This morning, I’m packing to go to the W. Walworth Harrison Public Library in Greenville, Texas to present my Jim Limber story and my Civil War program.

So many of my Texas contacts are a result of the Region VIII Librarian Conference I attended. Below are a couple of photos from that event. In the first, you’ll see Bonnie Barnes, a high-powered achiever who works with Educational Technology
Library and Instructional Media Services. The 2nd photo is of Dan Gibson, storyteller and a firstclass banjoplayer. As you can see, we serenaded the librarians a little bit.

I’m indebted to the very talented Michael Harrison for his encouragement with my writing and my music. Michael is a regular on the Celtic circuit. You can’t miss him: His guitar case looks like a cow skin and his capo (or cheater bar as my father calls them) like  a little pig. Though adults enjoy his music, Michael has a talent for teaching music to children, and at the festivals, Michael is often if not usually given the children’s stage. I really respect his work for I know from doing my own programs that kids can be a tough audience! You can read more about Michael Harrison and look at some of his CD’s here: http://cdbaby.com/cd/mwhlk
One of the songs I’ve learned from Michael and use in my own program now is the “Garden Song.” (On his For Kids of All Ages CD) I decided to post the lyrics here. There’s several different versions out, but I generally followed Michael’s.

The Garden Song

Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
All it takes is a rake and a hoe
And a piece of fertile ground

Inch by inch, row by row
Someone bless these seeds I sow
Someone warm them from below
‘Till the rain comes tumbling down.

Pulling weeds and pickin’ stones;
Man is made of dreams and bones
Feel the need to grow my own,
‘Cause the time is close at hand.

Grain for grain, sun and rain,
Find my way in nature’s chain
Tune my body and my brain,
To the music from the land.

Plant your rows straight and long,
Temper them with a prayer and song.
Mother Earth will make you strong
If you give her love and care.

An old crow watching hungrily
From his perch in yonder tree.
And in my garden I’m as free
As that feathered thief up there.

I really do try to keep my blog from becoming a to-do list. I want to focus on my new career (writing and promoting my writing). However, on days like today, when I have an impossible list and very small windows of time to climb through, the pressure of getting it all done is almost overwhelming.

Our Northeast Louisiana Celtic Festival was a success, with an attendance of easily over 5,000. The performers were fantastic. Here is a photo of Beth Patterson, one of my favorites. I’ve included her song lyrics on my blog a few times. I’ve also interviewed her for an article in a Celtic magazine. I’ll post that once it’s printed.

I arose tired from my weekend of signing and selling books. This morning, I must prepare for my university classes, make sure I get books for my program Thursday night  in Greenville, Texas, and call some managers about signings and a score of other tasks. I thought the best entry this morning would be the article I wrote for the Celtic Festival booklet. Here it is:

Celtic Louisiana

Celtic émigrés came to America for many reasons. Many were transported from Scotland to America after the Cromwellian Civil War, the Jacobite Rebellion, and the Highland Clearances.  One noted exodus occurred in 1732 when Scots, mostly from Argyll, came to Cape Fear, North Carolina, on the Thistle, a ship now known as the “Scottish Mayflower.”

From Northern Ireland came the Scots-Irish, who had themselves been transported earlier from Scotland to Ireland by the English. Between 1715 and 1726 some 250,000 Scots-Irish, weary of being England’s pawns, left Ulster to come to America.  And in the south of Ireland, huge numbers joined the exodus. Huge numbers of the Irish fled or were displaced from the Emerald Isle by both famine and the tyranny of the English.  They were forced to face the difficult journey across the sea to the New World on the infamous crowded and disease-ridden “coffin ships,” such as the Agnes, Virginius, and the Naomi. Nearly two million Irish came to America between 1830-1840. More than 2.6 million Irish came to America after 1860.  Now, over 12% of Americans claim to be of Irish descent, and an equally large percentage, Scots-Irish.

The story of the Celtic Diaspora is in a significant way, the story of America.

After the Louisiana Purchase, Celtic people migrated to Northeast Louisiana like swarms of roving bees.  They came here—the Irish, the Scottish, the Scots-Irish, the Welsh, and the other Celtic Nations—so many that it’s been said that early maps marked the region as Celtic Louisiana.

