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Fyrish Monument and its colonial history

The weekend right before Summer Solstice was my first travel holiday this year. Having a privilege to live in the Scottish Highlands I didn't need to go very far. Evanton is 30 minutes bus ride from Inverness. We booked ourselves a small luxury pod for three nights and got to explore the area. 

The longest walk we did was to Fyrish Monument in nearby Alness. The route can be found on walkhighlands website. It starts at a small car park and leads through beautiful woodland eventually reaching moorland with awesome views of Cromarty Firth. 

The monument itself although quite pretty feels like a scar on the landscape. It was built on the orders of British army general Sir Hector Munro. The monument represents the Gate of Negapatam in India and it commemorates the siege of Negapatam and the second Anglo-Mysore War. It celebrates British Colonialism.

To add to the discomfort it was built by the locals who during the Highland_Clearances suffered poverty. Hector Munro felt they were lazy and needed something to do. He apparently got people to transport rocks from afar and then would roll them back down the hill to increase the time and effort it took to build this monument. He claimed that this scheme was a positive thing because it provided work and therefore a wage to impoverished locals. Since he was a land owner he most likely personally benefited from Highland Clearances. It seems to me that it was a narcissistic indulgence hidden behind a mask of humanitarian action.

I found history behind this monument very uncomfortable. I can not imagine anyone of Indian heritage enjoying this piece of egotistical power display. My discomfort meant that I didn't actually read a plaque that is on a nearby stone. Perhaps I should have done so. 

My personal feeling is that this monument should either go all together or if it is going to stay it should be a place to honour the suffering that British caused in India and to the crofter community in the Highlands. 

Visiting this place makes me think that we really need some kind of decolonise Scottish  Highlands project.

Roe Deer

It felt like a greeting from the forest spirits. I was lucky to have a camera with me when I saw this one. I was walking a short fragment of Great Glen Way next to water reservoir. The deer was grazing in the meadow near the path. It wasn't worried by me looking and taking photos. When I came nearer it walked away and stop to graze again. Eventually it barked loudly few times and run away in beautiful jumps. 

It felt like a greeting from the forest spirit. A beautiful encounter to mark the beginning of summer. 

 I was walking in a local forest the other day with my sound recorder and I managed to capture a roe deer barking. I have to edit this recording. Once it is done I will share it here.

Bluebells

Perhaps it was the long, cold and wet Spring this year skewing my perspective but it seems to me that bluebells are exceptionally gorgeous this year. The sudden spell of warm, sunny weather at the start of June encourage me to take my camera on walk and take some photographs. I found lots of them everywhere I went. This is a collection of highlights from various walks I had this Spring. 

Bluebell forests are said to be enchanted by the fairies. According to the folklore, if you pick a bluebell flower fairies will take you to their world. 

Blooming Tree

This recording is from Krakow from 2014. It was a lovely spring day and when you strolled pass the blooming trees sound of bees and other insects filled the air. The recording captures the lazy and relaxed atmosphere of a spring afternoon. You can hear a lovely birdsong, predominantly tits. Quiet sound of the city hums in the distance. 

This recording is perfect for any spring celebration and for magic that involves bees and pollinators.

Last Astronomical Twilight

Last weekend was the last Astronomical Twilight of this Spring for us living in Inverness, in the Scottish Highlands. To mark this transition I removed a comet suncatcher from my window and placed it on the altar. I will keep it there for a couple of weeks or so before storing it away until Astronomical twilight returns sometime this Summer. 

The vanishing of the night in the summer is affecting me really strong every year. Having a twilight all night long can be amazing if you want to stay active in the evening. In day to day living it often leads to insomnia and late bedtime sometimes simply because you do not notice how late it got. 

As someone who loves casual stargazing, I feel a little regret when nights leave for the summer. All we can see in the summer, provided we actually get a clear sky, are planets and brightest stars. I will be looking forward to the return of the night.

To me, the end of the Astronomical Twilight marks the beginning of summer. It is the time of the year when days are truly longest and plants grow the fastest. It's a great time to enjoy the outdoors and connect with nature. 

