readings, plays and songs from or connected to the book. This year we're taking part in two performances on 16th and 18th - years ago we recorded Love's Old Sweet Song which is one of the key songs mentioned and will look forward to reprieving a rendition of it. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/393260/f7dca7f55d4c2032f319f5f2de63812284c707fd/original/347241823-115884391490253-4313657316674081328-n.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /> </p>4:24Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71810322023-03-29T20:25:53-12:002023-04-06T08:43:55-12:00Reaching the SHORELINE<p>Our newest CD album Shoreline is here and will be available NOW. </p><p>A collection of 10 folk songs , some sung by Fil, some featuring Tom and a couple of duets. </p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://filandtom.com/shop" data-link-type="url">Click here to buy from our shop</a><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/393260/ebaa1f34b410817a2cd7cabede16118bc7d420d4/original/shoreline-cover.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71174592022-12-04T22:51:13-12:002022-12-04T22:51:54-12:00The Christmas Fire<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/b587b2609f5c0bee6e02d972de2f8bae88cdd946/original/fil-and-tom-cover-finished.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" />The Christmas Fire is our latest single out in time for the holiday season. It's a traditional song that Tom and I recorded live in the summer - guitar, percussion and vocals - and our good friend Colum Sands added some lovely concertina to add some atmosphere. </p>
<p>Listen now on <a contents="Bandcamp" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://filandtom.bandcamp.com/track/the-christmas-fire">Bandcamp</a> (please follow us there if you're a regular listener) or if you're on Spotify you can check it out there. </p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070422022-11-20T22:44:00-12:002022-11-20T22:47:12-12:00Finishing a Christmas song<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/c1c119fc7043728c1386716cddbc890a10a5c7fa/original/img-1154.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Delighted to be back in the studio putting finishing touches to the new album which we are aiming now to have out for 1st March. And while we were recording earlier in the year we put down a Christmas song which will be out on social media in the next couple of weeks - Colum Sands adding some warmth to the tune here.<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/be1e5d2df6833674cc563e31228337780896a617/original/img-1176-2.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070132022-11-07T04:11:00-12:002022-11-20T22:31:04-12:00Hello,<p>Gosh it's been ages since I've checked in here and I thought it was time to come by and reassure everyone that I'm still here - thanks <a href="http://grannysmithquilting.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Susan</a> for the nudge. </p>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg70XixdqPm3Vq_sUtQVuh4Buuku1hWA31wkzHhY3lpXyF9L10Zq1O_LyYYEd4qUVV2YVCkturfIAbxAw5CToVKuRepXlws5zYCxZOUd4A-aPL3zvgtPrx9VBmv74HAv9qWnt0c8-HTF9nV33WlIXIN77BCeApMV8r242hIDrly2dZIL8-fYSD_Cuxj" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg70XixdqPm3Vq_sUtQVuh4Buuku1hWA31wkzHhY3lpXyF9L10Zq1O_LyYYEd4qUVV2YVCkturfIAbxAw5CToVKuRepXlws5zYCxZOUd4A-aPL3zvgtPrx9VBmv74HAv9qWnt0c8-HTF9nV33WlIXIN77BCeApMV8r242hIDrly2dZIL8-fYSD_Cuxj=w240-h320" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="320" width="240" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Under the beech tree on the garage roof<br> They're all in hiding now</i></span><br> </td> </tr>
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<p>It's a miserable day here and I've nailed myself to the desk to do some catching up and start getting work stuff ready for Christmas. I have a real love hate relationship with Christmas preparations - as soon as I see things in the shops in October I want the biscuits and puddings and then I turn into Scrooge and don't want to hear a carol or see a decoration until Christmas week. That all being said I made my cake at the weekend and start the choir on Christmas songs tomorrow - eek! </p>
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<p>We've been running between two houses since Mum passed away and for several months before that, and our own house was looking kind of unloved and unlived-in for a while. We needed a concerted offensive on spiders - where are they all coming from! - and now it's just taking a day to feel like home again each time we come back. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>A lot of clearing out has been done and if this rain ever stops I have a gardener waiting to help me make her garden more manageable when we're not living there full time. The penalty for living so close to the Atlantic is rain 90% of the time according to the builder who'd been doing some fixing up for us. It dumps on Donegal and Fermanagh first so that by the time it gets to us here in Co. Down it has tamed down a bit. I think people in Cornwall and Devon are the same. </p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_tlIhw3k1OyGzr4lMyE48sw2yF2LCVvM2XSDf3FwR-7PLwX6Fx9OBqSaOwOoazHF2cY6WlvDfnRR187XQ32v7gpk01x1VufwKarthV-XypaLe83mNQvwK1QohOurac6scNzS4js5VUMeXHH7xLs-w1Utap3I5Ujf1KNTpsGjSZ9rqdIWss59Lr2aP" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_tlIhw3k1OyGzr4lMyE48sw2yF2LCVvM2XSDf3FwR-7PLwX6Fx9OBqSaOwOoazHF2cY6WlvDfnRR187XQ32v7gpk01x1VufwKarthV-XypaLe83mNQvwK1QohOurac6scNzS4js5VUMeXHH7xLs-w1Utap3I5Ujf1KNTpsGjSZ9rqdIWss59Lr2aP=w240-h320" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="320" width="240" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My lovely mum Margaret or Marguerite as she was known on one side of the family,<br> who passed away in July. <br> She was 3 weeks away from her 95th birthday. </i></span></td> </tr>
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<p> </p>
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<p>Mum was a great crafter. A life long member of the ICA (the Irish Countrywomen's Association, the Irish equivalent of the Women's Institute), she knitted and crocheted, made our clothes, embroidered my Irish dancing costumes and tried her hand at every new thing that came along. Right up until a few days before she died she was still asking us to bring her crochet into the hospital to her. And like every crafter she had endless supplies of everything needed - for every new craft! So I have two trunks and two cupboards full of patterns and material and tools dating back to the late 50s and as yet I've not tackled the attic! And that's after giving away enough wool for two or three blankets at least. It's a real treasure trove and although I can hear her asking why I'm poking around in her stuff, I'm enjoying what I find. Problem is I also have those collectors instincts and already have a house full of stuff that'll never be touched again!</p>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEtOEm_mDgMRoNdNo-VVwbRA90-gO6-ZnS0nzOGHbi_PxO9QQkQ2k1k5lXnxfAtGlYx3VtIV7kNFRtx6cWqU2nuSg59PJqlLnsOzLwY1bPM8ktxiKGgwFR5yH_xDhyp8ZeYozUIM815upvIfvKhloemy9mP9aRSvv1mqJQzIZXwNC1EJNI88Q7NPrb" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEtOEm_mDgMRoNdNo-VVwbRA90-gO6-ZnS0nzOGHbi_PxO9QQkQ2k1k5lXnxfAtGlYx3VtIV7kNFRtx6cWqU2nuSg59PJqlLnsOzLwY1bPM8ktxiKGgwFR5yH_xDhyp8ZeYozUIM815upvIfvKhloemy9mP9aRSvv1mqJQzIZXwNC1EJNI88Q7NPrb=w320-h320" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="320" width="320" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Saxophone on a folk album you ask!!<br> Channelling our inner Van the man band on a couple of songs</i></span></td> </tr>
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<p> </p>
<p>We finally got back to recording over the past couple of weeks, finishing up pieces that we need other people to play on and fingers crossed the album will be totally finished by the end of this month. </p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLl10sGYHWqFOzOHzsLDYXixTM5i5rh665_6z03s3CWBtbXMjHRApxPFXBHJOLRGcYO3-NdKpLPC_XaJCe3ndssgzahOnB1i2UxPX3jwTUo9_K7uecKtqt79aXtJhm9WKjBDYNhrmGFXkpcbARAmlsD3fcCwiIUth-vBl14lN5rpoIttbfU8_0nTid" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLl10sGYHWqFOzOHzsLDYXixTM5i5rh665_6z03s3CWBtbXMjHRApxPFXBHJOLRGcYO3-NdKpLPC_XaJCe3ndssgzahOnB1i2UxPX3jwTUo9_K7uecKtqt79aXtJhm9WKjBDYNhrmGFXkpcbARAmlsD3fcCwiIUth-vBl14lN5rpoIttbfU8_0nTid" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="180" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Tom at work making everything sound good.</i></span></td> </tr>
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<p> </p>
<p>We'll have a song out on digital platforms for Christmas and the album will hopefully have a February launch. So normal service is returning.</p>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhm3OJ4PEkKfp0t8thpYPxawxGxTO-uTPceGyZuOkOT_nhlhDlPqGaoc-_L7RgN9SNMdrL1tfyDYds1Jy3nG39psWVXk3W0ueIjpuhf88vTno-uxmJUTuqans7NCqRpavqsbSOsGhBVhntU8IhWbG5hjjR1r4AJ_LH1_YUGfJLBmbsEJElKVFRAcPXX" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhm3OJ4PEkKfp0t8thpYPxawxGxTO-uTPceGyZuOkOT_nhlhDlPqGaoc-_L7RgN9SNMdrL1tfyDYds1Jy3nG39psWVXk3W0ueIjpuhf88vTno-uxmJUTuqans7NCqRpavqsbSOsGhBVhntU8IhWbG5hjjR1r4AJ_LH1_YUGfJLBmbsEJElKVFRAcPXX=w240-h320" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="320" width="240" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Ah! concertina! That's more like folk</i></span></td> </tr>
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<p>I find it hard to find up beat things to talk about when life isn't going so smoothly and I hate writing doom and gloom - there's enough of that in the world. But I'll be back at some point. </p>
<p>Thanks for reading. </p>
<p>Fil x</p>
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<p> </p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070142022-06-09T03:14:00-12:002022-11-20T22:25:13-12:00Updates from here<p> </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSt7CWnlVG035X8PcXWAAQeE8TIUP8Ux36NPMh72KHDDx6uDDq3KlGC5iq8jQbepAMO4iGgnDZFRc8zDxzUT1TOYd7y9JQ0TJacJXk5bBTGhPzGIRO7rm52JpPVMDFeOGINa4ILNmh5dloZGuLcLP37kSTYxz82JX5mBTFJEMijTaqN1Tb5aMDU-D/s5184/IMG_0056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSt7CWnlVG035X8PcXWAAQeE8TIUP8Ux36NPMh72KHDDx6uDDq3KlGC5iq8jQbepAMO4iGgnDZFRc8zDxzUT1TOYd7y9JQ0TJacJXk5bBTGhPzGIRO7rm52JpPVMDFeOGINa4ILNmh5dloZGuLcLP37kSTYxz82JX5mBTFJEMijTaqN1Tb5aMDU-D/w640-h360/IMG_0056.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><br>Things have been a bit manic here and I'm a bit the worse for wear at this stage, but the end is in sight. </p>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxzIjYT6_NpNM0gb5ymMD_Uzv5D-FSiWoi4k9g04bY0JAhiVMbDgwTyWwvKjRj9_4YwJxWxn67vFvH9IeYWl5ZT8m7_IlES9CmjPu31rmR4GUafTUcxVjj8-c08fX1H4b0XpG6D9ZICXlAi7kUQS_8mZs-v0UWrjWICz7q65ay13G455hkpAGlZ1yd" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxzIjYT6_NpNM0gb5ymMD_Uzv5D-FSiWoi4k9g04bY0JAhiVMbDgwTyWwvKjRj9_4YwJxWxn67vFvH9IeYWl5ZT8m7_IlES9CmjPu31rmR4GUafTUcxVjj8-c08fX1H4b0XpG6D9ZICXlAi7kUQS_8mZs-v0UWrjWICz7q65ay13G455hkpAGlZ1yd" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="180" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>summer colour in spite of the cold</i></span></td> </tr>
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<p>My brother arrived home from Australia on Sunday for a month long visit to stay with Mum, which has freed our time a bit for a few weeks to let the end of term run out, get choir performances done and get the album finished. Unfortunately new medicine I've been on has not agreed with me and I'm struggling putting one foot in front of the other at the minute - isn't that always the way - never feel poorly when you've loads of time to be sick in ... humph. Anyway, this too shall pass as some wise person once said. </p>
<p><b><i>Break out the champagne ... </i></b>We had a successful crowdfunding project on Kickstarter - hit our target a few days ago and the time isn't up until tonight at midnight so we're delighted with that. A couple of very generous friends asked us to do special concerts which we are only to happy to do and they lifted the total well up between them. </p>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgfa1EY4WHmCoJs9R32WBwnaMd7piGWaGmQdz8DJ50xxGEtMJgkP6wDAW2zemxXRYHbFTyiWvFgmHKfHJSGc7vAVIUGhoCGZgs-akGFProsH3sUup9jqPRjNYccwYry2NoTs_vtPUvnJq8zvT8ywkVwGadndejTRffwuxqgNrM8WD_JrPCOcN1AkxZ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgfa1EY4WHmCoJs9R32WBwnaMd7piGWaGmQdz8DJ50xxGEtMJgkP6wDAW2zemxXRYHbFTyiWvFgmHKfHJSGc7vAVIUGhoCGZgs-akGFProsH3sUup9jqPRjNYccwYry2NoTs_vtPUvnJq8zvT8ywkVwGadndejTRffwuxqgNrM8WD_JrPCOcN1AkxZ=w300-h400" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" width="300" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Terrible photo but drum set up in the living room</span></i></td> </tr>
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<p>Now we're finishing up our bits of recording. I have to say this has been a most enjoyable experience. Every room in the house has been used and as if by magic it all disappears in the evening. </p>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2O1t-uAzOtmI_baOTC5Mn8lvL9WUXeCgdpNf-RyaQ5dTs7rSlA9P0VD2nWgmEFiWllP_zAsKVnOuzJLC9VmXehQjFc3ZgVDybPwa8U6jzUXxAKkpj0d5y98awHzgHiYe3sr_S89N92DtHW7-f_ek9YPtUKvtlJkesaKbdGmttTkCKiGx_KZvOhlPc" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2O1t-uAzOtmI_baOTC5Mn8lvL9WUXeCgdpNf-RyaQ5dTs7rSlA9P0VD2nWgmEFiWllP_zAsKVnOuzJLC9VmXehQjFc3ZgVDybPwa8U6jzUXxAKkpj0d5y98awHzgHiYe3sr_S89N92DtHW7-f_ek9YPtUKvtlJkesaKbdGmttTkCKiGx_KZvOhlPc=w300-h400" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" width="300" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>guitar studio in the bedroom</i></span></td> </tr>
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<p> Yesterday and today I've been engineering for Tom to add his percussion parts and I'm getting to grips with all the technical terms - I am now someone who knows that a bus is not only a means of transport!! Mind you I can't explain it much beyond that but it's something to do with sound recording lol. </p>
<p>For the next few days now we'll do backing vocals and final vocals while other musicians are adding parts to songs remotely. On previous recordings we brought a musician in for a day to add their instrument to several tracks, but now most musicians have the facility to record in their own studio and send the parts back. So there's bass, fiddle and keyboards going on to some songs and we've a few minor things to add then - perhaps an harmonica on one or two songs and we're looking for a nice wooden flute player. I've never gotten around to buying my wooden flute but I will do that over the winter - mind you my wish list of instruments never seems to get smaller - let me see: I need another guitar, a ukulele (even though I'm not a fan of the instrument, but it may have uses in recording ), a wooden flute and a shruti box. I think I'll have to keep doing the lottery. As you can see my annoyance with music has diminished - the rest over covid has really done me good - that and constant playing with paints and papers. Now to get the medicines sorted, get a wee break and hope that my mum keeps improving. She'll be 95 next month so we'll look forward to that. </p>
<p>And of course, I can't go without the squirrel updates :) Our morning entertainment ... </p>
<p><b>Count the tails!!!</b></p>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwiJzAQyrq14i2m00e1DIIIKSSER_RnkfnLSqUSexN41D4sBhviBp20NqoLQ_P0gkA6vkXSGvvIMgHD1yokdxGcQ-TajQMZBA250vsKZuHKV8E7LtGoyb5RHlFwwYZ70wlEw2Lf68Q2VJNqotEEu_G0RX5F8inwa8p4QzPAXoPPLm7xPj85vnRoOdE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwiJzAQyrq14i2m00e1DIIIKSSER_RnkfnLSqUSexN41D4sBhviBp20NqoLQ_P0gkA6vkXSGvvIMgHD1yokdxGcQ-TajQMZBA250vsKZuHKV8E7LtGoyb5RHlFwwYZ70wlEw2Lf68Q2VJNqotEEu_G0RX5F8inwa8p4QzPAXoPPLm7xPj85vnRoOdE=w640-h360" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5fy8qJ9CRo0H2G9r_cTiJ8ci7WFIKTz6V0gYsJvtNb3zDsGX5cQRuLfDT42rqapdK2xGdY1Lr7SVsZa4TfUhYVin4mG9bkAxcGmAFFmiY0Jyi1aFMNEJ6oAKVW3Mju9bZ9akV2kW0b0B96Q64HtC5NbHjcJhBlN79-IkLVeRpKB6C-Pj6KxZr7M3d" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5fy8qJ9CRo0H2G9r_cTiJ8ci7WFIKTz6V0gYsJvtNb3zDsGX5cQRuLfDT42rqapdK2xGdY1Lr7SVsZa4TfUhYVin4mG9bkAxcGmAFFmiY0Jyi1aFMNEJ6oAKVW3Mju9bZ9akV2kW0b0B96Q64HtC5NbHjcJhBlN79-IkLVeRpKB6C-Pj6KxZr7M3d=w640-h360" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="360" width="640" /></a></b></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimXz5Wv8oByhlX_lhd3zhs7nfMpf9R1cBEaNnO5uKjbkJx6R4RcmjZ9izkcTwND3rGRx3Aju6wTHdQIynOTfwlvmBK8IqBv7WHgX1mM9yxeh7GFm7psIE2drJJOkOvKXSFvfmgxm5Zw0EuHZuIpbVBnsvmqGU811ULgaQxAe1dmtrPtXOgLjnhzV9W" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimXz5Wv8oByhlX_lhd3zhs7nfMpf9R1cBEaNnO5uKjbkJx6R4RcmjZ9izkcTwND3rGRx3Aju6wTHdQIynOTfwlvmBK8IqBv7WHgX1mM9yxeh7GFm7psIE2drJJOkOvKXSFvfmgxm5Zw0EuHZuIpbVBnsvmqGU811ULgaQxAe1dmtrPtXOgLjnhzV9W=w640-h360" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="360" width="640" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>there was another one on the ground</i></span></td> </tr>
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<p>... if the sun is shining they are really red but if it's dull they seem much browner. I really must learn to take better photos but the wee brats won't sit still long enough for a good pose - they need training :)</p>
<p>Til the next time, stay well and safe. </p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070162022-05-17T03:24:00-12:002022-11-20T22:31:04-12:00The Squirrels babies are here ... <p> I just had to share this ... </p>
<p>In the middle of the recording this afternoon I looked out the window and we had four feeding together ... how fabulous. </p>
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<p>Thank you for all your comments the other day - much appreciated :) xx</p>
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<p> </p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070172022-05-10T01:40:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:17-12:00Too much<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-8Uh5eBI-H-_vTLRxM3XWlYIUYK4lc-rLL0wW7jtzd2RWs3cFFPMsuscQy-vCUGjP-bYcToqGAYBzehy7v-5u-F7gT2aXI5EFRQP03Fo0xxwGZJwdWf6PTxlANLfrgHyjvo4TI3rOPOOmarqV-WfZ5bidMBDwGqqInS3IYRZYmOnxAixt_yquWHC/s1040/Earth%20day.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-8Uh5eBI-H-_vTLRxM3XWlYIUYK4lc-rLL0wW7jtzd2RWs3cFFPMsuscQy-vCUGjP-bYcToqGAYBzehy7v-5u-F7gT2aXI5EFRQP03Fo0xxwGZJwdWf6PTxlANLfrgHyjvo4TI3rOPOOmarqV-WfZ5bidMBDwGqqInS3IYRZYmOnxAixt_yquWHC/w400-h225/Earth%20day.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Sing for Earth Day Rostrevor <br>singing in the forest after a morning workshop learning songs to praise the Earth.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br>It's been such a long time since I posted here - nearly three months - that I hardly know how to start writing. It's not that there's been anything overly dramatic happening that has kept me away, just an accumulation of too much. Too much distraction, too much general illness, too much tiredness, just too much. Anyway, I'm back for now - not promising anything more than that, just to say hello and let you know we're all still alive here! <p></p><p><br></p><p>So what have I been up to? </p><p>We had a first trip of the year over to Scotland to do a couple of folk club gigs last month - it was harder than usual to get ourselves wound up and started, but by the third gig we were back in our stride again and the fourth gig of the week, when we got back home again, was superb. Great energy. </p><p><br></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmnDeD6qlX_DlAjgPhDA2kOOSM2RRVUTtavM6a2rDnTDJFWnih_-STVIq456C1MkyBRwKtij0mg-K3jF7CiRtSQFIu1cbHcSWTsHQu-SVito1g5H8voHAUK53-3Ln7-YoLXgl6NTHsvlJItgE9BK2YO4QO94ntLTkaCuzZ6riISJeQKl3Z0iNyTo4e/s4032/IMG_0627.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmnDeD6qlX_DlAjgPhDA2kOOSM2RRVUTtavM6a2rDnTDJFWnih_-STVIq456C1MkyBRwKtij0mg-K3jF7CiRtSQFIu1cbHcSWTsHQu-SVito1g5H8voHAUK53-3Ln7-YoLXgl6NTHsvlJItgE9BK2YO4QO94ntLTkaCuzZ6riISJeQKl3Z0iNyTo4e/s320/IMG_0627.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">crossing bridges in Scotland</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div>My extra two new choirs have been enjoyable but I'm finding it hard to keep my energy up for three nights a week, especially during the dark months, driving on country roads and leaving a roaring fire after an early dinner. Now with the brighter evenings it's not quite as bad. But the one off workshops I've been doing -for International Women's Day and for Earth Day, have been very enjoyable. I think I'd like to do more of those. <div>
<p></p>