The impact of the Irish and Scottish newcomers was felt immediately in Louisiana.  New Orleans celebrated its first St. Patrick’s Day in 1809.  Andrew Jackson, one of Ulster’s sons, led his army to victory against the British here in Louisiana in one of history’s most famous battles during the War of 1812. By 1860, there were over 24,000 Irish in New Orleans.  When the War Between the States began in 1861, the famous 6th Louisiana was formed, led by Irish-born leaders such as Billy Monaghan.  These fierce Irish boys were known as the “Fighting Tigers.”

Families drifted into Northeast Louisiana from the east, and boatloads entered the Southern ports of New Orleans and Mobile and made their way north. Finally, a great number of them came here, pinning themselves to the earth, declaring the farmlands, the piney woods, and the cities of Northeast Louisiana to be their home. Regional phonebooks reveal the extent of their immigration.  Search those listings and you will see page after page of Celtic surnames such as you might find in a Dublin or Edinburgh phonebook. Northeast Louisiana is truly a new Celtic Nation.

People of the Celtic nations settled Northeast Louisiana, and with them came their heritage. Wherever Celtic people go, they bring a sense of history and community.  The blood of their ancestors stirs their own veins.  They came with a strong work ethic, a love for family and for the land, a rich inner spirituality, and a fierce fighting spirit.  These are the personal qualities that have always made the Celtic people unique—qualities that have always been a source of their strength. Perhaps even more significant in relation to this festival, the Celtic people have always possessed a strong devotion to aesthetics, to the arts. Loving music, art, dance, and story telling, they gathered to celebrate on every possible occasion.

At the Festival, you will once again experience and reconnect to your own Celtic Heritage. Our nation is experiencing a Celtic Renaissance.  Declare yourself to be a part of that Renaissance. Use your time here to teach your children about their ancestors and their homeland. May the music you hear stir your blood like it once did your ancestors. Learn their forgotten crafts. Open your eyes to the beauty of Celtic art and costumes.

Yes, the Celts came to Northeast Louisiana.  And once again in 2007, Celtic families and clans have congregated to celebrate and honor their heritage.  We’re glad you’ve attended our festival.

Today, I arrived at the Celtic Festival about 11:00 a.m. I took thirty books and signed and sold 28 of them. As is typical of signings, I met so many really cool people. Thanks to my friend Stuart, I also have some peat I can show kids when I do my Scots-Irish programs. He has to be one of the strongest (and generous) men I’ve ever met. He’s huge in size, and capable of throwing cabers (weighing 125 pounds or more), stones (twenty pound plus for men), hammers (16-22 pounds for men), or trees even, for great distances. Go to this site if you want to know about the Scottish games: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_games

In all, it was a great day. I’ve got a small problem though: I’ve sold all my books I had in stock and so if Pelican can’t get them to me quick enough, I’ll have to drive to New Orleans and pick some more up Tuesday. I guess that’s a good problem to have. More later.

Yesterday, I was so busy I didn’t have time to make a post.  I did two presentations at a Northeast Louisiana district meeting of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, a professional honor society for women educators. There were about 50 present at the Learning Tech facility in Monroe, all high-powered, influential, and really cool ladies. I presented the Jim Limber story and performed some songs with my guitar. It was a great morning and interest in my program for schools and in my children’s book was high. During their lunch, I also played backup guitar for a young, self-taught banjo player, Luke Powell. You can learn more about this impressive Louisiana state branch of this society here: http://www.sabine.k12.la.us/dkgla/

From DKG, I went to the Northeast Louisiana Celtic Festival and set up a table to sign and sell some books there. Again, I found great interest in my book, and I sold all I had brought with me. I’m going back for another round this afternoon. Attendance was high. I also was able to visit with several nationally prominent musician friends of mine including Jed Marum, Michael Harrison, Jeffrey Phillips, and members of Smithfield Fair.  As traffic at my table was good, I was unable to stroll around much, but after my books were gone I did manage to hear Need Fire perform. From the festival, we did our usual ritual and went to Enoch’s for the post-festival party.  I’ll post some photos of the festival soon, as well as the article I wrote for the festival that was featured in the festival brochure.

I have a meeting with the Arts Council in Webster Parish this morning at 11:00 a.m., so I’ll be driving to Minden shortly. We are finalizing our work plans for the Minden area schools.  Yesterday, I finished the revision of my Scottish children’s book and worked on promoting my upcoming Mobile book tour. Marketing yourself takes so much time, thought, and energy. I’m making Mobile a study and model on how to take a city by storm. There are many Southern cities I want to attack with the same thoroughness. If successful, maybe I’ll write a book later on my secret strategies.

