If you are a dreamer, come in. If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hoper, a prayer, a magic bean-buyer. If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire, for we have some flax-golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in! ~ Shel Silverstein

Hello and welcome! My name is Ciarrai and this, as you may have guessed, is my website. Please come in and have a look around. This site as an expression of my life, what I do, what I love, what interests and inspires me. And while I created it mainly for my own amusement and for the enjoyment of my friends and family, I hope that you enjoy your visit here and that, as you browse through the site, you find something that interests and inspires you too.

9/5/08 - Posted pictures from my latest trip to the Bayard Cutting Arboretum and updated the Upcoming Events page.

9/2/08 - Added a new LJ post about my visit to the Sweetbriar Nature Center's Butterfly House with Kourtney and posted photos from the trip to my photo gallery.

9/1/08 - After a busy Labor Day weekend, I have added a lot of photos to my gallery, including: Exploring Stony Brook Village with Kourtney, Visiting the Aquarium with Kourtney, Katrina and Nikki, Kourtney's Birthday / Christa's Graduation Party, and a trip to the Shinnecock PowWow. I also posted a LJ entry about it all. Lastly, I updated the Upcoming Events page.

8/25/08 - I am in the process of completely reorganizing my Flickr gallery but I have also added a TON of new pictures including: Mom's 50th Birthday Party, Katrina's Visit to Maplecrest Dr, some lovely pictures taken in Mom's garden, some shots of my folks on their Harley Davidson Motorcycles and a trip to the Bayard Cutting Arboretum

Added new LJ post about my day at the Arboretum.

Revamped Events & Places to Go page, replacing Parks, Gardens and Scenic Places section with Photo Trips section. Added schedule of upcoming events and photo trips

8/12/08 - Posted new LJ entry about my latest jewelry making projects, and posted pictures of the new pieces on my photo gallery, including: Autism Awareness Necklace, Sodalite Nugget Necklace, Pink Pearl and Crystal Necklace, Obsidian Earrings and Necklace, and Orthoceras Necklace

8/4/08 - Posted new LJ entry: Photo Trip - Old Time Base Ball at the Old Bethpage Restoration Village. Also posted new photos to the gallery from that trip.

7/30/08 - Posted new LJ entries: Church Stuff and Photos and my latest, semi-regular update. New pictures have been added to my photo gallery: Pictures from the Furnace - True North Community Church's 24-7 Week of Prayer, Pictures of Michele's B-Day Necklace, and Pictures from the Janis Ian concert.

Right now, there is nothing in terms of a logo or header on this page. But eventually, (as soon as I can find an artist to complete the design) I will be posting a graphic in the left hand, top corner. It will be personalized version of the traditional Irish Claddagh which I like to call the Ciarrai Claddagh. Like all Claddaghs, the Ciarrai Claddagh features two hands clasping a crowned heart. These elements said to represent love (the heart), friendship (the hands), and loyalty (the crown). The Celtic knot-work that forms the arc and the trim on the hands and crown reflect the Claddagh's Irish origins and my own Irish heritage. Because of the symbolism involved, the Claddagh is often used as a ring, particularly engagement or wedding rings. The Ciarrai Claddagh is no different, but instead of a solid band or some Celtic knot-work forming the curves of the ring, the Ciarrai Claddagh features two sprays of flowers, most notably Lily of the Valley and Lavender. These flowers were chosen because they are my favorite flowers and because of their symbolism. Lily of the Valley, in addition to being the official flower of May (my birth month), is said to represent "Sweetness" and a "Return to Happiness," while Lavender symbolizes "Devotion." Together, these elements reflect the best of my life, both as it is and as I hope it will be.