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Lo!
Dec 21, 2010 8:07:26 GMT -1
Post by nellie on Dec 21, 2010 8:07:26 GMT -1
Hello again everyone, so happy to be here!
A little snap shot about me. I'm a mother primarily. I've identified as Pagan since I was 14 or so (which feels like a very long time ago now - I'm 27) but my spirituality has always been a very simple affair and identifying as anything more specific than 'pagan' hasn't really felt right, though I've gone with green-witch for a little while as the best way to describe what is important to me. The path that brought me here though was a recent interest in druidry.
I'm interested in forming a deeper connection with the land. As part of that I'm a keen (but rather inept) gardener (my passion is edibles and I'm trying to incorporate elements of permaculture, forest gardening and wildlife garding into a smallish urban garden), collecting rubbish in local woodland (I love trees) and generally just things that show that I care. I'm also trying to form some working relationships with various plants and i'm keen on learning about local flora - sometimes you'll even find me foraging with my boys.
When I was about 15 the story of Rhiannon started calling to me and I was always too afraid to listen too closely. Even before I became a mother myself I was afraid of identifying too closely with Her sorrowful story. Over ten years later after circling around Her I feel I've finally come full spiral and am ready to explore this pull with an open heart. I want to form a closer relationship with the gods of this land and to do that I really need to know more about them!
Is there anyone else on here from the east of england?
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Lo!
Dec 21, 2010 8:43:40 GMT -1
Post by potia on Dec 21, 2010 8:43:40 GMT -1
Welcome Nellie. I'm one of the few (possibly only at the moment) members living in Scotland.
Nice to meet you and I hope you enjoy it here.
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Lo!
Dec 21, 2010 8:58:15 GMT -1
Post by arth_frown on Dec 21, 2010 8:58:15 GMT -1
Welcome to Caer Feddwyd
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Lo!
Dec 21, 2010 15:17:11 GMT -1
Post by crowman on Dec 21, 2010 15:17:11 GMT -1
hi nellie and welcome, im from dorset so cant help you im afraid but im not too bad with vegetable gardening... herbs my speciality... if u need any advice give me a shout... good to have you with us
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Lo!
Dec 21, 2010 18:41:21 GMT -1
Post by redraven on Dec 21, 2010 18:41:21 GMT -1
Greetings Nellie, I am often in the land of the Iceni, was this morning to experience the solstice / lunar eclipse.
RR
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Lo!
Dec 21, 2010 19:17:47 GMT -1
Post by nellie on Dec 21, 2010 19:17:47 GMT -1
Thankyou for the welcome everyone Ah RedRaven, what brings you to the east? I absolutely adore this place! The area I live in is saturated in history and spirit. So many people don't see why I love this area of land so much. Where abouts do you most often visit?
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Lo!
Dec 21, 2010 22:32:39 GMT -1
Post by Francis on Dec 21, 2010 22:32:39 GMT -1
Hi Nellie Looking forward to hearing anything you're comfortable to pass on about your relationship with the land where you are. I suppose for me I identify East Anglia with the Broads - the land of Reed, Bittern, Crane and so much sky that it freaks me out (I live in a hilly place!) I'm also trying to form some working relationships with various plants and i'm keen on learning about local flora - sometimes you'll even find me foraging with my boys. Is reed one of the plants your working with?
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Lo!
Dec 22, 2010 8:05:26 GMT -1
Post by nellie on Dec 22, 2010 8:05:26 GMT -1
Hi Francis No reed isn't one of those plants. There are a couple of nature reserves on the edge of town, one heathland and one part of a river/lake system. As I don't drive I'm limited by how far my feet can carry me so the heathland is generally out of bounds for me. The river system is one of my most favourite places, and the middle of town always seems very special to me where there is a confluence of two rivers that form a little island. The marsh nature reserve, while it does have some reed banks (which in themselves aren't overly accessible without waders!) is my special place - I only get the chance to go there maybe a few times a year when I don't have the children with me (again due largely to it's inaccessibility when you have small children in tow) I'm not far from the ancient Icknield way and not too far from from Gallows Hill, where the Iceni are supposed to have had a large religious centre. The place is steeped in religious history but for me to most important feature in the local landscape is the river where I often make offerings and spend time. It's the river that has spoken back most frequently - I've had a few encounters with Jay's and Kingfisher's (and rats strangely) that have seemed to be important moments for all that when written down they sound fairly common place events. I'm convinced that whatever importance this place once held religiously/spiritually that it was focused upon the river and/or river confluence. I didn't grow up in this town, but I am originally still from the Iceni landscape. The broads were withing a (long) walk from home growing up and I would often go there, especially in my teens. To me the broads speak of history, but being man made they never enticed me. For me this landscape is very much connected to the sea with the huge amount of coastline we have. When I lived next to the sea I often would go down the the north sea to watch the sunrise. The sea was distant, deserving of respect. I loved her but never for a moment was it a fluffy kind of feeling. With the north sea I was always very aware of the power that the sea held; very aware that it wouldn't take much for that power to extinguish a life. It was most definitely a relationship about respect for that awesome power. I have only really just started trying to connect with the land and consciously enter into relationship. One of the things I'm finding most helpful I think is walking the ancient trackways that can still be found here and there. I'm not sure why this is? I can understand why the immense horizon might freak you out lol! But for me, it always means coming home and I feel an easing around the heart to see all that flat land despite the beauty of the mountains that makes the heart sing. Although hailing from suffolk, and now being in norfolk, I would extend that feeling of home right the way through to cambridgeshire and the fen land as it all has the same 'feel' about it. Sorry for the very long response! I'd love to hear the ways in which other people find to conncect to the land. Should I be starting a new thread??
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Lo!
Dec 22, 2010 19:40:27 GMT -1
Post by redraven on Dec 22, 2010 19:40:27 GMT -1
Ah RedRaven, what brings you to the east? I absolutely adore this place! The area I live in is saturated in history and spirit. So many people don't see why I love this area of land so much. Where abouts do you most often visit? I stay around the Wisbech area regularly. Most interesting it is too! RR
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