<p>Recording wise we're making good progress, finishing songs and getting guide tracks completed, ready for other musicians to add sparkle to them. We are launching a crowdfunding campaign to presell that CD and get people involved with the process. <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/99736297/fil-and-tom-new-cd">Here's the link if you're interested in contributing.</a> You can hear one of the songs which will be a single - People - in the background of the video. <br></p>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The view from Carrick Cottage Cafe in the Mournes on a sunny Easter Tuesday - heavenly.<br>The Isle of Man was visible in the distance and the place was absolutely packed. </span></i></td></tr>
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<br><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXMSeXyIT74Ci8ZVgVUeppJWUYAAsGf89oBdBzcdG_brqRqJQkIBt3vtg8a8BlZypskMUaNvqzN8vtiPHyabyV517sMA1d4k-PmR-fAFTaXS2HR5O2iNR5esb5Oztn9JK06T2md3vgefqbaQZxSg1q0wr1i-lHyDrMu1kxe0EX459HNNJF2izXgqX/s4032/IMG_0755.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXMSeXyIT74Ci8ZVgVUeppJWUYAAsGf89oBdBzcdG_brqRqJQkIBt3vtg8a8BlZypskMUaNvqzN8vtiPHyabyV517sMA1d4k-PmR-fAFTaXS2HR5O2iNR5esb5Oztn9JK06T2md3vgefqbaQZxSg1q0wr1i-lHyDrMu1kxe0EX459HNNJF2izXgqX/s320/IMG_0755.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a>
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<p><br></p>The garden is starting to perk up and I'm so excited to see that my wisteria has finally bloomed - I've always loved seeing very old wisteria after being in a house once on Orkney where the conservatory was just full of blooms and from there the whole house was filled with the heady smell. I think I planted this one 5 years ago and patience has finally won out. <div><br></div>
<div>Over Covid I've had more time to play with paper and paints and have dabbled with junk journalling which I really enjoy - it's great not to have to be brilliant at something and just enjoy sticking things in a book with glue. <br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and playing with found poetry </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvg2bFWifY8DTiZBF1DAZzcMv7nKkjpTzEqP5_kJMd-b5Hf6oxt-TSFIUeh1KURVDpOBGZDzifOIr2cdngo7MocUhr0DEMXCrb63KvqOL2ZzB19SPc9783d3PbyiN1F6nRRkMWsglPgrfv5egGrk5vFzr_4ExvTU-bu2B2_71Tx9HTQIO7F3GgAXos/s4032/IMG_0697.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvg2bFWifY8DTiZBF1DAZzcMv7nKkjpTzEqP5_kJMd-b5Hf6oxt-TSFIUeh1KURVDpOBGZDzifOIr2cdngo7MocUhr0DEMXCrb63KvqOL2ZzB19SPc9783d3PbyiN1F6nRRkMWsglPgrfv5egGrk5vFzr_4ExvTU-bu2B2_71Tx9HTQIO7F3GgAXos/w300-h400/IMG_0697.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I think the best part of this pastime is all the bits to be bought - sweetie shop for grown ups lol. </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I have been dropping in from time to time to catch up with your writings and I was very grateful to Susan for getting in touch a while back to see if we were ok - I appreciated it so much Susan and hope I didn't scare you off with my ranting - it wasn't the best day when I wrote back !</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Take care everyone and belated Bealtaine greetings. </div>
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</div>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/68854132022-02-01T03:59:52-12:002022-02-01T03:59:52-12:00New Song for Brigid's Day<p>We're delighted to release a brand new song especially for Imbolc or St Brigid's Day which marks the start of Spring in Ireland. </p>
<p>Have a look and listen to the <strong><em>First of February</em></strong> on our <a contents="You Tube channel" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/dUeDvsp2IPw">You Tube channel</a></p>
<p>Blessings of Brigid's Day to you and yours.</p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070182022-01-31T12:00:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:17-12:00Blessings of Brigid's Day <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i></i></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
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</tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i> Beannachtai lá Féile Bhríde Ort</i></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Blessings of Brigid's Day to you and yours</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1st February, Imbolc, Brigid's Day, the start of Spring</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><i><br></i></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br></i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>I hope you are all keeping well. We've had a lovely start to the year in this part of the world - bright skies and mild days.</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Now the days are getting noticeably longer and there are the first signs of Spring. </i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br></i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>We've been busy in our recording studio finishing a new song to mark the day</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://youtu.be/dUeDvsp2IPw">Check out First of February here on YouTube</a></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><a href="https://youtu.be/dUeDvsp2IPw"></a></i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>I had my first go at making a Brigid's cross with rushes I collected near my home house in Belleek. You'll spot a little clip of me making it in the video of the song. </i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br></i></span><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5KWFkv81ASy6T4JgeM0bo_nylUwOb4fBV3TV4sKeQ-Yknr9V0pIXdR_1A_h6GtB8MLCzILIWfwvL79zt5WCg_ZkSzJMR5_OUQoZ0RNgQVBSxzp7fU9StQp8U2VYGRdPB9D11Z9-U8aiRvkVFrpQwwTqAdNwdwx7W2tCGpPxNNGL60Q_X3liGlyjFS=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5KWFkv81ASy6T4JgeM0bo_nylUwOb4fBV3TV4sKeQ-Yknr9V0pIXdR_1A_h6GtB8MLCzILIWfwvL79zt5WCg_ZkSzJMR5_OUQoZ0RNgQVBSxzp7fU9StQp8U2VYGRdPB9D11Z9-U8aiRvkVFrpQwwTqAdNwdwx7W2tCGpPxNNGL60Q_X3liGlyjFS=s320" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="240" /></a></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br><i>Take care and enjoy the coming spring.<br> </i></span></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/68561792021-12-31T10:22:18-12:002021-12-31T10:22:18-12:00Winter Sunshine<p>Happy New Year everyone from Tom and I in Rostrevor, Co. Down. </p>
<p>May 2022 be filled with good health and happiness and hopefully see you on the road again before too long. </p>
<p>Fil and Tom <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/d7d7a9a8d7cb0dcd6c986f24dabf655e8e3ed688/original/img-0398.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><span class="font_small">Photo taken from CloughMor above Rostrevor in the Mourne Mountains<br>looking across Carlingford Lough to the Cooley Mountains in Co. Louth. </span></em></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070192021-12-31T10:18:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:17-12:00Happy New Year<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmT6Pqgi78Voy1-DbQtl5z35OcXI7Jb9f2eBLYTQyd3mIQ5SmcP3VmPKTvDKFLq52vf5pzjDmt9rLO5Dz8UIi5zgT8-v_P0SQ4WEtiXix7LHhWTcq7hOMVrzqX9NhbCNewzBEDJhSlltRGwCK5_P64fm1ZNTMm4cuSxLz0pKf7CAFD2n_0Dox68tDF=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmT6Pqgi78Voy1-DbQtl5z35OcXI7Jb9f2eBLYTQyd3mIQ5SmcP3VmPKTvDKFLq52vf5pzjDmt9rLO5Dz8UIi5zgT8-v_P0SQ4WEtiXix7LHhWTcq7hOMVrzqX9NhbCNewzBEDJhSlltRGwCK5_P64fm1ZNTMm4cuSxLz0pKf7CAFD2n_0Dox68tDF=w640-h480" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the Mourne to the Cooleys - winter sunshine</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br>Happy New Year dear blogger friends. May 2022 be kind to us all. <p>Lots of love and blessings</p><p>Fil </p><p><br></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/68502132021-12-23T07:25:19-12:002021-12-23T07:25:19-12:00Blessings of the season<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/a40e301be765989666c12075d60d3f646f91b7df/original/img-4748.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">From our house to yours </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Wishing you blessings of the season on these short days. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Wherever you are in the world<br>and however or whether you celebrate this winter holiday,<br>we wish you peace, joy and good health<br>for the coming days and months<br>and look forward to hopefully catching up with you again<br>in 2022<br><br>Love and best wishes<br>Fil and Tom </p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070202021-12-23T07:08:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:17-12:00Winter Blessings<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg68tqnEskml5tD62qhEbtmR6bUQMBYPVC3yyGEVcPHlXDMPfSVhwg5_Yb2bdIv6tbPrX7d6-aKynde0EWm7N1KvmzYktlqH714GcN-OR-UG34ZOKVBP5bbWbqLji6Hf-q2nL9kzWeEV4NCh6u-uVXQpuqxCcYYqYVg6sPhhAaNpEOOGkMUSiOiTPV1=s3264" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg68tqnEskml5tD62qhEbtmR6bUQMBYPVC3yyGEVcPHlXDMPfSVhwg5_Yb2bdIv6tbPrX7d6-aKynde0EWm7N1KvmzYktlqH714GcN-OR-UG34ZOKVBP5bbWbqLji6Hf-q2nL9kzWeEV4NCh6u-uVXQpuqxCcYYqYVg6sPhhAaNpEOOGkMUSiOiTPV1=w640-h480" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">From our house to yours</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wishing you blessings of the season on these short days. </span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wherever you are in the world and however or whether you celebrate this winter holiday, I wish you peace, joy and good health for the coming days and months. </span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070212021-11-30T01:34:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:17-12:00Gorgeous Autumn walk<p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mhhGt2vx6UM/YaDN4KItjwI/AAAAAAAAGhI/h9gain9AXEAs8tgSKKREPLiHteazK4HBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9564.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mhhGt2vx6UM/YaDN4KItjwI/AAAAAAAAGhI/h9gain9AXEAs8tgSKKREPLiHteazK4HBgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/IMG_9564.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a></p><p>It takes me ages to get photos organised and get around to writing about outings but as Autumn turns to winter I was looking through some photos and thought I'd share a trip we took a couple of weekends ago when the leaves were still holding on to the branches and those that were lying on the ground were begging to be rustled through and kicked in the air. </p><p>We took the caravan out for the last trip of the year, thinking we'd be the only ones mad enough to go at the end of November. But boy were we wrong. We went to CastleWard in Co. Down and the park was full - so we're not the only nutters lol. But the van was so cosy and comfortable and we were blessed with the most perfect Autumn weather. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b9AVcFSjKGw/YaDOE-4KqjI/AAAAAAAAGhg/4oMk8ceF2IU8ivMBeMg2vyirmwmKdJQJwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2592/IMG_9593.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b9AVcFSjKGw/YaDOE-4KqjI/AAAAAAAAGhg/4oMk8ceF2IU8ivMBeMg2vyirmwmKdJQJwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/IMG_9593.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">CastleWard is a stately home and estate, one of the few run by the National Trust here in Ireland, and it is a fabulous estate. We couldn't go into the house itself, and in truth it didn't look that inviting, but the park is situated on the shores of Strangford Lough and it really is magnificent. The last time I was there, many moons ago, was to see NI Opera doing a traditional opera performance - tradional in that there was a 90 minute interval where we all headed outside to enjoy a champagne picnic on the lawns - a really memorable experience (couldn't tell you what the opera was though lol)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There are lots of walks mapped out and as one couple we met said, it's much easier to get out for walks when you're away from home and it's planned out for you. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On the way from the caravan park to the main house ... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2auhv2m82xs/YaKGOLBmXmI/AAAAAAAAGiY/mKMqZj8AQrEkjbrRJYBbexpTYU4YVFjkACLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9523.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2auhv2m82xs/YaKGOLBmXmI/AAAAAAAAGiY/mKMqZj8AQrEkjbrRJYBbexpTYU4YVFjkACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/IMG_9523.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="225" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">crisp leaves waiting to be kicked up </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Playing in the shadows </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lots of knobbly trees </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">this one was a fabulous shape</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and enticing views of the water</div>
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">A really cute, full man size bug hotel and lots of activity spaces for children - very well managed.</div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-llw6aLoQCiQ/YaDNtRdcfHI/AAAAAAAAGg0/fWg0KT_3EMYAW8j22xB32Po_1EH191kuACLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9554.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-llw6aLoQCiQ/YaDNtRdcfHI/AAAAAAAAGg0/fWg0KT_3EMYAW8j22xB32Po_1EH191kuACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/IMG_9554.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="225" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oz5UoYmgxXI/YaDOEzpT9zI/AAAAAAAAGhk/WCfsIaf7EK8rsKOJH17pONPB-QXY1rUQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9583.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Arriving at the old stables that was used as the set for Winterfell in Game of Thrones </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vr97aFyf6jU/YaDN39oq0iI/AAAAAAAAGhE/aU28y36q8-kicuJCnE5wNIQTg9nbNwE-gCLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9572.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vr97aFyf6jU/YaDN39oq0iI/AAAAAAAAGhE/aU28y36q8-kicuJCnE5wNIQTg9nbNwE-gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/IMG_9572.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="225" width="400" /></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div></div><br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O8uMs0WkCl4/YaDN42fJ07I/AAAAAAAAGhM/uOvVkMx5dAEsMNo9Uh4tUMPp__URuUyfQCLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9570.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O8uMs0WkCl4/YaDN42fJ07I/AAAAAAAAGhM/uOvVkMx5dAEsMNo9Uh4tUMPp__URuUyfQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/IMG_9570.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="225" width="400" /></a></div><br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And on to the big house .... </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The view to Strangford Lough from the front of the main house - it was very windswept standing at the front of the house looking down, (probably the reason the door is at the back). The family have a fascinating history - the couple who built the house had totally opposing tastes and apparently the house is a mad mix of styles. I look forward to going back someday to get a look around inside. </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There are lots of different gardens beautifully maintained including a pristine sunken garden </div>
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">and amazingly for the middle of November there was lots of colour still around. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As I said, this is one of the few National Trust properties over here and while it is beautifully managed and cared for it was disappointing to find no local crafts or art on sale in their shop - except for Game of Thrones memorabilia and a few items from very big producers in Belfast or down south - and the craft village has been reduced from 18 to 2 crafters. I did manage to find a really nice ornament for my garden though (something for my Spend Local gift) and it was a total delight to find a really good second hand bookshop with an honour system of paying. Poor Tom got to carry a pile of stuff back to the van. </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So looking forward to the next trip away once the festive season eases off. </div>
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</div><br><br><p></p><div><br></div>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070222021-11-12T00:16:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:18-12:00A walk around and about today<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hello friends, it's been a while. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Life has been picking up again and there are so many excuses for not keeping up with blogging and social media-ing (is that a word yet?). And Autumn has been so lovely. There's not been too much wind yet to scatter the leaves and the colours have been spectacular. </div>
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</div>Here in NI all adults have been given a £100 voucher to spend locally to help the local economy after all the lockdowns. What a treat! And we've been encouraged to think of it that way ... as a treat. And yesterday I finally spent a bit of it - just on some lovely locally made scents for the house, but it felt like being a child again. You remember the times when you had £1 or £5 to spend and you took forever choosing exactly what to spend it on? Well it was like that - and everyone is the same. While many will be glad of the extra cash for winter fuel or extra foodstuffs, those of us who are a bit luckier have been thinking about shoes, or something for the garden, or money towards a new piece of furniture or a new coat or ..... And lots of places are offering extra if you spend it in their shop. <div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ama1TDbCDIY/YY5V_pW7v4I/AAAAAAAAGfs/PTQTsATlyJ4Im-_HfmLT3rwKZfP-i-6cACLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ama1TDbCDIY/YY5V_pW7v4I/AAAAAAAAGfs/PTQTsATlyJ4Im-_HfmLT3rwKZfP-i-6cACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/IMG_9505.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<p>So what would you spend a treat of £100 on? Not online, not on alcohol or gambling - they're the only exclusions. Lucky us. </p>
