Cindy Thomson's Blog, page 3

Hair and the Celts

This post appeared on my old blog in 2010.

I knew that hair and good grooming were important to the ancient Celtic people, but I discovered a few things recently that I didn’t know.

Did you know that someone with dark hair symbolizes some kind of terrestrial strength? I have no idea what that means, but it certainly sparks the imagination.

Someone with blonde hair was thought to have a close connection with God. Maybe subconsciously that is why in my novel, Brigid of Ireland, I chose to give Brigid blonde hair. Lots of people have thought of her as a redhead (including the illustrator who had to change his first draft of the cover.)

original cover now out of print.current cover

Redheaded people are thought to possess magical abilities. In the Book of Kells, Jesus and some of the disciples are depicted as blonds with red beards. (See below)

Unattributed, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

I have blogged before about tonsures and the fact that the Irish monks wore theirs more like the druids’ rather than like the western monks’. I blogged recently about the synod at Whitby in 664 and how that forced Celtic Christianity into some conformity. The tonsure was part of that and eventually the Irish monks adopted the Roman tonsure, which is said to represent the crown of thorns.

©CindyThomsonCeStu, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Both men and women wore their hair braided and sometimes curled, with gold balls tied at the ends. I’m not sure I understand where this obsession with hair came from, but now I know I can blame my own worry over bad hair on my ancestors!

Thoughts on Winter

This post is from 2008. Still something I like to reflect on.

©CindyThomson2008

What do you think about winter? Perhaps because it’s a new year, you’re making resolutions, organizing, exercising more. Or perhaps you find winter depressing, cold, lonely. Or maybe you think about winter this way:

Winter is a time of rest. The natural world rests and stores up energy for a new growth season. A fresh snowfall makes everything look new and clean. Colder weather forces us inside, closer together, with time to talk and share warm meals. In warmer climates, weather also brings rest from tourism and the crazy holiday schedule.

In today’s world, we tend to forget about rest. The invention of electricity meant work could continue all hours of the night. Our schedules stay full, and workloads often increase as people

©CindyThomson2008

 get back to their routines after the holidays (mine included.) But the truth is, God planned a time of rest for us. Darkness (something we have more of this time of year) is an indication that we should rest and restore ourselves. I’m going to try to remember that this winter. The cold, the snow, the long nights—all gifts to remind us that we need to take time to slow down, reflect, relax, and regenerate. And while you’re doing that, take time to look at the world in its wintertime beauty.

(This is one of the bluebirds that has been visiting me lately!) Hopefully you can see it if you zoom in.

My 5-star Reads in 2024

I read a lot of 4-star books this year. They were good and I enjoyed them. I only read a handful that I considered to be exceptional. Here they are:

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Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner

What a beautiful story! I will read anything Susan Meissner writes. I’m fortunate to know this author personally and she’s blessed me in many ways, but her writing is exquisite. If you’d like to read my review, visit Novel PASTimes here.

Tailbone Pain Relief Now! by Patrick M. Foye, M.D.

A totally different book here, so brace yourself. I have suffered from tailbone pain since my youngest son was born. If you or anyone you know also has chronic tailbone pain, I highly recommend this book.

The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life by Jame Martin, SJ

I loved this book and since it’s a NYT bestseller, I’m not alone! I’m not Catholic but as you can tell from some of my novels, I’m interested in saints. I enjoy a devotional app called The Sacred Space that is the work of the Jesuits in Dublin, Ireland. From Amazon: Inspired by the life and teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, this book will help you realize the Ignatian goal of “finding God in all things.” Filled with relatable examples, humorous stories, and anecdotes from the heroic and inspiring lives of Jesuit saints and average priests and brothers, The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything will enrich your everyday life with spiritual guidance and history.

Getting back to fiction…

Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate

Like Susan Meissner I’m apt to read any new book by Lisa Wingate. They are two of my favorite authors. I love stories about families and how complicated that can be and also how diverse as the characters sometimes create their own families. Read my review of Shelterwood here on Novel PASTimes.

Interested to know what else I read? Here’s my list on Goodreads. You’ll notice my reading tastes are all over the place, lol!

My One Word for 2025

The end of the year caught up with me and I’d hardly given a thought to choosing a word for the new year. This is something I started doing with a group of writer friends probably 15 years ago. I kept it up because I find it helpful and enlightening as I contemplate what God may have for me in the new year. First a look back.

