Friday, 17 January 2025

The train of thought

Below you can see TYM chuckling at me because I was so excited to see the delightful metal train and carriages running across the height barrier of this Guildford carpark. He thinks his dear Mama is quite dotty and he would be right. What he should be more worried about is that he shares my DNA😈




Not everyone's so thrilled about the trains though. Near us they've rejigged one of the level crossing controls. In practice this now means you have to wait for longer for three trains to come through before the lights go back to green. Someone has gone to the trouble of making their feelings quite clear on the matter😀 


Hope you all have a great weekend.

Arilx 

Monday, 13 January 2025

A family day out

 We see TYM on a fairly regular basis these days, but it tends to be of the sharing a meal and then us all doing our own thing at the weekends. It's a couple of years since he moved out yet we've only been over to his on a couple of occasions. He quite rightly pointed out that a family day was long overdue, so we pencilled in a date a few weeks ago and waited to see what the weather had in store for us before firming up our plans. As luck would have it, conditions were thankfully dry yesterday even if the temperatures were still very low. We're all walkers though, so wrapped up in the right clothes I was able to pay my first visit to the Newlands Nature Reserve in Surrey. He had, quite by accident, found out that they have several yew trees there when he hiked through there on a jaunt with his grandad last year and with my well known love of this oft called 'tree of the dead' [due to the number you find in churchyards] his suggestion was perfect.

This place is a substantial area of open chalkland up on the Surrey Hills with some beautiful views out across the surrounding countryside. We didn't get the bright sunshine yesterday, but the golden hue catching the tops of the hills in the distance was a sight to behold.

It has a substantial free carpark and is open all the time so I imagine it must be a popular spot with locals with their families and dogs wanting to get out and stretch their legs. It's mainly woodland and there are various length trails marked out for people. We only covered a couple of miles as we knew that our time would be short, but it was lovely to greet a new group of magical yews. It's unusual to see that many in one place. They are now part of the The Yew Tree Project which has been undertaken to educate people about these aboreal wonders and protect them from the damage done by the compacted earth from all of us trampling around them. There's now a boardwalk. I came away with having learnt a few new snippets with my favourites being that these mighty fellows are dioecious meaning that the male and female flowers [they look different] grow on separate trees. Several of the ones we saw were male apparently. That pot bellied one rather stole my heart and there was much eyerolling from my two chaps when I stopped to give it a quick hug. Well it had to be done didn't it😆 They should be grateful that I didn't stop to inhale the pollen vapour to help me connect with the ancestors in the spirit world. Had it been the spring maybe I would have done!!




Having spent an afternoon hanging out in my favourite type of grove we wound up our fam gathering with a delicious Greek meal in one of the independent restaurants in nearby Guildford. There is much more for me to see and explore in this area so we think we'll repeat the exercise in a few months time when it's not quite as chilly.🥶

Arilx





Friday, 10 January 2025

Woolly Thinking


As a Druid I like to keep a little personal altar to mark the wheel of the year. In practice this means that every six weeks or so I change what I put on it to mark the upcoming festival. Next on the list is Imbolc which is all about the returning light and the movement between late winter and the early signs of spring. Some may be familiar with the Christian equivalent of Candlemas. Quite often I've given this one a miss as I've struggled with inspiration. However, this year I decided to get a grip and sort it out. A while spent of Pinterest [usually I avoid because it's such a rabbit hole] gave me some ideas. What I didn't want to do was just buy stuff so instead I was looking for a simple craft that would use stuff that I've already got here. This is a type of Brigid cross and is also known as a God's eye cross. You give it a red centre for protection, but the colours I chose are representing fire, light and the different shades of Spring green. Granted it's the sort of thing that most small children could manage, but I found it very meditative and soothing. There are no plans to go into production though. The light levels were so low that the quality of the image won't win any prizes, but I'm pleased with it and even the sticks are from a dried buddleia cutting from the garden. It's now sitting with the other bits and bobs and adds in the spot of colour which was previously missing. It looks right at home.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Arilx

Monday, 6 January 2025

The lions, the witch and no wardrobe.

