The Old Man's Wish - good one Walter

If I live to grow old, as I find I go down,
Let this be my fate in a country town;
May I have a warm house, with a stone at my gate,
And a cleanly young girl to rub my bald pate.
May I govern my passions with an absolute sway,
Grow wiser and better as my strength wears away,
Without gout or stone, by a gentle decay.

- The Old Man's Wish –

WALTER POPE English physician, astronomer and writer
(1630 - 1714)

I celebrate Imbolc on February 4^th – halfway between Yule and the Spring Equinox. It is when we first really notice the lengthening of the days. The Ewes are pregnant and lactating and candles and fires are lit to celebrate the strengthening sun and fertile earth – seeds are sown. The Godess Brigit/Bride will be passing by with her cow this evening, and I have poured milk into the bare earth for them to ensure fertility and a good growing year – and more milk!

Here is a story I wrote a few years ago following an Imbolc dream:

Message from Elk - A Medicine Dream

I was somewhere on holiday in the North-West of Scotland, perhaps on one of the islands. I left the hotel to go and watch the burning of the "skirries". These appear to have been some small haystacks which were set on fire in the early morning near the coast. As I set out for the skirries, I saw them smoking and burning in the distance. The smoke blew over me and then I suddenly realised that I was looking at a large herd of elk. They were slowly wandering across a plain with snowy mountains beyond. I then saw that I was some sort of large cat hiding in a broken down cabin. I could see that I had a grey-brown face and similar features to a domestic cat only much larger. I could not be seen by the elks.

One of the larger elks, a bull elk if there is such a thing, came towards me and I could see that he had spotted me hiding in my broken-down cabin. I did not move. He came very near to me and I could see that he was exceedingly big with large horns and a very angry expression. Elk spoke to me. "If I could get at you", he said, "I would hit you hard on the nose and kick you in the stomach!" I did not move - I did not flinch; all I thought was "I have only come to watch." Elk stared at me aggressively for a bit longer, then he went back to join the herd. I awoke.

I don't know whether you have ever been spoken to by an animal before but for me this was unusual. I had only experienced it on one occasion previously and I had failed to record it so have no memory now of which animal it was or what the message was. On this occasion I decided that I would record the dream and I would also try to find out what it was telling me. I realised that the animals in my dream were in some ways part of my own psyche and that the message had to do with some form of imbalance in my life at this time.

The dream was somehow strengthened in my mind because it had occurred on the morning of Imbolc, the pagan Festival of Renewal, otherwise known as Candlemas. I consulted Kenneth Meadows's book, Shamanic Experience (Element Books, 1991) and found the following information. "On the yearly cycle, the days around the times of the eight seasonal festivals of the ancient peoples of the northern hemisphere are also potentially fruitful times to connect with the unseen forces. Imbolc - around 2nd February, was the Festival of Renewal, an occasion for cleansing and purification in preparation for fresh approaches." In my own mind Candlemas also has to do with light, and marks a period of the year when we first notice that the days are getting longer and the nights shorter.

I decided to investigate the meaning of the cat-like creature in my dream and of the elk. Again I consulted the same book. Although I had previously read the section on Imbolc, I had not read anything on the so-called "power" or "medicine" animals. I concluded that the cat-like creature was some form of mountain lion or cougar because this would fit in with the context of elks in what seemed to be a North American geographical setting. To quote from Shamanic Experience:

"Cougar

Cougar is the mountain lion of western North America, Mexico and Central and South America, and is also known as the puma. It has a handsome cat-like face and a smooth and graceful body, with tawny-tan and grey colouration. As a power animal, cougar encourages you to take charge of any troubling situation and to use your powers of leadership to influence events. It urges you to overcome your uncertainty and aloofness by accepting personal responsibility, and thus generate positive action. Cougar provides strength, determination and foresight, and an assurance that right action leads to right results. It is endeavouring to show you how to be your own leader.

"Elk

Elk stresses friendship and co-operation - the sense of unity that comes from belonging to a group or community. It emphasizes the need to establish relationships. If you are engaged in some kind of competitive activity, whether in your working life or in a personal relationship, you may feel threatened or under pressure. You need some equilibrium. Elk shows the value of friendships and of sharing your interests and experiences with others. Elk stresses the importance of finding time for refreshment and reflection, and of renewing one's strength. Elk has to do with stamina and the need to go to those of the same gender for support."

