First, an announcement…I'm a mother again! I adopted a second guinea pig almost three weeks ago. His name is Patrick, and he is welcomed by his big pig brother, Brendan. After the initial bath and cage cleaning, the two are getting along famously–unless Patrick decides to be the annoying little brother and bother Brendan. Just like human sibs, yeah? 😉

So…summer has unofficially started. Memorial Day is the start of "tourism summer." June 1 is the start of Meteorological Summer, and June 21 or thereabouts is the Summer Solstice. However, my summer started as "tourism summer" began.

I'll be busy this summer–I usually am. I like being busy, having things to look forward to. Some of it is band stuff–parades, competitions, and, this summer, Honor Flight (www.starsandstripeshonorflight.org/). This Saturday is both a competition, at the Milwaukee Highland Games, and an Honor Flight welcome-home celebration at the airport. It will be a long day, but well worth the time.

Summer also means festivals in Milwaukee. There are quite a few ethnic festivals–Greek Fest, Polish Fest, German Fest, Irish Fest (the biggest one), Indian Summer, African World Fest, Arab World Festival, Scandinavian Fest, etc. Also, there are many church festivals–every Catholic parish has one. There have already been several in May (St. Florian's down the road has already had theirs). Neighborhoods have block parties. County parks have concerts once a week or so. And then there's the grandmama of them all–Summerfest. Eleven days of local, national and international acts. Huge acts usually end up in the Marcus Amphitheater–like the Beach Boys, Kelly Clarkson, Lady Antebellum, Train, Foo Fighters, Aerosmith and Cheap Trick, etc. Other acts play on smaller stages that still draw the crowds. I usually try to make it to one day or evening. Last year I went twice–once to see Loretta Lynn (my birthday present to myself) and once to see the Dropkick Murphys. This year our plan is to go the night that the Red Hot Chilli Pipers are playing. They're a group of world-class bagpipers and drummers who play what is termed "bagrock"–think of tunes like "We Will Rock You," "Clocks" and "Chasing Cars" played on bagpipes, along with some traditional bagpipe favorites (Mason's Apron, Clumsy Lover, Flower of Scotland, Auld Lang Syne, etc). They have played at Irish Fest the last three years, and this year got pipped by Summerfest. They'll bring a lot of fans with them.

Irish Fest is required–both of my pipe bands play during the weekend. However, the music is always top-notch as well. This year's lineup includes Enter the Haggis, The Fuchsia Band, and a huge showcase of Appalachian bluegrass, which has its origins in Irish and Scottish music. I love bluegrass music so this should be a lot of fun. I'm also hoping to see the High Kings, Skerryvore, Gaelic Storm (whom I've never actually seen in concert even though they come to Irish Fest every year), Del McCoury, and hopefully Seamus Kennedy, who is Irish music's answer to Weird Al Yankovic.

There are other things to be done this summer. I'm going to Canada in July with some friends to participate in a Celtic festival at Fort William Historical Park in Thunder Bay. My husband and I always go to Bristol Renaissance Faire every year. We'd like to go to a Brewers game (we live a mile from the stadium and have yet to get to a game in four years!). We've talked about going to Green Bay to see Lambeau Field and the Packer Hall of Fame. I'd like to go see my parents a couple of times. And so on.

Summer ends with our other band competition at the Wisconsin Highland Games in September, over Labor Day weekend.

I am looking forward to summer. May it be a happy and joyful one for everyone!