Old Year Reflection and a New Year’s Goals

  It is January 1st, and we have made it through another year.  As I sit here, I would like to review some of my historical highlights from 2016 as well as officially set forth some goals for 2017. Highlights from the past year (in no particular order)… I built my forge and am now blacksmithing a bit Progressed from practice chanter to full bagpipes Noelle (eldest daughter) shaved a minute off her winning...

Merry Christmas

  It is Christmas Eve and I figured I would share a couple of videos of some Christmas bagpiping to share the season’s cheer. This first video is of a medley of Christmas tunes that I transcribed and put together.  Forgive my lack of musical arranging skills as well as my beginner bagpiping… This video is a small clip of just one Christmas tune.  The fun of it is that it is being played on my new set of...

Hammer While it is Hot!

  I have wanted to get a forge up and running for a very long time.  My biggest hold off has been the fact that I have not had a great spot to have and locate it permanently.  Now that we finally have the shed built, I now have a spot for a forge. Not so long story even shorter… the forge is now done and running.  I have had a chance to mess around a bit, and have made a small, early medieval knife blade (that now...

Bagpipe Fever

  It has now been almost a year since I started learning the bagpipes.  I went from Oct. to June with lessons and then, due to a very busy summer schedule and new job, stopped lessons and am hoping to start back up this Fall.  Meanwhile, I played and practiced almost every day this summer.  I have wanted to play the pipes since I was a small child, and I am excited that it is happening, even if late in my life. While at...

First Successful Medieval Hunt

  September 26th, 2016- Trempealeau County, WI Today I had my first successful (in terms of getting game) medieval hunt.  I was set up with the clothing and equipment of a 14th century forester and was using my homemade crossbow.  I was out in a fine spot that I have scouted and where I have found a lot of deer sign. My plan was to hunt deer, but this is not quite what happened.   About an hour before dark, I heard...

18th century trews

    For a long time, I have admired the appearance of trews (triubhas in Scottish Gaelic/Gàidhlig) being worn in images of Scottish Highlanders at the turn of the century (18th to 19th).  Finally, I got to making a pair, knowing that we will be celebrating the wedding of my good friend and piper, Jeremy Kingsbury at Grand Portage National Monument this year for their historic event. I had no real pattern, but...