Tuesday, 28 February 2023

Inspiration and Idols

Well February was a bit of a month! 

It started off with a powerful Imbolc experience with some of my beautiful SiStars, joining in with an online journey dedicated to Brigid with the lovely Tara Wild, I even dug out my old Goddessing Notebook from my days studying in Glastonbury. It was lovely to explore new perspectives and ideas, always good for the soul! As per usual I found a strong connection with my Ancestors and felt the comfort of voices whispering from the past.


An Imbolc Journey

Just a week later, I was absolutely thrilled to be attending a reception and afternoon tea at no less than the House of Lords (and Ladies) to mark 10 years of Street Link in connection with my work. A very auspicious day as Volodymyr Zelensky was visiting too! 

Look Where I am!

Prior to the reception, I took myself off to Westminster Abbey and spent a fabulous couple of hours being a proper tourist, even managing to find a cheeky Greenman carved into the door of The St John The Baptist Chapel! Finding these little reminders of our pagan and folklore loving past mixed in with the changing face of belief over the years always makes me smile. I can almost imagine the carpenter grinning as he crafted a little nod to the old ways.

A Nod to the Old Ways

Whilst I  was up there, I also made a point of going to see the Statue of Boudicca on Westminster Bridge. I always picture her Red flaming hair wildly flowing a bit like Brigid! according to Dio Cassius, the Roman Historian she was "tall and terrible, with a great mass of red hair to her hips.." I love her! I too am tall and terrible!  Hair shorter than it once was, but growing back.. I remember wanting to be Boudicca or Boadicia as we called her then when we were kids and the boys wanted to be Robin Hood, or Cowboys and Indians or whatever it was we were playing, strange child I was.

An Iconic Heroine

Of course whilst I was up at Parliament Square, I had  to take a moment to pause and admire the statue of Millicent Fawcett, the leader of the National Union Of Women's Suffrage Societies, another of my Heroines and one of my Great Nan Ellen's too, she was a member of NUWSS at a time when many husbands and fathers would be less than supportive of their Wives or Daughters, or even Mother's being involved, especially when they were a respectable pillar of the community like my Great Grandad, luckily he was a wise and forward thinking man.


First Ever Statue of Woman In Parliament Square

To quote Millicent herself "Courage calls to courage everywhere, and it's voice cannot be denied.." Could have been said by Boudicca too. Strong women.

I certainly filled my cup up with inspirational and wild women, which is pretty handy as the month took a turn for the worse. Less of a turn, more of a slip, trip and fall, a horrendous cracking sound which saw my ankle going a different way to my knee... it's dangerous stuff putting cat food away!

OUCH!!

Queue more heroes and legends, our fabulous NHS, including one of my best friends Tracy who is a nurse, full of sympathy. compassion and "WTF have you done now you silly moo?!" So one right ankle with 2 fractures later, with himself away Trucking his way up to Scotland, here I am at nearly 52, being loved, looked after and cosseted by my wonderful Mum and Dad again, in my childhood bedroom, having to do as I'm told by Nurse Mum and learning another lesson in patience. Could have been worse, and here I am, spending more precious time with them.   

   Have Blessed Week x x 













Tuesday, 31 January 2023

A Busy New Year

A Frosty Walk To Work...

So how's your New Year been ? 
We've had all sorts happening here! There was a random heavy snow shower before Yule, but only frost so far, we'll have to wait and see what The Callieach brings over the next couple of days!

Already this month I've been to a very wet and muddy Wassail, which was happily located at a local brewery, I mean beer and musket fire what could possibly go wrong? Luckily we are all still present and correct...

Sadly a friend of mine passed through the Veil just before Yule and I had the privilege of conducting his Memorial service at a local chapel, hidden in the Kent Downs. It was sad and moving, but there was laughter too.
Afterwards, I had a walk round their new barrow interment site and I think I've found my final forever home....

Holly Barrow

I've also managed to have a cheeky stroll along the beach with himself on a very cold day, red nosed and with tingling fingers we marvelled at the big deceptively blue skies, felt shells crunching beneath our feet as we walked off a big fat roast dinner, listening to the waves crash, as the sun went down, always so cathartic, it brushed those final vestiges of the cobwebs of 2022 from my brain!

Blowing The Cobwebs Away

This weekend our local Pagan group met for a walk and an early Imbolc ritual at Mote Park, our local park in the heart of the town, over 450 acres of parkland, woods, wild areas and a lake, perfect for self respecting Pagans to melt like ninjas into the undergrowth for a covert ceremony... 
Apart form the fact that our merry band came complete with 3 bunnies, yes seriously! Well it has just been The Chinese Year of The Rabbit! 
We got even more odd looks than normal, and that's saying something....

Beautiful Willow Moon

After making lots of children's days with bunny cuddles, we sauntered off undeterred and found a magnificent Oak Tree to gather round, calling in the quarters, giving offerings of oats and milk to Brighid, listening to poems and even some singing, which whilst tuneful probably scared a few dog walkers!
All in all, a busy but fabulous start to the year.

Have a Blessed Week x x 






Rowan Rambles

Some of you may have seen my little video last week, well it carried on as a bit of a theme,  as these things tend to do  so this blog is br...