Taexalia

wild.life

Is It Spring?

I'm hearing this question all over the place as people wish the moments away looking for something better. I look for signs of new life emerging - the snowdrops and winter aconite shine their carpets of hope amongst the decaying humus of the woodland floor, the owls and foxes make eerie night noise as they mark territory and call for mates, buds on trees seem to swell a little more and my flowering redcurrant is uncurling leaves... The wheel is turning, but the Carlin/Cailleach has not ... read more

Yule Blessings

The Cailleach, or Carlin in Scots, is writhing and wild outside today. Perhaps she is ranting about relinquishing control of the world as the wheel turns and the shortest day marks the outward spiral to longer days and ... read more

Highlands and Islands In a Week part 6

And now returning to the Highlands and Islands trip - I had meant to finish the tale before now!On the Thursday we watched the weather reports with dismay as almost all the Isles were sporting wee clouds with rain or snow symbols. It didn't look good for walking or touring or anything really. But we set off anyway with a vague plan to try and spot some dolphins or seals. We passed Inverness and crossed the Kessock Bridge and took a quick stop of at North Kessock. The tide was going out though, ... read more

Highlands and Islands In a Week part 2

I've cobbled together a map, which I think has a centimetre missing, to give an idea of the routes we took. My road map only shows up A class and B class roads so the struggling-to-be-a -single-track-road roads we took in some places aren't there. But you get the picture :)Sunday's trip was prompted by Dad asking "What do you want to do tomorrow?" and my reply of "Hmmm well I've never really seen much of Sutherland and aren't there some really cool beaches up there?"So we set off around 9:30am ... read more

Un Settled

I feel the weather and this weekend I am feeling my energies, thoughts and projects swirling. I have a host of ideas that I am working on - some of them are embryonic and I'm wary of voicing them in case they dissipate, others are coming along nicely but still not *there* for any sort of unveiling. Perhaps that's why I'm enjoying knitting socks just now - easy to quantify as a Work In Progress, visible and tangible results and a fairly quick time-span from idea to finished article.I just looked ... read more

The Old Washer Woman

The Winter Goddess is said to dance around the tops of hills, it is said that her home is on top of Ben Nevis. She goes by the name of the Cailleach, or Carlin in Scots, and there are many places that carry stories of her exploits.Beneath the Paps of Jura, the cauldron of the Corryvreckan spins and swirls and it is here that the Cailleach washes her plaid. When her woollen cloak is clean and white she lays it across the land...She has been washing her cloak this morning and I am watching her ... read more

Samhainn Moon

Samhainn - the beginning of winter. Modern calendars mark the night on October 31st, but the old way of reckoning would look to the full moon for guidance. The Cailleach can be heard whirling amongst the branches of trees, blowing the last of the autumn colours away. She is seen in the mists that sweep in from the seas. Hilltops - where she is most at home - are eclipsed by her wild dance. She has imprisoned Bride within Ben Nevis and begins to wash her plaid in the great "speckled ... read more