Gàidhlig Language Acquisition and Spaghetti al Dente: An Analogy

So...(I promised myself a long time ago that I would never begin anything with the word "so". So it was, but is no more...)

So, I'm learning Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig), and have been "learning" it for six years. Given that I've had fewer than twenty-five days of actual classtime over the course of those six years (with furious bouts of directionless study in bewtween), it's amazing I know anything at all. I live out in the wilderness--an fhàsach--without access to a regular class until very recently, when I finally signed up for a weekly Skype class from Caroline Root. It was an excellent decision, despite my reluctance to adopt new-for-me technology. Just having weekly sessions, a wee bit of homework each week, and listening to and speaking in the language despite my mumbling reticence, has been a marvelous way to open new pathways in that darkening grey matter I call a brain.

It has helped me to see the huge gaps in my understanding, as well as some of my strengths (few, those). It has also caused me hope that with enough diligent work I might achieve a modicum of fluency before I die. That, and asking for help when I need it, from the generous community of Gàidhlig teachers and learners out there. We are, in essence, in the same bàta.

However, learning a new language at the age of sixty is not the same as learning one at six. Of course it's not. It's rather like spaghetti as one ages. One tests whether the noodles are done by throwing a few of them at the wall and if they stick, it's ready to serve. Or maybe it's the other way around...At any rate, that's what language acquisition is--you throw a handful of words at a brain, and some of them stick. Many of them don't, but you keep at it. My brain is a pretty slippery little nugget.

But I realized long ago that learning this beautiful old language--the reasons for which are as complicated as the language's history itself--is worth pursing for no other reason than to do a tiny wee bit in helping save it from oblivion. I would like fluency one day, but I'm old and may never reach that pinnacle.

Like these drawings that are unfinished, learning is never a done deal. Nevertheless, I'll keep at it.

Alba a' feitheamh (Scotland Waiting)

 

(The Unicorn has since been completed)

 

Alba, My Alba

 

 

Bratach na h-Alba

 

So this is it. It was it, Scotland’s chance at self-determination, blown away like thistledown on the winds of despair and fear. This little blue flame that had so much potential to become a beacon of democracy for the world has been snuffed out and the world can now get on with the business of spiraling into the shithole it has made for itself. Just a blip on the screen of darkness. So much for the chimes of freedom.

They may ring again one day, but probably not in my lifetime. The Unicorn is still chained.

 

 The Bee at Culloden

 

 

Saor Alba

 

 

Summary of An Interesting Year Or So: Runrig, Oregon Coast, Tucson, Hawaii, Montana

Well...It has been some time since I've written a blog post. A great deal has happened since I retired from teaching.

Probably the most significant was our August trip to Scotland to see Runrig for their 40th anniversary celebration at the "Party On The Moor", held near Inverness. We stayed in Edinburgh for a few days, taking a day-trip to Sterling Castle and the Glen Goyne Distillery, going on a tour of the Scottish Parliament (Parlamaid na h-Alba), and mingling with the Fringe crowd before taking the train north to Inverness for another few days and the concert.

The performance was amazing and I still can't believe we were there. What a special, awesome night! Julie Fowlis was MC (and she sang a number with the band too), Mànran provided a fantastic performance, along with a few other topnotch groups, and then the lads were on. Arthur Cormack was standing about two yards behind me throughout the concert, and James Graham was on our train. (Of course they didn't have a clue who I was, and I managed not to accost them.)

The "lads"

 

 

We then visited Oban for a few days, took a tour to Mull and Iona, walked all over, took thousands of photos, and carried home the best of memories.

 

 

 

It was the Oregon Coast during the holidays--that quiet week between Christmas and New Year. Relaxing and beautiful, there were people surfing in the glorious weather. Tides were extreme that week.

 

The spiral stairs at Yaquina Head Lighthouse

Lace falling water

 

 

 

In February we traveled to Tucson for the gem and mineral show, (where I spent too much money). We got to visit the Sonora Desert Museum and the mission of San Xavier del Bac--both moving places. The sky is so incredibly blue.

Negative space

Edificio

Sonoran Desert

Cactus

 

 

 

In April, just after we started a kitchen remodel and had a flood downstairs, we flew to Maui. I didn't think I'd love as much as I did--and do. What a beautiful island.