January can be a tough month to crack with the challenging weather and the colourless emptiness which follows on from all the excitement over Christmas. However, I believe that it can be done, but I just have to work a bit harder to find the things I love and which keep me at my happiest. Completely ignoring the grey clouds and below freezing temperatures I had some errands to run. There was no plan to look out for anything in particular, but I was tuned in and the magic happened. By now you might imagine that there can't be anything new for me to capture in the familiar confines of my home town, but once again it just goes to prove that there is still the unfamiliar within the familiar. 

My first port of call was our local parish church. It's been quite a while since I've been and in the intervening time I've read several articles which have greatly furthered my understanding of how the building is laid out and details of the interior. It's not uncommon for me to see random helmets hung up in some of the churches I visit. Without the knowledge I assumed this to be some sort of heraldic affectation. Perhaps it is elsewhere, but this one with its rather fine red lion [some say leopard, but it has more of a leonine look about it] with a golden eagle claw at the top is the real deal. It belonged to Thomas Covert and is from 1495.


There did seem to be a bit of a lion theme emerging actually. They are very commonly depicted on recumbent figures on tombs either as some some of foot rest or underneath the head.



Our knight here is Thomas de Braose who died in 1395. He's gone one better lion wise and has got a beast at his feet and under his head. The first time I saw his helmet with the lion's head popping out I was quite intrigued. Now I can tell you that there is a special term for this type and it's called a bassinet. He's wearing the armour of Richard II's reign, but he didn't die on the battlefield as you might imagine. Tragically he and his two infant children died within days of each other most probably from the same cause. It seems most likely that the two little ones are buried with him. One cannot imagine how devastating this must have been for his widow Margaret. Later on she remarried another local worthy and went on to have more children.




With the lions covered this is the promised witch....one of the local salons has had a rebrand. The owner is a very free spirit and definitely of a pagan leaning.

Alas no wardrobes, but the local Victorian cemetery comes into its own on days such as these. Although it's slap bang in the middle of town I always have it to myself. It's eerie on the brightest of days, but there was an ethereal quality to it this time. It's been recognised as an important haven for wildlife within the built up environment and on one occasion I stumbled across a fox 🦊 curled up having a snooze. We were both a little startled to say the least! The delicate cushions of moss covered in the hoar frost stopped me in my tracks. Recently the council has put up a couple of information boards....one promises the appearance goldilocks buttercups in the early Spring. I've never seen them so a return visit is definitely on the cards!

The thing I miss most about this season is the ability to find the bright spots of colour which I find so life affirming and uplifting. However, finding this stunning doorstep mosaic fulfilled that need. I've never noticed it before as the building is now a restaurant and the space is covered with outdoor seating. Originally it started out as a co-op so I suspect that the aqua hues were chosen to match the branding of the company.

I will be starting to travel further afield in search of adventure in the coming weeks, but at the moment I am happily pottering around at home, resting and reading as I  gradually recharge after a busy festive period.

Arilx

Friday, 3 January 2025

As time is passing....







The Valuable Time of Maturity

I counted my time
and realised that
I have less time to live by,
than I have lived so far.

I have more past than future.

I feel like the boy that got the bowl of cherries.
At first, he gobbled them,
but when he realised that there were only a few left
he began to taste them intensely.

I no longer have time to deal with mediocrity.

I do not want to be in meetings where flamed egos parade.

I am bothered by the envious, 
who seek to discredit the most able
to usurp their places, coveting their seats,
talents, achievements and luck.

I do not have time for endless conversations,
useless to discuss about the lives of others
who are not part of mine.

I no longer have the time to manage
sensitivities of people despite their chronological age, are immature.
I hate to confront those that struggle for power, 
those that 'do not debate content, just the labels'.

My time has become scarce to debate labels,
I want the essence.

My soul is in a hurry....

Not many cherries in my bowl,

I want to live close to human people, very human,
who laugh of their own stumbles,
and away from those turned smug
and over confident with their triumphs,
away from those filled with self-importance.