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</div>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/67861692021-10-25T04:36:09-12:002021-10-25T04:36:09-12:00Bonny Scotland<p>Such a joy to be back playing live again in front of real people :). Thanks to the Scottish folk clubs at Glenfarg, Quarter and Irvine for welcoming us back, singing along and having a laugh. See you soon again xx <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/490dae5fb1b0f3834439c7d79b38ebd4bb93172b/original/img-7699.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/67739042021-10-12T09:43:03-12:002021-10-12T09:43:03-12:00Rehearsals on a sunny afternoon<p>Rehearsals on a sunny afternoon. Starting to get excited to finally get back on the road again - over to Scotland- in @Glenfarg folk club next Monday, @Quarter Acoustic on Tuesday and @Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday. Fandabedozzeee.</p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070232021-09-17T22:31:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:18-12:00Getting into focus<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GhVSU1ggN50/YTjRmvO63JI/AAAAAAAAGfI/mZd-txEzb1AvtY9RLlvZxgUQlMpac1c1ACLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9313.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GhVSU1ggN50/YTjRmvO63JI/AAAAAAAAGfI/mZd-txEzb1AvtY9RLlvZxgUQlMpac1c1ACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h358/IMG_9313.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="358" width="640" /></a></div><br>I love taking photos and I use a very scientific method introduced to me by an American friend years ago - point, snap, take loads and hope that you get one or two decent ones out of every 500 you take!!! Honestly, she had me driving around Pennsylvania one time with the camera out the window not even looking at what she was photographing and miraculously some did come out. Such a laugh. That friend is now battling with the debris of her house after Hurricane Ida - I wish I was closer to help. <p></p><p><br></p><p>But, back to the photos - I'm not quite up to her standard but it is alarming how many of my snaps are out of focus - and they look perfectly lined up to me when I'm taking them .. Like these sheep above - I was sure I had the next cover of the Countryfile calendar - perfect composition - the sheep was out on the point looking in to the water - but my eyes deceived me. I'll have to wait for my moment of glory some other time. </p><p>But it's a bit like life at the moment - nothing is quite in focus yet - there's the promise of things happening but nothing certain, the queries about things perhaps happening but then nothing. And it is very frustrating. It spills into every part of life - it's like living in prolonged holiday mode where you just can't seem to get moving. </p><p>So I'm still helping Belinda a couple of days a week in her gift shop and we had a lovely last minute run up to the north coast again - this time to Ballycastle and Fair Head - that's one of those places that get mentioned on the shipping forecast. Wow! On the clear day we could see Rathlin, the Mull of Kintyre and Iona. A giant like Finn McCool would have only needed one step to get to any of them:). </p><p>So let's see what next week brings, what might open up and how much more into focus life may become. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070242021-07-27T23:51:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:18-12:00Glorious weather, good books and new ventures <p style="text-align: center;">It's been a busy couple of weeks around these parts - my friend Belinda opened her second <a href="http://goodcraicgifts.com/" target="_blank">Good Craic gift</a> shop on very short notice a few weeks ago, and both Tom and I have been helping her until her staffing settles down. Such a leap going from a sole trader to having several staff to manage. She's doing brilliantly, the shop is a joy to be in and the location of the new place, at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Valley_Reservoir">Silent Valley Reservoir,</a> has been simply lovely to go to during this fabulous spell of weather. </p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wm1p7N-64os/YQE7RcW1tvI/AAAAAAAAGd0/jgbG8JEahA8ajZ0j-6zWtMSAP2KqRZM3wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9891.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wm1p7N-64os/YQE7RcW1tvI/AAAAAAAAGd0/jgbG8JEahA8ajZ0j-6zWtMSAP2KqRZM3wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/IMG_9891.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>driving past Slieve Binnian on the way to Silent Valley</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Silent Valley is one of three reservoirs in the Mourne Mountains that feed the greater Belfast area and with people staycationing this year lots of people from all over NI and the South of Ireland have been discovering this beautiful part of the world. </p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YFHvL49Poe8/YQFCBaaxXgI/AAAAAAAAGeo/EDAn5HK3qsMOX4oYHe6G189k7YZgHmwVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s264/264px-SilentValley.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YFHvL49Poe8/YQFCBaaxXgI/AAAAAAAAGeo/EDAn5HK3qsMOX4oYHe6G189k7YZgHmwVgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/264px-SilentValley.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">photo from Wikipedia</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">Its name is said to come from the notion that the birds all disappeared after the explosions to flood the valley. Before that it was known as Happy Valley because of the singing of the Cornish quarrymen who worked on it. The greatest achievement was the tunnel that was dug by hand by two teams from both sides of the mountain, guided by candles to keep straight lines and arriving just inches out when the two teams met. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br></p><p style="text-align: center;">In the middle of all that excitement my Mum celebrated her 94th birthday out in her garden picking fruit. We had a gorgeous two days with her - she's still living on her own and managing well. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e7P4dxlih1A/YQFBFAZzTWI/AAAAAAAAGeg/0qcXBADD3Pons231HzPbPhqlKzmy1FDuQCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/224223585_1521141231566043_2073435519121589194_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e7P4dxlih1A/YQFBFAZzTWI/AAAAAAAAGeg/0qcXBADD3Pons231HzPbPhqlKzmy1FDuQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/224223585_1521141231566043_2073435519121589194_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>And a few members of my Singmarra singing group got together in the park yesterday for the first time since last March. It was so lovely to hear voices in real life and share a few songs and chat with each other. We could hear thunder across the hills and there were reports of flooding a few miles away, but our singing must have kept the rain away:) Now it's just about time to figure out if and when we can actually sing together in a group indoors and plan things for the Autumn - the government guidelines are so unclear to read and our regulations are different here than in England and different again from the South, so it's all very confusing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">* * * * * * * * * *</div><p style="text-align: center;">I am so far behind with<a href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/page/edit/4841505878252085938/4266468790701551771" target="_blank"> my round the world book journey</a> and reviews that it'll take me ages to catch up. However, I just had to write about <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31135979-days-without-end" target="_blank">Days Without End</a> and its sequel <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53535455-a-thousand-moons" target="_blank">A Thousand Moons</a> written by Sebastien Barry. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GbhcxPPCcFU/YQE3utIsAkI/AAAAAAAAGdo/RozRlLMtI5UJ8Hv1aaMWrJwnyrzKsYYVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/31135979._SY475_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GbhcxPPCcFU/YQE3utIsAkI/AAAAAAAAGdo/RozRlLMtI5UJ8Hv1aaMWrJwnyrzKsYYVgCLcBGAsYHQ/w130-h200/31135979._SY475_.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="130" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">"Even when you come out of bloodshed and disaster in the end you have got to learn to live."</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><br></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">These stories are set in the run up to and during the American Civil War - a soldier called Thomas McNulty is the narrator in the first one, and Winona, the Indian girl he rescues is the narrator of the second. And I can honestly say I've never come across such exquisite writing. I could almost feel the scratchiness of his uniform and smell the dirt and experience his guilt and disgust at what he was being asked to do. And Winona walking through nature celebrates such detail of the ordinary. I normally race through books, following the story, but in Days Without End you have to wait and hear Thomas speaking - his colloquialisms, his pace of speech, his observations - he says once that the sky looked like someone had drawn it with a paint brush and that's what the language is like - a slow, luxurious painting. For sure, the wider subject matter is not jolly, but rather than a grand depiction of the epic proportions of war, it's about living - the feelings and thoughts of one man, or girl. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">100% a 5* from me. </div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3TlGSbx0868/YQE3uSNHReI/AAAAAAAAGdk/T2ddEPOep3su9QWBDD7kbwfcxnbsbRWmACLcBGAsYHQ/s475/53535455._SY475_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3TlGSbx0868/YQE3uSNHReI/AAAAAAAAGdk/T2ddEPOep3su9QWBDD7kbwfcxnbsbRWmACLcBGAsYHQ/w130-h200/53535455._SY475_.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="130" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">* * * * * * * * * *</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And in other happenings, the squirrels are still coming back to feed from time to time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uSU11R1kv24/YQE7W-ZHdUI/AAAAAAAAGeA/pVPBiJhiEGguLh5xS9cXrRdMtfVKUvgAQCLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9205.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uSU11R1kv24/YQE7W-ZHdUI/AAAAAAAAGeA/pVPBiJhiEGguLh5xS9cXrRdMtfVKUvgAQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/IMG_9205.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A new mural has appeared in Rostrevor - lovely work - on the wall of one of our restaurants which is unfortunately closed again due to a bad Covid outbreak in the area - but that will hopefully pass soon. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pStIoYFOHzM/YQE7YfvWy7I/AAAAAAAAGeE/H_v9NJUd_wgXIFTGR7sQ8ZDvJcl9GD9YACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9962.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pStIoYFOHzM/YQE7YfvWy7I/AAAAAAAAGeE/H_v9NJUd_wgXIFTGR7sQ8ZDvJcl9GD9YACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_9962.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and I've been enjoying playing with paints and plants</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I've been popping in to keep up to date with how you all are but regular blogging is still not top of my list at the minute - this slower pace is great and I have to say I'm getting a lot more done than before, but there are a few things still needing to get back onto the regular list. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hope you are well and staying safe. </div>
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</div><p></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070252021-07-03T04:23:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:18-12:00Good news - a date for the diary and other updates<p>After deleting several blogs I sort of followed at one time, the spam problem went away and Hurrah I can see your blogs again. Just in case, I've changed my password and am slowly working my way through all my password protected things - how did we end up with so many passwords!</p><p>So on to the good news ...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WBCIZ0tdZHw/YNzPpVFQ81I/AAAAAAAAGbQ/dIuUTejl4m0uJsDcwljbTwvJZ4pdB7ZtACLcBGAsYHQ/s250/Unknown.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WBCIZ0tdZHw/YNzPpVFQ81I/AAAAAAAAGbQ/dIuUTejl4m0uJsDcwljbTwvJZ4pdB7ZtACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Unknown.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a></div><br>For the first time in 15 months I received an email during the week asking if we can still do our concert in October! In Glenfarg Folk Club in Fife. Woooohhhooooooo - I was expecting yet another, "sorry, but we're going to postpone again". <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wecxbqxQxbI/YNzPj2ELlUI/AAAAAAAAGbM/FyKhGyn0n9skGmiNDb4Raur9HGwrBDAjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s381/logo03.jpg.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wecxbqxQxbI/YNzPj2ELlUI/AAAAAAAAGbM/FyKhGyn0n9skGmiNDb4Raur9HGwrBDAjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/logo03.jpg.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" /></a></div>All of a sudden there's a bit of focus and I'm beyond delighted. <div><br></div><div>We've no indications yet of how group singing will work indoors, so planning for choirs is still up in the air - very frustrating for someone who is used to planning well ahead - so I'm contenting myself for another month or so to leave that side of things alone. This not working lark is very contagious - I could do it forever lol. <div>
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<p>In one of my very rare cleaning spurts I came across some old envelopes. </p>
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<br><br> This was how we used to copyright our new songs. Put them on cassette, write out the lyrics, then post it to yourself and don't open it - the postmark confirmed the date. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PXfh5uk2QSk/YNzLXkctV3I/AAAAAAAAGa0/PIVGe8YoXoUr0ZCcDEGD3QGY9xhE7qPrACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9815.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PXfh5uk2QSk/YNzLXkctV3I/AAAAAAAAGa0/PIVGe8YoXoUr0ZCcDEGD3QGY9xhE7qPrACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_9815.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" /></a></div>
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<p>This one is Dreaming, one of the first songs I wrote - during one of our first trips to Germany when we were based for 6 weeks out in a tiny village in the country with limited German language knowledge and "You eat someone" and "What you think about a whiskey!" the limits of our host's English. I got very homesick, thankfully the only time that has happened to me and this song came out in actual dreams. We still sing the song in our set - probably the only one we do that reflects the idiocy of life here in NI and I was surprised to find an extra verse in it that I'd forgotten about. not sure why it wasn't included at the time but maybe I'll relearn it now.</p>
<p>With life being a bit lopsided it's lovely to be moving in to summer mode - the garden AND sport on the tele. Brilliant. We're good armchair sports coaches in this house! Andy coped well at Wimbledon, Lewis is struggling a bit in the Grand Prix and I'm looking forward to seeing the Women's Formula One, Rory needs a good talking to in the golf and who knows what we have to look forward to once the Olympics start. Of course there's always cricket if we get really fed up - that's still a mystery to me much to the frustration of my Australian friends. Football is the only no-no. </p>
<p>I hope you're all well and enjoying little bits of freedom - the joy of having coffee or lunch with friends is fabulous - things still aren't open in the south yet so we can't take my mum out much but that'll come soon, fingers crossed. </p>
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</div>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070262021-06-30T07:17:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:18-12:00My Green (and Blue) Garden House<p style="text-align: center;">Tom has been busy building in the garden ... </p><p style="text-align: center;">and here I can reveal </p><p style="text-align: center;">my Green House :)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F-t81-_uk3w/YNt722L7MCI/AAAAAAAAGZ8/bxEsvXC4rkUZr3njaJAYuzi1ji0O9aCqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9828.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F-t81-_uk3w/YNt722L7MCI/AAAAAAAAGZ8/bxEsvXC4rkUZr3njaJAYuzi1ji0O9aCqgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_9828.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Made from recycled windows and wood - I am so pleased. He has done a brilliant job. It's warm enough to sit in and bring a small table in to, but I've high hopes for the tomatoes and lettuce and chilli I've planted. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We've thought of umpteen names for it, the Tardis coming up tops, but as my office already has that nickname it can't be used twice lol so I've opted for the Green House :) </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm gradually working on this wee area, the raspberry patch is swamped with ivy - and the raised bed has peas and onions coming on if we ever get enough heat for them to grow. So this will eventually be a wee secret garden and a great sun trap. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ejwehk15zcU/YNt75swHa9I/AAAAAAAAGaE/79ze8JqB_usPyFIxJGByoWv613dVrx0dgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9840.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ejwehk15zcU/YNt75swHa9I/AAAAAAAAGaE/79ze8JqB_usPyFIxJGByoWv613dVrx0dgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h335/IMG_9840.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="335" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">He also made this cracker trellis substitute from driftwood - my idea I have to boast, but he did the putting together - absolutely love it :) </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTaBtZCdwjE/YNzB6N4479I/AAAAAAAAGac/mMkVzSRxEoQ9P_0hzW2WLkVXtKqsd704gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTaBtZCdwjE/YNzB6N4479I/AAAAAAAAGac/mMkVzSRxEoQ9P_0hzW2WLkVXtKqsd704gCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_9852.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The rose looks a wee bit windswept - we're having fierce winds here at the moment and it gets very cold the minute your out of the sun - but the horse's head looks soooo good - he makes me smile every time I go past. </div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TVuNO9e-Ve4/YNzB6arebgI/AAAAAAAAGag/lauKNxGDs9QHNVaOw79E4dgR5IvVb-kqACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TVuNO9e-Ve4/YNzB6arebgI/AAAAAAAAGag/lauKNxGDs9QHNVaOw79E4dgR5IvVb-kqACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_9857.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" /></a>
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><p style="text-align: center;">Scratching my head now to see what's next on my list :) ... mwah haw haw ... </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br></p><p><br></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070272021-06-29T07:55:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:18-12:00Spam posts<p>I've just been bombarded with dozens of blogs from Blender Ukraine and can't see any of your blogs for the past couple of days - already gone back 4 or 5 pages!!! Grrrrr. Anyone know how to delete blogs from the reader? Not sure if it's safe to post. Just using this to test.</p><p><br></p><p>It looks like somebody I'm following has been hacked ... I don't know a lot about this but I've changed my password, perhaps it might be worth checking and changing yours. So annoying. </p><p><br></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070282021-06-21T05:01:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:18-12:00Happy Solstice<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444;">I can hardly believe it's Midyear's Day - and it still feels like the summer has to come. How are you doing? I wish you all the joy of the Solstice, whether winter or summer, and a continued happy and healthy rest of year to come.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ALB9mx1VwE/YNCu3o64YPI/AAAAAAAAGXA/2xqe9PH_HVQPyNj6vTkRVEqYmn6AoOz0QCLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9164.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ALB9mx1VwE/YNCu3o64YPI/AAAAAAAAGXA/2xqe9PH_HVQPyNj6vTkRVEqYmn6AoOz0QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/IMG_9164.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a>We spent a week at the start of June up on the north coast of Co. Antrim, an area I absolutely love and which is gloriously unfamiliar to me - growing up in the west our summers were spent on the Donegal or Sligo coast. It's part of the Wild Atlantic Way tourist route. The photo above was taken at White Park Bay just around the corner from the Giant's Causeway - there were only two other people walking there when we visited this 2 mile stretch of sandy beach. </span>Beautiful. In a way it's a blessing at the moment not being able to travel far - we're getting to see parts of our own country with fresh eyes.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;">From there it's 20 miles west to Donegal and 11 miles east to Scotland.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">White Park Bay from the road above with Tor head in the distance.</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="text-align: left;">While we were there we spent an afternoon on </span><a href="http://www.rathlincommunity.org" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Rathlin Island</a><span style="text-align: left;"> which is the most northernly part of Ireland, another place I've always wanted to visit. You can see from this map how close we are to Scotland.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444;">There's something really special to me about islands and this place is no different. We were limited in the ferries we could get - lots of people very happy to be allowed back out to the island - so we didn't have a lot of time but it was still worth the few hours we were there and we'll definitely go back. </span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444; text-align: left;"> </span>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444; text-align: left;">(My photographs were terrible as I couldn't go down to the viewing platform so I've borrowed a few from the tourist board).</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444; text-align: left;"> </span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">photo <a href="http://DiscoverNorthernIreland.com">DiscoverNorthernIreland</a></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_N_Nm3uLK7s/YNCy9o_3e7I/AAAAAAAAGXw/GDHoWgqTsXMeXSWatCaahnaMZ8wr2eGDQCLcBGAsYHQ/s300/Unknown-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_N_Nm3uLK7s/YNCy9o_3e7I/AAAAAAAAGXw/GDHoWgqTsXMeXSWatCaahnaMZ8wr2eGDQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h224/Unknown-1.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="224" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">photo RSPB<br></span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qd7GLjHz68E/YNCxoRQnpWI/AAAAAAAAGXk/33FwMEF2VwAy40aUKBlsqAcjzqQs3vHnQCLcBGAsYHQ/s259/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qd7GLjHz68E/YNCxoRQnpWI/AAAAAAAAGXk/33FwMEF2VwAy40aUKBlsqAcjzqQs3vHnQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h150/images.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="150" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"> </span><p></p>