Beltane

This year Spring is really cold in Scotland. Weather was not good enough to have a Beltane bonfire so except for nice nature walk we celebrated indoors. Our altar focuses on the fairies. They used to live in the garden but falling apples broke their wings in autumn. I fixed them up before Beltane and decided to give one of my fairies a makeover. I used nail varnish to paint the wings, hair and flower crown. I am not sure if we will put them outside this year or not. I'm still thinking about it. 

This year the last true night of the spring fell on Walpurgis Night. We took down the moon sun catcher and hang it over the altar to mark this transition. We also had  a lovely evening walk few days before Walpurgis Night to enjoy last of the night before it returns in August. 

Imbolc Altar

A long overdue pics of my Imbolc  altar.  This time me and @ToniWidmo kept it simple. White pillar candle in front of Hestia and a  wolf and a salamander on each side.

This year our main altar decorations are flowers. I put them also on my permanent altar, next to Venus. It's so fun to see all their vibrant colours. Being neurodivergent means that colours and patterns give me all the extra pleasure. Perhaps this is why I love art and nature.

Morning in Staffin, Isle of Skye

This recording is from February 2013. Now, that we are in a pandemic and a lockdown I especially enjoy listening to soundscapes. Deep listening to them transports me to a different time and place. 

Isle of Skye has some wild weather in winter but it is very beautiful if you are into dark and cold landscapes. The mornings were often the sunniest part of the day when I stayed there. Sun raising over snow covered Highlands on the mainland would bask everything in a warm glow before vanishing behind thick clouds. I had to wrap up to do a recording but it was a lovely way to wake up. 

Enjoy!

Yule Tree

My Yule Tree is with me now for 10 years and to celebrate this I decided to share with you photos documenting its growth. I bought this tree in 2010 in Bristol and took it to Inverness in 2012 where it was planted in front of our house. Just after the move this tree didn't look very well but local sparrows helped to nurture it back to health. Decorating it is a fun way of celebrating Winter Solstice.

Owl Painting

Owls have a special place in my heart. I grew up listening to their hoots through the window. They always hanged out in nearby orchard, graveyard and forest. I am really fond of them. Hearing an owl or seeing it always brings me joy. This painting is based on a picture in an old book. I painted it with acrylics in 2009.

Lintutorni

Here is a short video of Lintutorni and the woodpecker. It captures the beauty of Autumn forest. 

Lynton and Lynmouth

Lynton is a small, picturesque town on the Exmoor coast in the North Devon, England. Toni and I spend our Halloween there in 2009. This is were I found the Cinderella doll  that inspired my Equinox Doll. 

Valley of Rocks, a nearby beauty spot has a rock formation called 'Devil's Cheesewring'. To me it looks like  a big Troll. I always feel that places like this are full of magic. At the time I lived in Bristol  and visiting Lynton and Lynmouth reminded me just how much I need to be close to nature. It is what makes me happy. I like to think that the big rocky Troll reminded me of that.

Samhain/Helloween is by far my favourite celebration in the whole year and I do my best to do something special with it. I usually take some time off and travel somewhere. With the pandemic and restrictions I am spending this Halloween at home. It is nice to remember all the special places from the past.

Autumn Sunset

The view from the top of Craigh Phadrig forest is amazing, especially at sunset. This is one of my places of power. Coming here helps to clear the head and inspire a sense of awe. It provides the necessary lift to the spirit, especially during dark and difficult times. Whenever gloomy thoughts begin to fill my mind and feelings of sadness creep in I take a walk to the top. It reminds me that life is still exciting and the world is full of beauty. I want to share this feeling of joy and hope so that others can partake in it. 

Feeling positive doesn’t have to be a form of denial. It can be there to help build resilience and motivate to action. It is worth fighting for what we believe in even when it feels like darkness is all around. I like to ask spirits of the forest, the sea and mountains to help me in my personal life as well as in the global struggle for justice and fairness. When I look at this view it feels like everything is possible.

Salwator

Recently I shared with you a sound recording from my childhood home in Kraków, Poland from September 2014. To accompany it I decided to publish some photos taken during the same visit. They show views around my childhood home and the nearby area.

As a kid I used to imagine a great monster lived next to the radio tower. It climbed it up every night. The red lights where its eyes glowing as it watched the city from the heights.  

The graveyard is where my grandparents lie. I loved strolling there especially on the evening of All Saints day. Often you could hear an owl hooting in the trees.  