This weekend, I’ve got a teacher’s organization to perform for and present my book to, and then the Celtic Fest here in Monroe, where I’m going to try to sell some books. There is also a Civil War show I may attend in Vicksburg. I had thought I might set up a table there, but I’m having second thoughts. I might do just as good to just go and hand out some materials on my books and program. I didn’t get to go to a single beach this summer (other than Mobile, where I only saw the Gulf). Not one. I must remedy that and make sure I have some coastal cities this next summer. Last night, I learned a new song for my children’s book presentation: “A Place in the Choir.” I think students will love it. Simple three-chord song. I do it in the key of F. Here are the words:

A Place in the Choir

All god’s creatures got a place in the choir
Some sing low and some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
Some just clap their hands or paws or anything they’ve got now

Listen to the bass it’s the one at the bottom
Where the bullfrog croaks and the hippopotamus
Moans and groans in the big tattoo
And the old cow just goes “moo”
The dogs and the cats they take up the middle
Where the honey bee hums and the cricket fiddles
The donkey brays and the pony neighs
And the old grey badger sighs oh

All god’s creatures got a place in the choir
Some sing low and some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
Some just clap their hands or paws or anything they’ve got now

Listen to the top with the little birds singing
And the melodies and the high notes ringing
And the hoot-owls cries over everything
And the blackbird disagrees
Singing in the night-time, singing in the day
And the little duck quacks and he’s on his way
And the otter hasn’t got much to say
And the porcupine talks to himself

All god’s creatures got a place in the choir
Some sing low and some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
Some just clap their hands or paws or anything they’ve got now

It’s a simple song, a little one sung everywhere
By the ox and the fox and the grizzly bear
The dopey alligator and the hawk above
The sly old weasel and the turtle-dove

All god’s creatures got a place in the choir
Some sing low and some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
Some just clap their hands or paws or anything they’ve got now

Tomorrow, I begin working with the schools in Webster Parish. I’ll be teaching a unit there on creative writing and the literature of China. Should be quite fun. However, the pressure and the logistics I’ve got to sort out today caused me to wake early (It’s what you call insomnia, I guess). I’ll likely take my guitar also. I own two guitars–one an old American-made Guild, and the other a Takamine. Below is a picture of a performance of mine at Enoch’s, the only Irish pub in Monroe.

Today is another day spent at the university. I must also begin contacting folks I know and media in Mobile, Alabama.  This is a photo I use for most press releases.

Last Thursday, I presented my Jim Limber program at the elementary and middle schools of Honey Grove, Texas. Below is a nice review and endorsement of my program.

Subject: [tlc] Great Author Visit
From:    “Beverly Herriage” <baherriage@honeygroveisd.net>
Date:    Mon, October 1, 2007 2:48 pm
To:      “Texas Library Connection” <tlc@txla.org>
————————————————————————–

We had  an excellent author visit last Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007 at our
elementary and middle school campuses.  Mr. Rickey Pittman gave a
wonderful presentation for students in grades 3-8.  He shared his
knowledge and love of the history of the Civil War time period with the
children.  He gave a booktalk about  his recently published children’s
book JIM LIMBER DAVIS:  A BLACK ORPHAN IN THE CONFEDERATE WHITE HOUSE, played his guitar and sang songs of the Civil War time period, told of his
involvement in reenactments of Civil War Battles, and let the children
view his Civil War artifacts. He encouraged the students to read, write
and do research.
Students and faculty are asking for another visit from Mr. Pittman, so you
know his performance was extra special.  IT WAS THAT SPECIAL PROGRAM EACH
LIBRARIAN WANTS THEIR STUDENTS TO EXPERIENCE!!

Mr. Pittman’s awards :
*Jefferson Davis Historical Gold Medal, May 13, 2005.  (Presented by the
United
Daughters of the Confederacy  in recognition of excellence in research and
writing in published writing.)
*Bonnie Blue Society, May 26, 2006.  (Presented by the Sons of Confederate
Veterans in
recognition of scholarly research and published literature.)
*Meritorious service Medal, in recognition of exceptionally meritorious
service to the sons of Confederate Veterans, July 26, 2007.

Contact Information:
rickeyp@bayou.com