The past year has had some ups and downs, as years tend to. But things settled down and life was and is good! There were losses, and I’m beginning to think I’ll keep on experiencing those because I’m getting old, lol! I have focused on good memories and that has helped. My word last year was endeavor. As words go, I found it a meh. But I have been trying hard to accomplish some goals this year and I did! The biggest one was completing Finding Juniper. I’ve enjoyed all our family get togethers (including celebrating my mother-in-law’s 90th birthday), some precious time with good friends, the time I get to spend with my grandchildren, and a vacation to Philadelphia with Tom. We are both history nuts! So all in all a good year!

Looking forward to 2025 I already see good things ahead. We will welcome another grand baby in April!!!! I’m releasing my first novel since 2018, giving more talks on St. Brigid, sharing a new little booklet on St. Brigid with kids, and taking a trip to England, Scotland, and Wales. There will be more watching grandkids, meeting with friends, and family get togethers. I’ll be starting (well really getting back to) some new writing projects, and continuing to research for my genealogy client.

All this leads to my new word: PAUSE. I’m working to get in some morning quiet time every single day. I might miss some, but grace, grace, grace. I won’t beat myself up for it. I had thought my word might be joy, but then this word pushed its way in. And I believe taking time to pause, to reflect and meditate, to pray, will indeed lead to joy.

Do you pick a yearly word? Share in the comments if you’d like. I’d love to hear some good words!

The Journey

This is an updated post from 2010. I don’t think I’ve ever abandoned this idea. In fact, I think the concept inspired a couple of my books (who knows, maybe all of them) pictured below. I was definitely thinking of it when I created the homepage of my website, which contains the umbrella photo below.

Photo is from my recent hike among the cedar trees. ©CindyThomson2010

As we approach the New Year, lots of people start thinking about goals and what they hope to accomplish in the next year. It’s good to experience a renewal, a time to make things right.

But I’m finding myself being more drawn to the concept of journey, of seeking the path God has marked out for me and following the best I can, in faith because I cannot see how it ends. I may have hopes and dreams and even plans for the coming year, but only some things are within my control. The rest I will leave up to God. And that’s not an act of giving up. It’s a journey I choose to take with a little bit of wariness and a lot of anticipation. God’s plans are always better than my own.

From The Roots of Irish Wisdom:

Alone with none but Thee, my God,

I journey on my way;

What need I fear when Thou art near,

Oh King of night and day?

More safe am I within Thy hand

Than if a host did round me stand.

~Attributed to St. Columba

Inis Cealtra ©2023CindyThomson

Ancient Prayer of Anointment

This prayer could be used for baptisms or for a blessing. 
It was originally in Irish and according to Fr. O’Duinn, from his site that I found back in 2011 and no longer seems to exist, it likely dates to the 9th century. I think it would be a wonderful prayer to rededicate one’s own life. Or to begin a New Year!

@CindyThomson2010

May the yoke of the Law of God be on this shoulder;
May the intelligence of the Holy Spirit be in this head;
May the sign of Christ be on this forehead;
May the hearing of the Holy Spirit be in these ears;
May the scenting of the Holy Spirit be in this nose;
May the vision of the People of Heaven be in these eyes;
May the conversation of the People of Heaven be in this mouth;
May the work of the Church of God be in these hands;
May the welfare of God and neighbor be in these feet;
May this heart be a dwelling place for God;
May this complete person belong to God the Father.

Announcing Finding Juniper, A New Novel!

To say I’m excited is an understatement. Publishing indie is not for the faint of heart. Now that I’ve laid all those cliches on you, let me explain.

I haven’t released a new novel since 2018! For my previous indie novels, I’ve hired out the cover design. For my indie nonfiction titles, I’ve done them myself, so I decided to do this one myself. It was a vast learning curve. It took me 19 tries, and that was just for Amazon. For the other distributor, Ingram Spark, I had to use their template so there were a couple more tries there.

For editing, that’s normally a long process, but soooo worth it. I’m grateful to my editor Jamie Chavez who really helped me shape this novel. It took three passes. Then to Michelle who proofread with a quick turn around. She certainly has a sharp eye! Then to all this formatting and cover work. Now the proofs and if all looks good, you’ll be able to order!

Actually, you can order now if you want a signed a copy from me. The price will be $18 plus shipping, which is about a dollar off the retail price. Here’s the form to sign up. Once I have copies I will send out invoices so no need to pay anything yet. Fill out this form to get one of the first copies!

What’s the novel about? Well, sure, part of it takes place in Ireland! I’m not sure if all of my future books will have an Irish connection, but this one does. Here’s a blurb:

For Patrick Doyle, the claim that time heals all wounds is a cruel lie.  
 
In 1920, returning from WWI, Paddy finds Ireland creeping toward civil war. Invisible borders separate people, including Paddy and his pregnant girlfriend. With few prospects, Paddy sails to America. However, America is far from the land of opportunity he’d hoped for. And worse, his girl refuses to follow him because of her political involvement.
 
