Update #3 - May 2026

 Not much progress on chapter 5 in the last week, although I am continuing to read the Storyteller books and extract pertinent episodes. I have had too many other balls in the air, which sometimes results in making no progress on any of them.

An interesting wildlife occurrence this morning - I had just gone out to water some plants when I heard a squealing noise and looked around to see Ruay coming back from the front yard with something in his mouth. I told him to drop it, and when he eventually did, it turned out to be a small rabbit about the size of my fist. The bunny immediately tried to escape, and Ruay and I pursued it until I caught it. It didn't seem to be hurt, but my problem then was where to put it that Ruay wouldn't find it again. I went up and down the alley, and was finally looking at a nice green fenced yard at a suitable distance from my house when the householder came out to put some trash out. She said they often had rabbits in their yard, so I put it in there and it hopped away. Hopefully it will find some rabbit friends there.

In gardening news, I bought 6 tomato plants at last Sunday's farmers' market, but haven't planted them yet, partly because it's been pretty warm this week (80s) and partly because we have some colder, wetter weather coming soon, with a currently forecast low Monday night in the 30s. Tomatoes are sitting in my old cold frame acclimating and look happy.

Update #2 - May 2026

 I finished chapter 4 ("Arthur's Crown"), which didn't take too much work because most of it was a story lifted from Storyteller. I'm working on chapter 5 now ("The Druids' Island") which takes Gwion et al to Ynys Mon with a young bard who wants to walk the Dark Path. Taliesin told Gwernin that story briefly in The Well of Wisdom, but I'll be adding a lot of background material. Gwion is twelve at this point, so I'll have to allow for changes between this story and Gwernin's first visit to Ynys Mon almost thirty years later
in Storyteller.

The weather has been wild the last week. After a mild sunny weekend, we got rain and four or five inches of snow on Tuesday and Wednesday with a light frost Wednesday night. Yesterday we had a high in the upper 60s, and the next ten days are forecast to have highs in the 70s and 80s. Spring in Colorado. I'll be buying tomato plants this weekend.

Update #1 - May 2026

 Well, I finally finished tinkering with Chapter 3. Now I need to work on Chapter 4. Most of it will be Talhaearn's story about the search for gold for Arthur's crown, but I need to write a lead up to that story, followed by the actual crowning, which will be different from the version in Storyteller. I might get this put together in the next week.

The frost-damaged trees are trying to bud out again, but some of them will have to put in a lot of effort. We finally got some rain this week, which should help, and also means I need to mow parts of the yards real soon. One of our farmers' markets starts Sunday, and I'll be buying tomato plants soon, also preparing to plant beans. And the Swanson's hawks which nest in the big spruce next door are back - a couple of days ago when I was doing my early circuit of the back yard, I heard bird noises and looked up to see a blue jay chasing a much bigger hawk, which took refuge on the spruce. Summer may yet arrive.

Happy Beltane!

Update #4 - April 2026

 Chapter 3 is nearly finished at last, bar a couple of linking bits. I'm borrowing material from the  Storyteller books - Gwion's first harp lesson is much like Gwernin's, and a couple of his interactions with Emrys mirror Taliesin's later interactions with Gwernin. I've also added a story Gwernin tells in The Ash Spear after Taliesin teaches it to him, but here it is told by Talhaearn and Gwion learns it. Chapter 4 will include the search for gold for Arthur's crown as Talhaearn tells it to Gwernin, and Arthur's crowning. Then we launch into more new material, wrapped around stories Taliesin told Gwernin in The Old Gods Endure and The Well of Wisdom. Progress at last.

Last week's snow and overnight hard freeze - mid to low 20s, I think - was dreadful for some of the trees which were just leafing out. Some of the ash trees lost all of their young leaves, and the hackberries were also hard hit, as were the young buds on the oak tree. On the other hand, the silver maples are OK, and the elms didn't even seem to notice. Summer will have to reboot.

Update #3 - April 2026

 A little more tinkering with chapter 3, which I'll be working on today and tomorrow now that taxes and weekly errands are done. I've decided to put the "search for the gold for Arthur's crown" in chapter 4 along with a description of the crowning itself, although not exactly the one in Storyteller. Then I can move on to some new material.

After a few warm days, we are now expecting/hoping for some snow today, followed by a couple of frosty nights. My two rosemary plants, which had been outside enjoying the warm sunshine, are now back in the garage with the flourishing geraniums. Most of the trees are either leafed out or budding - the oak tree is always the last - so I hope the snow won't be too heavy, much as we need the moisture. Spring is not over yet!

Update #2 - April 2026

 A little more progress on chapter three, tweaking the first bits and adding things which have occurred to me. However, I'll also be removing the bits where I was planning to insert Talhaearn's and Emrys' search for the gold for Arthur's crown, so I'll have probably a lower word count than I did a week ago. That's writing.

Spring is progressing slowly, with some of the trees leafed out quite a bit while others are still thinking. Only a trace of morning frost earlier in the week. I've brought my two rosemary plants out of the garage; we might get a bit of light frost this time next week, but they're tolerant. This is being an early spring, but still very dry. My normal frost-free date over the 29 years I've lived here has usually been mid-May.  Farmers' Market starts May 2nd, when I'll have to decide if it's too early for tomato plants!

Update #1 - April 2026

 Not much actual writing this week, but a good deal of thinking and planning. I had been trying to figure out how to use Talhaearn's story of the quest for the gold for Arthur's crown as he told it to Gwernin in Storyteller and Gwernin himself told it in The Old Gods Endure, but it just wouldn't fit. The first part of that tale is set at Samhain, the second part in the summer, and the third part at Samhain again after a summer spent building a magical boat on Ynys Mon. Gwion/Taliesin isn't mentioned in it, and when Gwernin tells the tale, Taliesin says Arthur was crowned exactly two years after Talhaearn and Emrys found him. So they must have been on their way back from the third part of their quest when this story begins. That story may fit somewhere later in this book, but only as something Talhaearn tells Gwion. So onward... Trying to make pieces fit from six previous books spanning fifteen years (and written over 30) is complicated.

More normal spring weather the last couple of days after a rather warm weekend. Most of the trees are leafing out; we finally got a little rain last night, followed by light frost this morning. And one of my daffodils which haven't bloomed in years is blooming.  

 

Update #4 - March 2026

 Again, only a little progress. I meant to be writing today, but ended up mowing the grass instead. That took all of my energy. I'm still trying to figure out how to use Talhaearn's stories to Gwernin in Storyteller about how he and Emrys gathered the gold for Arthur's crown. 

Spring is here - some of the trees are leafing out already, the grape hyacinths are blooming, and one early violet. And one daffodil, from several which don't usually bloom. The flickers seem to be courting as well. I'm hoping for at least a little rain this coming week - Denver is now under drought restrictions. :( Well, if it stays dry I won't have to mow as much.

Recordings...

 13 years ago when I was starting in ADF, I did some recorded performances for the Bardic study program. Here's a link to one: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5ml3r5biplgfz0i3bp9jp/mac-criomthann-birds.MPG?rlkey=gtkhquedijwuzugg1qxkb50mr&dl=0

Update #3 - March 2026

 A little slow progress again - partly due to trying to figure out how things Talhaearn told Gwernin in Storyteller should fit into this story. I may need to add another chapter.

Spring weather has arrived with a vengeance - it was almost 90 degrees F yesterday, far too early. At least I'm saving money on heating; on the other hand I've started having to water things in the garden. A week ago I got 3+ inches of snow, which helped a bit. Who knows what April will be like; frost-free date here is usually mid May.