My epic, epic day

Yesterday was one of the best — probably the best — day this year! My day started with getting up at seven am and loading up the family to go for a hike in the hills. A beautiful time of year for it.
 I'm not sure what it is about taking long walks in a forest, but an exhilarating feeling rushes over me when I look on a new piece of Creation, one I have not yet explored.
 Naturally, I took the camera {how could I not??} and took... Are you ready? ... A whopping 238 photos.
Gulp.
 Imagine editing all of those! Well, for you, my friends, I'll only show you my best photos of my adventure, which is still a lot! So bind up your hiking boots and lets get going...

Mr Snail and Mr Wormy

Take only pictures, leave only footprints

A faerie bath?

My personal favorite

A deer path

Our destination

This hymn kept repeating itself in my mind over and over as I walked. It would seem wrong not to post it.

-How Great Thou Art-

O Lord my God,
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all
The works Thy Hand hath made,
I see the stars,
I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy pow'r throughout
The universe displayed;



When through the woods
And forest glades I wander
I hear the birds
Sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down
From lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook
And feel the gentle breeze;

Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!

We saw a few chipmunks and squirrels, but most of them were too fast to catch with my camera. Okay, make that all of them were too fast. But all the same everything felt perfect. Our hike was only about 3 miles, but since I was taking a billion pictures every two feet, it took us me three hours to walk the whole way. By that time we decided to grab something to eat before heading home to wash up and go to my friend's going away party. She is going to a convent in Wis. and possibly in a year or so, to one in Poland. That's a sobering thought. My (older) brother and I grew up with her and her sister, we had a string quartet together for, gosh! Five years?? Okay, now I feel old!  It's going to be hard. *sigh* But God is calling her and that's a good enough reason for her to go for me.

To top my awesome day off, at eight o'clock sharp the most amazing sold out concert of all time began:

Celtic Woman

Songs of the Heart

Omigoodness, there are no words to describe the experience to it's fullest. I could use words like breathtaking, stunning, awe-inspiring, staggering, fantastic, beautiful..... But in the end, you just had to be there.

 Music touches me emotionally like nothing else on earth. I'll make it clear now that, being half German as well as Irish, I am not overly emotional — at least I don't show it. But music breaks down any barriers I may have, it opens my heart. And live music with drumbeats that resonate though my very being? ... An incredible feeling. Oh, and when the three of them sang Oh, Danny Boy, my grandmum's song and one I have not played since her funeral, I was crying. That right there is proof of their wonderful singing.

 Cloë was extremely personable, talking to the audience like we were all good friends, telling us about her {quote}"Typical tourist" day. She said the whole group went out and bought tee shirts and post cards and mug and key chains, all sorts of souvenirs from our "lovely and charming" state.

Though I didn't get a picture of her, Máiréad the fiddler was there. She reminds me of a sprite dancing and leaping with her fiddle, she was incredible. If I'm ever able to play one tenth as well as she, I'll be content.

 The entire group was _____!!! {I'm running out of adjectives}

We got home really late and had to go to early service at church this morning so that my eldest sister could catch her plane back to school. So now she's gone. *sad face*

 Today is also Mum & Da's anniversary, so here's a Happy Anniversary shout out to them!!!

Now I must bid you all good night: it is late here and I am super tired. *snors* Huh? Wha? Oh! I hope you enjoyed my "epic post" :)

 G'night! 

-Gwyn