Now the message is clear! The dream is indeed telling me something that I need to know, something that I need to act upon. It would appear that my individuality has become too great recently and it may well have threatened some of the communities that I operate in, including family and work. It would seem that Elk is telling me, Cougar, to stop rocking the boat and being a threat to various communities. He is telling me to lie low and that if I intrude any further I will come to harm.

I mused upon the significance of this message in terms of my current life and realised that it needed my full attention. In the last few weeks I have found myself being over assertive in my family and at work, and indeed a friend told me recently that I have been uncompromising and overbearing. A colleague at work also suggested that my responses to Health Service changes needed to be co-ordinated and linked with the responses of others rather than communicated individually.

Thank you Elk for your message! I will listen and perhaps, with a little help from my friends and family, I will withdraw my individualistic approach seen by others as unhelpful and aggressive. The fact that your message was give to me at Imbolc adds to its strength and I shall in future pay particular attention to this and other seasonal festivals when, indeed, it does seem that the times are auspicious for connecting with the "unseen forces"!

Sandy Burnfield,

Imbolc, 2.2.92.

Penny's tribute to Christopher Lloyd

Farewell Christo

A sad piece in the newspaper today: Christopher Lloyd has died. Sandy spotted it first and was surprised by my reaction – “You didn’t know him”. But I did. He had been my closest gardening companion for over 30 years.

When I first had a garden I scoured the local bookshop for help. By chance I lighted on ‘The Well Tempered Garden’. It became my bedtime reading for several months. Christo (as I later learnt he was called) was knowledgeable, articulate, but above all very funny. He made you feel you were there with him, chatting away, sharing anecdotes and (sometimes
outrageous) opinions.

Since then I have looked out for everything he wrote. I must have most of his books. Visits to the dentist were greatly improved by reading his articles in ‘Country Life’ Truly the source of most of the information I sought, he was, by turns, stimulating, infuriating and totally inspiring. Over the years he became a sort of friend.

I only managed to visit Great Dixter once. I saw Christo weeding, head down (in every sense of the phrase) and bum up, in a flower bed by the house. With British reserve, I said nothing. Do I regret it? Perhaps. I would like to have told him how much pleasure he had brought me. But a garden needs to be looked after, and I know how I would feel if my weeding was constantly interrupted.

I was delighted to see that plans were afoot to keep the garden going. He certainly found a fellow mind in his Head Gardener, Fergus Garrett. A trust has been set up to save Great Dixter for the future. It will change, of course. He would have hated it to be a museum.

The obituary said that Christopher had learnt gardening discipline from the Japanese. If he had been Japanese he would have been a National Treasure.

My mother once told me that when her Father died she regretted that all his knowledge and experience had gone. But Christo shared his with us, and we are richer for it.

Penny's report on our "Oriana" cruise

ORIANA

We started from Southampton. It could hardly have been more convenient if the ship had berthed outside our door. A short drive, unload our baggage onto a conveyer belt and we were there.

First impressions: The ship is vast and it took us a long while to find our way around. There is a theatre, cinema, cabaret lounge, and a recital room. About five bars, two enormous restaurants, a cafeteria, and a cafe, three swimming pools, a kids area, a gym, beauty salon, two shops, a library, a casino and an amusement arcade. Our cabin was spacious and very comfortable, with a sitting area and balcony.

The food was delicious and we could have spent the entire day eating! Of course we didn’t, and even managed to come back almost the same weight as when we had started (almost in my case – literally in Sandy’s). We sat at a table for eight and were lucky with our dining companions. All were delightful, and we became especially friendly with Eileen and Graham from Scotland. On our first evening Sandy found himself sitting next to a man who had known Sandy’s uncle when he was a boy!

I had been rather apprehensive about the trip. I thought I might be bored. But there was plenty to do, and I wish now I had found more time to go to the talks and other activities. I joined a ‘Pilates’ exercise class, and went to this most mornings. We saw a couple of films and some great shows in the evenings.

