Copyright of the Journal.
Contributors
to the Journal are reminded that the copyright of material published in the
Journal becomes the joint property of the contributor and the Society. This means that while the contributor retains
their full rights to reproduce, in other publications or in other forms, the
material they have submitted to the Journal, they at the same time allow the
same right of use of their material to the Society. This has always been a condition of the
Society and the Journal.
Disclaimer
The
Society and the Journal editors do not necessarily associate themselves with
the views expressed by contributors and correspondents.
The last field trip of the year is done (see report below) but not to worry we can look forward to fresh trips in the New Year. If you have any ideas of place to visit that might be suitable have a word with Shaun. As well as organising the field trips Shaun organises the speakers. He hopes that by the next newsletter we will have a nearly full program. Again I expect it will be a mix of new and familiar faces.
If you are in the Andover area the Iron Age Museum is well worth a visit. It’s based on the excavations of Danebury Hill Fort which it uses to explain the Iron Age and how people lived. It has a number of good quality exhibits plus some very informative reproductions of tools and implements. Although small it has been laid out well and should interest old and young alike.
Also in the area and worth a visit is St Andrew’s Church, Nether Wallop. The church retains some of its original Anglo Saxon stone work. Inside are several medieval wall paintings with one dated to the late Anglo Saxon period.
In the grave yard is the tomb of one Francis Douce who died in 1760. It is in the shape of a 6 or 7 ft high pyramid. It would appear that the family had a thing about pyramids. A cousin built one on top of Farley Mount in memory of a horse, another relative built a pyramid tomb in 1810 at Brightling in Sussex.
Paul Barnett was the guest speaker for the October meeting. It was good to see him and Caroline back at a W.D.S. meeting as Paul was formerly the chairman of the society before he and Caroline moved to Bridport to start their own business.
Paul’s talk started with a description of their premises, an old bakery, and told several interesting things that had happened there. For example, many years ago, one of the bakers had died while working at the premises, and was believed to haunt the area of the bakery where he had died. When a friend of Paul’s who has done work clearing ghosts went to visit Paul and Caroline, he “encountered” the late baker [before he had been told about the haunting], and was able to sort him out.
Paul has also become involved in one of the Dorset “cider barns” which is a cider-making group of individuals who all contribute apples and share the resulting brew amongst them. The old barn where this activity takes place is a very interesting place to dowse, as the repeated actions of the men have developed into what is essentially a ritual and have caused a number of easily dowsable energy lines and points. Without realising it, the cider-makers had all placed their chairs where they gather for the “quality-control” sessions right along one of these energy fields.
Paul also showed slides of a large turf labyrinth he was approached to help construct, on a nearby farm. This labyrinth is on private land, but the farmer is willing to let people visit it by prior arrangement. The evening finished up with some slides Paul had brought along of a weekend trip the society made about six years ago to the area, showing a number of great sites to dowse, and suggested that it was time we made another foray into that part of the country, as there are so many fascinating places to dowse.
Incidentally, The bakery is in East Street, Bridport, and the bread is EXELLENT!!!
Thanks also to Paul for bringing along a bottle of cider for the members to try, I think they enjoyed it!
Same old pangs of conscience about The Tree every Christmas? Christmas dinner ruined by the tree gasping its last in the corner?
Try this: purchase your tree later on when all the best ones have been sold. Pick out a sorry specimen but bring it home, spruce it up and make it look as beautiful as you can.
Honour and revere it for its beauty, and keep it well watered. Then its sacrifice will not have been in vain.
After the festivities have ended either plant it outside or if the roots have been cropped, place it somewhere where it can dry out unmolested. Shake off all the loose needles and spray white or silver for use the next Christmas. It will look beautiful with glass and silver ornaments.
Other ideas are to use the top from a much larger tree that has to be cropped, or a thick branch up-ended in a pot.
A Wish-hound tip.
Find your date of birth and read about your attributes. No guarantees of accuracy.
November 12 to November 21 - Chestnut Tree (the Honesty) - of unusual stature, impressive, well-developed sense of justice, fun to be around, a planner, born diplomat, can be irritated easily, sensitive of others feelings, hard worker, sometimes acts superior, feels not understood at times, fiercely family oriented, very loyal in love, physically fit.