<p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8akDTYt3OUI/YMIF8VjmJFI/AAAAAAAAGWs/5KSYWvQakAcu-jqZlgwPNKYhcTNtlBTZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/WAtch%2BHouse.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8akDTYt3OUI/YMIF8VjmJFI/AAAAAAAAGWs/5KSYWvQakAcu-jqZlgwPNKYhcTNtlBTZQCLcBGAsYHQ/w130-h200/WAtch%2BHouse.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="130" /></span></a><span style="color: #444444;">Rathlin is special for many reasons, mainly as a roosting site for puffins and many different seabirds who migrate there each year. The seabird centre, run by the RSPB, gives access to a viewing platform to watch the many nesting sites. It was also the place that Marconi used for his first transmissions across the Atlantic. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #444444;">One of our local authors, Bernie McGill, wrote a cracker novel based on Rathlin called <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31424839-the-watch-house?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Qucq9HqlIw&rank=2" target="_blank">The Watch House</a>- definitely worth a read (imho) - set at the time of the modern world starting to impinge on island life.</span></p>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ehuRHqImRmU/YNCu3bu4drI/AAAAAAAAGW8/XNbEKd92gbkkEf_gZ2NQoly9SJ--NmfyQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2592/IMG_9139.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ehuRHqImRmU/YNCu3bu4drI/AAAAAAAAGW8/XNbEKd92gbkkEf_gZ2NQoly9SJ--NmfyQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_9139.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">The supervisor at the Caravan Park:)</span></td></tr>
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<p><span style="color: #444444;">Things otherwise here are fairly routine - I've discovered that I work best to deadlines and without those practising is just a chore. "I sing for other people" someone said recently and it resonated with me. Still no dates for concerts as the arts centres and touring venues have no date to open and will need weeks to get the venues ready for people again. But, there's lots of work getting done in the garden - it's finally taking shape and Tom has just finished building me a garden glass house made from reclaimed windows and wood - I knew there was a reason I married him lol </span></p>
</div>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070292021-06-02T10:49:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:18-12:00Ne'er cast a clout til the May is out<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4wFn8oyCHS8/YLf-Nldfy1I/AAAAAAAAGWI/N4VX14P59TIZGNoc13_WWAG0pf_nlxwRACLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4wFn8oyCHS8/YLf-Nldfy1I/AAAAAAAAGWI/N4VX14P59TIZGNoc13_WWAG0pf_nlxwRACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/IMG_9092.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>It's been a while since I posted here ... hello everyone, sorry I've been awol. The flu bug really hit me hard last month and took ages to shift and I just lost interest in everything. So I thought I'd come and say a quick hello. I've lots of catching up to do especially of the scavenger hunt challenges but hopefully I'll catch up with those in the coming week. Thank you Susan for the nudge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We've been spending time in the garden now that the freezing cold weather has finally left and there is so much to do. Tom's been building me a greenhouse/garden house which is nearly ready for revealing :) and I've just been pottering with veg and baskets - little bits at a time - and playing with art and mixed media and watching way way way too much tv. However, Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club is dragging me away at the moment - great whodunnit. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But this evening I just had to go and take a few pics of the hawthorn blossoms turning pink - the may flower (I can still hear Terry Wogan repeating the old saying) - and it's beens splendid this year, the country clothed in white, but this is my favourite time of it - that pink is so bridal. (pity the photos aren't in focus says you! but you get the idea.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5TbbH39bAak/YLf-HYnSClI/AAAAAAAAGV8/bsT6s8Jfb2kEuMFYyXzabSJYYQy2sjLvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2592/IMG_9089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5TbbH39bAak/YLf-HYnSClI/AAAAAAAAGV8/bsT6s8Jfb2kEuMFYyXzabSJYYQy2sjLvQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/IMG_9089.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And we've been hugely entertained by our squirrel babies. This afternoon I was watering not 10 feet from two of them chasing each other in and out of the feeding box. There were 4 at one point. </div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5D3hk0qxDPw/YLf-Iup1UcI/AAAAAAAAGWA/2VedoCXuvbk6MsKiZ9N--JF4s6vRnTSPACLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5D3hk0qxDPw/YLf-Iup1UcI/AAAAAAAAGWA/2VedoCXuvbk6MsKiZ9N--JF4s6vRnTSPACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/IMG_9085.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="225" width="400" /></a>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They move so fast I couldn't get anything in focus for these two...</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AvIdr_AZOSM/YLf-HBkqajI/AAAAAAAAGV4/bEUPjZyNYU818KvcfXZLdu09SdaiD6ByQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2592/IMG_9088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AvIdr_AZOSM/YLf-HBkqajI/AAAAAAAAGV4/bEUPjZyNYU818KvcfXZLdu09SdaiD6ByQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_9088.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" width="320" /></a></div><br><br><div style="text-align: center;">But Tom got a couple of crackers ... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">This one was the first day we spotted all the kittens</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GQww5SbBrc4/YLgGgI3Q-JI/AAAAAAAAGWk/wmg4LoD9Y8ch1Q7P72ewReVAVoHzcmAtgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Squirrel%2B3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GQww5SbBrc4/YLgGgI3Q-JI/AAAAAAAAGWk/wmg4LoD9Y8ch1Q7P72ewReVAVoHzcmAtgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Squirrel%2B3.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the box is about 6 inches across</div><br><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/1450942297/videos/10223359130673758/" target="_blank">this video</a> had us laughing - it's only short - watch to the end</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"oh it's so hard to get the place to yourself on a rainy day!" </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">This weird year and a bit has left me wanting to retire and just potter. There's been too much sadness. Bach Flower Remedies are my daily consolation along with Deepak Chopra's lovely meditations and my journals. I stopped my zoom classes temporarily at Easter and have been switching off but it's getting too comfortable - it will soon be time to get moving again. Maybe I can stretch it another few weeks. </p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">Meanwhile there's so much to see - Mother Nature is getting on with her wonderful show of colour. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s3s5e1-Ch7c/YLf-O9aSmdI/AAAAAAAAGWM/Yk1jLzD5dxMPIJYGoqIOOvbTf1G_6d4nQCLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s3s5e1-Ch7c/YLf-O9aSmdI/AAAAAAAAGWM/Yk1jLzD5dxMPIJYGoqIOOvbTf1G_6d4nQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_9095.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"> I hope you are all well, enjoying getting out a bit more and staying safe. </div><p></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070302021-04-23T23:19:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:18-12:00Earth<p style="text-align: center;">Happy Earth Week to you all - hasn't it been a beautiful week to celebrate. And our scavenger photos all tie in with that with the prompt quite simply being </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Earth</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Where to start with this one ... when I was going through my photos I came up with a motley selection looking around the wonderful place we call home and all the aspects of Earth I could find.</p><p><br></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e9C9xC8iWec/YHA36CJBitI/AAAAAAAAGS0/X3wZL59yVXAenfC9BOD2met8c3IsakBJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_5118.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e9C9xC8iWec/YHA36CJBitI/AAAAAAAAGS0/X3wZL59yVXAenfC9BOD2met8c3IsakBJQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/IMG_5118.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old wood in the Bluebell Wood</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8hq4Nd3UVLM/YHA335_DoHI/AAAAAAAAGSs/_jWP-LGpBfMaifgjmn1PeKlLV97OgDOxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_5970.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8hq4Nd3UVLM/YHA335_DoHI/AAAAAAAAGSs/_jWP-LGpBfMaifgjmn1PeKlLV97OgDOxQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_5970.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fired clay - made by my friend Birgit in Germany - I love this lady</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AdGvEQjPi2w/YHA32V5vGtI/AAAAAAAAGSo/ZVciDrXnWYwGUj7HTqj9s_1clThvG1YlwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_6131.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AdGvEQjPi2w/YHA32V5vGtI/AAAAAAAAGSo/ZVciDrXnWYwGUj7HTqj9s_1clThvG1YlwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_6131.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In a salt cave in the Loire Valley in France</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wXhKlC7cdmQ/YHA357kpRcI/AAAAAAAAGSw/txylniFXdsA8mPCNWibZa9aYYLEsmJIIwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_7211.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wXhKlC7cdmQ/YHA357kpRcI/AAAAAAAAGSw/txylniFXdsA8mPCNWibZa9aYYLEsmJIIwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/IMG_7211.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mountains and Forest and Lakes in Cumbria - how splendid</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q6J1s9cTlNA/YHA3__c0rSI/AAAAAAAAGTA/A5NbacawuOUR1qYQRZsS41koR-BqyIeFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8317.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q6J1s9cTlNA/YHA3__c0rSI/AAAAAAAAGTA/A5NbacawuOUR1qYQRZsS41koR-BqyIeFwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/IMG_8317.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Young spinach growing in a rusted wheel rim on the beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R8zxHlWvjr0/YHA394X93II/AAAAAAAAGS8/2sxAN_PzQe4yOrWt759jr_4tfJAG96sDwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2592/IMG_8823.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R8zxHlWvjr0/YHA394X93II/AAAAAAAAGS8/2sxAN_PzQe4yOrWt759jr_4tfJAG96sDwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_8823.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lane beside our house leading to the sea - I imagine hobbits walking through there.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FCnj4Lhw2yk/YHA4AzffMEI/AAAAAAAAGTI/2wUcWkaCGfgZGzLt1naBH_1V-rZur43zwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2592/IMG_8833.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FCnj4Lhw2yk/YHA4AzffMEI/AAAAAAAAGTI/2wUcWkaCGfgZGzLt1naBH_1V-rZur43zwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_8833.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The earthy smell of mushrooms growing wild</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xoJ4G58WLP4/YHA4AUbMbOI/AAAAAAAAGTE/HYmtLQh39JoQL5K0SBrbMzZNd_-vGACkQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2592/IMG_8928.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xoJ4G58WLP4/YHA4AUbMbOI/AAAAAAAAGTE/HYmtLQh39JoQL5K0SBrbMzZNd_-vGACkQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_8928.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From earth to sky</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5b-_5U-36dc/YHA39t3rgtI/AAAAAAAAGS4/A-y4ftdyiXgpWO6fe7NtMei4jTzvykoggCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8176.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5b-_5U-36dc/YHA39t3rgtI/AAAAAAAAGS4/A-y4ftdyiXgpWO6fe7NtMei4jTzvykoggCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/IMG_8176.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock formations along the beach here - I love the colours. <br><br>What a magnificent planet we live on - isn't nature marvellous. <br><br>Thank you to <a href="http://astridxstitching.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Astrid</a> for the prompts and for nudging me to look through photos. I had had plans to get out with my camera this week and find new shots but had prepared these in advance just in case and I'm so glad I did. For the first week in ages I had several things planned, the main ones being to finish another song, get up to the bluebell wood, get my second jab, finally get outside to meet with some friends for lunch, and in between finish my new veg patch in the garden. Instead .... I've spent the week in bed with some flu virus ..... how is it possible after shielding and cocooning and masking and washing and distancing blah blah blah. oh dear. Anyway I just heard today that it's been doing the rounds which never makes it feel quite so bad when you know someone else has it too and isn't dying - I swear, I had my bag packed in my head to go tot he hospital during the week! my temperature has come down to almost normal and the appetite is slowly coming back and I'm getting a little bit of focus back to be able to write and read a wee bit. I promise I will be 1000 times more careful when I go to the supermarket again and I'm already careful.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;">Anyway thank you Astrid for the Photo Hunt - you can check out what the others have been doing <a href="https://astridxstitching.blogspot.com" target="_blank">HERE</a>. </p><div><br></div>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070312021-04-15T21:40:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:19-12:00The Colour Purple<p style="text-align: center;"> Just a selection of photos today to link with <a href="http://astridxstitching.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Astrid's Photo Scavenger Hunt</a> with the subject</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Colour Purple</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">And apart from the fact that it is the title of one of my all time favourite books, it is also one of my favourite colours. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
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<div>While not technically purple, the bluebells at the bottom of our garden are just starting to bloom and in this picture they look purple. We'll be heading up to the bluebell wood shortly - they are divine. I love this time of year.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I also love getting a chance to see the beach huts along the South East coast of England - we were waiting to board the ferry at Harwich and enjoying fish and chips along the beach when we spotted these - several purple ones in the midst of the others. I always want to know who owns them and what they do there - apart from obviously turning up in murder mysteries :)<br><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Easter flowers are just starting to fade</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such an unusual shade for a tulip</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">This bridge is in the north of Germany </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">across the Rhine - </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">I thought it was spectacular lit up in purple</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">My friend Doris in Scotland loves purple - she is rarely to be seen wearing anything except it or turquoise when she is on stage. I loved these hydrangeas in her house a few years ago.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">And finally my friend Belinda has had her shop painted this week, ready for opening up again at the end of the month. And you guessed it .... it's purple! She's Australian lol. And it will be covered in murals and quotes from Rostrevor Poetic Action which has signs all over the town. I'll show you an update when that's finished. Her shop is called <a href="http://goodcraicgifts.com/" target="_blank">Good Craic Gifts and Souvenirs</a> and showcases local artists with lots of handmade stuff and a small art gallery. </div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">I'm joining in today with Astrid for the weekly Scavenger Photo Hunt. </span><span>You can go directly to the link to check out the other photos </span><span style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://astridxstitching.blogspot.com/2021/04/scavenger-photo-hunt-link-up-party_0357105273.html" target="_blank">HERE</a></span><span>. </span>
