Severn Journey

Here's a lovely poem from Roger - a thoughtful journey.....


Thursdays are early mornings for me
I get a train at 7-58 that hurtles me into Gloucester
leaving behind the nature of the Forest of Dean
but feeding me with the pleasures
of the ever-always-changing River Severn.....


Where my eyes fail
My dreams arrive

Sparse trees making their slow way
across fields chopped flat

birds clip a xylophone of leaves

some things to remember
some things to do

Mist-cloud-fury of fading dawn
and water curling in its own danger

They threaten windmills
nothing could steal this show

Each word measures my journey
prolongs my memory

Pays back the cost of my ticket
and beckons the day closer


best to all
will send some pics


Roger



......

Samhain Approaches

If you're having trouble viewing this, please double click on the title (Samhain Approaches) then it may work! Sorry folks - some Blogger anomaly I think - it works Ok through the dashboard!

Squint your eyes and choose to see

I hope that fired you up! 

Samhain is a fortnight away and is the start of the Celtic year. 

The Wheel has turned full circle, the harvest is home and larders are well stocked, the trees are rapidly shedding leaves and drawing sap into their hearts ready for the winter's rest.

This festival is honoured in many different ways, with fire and feasts, with stories of long ago, with rituals and in "All Hallows Eve" pursuits.

It is a time for remembering departed spirits, their deeds and ways, one of the gateway between the worlds, when the veil is thin. 

A time to bring your sheep and cattle (figurative or real) down from the high summer pastures to safety for the spring or to slaughter to sustain us through the dark winter months.

Dunk your apples, feast with friends

Reflect on the year just passing and plan for the next

Light your fires and in them cast your offerings or prayers 

Share how you celebrate Samhain by sending your contributions to celticyeartwo@btinternet.com

      

Love and firelight

Lindsey

banner

Hi all

Just wanted to say big thanks to Ian for the changes he has made to our banner.

His original art work and Liz's words compliment each other so beautifully.

The words were originally as a spiral around the art and can be seen here

 

Lindsey

Nobody But Me

Here a musical contribution from Rob that's sure to get your toes tapping and your empathy engaged!

My apologies for the video but Blogger can't cope with music formats - unless any of you know differently....please..do let me know!

Yay! Thanks Rob and welcome to the Celtic Year

Lindsey

P.S. Rob lives in Japan.....

Norton Woods

Taken on his way to get the biggest and shiniest conkers he had ever seen

 in Norton Woods on the way to Clumber park from Bolsover, Derbyshire.

I love this atmospheric, beautifully lit, elegantly framed picture so much

 I'm walking through it.

Andrew, thank you  for letting me post it and welcome to the Celtic Year!

Lindsey

Abnoba and Autumn Equinox views of Lumsdale

   

Abnoba

A slip of a breeze over her dark cloak

She emerges in cool grey ripples

Green foliage skids on the pond

Mouldy squashed berries

Migrating geese rise

 Bracken spores float 

Abnoba

Arrives

Sighs

Feasting from the fruit of her forest

She dances to a harvest moon

Fly-ing over spiders’ webs

Through hedge, where rose hip twines

Lying by the brook

Under the stones

All alone

Now she

Rests

On the bank, a greedy little dog

Eyeballing the daft, dabbling ducks

The crunch of human foot steps

Concealed by the trees

Abnoba she hears

Poises to fight

But instead

                             

Turns and

Leaves

                                                                                                                  

Abnoba was the Celtic Goddess of the Black Forest itself, a mountain in the Black Forest, childbirth, and a number of rivers; the river Avon is thought to be a variation of her name

Marie

There are more glances of Lumsdale (at Imbolc) here