If there was one snag to going cruising in November/December it was the weather. We had a Storm Force 12 going down the coast of Spain, and ran into several gales both in the Mediterranean and on our way home. Oriana is well stabilised, but there is an odd juddering feeling and occasional loud bangs (is it an iceberg?!). We survived the swell, mainly thanks to a bottle of Brandy, but others fared less well. Needless to say our balcony was not used all that much, while we were at sea.

Our first stop was in Spain, at Malaga. We were only here for half a day, and opted to go on a trip to the caves at Nerja, which were amazing, with the largest stalagmites and stalactites in the world. Sandy was very taken with the town, and wants to go back one day. We then had several days at sea en route for Egypt. We could see the North coast of Africa (surprisingly mountainous) and had a distant view of Malta (surprisingly flat). Dad lived on Malta in the late 1920’s with his parents, when my Grandfather was posted there by the Admiralty. It would have been good to have seen more.

Port Said, at the north end of the Suez Canal, was our next port of call. Nearly all the passengers took the chance to visit Cairo, though this meant we had to travel in a convoy of eighteen busses with police escort. It takes about two and a half hours, and fairly dull, apart from the ornamental pigeon towers attached to most of the little farms. We had a general impression of an impoverished country, very arid and flat. Cairo is enormous, full of high-rise concrete apartments and enveloped in a cloud of smog. More memories of Dad – he was here for about 4 years during the war – and I felt sorry for him, though it may have been better then.

We went to a spectacular Mosque on a hill and to Saladin’s citadel; then for a pleasant short cruise down the Nile, with belly-dancers and a good lunch. Then to the Pyramids and the Sphinx. They are amazing, but perhaps somewhat diminished by having been seen so many times before on the television! There was all the hassle with people trying to sell us souvenirs. I found it rather trying, but Sandy is more accepting of such things. When you see how poor most of the people are it is to be expected. We only had a little time there before having to embark on our long trip back to the ship.

The next day we stopped at Cyprus. We have visited the island before, some years ago, and we opted for a trip to a Crusader castle and an old Roman site. I think there was an amphitheatre every place we disembarked. Then to Rhodes, which we liked very much. We went to the pretty little town of Lindos, where we saw more ruins (well, the cruise was billed as ‘Ancient Wonders’). Bought some ceramics, presents for friends and family, and wondered around Rhodes Town, with its Crusader buildings and walls, a thousand years old.

Next to Turkey, where we visited the remains of the Greco-Roman town of Ephesus. Once a thriving city and port, the harbour silted up and the place was abandoned until it was excavated in the 20^th century. It was not built over, which was the fate of so many other cities from those times. It must have been a beautiful city, with civic fountains, a beautiful library, and a vast amphitheatre. There is a sign to the local brothel! This is a fascinating place. We had lunch in the port of Kusadasi, and were amused to see a shop offering ‘Genuine Fake Watches’!

Athens was our next stop. We have visited the Parthenon before, so we opted instead to go to the Temple of Poseidon, about an hour’s drive away. The temple is high up on Cape Sounion, a dramatic and tranquil location.

Two days at sea, skirting the south of Sicily brought us to Sardinia and its capital Cagliari. An attractive city with lovely old buildings, surrounded by ancient salt-pans complete with flamingos. We visited the Museum, and were intrigued by the tiny bronze statues made by the ‘Nuragic’ people who lived here in ancient times: people, animals and ornamental boats. Our fellow travellers were less amused by the hole-in-the floor toilet. Our final visit was to the historic port of Cadiz, on the south coast of Spain, but just in the Atlantic. From here many ships voyaged to the New World. I went on a trip to Seville, a vibrant City, while Sandy opted for the less energetic sherry-tasting visit to Jerez.

Although the weather at sea was rough, every stop we made was blessed by warm dry weather – though I think we were lucky there. The gardens were full of Bougainvillea and Hibiscus in flower and it was hard to come back to grey old England. Cruising is certainly a lazy way to travel – everything is taken organised for you. Would we go again – yes, without a doubt. Maybe the Caribbean in 2007?

Just above freezing...