November 22 to December 01 - Ash Tree (the Ambition) - extremely attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with fate, can be very egotistic, reliable, restless
Thanks once again to members Barbara and Adrian Crocker for inviting the society to hold the annual sparkler and sausage event at their farm. This time last year we dowsed the area in and around the former ancient barn and old cowshed which they had begun building work on to transform them into a house, and this year we were able to compare the findings with the dowsing reactions in the almost completed house. We also dowsed the rooms to check on the best positions for beds, chairs, and so on and worked out one or two areas which would be best avoided for beds.
One room [purpose not yet determined], in part of the old cowshed, had a really strong “heady” feeling which was great for doing something creative but would probably not be suitable if you wanted to rest. Of course the energies will change again as the rest of the construction work takes place, after it is completed, and once the daily routines, [or rituals] become established.
The weather was kind to us for once, we usually get heavy showers and strong wind for this event, there were lots of lovely things to eat, and a great evening ensued.
Thanks once again to the Crockers for their hospitality.
To alleviate coughs:
Combine 1 tablespoonful of marshmallow root with 6 cups cold water, leave to stand for one hour, then bring to the boil and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Sweeten with honey to taste, strain the liquid and bottle it. Drink one cupful 3 times a day.
Make an infusion of lemon balm and peppermint and add a dash of ginger to alleviate chills, Drink as a tea daily. May be sweetened if desired.
Combine 2 tablespoons marjoram or oregano leaves, 1 tablespoon thyme and 1 pint safflower or sesame oil. Simmer the herbs in the oil for 5/7 minutes, strain and when cool enough massage into the affected area for 15 to 30 minutes.
To alleviate bloating and indigestion caused by overeating, mix 5 dried Sumac berries or half a teaspoonful of the dried powder to a cup of water and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 minutes the strain and sip.
Add one teaspoon dried citrus peel to a cup of water and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool, then strain and drink. This may be used two or three times at the onset of the flu symptoms.
Our Lady’s Bedstraw is a biblical herb said to have been used by Mary in Jesus’ bed. It is a soporific that releases a light aroma that encourages sleep. Monks used to stuff their pillows and beds with the honey scented flowers.
Another use for this herb was to curdle cheese as the green part of the plant contains the enzyme parachymozine, was gave rise to the herb’s popular name “cheese rennet”.
Cuts may be bound around with the leaves of the Woad plant, which is better known as a plant which makes a bright blue dye. For more serious wounds, a decoction of speedwell could be used on limbs that might otherwise be amputated.
Drop a little sweet clover fried un unsalted butter into the affected ear to cure the pain, otherwise try a small piece of molasses soaked cotton wool inserted into the ear, and for deafness, put a few drops of rattlesnake oil into the ear once or twice a week.
To alleviate piles, fry some green catnip in lard or unsalted butter, being careful not to scorch it. Strain, cool, then use as an ointment, applying inwardly to the rectum.
Mugwort was used by travellers, who tied it to their waists in the belief that it would protect them from wild beasts. Marigold steeped in vinegar was used to prevent the plague, as were the leaves of Rue, while ointment of Southernwood could be used to prevent “the French Disease”!
Marjoram can be strewn over the floor of your room to deter snakes, and may be made into a compress which is a remedy for venomous bites or stings, although chewing Basil leaves is best for scorpion stings. Another good cure for snake bites is a compress of mashed raw onion and salt, applied as a poultice.
Another anti-plague herb is Hyssop – a bunch hung in the doorway should do the trick, although if you should have a bay tree handy, burning the leaves will not only keep away the plague, but will get rid of the devil, witches, also thunder and lightening as well.
Info. for the above came from ”Mother Nature’s Herbal” by Judy Griffin.
At the recent Fire festival, I was asked why the veil between the world we live and the “otherworld” was at it’s thinnest at that time of the year – Samhain. This belief came as a result of following the Celtic calendar, which is largely pastoral.
Originally the year was in two parts. Geimredh was the winter half and the Celtic New Year began at Samhain. The summer half was known as Samradh, which began at Beltane.