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</tbody></table><div style="text-align: right;"><br></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br></div><p></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070322021-04-13T05:57:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:19-12:00Happy Tuesday<p> Hello</p><p>Just popping in for a quick mid week hello. Thank you so much for your lovely comments on last Friday's photo scavenger hunt pics. It has been a great constant all winter when there wasn't so much to blog about. </p><p>We're working on new songs at the minute, getting ready to put a collection together , and we're spending a couple of hours every morning in the studio. But once the heat gets into the day it has been brilliant to be outside. It's good to have a few things to focus on (in between tv, knitting and books lol). I've given myself permission to take a break from teaching and from running my choir for a few months - zoom was getting to me and I must confess my creativity has jumped in the past few weeks since stopping everything. <br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EzOIo4Gimv8/YHXYW8SRYNI/AAAAAAAAGVA/XeTdKEZYjmgEsCOEHqq2rOFzSRL1BkEOQCLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EzOIo4Gimv8/YHXYW8SRYNI/AAAAAAAAGVA/XeTdKEZYjmgEsCOEHqq2rOFzSRL1BkEOQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/IMG_9043.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Spring is blooming everywhere and our lawn is full of old fashioned flowers - a great excuse not to mow:)</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tu1KZzAbxZ0/YHXYWcvajuI/AAAAAAAAGU8/FWFwDgvwlWciZFcykboubH1i-8HroQ6awCLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tu1KZzAbxZ0/YHXYWcvajuI/AAAAAAAAGU8/FWFwDgvwlWciZFcykboubH1i-8HroQ6awCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/IMG_9042.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The bluebells are just starting to show and they look really healthy this year and have spread all over the place</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2csXfNwMhL0/YHXYNV6262I/AAAAAAAAGUw/Um_AqG0-nJA-gw6zxkZOXGAzCBQvqGBlgCLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2csXfNwMhL0/YHXYNV6262I/AAAAAAAAGUw/Um_AqG0-nJA-gw6zxkZOXGAzCBQvqGBlgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/IMG_9039.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VRWaztvi2WY/YHXYQCDBD7I/AAAAAAAAGU0/f4aWa5gUXsIZUfNJ2WglSWCznKZiRG0awCLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VRWaztvi2WY/YHXYQCDBD7I/AAAAAAAAGU0/f4aWa5gUXsIZUfNJ2WglSWCznKZiRG0awCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/IMG_9035.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a></div><p><br></p>We've been cutting out dead branches and clearing an area for a small starter greenhouse at the back. After being at home all spring last year for the first time ever at this house (in 18 years) we made a bit of a start at growing veg and more flowers and this year now we're getting more enthusiastic. Our shops are still not open but the garden centres are and are mobbed of course - everybody is dying to get out and spend some money lol. But I have to wait for the greenhouse until the shops open. Meanwhile it's more cutting, digging and preparing. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RVCwSy6cSgc/YHXYTjuByhI/AAAAAAAAGU4/-sDAjqPU7T8pE5rIYP08npjh3TfOVwbCACLcBGAsYHQ/s5184/IMG_9033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RVCwSy6cSgc/YHXYTjuByhI/AAAAAAAAGU4/-sDAjqPU7T8pE5rIYP08npjh3TfOVwbCACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/IMG_9033.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div>Have a great week - take care and enjoy yourself. Until the next time xx<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><br><p></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070332021-04-09T04:11:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:19-12:00Farm - Childhood Memories<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FxWKTIhYAiA/YHAwlwd6g8I/AAAAAAAAGRk/dQYcRartSGEF3ek_-WA2N1sQvB5A0XvvgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_4031.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FxWKTIhYAiA/YHAwlwd6g8I/AAAAAAAAGRk/dQYcRartSGEF3ek_-WA2N1sQvB5A0XvvgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/IMG_4031.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="225" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm sure I've shared this photo before with you but when I was looking around for Farm photos for <a href="http://astridxstitching.blogspot.com/2021/04/scavenger-photo-hunt-link-up-party-farm.html" target="_blank">Astrid's Photo Scavenger Hunt</a>, it kept coming up and making me smile. I'm sure that guy in front is called Joey - "What you looking at!?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There are animals in the fields all around us here, but the big farms are further out the roads I've no big farm photos for you but my mum lives opposite a farm and as a child I grew up in a farming community. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We saved hay in the Summer and like every family near us we had a small piece of bog where we cut and saved turf each year - enough for the winter. The turf was then transported up the back lane (the unapproved road crossing the border between Donegal and Fermanagh) on a donkey and cart and as children the greatest treat for us was to getting sitting on top of the turf for the whole journey up. (Our bog was two fields behind our house, but in the South of Ireland in Co. Donegal and our hayfield was a few hundred yards up the road towards town in the North of Ireland in Co, Fermanagh - plenty of fodder for pirate and treasure hunt games when we were children lol) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I found this photograph taken of my Uncle Gerry in 1937 when he was still a young man, driving the cart in front of what is still our house. It's a terrible photograph and was actually on a postcard but that cart was still at our house when we were growing up. The lane was blown up during the Troubles so cars couldn't drive up and down it but the donkey could navigate the crater well. Most of the houses along the road are still there and the one on the right is the home of a good friend who still checks in on my mum every day. Gerry emigrated to America and shortly after arriving there was sent to Korea with the US Army - he survived and had a long life as part of the traditional Irish music scene in New York. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vfmkzmP6akc/YHA1LyL8UiI/AAAAAAAAGR4/qhNK-AMHb4EtlLNc9_9e1XKQ9DE80JqsACLcBGAsYHQ/s334/118330445_311034079982882_3190316935197099061_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vfmkzmP6akc/YHA1LyL8UiI/AAAAAAAAGR4/qhNK-AMHb4EtlLNc9_9e1XKQ9DE80JqsACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h394/118330445_311034079982882_3190316935197099061_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="394" width="640" /></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In the same batch of photos I found this lovely one of my brother up against a cock of hay - again as children we felt really grown up to be allowed to be on top of the haystack when the hay was being forked up - that usually ended in tears cos we didn't have the know-how to lay it properly so that it wouldn't topple over buy we kept trying. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kFC8vhL0_GM/YHA1Bw96GqI/AAAAAAAAGRs/4LkmKc_jycAIdVsFmm_gAXuDCZpV7kqrgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1997/old%2Bphotos%2B2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kFC8vhL0_GM/YHA1Bw96GqI/AAAAAAAAGRs/4LkmKc_jycAIdVsFmm_gAXuDCZpV7kqrgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/old%2Bphotos%2B2.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wish I had more photos from those days - the sweetest tea was the tea taken from a can with freshly baked scones dripping in butter in the hay field. My job was to bring the can of tea from the house only a couple of hundred yards away - on the handlebars of my bike - very carefully. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm not quite sure who the people in this photograph are - friends of Dad's I think, but you can see the field was well finished and the hay was fully stacked. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3HvGH8rioYg/YHA1CRxL7DI/AAAAAAAAGRw/FOxui-vdMusYpUGVvC0es4NbozTcTeI1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/old%2Bphotos%2B3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3HvGH8rioYg/YHA1CRxL7DI/AAAAAAAAGRw/FOxui-vdMusYpUGVvC0es4NbozTcTeI1QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h244/old%2Bphotos%2B3.jpeg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="244" width="400" /></a></div>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wrote a song about these childhood days and just got it finished in time for the filming of The Emigrant Woman - it's called Stories from the Woods and it was such a pleasure to wander back and remember those times. I'll be releasing these songs soon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm joining in today with Astrid for the weekly Scavenger Photo Hunt. <span style="text-align: left;">You can go directly to the link to check out the other photos </span><a href="http://astridxstitching.blogspot.com/2021/04/scavenger-photo-hunt-link-up-party-farm.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">HERE</a><span style="text-align: left;">. </span>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">I hope you're all keeping well - we've been enjoying a week's rest and taking advantage of the return to winter by doing very little :) Next week it'll be time to get the head down again but for now I'm heading out to do my own small bit of farming and transplant some seedlings that are doing very nicely. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">And as a postscript, my sincere condolences to all my friends in England in particular, on the death of Prince Philip earlier today. I really feel for the Queen - such a long life together - it will be an incredibly sad time for her and the rest of her family as for any other family at such a time and even more so now during Covid. </span><span style="text-align: left;">We never got to do the Duke of Edinburgh Awards where we lived but he did so much for young people and his many charities. </span><span style="text-align: left;">An extraordinary man - I've often thought he had such a strange role in life, giving up all his own ambitions to walk behind and support his wife. It has been very interesting this afternoon hearing about his life. He will be sadly missed. Rest in Peace Philip. </span>
</div><p></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070342021-04-02T06:30:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:19-12:00Photo Scavenger Hunt: Chocolate<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1oUFj8jOmX0/YGW2HQWMHGI/AAAAAAAAGRE/OetI5nWMTUIF9tYdkc4jjN3ABYD8d0kJACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_0050.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1oUFj8jOmX0/YGW2HQWMHGI/AAAAAAAAGRE/OetI5nWMTUIF9tYdkc4jjN3ABYD8d0kJACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/IMG_0050.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Desserts to finish a festival</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The photo scavenger hunt has a new host this week - <a href="http://astridxstitching.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Astrid at Dragon Stitches and Stuff</a> has taken over the reins from <a href="https://livelovecraftme.blogspot.co.uk" target="_blank">Kate</a> who hosted it for the past 5 years. Thank you Kate and hello Astrid :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And the first prompt for April is </div><h3 style="text-align: center;">Chocolate</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now I have a problem with this one because <span style="text-align: left;">I don't actually like chocolate. I used to - in fact I lived on it in my younger days, but I became ill several years ago and it was chocolate and champagne on a birthday treat that made me really sick and I've associated the two with that since. I persevered with it for several months - trust me, I wasn't about to let that one go, but nope ... I never liked chocolate cake or brownies - coffee cake was always my preference even as a child. So why am I always struggling with my weight I ask myself. </span>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">Anyway, this lovely looking dessert was at a meal to wind down from Fiddlers Green Festival a few years back with some of our friends from abroad. Sadly it looks like the festival won't happen again this year but things are definitely looking up and next year the celebrations will be fierce. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">The sun is shining here, we've had a glorious couple of days and we've been back in the studio gently working on songs, in between doing some tidying jobs in the garden and trying to keep up with whatever Monty Don tells us needs doing lol. Even managed a socially distanced barbecue for a friend's birthday and it was a treat - just 3 of us, but it was excellent. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xuFrsAE7rPM/YGXBAL151zI/AAAAAAAAGRU/G188Csy-pQE09BtOMFZfULvPX7t-Q8ocQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1747/Happy%2BEaster.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xuFrsAE7rPM/YGXBAL151zI/AAAAAAAAGRU/G188Csy-pQE09BtOMFZfULvPX7t-Q8ocQCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h227/Happy%2BEaster.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="227" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lovely to see the yellow on the broom</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br><span style="text-align: left;"><br></span>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Happy Easter to you all. Take care of yourself and stay safe. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Check out the other Photo Hunt posts <a href="http://astridxstitching.blogspot.com/2021/04/scavenger-photo-hunt-link-up-party.html" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br></span></div><p></p><br><p><br></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070352021-03-26T02:31:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:19-12:00Photo Scavenger Hunt: Light/Dark<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Joining in with </span><a href="http://livelovecraftme.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Kates's weekly photo scavenger hunt</a></span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"> today. </span> </span>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jd6ZEzX0a-w/YF3s8mjDdMI/AAAAAAAAGQw/azgO7J4lO8EIW3e0BAEZeOYVW4BFr3snwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jd6ZEzX0a-w/YF3s8mjDdMI/AAAAAAAAGQw/azgO7J4lO8EIW3e0BAEZeOYVW4BFr3snwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/IMG_9463.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">This is the last week that Kate is hosting this challenge after 5 years of coming up with prompts. It has been fun Kate, thank you so much for all the time and effort you've put into it. I've enjoyed taking part and seeing what everyone else has come up with for the words. It has been a lovely creative diversion. There will be a new host from next month - </span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Astrid of </span><a href="http://astridxstitching.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #88bb21; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Dragon Stitches and Stuff by Astrid</a> <span style="font-size: medium;">and I'm looking forward to following along.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">But for today Kate's last prompt is </span><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Light/Dark</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">I had to scratch my head a bit for this one but looked again to the sky and sun</span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8dhHnsr_tzA/YF3sv532_oI/AAAAAAAAGQs/qlexALjXSVo-Fwmw1F5cwV8ZHsKpivngwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8dhHnsr_tzA/YF3sv532_oI/AAAAAAAAGQs/qlexALjXSVo-Fwmw1F5cwV8ZHsKpivngwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_9444.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br></div><br><span style="font-size: medium;">Looking back over some photos while I was searching for sunsets last week, I came across these pics that I took back in January on a beautiful day even though it stayed dark most of the day. </span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZnL2iViUvlI/YF3blByNhAI/AAAAAAAAGQc/0q8drtotUCs1U5oS-NOnfQLS0b5_qOz6QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9446.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZnL2iViUvlI/YF3blByNhAI/AAAAAAAAGQc/0q8drtotUCs1U5oS-NOnfQLS0b5_qOz6QCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_9446.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a></div><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is at Warrenpoint Shore looking down Carlingford Lough with Finn McCool and the Cooley Mountains on the right and the sun barely up in the sky even though it was nearly midday. </span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzVdtzUvA8M/YF3s8tgSkHI/AAAAAAAAGQ0/CViBaotFlA4gtkWtQziEVQRuyCGeefeaQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzVdtzUvA8M/YF3s8tgSkHI/AAAAAAAAGQ0/CViBaotFlA4gtkWtQziEVQRuyCGeefeaQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/IMG_9450.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br><br><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>This last one </span><span>was taken on the Boa Island on Lough Erne in Co. Fermanagh at 2pm in the middle of January and again the light had hardly changed. I love the moodiness of those cold days. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fmQTZSwoCjo/YF3btjg6TfI/AAAAAAAAGQg/HogWZJAxVnQK7WFkNyOh-QHBvgf5IY-SACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9425.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fmQTZSwoCjo/YF3btjg6TfI/AAAAAAAAGQg/HogWZJAxVnQK7WFkNyOh-QHBvgf5IY-SACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/IMG_9425.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The clocks change tomorrow</span> </span><span> </span><span>(</span><span>I have to remind myself they Spring Forward not Fall Back!). Already we're having dinner without pulling the curtains - this year has moved so fast and yet it feels like we've hardly moved. But looking back at these photos we can see the movement easily. </span><span>I love the fact that we get brighter now by 2 minutes a day until the Summer Solstice.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>We've just cancelled another tour for May so there'll be lots more focussing on the garden and the sky to look forward to and to keep us amused. </span></span></p><br><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Check out the other interpretations of this prompt <a href="http://livelovecraftme.blogspot.com/2021/03/light-and-dark-link-up-party.html">HERE. </a> And thanks once again Kate.</span></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070362021-03-18T21:21:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:19-12:00Sunset<p> <span style="text-align: center;">Joining in with </span><a href="http://livelovecraftme.blogspot.com" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Kates's weekly photo scavenger hunt</a><span style="text-align: center;"> today. And the prompt is</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Sunset/Sunrise</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm afraid I don't often see sunrise - not after the end of January anyway - so only evening pics for this prompt. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We get an extra 2 minutes of daylight every day from now until the Summer Solstice - recently I was talking to some Australian friends who were astonished by how quickly we've moved from dark to light when it was all feeling so gloomy for them before Christmas. I've loved taking the time to notice this past year - to see the changes and yes, to notice how quickly we move back into wonderful light evenings - having dinner now without closing the curtains. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As I don't have many pics of sunsets from this year I took a wander back through some previous years and we had some spectacular skies - winter sunsets are just beautiful ( and a couple of summer ones too). </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">March 2021</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Beautiful days and freezing cold evenings still, but the light is gorgeous.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-grsvewFahjE/YFPhv2q-hNI/AAAAAAAAGPs/Y01G-cI8Pbstcn1uzRTJJurAFioEQRyNgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9535%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-grsvewFahjE/YFPhv2q-hNI/AAAAAAAAGPs/Y01G-cI8Pbstcn1uzRTJJurAFioEQRyNgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_9535%2B2.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" /></a></div><br><p style="text-align: center;"><br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">March 2020</span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Those red skies are so exciting to see - </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">must have been a good week at the start of lockdown last year</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XIkp9m-z_BQ/YFPfE1nQAOI/AAAAAAAAGPU/AQYeeWR0sbYt8x1nGXQFIuCOlQdaIcxPACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XIkp9m-z_BQ/YFPfE1nQAOI/AAAAAAAAGPU/AQYeeWR0sbYt8x1nGXQFIuCOlQdaIcxPACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/IMG_8456.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<p><span style="font-size: medium;">March 2018</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Cold and misty - I love those evenings.</span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0hUX5d1Qtjk/YFPj7dEVwNI/AAAAAAAAGQA/Ih6nFkiznqUozGK_gAcIU0m8TrQMXwVwgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_5017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0hUX5d1Qtjk/YFPj7dEVwNI/AAAAAAAAGQA/Ih6nFkiznqUozGK_gAcIU0m8TrQMXwVwgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/IMG_5017.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
