Since the 12th Century, Saint David (Dewi Sant) has been celebrated as the Patron Saint of Wales. Today the celebrations usually involve the singing of traditional songs followed by a Te Bach, a tea with bara brith (famous welsh fruited bread) and teisen bach (welsh cake). Young girls are encouraged to wear the national costume and leeks or daffodils, the national symbols of Wales, are worn.

St David descended from royalty. As a missionary, he travelled throughout Wales and Britain and even made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem where he was consecrated bishop. He founded 12 monasteries including Glastonbury and one at Minevia (St. Davids) which he made his bishops seat. The monastery he founded at Menevia in Southwestern Wales was noted for extreme asceticism. David and his monks drank neither wine nor beer – only water – while putting in a full day of heavy manual labor and intense study.

Monastery life was very strict, the brothers having to work very hard, cultivating the land and pulling the plough. Many crafts were followed – beekeeping, in particular, was very important. The monks had to keep themselves fed as well as provide food and lodging for travellers. They also looked after the poor.

St David died on 1 March 589 A.D., at Minevia, allegedly over 100 years old. His remains were buried in a shrine in the 6th century cathedral which was ransacked in the 11th century by Viking invaders, who plundered the site and murdered two Welsh bishops.

In 1120, Pope Callactus II canonised David as a Saint. Following this he was declared Patron Saint of Wales.

Source: St David – Patron Saint of Wales — by Ben Johnson, Catholic Online

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Celtic Jewelry from David Morgan — Celtic bracelets, earrings, pendants, Celtic rings and more : from David Morgan

With Valentine’s Day approaching, David Morgan has you covered. We have a wide selection of heart-shaped jewelry. Whether you want silver, bronze or even something totally unique, you can find it here.

The Hummingbird Heart bronze jewelry is made by Cavin Richie. Cavin Richie grew up in Colorado surrounded by the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains. He moved to Washington State in 1970 and has lived near the sea ever since. Cavin’s designs are a reflection of his surroundings. His line includes birds, mammals and amphibians, all accurately detailed. For the past thirty years he has carved with shed elk antler and woolly mammoth ivory. These carvings became the basis for his lost wax casting jewelry.

“Carving,” says Cavin “is like touching antiquity. I feel a kinship with a long lineage of carvers dating back to the Pleistocene.”

Heathergems are handmade from the stems of heather, a common Scottish plant renowned for its purple bloom. The heather used is too old to provide any nutrition for wildlife and is pulled in a manner which promotes the growth of new heather.

The stems are dried, shotblasted to remove the bark and dyed various colors using natural dyes. Stems of different colors are then mixed together and compressed into a block. Eighty tons of pressure is required to press the block of stems together. The block is then cut into slices and individual pieces are cut, shaped and filed by skilled craftworkers before being lacquered to give the final finish. The Heathergem jewelry we offer are set into sterling silver fittings. Each piece comes gift boxed, with a card explaining the process used to create Heathergems.

We are happy to announce that our David Morgan store is now open on Saturdays through Christmas Eve. Our hours are 9 to 5. For many people, weekends are the only free time to go shopping, so stop by and have a look around. As we are in an office park, there is no problem with parking. We have an impressive selection of jewelry and hats. Shopping for a hat is much better when you have an opportunity to try on several sizes.

As an added bonus, we are situated along North Creek, with several miles of hiking. You can make it a day of shopping and hiking.

We have four additional jewelry items by BOMA. Both the Orca and the Raven Clamshell pendants are designed by Bill Helin and the two Octopus pieces are designed by Andrew Williams.

Bill Helin is a Tsimshian native artist and enjoys a very rewarding career as a creative gold engraver, painter, woodcarver, and book illustrator. His ancestry is from the Gits’iis tribe in the village of Lax Kw’alaams, British Columbia.

The Raven Clamshell Pendant shows Raven perched on a clamshell with humanity inside.

The Orca Pendant depicts a legendary aquatic animal. Orcas, or Killer Whales, are a common motif in the art of the Northwest Coast peoples.

Born in 1964 in Haida Gwaii, Andrew Williams is a carver and graphic designer. He is part of the Raven clan in the Old Masset on Haida Gwaii. His work is a blend of traditional and contemporary art and shows his passion for his Haida Ancestry and the “old stories”.

The Octopus Pendant and The Octopus Bracelet is inspired by an animal considered auspicious and a symbol of great wealth among the Northwest Coast peoples.

