Down Hill From Here

June went by in a flash didn't it? My plans were all over the place but I ended up going to Bournemouth for the summer solstice, and had a little celebration on the beach. We lit a little fire and burned some herbs and resin as an offering of thanks. I had a lovely cleansing swim in the sea. I cut all my hair off for the new moon, which really helped me feel refreshed. I did a little protest action at the Langham wine estate, against the incinerator they want to build at Portland port. A bunch of us went to the Langham "summer fayre" and handed out leaflets to let people know that it's the Langham family who are responsible for Portland port and everything that happens there. First it was the Bibby Stockholm and now it's the Powerfuel waste incinerator. The Langhams really don't care about people outside their own little bubble, and treat Portland like a dumping ground for anything they consider unsightly. Looking at their finances, we know they donated over £70,000 to UKIP, an extreme right party. The current leader of the party, Nick Tenconi, is a wannabe Nick Fuentes. If you don't know who that is, he's a slimy little Nazi from the USA. Tenconi has been up and down the south coast protesting against immigration over the past year, stirring up racist riots.

Sometimes it's hard not to feel like you're surrounded by intolerant morons.

As the sun rolls down from the height of summer towards the equinox, I hope to unwind and relax more, taking my time with the hottest days of the year, to look after myself. I really have to remind myself to do the most simple things like drink water, wash your face, get enough sleep. I realise that I over-commit and pile far too much on my plate. I want to do everything and be everywhere at once but it's really not possible. That's why midsummer was a commitment to calm down and pace myself.

(P.S the picture is a gift someone gave to me at the Summer Fayre, as thanks for the protest action against Langham's incinerator.)

Comments

The Dorset Ooser

A massive wooden head with snapping jaw mechanism, real horns and hair. Photo from 1883-1891. The Dorset Ooser has possible connections to the horned costumes sometimes worn by participants in English Mummers plays. The etymology of Ooser is also disputed, with various possibilities available, but I think it's most likely the same as the Oss, a snapping skull paraded around during midwinter. The pronunciation is very similar, and it's simply a way of saying "horse" without pronouncing the h. These teeth-gnashing heads are also known as 'obby 'oss or hobby horse. One use of the Dorset Ooser was to strike fear into villagers who were perceived as shameful. Usually the target was an unruly wife who had disobeyed her husband by raising her voice, scolding him, beating him, or cheating on him. A woman who was perceived as a bad wife was forced to ride backwards on a donkey or horse while the angry Ooser snapped his jaw at her and a crowd of villagers beat their...

Approaching Summer Solstice

The tarot card I pulled today was The Knight of Swords. This card provokes us to consider activities we want to do, travel, being out and about, getting things accomplished. I feel lately that I just don't have the time or energy to do all the things. I am feeling tired, a little lost, somewhat fed up. I am trying to connect with what brings me joy, my passion. The Knight points to a need for silence and space to deepen our understanding. Clear cut answers are revealed when we focus our minds in meditation. The oracle card for today is Mystic Mermaid. She reminds us to pamper ourselves with a heavy dose of self-love. I think it's been difficult for me to remember to look after myself with the most basic things like a healthy diet and good sleep. I am having to remind myself to drink water and stop doomscrolling on my phone.

Back Again

I found my old blog by accident. I forgot all about it. Apparently I have to pay a subscription fee to be able to access the same features that used to be free. Maybe that's why I stopped blogging. I've been using instagram as a blog for a few years now. So it's been almost a decade since I last logged in here. What can I update you with? There's a little bit too much to say. I split up with the boyfriend I was blogging about last. He was a lovely guy, but it ran its course. I found a little studio flat in the centre of town and lived by myself for a year. That was a really nice experience. While I was there I met a new guy and started a whole new chapter. We moved to Weymouth in 2021. It will have been 4 years in August. The time has passed quickly. I turned 40 last year. I don't feel any older than when I was 30, but I feel frustrated that I could have done more with my time. The state of the world hasn't gotten any better, and I'm increasingly aw...

Search This Blog