Beltane thoughts and Scavenger photo-hunt round up

Today traditionally heralds the start of the summer season when cattle were driven up on to their summer grazing pastures, fires were lit and feasting occurred. However the weather outside is damp and cold and the wind is howling around the house.  No lighting of fires here though as our fire is still burning since being lit last end of autumn!  Not a nice day to be dancing around Maypoles.

To help bring a little warmth and cheer here at home today, we had 'sunshine soup' and cheesy toasties for lunch - yum.

Beltane blessings!

I must congratulate everyone who was involved in our first Scavenger photo-hunt, there have been some wonderful versions and interpretations of a single word and the cameos that accompanied were delightful!

Some really tickled me or stood out for me, so I thought I would share my favourites - Lovely Lady's picture of lambs for 'Orange',  Jak's 'My own choice' had quite a few of us giggling, while Eldest's 'Memories' of a rusty tractor seemed to generate a fair bit of interest. Aril's photo for 'Something fresh' of her son's (she delightfully refers him to as the 'teenogre') tidying up certainly resonated with me! And on the subject of sons -Tess from 'Driftwood' shared the workings of a teenager's mind when it came to cutting a cake with 'Something else' - brilliant!

Susan's 'Growing' was amazing - a stalagmite and stalactite growing towards each over thousands of years. Sustainablemum had a lovely mixture of stories with her pictures and the one that I had to go back to and have another look was her wonderful view for 'Horizon' - I would love to have that as my view!
Julie's 'Own choice' is something I have a personal liking for - red post boxes, particularly ones that seem to been organically emerging from the undergrowth. I have to applaud Jackie from 'Winter's End Rambler' she managed to squeeze in her contributions during what sounds to be an epic house move entailing an awful lot of alterations, paintpots, dust and having to cook on top of a woodburner!

Kezzie has some really fun stories with her photos - I was particularly taken by the story of all her fruit juicing for 'Something fresh' and the blackbird song for 'Memories'
And finally Jules who shares some lovely photos and stories, my favourite photo and caption? It has to be 'Lily the chicken worrier' for 'Feathers'.

If you've not seen them yet, please go and have a look and leave a comment - it is so rewarding to receive a thought or two.

1. Lovely Lady - Thread through my Life (private blog) - Link
2. Jak - Link
3. Eldest - Link
4. Aril - Wonderings & Wanderings from Gnat Bottomed Towers
5. Susan- Granny Smith's Quilting
6. Sustainablemum
7. Julie  -Julie's Scrapbook
8. Tess - Driftwood
9. Jackie - Winters End Rambler
10. Kezzie - KezzieAG
11. Jules - A Hidden Jem

I will post our new list of words on Monday, I have them already and waiting, Eldest has come up with some brilliant ones - think I might keep him a little longer!! Enjoy what is left of the weekend and for those of you having the Bank Holiday Monday - enjoy that too! (I on the other hand will be languishing at work as we do a stock take!)  *yay*    

Beltane

The perfect skies for Beltane*

Traditionally the Beltane  Festival of Fire is for protection and the promise of a good summer.

The sky tonight has stepped up to the mark and bathed the countryside with such a rich fire-red coat - what a wonderful omen :)

*Beltane is a Celtic celebration to honour the Sun, encouraging the strengthening sunlight to help the emerging new growth and to protect the community - in the old days folk would jump over fire through the smoke to symbolically cleanse themselves while couples who jumped together would then be married. There are a number of traditions associated with Beltane, many almost dying out until interest was re-kindled in the old ways of celebrating life.

Eldest has just  cheerfully chucked another log in to our wood burner, causing it to 'puff' out a large waft of smoke...cough cough.... well, at least he is keeping this particular tradition alive cough...cough....cough....!!