~Journals of a Gypsy~

The knitting madness has begun....

Meaghan — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 23:55:02 GMT

After years of saying "one of these days, I'm going to learn to knit..." I finally took it up over the fall..though I didn't get very far with my first attempt coming back from Texas. The project (a basic scarf) was the bane of my knitting existence. Evil little thing! Fast forward to early December, and I started on something else...another scarf, imagine that?! That one is coming out quite nice, though I haven't really worked on it due to recently starting on yet ANOTHER scarf (this is waaay to addicting!), but a more complicated one that I am knitting for Eddie. That is my favorite so far, and I'm quite amazed that as my first attempt at "cabling", I actually designed my own knit pattern! Thank God it is actually coming out quite beautiful. It alternates between dark grey and dark burgundy. Once that one is done, I am itching to try something even more challenging and knit a gorgeous Celtic knot-work sweater I have a pattern for. Here's a pic of the first scarves!

Welcome to our newest family member!

Meaghan — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:02:39 GMT

While TRF (Texas Ren Fest) was immensely fun, it is so nice to be home after more than two months on the road, and just in time for Christmas, too. The other day Eddie and I were trying to decide what to get each other for Christmas this year, and I confessed that I have been seriously considering adopting a second dog for a long time now and have been doing a few searches online. Well, it just so happened that last week Eddie ended up near the animal shelter and came home to tell me that there were two malamutes up for adoption. Hmmmm.... We went the next day to visit them, only to find that one had been adopted already, and the other was pending adoption. I didn't want to really pay attention to the dogs - and they were SUPER gorgeous and WELL MANNERED - because I didn't want to get attached to them since they were adopted anyway. Saturday, the lady at the animal shelter called us up and it turned out that WE could adopt the remaining male. I was out in MD when Ed called, and we decided that he would go pick him up and adopt him! So, now we have a new dog! And he's a BIIIIG one: a 110 pound malamute mix, and he is a total gentleman. He's very impressive! He and Ceilidh have been going for walks together and doing some occasional rough-housing; they seem to be getting along just fine. He's already attached himself to our family and claimed us has his new pack, and will whine and wimper if we are not ALL in view. Strangely though, we have had him since Saturday night and he has yet to bark. He is completely silent. Though earlier when I took him for a walk, he heard some dogs barking near by and he threw his head up as if to howl. I can't wait for him to do that, I bet it is gorgeous. We think we are either going to name him "Koda" (which means 'friend' in I think Chereokee...I could be mistaken, we looked at so many names recently) or "Hacuma" (Ha-KUMA) which is a mixture of Inuit and other languages meaning "Fire Spirit". He's a jem!!

Videos from TRF

Meaghan — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:02:29 GMT

While browsing the latest from YouTube, I came across these two clips of me (and my husband with the tamborine...*g*) performing with E-Muzeki at TRF a few weeks ago. http://youtube.com/watch?v=YtWeE20EC4Y http://youtube.com/watch?v=O1tPgf441fc The weather is finally cool here, whooohooo! Bouncing around the kitchen making cookies for Faire and working online...hehe...must get back to the cookies... Cheers!

Hittin' the road again

Meaghan — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 20:35:24 GMT

Over the past two months at the Maryland Ren Faire, Eddie and I have become friends with one of the Faire's new musical acts, E-Muzeki. (Check out their website, emuzeki.com) From the first moment we walked up and saw their shows, we were hooked on their sound! We were all sad to see them on their way the weekend of Sept. 23, and it seems strange to not hear their music at Faire. Then we got a call from Jenny the day after they left and asked Eddie and I to join them at the Texas Ren Fest this season, Eddie as their drummer, and me to dance. We are so honored and thrilled, I can't wait. So, we are off to the Texas Ren Fest tomorrow for two months. However, due to previous obligations, we will be back for the last weekend of the Maryland Ren Fest, and then head back to TX. I will post pics and updates on the blog from the road. Much love to my friends and family!!

Is it the moon?

Meaghan — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 16:23:11 GMT

Been feeling a little...well...wolfish here the last couple of days. Is it the moon? Last night to try and calm down (but it didn't work) I went for a skate and ended up going about 12 miles out without stopping and with only two small swigs of water. It was sooooo enjoyable, as by the time I left my house it was almost dark and pouring rain and sleet and the temperature freezing, but to me it was perfect. It's something that has been pulling on me for a while now, and I just had to go. Enveloped by the darkness and feeling the slicing rain soak my face as I met it head on I drew even more energy from the environment around me. The rawness invigorated me, soothed me, drove me. Granted, what I was doing and where I was not remotely safe, but I kept going without a care about the dangers around me. It felt great. There are some things that you just can't explain or put into words.