</div><br><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AnObiC_YmyQ/YFPfs7UD-WI/AAAAAAAAGPc/mQlBjNg-YWgSfT0El6NnsqCXpa_9Z192QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_5020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AnObiC_YmyQ/YFPfs7UD-WI/AAAAAAAAGPc/mQlBjNg-YWgSfT0El6NnsqCXpa_9Z192QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/IMG_5020.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="360" width="640" /></a></div><br><span style="font-size: medium;"><br></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">March 2017</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Another fiery sky. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--nR6pPu-OXY/YFPeTTsQJnI/AAAAAAAAGO0/cNy0vHcMrEYvPaZusNQQlkvW3CzVqcJgQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_3016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--nR6pPu-OXY/YFPeTTsQJnI/AAAAAAAAGO0/cNy0vHcMrEYvPaZusNQQlkvW3CzVqcJgQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/IMG_3016.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br><span style="font-size: medium;"><br></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">March 2016 - The Gold Coast just south of Brisbane and a few days rest time. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GK7iHNn6-qs/YFPewToM9qI/AAAAAAAAGPI/mUAN7BKcb3gEgft2NkXGxObte2PpPuYugCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_3454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GK7iHNn6-qs/YFPewToM9qI/AAAAAAAAGPI/mUAN7BKcb3gEgft2NkXGxObte2PpPuYugCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/IMG_3454.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="400" /></a></div><br><span style="font-size: medium;"><br></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">March 2016 - travelling from Tullamore, NSW</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Big skies and such a defined horizon.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uy-TGvScF2k/YFPcbJvvnkI/AAAAAAAAGOo/3C8WKjuN6qM5EJ0GqhSlhmaMfGBM78SKwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_1043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uy-TGvScF2k/YFPcbJvvnkI/AAAAAAAAGOo/3C8WKjuN6qM5EJ0GqhSlhmaMfGBM78SKwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/IMG_1043.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="225" width="400" /></a></div><br><span style="font-size: medium;">March 2016 again - travelling from Melbourne to Canberra by bus</span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">not quite sunset but almost...</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4qgHPdemeVE/YFPi6unJOLI/AAAAAAAAGP0/H9tD8CuaS2U9s4HU6IwSjDOrCNz5nCopQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_3290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4qgHPdemeVE/YFPi6unJOLI/AAAAAAAAGP0/H9tD8CuaS2U9s4HU6IwSjDOrCNz5nCopQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/IMG_3290.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><br><span style="font-size: medium;"><br></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">March 2015</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Almost dark - I remember that year - the local papers were full of fabulous sunset photos. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lvAuduRrVjo/YFPcMXhqmSI/AAAAAAAAGOk/GMemMpkVEroPCZdHksrMSOX3cEpi_wY2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSCF3587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lvAuduRrVjo/YFPcMXhqmSI/AAAAAAAAGOk/GMemMpkVEroPCZdHksrMSOX3cEpi_wY2ACLcBGAsYHQ/w393-h295/DSCF3587.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="295" width="393" /></a></div><br><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thanks for wandering down March memory lane with me. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone else's photos ... </span><span style="font-size: large;">Check out the other interpretations of this prompt </span><a href="http://livelovecraftme.blogspot.com/2021/03/sunsetsunrise-link-up-party.html">HERE</a><span style="font-size: large;">. </span></p><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><br>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/71070372021-03-16T11:45:00-12:002022-11-20T22:20:19-12:00Happy St Patrick's Day<p style="text-align: center;">Happy St Patrick's Day to you all. </p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">We'll raise a glass and wet the shamrock </div><div style="text-align: center;">and look forward to being out playing a gig somewhere this time next year. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BRnkx2ZOfUs/YFFBX3CO63I/AAAAAAAAGOM/0R5GzbHMg88JKcujifC92SQo6g4kewGxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BRnkx2ZOfUs/YFFBX3CO63I/AAAAAAAAGOM/0R5GzbHMg88JKcujifC92SQo6g4kewGxQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_9621.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="400" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is Ross's Monument in Rostrevor lit up for St Patrick's Day. General Ross was part of the British forces in America that burned what is now the White House causing it to be painted white! I've never noticed the monument being lit in green before but it looks magnificent. There's a replica in Halifax, Nova Scotia where he was buried. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's <a href="http://themanwhocapturedwashington.com/ross-monuments/" target="_blank">a great article about Robert Ross</a> - apparently the monument is built on the site he had planned to build his home should he have returned from the wars in America. Some day when the weather improves I'll go up and take some photos - it looks right down Carlingford Lough to the Irish Sea. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">Take care, stay safe and see you soon.</div><p></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/63382052020-06-01T05:32:03-12:002020-09-02T01:21:46-12:00Rostrevor Folk Club at Crawford's Virtual Concert<p><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="491" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3D2332711410369560%26id%3D1601418403498868&width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/63163962020-05-14T05:38:09-12:002021-04-01T09:19:15-12:00Beautiful May<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/6a9e8038e5ec58ea8b7f519a6ebf8eab91ac9ab1/original/img-8163.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><em><span class="font_large">"I Still Think of You Sometimes, when bluebells ring, and small birds find their voices earlier each day and Summer starts in May". </span></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large">These are such strange times we're living in - just sending you a quick hello from our house to yours and hoping you are all staying safe and healthy.<br>We're gradually getting things back into focus, teaching, running choirs, editing videos and preparing some live streaming. In the next weeks we'll start recording again and plan to have new material ready for the Autumn. <br><br>In the meantime this is an old song which Fil wrote for her father on his anniversary, when the bluebells were in full bloom. </span></p>3:33Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/62464162020-03-11T22:56:54-12:002020-06-29T21:20:54-12:00Border Stories on International Women's Day<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="4FQmnnvHbL4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/4FQmnnvHbL4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4FQmnnvHbL4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/62248102020-02-23T05:28:09-12:002020-02-23T05:28:09-12:00Lovely review of the Emigrant Woman's Tale<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/6a11fc3c706aff40f9c516ada316290970a1a8a2/original/83884409-4045002428858757-5163059226804748288-n.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" />I love this photo taken after our first performance of The (revived) Emigrant Woman's Tale in Dundalk's Tain Theatre at the start of February. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>"The Emigrant Woman was fantastic. We saw it in Dundalk & we thought it was amazing. A great & true story with amazing music, we highly recommend everyone to go & experience it". </em><br>Bernadette & Dixie</p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/62225412020-02-21T01:38:00-12:002020-02-21T01:38:00-12:00Border Stories<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/1b84a30f1b86352f762318953671b263056bd844/original/border-stories-poster.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Looking forward to three performances of Border Stories next month - an extended version of The Emigrant Woman's Tale and including a short one woman play about homelessness, called Bananas!. The shows are supported by the European Union's PEACE IV programme and ADMISSION IS FREE. Each performance will be followed by a discussion chaired by award winning former Irish News journalist William Graham. </p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/61756022020-01-01T12:45:00-12:002020-01-27T07:05:48-12:00The Emigrant Woman's Tale Spring Dates<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/30ae005bfd18119f547cb5623a4873ce3b0dfa98/original/csilla-and-fil-sitting-9-5.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="8tXtNcIg8KY" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/8tXtNcIg8KY/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8tXtNcIg8KY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>With an updated version of the show first presented in 2015, Fil with Hungarian poet Csilla Toldy are bringing The Emigrant Woman's Tale to Dundalk, Derry and Armagh before joining up with another play by Csilla - Bananas, a one woman short piece on homelessness - to present 3 further shows in Rostrevor, Newcastle and Newry. </p>
<p>The theme of Finding Home is prevalent in these times of worldwide flux. Csilla's story of fleeing communist Hungary and not being able to return for many years juxtaposed with Fil's sense of placelessness growing up on the Irish border during the Troubles gives lots of scope for common stories, common threads and common solutions. </p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/61761242019-12-17T12:50:00-12:002020-01-27T07:05:26-12:00This Is Home<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/fe883f4f27254f4561f62217e0ec42adccbd8135/original/migrants-day.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Come and join us for a special event to celebrate International Migrants Day hosted by Fil and Csilla Toldy on Wednesday 18th December. With writers and singers from Germany, France, Iran, Syria, Austria, Lebanon, Australia, America, Cambodia, Hungary, Poland and Ireland. Internation food provided by The Rostrevor Inn</p>
<p> </p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731912019-08-06T12:00:00-12:002019-08-06T19:29:21-12:00Summer Sing Singing Workshop
<p>Now that Festival fever is over in these parts for another year, it's time to start looking forward. </p>
<p>A few things to watch out for</p>
<p>I'll be co presenting a <strong>singing workshop </strong>with Laura Plummer of Voices of Lecale on <strong>Saturday 24th August</strong> in An Cuan, Rostrevor. Singing from 10.15-12.15, lunch (optional extra) in The Rostrevor Inn at 12.30 followed by an Al Fresco Sing in the Fairy Glen from 2.30. Tickets £12 at the door. Please phone first to reserve a place (07803 226279)</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/ea53041433d47f612852dccd9549ac72e4c6370a/original/summer-sing-2019.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjQ4eDM1MSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="351" width="248" /></p>
<p></p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731902019-07-31T12:00:00-12:002019-07-31T18:33:21-12:00The Birds' Song Book
<p><em>Delighted to announce that the children's book of Tom's song The Birds' Song is now available for sale in <a href="/shop" data-imported="1" data-link-type="page">our shop</a></em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="/shop" data-imported="1" data-link-type="page"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/89cd7f9de887d1273865d7ec8e3f0daf77fc0b16/original/birdsong-cover.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTUweDIxMiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="212" width="150" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The launch was a huge success at Fiddlers Green Festival and we're so excited to see the reaction to the song and the book which has been beautifully illustrated by Colum McEvoy. </p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731892019-06-30T12:00:00-12:002019-06-30T17:49:47-12:00A wee gig with John Spillane
<p>Looking forward to singing a few songs with John Spillane in de Barras in Clonakilty this Thursday night. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/6ece960344c0e58570b0b2791dc0fca0ab246e2c/original/johnspillane.jpeg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTAweDM3NSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="375" width="500" /></p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731882019-06-30T12:00:00-12:002020-05-14T05:23:26-12:00The Birds Song Book Launch
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/3f9dda8c1faccd4a1b8da3fa674ae6cf09ba5036/original/the-birds-song.png/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTQyeDMwNSJd.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="305" width="542" /></p>
<p>Illustrated by the wonderful Colum McEvoy, Tom's song The Birds Song, a parody about immigration, has been turned into a short book for children which will be launched at Fiddlers Green Festival on Friday 26th July at 2.30pm here in Rostrevor.</p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731872019-06-03T12:00:00-12:002019-06-03T17:34:39-12:00FairPlé: Rising Tides
<p>Fil will be chairing a panel discussion at the Women's Work NI Festival on Saturday. </p>
<p>Hosted by FairPlé, an all Ireland organisation looking at gender equality in traditional and folk music, the other panelists are singer Pauline Scanlon, agent and tour manager Una Molloy and arts programmer and former chairperson of Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann Eibhlín Ní Dhochartaigh.</p>
<p>Check <a href="http://www.filcampbell.com/upcoming_concerts/" data-imported="1">UpComing Concerts</a> for venue details</p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731862019-05-15T12:00:00-12:002021-04-01T09:18:20-12:00End of the tour<p>Some lovely photos posted today on <a data-imported="1" href="https://www.facebook.com/filcampbell/">Facebook</a> from our concert in de Lantaern Folk Club in Zevenaar, which finished our European Spring tour </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/04f24c83da263433f589201defdc059cb7f02792/original/zevenaar.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjAweDMzOCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="338" width="600" /></p>
<p> </p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731852019-04-03T12:00:00-12:002019-04-03T20:51:18-12:00Singing and Bodhran Workshops next month in Kiel
<p>We will both be doing workshops on our upcoming trip to Germany - in Hof Akkerboom in Kiel on Tuesday 7th May between 15h and 17h. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Fil will present a group singing workshop - simple harmonies, beautiful songs from around the world and fun warm ups and exercises. </p>
<p>Tom will do a bodhran workshop for beginners and improvers at the same time in the same venue. </p>
<p>Full details on <a href="http://www.filcampbell.com/upcoming_concerts" target="_blank" data-imported="1">our concerts page</a>.</p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731842019-03-16T12:00:00-12:002021-04-01T09:20:05-12:00Happy St Patrick's Day<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/e45767b6b55c73b0567c313eeb32f7c88769e2c0/original/img-1114.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTYxeDIwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="200" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="161" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Sending love and blessings to our friends around the world on this St Patrick's Day xx</p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731832019-02-28T12:00:00-12:002019-02-28T16:02:20-12:00Newry TradFest
<p>Fil and Tom will be hosting the TradFest singing session on Saturday 16th March in Newry's fashionable Art Barfunkel between 2 and 4 pm. </p>
<p>Bring yourself and a couple of songs or stories or poems or tall tales and join in a gentle afternoon's craic as part of this lovely festival. All ages welcome.</p>
<p>Further information from www.newry.com</p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731822019-02-14T12:00:00-12:002021-04-01T09:20:40-12:00Burren Captured<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/f6644e46fecc0a7ac4ba2ae57e2b5f8c7f44c069/original/burren.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTI1eDI5MiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="292" width="525" /></p>
<p>Terrific night in Burren Heritage Centre - thanks to Heather for the pic</p>Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731812019-02-13T12:00:00-12:002019-02-13T03:21:03-12:00Valentine's Day in Burren
<p>Happy Valentine's Day one and all :) <br>And this year we're celebrating in a different way performing a concert in the lovely Burren Heritage Centre in Warrenpoint. It's great to be doing a home concert and a great chance to be wheeling out lots of love songs old and new. </p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731802018-12-31T12:00:00-12:002019-01-02T00:08:13-12:00Happy New Year
<p>We wish you a wonderful 2019 wherever you are in the world. </p>
<p>May your days be filled with fun, lots of music, good friends and plenty of joy and we hope our paths cross at some point along the way. </p>
<p>Beannacht libh! </p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731792018-12-11T12:00:00-12:002018-12-11T16:50:25-12:00Co. Down concerts in the New Year
<p>We're delighted to announce two local dates here in Co. Down in February. </p>
<p>The first is in Burren Heritage Centre on St Valentine's Day at 8pm. This is a beautiful venue - an old primary school that has been restored - in Burren village just outside Warrenpoint. Tickets will be available at the door on the night and cost £10. </p>
<p>The following night, Friday 15th February, we'll be returning to Down ARts Centre in Downpatrick. We both love this little theatre and look forward to seeing friends old and new there. Tickets are now on sale from the <a title="Down Arts Centre Box Office" href="http://www.downartscentre.com/opencontent/default.asp?itemId=6" target="_blank" data-imported="1">theatre Box Office</a> and would make ideal Christmas gifts! </p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731782016-01-11T12:00:00-12:002016-01-25T18:29:15-12:00Rostrevor and Belleek Shows
<h1>Happy New Year to all our friends far and near</h1>
<p>There's already a litte stretch in the evenings here in Co Down and there's a fresh energy around to get things moving for the New Year. I hope you and yours weren't affected by all the recent bad weather - particularly closer to home across Ireland and the North of England and into Scotland. I cannot imagine how terrible it would be to have your home flooded. Thankfully we got off very lightly this year but we're all very glad to see some blue skies and no rain for a while. </p>
<p>Tom and I are heading to Australia towards the end of February - for some concerts, a festival and to spend time with family and friends. It's our first time to go to the southern Hemisphere and we're really looking forward to the trip. We'll be stopping off in Dubai for a few days on the way - the thought of sunshine is making my heart burst at the minute. </p>
<p> -------------</p>
<p>Before we go we have two lovely concerts at home - at both homes - Belleek and Rostrevor</p>
<p><strong>Friday 12th February, 9pm</strong></p>
<p><em>The Jolly Farmer, Clyhore, Belleek, Co. Fermanagh</em> (The Jolly Farmer is actually across the bridge in Belleek in Co. Donegal - so it's a cross border gig, literally)</p>
<p>This concert is in aid of our friend Peter McMahon's charity trip to Africa later this year with <a href="https://www.melloneducate.com/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Niall Mellon Educate</a>, where he and more than 200 other volunteers will be building a new school in the Townships in South Africa.</p>
<p><strong>Saturday 13th February, 8pm</strong></p>
<p><em>An Cuan, Rostrevor</em></p>
<p>This concert is to raise funds for the Southern Area Hospice where our friend Bronagh from my singer's group passed away last Spring. </p>
<p><strong>Raffles</strong> </p>
<p>At both events, to boost the fund raising, we'll be holding a raffle. If you are close at hand and would like to donate something for the raffle, we'd be very grateful. </p>
<p>Download the flyer <a href="/files/540375/filcampbella5flyer-press.pdf" data-imported="1">HERE</a></p>
<p>-------------</p>
<p><strong>Australia</strong></p>
<p>We'll then be at the following places in Australia from the 3rd March.</p>
<p>Melbourne, Berwick, Warragul, Canberra, Penrith, Wollongong, Sydney, Tullamore, Bowral, Brisbane. All dates are now on the <a href="http://www.filcampbell.com/calendar" target="_blank" data-imported="1">website</a> and any additions to the trip will be added there as we go along.</p>
<p>We will also be doing workshops in Newport, VIC and for some choirs in the North Fitzroy area of Melbourne. </p>
<p>-------------</p>
<p>So that's our first part of the year. </p>
<p>Singing groups start back on Wednesday 13th at 7.30pm in An Cuan in Rostrevor and then in Bryansford on Monday night. Email me if you would like details for either group. </p>
