A New Arrival!

Late on Thursday night our dog Toby started barking and fretting at the door so being inquisitive I looked out from behind the curtains and noticed that Jimmy M, the Horseman, was parked outside of our north drive.

So I said to Mrs H " I reckon that one of the mares is foaling in Johnnie's field" 
the field that adjoins our northern hedge.

Friday came and we went about our usual shopping routine and then this morning Mrs H heard Jimmy M calling her name, saying 
"Bring the camera, Bring the camera!"
So off she went camera in hand to take photos of Sheila the foal, followed shortly by my self with yet another camera.

Sheila born 20th August 2015

'Togetherness'

Feeding time

A proud and pleased Jimmy

Gently untangling her tail.

This small Clydesdale will be next to foal.

Jimmy M visits and tends to his horses every day by grooming and seeing to their well being. Here on this black mare he is carding her tail and removing the tangles before moving up to comb and oil her mane.

I will keep you informed of her foaling.

Bealtainne - May

A decorated Maybush

The blossoming May tree with a well hidden

in it's roots.

Mare with a foal that was born

on 5th May

A possible Grand National winner ??

New Chest of Drawers !

I get an earthy sense of May or Bealtainne, as it is in Irish Gaelic, a few days before the start of the month, a quickening or enlivening of the inner self, so much so that I understand what is meant in the old poem about 'the merry month of May'. For yes, I feel Merry and slightly Loopy - actually it is with me now as I write this blog :-)

There are many folk traditions throughout Ireland and indeed Europe to do with the this month, too many for me to do them justice. Locally in the mountains the Maybush is still decorated with rags, ribbons and egg shells and some people get up early in the morning to wash their face and hands in the dew.

The swallows have returned though there are few near us, so I am wondering whether this is may be a portend for bad weather. I did see a huge amount of them on the West coast the other week and I heard a Cuckoo there too and I have yet to hear one near us this year.

I have been rather busy this last week assisting Mrs Heron rearranging and redecorating the roost (bedroom) The colour she chose is I am told Ashes of Roses, though to me it is a sort of lilac-pink, which I find amusing because it is similar to what it once was before herself deigned to migrate from Brighton (UK) to join me on this sacred island. As they say here 'What goes round comes round' and that is true.

Being a simple male little did I realize at the time I agreed to assist, that it was not going to be just a paint job or that it would entail the purchase of new curtains, bed-coverings, a chest of drawers and a decorative cushion solely to catch the light! To be honest though it does look and feel rather more comfortable than it did. I think this transition has much to do with the change of energies it being Bealtainne.