Gaelic Storm tonight!

Meaghan — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 17:49:31 GMT

Rock on, we're seeing Gaelic Storm again tonight right down the street from me. Can't wait!!

It's good to be home

Meaghan — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 02:18:13 GMT

As much as I love to be on the road and travel, I can't express the wonderful feeling I had to feel "at home" again, back at my home faire (the VA Ren Faire) back in my home state. Not to mention the view that surrounded us for three days...just breathtaking. The photo is what we woke up to on Sunday. :-) Our shows rocked, we had such a blast. It was sad when it was all over again...but of course we couldn't leave without me doing SOMETHING stupid. hehe...just got around to cleaning the car out today. Long story. And no, I don't do these things on purpose, lol! The drive back was *insane*, I have never been so tired in my life, and there were waaay too many deer in and near the road for my taste, :-/ At least Eddie drove the first half...but I still had an hour to go after we dropped him off at 3 am and still had to drive all the way up to Baltimore to get Kristen to the airport on time. No one can ever say we don't love what we do! lol! With that being said, I'm going to make this a short post and try to get some sleep. Love to all my gypsy friends, no one could ask for a better pack of core friends. Miss you guys. Love, Meg

I passed the first year!! :-)

Meaghan — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 22:07:41 GMT

I just received my grades and my first-year certificate from Dance Masters Teacher's Training School...and....I passed! I'm so excited...1 down, 3 more to go. Woot!

My new blog :-} (oops, fixed the link)

Meaghan — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 15:51:54 GMT

I have been booted out of so many blogs over the last few years or just not happy with the ones that I was with...except for the last one that just closed the service. ;-( And since I take so many bloody photographs, I went ahead and opened a new blog. I just couldn't post the amount of photos I wanted to on my Tribe blog - though I will still be using it. My new (and hopefully permanent) blog is: http://www.wandereriam.blogspot.com Cheers! Meg

Pirates of the Caribbean Gown...

Meaghan — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 22:28:35 GMT

In a way, it's good to be back home for a little while. I have had a chance to work on things that have been sitting in my closet unfinished for several months now...some belly dance costumes with unique twists on traditional outfits, and hopefully finishing my gown from the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. It's pretty much done, I just need the underskirt and finish sewing on the front closures. We're going to go out to this really neat fort and get some pics of it when it's all done. Here's what it looks like so far...the photo was taken this evening in the yard. The light at the end of the tunnel is in sight with this gown! :-)

What Tree?

