sarahillis's blog

Sara Hillis here to let you know that I'm live right after Mushroomstock on Sunday at 8:00 PM Eastern with another episode of Come by the Hills! This week, I've got a tribute to Nova Scotia and its musicians. We've all been shocked by the tragic and senseless events which took place in that province over last weekend, so I thought I'd do a little something to pay tribute to its people and the music that many of them create.

Hello again! Sara Hillis here to tell you that if you missed the tribute to John Prine last week on Come by the Hills, you have a chance to hear it again this Sunday. This is partly because my weekend is rather taken up with other things, but also because I forgot to do the thing that makes the replay play this morning. So, in order for the Friday folkies to hear last Sunday's Celtic show, I'm going to play it again this Sunday, also giving anyone else a chance to hear our tribute to John Prine again if they missed any or all of it.

Hi there. Sara Hillis here with a heads-up regarding Sara Smiles. Today's show will be going ahead as scheduled, but I've decided to take a day off for tomorrow, as that is Holy (Good) Friday according to the Orthodox Christian calendar. You'll still get the replay of Come by the Hills, but after today's Sara Smiles, I'll be off till Monday. You'll be in great hands with the Mushroom Pot of course, and my conscience will be eased. I think it's really important to do what I can to observe Holy Friday as best as I can even if I cannot be in church to do it.

Steve Cutway and I are apparently on the same wavelength, but I think that's true for many music lovers around the world. When we heard the sad news of the illness, and then the death. of singer and songwriter extraordinaire John Prine due to Covid-19, we were all in shock. he was 73 years of age.

For me, John Prine was always a name. he came up again and again at folk clubs and open mics when other people would sing his songs, and every song of his I heard, I liked. Ironically, I have only heard his own voice singing his own songs in the past few days.

It's a new month, but we're all still in a crazy situation that doesn't look like changing very soon. However, music is good for the soul on many levels, and that's as true for the one playing it as for the one hearing it. So, I've decided to do another virtual house concert on Sunday's Celtic music show. I'll also play some of our usual music of course, but much of the show will feature me and my harp. again, I think I'll just start playing and see where we end up. After all, as Lao Tsu said, "a good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving."

Hello, you fabulous folkies! Sara Hillis here to tell you about tonight's edition of Come by the Hills! Join me live at 8:00 PM Eastern for three hours of amazing Celtic and folk music, some with a springish theme! Feel free to chat as I spin the tunes, and if you have any requests, I will of course do my best to oblige!

Sara Hillis here a bit early this week to tell you about a very special episode of Come by the Hills I'm planning for this Sunday. As well as spinning the usual great Celtic and Folk tunes from my collection, I'm going to put on my musician's hat, (and a lovely hat it is too, all full of fringes and bells and such!), to play some live acoustic music for you in a virtual house concert. if it works well, it may become a regular thing. How often do you get the chance to hear live harp music in the comfort of your own home?

Sara Hillis here chiming in once again to say that at last, of all the days of the year, the day when everyone pretends to be a wee bit Irish is almost upon us! As St. patrick's Day will be on Tuesday, what else can Mushroom FM's premier Celtic music show do except celebrate it two days early with lots of lovely Irish-themed music and stories, and of course the banter! oh the banter!

Hey! Sara Hillis here on a very hectic Sunday to tell you that despite the change of much of North America to Daylight Saving Time this weekend, Come by the Hills will still go on as scheduled, though an hour earlier if you're listening in every other part of the world which has sensibly kept the Daylight change till the first Sunday in April. This March thing is just silly! I remember looking forward to that magical first Sunday in April with great anticipation! It was a simpler time, a time when the change to Daylight time really meant that Spring was well on its way!

Sara Hillis here to tell you that we've got a positively cracking Celtic show this week! We're honouring all things Welsh as the show is being aired on March 1, which is St. David's Day in Wales. We've got lots of Welsh music, and the best part is that I'll be using a braille display this week so I can read the Welsh titles and artists correctly, or well, more correctly than I can using my screen reader by itself. I've never done this before in a broadcasting situation, so join me as I break what is for me new technological ground live on air!