Borage - A Beautiful Talisman for Courage

I continue my Summer Solstice celebrations publishing some of my gardening photography with one of my favourite plants:

Borage, a.k.a. Starflower, is famed for its reputation as a giver of courage and bravery. Just tucking one of its flowers into your pocket before a particularly stressful situation is said to be enough for this most beautiful of herbs to work its wonder. Such was this plant's mettle-inducing reputation that ancient Celtic warriors and Roman soldiers partook of its magick by drinking Borage wine before engaging in battle.

I don't know how true these claims for its courage inducing qualities are, but I am sure that their eye-catching splendour really does lift ones spirits.

Foxglove: A Velvety Cavern of Delight

In my third post celebrating Summer Solstice, here is a photograph of what I happened to glance inside a Foxglove bloom. I have to admit that I got spellbound for a moment inside its colourful, velvety cavern of delight:

The Interior Of A Foxglove Bloom

Stinging Nettles

Continuing my Summer Solstice celebration of plants and flowers, here is a pic and a little information on that infamous 'weed', the stinging nettle:

Stinging Nettles are more often than not classed as weeds and are unwelcome in most UK gardens. Given their particularly less-than-showy flowers and the fact that the plants possess thousands of hairs which can easily puncture human skin and inject histamine and other stinging and irritating chemicals into those unfortunate enough to have merely brushed past its leaves, it is not difficult to understand this popular dislike for Urtica dioica. That said, Nettles do have their uses and their own particular charm and some people, myself amongst them, would be unhappy to see them disappear completely from their garden.

Urtica dioica a.k.a. Stinging Nettles

Hollyhocks

To celebrate this year's Summer Solstice, I am going to post some of my older photographs, which celebrate the beauty of the flowers I have grown over the years. I will start the ball rolling with Hollyhocks:

Hollyhocks growing in my old garden a good few years ago

Hollyhocks have been used and admired by Pagans throughout history. Remains of the plant have even been found in 50,000 year old graves. Medicinally, the roots of Hollyhocks have been used to help clear chest infections, to stop bleeding and incontinence and to prevent miscarriages. In Victorian times, the pretty blooms were said to worn by fairies as skirts. Eating a mix of Hollyhocks, Marigolds, Thyme and Hazel, was also said to induce visions of the Faery Folk. The ripe seedpods of Hollyhocks have been used magickally to attract wealth to its owner and were grown in gardens as goodluck charm for the family.

Romanesque Cabbage Detail

This has got to be the most psychedelic-looking vegetable ever! You really can lose yourself in the intricate fractal beauty of a Romanesque Cabbage!

Elveden Forest, Norfolk

Elveden Forest

Elveden Forest is believed to be alive with faery magic. Passing the forest on my way home from my holiday weekend in Norfolk, I could not help myself but stop off here to stretch my legs a little, despite my recent back injury. I was unable to walk very far into its magickal terrain, but I hope I captured a sense of its beauty and enchantment in the few photographs I took of the forest.

Sunshine Seeping Through The Leafy Boughs Of Elveden Forest

There have been numerous reports in Elveden Forest of faeries luring travellers away from their paths and into the faery realm. Beguiling music, the tinkling of bells and strange ethereal laughter have all been reported beneath the boughs of this magnificent forest. Such is the strength of this faery folklore that the forest even takes its name from these strange, alluring tales:  Elveden - literally the den of elves. 

Be Careful Not To Be Pixie-Led in Elveden Forest 

Heading Home With An Ouch!

Ouch! I woke up this morning with excruciating lower back pain and very limited movement. The only thing that I can think could have caused the injury was my collecting fallen twigs and branches from the surrounding woodland for our campfire the night before! Still, a seven plus hour drive home awaits. Thankfully, we wife will be at the wheel...

Time To Head Off

A Father's Day Evening in Burlingham

My last evening in Norfolk. It was a lovely birthday weekend and it was fantastic spending some time with my daughter again :) We (my wife, my daughter and myself) sat around the camp fire chatting and making the most of our time together.

Chilling and Chatting Round the Fire

Unfortunately, whilst I was collecting wood for the fire I did my back a bit of a mischief, the consequences of which I wouldn't feel until the next morning.

Yours truly collecting wood for the camp fire

Despite the lower back pain that was waiting quietly to plague me in the morning, I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and will treasure the memories of my birthday weekend :)

Warming up our yurt for the night ahead

A Blackbird and a 450 Year Old Horse Chestnut Tree

I fell in love with this old chestnut tree whilst staying in our Norfolk yurt last week. It repeatedly drew my attention and got me exploring it on numerous occasions. If ever there was an enchanted tree, then this was most definitely it!

Sunrise at the 450 Year Old Chestnut Tree

Sunset at the 450 Year Old Chestnut Tree (pictured on the left)

I also fell in love with a characterful Blackbird that was nesting in this tree. He really was a bit of a chatterbox.Unfortunately, I did not manage to photograph him but you can hear his dawn chorus call here and in the clip below you can hear the slightly different call he made each evening:

The Blackbird's evening call was apparently made to deter other Blackbirds from entering and roosting in its territory. This magickal tree was its domain and he was intent on keeping it that way! :)

Elm Hill, Norwich

June 19, 2019

My daughter took me on a tour of her favourite places in Norwich last weekend, during which she led me up Elm Hill. This is without doubt the most picturesque street in the city. Indeed, its scenic beauty has led it to being rated as the seventh prettiest street in the whole of the UK!

Elm Hill, Norwich

The street is probably most famous for being used as a set location for the classic fantasy film based on Neil Gaiman's excellent novel Stardust. You can view some great pics of the street being transformed for the movie here.