<p>I wish you a wonderful New Year </p>
<p>Best wishes to you all </p>
<p>Fil and Tom </p>
<p> </p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731772016-01-04T12:00:00-12:002020-06-06T21:11:44-12:00Best of Year Review
<p>We're delighted to be included in this blog featuring the best of live music for the year in the Bonn area. Thanks to John Hurd :)</p>
<div><a href="http://3songsbonn.com/2015/12/31/2015-review/" data-imported="1">http://3songsbonn.com/2015/12/31/2015-review/</a></div>
<p> </p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731762015-12-20T12:00:00-12:002016-01-07T03:49:13-12:00Christmas Newsletter
<p>Greetings one and all and a special hello to all the new people who have signed up to this list from our tours in Europe and the UK in September and October.</p>
<p>As the year is coming to a close, it's a lovely time to look back on the year, and look forward to a little bit of hibernating time to recharge the batteries.</p>
<p>Thank you to everyone who supported us through 2015 - everyone who booked us, came to our concerts and bought our CDs, to all the singers who came to my workshops and all the artists who came to the studio to record with Tom. And especially to all the friends and family for being there for us.</p>
<p><strong><em>We wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year and look forward to seeing you all again somewhere along the road in the next 12 months. </em></strong></p>
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<p><br> </p>
<p>This year has been terrific for us with concerts in 7 different countries - on our European trip we travelled more than 6000 kms in just over 3 1/2 weeks and took ages to recover! We played house concerts in Denmark, France and Luxembourg and had dates in churches, theatres, book shops, and cafes - and then a few weeks back had a 2 weeks of really nice folk clubs in England and Scotland - our second trip over there this year, catching up with old friends and meeting lots of new ones. <a href="http://3songsbonn.com/tag/fil-campbell/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Here's a link</a> to a smashing review from blogger John Hurd after a mad gig in Bonn where we played in an aircraft hangar!!</p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/9beeca686147dbddfe8ea9484de70b495b808869/original/folkcluboct2015-70.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTAweDMzNCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="334" width="500" /></p>
<p>We've also started to get some lovely press reviews about our new album Back There. Click <a href="http://www.filcampbell.com/pressreviews1/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">here</a> for the Irish Music Review and another from Living Tradition. We're already collecting material for our next recording which we'll be working on early next year.</p>
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<h1><strong>Singing Groups </strong></h1>
<p>For my Rostrevor singing groups this has been a mixed year - we were very sad to say goodbye to Larry and Bronagh but have all been overjoyed at how close we have become as a group. Then in June I was thrilled to be invited by Mourne Heritage Trust to start a group in Bryansford in the middle of the stunning Mountains of Mourne. It has been a wonderful chance for me to get to know this part of the locality and to get to know another group of very enthusiastic and wonderful singers. Both groups combined to take part in the Christmas pageant here in Rostrevor a few Saturdays back - it's a lovely event - here we are at the Christmas tree after Santa had turned on the lights.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/936921877f53353046cc182235243a0826712e34/original/choir-2015.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTAweDM3NSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="375" width="500" /></p>
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<p><strong>The Emigrant Woman's Tale</strong></p>
<p>The Emigrant Woman's Tale was launched bt poetess Csilla Toldy and myself in March to a home audience at the Book Corner in Rostrevor and we went on to bring our story of emigration and hope to several more audiences over the year.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/d1734685ec6428f42fa83ef589bf385a293e4ec3/original/dscf1051.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTAweDM1NyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Csilla and Fil" height="357" width="500" /></p>
<p>Csilla's story of escaping from Communist Hungary as a teenager sturck many chords with listeners especiall in view of the mass migration of people that we've seen from the East this year that is still ongoing . We both look forward to taking this show out from time to time in the coming year. </p>
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<h1><strong>Tour planning - Australia, Germany and Ireland</strong></h1>
<h2>My final news is that Tom and I are preparing for our first trip to Australia!! Woohoo. I cannot wait. Apart from doing some great workshops and concerts it will be a chance to see this amazing country and to catch up with family and friends. We'll be taking part in the Tullamore Irish Festival with Damien Leith and Saoirse and several other bands over Easter Weekend in New South Wales and have lots more dates mostly in and around Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Our dream is to see Ayers Rock - or Uluru to give it its proper name - so the holiday part of the trip will have to be planned now.. </h2>
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<h2>We will also have a return trip to Germany during the second half of May and closer to home we will be playing in Rostrevor on 13th February and dates in Belleek and Belfast will be confirmed in the New Year.</h2>
<h2><a href="http://filcampbell.com/calendar/" data-imported="1">Check the calendar page of our website for full details. </a></h2>
<p>I hope this finds you well. If you have time, drop me a line - you know I love to hear your news. And if you are interested in perhaps running a concert for us, or having a house concert, or if you know of a venue near you that you think would suit us, then please get in touch. I'd love to hear from you.</p>
<p>Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year, whether it's sunny or snowing and I look forward to our paths crossing at some point in the coming year.</p>
<p>Fil & Tom xx</p>
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<h3><strong>You can find me at these various online places</strong></h3>
<p>Come and read <a href="http://www.fil-campbell.blogspot.co.uk" target="_blank" data-imported="1">my blog</a> about our travels, work, and any other ramblings that take my fancy. And please sign up to follow me if you're into reading blogs.</p>
<p>At<a href="http://www.filcampbell.com" target="_blank" data-imported="1"> my website</a> Tom is continually putting up new videos from local performances and all our gig and touring information is there. </p>
<p>Visit my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/filcampbell%20" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Facebook Page</a> for more day to day meanderings. </p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731752015-12-06T12:00:00-12:002020-03-17T02:05:01-12:00Australia
<p>So excited to be heading to Australia in March 2016. We're gradually posting dates on the website here and are looking forward to doing several workshops, both for choirs and for bodhran in the Melbourne area ... as well as folk clubs and Irish clubs in both Melbourne and Sydney. Details here as we get closer to the time </p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731742015-11-06T12:00:00-12:002015-12-06T17:16:16-12:00Scotland and England Tour
<p>We're very much looking forward to getting back over to England and Scotland for the second time this year. </p>
<p>We'll be in Birmingham at the Red Lion Folk Club on Wednesday 18th, the Topic in Bradford on Thursday 19th and Bollington Folk Club near Macclesfield on Friday 20th. Then up to Scotland to do Leith Folk Club on Tuesday 23rd, Irvine Folk Club, Wednesday 24th and a house concert for John Weatherby at Sound Sense in Moffat, Dumfriesshire on Thursday 25th November. </p>
<p>Hopefully I'll have a few photos to post when we come back. </p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731732015-08-03T12:00:00-12:002020-01-08T23:53:44-12:00Back There - our new CD has arrived
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/60137710a26f8d5f8f0f269623786cb61b69ab22/original/back-there-cd-image-small.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" width="400" /></p>
<p>Our new CD has just arrived and will be up in the shop and available on iTunes in the next couple of days. Back There has 11 tracks, some of our own songs and some by our Irish songwriter friends. Looking forward to getting it out into the world over the next while.</p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731692015-07-31T12:00:00-12:002015-08-02T22:08:51-12:00Review - the Emigrant Woman's Tale
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/adc9668e74cb4b0f9b4f79a8e56843a40961a002/original/ewt.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjAweDIxOSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="219" width="200" />We received this lovely review for The Emigrant Woman's Tale from Colum Sands of BBC radio Ulster's Folk Club programme </p>
<p><strong>In The Emigrant Woman's Tale, Fil Campbell and Csilla Tsoldy draw on memories of Belleek and Budapest to weave a striking tapestry of song, poetry and spoken word. They take their audience on a journey that crosses borders on maps and in minds in search of that elusive place that we call home. An inspirational performance that is sometimes humorous, often moving and always thought provoking....highly recommended.</strong></p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731682015-07-29T12:00:00-12:002015-08-02T22:05:32-12:00Fiddlers Green Festival 2015
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<p>Another wonderful <a href="http://www.fiddlersgreenfestival.co.uk/" data-imported="1">Fiddlers Green Festival</a> has come to an end here in Rostrevor - the 29th festival. Tom and I had our main performance on Friday night - we did the first part of the main concert where Seamus Begley received an award for services to traditional music. It was a really enjoyable set and it was great to see lots of friends in the audience - our folk family from Germany, Scotland, England and Luxembourg. Earlier in the week Csilla and I performed the Emigrant Woman's Tale to a packed house, and my singing workshop had a lovely crowd too. All in all a good week was had by all. </p>
<p>Fiddlers Green is a wonderful mixture of outdoor ceilidhs, pub sessions, events up the mountain and on the water, a Duck Derby of course :), lots of childrens' events, art exhibitions - this year featuring Kingerlee and the photographer Minihan as well as many amateur art events, pop up cafes, 3 concerts a day, poetry readings and barely time to sit down and have a chat with all the visitors that come in - old friends from around the world and new friends waiting to be made... It's a wonderful event - I thoroughly enjoyed it and now it's time for a rest :)</p>
<p>Read about some of my favourite concerts on <a href="http://fil-campbell.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/fiddlers-green-festival-2015.html" target="_blank" data-imported="1">my blog</a>.<br></p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731702015-02-13T12:00:00-12:002015-08-02T22:06:12-12:00Scotland/England Tour February/March 2015
<h3 class="post-title entry-title">Off on the road again - UK tour</h3>
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Tom McFarland and I are starting out on our first gigs of this year by getting across the water for a lovely wee tour to visit some great folk clubs in Scotland and England and catch up with friends on the way. <br><br>Starting in Glasgow on the 17th and ending up in Keighley in Yorkshire on the 27th if the snow stays away it'll be a very pleasant trip. </div>
<div class="post-body entry-content">For info about dates check <a href="http://fil-campbell.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/off-on-road-again-uk-tour.html" target="_blank" data-imported="1">here</a>
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Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731712014-12-01T12:00:00-12:002015-08-02T21:59:15-12:00A visit to the Tyrone Guthrie Centre
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<p>I've fulfilled a long held ambition this weekend past, to have a stay at the <a href="http://tyroneguthrie.ie/" data-imported="1">Tyrone Guthrie Centre</a> in Co. Monaghan.<br><br>This is a residential retreat for artists of all disciplines to come and have a space away from home and be looked after, fed, watered and housed to facilitate the creative process.<br><br>And it is magnificent. <br><br></p>
<p><a href="http://fil-campbell.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/an-artists-retreat.html" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Read more about our visit </a>- myself and Hungarian poet Csilla Toldy </p>
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Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731672014-01-23T12:00:00-12:002015-08-02T21:58:15-12:00The Spinning Wheel
<p><strong style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: small;">The Spinning Wheel (John Frances Waller)</strong></p>
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<p>Listen to : <a style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: small;" href="http://open.spotify.com/track/43L5HSQ0D4sCLF0I58sixQ" data-imported="1">Fil Campbell – The Spinning Wheel</a></p>
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<p>From the TV series - <a href="/songbirds" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank" data-imported="1" data-link-type="page">Songbirds - the First Ladies of Irish Song</a></p>
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<pre><em style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: small;">Mellow the moonlight to shine is beginning </em></pre>
<pre><em style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: small;"></em><em style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: small;">Close by the window young Eileen is spinning</em></pre>
<pre><em style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: small;"></em><em style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: small;">Bent o’er the fire her blind grandmother sitting</em></pre>
<pre><em style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: small;">Is crooning and moaning and drowsily knitting<br><br></em></pre>
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<p> When I first learned this as a little girl I pictured this beautiful young girl gazing longingly out of the window, dressed of course in a perfect long skirt, with long hair and an angelic face!! The old lady was knowingly sitting in the corner .... </p>
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<p> I can still see the sash window, the moon shining, the wood outside where the young lovers ended up walking ... Isn't it funny the pictures that stay in your head with a song:))</p>
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<p><strong>Background</strong> </p>
<p><em style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: small;">The Spinning Wheel</em> is one of the most famous Irish folksongs and was one of the first songs I learned as a child.</p>
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<p><em style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: small;">The Spinning Wheel </em>was written in the late 1800s by John Frances Waller (1909-1894) and it's said that the melody is actually French, although it quickly became known as an Irish song. Really, it was a parlour song that was part of the Anglo Irish tradition, nothing at all to do with traditional Irish music, but more to do with an idealised quaint way of life. It quickly became a favourite for young girls to sing and instantly brings back memories of a gentler way of life.</p>
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<p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ujww44RNOWc/T6hOjevCktI/AAAAAAAAAHE/o4IOax-m6uY/s1600/Delia+Murphy.jpg" data-imported="1"><img src="//images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-Ujww44RNOWc%2FT6hOjevCktI%2FAAAAAAAAAHE%2Fo4IOax-m6uY%2Fs320%2FDelia%2BMurphy.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="320" width="218" /></a></p>
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<p>Delia Murphy</p>
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<p><em><strong>Well known singers of the song</strong></em></p>
<p>It was one of the songs recorded by Delia Murphy in her first recording session in 1936, one of the songs that made her a star and she in turn was the person who made the song popular.</p>
<p> Later, it became the first international hit for Mary O'Hara, although she didn't even want to record it. Delia sang it at her husband's inauguration as the first Irish Ambassador to Australia and she said that if it's sung correctly you should feel the spinning wheel turning. In our TV series - <a style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: small;" href="/songbirds" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank" data-imported="1" data-link-type="page">Songbirds, the First Ladies of Irish Song</a> - it was the only song that we found that had been recorded by all the featured ladies - Ruby Murray, Margaret Barry, Bridie Gallagher, Delia Murphy and Mary O'Hara - and they all sang it in very different styles.</p>
<p><strong style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: small;">The Lyric</strong> </p>
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<p><em>Mellow the moonlight to shine is beginning<br>Close by the window young Eileen is spinning<br>Bent o’er the fire her blind grandmother sitting<br>Is crooning and moaning and drowsily knitting<br><br>Eileen a chara I hear someone tapping<br>Tis the ivy dear mother against the glass flapping<br>Eily I surely hear someone sighing<br>Tis the sound mother dear of the autumn winds dying<br><br>Merrily cheerily noiselessly whirring<br>Swings the wheel spins the reel while the foot’s stirring<br>Sprightly and brightly and airily ringing<br>Thrills the sweet voice of the young maiden singing<br><br>There’s a form at the casement the form of her true love<br>And he whispers with face bent “I’m waiting for you love<br>Get up on the stool through the lattice step lightly<br>And we’ll rove in the grove with the moon shining brightly”<br><br>The maid shakes her head on her lip lays her fingers<br>Steals up from the seat, longs to go and yet lingers<br>A frightened glance turned on her drowsy grandmother<br>Puts one foot on the stool spins the wheel with the other<br><br>Lazily, easily swings now the wheel round<br>Slowly and lowly is heard now the reel sound<br>Noiseless and light through the lattice above her<br>The maid creeps then leaps to the arms of her lover<br><br>Slower and slower and slower the wheel spins<br>Lower and lower and lower the reel rings<br>E’er the reel and the wheel stop their ringing and moving<br>Through the grove the young lovers by moonlight are roving</em></p>
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<p>******</p>
<p><em><strong>The songwriter: </strong></em></p>
<p><strong>John Francis Waller</strong> (1810 - 1894) was born in Limerick, educated at Trinity College, Dublin and was called to the Irish Bar in 1833. He became a contributor to and ultimately editor of the <em>Dublin University Magazine</em>, usually writing under the pseudonym of "Jonathan Freke Slingsby"</p>
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<p>He published several volumes of poems and also wrote popular songs, including <em>Cushla Ma Chree</em>, <em>The Spinning Wheel</em> and <em>Song of the Glass</em>. He was responsible for the explanatory notes and a life of the author in a new edition of "Gulliver's Travels" written by Dean Jonathan Swift. </p>
<p><em><strong><br>Connected</strong></em></p>
<p>If you're interested in spinning as an art I found this <a href="http://perfectweatherforspinningandknitting.blogspot.co.uk/2011_06_01_archive.html" data-blogger-escaped-target="_blank" data-imported="1">fascinating blog</a> from a lady in Scotland.</p>
<p><br>Have you any memories of the song? I'd love to hear from you.</p>
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Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731662013-09-24T12:00:00-12:002014-02-17T16:32:38-12:00Singing is Good For you ..Community choir starts back this week.
