Mrs. Galvin's Set, Tiffany Creek Preserve, 11/27/24

SEE BUTTON FOR THE YOUTUBE VIDEO BELOW

THE PLACE

The Tiffany Creek Preserve is one of several areas stewarded by Long Island, New York’s North Shore Land Alliance. CLICK HERE for more information about the North Shore Land Alliance. Pictured below are moments from the YouTube video linked at the bottom of the page.

It had rained the day before, and walking through the preserve, I could smell the damp earth. The smell brought back vivid memories of digging in the dirt as a child, a million years ago and a million miles away. The autumn leaf-drop was well underway, and thick canopies of golden leaves still fluttered overhead in the breeze. Gusts of wind reared up periodically; then packets of leaves floated down from the tree branches, floating and turning like butterflies until they became part of the forest floor. I looked up and thought about the lives those leaves had led, having grown up in the spring to thrive in the summer. Then as the autumn temperatures dropped, they turned all manners of yellow and brown and gold. Finally there would come a moment for each one of them when they would let go and drift downward in the chill air to become part of the soil, and the way it smells after a rain, and memories.

THE LENS

I’m not a professional videographer. I’m learning photography, videography, and audio recording as I go. It’s a proper kick in the pants though, one of those examples we encounter in life that comprises a combination of difficulty and fascination.

The availability of economically priced capture and editing gear makes this hobby commonly accessible at even the highest levels. This has been the case for at least two decades. Increased accessibility additionally has grown the community of content creators worldwide exponentially. That’s a boon for folks such as me. Learning resources have proliferated along with fellow content creators, many of whom are producing art that educates and inspires.

One such creator is the producer of the YouTube channel, Walking, with Genny. The channel contains videos featuring compelling long walking footage from locations around New York’s Long Island. I continue to learn from Walking, with Genny’s catalogue, which combines immersive well-composed video footage with natural ambient sound and musical soundtracks. Check out one of the channel’s recent videos HERE, and please join me in wishing Walking, with Genny continued prosperity.

THE MUSIC

I played two Irish jigs on fiddle and bodhrán for the soundtrack to the video linked below. The jigs are Mrs. Galvin’s in G, and The Wandering Minstrel in D. If you’re a melody-instrument player, please find example sheet music, courtesy of thesession.org, for Mrs. Galvin’s HERE and The Wandering Minstrel HERE.

I learned about these tunes watching a video on Facebook of the tunes being played by the outstanding fiddle player Blake May. Please find a link HERE to Blake’s video posted on the Fiddle For Life Facebook page. Blake is a highly accomplished musician who does wonders to encourage developing players such as myself to keep developing.

These tunes at the tempo I recorded them took me out to the frayed leading edge of my ability. As ever with recordings, my goal is to document for purposes of self-assessment and analysis the state of my playing at the time of recording. I’ll revisit these tunes periodically in the coming years (knock on wood) to see if my playing can catch up with the notes. Maintaining groove and expressing ornamentation at quicker tempos are two brass rings for melody players in any rhythm-heavy style. My work continues.

THE GLASS

Brewery repairs finally are complete. After a failure in the main circulation pump on the hot side of the brewery, I was able to find a wet-end March pump replacement at morebeer.com. Here’s a LINK to the product I used. I probably could’ve gotten away just with replacing the impeller blades or the pump head, but I wasn’t sure how much damage was done to the assembly when the old impeller blades disintegrated (see photo below), so I decided to replace the whole unit, which still was less expensive than replacing the entire pump. Thanks to the fine folks at morebeer.com for offering modular options. (Disclosure: This is an unpaid endorsement. I’ve been a morebeer.com customer for more than a decade, and I’ve simply always been pleased with their products and service.)

Above: The failed pump prior to removal.

Above: Only two of the original six impeller blades were intact when I opened the impeller assembly. A pump is a machine, and machines break. It had served me well for many years.

Above: Plumbing tract removed, and held aloft victoriously.

Above: Re-feeding and re-attaching the pump power supply to the wiring harness, pictured below.

Above: The pump with new polysulphone wet-head assembly installed. This wet-head assembly is advertised as a “high-flow” upgrade to the original assembly. It fit perfectly onto the original (2015) pump motor, and it worked flawlessly during a test CIP loop with water heated to close-to-typical mash temperature.

Next step is to plan the first post-replacement mash. I always start a new brewing cycle with an Irish Red Ale. I reckon this new evolution will adhere to Hornpipe Brewery tradition.