Tap

Standing, I turn the tap

And the river runs through me

Bathing my fingers in cool serenity

I recall sitting sublime on our riverside
Talking in the balm of a breathless July evening
Fingers trailing

Dusk’s midges rose from the almost still water
Fluid black clouds
Threatened pin prick bites

You laughed as creeping cigarette smoke
Hastened their retreat to munching bovines
Lethargic in summer’s lolling haze

Led inevitably into cool darkness
The conversation drifted, meandered, echoed our companion
Yearning for an ocean to wash our souls clean

The shooting star distracted us
Its death igniting a different passion
That waned too with the fading moon

I recall my digits, invisible in the darkening murk
Of night hidden river
Slowly numbing in the chill water

Shocked, I turn the tap clockwise
Ceasing the flow
Enough is enough

Lizbeth

Lughnasadh/Lammas/FirstFruits/Brón Trogain

Hi all

Just days now until the celebration of the new harvest, this is a time for gathering and collecting the fruits of our labours, a time for sharing the work and the harvest with others, a time for seeing and planning for what is ahead. Not always easy to achieve I know, the way is often shrouded. This painting is called "At MistRise The Way Appears" and expresses this challenge for me.

Lugh is the Celtic deity of the Arts and of Science and he decreed that a feast should be held at first fruits time to honour his foster mother Tailtui, a royal lady of the Fir Bolg who died of exhaustion trying to clear a forest for planting grain when ordered to do so when defeated by the Tuatha De Dannan. The feast celebrated the harvest and Tailtui's life and games and contests of skills took place. It may be that the Olympic games themselves were started to commemorate fallen heroes and comrades of battles, offering a portion of the harvest to the gods is commonplace in many religions throughout the world, we all give thanks and honour to nature's bounty which sustains us all, on many differing levels. This idea of sacrifice is clear in the Wicker Man, Green Man, Corn Man concepts, the sacrifice to ensure more in the coming next year, this "death" acknowledges the coming of the winter months, but we don't want to dwell on that overmuch just yet, there are many summer days ahead, days for gathering in, for storing and for creating!

I love to try new art forms so here is a small batik with fire, sorry the images have not been tidied up in photoshop -on the wrong computer! Unusually for me, this is untitled as yet, suggestions would be very welcome!

Let us know how you celebrate, I can't wait, lovely friends are joining us for home made pizza (our Celtic 21st century version of bread) and we will have fire, drink and joy!

Summery hugs with love and light

Lindsey

alentejo solstice

Mothers and Children

I was tasked to produce a pot after Henry Moore's theme, Mother and Child, this is my take, two mothers, two children with a lovely creamy vellum glaze.
Love and light to you all
Lindsey