Meaghan — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 22:23:46 GMT

*laughs* So here's something that my cousin sent to me that I found amusing and thought I'd share with you guys. I really don't buy into all that astrology bs, but found this one kinda fun. >>WHAT TREE DID YOU FALL FROM?<< Find your birthday and then find your tree. Dec 23 to Jan 01 - Apple Tree Jan 01 to Jan 11 - Fir Tree Jan 12 to Jan 24 - Elm Tree Jan 25 to Feb 03 - Cypress Tree Feb 04 to Feb 08 - Poplar Tree Feb 09 to Feb 18 - Cedar Tree Feb 19 to Feb 28 - Pine Tree Mar 01 to Mar 10 - Weeping Willow Tree Mar 11 to Mar 20 - Lime Tree Mar 21 (only)-Oak Tree Mar 22 to Mar 31 - Hazelnut Tree Apr 01 to Apr 10 - Rowan Tree Apr 11 to Apr 20 - Maple Tree Apr 21 to Apr 30 - Walnut Tree May 01 to May 14 - Poplar Tree May 15 to May 24 - Chestnut Tree May 25 to Jun 03 - Ash Tree Jun 04 to Jun 13 - Hornbeam Tree Jun 14 to Jun 23 - Fig Tree Jun 24 (only) - Birch Tree Jun 25 to Jul 04 - Apple Tree Jul 05 to Jul 14 - Fir Tree Jul 15 to Jul 25 -Elm Tree Jul 26 to Aug 04 - Cypress Tree Aug 05 to Aug 13 - Poplar Tree Aug 14 to Aug 23 - Cedar Tree Aug 24 to Sep 02 - Pine Tree Sep 03 to Sep 12 - Weeping Willow Tree Sep 13 to Sep 22 - Lime Tree Sep 23 (only) - Olive Tree Sep 24 to Oct 03 - Hazelnut Tree Oct 04 to Oct 13 - Rowan Tree Oct 14 to Oct 23 - Maple Tree Oct 24 to Nov 11 - Walnut Tree Nov 12 to Nov 21 - Chestnut Tree Nov 22 to Dec 01 - Ash Tree Dec 02 to Dec 11 - Hornbeam Tree Dec 12 to Dec 21 - Fig Tree Dec 22 (only) - Beech Tree YOUR TREE (in alphabetical order) Apple Tree (the Love) -- quiet and shy at times, lots of charm, appeal, and attraction, pleasant attitude, flirtatious smile, adventurous, sensitive, loyal in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, many talents, loves children, needs affectionate partner. Ash Tree (the Ambition) -- extremely attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with fate, can be very egotistic, reliable, restless lover, sometimes money rules over the heart, demands attention, needs love and much emotional support. Beech Tree (the Creative) -- has good taste, concerned about its looks, materialistic, good organization of life and career, economical, good leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime companion, keen on keeping fit (diets, sports, etc.). Birch Tree (the inspiration) -- vivacious, attractive, elegant, friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm, not very passionate, full of imagination, little ambition, creates a calm and content atmosphere. Cedar Tree (the Confidence) -- of rare strength, knows how to adapt, likes unexpected presents, of good health, not in the least shy, tends to look down on others, self-confident, a great speaker, determined, often impatient, likes to impress others, has many talents, industrious, healthy optimism, waits for the one true love, able to make quick decisions. Chestnut Tree (tire Honesty) -- of unusual stature, impressive, well-developed sense of justice, fun to be around, a planner, born diplomat, can be irritated easily, sensitive of others feelings, hard worker, sometimes acts superior, feels not understood at times, fiercely family oriented, very loyal in love, physically fit. Cypress Tree (the Faithfulness) -- strong, muscular, adaptable, takes what life has to give but. doesn't necessarily like it, strives to be content, optimistic, wants to be financially independent, wants love and affection, hates loneliness, passionate lover which cannot be satisfied, faithful, quick-tempered att times, can be unruly and careless, loves to gain knowledge, needs to be needed. Elm Tree (the Noble-mindedness) -- pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, modest demands, tends riot to forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, likes makinq decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humor, practical. Fig Tree (the Sensibility) -- very strong minded, a bit self-willed, honest, loyal, independent, hates contradiction or arguments, loves life and frier.ds, enjoys children and animals, a social butterfly, great sense of humor, likes idleness and laziness after long demanding hours at work, has artistic talent and great intelligence. Fir tree (the Mysterious) -- extraordinary taste, handles stress poorly, loves anything beautiful, can become depressed at times, stubborn, tends to care for those close to them as well as helping strangers, rather modest, hard worker, talented, unselfish, few sexual relationships, many friends, doesn't want foes, very reliable. Hazelnut Tree (the Extraordinary) -- charming, sense of humor, very demanding but can also be very understanding, knows how to make a lasting impression, active fighter for social causes and politics, popular, quite moody, sexually oriented, honest, a perfectionist, has a precise sense of judgment and expects complete fairness. Hornbeam Tree (the Good Taste) -- of cool beauty, cares for its looks and condition, good taste, is not egoistic, makes life as comfortable as possible, leads a reasonable and disciplined life, looks for kindness and acknowledgment in an emotional partner, dreams of unusual lovers, is seldom happy with its feelings, mistrusts most people, is never sure of its decisions, very conscientious. Lime Tree (the Doubt) - intelligent, hard working, accepts what life dishes out, but not before trying to change bad circumstances into good ones, hates fighting and stress, enjoys getaway vacations, may appear tough, but is actually soft and relenting, always willing to make sacrifices for family and friends, has many talents but not always enough time to use them, can become a complainer, great leadership qualities, is jealous at times but extremely loyal. Maple Tree (Independence of Mind) -- no ordinary person, full of imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self-confident, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, has many complexities, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, wants to impress. Oak Tree (the Brave) -- robust nature, courageous, strong, unrelenting, independent, sensible, does not like change, keeps its feet on the ground, person of action. Olive Tree (the Wisdom) -- loves sun, warmth and kind feelings, reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant, cheerful, calm, well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathetic, free of jealousy, loves to read and the company of sophisticated people. Pine Tree -(the peacemaker) -- loves agreeable company, craves peace and harmony, loves to help others, active imagination, likes to write poetry, not fashion conscious, great compassion, friendly to all, falls strongly in love but will leave if betrayed or lied to, emotionally soft, low self esteem, needs affection and reassurance. Poplar Tree (the Uncertainty) -- looks very decorative, talented, not very self-confident, extremely courageous if necessary, needs goodwill and pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity, great artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean toward philosophy, reliable in any situation, takes partnership seriously. Rowan Tree (the Sensitivity) -- full of charm, cheerful, gifted without egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest, and even complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive. Walnut Tree (the Passion) -- unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts, often egotistic, aggressive, noble, broad horizon. unexpected reactions, spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very jealous and passionate, no compromise. Weeping Willow (the Melancholy) - likes to be stress free, loves family life, full of hopes and dreams, attractive, very empathetic, loves anything beautiful, musically inclined, loves to travel to exotic places, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with when pressured, sometimes demanding, good intuition, suffers in love until they find that one loyal, steadfast partner.

