SHEILIA SCOTT
On December 29, 2008, Sheilia Scott renewed her declaration with the following NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION statement to harplist@yahoogroups.com:
***Complete my Millennium HarpQuest*** (Harping for Harmony)
Sheilia
EARLIER COMMUNICATIONS BELOW:
June 6, 2007 It is good to hear from Sheilia Scott, who first declared a Millennium Quest several years ago. She wrote me today, to advise that she is still striving.
Well, I missed the St. Patrick's Day Declaration Renewal, but when one lives on the Oregon Coast, pursuing a quest involving playing out-of-doors can tend to slip right out of one's mind what with the horizontal rain, cold and general lack of lovely weather conditions. Now that it's *High Summer*, (which means the temperature is consistently higher than 50ºF, and there may be more than 3 successive days without rain. The *wind*, however is always with us.) I truly hope to pursue my quest and in fact, complete it... at least by 2012 in case that Mayan? Incan? calender is correct and the world actually ends that year. :-) At least I'll go out as the Impromptu Millenium Harper -on-Wheels of Wherever I Happen to Be.Sheilia Scott
Today, on January 16,2004, I, Sheilia Scott, declare my renewed intention to earn the title (slightly modified from my previous declaration(s)..... of Impromptu Millenium Harper-on-Wheels-of-the-Wherever-I-Happen-to-be.
My original Quest (declared in early March 2002) was to earn the title of Millenium Harper of Bicycle Trails and Parks in Tucson AZ. ; however, on St. Patrick's Day weekend, only a couple of weeks after the harp stork had dropped off my beloved Ardival Kilcoy, we had a bit of a spill whilst riding the tandem and I wound up with a broken right clavicle ! Although the fracture healed amazingly quickly, and I was back on the tandem in less than the "6 to 8 weeks" healing time predicted by the doctor, trips longer than just to the grocery store and back were not possible for awhile, nor was I comfy playing in any kind of "normal" playing position for several months. (Side note: I *did* learn that one can play a Kilcoy quite nicely whilst lying semi-supine in bed, and since the wire harp requires only a gentle touch, it's a grand instrument for convalescence ! ;-) )
The summer heat of the Desert Southwest tends to lessen one's desire to go forth and make music in the park (l05 to 115 degrees F. is really just a bit TOO hot) so the Quest more or less lay wilted by the roadside and by the time the weather cooled to reasonable temperatures... we were busy with preparations to move to the Oregon coast as soon as possible ... which turned out to be Spring 2003. SO ! In March 2003, I declared my intent to try to earn the Title of Millenium Harper of Bikeways and RV Parks between Tucson AZ and Seal Rock OR.
1. London Bridge RV Park, Lake Havasu City, AZ. My sister and her husband met us there for a two day visit, and I played for them the few songs I had committed to memory at that point. In early April, the park was virtually deserted, since most of the "Snowbirds" have gone home to more comfortable climates by the end of March at the latest. (Temps are 80-90 F. by that time in southern AZ) The rest of the trip, all the way through California and southern Oregon, we experienced VERY heavy winds and playing outdoors in campgrounds was not too inviting a prospect. ... not to mention being TIRED !!! So, the next place I played was at our destination, Seal Rock, OR.
2. Seal Rock RV Cove, Seal Rock, OR. I first played near the entrance of the park, so my husband could take a picture and include the wonderful view we got to look at all summer ! People wandered by, but no one stopped. I played a couple of tunes but was still getting used to the idea of playing in public (not that I'd never played in public before, but *that* was guitar and I played it a lot better than I currently play harp!)
3. During the 5 months of our work-contract at the park, ("Workamper-job" office/grounds duties in exchange for free RV site/utilities for the season)...I would always take my harp to the office on my "office duty days" and play whenever I wasn't registering guests or other office duties. During three of the five months, I got to do a LOT of practice time and learned a lot of new tunes... July and August were VERY busy, and some days I didn't get to touch the strings although I always took the harp out of the case, and lay her on the shelf behind me for easy access and/or to attract interest and questions about the clarsach... I don't think my husband got any pictures of me playing in the office, although he DID take some whilst I was playing during our weekly visit to the laundromat. I considered changing my title quest to Millenium Harper of the Laundromat..... however, it *was* the same laundromat every week, and even though the "audience" changed weekly, I figured that was "cheating" a bit... ;-) I DID spark some interest in one lady who wanted more harp information, so I supplied her with websites and book titles, and who knows, maybe started her on the Harp Path. ?
4. The night of the Summer Solstice, we lighted a bonfire at our campsite, and I played my harp... The following morning several people from nearby campsites asked if I had been the person that they heard playing that "interesting sounding" instrument and what was it?
At the end of September, we moved from Seal Rock to a small town 35 miles northward on the coast, Lincoln City, where my husband would be driving school bus. We now have our small motorhome/RV parked in a small RV Park, 1/2 block from the beach. I have already selected three or four excellent spots in this well-tourist-visited area, to continue my quest just as soon as the rains stop ! On this day, January 16, 2004 we are seeing sunshine for the first day in over a week and THAT day was the only one for over a week....It has rained almost constantly since just about Christmas (The Solstice was a beautiful day and about the last one for the winter season ! ;-/ oh well. The rain is expected to resume tomorrow.
The tandem is "garaged" for the winter.... it's just too wet and windy... so we're afoot until March or April.... and then The Quest resumes ! Stay tuned. ;-)
Sheilia Scott