Monday, August 13, 2012

Proper balance of music and histyory


.  Wednesday, August 1, 2012
                I have such a dear husband.  After we arrived at our campground of Whycocomagh and putting our air conditioning into service for the first time this trip, Royce spent some time with the ranger and learned that there would be a ceilidh—kaley—in a town west of us so we ate a quick supper and headed for the town.
                The music was delightful and sounded much like the music we enjoyed in Ireland, but this was Scottish area.  Three musicians played a keyboard and two violins.  During one number a man at least our age did a step dance to the music.  We thoroughly enjoyed the evening especially since it was not part of our schedule.  However, this meant no Scrabble game so the score remains at: Jackie 5, Royce 1 and 1 tied game.
                This morning we headed across a waterway on another ferry with a cable and wheel configuration that we used previously.  The waterway in called a salt water lake.  Our destination was Iona, where the Highland Village Museum was located.
                Our stroll through the village told the story of the immigration of the Gaels from Scotland and how they adapted to life in Nova Scotia while maintaining their language, culture and customs.  Folks dressed in period costumes were gracious to explain their way of life to us.  It was while visiting one of the houses that I learned why the music we heard last evening sounded so much like the music we heard in Ireland.  It seems that centuries ago folks from Ireland moved to Scotland—it isn’t far across the water from Ireland.  With the intermarrying of the Irish and Scots their music blended also.  However, the Irish do their dancing with lots of exaggerated leg movements while the Scots do step dancing which is done with more restrained movements.
                When we were touring the barn of the village, Royce pointed to a tractor and what to my wondering eyes should appear but a FORDSON tractor—the mascot from my Fordson High School in Dearborn Michigan.  This tractor was much older than our mascot and had not benefitted from the loving care of the automobile shop class, but it was a Fordson tractor nonetheless.
                So there you have it; history that Jackie can tolerate and appreciate.

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