On edge

Meaghan — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 10:33:29 GMT

There's been something weird going on around the house lately, and quite frankly, I'm a bit creeped. A few nights ago, I left all of the windows in my truck down, not being used to this area again after a month in NH. Nothing seemed to be missing when I found it the next morning, but the compartment between the seats was open, and I know I did not leave it like that. I did not mention it to my family since I figured nothing had been taken after all. Then I find out last night Brynn has been missing her purse. She (we're all) thinking it might possibly have been stolen from inside the truck. She did not have much money in the wallet, but she did have her id and several other cards, and I'm hoping there were no keys. My dog has been acting weird the last few nights as well, waking me in the middle of the night growling, barking at the door late at night... Last night while alone at the house packing for DMA, she scared me half to death when she flung open my bedroom door and made a bee line to the door in my room (that leads to the backyard) barking and growling and going from window to door with her hackles up. That's not normal behavior. She does not do that over an animal in the yard, either. I can't see a thing outside at night, but if anyone is in the backyard, they can see me clearly, which freaks me out. Does someone have a key -or think they have the key to this house now? Something just doesn't feel right here.

EEEEEEEEEEE!!

Meaghan — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 01:08:08 GMT

Note to all Gaelic Storm fans out there, go out and buy their newest "Bring Yer Wellies" NOW. :-D I don't think I'm going to get any sleep tonight, hehe. And devil take the neighbors, it needs to be played loud.

Restless as a true gypsy

Meaghan — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 15:57:06 GMT

So here I am, back in the pit of the world again. The land of -take-your-life-in-your-hands-when-you-cross-any-road, the land of yuppies vs. outdoorsy hippies, the land of politicians vs. musicans, of greed vs. comaradarie. Yep, that's DC for you. THE suckiest place in the world. :-( I just keep asking myself, why the hell do I have to be back here?! I have to get out, and soon, or I will lose my mind. You know what? I'm going to change my Tribe location. :-) *sigh* I'm thinking of working on some new music videos, if and when I ever get the time, haha. I've been working on the same U2 project since January with only about 20 seconds completed. 20 seconds! lol Next week is DMA, I both look forward to and dread it at the same time. At least we have three days to decompress afterwards. And Toronto and the NY Ren Faire! Woot!

We made it!

Meaghan — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 19:35:21 GMT

Brynn and I made it out of DC Wednesday morning despite all of the setbacks with the weather and arrived safe and sound at our friend's in New England. :-) It was the smoothest trip I've ever been on - no wrong turns (and we don't use GPS, either, haha), excellent time, and we beat the rising flood waters that have devastated much of the Eastern seaboard. This afternoon we've been working on the final touches for this opening weekend at the Vermont Ren Fest, there is going to be a huge Gypsy encampment this year! The "Celtic Gypsy Caravan" will be setting up camp tonight - this is going to be an awesome faire season! Peace! -Meg

Will it ever stop?

Meaghan — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 22:52:03 GMT

*sigh* The romanticism from the post the other night about the rain and the thunder has quickly worn off. ;-) Due to abnormal monsoon rains, we have put off the trip another day...hopefully we will be able to get out tomorrow provided that no more water comes into my basement and that we don't get a tornado...and the damn roads are open. :-/ In about 24 hours, we've had some 12+" of rain - we didn't have that bad a problem with Isobel! Roads that we were relying on are making headlines...hehe, this is getting kind of old. Lord only knows what the rest of the trip will hold...the kayaks are strapped on the roof, my memory card has been cleared off, we're basically packed, now it's just a waiting game. Chomping on the bit here, I want to get on the road! VT Ren Fest opens this Saturday...hehe, Kristen hopefully it won't be the "Celtic GYPSY" opening weekend! j/k Peace and bagpipes!

Summer rains...

Meaghan — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 03:45:21 GMT

Outside, the skies are brewing power in the dark, the the air is so thick you feel as though you could push a flap of it aside and step through into another space. The first storm of the official summer season is slowly gathering its strength above us to unleash its rumbling fury. I sit here now patiently waiting, storms never cease to fasinate me; though my dog, who is currently sitting inches from my feet and pressed as far back under the bed as possible, would beg to differ. ;-) Time to batten down the hatches and sit back and enjoy the night. Peace, -Meg

~*Journals of a Gypsy*~