Some days one's mind is filled with images of small things. Mine has visioned willows and the little violet that grows snuggled deeply in the grass of the church yard. My weather note at the bottom of this screen says 3 cms of snow in two hours, how do they know? but thumbing through my old blogs on a search of willows and feeling the sadness of times past, I came across these snowy photos of Avebury. A stumpy old willow. There were other photos of the stones standing bleakly against the stone. Moss in seventh heaven in the snow.
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| Bleak sentinels |
Avebury
Silvered leaf willow in Essex
a magical if somewhat cold time.
I think in January we start to look forward to the spring, but that it really gets colder in the following months as the light returns.Violets. I have seen them everywhere on my travels. Tucked into churchyards, or forgotten bits of grassland.
I went to a meeting at the Folklore Centre this weekend. It was about the 'Treasure of Mixenden', which was never found by the way. It involved about 9 men who gathered together from their town, Bingley, to go and look for some treasure up on the moors. See here for the writings at Drax Abbey 1531.
Treasure hunting was frowned upon by the king and the men were punished at York by being chased through the streets. The tales of folklore is something I know little off. But stories through the Middle Ages have demons and devils in them.
There has been an unexpected good piece of news over the weekend. This house, large Edwardian terraced house is not being sold. It has been decided to 'do it up'.
Living here for everyone has its advantages. A train service that runs to all the main towns, shops just across the road and as Andrew says plenty of walking and gym facilities. Town living is more practical, especially when cars become a bit of a burden on the overcrowded roads of Britain.
So now for coffee, and some music. It is a radio 3 day today, the news is disheartening.
Bank of Green Willows- George Butterworth
Willow is a wonderful material to work with and of course grows well on the fringes of or often in the water meadows around here. Traditionally English cricket bats were made from a particular willow called unsurprisingly Cricket willow and there was a majestic specimen growing close to the cricket ground on Effingham common where I used to live. Low lying heavy clay soil (hence common land as the ground was too heavy to work) made for perfect growing conditions,. The bright orange willow wands I cut in December to support indoor bulbs have sprouted leaves and on the boundary of my wildflower meadow there is a Salix caprea or goat willow which produces lots of fluffy catkins which look like snow when they fall, but it doesn’t take long for the little birds to collect them all up for nesting material. Radio 3 is my solace too and I love the piece of music you chose. Good to hear you are staying put. I think unless you absolutely have to, moving house is to be avoided at all costs. Sarah x
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