Later on, the year was divided into four quarters. It started with Geimredh at Samhain. The second quarter was Earrach, beginning at Imbolc. The third quarter was Samradh, this began at Beltane, and the fourth quarter was Foghamhar, this started at Lughnasa.
It is probable that these old festivals were not allied to specific dates, but more probably calculated according to natural signs such as the first hawthorn blossom at Beltane, for example.
Samhain and Beltane are therefore the two pivotal points of the year. One year ends at Samhain and the next one begins, and the time when the two years met was believed to be a time when the doors between the worlds stood open, allowing access to the spirit world. The halfway point was Beltane which was also believed to be a time when it was easier to connect with the spirit world, and it is also traditionally a fire festival.
Info, for the above came from “Pagan Feasts” by Anna Franklin and Sue Pnillips
Our underwater dowsing attempt at the Ne'er Do Well and Spring was beginning to seem a little doomed in the darkening night.
We had let ourselves be hopelessly detained by the well's unofficial guardians, Henmania Hill and her daughter Morgan.
Now, as midnight approached, we were, at Morgan's insistence, awaiting the arrival of the Queen of the Fairies. Needless to say, this meant everyone being on their best behaviour.
By 12.05 a. m. it was beginning to look as though she wouldn't show.
There was a general checking of watches and wondering what time zone the faery realm might be in - was it affected by a system of parallel universes and transparent veils, by British Summer Time, by the globalisation of stock markets during the 80s, and so on?
Morgan was ultra miffed and would not be consoled. It was damp and dark and past her bedtime.
Cyril was sympathetic towards her and, in a way, it was all rather reminiscent of the time he came into the Dog and Duck during the hour of remembering the dead and told us he'd seen a pelican flying over Chiseldon.
"I often get that when I'm lying in bed with a hang-over," I said. "It's a heron."
"I know what a pelican looks like," said Cyril.
"A kind of angular, prehistoric-looking bag of bones with big wings?" I said. "That's a heron. Someone near you must have a fish-pond."
I've been to Florida. I know a pelican when I see one," said Cyril.
He ordered a pint of Stoute's Penny Farthing cask-ale, like the good fellow he is, helping with sales, shoring up my family's percentage share of an increasingly pressurised market.
We all know he actually prefers Theakston's Old Peculier, which is very him.
"Florida?" I said, "where did you get the money to go to Florida?"
"You gave it me," he said, sipping away.
"Really?" I said. "Well, what's money?"
You see? It really is no good my Aunt Judy saying that I should try to become an accountant. No aptitude at all.
Well, anyway, Cyril's pelican: a Brown Pelican it was, apparently. Escaped from a zoo? Blown over from the Caribbean on the coat-tails of Hurricane Hatty?
Either way, I felt he should report it. There are agencies who need to know this kind of thing, a quango somewhere, a cabinet of curiosities, a web-site of natural wonders...
But he didn't want to make it official. The pelican was strictly between him and the earth goddess.
Which made me wonder how real it was. There is Chiseldon and there are pelicans, and we've all watched enough Sir David Attenborough to know they don't mesh.
How much easier, if he'd seen a UFO. That would have been acceptable. UFOs are not specific to certain climes, being equally at home in China, Chiseldon or Chattanooga.
A pelican in the sky insisted on itself in a way that a UFO never would. It had a kind of legendary, fairy-tale quality whereas a UFO would have been more a nuts-and-bolts kind of thing, and yet at the same time more discretionary, and quite populist in an easy, mechanical kind of way.
A pelican in the sky over England was quite a middle-class thing, and required explanation, whereas a UFO, although in many ways more remarkable, would just have been understood, plebeian, not up for discussion.
Odd, that. Was it just a category problem for the pigeon-holing fraternity? Or was it something deeper? Ontologically speaking.
As usual, I was too blotto to care very much. How many of these poetic moments have fluttered past without my exploring them properly, fluttered past like, well, like stray pelicans, needing analysis, requiring thought, only for me to wave them on, cheroot in hand?