Balloon that floats over the church took me and Toni up into the air to celebrate our engagement in 2009.

I cherish these memories especially now with coronavirus making it difficult to travel and my childhood home being sold few years back. I can only visit it in my memory.

 Even if I wished to see Kraków again I am unlikely to do that. Since the city declared itself ‘LGBT-free zone’  I have no intention of visiting. Perhaps one day that will change.

Breathe Oil

Today is Breathe Day. George Floyd's dying word’s ‘I can’t breathe’ are the call for solidarity, justice and humanity. I see them as much as a literal and a symbolic phrase. Being able to take a deep breath means to slow down, relax and take care of yourself. This shouldn't be a privilege but a basic human right. BAME/POC are often denied fundamental needs, to rest, to breathe and to live. Before I move on to share the oil please visit breatheact.org and check out #BreatheDay on social media.  

Breathe oil is a soothing mixture I put together at the beginning of lockdown in March. It blends oils that help to clear respiratory tracks and have antibacterial properties with some that can soothe the nerves and improve mood.

You can add this to a carrier oil, put it in bathwater or oil diffuser. Another use for this is to sprinkle a small amount on the inside of your mask. It will allow you to enjoy some aromatherapy on the go.  

To make it combine the following essential oils in equal proportions:

Respiratory oils: Camphor, Thyme, Lemon, Sandalwood, Benzoin, Eucalyptus
Calming and mood improving: Lavender, Yalang-Yalang, Neroli

You can pick and choose from this list and if you can only use one oil make it lavender. It is both calming and good to inhale to clear respiratory tracks.

Enjoy and stay safe.

August 2020

This is a short video capturing atmosphere and nature in August this year. It is composed of different shots collected over the month and edited into a single day. 

It's 2 min 56 sec long.

Highlights:

• Goldcrest
• Great Tits
• Small White Butterfly
• Bumble Bee
• Sparrows
• Planes
• Wing
• Sunset over Beauly Firth
• Bats
• Moon

Seaside Cave

This is a soundscape of a seaside cave from August 2015. It was taken during holidays in Cornwall on a beach near Lizard. During the high tide this cave is flooded but at a low tide you can enter. I was captivated by the sound inside and decided to record it.

Sound can be very therapeutic when you approach listening as a form of mediation and self care. To do so allow yourself a moment to just be with the sound. Close your eyes, breathe and feel it. Do not judge what you hear, just experience it. Let it speak to you. 

If you believe that places have spirits, recognise this as their voice communicating with you. Who is speaking? Is it the ocean, the rocks, the sand, the water or the cave? Perhaps they are signing a song for you. Notice what images the sound creates in your mind, how it makes you feel, what part of your body responds to it.

Sound has an amazing ability to create and alter our emotions. Allow it to take you on an inner journey. Do not judge what comes up for you. There are no wrong ways to experience it. Do this and the spirits of this place and time  can embrace you and help you heal and regenerate wherever you are. 

Enter the cave and listen.

Astronomical Night

Last week  Toni Widmo and I celebrated return of the Night adding it to our Wheel of the Year celebrations. Perhaps the belief that magicians and witches are more powerful at night is just a superstition. That said, I do find that night-time is often a better time for rituals. The dark half of the year when nights are longest  tends to be when I feel more inclined to do magic. For me return of the night is therefore about celebrating this transition into the magic time.

We got ourselves a really pretty crescent moon sun catcher to mark this occasion. It stayed on our Lammas altar until the 14th of August when the Night returned for the first time this summer. Just like with our celebration of returning Astronomical Twilight last month, the Moon sun catcher will remain on the window until sometime next spring. 

Since the weather was great we also celebrated by having a fire with our Garden Trolls. Bats were flying, owls were hooting and hedgehogs were foraging in the garden. We could hear them in the bushes probably nibbling on fallen apples.

Dunain Woods

Feeling connected to the land and its many inhabitants is an important part of self care. It reminds me of the beauty and goodness that surrounds us. It gives me the strength to face everyday stresses. It's where I take a lot of my power from. While walking in nature it is easy to forget all about the pandemic, recession, Brexit and all other worries of current times. It reminds me why I care about the environment and why it is worth fighting for mine and others right to call this place home.

