Over the last few years I have developed the gift of water dowsing with a forked stick or with wire. I have noticed when I have visited these ancient sites that some of the stones give off incredible energy when you place your hands on the stones. So perhaps the stones are built on top of holy springs? . Nobody really knows what the stones are for. Some say they are an ancient kind of stone computer for fertility and the seasons or even a place of worship. I have noticed myself that most of them seem to look over the sea. I like to think they were smallholder farmers who liked to dance and worship and knew how to enjoy life.
Time for a great Irish band Clannad, another favourite of mine and who I have seen a couple of times in Manchester, England. They sing a wonderful song about Newgrange and the ancient Celts/Goths who built these stone constructions long before Jesus was in Palestine or the Pyramids construction in Egypt. They left no language and like the lyrics say: "Forgotten is the race that no one knows."
Hope you enjoy the song? You don't have to click on it if you don't like my eclectic taste in music. I just thought that music adds a bit to the post.
See you later.
Aye there's some crackers up here. We've lots of dolmens and souterrains (which I'd suspected was some form of french seafood in a pot but which turn out to be underground chambers). Someone posted a great picture on facebook today of a site in the mournes - http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=350897988292766&set=a.229237950458771.49981.181333081915925&type=1&theater - I'd lift a copy to show but copyright and all that..
ReplyDeleteHi Steve. Just been looking at some of the stone circles in Northern Ireland. You're right there's some crackers. I am very impressed with the scenery. Have you seen the Don McLean 'Mountains of Mourne' video?
ReplyDeleteAnybody reading this and you would like inspiration, have a look at Steve's fantastic blog: Off grid and low impact living. His roundhouse is amazing.
Thanks for visiting Steve.
Yes, we have a few stone circles up here in the Lake District, but not sure what they're for, and most of them can't see the sea, they tend to be high in the fells.
ReplyDeleteAll sorts of speculation as to who made them and what fer, but I don't think we'll ever know for sure.
Hi Cumbrian, Yes I know that you have some of the best specimens (is that the right word?) in the Lake District.
ReplyDeleteI pick up on an amazing sense of peace and tranquility at these ancient and no doubt very sacred places. I have been reading today that they inexplicably stopped building them 1500 years BC.
There are even people today who will design and build you a stone circle in your garden. That would be different, wouldn't it?
Still think I would rather have a lake full of carp, tench and a keep net full of real ale. Like you say, don't think we'll ever know for sure who made them or what fer.
Thanks Cumbrian.
Never tried carp or tench, but I have heard they're ideal for still water and convert weeds to flesh very well.
ReplyDeleteSaw some black carp on a market in Berlin, seemingly they keep them in big ponds that are formed from the out-fall of sewage treatment plants, which is fairly warm and makes them grow fast. They had 3 or 4 swimming in each big bucket, the customer selected it live, had it weighed and decide if it was OK, then the seller despatched it and cleaned / prepared to customers requirements.
They keep eels as well, they can be seen swimmimg in big glass tanks next to live lobster tanks in restaurants, pick your own, couldn't be fresher.
I believe they eat a lot of carp in Poland. It must be great to have your own lake for food and for fishing.
ReplyDeleteThe monks of old, seemed to be very self sufficient brewing beer and wine, growing medicinal herbs and vegetables, lakes full of fish and keeping sheep. Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire was a classic example of a self supporting.
The Berlin market sounds amazing.
Thanks Cumbrian.
Fountains Abbey, the richest in England in its time, the second richest was Furness Abbey, about 50 miles down the road here, at Barrow-in-Furness. Incredibly wealthy land-owners, they also had interests/influence on the Isle of Man, and controlled most agriculture and commerce in a large area. Dismantled bt Henry VIII in 1537, it's an English Heritage site, really majestic place it must have been in its time, it still looks impressive even now.
ReplyDeleteSome of the best beer in the world is still brewed in Belgium by the Trappist monks, dangerous stuff it can be as well.
I think the monks really knew how to live, and probably did a lot of good in most areas, must have been a good lifestyle as long as you could do wthout a nice warm wife in bed.
I adore Fountains Abbey, Glastonbury Abbey and Bolton Abbey near Skipton. Even in their ruined form they are incredibly beautiful. Stone and nature is incredible.
ReplyDeleteSometimes wonder if a feudal system would be better than what we have today? Perhaps if we had a lord of the manor we could all have a place in the country with ground to cultivate? It's got to better than living on some 'jam butty' estate in the middle of a town.
Heard of Buck Fast Abbey (is it Devon) who produce a cheap wine.
Recently visited Timoleague Franciscan Abbey near Clonakilty, here in West Cork. It's also a ruin. I have a lot of time for St Francis followers. They took a vow of poverty and helped the poor and looked after the ill and feeble.
Thanks.