Colour me painful:(

 It has been a very painful week both for Mr Mog and for me. Poor Mr Mog has been for xrays as he is having lots of pain in his hip and leg. We will have the results Tuesday. The painkillers doctor prescribed aren't doing much at all for him.
I'm really sore all the time and my pills aren't doing much either.
anyway enough of the moaning I thought you would like to see some pictures.
The 2 Muppet tshirts above are for Mr Mog. He loves the Muppets and Animal:) We bought white ones as that was all they had and we got out the trusty dye pots to make them more into a Mr Mog colour. What do you think?

 The two tops above are mine. One was off white the other white and I too wanted colour so they went into dye tubs as well.
The full moon was on Tuesday and I managed to get some pictures both the days before and on the night itself.

 Love the misty effect around her

 We purchased several sets of solar lights a few months ago and I thought you would like to see the effect in the garden.

 This snap almost looks like flying birds with their own power source:)

 There is something very powerful about the moon this time of the year especially. I can feel the energies swirling around.

 I also have a couple of finished shawls to show you, both made with my own handspun.
This first one is shaelyn, a lovely easy knit. Please note it has sections of lace and I didn't have to frog it once:)

 This was a stashbuster shawl, pattern is Harry I think. Used up 2 colours of my handspun. Is very soft and is very large.

Another day another year older

I woke this morning another year older.

More Glastonbury and Wells as well

 Today in town I heard and saw my first wild geese. They were travelling to their winter feeding grounds. Very early for a first sighting, is this a sign of a harsh winter to come?

 So back to Glastonbury;_

There is a magic and mystery about Glastonbury that tugs at my spirit.
When going there I still get excited when we near the town.
My first glimpse of the Tor fills me with joy and well being.
It isn't a place I would like to live, that would spoil the magic.

I need to visit.
I need to sit in the Chalice Well Gardens and feel my connection to the land and the elements found there.
I need to take the waters and to dip my feet in the healing pool.

I feel my mind and body synchronising with my surroundings.
It isn't a way I could live all the time either.
Too balanced.
We need the peaks and the troughs. It is what makes us human.
These balancing sessions help to make sense of it all.

A breathing space.
I have travelled to many places in this country over the years but Glastonbury is always the first place I choose when I am asked where would you like to spend a few days?
3 nights, 4 days is enough. Most times we go for 2 nights and 3 days. Any more would spoil it ,any less would be frustrating. I need that time to get into the Glastonbury time line. It works differently to the rest of the UK.

It is a gradual unwinding, a deep breath or two and then I'm there.

This last time we visited Wells , I haven't been there for many years and Mr Mog has never been there.

The cathedral and grounds are lovely but what a rip off.
I am sure I never paid last time I went, mind that is over 20 years ago.

I must admit I did feel like quoting the Bible at them. Money changers etc.

Firstly we were confronted with signs and several people asking for a "suggested" donation of £5.50 each to visit.
No I didn't pay it, house of god etc, why pay to visit there? The church is more than wealthy enough to pay upkeep.

It didn't get any better.
If you wanted to take photos it was £3 for a permit. Why? What upkeep is there from visitors taking photos?
I didn't pay that either.

Cathedral is ok, some very nice stonework to be seen but £14 worth? I don't think so.
I then wanted to show Mr Mog the actual well and the bishop's palace gardens. Yes you've guessed they wanted an additional £5.50 each to go in there.
So we didn't.

Can you imagine if you were visiting with 2 or 3 children? The cost even before you purchased drinks or food would be horrendous.

Wells itself was lovely but very busy and mainly full of foreign visitors. Maybe that is what made the church authorities start charging, the thought of all that foreign loot:)

We did find a great cycle shop for Mr Mog to browse in and that is always good in his book.

After coffee we decided to take the bus back to Glastonbury and I certainly won't be visiting Wells cathedral again in a hurry.

test

Glastonbury, a magical place

We have recently returned from Glastonbury, a great visit, very relaxing and inspiring.

My mind is full of colours and ideas, creativity in all its forms.

Being there fills my heart with beauty and my spirit with a balance and a meaning once again. An affirmation more.

Sometimes at home it is hard to keep track of my spiritual path and my intent. So much going on around us.

Glastonbury is an affirmation, an acknowledgement of where I am on the spiral, and sometimes more importantly why?
Not from anything I do or see while I am there but from my connection with the land.

Gone are the days of Tor dreaming.

I am content to sit in the Chalice Well gardens and just be.

To hear the birds and see the lush growth .

All the colours of the season around me, touching my soul , healing and revitalising.

Then the smell of the ripe apples all glowing in the sun, almost ripe for eating but not quite.

The taste of the well water brings me back to the moment. A grounding from the iron filled bounty of the spring.

