What a great idea!! I can't play but I will love watching. Count me in!!

put it on facebook so all the guys can see, although I am sure they will already know, knowing what the grapevine is like in TB! lol

Oh gig spinning! Memories of my childhood.

Where can one get marbles to buy these days?

Apparently there are a few shops in Southfields where children have bought marbles lately. Ebanks was one of them.

Thank you Kazie. I enjoyed playing with them as a child. Now I just enjoy them for their artistic beauty.

Don't forget where to go tomorrow...............take a trip to Guilty's Black White Corner Shop in Great Bay...........enjoy.

I can't wait!! I see lots of folks practicing.

I spent a lovely afternoon at the tournament. There wasn't any official competition but lots of marbles were being played and the gigging was amazing.

I loved the music selection which was conscious of the family environment. And the food smelled soooo good.

Of course, I am the usual early bird and I left before the live band started but I am sure they pleased the crowd.

Unfortunately, my camera malfunctioned after just getting a few photos. You can view them here or by the link in the Photo Gallery.

Thanks so much Guilty for a nice family event and I hope it becomes a yearly (if not more often) tradition.

What was a real treat for me today was the education Robert gave me about gig spinning. In my 20+ years of living here this was my first gig spinning lesson.

Robert told me he made his gig 18 years ago. He chopped out a piece of lignum vitae wood with his machete. Then took glass from a broken bottle to shape this wood into a gig. He explained that you have to make sure to get the nail in the gig exactly straight and make sure it is very secure because if that is not done right the balance will be off. Then you have to file the end of the nail down until you get it just right. He showed me the grooves placed on the top of the gig for where the string goes while you are winding the rest of the string around the base of the gig.

Robert demonstrates this with speed and ease and I am thinking how slowly I would have to wind the string to get it like that and I would probably drop it a few times. Then Robert spins the gig, bounces it off the ground, effortlessly catches it in the palm of his hand, pulls out his shirt and places it in the shirt all while the gig is spinning and spinning. Unbelievable!!



I most definitely want to get another demonstration from Robert when my camera is working properly so I can take a video of this. I would also love to see more gig spinning happening in Treasure Beach.

I can't help but think about all the "store bought" toys children play with nowadays. I wish I had asked Robert how long it took to make his gig and get it just right, then how much practice it must have taken to get so good at it. What I am sure of is the satisfaction one must have when they have made and then mastered their gig has got to be more satisfying than mastering a store bought toy or a video game. Just saying . . .