Hello my friends, I hope this week has seen you all safe and well.
The song which is stuck in my head this week is Solstice Bells by Jethro Tull. A wonderful Celtic sounding song which always makes me sing along and smile. I celebrate solstice and I am grateful to see it come around for many reasons.
I suffer from SADS a condition which many people here in the UK have. So when the shortest day of the year comes around I know it’s a game changer for me. The days get longer the nights get shorter and Spring is just around the corner.
I was intrigued and happy to discover a Cornish traditional winter solstice festival called Montol. It lasts six days and culminates in a fire torch procession around the town called The River Of Fire. A beacon at Lescudjack Hillfort is lit by the Lord Of Misrule and the procession then make their way back down the narrow lanes to the town. People dress up and there are many entertainments on show. I think this is one festival on my bucket list.
And of course featured is my favourite Mari LLywd is front and centre. ❤
Britain has a wonderful rich history of festivals and it is so imperative that they are kept going year after year. This year has brought a lot of heartache and fear so lets celebrate the coming of the light again after the darkness.
On a comedy note. I tried to make bread today. -shakes head- I didn’t have any strong flour but I did have Beremeal which is an Orkney flour made from an ancient grain still grown in the islands today. However, it doesn’t have much gluten and therein lies the mistake I made. It’s still sitting in the living room in a bowl covered with a damp tea towel and waiting for a miracle.
I had planned to end this blog post with another chapter of my Viking stories but we have just watched The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon’s new Covid rules. In the UK we were to have a period of five days over Christmas with relaxing of the rules. This has now been rescinded.
From 12pm Christmas Day Scotland is in level four lockdown. Effective immediately is a travel ban to and from Scotland and England is against the law. Schools will be going into online learning again with only key worker children and vulnerable children going to school.
These restrictions are in place because of the rise of the new strain of covid. It is faster than covid and highly contagious. The figures for London and the South East of England are horrendous and there are a few cases already in Scotland.
Have a Happy Christmas everyone and please; stay safe.
I’ve just cancelled all the next few weeks plans 😦 We are only in Tier 1 in the Highlands, it feels damned harsh to be put into Tier 4 just like that. You are in one of the safest places to be right now, I hope the returning sun lights your days and your mood after solstice on Monday, and you can enjoy more of Christmas than we can!¬
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I know we were in Tier one as well, Deborah. I wish the light for you and yours as well, keep safe. xxx
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Reblogged this on Have We Had Help? and commented:
Mor from the Orkneys 😉
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Thanks, Jack.
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Welcome 😉
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What a lovely jolly Christmas song…shame about the bread if it hasn’t risen can you not make something like bannocks on a hot plate with it add some fruit or something? Merry Christmas, Adelle to you and yours it sounds like you are in the safest place at the moment.
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I could have made bannocks, but I was so exhausted I went for a nap and when I woke it was like something from Dr Who. lol Happy Christmas to you and yours, keep safe. ❤
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Haha.. Sorted then ❤️
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