Thank you for the welcome. I have been snooping at the Mudcat for several years, finding the site to be a fine source for a tune junkie like myself. I never looked at the Forum until Carol hit the rails. I have to admit I was a bit worried about Carol and was most pleased to see her postings. I then spread the word to friends that she had arrived in Canada and seemed to be having a great time. I am a folk fiddler.I was born and raised in Michigan, 25 minutes south of Windsor,where the Detroit River flows into Lake Erie.I love living in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virgina, but I miss the lakes, traded the water for the hills. Music and the violin have always been part of my life. I have spent some time playing other instruments while on my musical journey, but the violin has been my true musical companion.I inherited a good ear and understanding of music, making harmonies and counter melodies a natural process in my playing.As a musician I am an expressive and passionate player. My mind is in the musical realm 85% of the time, even my dreams are musicals. My musical taste are varied, from early music to classical, folk, country, oldtime, bluegrass, blues, jazz and even rock! I am never bored with Celtic music. It touches my heart and soul.I love playing 200 year old tunes, making them part of who I am. I have learned to surrender to the music and the instrument. It takes me "out there", if you know what I mean. It is the music of my ancestry. Irish music influences me the most, Scottish the least.I also write short stories, poetry, songs and tunes. I love the fiddling of Martin Hayes, Alasdair Fraser, Liz Carrol, Mark O'Conner and Winifred Horan. My favorite groups are Altan, Planxty, Skyedance and Solas.

I formed Morning Star Consort in 1997. My partner's are Jeff, John, and Dave.Jeff, plays the Lute, Viola da Gamba, Guitar, Flute and recorders.John plays upright bass, electric 5 string bass and the accordian on special occasions. John is a fine bass singer as well. Dave plays Congas and other percussion. We are a true musical family. We work with different vocalist,our latest project is with Mary and Andrea. In my free time I freelance with singer/songwriters, do session work, and musical theater. I also help host a local open jam at the train station on Wednesday nights in Martinsburg, West Virgina. Mary, Don, Charlie, Jan and myself are the regulars. We sing and play, play and sing and laugh a lot! I am a Sagittarius,there is no doubt that I am a fire sign.I don't think I am a "hottie", although I must confess that I am not exactly sure what that means to a Mudcatter.I have a great sense of humour.I do not get off on role playing.It is enough just being myself. I have some reservations about contributing to the forum. Not because I am snooty,I deal daily with the realities of learning disabilites from a traumatic brain injury. Writing is difficult for me, time consuming, and at times embarrassing. Poor scanning abilities make it impossible for me to proof-read well, letter reversals,sentence structures, ect.seem to get right past me. I don't have a thick skin when it comes to criticism because I am doing the very best that I can. I do not use the injury as an excuse or attention getting device, it is just part of who I am, it has given me some extra quirks I didn't bargin for. Like Dah and Double Dah! I don't seek sympathy, just undertanding. Carol knows my concerns and apprehensions, she has been around me enough to know who I am. It is with her encouragement that I am taking this leap. She advised me to be honest.I really have no other choice but to be honest, short term memory problems making lying a BIG HAZARD.

I surround myself with people that are positive, genuine, and good hearted. Almost all of my friends are musicians. They are very honest in their music, they accept people for who they are and love in a way that is healthy and non-threatening.Most of all there is trust and respect. We are willing to help each other out without reserevation. We also entertain each other!

I have been married for 32 years to a supportive, loving man who is a non-musician. He can't even hum a tune.We have 3 children that are all musical, out of college, out of the house and on their own. We are free at last,loving every minute of this new stage of our life. My new computer was a Christmas gift from my husband. I had a dog of a computer, now I am flying at speeds so fast I have a seat belt on my chair.

This is the end of my epic. Postings will be short and sweet from now on! Love and Peace, Shall (like We Shall Overcome!)