 

P.T. Fleming Beach

Island Light

Moving Water

 

 

 

 

This last Sunday we got back from a week in Montana. It was good to be home, and we got a chance to visit with family.

Lake McDonald

Colorful rocks and clear water

Rain on water

 

 

It's been a good year in other ways too: I got my braces off and survived oral surgery (lots of blood and bruising), and the kitchen is done. Now to get the house back together.

 



 

 

 

 



Processes of Reclamation

I decided I needed to do something with my old fine silver scrap. Torching it into dirty balls of casting grain didn't seem like enough because they just sat there in a little box gathering dust. So I torched the scrap into blobs, put them into the tumbler, and started hammering them flat. Then I textured them between layers of old t-shirt with a hammer, finished the edges, polished them, drilled them for jump-rings, and finally dapped them into subtle domes. It's an interesting process and I like the results.

scrap ready for torching

that bright orange glow

in the quench

before tumbling

after tumbling 

 

before and after hammering

some finished pieces, textured, stamped, drilled, and domed

This is my process for the reclamation of fine-silver scrap. I have some nice pieces, where it was useless junk before. If I don't like the way something turns out, I can always remelt it and start over.
 

UpCycling

Since I fell off a ladder in July and injured both my shoulders (tearing rotator cuffs and facing surgery), and then dragged my suitcase all over Scotland for two weeks, I've been "fired" from deck-painting, gardening, standing on ladders, trimming trees, lifting anything, driving distances in excess of 10 miles, and most cleaning tasks--in short, anything using my arms in any but the most limited (envision T-rex) fashion. So, I am relegated to writing and sewing until this gets resolved.

Yesterday (or was it Wednesday?) I visited my local Goodwill store in hopes of finding some old lace tablecloths or curtains to use for sewing some Boho clothes, remaking stuff I have. Instead I found 3 formals, 3 costumes, 3 shirts and a name-brand silk dress (for $6.99). After some research, I discovered the silk dress was originally very likely around $300-400.

At any rate, with the exception of the silk dress, I washed everything, including the formals and the silk shirt with sequins (very ugly sequins), tried it all on, and found that I could at least squeeze into the little dress, and that with some alteration I could make it fit better. Then I had an idea...

Blouse with sequins...ugh, and silk dress

 

After 2 hours with a seam-ripper: no sequins

Side by side

Together

 

Next, I have to figure out how best to remove the sleeves from the blouse and put them on the dress, expand the band below the bust, and add the neckline of the blouse to the dress. All very fun and challenging, since I haven't sewn anything for years. Altogether, I'm out about $13.00 on this outfit, and after taking apart the other dresses, I have some nice shimmery yardage and some tulle.

 

Scotland pictures coming soon, for those none of you who read this.

 

 

 

 





Wave Action

Souveniers from our beach trip to the Oregon coast in June.

Sand waves

Whirlpool within

Morning light

The same wave

 

Afternoon

 



 Altogether, it was a great weekend, with family and friends to celebrate my retirement and my birthday. My only regret was that it wasn't longer. I love the ocean.

 

 

Sets

 

Splashing on rocks

 





Summertime Fun

Finally, a new blog entry! So far, retirement is still sinking in and I've been busy going through boxes of school stuff and closets full of clothes, sorting and washing and boxing for give-away. Yesterday I took the first things to the charity shop in downtown Echo. Still have lots to do.

 

We've been refinishing the decks with heavy-duty deck paint, and I've been growing tomatoes and eggplant in pots, pulling weeds, hoping to get some things transplanted, and taking lots of pictures of the wildflowers. I'm glad to say that I have three thistle plants which are starting to bloom. Something is eating all my shade plants (probably pillbugs and snails) so I've set out an experimental beer-trap in hopes they'll have a great time while dying.

 

The redecorating of the guest bedroom is moving along. It looks as though I'm going for a kind of flowery-seashell theme, with turquoise and lime and a kind of periwinkle blue-lilac.

 

The new bedspread, pillows, and lamps.

 

The little green monkey.

 

 

And some of the hundreds of flower pictures I've been taking and messing with in PS.

 

Flowers

 Sunflowers

Sunflowers

 

Coneflower

Thistle

Blue flax