Dunain Wood is one of my favourite local spots. It is only 20 minutes by foot from my home and you can stroll here for hours if you wish. This woodland is located at the edge of Inverness and at the start of the Great Glen Way.

This time of year it is a wonderful place to forage for wild mushrooms. I love exploring this area. You always see something interesting. I do see little frogs around here regularly but it is the first time I found a wasp nest. There were pieces of an old nest nearby so I assume wasps come back to nest here every year.

The mushrooms in my photos are different species of Amanita. I am unsure about the exact identity of the spotted one. It could be pantherina or regalis which are both poisonous. Another possibility is Amanita rubescens which is edible when cooked. The other one is most likely Amanita fulva which is also edible. Since I am not an expert on Amanita species I left them alone. 

Last but not least, the gorgeous brown butterfly is the Speckled Wood Butterfly.

Small White Butterfly

Often when I wake up on a sunny day I take my coffee to the garden. Lavender is in full bloom and its sweet scent fills the air. Insects of all kinds are attracted by its flowers. This time a Small White butterfly drew my attention.

I love using lavender flowers in herbal teas. They have a strong taste so I usually only add one or two per pot mixed with other herbs. Lavender tea is calming and makes a great drink at bedtime to help get a good night sleep. It can be used for lucid dreaming and astral travel and to make love potions.

Butterflies, just like birds, are often believed to be connected to the underworld and the dead. In some cultures, they carry messages between the worlds of gods and people and between the living and the dead. The white butterfly in Japanese legend is a symbol of the transformative power of love.

Seeing this butterfly on lavender emphasizes to me that its a good time to do some love magic. I will also be paying closer attention to my dreams for messages. I may contemplate if there is a message or a prayer that I would like to send.

Celebrating July harvest

As we approach the end of July time comes to celebrate the harvest season. Modern pagans celebrate it as Lughnasadh while Christians as Lammas. I began celebrating Wheel of the Year when I moved away from Catholicism. I liked the seasonal celebrations but not their connection to Christianity. Discovering a pagan alternative felt librating and I still enjoy it. For me, this celebration is not about the wheat harvest, since I am not a farmer. Instead, I enjoy what is growing in my garden and nature around me. 

In July my garden sees first strawberries and gooseberries and lavender is in full bloom.

In the forest, you can find first mushrooms which are always exciting. This year I also found lots of raspberries. 

Celebrating harvest often means a foraging trip, picking wildflowers, making delicious herbal teas from my garden and snacking on fresh fruit. If weather permits we often invite friends for a bonfire. 

Do you celebrate summer harvest? If so feel free to share how in the comments.

Craig Phadric forest in late July

I had an evening stroll in Craig Phadric forest yesterday. It was raining heavily all day and I expected to walk in a drizzle. The weather had a nice surprise for me. It was gorgeous.

What I love about the forest is that it always changes. It is a managed forest and bits get cut out periodically. Some places used to be covered in trees and after being felled turned into open meadows. Now they are grown over with new trees and some with brambles.

This year, like never before, the whole forest is covered in raspberries! It's great snacking on them while walking. 

I snapped some photos on my phone to share with you. If you had a chance to read my blog Moon with a nose! you will remember lunar terminator and long shadows I wrote about. Since my walk was in the evening you can see this effect. Everything is well defined and sharp basking in a golden light. Real joy to see.

Astronomical Twilight

I celebrated return of Astronomical Twilight on the 21 of July this year by placing this lovely stained glass comet in my window. It will hang there until spring next year when Astronomical Twilight will leave again.

Astronomical Twilight happens when the sun is between 12 and 18 degrees below the horizon and it takes its name from the fact that astronomers might not be able to observe fainter stars when sun is less than 18 degrees below the horizon.

In my location for few weeks around Summer Solstice it doesn't get any darker than Nautical Twilight. I often find difficult to fall asleep during this time and although I do enjoy the long days I miss the dark. From this year onwards I decided to add return of Astronomical Twilight to my Wheel of the Year celebrations.

To check Astronomical Twilight times in your location  visit timeanddate.com and put your town or city in the search bar. You can play around with a sun graph for each day to find out when Astronomical twilight leaves and returns.