Our popular Trucker Suspenders, which we have sold for many decades, are now available with leather ends. These suspenders are popular for anyone who doesn’t like the feeling of fasteners in the back. If you find yourself sitting for long periods of time, these suspenders might be right for you. The suspenders fasten in the front and wrap around at the upper back, leaving your belt line free from discomfort. We’ve also added several colors. Our line-up includes Red, Black, Green, Tan, Navy and Gray. Made by Welch Suspenders, in Hillsboro, Oregon, USA.

Trucker Suspenders, Leather Ends (davidmorgan.com)

Why do you need a brim brush?

If you wear a hat, you’ll find that over time, the fur felt will attract dust and dirt from general wear. This will make your hat look dingy. The dirt and dust will get into the nap of the hat and give it a flat look.

Continuous use of a brim brush will work to keep the felt clean. It will also lift the nap to give it a brighter look. It’s important to use a brush with stiff bristles. However, too tough of a brush will cause abrasion. We recommend a horsehair brush that is stiff enough to lift the nap.

When brushing a hat, brush in a counter-clockwise direction. That will lift the nap while removing the dirt. People often rest it on their thigh, opposite of the hand with the brush. Work on the crown, then on the brim. Don’t forget to turn the hat over and brush the underside of the brim.

A good brush should be found in any hat store. Ours are available here.

We’ve carried a couple of Conner Hats over the years, and working with them has been a pleasure. Headed by Will Conner, it is a continuation of the legacy of his father Bill’s business, BC Hats.

Will’s travels as a young man gave him an appreciation for how humans affect the world. Will makes it company policy to tread lightly and consider the wider outcome of business decisions. “I believe we can make a positive change,” Will says. “Thoughtful actions can improve the health of business while reducing negative impact on cultures and ecosystems alike. Our goal is to promote long-term thinking and to really consider future generations with every product we create and every decision we make as a brand.”

The wool used in Conner Hats is cruelty free. Recycled and organic materials are used wherever possible. both in the hats and in the packaging. We carried BC Hats for many years, up until Bill’s retirement during the pandemic, and are now pleased to offer these Conner Hats.

Because of our success with Conner Hats, we’ve decided to add a few more to our selection.

With spring officially here, many of us are getting out to enjoy the outdoors. Even in places where there is still snow, the temperature is rising and there are more warmer days than there are cold days. So if you happen to be out, we have a few items you might be interested in.

This crushable hat by Conner Hats is made from a weathered fabric of cotton and polyester, giving the hat a leather-like look and feel, as well as making it water resistant. It also floats. The brim is bound. A cotton stampede string wraps through two grommeted holes in the brim and adjusts with a toggle. Large screened and grommeted air vents in the crown provide ventilation.

This is an all-season Merino wool hiking sock, and a reliable general purpose sock. It is a technical sock, fully designed to keep your feet comfortable – the right yarn in the right place, with the right knit. The sock is 74% Superwash Merino wool, 20% nylon and 6% spandex. The inside of the sock is 100% soft long-staple Merino wool, the very best for comfort.

Bears dislike surprises. Let this bear bell give notice that you’re in the neighborhood. The fabric band is printed with Bill Helin’s Bear design and has one attached metal bell. A Velcro tab allows for easy fastening around your wrist or belt. There is also a ⅞ inch loop at the end for easy attachment to a pack.

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J.B.Field’s Socks

Although it’s early March, we’re already seeing an uptick in sales for our Panama hats. Most of our sales are coming from the Southern US, but we’ve got customers from all over the country. A straw hat is perfect for spring and summer weather.

Our straw hats are made with toquilla fiber, which has always been the traditional straw for making these hats. Toquilla fiber can be woven into varying densities. The denser the weave, the more flexible the hat. Our hats are in the intermediate range and can not be rolled. These panamas are also treated with a teflon coating that will make them water resistant. If you wear them in the rain, however, you can ruin your hat, so get out of the rain as soon as possible! The hats come with a cotton sweatband.

If you prefer to have a leather sweatband, you could try one of our Akubra hemp hats. The fiber is stiffer and the are a little heavier than our Panamas. They also have the advantage of fitted sizes.

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David Morgan Straw Hats 

Giovanni Celeste, a whip enthusiast from Italy, has created this remarkable video on David Morgan and the Indy Whip.  We hope you enjoy it.