It was getting to be a bad mental habit, a towering waste of my genius. It was, to paraphrase the great man, the pattern of the pissed.
And it all came back to me at the Ne'er do Well that night as Cyril tried to console young Morgan by saying that the Queen of the Fairies was probably detained elsewhere and would no doubt be sending along a hob-goblin in due course.
We gave the goblin a full half-hour before submitting to disappointment, and I began to wonder about two things.
The first was whether to suddenly take charge of the situation in a Ray Mears kind of way - gather wood, light a fire, sling up numerous tents and hammocks using the Siberian clove-hitch, and boss Nature about until everything was nicely domesticated and our shoes were dry and we could toast some of those grubs that Henmania had been promising Morgan earlier on. Tasty!
The second was whether it was ever wise to make authoritative pronouncements on any subject, let alone something as oblique as the arrival of the Queen of the Fairies.
I didn't go the Ray Mears route because I always have the slight feeling, when I watch him on TV, that his camera crew are dying to put a scorpion in one of his sensible shoes or hoping he might be swept away in a freak current whilst completing his toilet on the shores of the Amazon.
You know, Just to stop him being so leadership and in control all the time.
And you notice he's always tucking in - fresh provender shot and trapped that very morning, molluscs gathered on the shore-line, a tasty snake, a rabbit he killed with a bow and arrow which he made himself - and what are the camera crew eating meanwhile? Some kind of vegetarian compo rations would be my guess.
John Aubrey was the least authoritative man of the seventeenth century. Had no qualities of leadership. Never took control of his life. Was never quite doing the thing he should have been doing.
When he needed company as a child, he found himself quite solitary on the family estate in Wiltshire.
When he was away at the Varsity in Oxford making friends and getting on, the Civil War broke out and his father brought him home to Wiltshire for his safety.
When he was scheduled to marry a land-owning lady called Joan Sumner something went wrong in the arrangements and she sued him instead, and pursued him through the courts for the next fifteen years. Not a love-match, in any sense that we would understand.
When he was trying to get his papers together in later life, he kept entrusting them to postal carriers who were completely unreliable, or sending them to friends who ripped him off, stole his ideas, maligned his reputation in society.
Aubrey was, and still is, taken to task for being gullible about human nature, and susceptible to folk-tales, and for being a bit of a drunken old gossip generally who could never get himself together.
But he's a hero to me and the reason I call myself a Pisces.
Grey Wolf
Last year I talked at the August meeting about the uses of dowsing in the garden, also about a few of the many “alternative” methods of cultivation. I also mentioned the possible advantages of using non-ferrous tools and implements, particularly those made of bronze, as developed by Viktor Schauberger early last century.
As I explained at the time, Father Christmas had been kind enough to pop a small selection of these down our chimney, and I promised to report on the findings after a couple of seasons using these tools. One of the benefits of using bronze tools is that they contain a large proportion of copper, which leaves minute traces in the soil during the cultivation process. These traces of copper are believed to be a strong slug and snail deterrent as it affects the performance of their slime glands. The mollusc population of our allotment was very low last year, although of course the very dry summer would have helped, but this was balanced out by plenty of rain in the early winter which was mild, and in spite of a rather dry spell at the beginning of this year, there has been plenty of rain since, so I expected the slugs and snails to have bounced back with a vengeance. However, during this decidedly damp late summer and autumn, the damage to crops does seem to be minimal.
It is also believed by many that traces of copper in the soil has additional benefits to the plants themselves, and we managed to get very good results across a wide range of plants this year in spite of the indifferent weather and poor light levels at the time of the year when you need plenty of sun.
Another tip mentioned at the talk was the practice of planting a clove of the previous years left-over garlic next to each tomato plant. We tried this with a tray of tomato plants of several different varieties that had inadvertently been left out overnight when there was a sudden drop in the night-time temperature early in the year. The plants did not like this at all and I thought they were not going to survive. Having a few sprouting cloves of last years garlic, I duly followed my own advice, and we ended up with a reasonably good crop from these plants and much less of a problem with blight than several of the adjacent allotments although no sprays or chemicals were used.
If any of the members tried these things, I would be glad to hear of their results. S.C.