It's a real bugbear of mine.

 

I met this Mari Lywd at the Dorking Community Orchard wassail [a great event and turnout] last Saturday. Traditionally these beasts are female, but its owner/creator in the photo wasn't so sure about this one. I think she said its name was 'Oakley' or maybe it was 'Oakleaf'. I took on board that the skull was bought on Fleabay, it now has one gold tooth and one made of oak and this was it's first outing all the way from up from North Devon. It makes more sense when you know that Kitty the maker used to dance with the Morris side who had invited us along so it's was fabulous to catch up with her again after a few years since her move down to the South West. That all said it's a real bugbear of mine that I've already forgotten the correct name and I like to get my details correct. In an article I read recently it became apparent that even 'bugbear' can be a bit of weasel word at times....despite being pretty confident that I knew what it meant I couldn't fathom what the writer meant in my latest encounter with it. It just didn't make an iota of sense to me. Usually with a reasonable working vocabulary I can make a decent stab deciphering what's intended from the context in which things are used....bugbear only had me stumped until I discovered that in its archaic form it was an imaginary hobgoblin which supposedly ate children! I find it fascinating how far it has meandered from its original use to its modern day definition. With all that said it just leaves me to wish you all a most excellent weekend and please do enjoy the sunshine. I am delighted that it is due to be dry again when I am out chasing more evil spirits from the apple trees in this weekend's wassail related doings🍎🍏

Arilx