The essential is what makes life worthwhile.
And for me, the essentials are enough!

Yes, I'm in a hurry.
I'm in a hurry to live with the intensity that only maturity can give..

I do not intend to waste any of the remaining cherries.

I am sure that they will be exquisite, much more than those eaten so far.
My goal is to reach the end satisfied
and at peace with my loved ones and my conscience.

And per Confucius " We have two lives
and the second one begins when you realise that you only have one."

🍒 Words by Mario de Andrade. Image from Pixabay🍒

Have a lovely weekend.
Arilx




 

Wednesday, 1 January 2025

A Treasure of a Day

Yesterday didn't pan out as I had planned. In truth that wasn't exactly surprising as my only plan had been to take my foot off the pedal and freewheel for a few hours. I knew that I was in need of a leg stretch and some fresh air so with only the vaguest of notions I headed for the community fridge. It turned out to be one of my better decisions because they had masses of leftover Christmas food to give away. Even with only taking what I could realistically use I still left with two bags full and will be able to send TYM home with several bits to help him out.

Starting on my homeward plod the free bookcase in the shopping centre (a recent and rather marvellous discovery) caused me to make a brief diversion. It's fairly predictable that I will be unable to leave without a new-to-me tome tucked under my arm. The shelves are stuffed with an ever rotating selection of treasures and this was mine. The cover gives nothing away, but this childhood classic is a personal favourite of mine. The minute I caught a glimpse of those coloured plates it was a foregone conclusion. I choose this picture because of the New Year's day rain we've had here today🌧☔ Within its pages I feel there are some lovely bits of simple homespun wisdom. Most of us have an Eeyore, a Tigger, a Piglet and a Pooh Bear type in our lives don't we. I do my bit by regularly contributing books I no longer need or returning the fiction ones when I've read them.


Having had such a lovely morning full of surprises it turned out that the universe hadn't quite finished with me yet. In my absence and in a moment of decluttering madness (an exceptionally rare occurrence) Mr GBT had decided to sort out a couple of his many man drawers. Although I'm an avid sorter outerer with a natural tendency towards tidiness (our son takes after me), he is not so we have agreed upon areas that I simply never touch as a means of keeping the balance. He unearthed all sorts of things including this still wrapped miniature gift for me which is at least from six years ago!!

 Ah well there's much truth in the saying 'good things come to those that wait'. I'm pretty sure that I'm not going to be seeing a repeat of Mr GBT's behaviour anytime soon.... he's definitely back to normal 😆

Arilx



 

 

Monday, 30 December 2024

Last one for this year.

 It's been so ethereal and misty [some might say nippy and foggy!] over the festive period that even our local St Cuthman has donned his zippy orange beanie!


I hope that everyone has enjoyed the break in whatever form that might take. It's a tough time for many. For us it was the first time we had my sister with us for many years. Families are complicated and no matter how close a unit you are things can go awry. It's good to catch up with her again and I loved her gift to me. Unchecked I'm a complete crisp monster [I am that woman that usually has to avoid the savoury snacks aisle when shopping as I am utterly incapable of not buying  something naughty otherwise] so I have to be very strict with myself as I swear I could inhale a big bag full without trying, but I now have my own wrapped cardboard box full of a variety of standard packs which I can eat at my leisure. They are hidden away upstairs out of my eyeline so that they don't disappear too quickly😋 Today has been the first day we haven't spent with people. I'll be spending the next couple of days just relaxing and catching up with everything. We'll enjoy a glass of something bubbly tomorrow evening and maybe break into the crisps! Happy New Year one and all. As ever there will be no making of resolutions here, but I am very taken with the concept of rather than resolving to change yourself resolve to just be yourself. 

I'm finishing the final post of 2024 sweeping away all that grey weather we've been experiencing these past few days and replacing it with a cast iron Victorian radiator painted in rainbow hues. Fell in love with it when I saw it in a shop window last month,🌈


Arilx


The train of thought

Below you can see TYM chuckling at me because I was so excited to see the delightful metal train and carriages running across the height bar...