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.

11/1/08 - Posted photos from: a Photoshoot with Katherine, Halloween with the Nieces and Nephews, my trip to the Sweetbriar Nature Center with the Suffolk County Long Island Photography Meet Up Group, a quick visit to the Stony Brook Grist Mill and Stony Brook Harbor, and misc. shots of fall foliage.

10/21/08 - Posted photos from Rob and my trip to the MD Renaissance Faire and from the Yarn Harlot book signing event that we attended a week or so ago. Updated the Upcoming Events Page and the Previous Photo Trip and Events page

9/29/08 - Posted two entries to LJ: a general state of the union and a post about our visit to the Long Island Apple Festival. Posted photos from the Long Island Apple Festival and from our trip to West Meadow Beach. Updated the Upcoming Events page and the Previous Events page

9/20/08 - Posted photos from the Kite Festival at the LI Maritime Museum and a LJ post about the Festival and the True North Community Church BBQ. Added new event to Upcoming Events page.

9/15/08 - Updated the Upcoming Events page and added a Previous Photo Trips and Events page.

9/13/08 - Posted photos and a LJ post about my day at the Sands Point Preserve Medieval Festival.

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.