Time waits for no woman..

Nor man indeed. 

It's been just over two years since I last posted.

A blink it seems.

That said, that time has been filled with stuff.

Life.

Love.

Laughter. 

Tears.

Pain. 

Joy. 

Excitement.

To name a few. Naming them gives them form, substance from memories.

And, well, the future. This year isn't over yet.

Maybe I'll manage to carve a place in time to visit here, or maybe it will be two years gone before I know it.

Such is Time.

It's been a while, quite a while..where to begin? 
I'll begin at the solstice celebrations, it does'nt seem that long ago since I posted on last years.
A road trip again, back down to Glastonbury, my favorite place for Summer Solstice and a bit of a tradition now amongst my group of friends. Although I'm open to celebrating where ever I might be, there can be no doubt that the countryside around Glastonbury displays the full glory of summer Solstice on every level for me, the soft undulating curves of the landscape, the gravity defying aerodynamics of the Swifts, Swallows and Housemartins all add to the ambience-a magical one, and one that always leaves me feeling renewed-recharged.

The week spent was unexpected, I had'nt planned to go, but realised there was no reason why I should'nt. Armed with camping gear we left and the weather was glorious for most of the week. I visited the White Well for the first time in my years down there, and spent some time before the ancestor altar, which was perfectly fitting.
Time was spent reflecting, communing with and within the land and it's inhabitants, renewing intentions and dedications in the deep night.

The end to the week was also unexpected. I found my new 'all terrain' walking shoes to be slippy on steps after rain and took a fall, badly bruising my lower back and ribs.
It meant an earlier end to the week and the following five weeks off work.
I never realised back injuries could be so agonisingly painful. Still, I know now. I also know a lot more about backs in general, muscles, and my own lack of fitness!
So, the last few weeks have been about reassessing these things and finding ways of rehabilitating my back.
Physiotherapy, swimming, first attempts at Tai Chi and Pilates are underway and hopefully I'll be fitter after the injury then I was before! One can only hope. Comfrey Oil massaged morning and evening is also helping.

There is of course much more to tell about the last couple of weeks..but I'll leave that for another post...

Return of the Wanderer.

It's been a fair while since I last posted. 
The winter months well gone, and the 'alleged' early summer months are in full flow. 
I say 'alleged' as there's been so much rain even the May buds have been reluctant to burst-many of them are still hiding, waiting for the kiss of the sun.
It seems they may wait a while-though I'm hopeful that once the rain decides it's had enough the Sun will enthusiastically remind us what it's all about.
May, and all the celebrations it brings with it, is generally one of my very favorite times of the year but I have to admit feeling a bit washed out by this one.
At least some of the reservoirs might be replenished and the calls of drought subdued for a short period of time-one can but hope!


I did'nt intend to leave the blog quite so long. 
My thinking about it swung between joining a challenge to post weekly and not feeling obligated to post all the time-the latter clearly won out!
I think I'd like to be a little more balanced about it though-and so will try and make it a little more regular.


It's given me time to potter about with things on the rare dry days.

Wreath making from some bits and pieces of left over Willow that stripped and have to work on when the Sun is kind


Some bits and pieces of magical making for a friend,

And honouring friends passed,

And carrying on with my project of mapping the land I'm fortunate enough to live in.
Even my local car park has a an old Pear Tree slap bang in the middle-park at your own risk in late August or you might get a dent in your roof!
I managed to get this pic of it early April when it was in full bloom-beautiful..

So there's lot's to do, and lot's of been doing.
And I'll try and post a little more regularly perhaps, if I get chance..

Scorpio Horoscope 21st November by Rick Levine.


'The Moon's visit to your 12th House of Secrets may have you slipping back into your past in order to find the inspiration you need to handle current events. Fortunately, you're a champion at connecting with life's subtle mysteries and you're willing to dig as deep as necessary now to uncover the answers. Keep in mind that your realizations may be so complex that you cannot explain them to anyone else, anyhow. However, there's no pressure to share your discoveries until you're ready.'


Mmmm..maybe not just me then..

The Dark Half

So, after some neglect blog-wise, the wanderer returns. 
The above pic was taken a few mornings ago, from one of the few windows at work. Of the dawn sun breaking through the darkness that is now the reality going to and from work.
I feel like a mole, like I always do this time of year.
The dark of the year seeping into everything, stealthily. 
Not depressing but inevitable. 


It's been a busy few months. Assignments to be completed, work, more learning, catching up with folk not seen for a while, holidays to be had, birthdays and the odd crisis to deal with.
You know-'normal' life.


I don't find it a time of rest when the season shifts to the dark, there is a lot to be found in it, a lot going on. It's not necessarily comfortable-though I like the sloppy jumpers, stews, mist and fog, bonfires and fireworks.


I look back to look forward.
In the dark months last year I wanted to achieve lot's of things, many of which I really have, and many of which were seeds planted that will continue for many years to come.
Learning about heritage, an ever present resource-looking back for the future.
Building on relationship formed with the local land and working with it, slowly developing skills with wood.
And there are changes on the home front-lot's of potential, but a couple of possible directions.

So there is still much to be done.
Obstacles to be navigated, blockages to be opened, paths travelled, challenges met.
It is in the dark where illumination might be found.


More and more this year, I have had increasing difficulty with words. Peculiar that it should be being as it's been a year where I've also dabbled with social networking in it's many forms (albeit as a techno-pleb novice)-or perhaps that's what might have made it all the more noticeable.
Twitter, Tumblr, forums. I have enjoyed lot's about them-there are truly many inspirational folk out there that I wouldn't have known about otherwise-and they have provided a place simply to be amongst others-which I really do appreciate.
But it's made it all the more difficult this word thing.
Perhaps it doesn't help that naturally I'm not a wordsmith, I'm a keeper of secrets by nature.
I like them-with secrets I'm amongst friends. It's my most natural instinct. You don't need words for secrets either, they exist without them.
Those secrets are'nt mysterious, arcane knowledge or power, or anything necessarily special at all, they are thought,  feeling, instinct, intuition. 
I have though at times felt that perhaps this really isn't right, I should be sharing much more for my own benefit, and who knows-someone else's perhaps?
If it hadn't been for others sharing, then perhaps I'd have missed quite a few things?
Perhaps those secrets are a cop-out, easier to keep than give physical form?
So perhaps it was Fate-led that I happened across the interesting guest articles by Robin Artisson on the lovely website American Folkloric Witchcraft.
Well worth a read, and food for thought and practice for me over the dark months.
And who knows? By spring I might be ready to spend less time with my secrets..perhaps.


And I wonder what else the dark will bring....

"Widdershins whirleth the Dance of the Dead;-
I go back to my bones.
Great Lord of the nighted graveyard and the tomb,
The Spade, the Coffin and the shady Yew,
Thou are Reverser, Separator,
Unveiler of that which is concealed from the beginning.
Black Lord of the Skull and Cross'd Bones,
Send thou the scouring black wind of the North,
To tear away times transient rags,
Laying bare the timeless seed within"


From 'The Ceremony of the Red Bones'  The Masks of Misrule-Nigel Jackson.