<p>Singing is Good For You!</p>
<p>So say the scientists...</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/4b2feb9ca099e8146ccae62f82280b12fe7f2361/original/tom-fil-brendan-bnw.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzAweDIwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="200" width="300" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/215a87dce6d4c7e2a0bee6f547be3f4e849d5024/original/p1040751.jpeg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDI0MyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" alt="" height="243" width="400" /></p>
<p>Group singing sessions start up again on 2nd October and every following Wednesday night in An Cuan in Rostrevor at 7.30pm. </p>
<p>This will be a 4 part evening - class of exercises, group singing session, tea and chat break and finishing up with a singsong/singaround. If you're in the area and would like to join us please come along -- all the details are <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/522473837829318/" data-imported="1">here</a>.</p>
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<p>* * * * * * *</p>
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<p>I teach a natural way of singing - - no training the voice for operatic work - but grounding the voice in telling the story. I work to help people use the muscle of their voice and get used to the idea that their voice is unique and even though it doesn't sound like the person you feel it should sound like in order to think of yourself as a good singer, the fact that you are singing will make your voice strong. A lot of these ways are similar to those ideas promoted by the NVPN - <a href="http://www.naturalvoice.net/" data-imported="1">Natural Voice Practitioners Network. </a></p>
<p> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/282d55686ea6fa5a0b4e31f2f7bbc4181f560f62/original/p1040768.jpeg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDgweDM2MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="360" style="vertical-align: middle;" width="480" /></p>
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<p>So here are some ideas of why it's good for you... courtesy of my good friend <a href="http://www.freewebs.com/lauraplummer" data-imported="1">Laura Plumme</a>r who runs the Voices of Lecale community choir in Downpatrick ...</p>
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<p>Singing is good for you – it’s official. Recent research carried out at the University of Frankfurt in Germany indicates that singing strengthens the immune system, increasing significantly the levels of immunoglobulin A (proteins which functions as antibodies) and hydrocortisone (an anti-stress hormone). This German study and other research findings on both sides of the Atlantic in recent years have yielded encouraging evidence of the health benefits of singing.</p>
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<p><strong>12 good reasons to take up singing</strong></p>
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<p>1</p>
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<p>Singing boosts the immune system, improving circulation which oxygenates your cells</p>
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<p>Singing improves your mood & helps combat depression; it releases the same ‘feel good’ endorphins as chocolate and sex!</p>
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<p>Singing gives your upper body a workout – lungs, abdominal, intercostal muscles & diaphragm – and improves posture</p>
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<p>4</p>
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<p>Singing is aerobic & releases muscle tension</p>
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<p>Singing keeps your vocal chords in good shape and your voice youthful</p>
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<p>Singing improves concentration, memory & mental alertness</p>
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<p>Singing gives YOU immediate pleasure (your sacculus organ in the inner ear is connected to the part of the brain which registers pleasure!)</p>
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<p>Singing clears your sinuses and respiratory tubes</p>
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<p>Singing boosts your confidence</p>
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<p>Singing combats stress and improves sleep</p>
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<p>Singing stimulates insight into poetry, prose & the inner meaning of words</p>
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<p>12</p>
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<p>Singing is a spiritual experience (regardless of what is sung!)</p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/7815d53869135000c67c2ade53e4c75eb9aa740a/original/fil-blanquefort.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzAweDQwOCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" alt="" height="408" width="300" /></p>
<p>Come by and say hello - <a href="http://www.filcampbell.com/" data-imported="1">www.filcampbell.com</a></p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731652013-08-06T12:00:00-12:002013-08-06T18:43:36-12:00Clough Mor and Finn McCool
<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><em>Clough Mór</em> means big stone in Irish ... and the Big Stone dominates the local landscape here in Rostrevor .... It lies at the top of Slieve Meen in the Mourne Mountains about 1000ft above the village. </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px;"><a style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--eA76X1soLY/UgDtoKNiLhI/AAAAAAAAAVU/dp46_s-Pvqw/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG" data-imported="1"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--eA76X1soLY/UgDtoKNiLhI/AAAAAAAAAVU/dp46_s-Pvqw/s320/IMG_0003.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px;">At the Big Stone</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"> But legend says it was thrown by the giant <em>Finn McCool</em> - who threw most of the big stones that are littered across the North of Ireland - he liked throwing things did Finn! He was also responsible for creating the Giants Causeway, the Isle of Man and Lough Neagh and he gives his name to the mountains across the Lough - the Cooley mountains - where he sleeps on top of them. </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px;"><a style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rVE5OJyNeUc/UgDtm8CgYcI/AAAAAAAAAVM/sZeJ5TJhlaw/s1600/IMG_0009.JPG" data-imported="1"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rVE5OJyNeUc/UgDtm8CgYcI/AAAAAAAAAVM/sZeJ5TJhlaw/s320/IMG_0009.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px;">Looking across the Carlingford Lough to the Cooley Mountains from CloughMor</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><em>The story goes</em> that while Finn was out hunting boar one day, a huge shadow fell across the Lough and another giant stood there - as big as he himself was. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">This giant was called <em>Ruscaire</em>, the giant of Snow and Ice. He challenged Finn who was the giant of Summer, to a fight and both giants drew their swords each with a foot in Carlingford Lough and their other foot astride the mountains on either side. They fought all day with swords and the second day with clubs. On the third morning Ruscaire arose and stole Finn's sword while he still slept, although honour stopped him killing him. But when Finn awoke and found that his sword was missing and that Ruscaire had taken it, he started throwing rocks and stones at him and a battle ensued that shook the mountains to the core. The Cloughmor Stone was beside him - it weighed 50 tons and with great effort Finn put his giant arms around it and hurled it at his enemy, burying him under the weight of it, where he melted away like ice into the mountain.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><a style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TS1OGjBexvk/UgDtlhj_4oI/AAAAAAAAAVE/8WFmOVYz1to/s1600/IMG_0013.JPG" data-imported="1"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TS1OGjBexvk/UgDtlhj_4oI/AAAAAAAAAVE/8WFmOVYz1to/s320/IMG_0013.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">Finn was so exhausted after the effort that he lay down and never wakened. Some people say that the little people covered him stones when they couldn't waken him and others say that over the years he simply turned to stone. We'll never know the truth but his image can still be seen there to this day.</p>
<p class="separator" style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; clear: both; text-align: center;">Can you see him?</p>
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<p class="separator" style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; clear: both; text-align: left;">For more myths and legends about Finn, Queen Maeve, Cuthulainn and the little folk in and around Carlingford and Mourne, there's a great website - <a href="http://www.carlingfordandmourne.com/" data-imported="1">http://www.carlingfordandmourne.com</a></p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731642013-07-31T12:00:00-12:002020-01-08T23:53:32-12:00Fiddlers Green Festival 2013
<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">Taking part in a <a href="http://www.filcampbell.com/dashboard/pages/blog/post/http" target="_blank" data-imported="1">well known festival </a>in your home village is a special honour .... here are some of my memories of the week ...</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">Setting the scene at Fiddlers Green .... about 700 feet up the mountain in a meadow called Fiddlers Green - sailors' heaven ... 200+ people walked up with picnics, instruments, childrens' push chairs, blankets and excitement ...</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">....and took part in a concert....</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">The stage all set for brilliant music - traditional tunes at their best ..</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">The week started out sunny and ended in a thunderstorm further up the mountain ... with a glass of whisky to toast the occasion - we were all like 'drownded rats' as they'd say around these parts ...</p>
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<p class="separator" style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; clear: both; text-align: center;">Haven't laughed so much in years though .... it felt like being a child again, standing out in the rain ...<a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xnhNVRiSDjY/Ufo_fBSGPPI/AAAAAAAAASo/NPveLmR59wo/s1600/Cheers+from+Slieve+Martin+in+the+rain.jpg" data-imported="1"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xnhNVRiSDjY/Ufo_fBSGPPI/AAAAAAAAASo/NPveLmR59wo/s320/Cheers+from+Slieve+Martin+in+the+rain.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"> <span style="text-align:center">And the view was worth it ....</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px;">Afterwards it looks pretty innocent ... with clouds steaming off the Cooley Mountains across the water.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">All in all a fun week with great friends, great music and great craic... See you next year :)</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">Now it's time to get back to work and get some new songs ready for the next venture.</p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731632013-07-02T12:00:00-12:002013-07-02T20:51:10-12:00A Walk in the Mournes
<p class="separator" style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; clear: both; text-align: center;">It was so beautiful here on the last Sunday of June - we headed up into the Mournes at the Bloody Bridge - walking away from the sea for a change... </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><a style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lsTbZmEI7h8/UdLvSvLvQHI/AAAAAAAAANw/wcLtfVWIgTM/s1600/foxgloves+having+a+look+see.JPG" data-imported="1"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lsTbZmEI7h8/UdLvSvLvQHI/AAAAAAAAANw/wcLtfVWIgTM/s320/foxgloves+having+a+look+see.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>Lots of foxgloves peeping out of the ferns - they look like wee fairies coming up to see what was going on </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">Looking down to the Irish Sea - it was so clear we could just about see the Isle of Man in the distance</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px;">The colours in the rock pools were so clear...</p>
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<p class="separator" style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uG1LxGKJZnU/UdLvfRFgzoI/AAAAAAAAAOo/02P10lnke5c/s1600/weathered+wood.JPG" data-imported="1"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uG1LxGKJZnU/UdLvfRFgzoI/AAAAAAAAAOo/02P10lnke5c/s320/weathered+wood.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>I love the shadows ... this was on the bridge that Tom was standing at earlier ..<a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CVCVjlpmPuI/UdLvcmHGeOI/AAAAAAAAAOU/cmpNXwXaCrY/s1600/shadows.JPG" data-imported="1"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CVCVjlpmPuI/UdLvcmHGeOI/AAAAAAAAAOU/cmpNXwXaCrY/s320/shadows.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>Knew I had long legs in some part of my life!!!</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"> and back down again .... next time we'll get up to the Mourne Wall ...</p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731622012-12-31T12:00:00-12:002012-12-31T18:56:38-12:00Happy New Year
<p style="text-align: center;">A big welcome to 2013!! </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/d6dcb5035572a3e90135c0adc36477a255a35b2e/original/happy-new-year1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjAweDQyNCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="424" width="600" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">I am truly looking forward to the year to come ... and am starting out the year with plenty of plans for new projects and some lovely tours on the horizon to look forward to ... England and Scotland in March; Europe in April - and that will take us through Holland, Germany, Denmark and Luxembourg ; then the US in August/September and another trip back to the UK in November ... Looking good. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><br></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">I wish you and yours a wonderful, creative and above all else, peaceful 2013. </p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731612012-09-12T12:00:00-12:002021-06-22T22:54:51-12:00Courtmacsherry Storytelling Carnival
<p>Well! What a weekend we had down in West Cork at the Courtmacsherry Storytelling Carnival. Tom and I have been visiting West Cork for many years and it's without a doubt my favourite part of the country. The sense of humour, the scenery, the music and above all the accent are all a treat! I had the great honour of being on the bill with the wonderful Sean Ó Sé - storyteller par excellence and a fabulous singer - he was the vocalist with the Sean O'Riada orchestra, the Gael Linn Cabaret and many many other brilliant shows. </p>
<p>Here's a You Tube video of Sean earlier this year telling a story at the Kerry Hall in Yonkers in New York ... you'd need to have a bit of a clue about old Irish ways for this to make sense ... </p>
<p></p>
<div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ftazaj09fk0" width="560" class="wrapped wrapped wrapped"></iframe></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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<p>The weather was very kind most of the weekend and we had a gorgeous room overlooking the bay and with a four poster bed!!!! </p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/80199d0d894bebccefe97a06de87399d3837d45a/original/horses-in-the-morning.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="400" /></p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/6167d57f1790c87e48df47751defe9226001e67f/original/sunset-over-courtmacsherry-bay.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="400" /></p>
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<p>Cliff Wedgebury did a lovely set of Sea Shanties on the Sunday and the last act on the Festival were local guys Pat Kelleher and Dan O'Sullivan doing a really lovely tribute concert to the Clancy's</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/5497be4c849dc61d0e64928d7cf4e227f72de8b1/original/pat-kelleher-and-dan-osullivan.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjUweDE4OCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="188" width="250" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393260/0891df430ae17be4ea51c7c037832e419eefb9f6/original/cliff-wedgebury.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjUweDE4OCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="188" width="250" /></p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731592012-08-30T12:00:00-12:002012-08-30T22:36:40-12:00Donegal
<p><a href="http://fil-campbell.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/donegal.html" data-imported="1">http://fil-campbell.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/donegal.html</a></p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731602012-08-29T12:00:00-12:002012-09-02T21:30:59-12:00Singing Workshops starting back next week
<p>Hi all,</p>
<p>As we're back in to a new term, our Adults Singing Classes start back again on Monday nights. Here are all the details</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Carlingford Lough Singing Circle & Community Choir</em></p>
<p><strong><em>Singing for fun!</em></strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Every Monday night, 7.30pm - 9pm</p>
<p>Warrenpoint Town Hall </p>
<p><em><strong><span style="color:#ff0000">Starts back Monday 3<sup>rd</sup> September</span></strong></em></p>
<p>This workshop is suitable for <em>all levels of singers </em><em>Aged 16+</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Easy Repertoire …</em><em> </em></p>
<p><em>Folk songs from around the world, old pop songs, standards, rounds and simple harmonies.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>New voices always welcome</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong>Pop in for one night or stay for the season </p>
<p>No audition necessary</p>
<p><em>By donation – suggested donation £5 per week.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Workshop leader: Fil Campbell<br>Tel: 028 417 38052/07803 226279<br>Email: </em><a href="mailto:fil@filcampbell.com" data-imported="1"><em>fil@filcampbell.com</em></a></p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarlandtag:filcampbell.com,2005:Post/60731582012-06-17T12:00:00-12:002012-09-02T21:35:43-12:00Who said you couldn't sing?
<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="color:#6aa84f"><strong>Everyone can sing ... if you can talk you can sing! </strong></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="color:#3d85c6">I recently had a student who was told she couldn't sing when she was very small - she's now retired. So she kept joining in, wanting to sing, but was laughed at cos she wasn't brilliant... After her initial nervousness and doubt I discovered a lovely sweet voice in there... totally in tune, with a perfect sense of timing. What a waste ... all those years of believing she was wrong. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><strong><span style="color:#3d85c6">Let me repeat this ....</span></strong></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><strong><span style="color:#3d85c6">"Everyone can sing ... if you can talk you can sing!" </span><span style="color:#073763"> I feel like I need to shout that!</span></strong></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><strong><span style="color:#073763"><br></span></strong></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="color:#990000">Now the big problem is</span>, if we can't sing like Pavarotti or Streisand or Ella or whomever your ideal voice is then we think we can't sing at all .... </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="color:#274e13">Total rubbish!!</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="color:#674ea7">The thing is ... </span>you can never sound like one of them because <strong>our voices are totally unique</strong> - there can only be one Pavarotti or Streisand just like there can only be one you. </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">And of course we need to improve - that's human nature - you never stop improving... <span style="color:#f1c232"><strong>but you've got to start somewhere!</strong></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">I believe that we have a physical need to sing - just see how much your spirits lift after singing to yourself in the shower or the car. </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="color:#f6b26b">So, if you've always wanted to have a go, just get on with it and practice. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">There's bound to be a teacher near you who can offer you advice and encouragement ...</p>
Fil Campbell & Tom McFarland