Something Different In Stenness..…..Value?......In The Garden….
by Bernie Bell - 08:45 on 27 April 2024
Something Different In Stenness..…..
Since the Neolithic, people have come on Pilgrimage to the sites and stones of Orkney. Today’s believers are still drawn here – sometimes to get married in an extra-ordinary place.
‘Heksmoar’ in Stenness …
https://www.orkney.com/listings/heksmoar
….provides all things Pagan, including hand-made handfasting cords. The shop is the brain-child of Ann Moar, who also intends to set up a small lending library of spiritual/mystical literature.
Ann’s shop is a new venture for Orkney, though what’s to say that there weren’t similar outlets at the Ness of Brodgar, providing what folks needed to make their Pilgrimage complete? Maybe even souvenirs to take home with them?
I’ve wondered if maybe the tiny ‘thumb pots’ found at the Ness were made as some kind of souvenir?
https://www.nessofbrodgar.co.uk/2022s-top-ten-thumbpots/
People are people – and we haven’t changed all that much over the millennia…..
We’re Watching
They’re closing down the Ness again
It’s easier now, than then
We did it all with soil and midden
This stuff’s beyond our ken.
They’re closing down the Ness again
They do it every year
We thought we’d done it for all time
Or something very near.
They’re closing down the Ness again
They come from far and near
They’re not that different from us
That much is very clear.
They’re closing down the Ness again
Strange folk, strange clothes, strange speech
And yet what was once known to us
Is not beyond their reach
They’re closing down the Ness again
We watch them working hard
The man in charge, is one of us
A knowing–man named Card
They’ve sealed it off
That is the end
At least for one more year.
We watch, we wait, we hope, we know
Their time to learn, is near.
BB 28th August 2018
http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=16429
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Value?....
I was talking with a neighbour about two ancient sites which are near to where we live – one Viking, one Neolithic. I said I’m more interested in the Neolithic one, as I don’t like the Vikings – don’t like their attitude and approach to life.
He observed that I wouldn’t say no to finding a hoard of Viking gold at that site – and I have to admit, I wouldn’t – that would pay a lot of ‘lecci bills.
Later, I was thinking about this again and, to my way of thinking, Viking gold has less value than the Extra-Ordinary-A-Symmetrical-Six-Knobber found at the Ness of Brodgar, because the EOASSK is full of ideas – ultimately worth more than gold.
Admittedly, ideas don’t necessarily feed you or heat your house in the short-term, but in the long-term – they can do.
https://theorkneynews.scot/2017/12/29/mathematical-musings-of-the-neolithic-kind/
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In The Garden….
First thing this morning – the Hoodie pair were on the Honeysuckle – hoiking bits out of it. There are plenty of twigs under the trees in that corner of the garden, so why ravage the Honeysuckle? I was calling them names - then I realised that the Honeysuckle stems will be more pliable for weaving into a nest.
The Hoodie on the left pulled out a long bit of Honeysuckle stem, perched triumphantly for a moment, then they both flew off – presumably to start/continue nest building.
If they can’t get barbed wire, they use Honeysuckle!...
https://theorkneynews.scot/2022/05/12/crows-is-hard/
I was then watching a pair of Goldfinches mating in the grass, followed by one of them jumping for joy on the fence…
Yesterday we saw Dunnocks mating on our terrace – an extra-ordinary performance which I wrote of in m’blog this time last year…
http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=16257
Today started with nesting Crows and mating Goldfinches. Spring has most definitely - sprung!
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