Thirty years later, Patrick has moved on with his life, building a new family. A letter arrives, suggesting the child he’d assumed died may be alive. Patrick’s American daughter Mardell pushes him to find out what happened to her sister, named Juniper. Patrick anxiously sails to Ireland.
 
Juniper endured a childhood in institutions, and when she’s released, she moves on without the parents who left her. Operating an apothecary out of an inherited cottage where villagers are slow to trust outsiders, Juniper finally finds a home when her grandmother arrives. Just as she feels comfortable and content, her father shows up at her door, bringing shocking news about her mother.
 
Finding Juniper invites readers on a journey of confronting the past, healing from old traumas, and redefining what family truly means.

And finally….the cover. Do you like it?

Clough Castle

This is from a post in 2010 from my old blog. You may want to click on the photos to enlarge them.

There are so many ruins in Ireland you could just drive by them and not notice them, especially those lying in the midst of modern settlements. Such is the case with Clough Castle in County Down, Northern Ireland. Our hosts, Alister and Eileen McReynolds, stopped their car on a busy road to allow us to get out and take a look.

©CindyThomson,2010

Clough Castle is an earthwork Norman structure built for defense. I suppose all castles were built for defense, but this one employed an elaborate earthwork. We had to climb to get to the ruins.

©CindyThomson, 2010

In the picture above you can see that timber buildings were thought to be part of the structure. An excavation of the site showed that a palisade had stood at the top of the motte. The castle was originally built in the 11th century, added to and changed in the following centuries and the stone keep that remains was built sometime in the 13th or 14th century. A hundred or so years later the stone keep was rebuilt into a tower house.

©CindyThomson,2010

I think it’s interesting how modern towns have grown around these ruins. Most of the ancien©t sites are protected, of course, but these ruins are just part of the landscape now, something that just amazes me, an American tourist.

Me in front of Clough Castle Ruins, County Down, Northern Ireland
©TomThomson2010

Below is the view from the castle. It was definitely worth the hike!

Surprising Finds in Ireland

After visiting Ireland for the first time, I was surprised by a few things.

1. Palm Trees

Palm trees??? Few if any of the photographs of Ireland’s landscape you see online show palm trees, and yet they are there.

photo ©SandraBeck2023photo ©SandraBeck2023

Actually, I did know about this, but I didn’t expect there to be so many of them. The weather is moderate enough to allow them to grow (they are not native, by the way) but they don’t

necessarily thrive there. My question is why??? Why plant one? I don’t think they are particularly attractive. And c’mon, let’s not pretend we’re in Florida.

2. Fuchsia

The other surprising thing (and I did not know about this before I went) is that fuchsia grows wild in Ireland in big huge bushes. They are beautiful. I approve! Again, this plant is not native to Ireland. I think they are considered invasive in some areas, though. But in other areas the plant is appreciated as a colorful pollinator. In the photo below you can see how large they can get.

©CindyThomson. 2010

©CindyThomson, 2010

Does any of this surprise you?

3. Robins

Besides plants, I noticed robins are different from the ones in Ohio. It’s surprising that there are birds, plants, and animals of different species in different parts of the world, but I hadn’t thought about robins. Below are the robins I normally see.

Photo by Jongsun Lee on Unsplash

And here is what they look like in Ireland. I saw a little guy like this hopping along the path I was walking on at the Giant’s Causeway. Sorry, North American robin, but the European robin is so much cuter, don’t you think?

Photo by Chris Smith on Unsplash

The Magpie Rhyme

Photo by Andrew Dawes on Unsplash

On one visit to Ireland we noticed large black and white birds that seemed to be everywhere. A local friend was driving us around to site see and Tom asked about the bird. “Oh, those magpies!” the friend replied, and he counted them whenever they flew by. He explained that there is a poem explaining that seeing one lone bird was bad luck. Of course, after that we started counting them, and wouldn’t you know it. Half the time we saw a lone bird. But no worries, as soon as we saw another one we added it to the total, never admitting we saw one by itself.

We didn’t take any photographs of them so I borrowed the one above. (Wouldn’t want to pretend that we are that good at photography!) Here is the poem (there are a couple of versions):

One for sorrow, two for joy;
Three for a girl, four for a boy;
Five for silver, six for gold;
Seven for a secret, never to be told;
Eight for a wish, nine for a kiss;
Ten for a bird that’s best to miss.

Have you seen this bird? The little rhyme reminds me of other things people do to avoid bad luck. Like not stepping on a crack lest you break your father’s back, knock on wood, or never speaking ill of the dead. What are some more you can think of?