Sonadora looking stylish while being ridden by Colonel Blimp on Saturday - photo by Tracy 

Our companions at Dinner on the Oriana were from left to right, Eileen, Penny, me, Beryl, Ted, Jean, Doug and Graeme

 

My Birthday last month on the Oriana

 

Oriana

We had a really great cruise and loved the Oriana. We crossed the Bay of Biscay in a Force 12 and hid the end of a tropical storm in the Med – but it was generally warm and pleasant at the various ports, and we could wear summer clothes. Cairo was very hot with a smog over the city – 18 million people and 16 million live on subsidised bread and beans. We were of course pestered a bit but there was no aggro – I liked the lively, cheeky people! The Pyramids and Sphinx were great – on the Giza plain above smoggy smelly Cairo.

We also visited archaeological sites in Greece and Turkey, and Sardinia and Spain. Ephesus at Kusadasi was stunning – it must have been a splendid city with it large Temples, Librray, Fountains, enormous Amphitheatre, Stadium, Gymasium (School) etc – nearby is the ruins of the Temple of Artemis (Diana of the Ephesians) like the great Pyramid of Cheops one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world – now just one great Ionian column. We went to great places like classical sites, amphitheatres and crusader castles on Cyprus and Rhodes, and visited Poseidon’s Temple at Sounion near Athens – and loads more stuff. Our cabin was large with separate living section and balcony, and we had wonderful service. The food was great all the time but I did manage to be selective and put on no extra weight. Penny enjoyed the cruise, went to talks and attended a Pilates course each day. It was a shock getting back to winter in Hampshire – but it is actually very beautiful here with our large trees, green hills, sunrises and sunsets – so I am back to granddad duties and the school run – and soon it will be Christmas… we are already thinking about another winter otr autumn cruise perhaps in the Caribean…

The Oriana

We embark at 13.15 tomorrow and are away for two and a half weeks - see my new Oriana Blog on http://onthemed.blogspot.com/ 

Stephanie and Leah - cousins

What to do on a wet Sunday afternoon? Have your photos taken. Our two oldest grandchildren. 

Here is Terstan again - we are having some warm sunny weather this October. I have been sitting out in my shorts and sunglasses feeling like its high summer - until about 4 pm when the evening begins to draw in - not like the long lazy evenings of the usual English summer!

Have fun anybody reading this - I dont expect there is anyone but what the hell - surprise me someone and make a comment....!

Terstan this morning 

Little black French dog 

Le Group Anglaise - but actualy we were from Argentia, Australia, USA, Ireland, Scotland as well as England - taken by Guillaume at a garden near Vendome 

Paul Davis took this picture of our Hornet's nest. These gentle giants are very large wasps, but less intrusive - they are meant to only sting if disturbed. They also fly at night and come into a lighted house after dark droning deeply but not chasing you like a wasp - this happened to us a couple of evenings ago - Penny caught it and put it out. They are a protected species apparently and good for the environment. 

Me Sonadora and trainer Stan Paul with Sonadora on August 20th - this picture was taken by Nicola Russell of the MS Trust 

My MS - an update

My MS was reviewed a couple of years ago by Pofessor George Ebers at Oxford - I appear to have an atypical form of MS, not usually found in people with a European origin - it is a form of Optico-spinal MS, and I am apparently some sort of transitional case between modern European MS and an ancient precursor from times when Europe was being re-occupied by people from Anatolia through north eastern Europe and then Finland after the Ice Age! (Finno-Ugric peoples like the Samis or Lapps, Samoyeds etc living as nomads in certain parts of north eastern Europe and Scandinavia today.)
This is of some interest to researchers, like Professor Alistair Compston at Cambridge, investigating the origins of MS and how the relatively common form of the disease developed in people of north European stock in the world today. The good side of this is that my MS has not progressed and I am relatively little disabled, still walking with a stick and having had no relapses for about 20 years - I have had MS now for 40 years and the worst symptoms were in the first 15 years when I had several episodes of optic neuritis and difficulties with legs and bladder.

The Cherry Eaters...

Stephanie with Kayleigh at Lyme yesterday

Tracy took this picture of me on Sonadora yesterday 

We went to the exhibition at OVADA in Oxford yesterday - I took this picture of Penny with part of her Art Installation