My birthday, Sept. 23, is officially the first day of fall. I love the fall, with its winds and coolness. Here in Monroe, Louisiana, the weather vacillates between hot and what should be fall weather, but at least we’re past the 100 degree days. Fall is a meditative season for me. I always write a fall poem, but for the past few years it’s been written while waiting on a college class. Since I’m no longer teaching at a college, I’ve got to make other arrangments for that annual poem. Today was supposed to be cool, but it’s not. Perhaps tomorrow I’ll have the weather I need to write that poem.

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Here is where you can see a photo of our Scots-Irish band, Angus Duhbghall. On the sidebar click on performers. We had over 2,000 attend the first year of the festival last fall, and we’re expecting more this year. Check out the other performers. Some of them I intend to write more about.

Today, the edge of fall is in the air. I helped my best friend with his deer stands and other chores yesterday. I love the South, and when I’m out in the woods, I truly see and feel the South’s beauty. Today, I have my own chores, a Scottish Society meeting, band practice, and hopefully I can squeeze in some writing business time. Not much time for a creative writing window though. And I hate that. Since our band is playing at at the Northeast Louisiana Celtic Fest, http://nelacelticfest.org/ we need lots of practice. We laid down the instrumentals for our demo CD and Tom is going to lay down the voice this week. Then I’ll really start pushing the band.

Tonight I’ll try to read another chapter in Running with Scissors, which I’ve found to be a hilarious read.

Someone posted a very nice review of Stories of the Confederate South on Amazon. This review made my day. Just when you think no one is reading or thinking about your work. I also have a review coming up in Road Trips Magazine, a cultural magazine here in North Louisiana. Tonight I have a reading in Lafayette. Next post, I ‘ll tell you all about it.

I love the music of Beth Patterson, a performer well known in Celtic music circles. Not long ago, I obtained one of her CD’s, Take Some Fire. You can check out the CD, hear some sample music, and learn about Beth here: http://www.littlebluemen.com/beth.asp
She is a talented bouzouki player, witty, brilliant lyricist, and beautiful. If you get a chance to see her live you should. She plays a few time a year here in Monroe, Louisiana at Enoch’s, our favorite Irish pub, and she will be performing at the Celtic Festival October 7-8 here as well. To give you just a sample of her talent, here are the lyrics to her song “Balance of This Dance” from the Take Some Fire CD.

They say two mountains in this lifetime
May share a range, but never meet
But Mohamed, he knows where to find me
He knows every crevice, cliff, and peak

Reality is relative
But this ache for you cuts to the core
And it’s realer than anything
I’d ever thought I’d felt before

Oh, heed the music tonight
And pray, disregard the former
Stolen glances, whirling dances
Can gradually lead your thoughts astray

From every wandering eye
To every forbidden corner
I will seek you through the crowds at night
And help you find your way.

Land-lover, wildwood creature
Lead me to this sacred place
As I’m drowning in a sea of fantasy
Rapture seizes control of your face

But you’re the balance of this dance now
I secretly smile and await your cue
Take your hand, exit stage left
Hidden in aesthetic perfection with you.

I REALLY like doing readings of my writing, and not only because I sell some books. I like the dynamics, the energy, the learning that takes place every time I do one. Also, when I read out loud, I always find some lines I could have written better or differently. Once or twice, I’ve found passages that just flat needed revision.

Anyway, I have readings these readings scheduled: Two groups of the SCV (Sons of Confederate Veterans) in Lafayette, Sept. 12 and Oct. 3 respectively. Both groups want me to bring my guitar and perform some Confederate tunes. Then another reading is scheduled for October 23, at the West Ouachita Library, 6:00 pm. Stories of the Confederate South seems to be gathering some followers. I’ve had a couple of reading groups interested in using the book for one of their group’s readings. We’ll see.