Jane Austen & Enchanting Well Dressing

 

The Mr and I took ourselves off to a local village a few weeks ago to take a look at their well dressing offerings. Well dressings have a history deeply rooted in the tradition of honouring water sources and their natural world. Originally a pagan ritual and in my opinion it still is a pagan offering to the water gods. Large scale pictures entirely made of nature's bounty, what's not to like? 

I think the Jane Austen  well dressing is the best I have ever seen, absolutely wonderful in it's detail.

These particular dressings were in the village of Eyam, which is known nationally as a plague village. It is a well known story of the villagers cutting themselves off from contact with other folk during the worst of the bubonic plague, to halt the spread of the terrible disease. Very noble people. The village is considered almost as a 'museum' village with lots of interesting stories about the individuals who lived there at the time. It's no wonder they keep the well dressing tradition going.

Blessings On The Autumn Equinox

 

Wendy Andrews. Find her at paintingdreams.co.uk

Blessings to you all my lovely blogging chums. Tis the Autumn Equinox and I don't know about you but I'm still madly harvesting and drying all manner of plants and fruits. It has been an abundant time has it not? And oh my the log burner has been on. I love the log burner it most definitely stirs something in me.

Strangely though today I feel a bit discombobulated and I wonder if it is the Equinox effect? Tomorrow will bring the answer.

Bathing In The Past

 

1928-1930 Walter Hege

Look at this wonderful image, a close up of one of the Caryatids on the Acropolis from behind, as she gazes over Athens. 

I have been to Athens twice. The first time when I was a mere babe of 18 years. And oh my what a strange and wondrous place to my fresh eyes. The look of it, the 'strange' and enchanting language, the feel of the ancient history and it's intoxicating mystery. The people, the food, the culture, you can tell I could go on and on.

Seeing this image made me sad in a way, to think such times can never be captured again. At the time I went folk were able to walk across and sit on the Acropolis site, totally immersed, really feeling the sense of  place. I hear you saying, not such a good idea and I reluctantly agree. 

All around the base of the site were lots of small family run Tavernas selling really delicious home made Greek food. You could sit in the warmth of the evening looking up at the magnificent ruins which were lit up at night. Totally enchanting. Almost other worldly.

A few years later I went to a small Greek island, via Piraeus, it felt like a huge adventure into the unknown. I stayed in a makeshift hotel room, ate breakfast down by the water's edge cooked by one of the fisherman and lunched at the only Taverna on the length of the beach. I googled the self same beach and it is now covered every which way by large hotels. Brash and ugly.

I do know time has moved on. With all the millions of people in the world it is inevitable. BUT I just want to say I don't like it !

I find myself increasingly looking back to different times, different values and more unique and real experiences. Where making huge amounts of money was not always the MOST important thing. I suppose it's an age thing?

I think that's why I'm a teeny bit obsessed with The Beatles at the moment. Especially George Harrison, this dear reader you know. 

In a strange way I miss them. Well who they were back in the day at any rate.

 Yes they made huge amounts of money but mostly they lived their lives true to themselves. When images of George Harrison pop up on my feed, he is always modestly dressed, (especially when he was gardening). And he spoke his truth, regardless of what pressure he was under. 

I think I've started to ramble now, but you get the gist of what I'm saying. 

I'm bathing in the past not wallowing.