I’ve had a busy summer!  In June I performed twice at Our Lady of Hope Assisted Living Home.  I played my first ever harp/singing program there, though I did tell one story about our trip to Ireland in April.  I also drove to Roanoke during June to speak for the Christian Educators Luncheon during Annual Conference for the Virginia United Methodist Conference.  On the way there I worried that some of the folks had already heard “Everything I need to know I learned in Sunday School” and be bored hearing it again, but I had brought along one of my favorite storytellers Elizabeth Ellis’ CD to listen to on the way there.  I had listened to it a number of times before, but loved hearing it every bit as much this time…and then suddenly the light bulb went on.  I like to hear stories more than once, maybe other people do as well…

During the first week of July, I was the guest “proclaimer” for Unidiversity’s annual summer camp near Asheville, NC.  This camp brings together youth from “progressive” and moderate” Baptist Churches in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia for a week of Bible study, worship and fun.  I told a short story each morning as part of the opening worship and a longer one in the evening.  Plus I played my new harp (more on that in a minute) for the first time in public.  I had a great time seeing my friends Greg and Helms Jarrel and their new baby John Tyson who were there with a group of kids from their ministry Hyaets in Charlotte, NC.  The kids and the staff were great.  I got the biggest kick out the kids who decided to call me “Mom” for the week. 

I made a flying trip to home on Thursday night after camp so that I could be in Hampton the following morning to tell stories at Bluebird Gap Farm a part of their annual Wynne Ford Storytelling series.  It was a great crowd of mostly young kids and their families.  I am happy to say that I will be telling for it again next summer on July 17, 2009.  

I had a little time to rest up before performances and workshops for Hanover County Parks and Recreation summer camps.  I did 13 locations over a ten day span of time plus a performance at Trinity United Methodist on a Sunday during that time.  Whew! The Parks and Rec shows were mostly for elementary school kids, though I also did three middle school mini performances and workshops.  I learned a lot about keeping stories fresh even when telling them repeatedly.  For me “seeing” the story unfold in my mind every single time I tell it is the key.  If I ever stray into just repeating words, I lose focus and risk losing the audience as well.  While the performances for the middle schoolers went well, if I have a chance to do the workshops again I will change a few things.  Some kids were very engaged with straight storytelling games, but in the last workshop I presented I did more drama improv games and these were better received.  

But maybe the most exciting thing that happened this summer is I bought a new (to me) harp.  I had been playing this beautiful instrument at my harp lessons for almost a year, and wishing it was mine.  I’d been checking out different harps and was planning on a trip to the DC area to visit a luthier there when my harp teacher, the amazing Cynthy Johnson www.crystalharp.com  said that she was ready to sell my dream harp to me. “She” is a 34 string Shannon model Eireanne harp made by Canadian luthier Larry Fisher.  Larry’s harps are in big demand with many of the leading Celtic players in Ireland and Scotland.  The harp is light weight enough for a small person like me to carry but with great resonance and a beautiful bright tone.  Though I had not intended to name the harp, one it just came to me that “her” name was Brigid, after the Goddess/Saint whose shrine and sacred well Jim and I visited in Kildare in April.  I look forward to many happy years of music with this lovely instrument. 

    Coming up in the September 

I’ll be back the Henrico Theater on September 20 for “With the Pluck of a String; Stories from the Harp”  I have a new story for this show based on an Irish myth about the origins of the harp that I am very excited about, plus I’ll be telling some other favorite “harp” stories from past performances.   See my calendar page for details. 

Earlier in the month I’ll be teaching again for the Teacher’s Toolbox at the Resource Center here in Richmond.  See the calendar page for further details.  I’ll also be flying to Nashville to tell stories one evening for a conference sponsored by Wesley Seminary on Women Clergy in leadership of Large Churches.