Celtic Woman

I watched Celtic Woman perform on television with a back drop of a beautiful Irish castle and was mesmerized by their talent. Granted, the show was in Ireland and I was only dreaming, but when they came so close to home I had to get tickets. I am so glad I did!

It didn't take long to convince my daughter to go with me to Heinz Hall and we had a blast. The women were beautiful, talented, and with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra accompanying them... need I say more? I have to admit, *bowing head* my eyes welled with tears on a couple of occasions. Angelic is probably the best word to describe the show. 

Although this was their Christmas show and they gifted us with songs such as Ave Maria and O Holy Night, they were still kind enough to grace us with Danny Boy and You Raise Me Up. Not to mention Máiréad's Irish jig's which are out of this world!

We were not permitted to take pictures once the show started, but this should tell you how fantastic our seats were. If you have the chance to go, don't miss it!

This was definitely a mother/daughter function that I will cherish forever. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!

Canadian Escape

The clan and I recently traveled to Niagara Falls, Canada. What an amazing time! The temperatures were in the low 80's, low humidity and no rain. Who could ask for more? The sound of rushing water was so incredibly peaceful--all 600,000 gallons of water per second. I wished we could've bottled it up and brought it home with us. *chuckle* I could have sipped some on the way home when it took us three hours just to cross the border, but that's another story...

We hit the usual jaunts such as Journey Behind the Falls, Whirlpool Aero Car and Clifton Hill. This year we tried something different and actually hiked down to the bottom of the gorge. Twisting trails led us through breathtaking views of the Niagara River. When we reached the bottom, I found a huge rock and sat for a long time. Clean air, no cars, just the sounds of nature herself. *sigh* The picturesque views of the Niagara River were truly beautiful.

 

We journeyed north through the wine vineyards of Niagara-on-the-Lake. If you're ever in the area, the scenery alone is worth the trip. One does have to wonder what these residents do for a living. Passing two red Ferrari's and too many sports cars to name, it was definitely the Rodeo Drive of Canada. 

The charming little shops along Queen Street beckon any passerby. Of course, this Scottish historical author could not pass up her stop into The Scottish Loft. I believe some MacGregor and Campbell items may have fallen into my basket. The dh claims too many, but hey, it's research. Right? I also found a charming little shop called Irish Design and knew some of my writer friends would have loved it (Maeve and Pat!)

Have you been on an exciting trip lately?