The feel of the icy cold when I dip my feet in the very slippy healing pool. Almost like alpine melt as it touches , enough to make me gasp with the cold of it but enough to make me glow with energy and warmth when I move away.

The colour continues when you meander up the main street of the town.

All the people dressed their own way with exotic raiment everywhere you look.

Sometimes I see the people of Glastonbury as a Seelie court.

Poetry lines remembered vaguely.
"Rags and tatters and velvet gowns"

Strange otherworldly folks all their own person here.

Some have wings of gauze and silver, others medieval velvet robes despite the summer heat.

There a man in purple patches with leather brimmed hat.

Over there a lady all in white with long hair to match.

The fairy court of Glastonbury about its daily business.

Yes there is another side, isn't there always?

But in this time, on this day the magic side prevails.

The trick is to bring that feeling home and nurture it.

The inspiration, the healing. Keep them fresh and use the energies for that is what they are there for.

If it has heart it is right. For us, for now.

Next time may be different, we may see yet another side.

The spirits are capricious after all.

Of Somerset seasons

We headed down to Somerset this morning to celebrate Mr Mog's birthday. Horrendous journey that took 5 1/2 hours instead of the 3 1/2 to 4 of a normal day. Partly holiday traffic, despite us setting off at an ungodly hour of 6.15am. The other main reason was a caravan overturning near Taunton that held traffic up as far back as Bristol and actually now I think of it much before. Why do these silly caravan owners ignore the recommended speed limit? What makes them think that 80 miles an hour and more is ok even when their bl%%dy van is wobbling like crazy and going all over the road?
On our journey there were hundreds of caravans, many hundreds and I would guess far less than 10% ACTUALLY DOING ANYTHING LIKE THE CORRECT SPEED. ?Do they think they are invincible?That nothing will harm them? What about the innocent people who get caught up in their accident or crash? We had caravans for a short while and never took risks, after all it is a flimsy bit of fibreglass of course it is going to be wrecked if anything happens.
Right rant over, we are here and as we first saw the Tor in the distance it lifted me as it always does. The sight of Glastonbury getting ever nearer makes me smile. I wouldn't want to live here but I do like visiting.

Offering laptop, will trade for spinning wheel

I am looking to trade our laptop acer aspire model AS5332 for a double drive spinning wheel. Laptop approx 18months old, little used as it was secondary computer. Only thing wrong is that the wireless card does not seem to work. Internet access is by ethernet. This is probably something fixable I'd guess. I want a spinning wheel that is double drive, double treadle:)

Single skeins, what use? and a giveaway

I've been taking stock of fibre and yarn etc and wondering where I go from here. I've been spinning for almost a year now, it certainly doesn't seem that long since I first decided to have a go. As I'm sure all new spinners do I purchased 100g here, 100g there. All very well but apart from hats, socks what can you make with 100g? Not very much at all. As you can see from the picture I have many 100g skeins, this is just part of it. I've also knit quite a few up of course.

I've decided to be more organised in future. Apart from my favourite dyers where I know I will enjoy having 100g of fibre I'll only purchase 300g or more at a time. This would give me chance to knit larger items which would be better for me. After all a decent size shawl can take 300g, unless it is laceweight:)
So on to the giveaway, I've decided to let some skeins of handspun go. If you would like them, please comment on this post. I'll draw the winner on the anniversary of my first starting spinning, end of august. They will be chosen from my stash, I will decide colour and you will receive 2 skeins.

Lammas tide

1st August Lammas or Lughnasadh.
This explains far better than I can and so does Wiki

To me it is harvest time, a time of abundance and fruitfulness.
We are reaping the rewards of our planting. Each day a little more fruit and veg are ready and ripe.



The garden is lush and overgrown in parts, a colourful array of flowers.
As I sit among the plants spinning my threads of gold and amber I become a part of the great mystery for a little while.
I touch the inner realms and it is so beautiful.


The buddleia is covered in butterflies and bees when the sun shines. You can barely see these flowers as the insects land to drink the nectar and harvest the pollen to take back to the hives.



In some ways Lammas is also a farewell. The long days of summer shorten and have done since summer solstice.


Some days I smell Autumn on the wind and taste Winter chills that are just around the corner.
But there is no regret, it is a natural part of the wheel. As it turns we experience all of its beauty and majesty. The cold balances the heat, the wet balancing the dry.
Lammas is a chance to see how well our plans and intentions have done also. Our inner harvest.
A time to reflect on what worked and what didn't, and why.

Time to take stock.
But on all levels spiritual and mundane it is also time to sit back and enjoy the Earth's abundance and beauty. To enjoy the harvest in all its glory.
To smell the lavender flowers and watch the bees so busy today.
Happy Lammas