Good morning—gonna be back in the 80’s today….sunny and bright.

 

 

SEGRAM’S SEVEN VOTE FOR IT’S AMERICA’S WHISKEY REPO OF I LIKE IKE CAMPAIGN PIN   $15.00      http://www.ebay.com/itm/SEGRAMS-SEVEN-VOTE-FOR-ITS-AMERICAS-WHISKEY-REPO-OF-I-LIKE-IKE-CAMPAIGN-PIN-/261831089660?ul_ref=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%3A80%2Frover%2F0%2Fe12000.m43.l1123%2F7%3Feuid%3Ddc499bbf5e314b8fac45d2c2eea41222%26loc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fcgi.ebay.com%252Fws%252FeBayISAPI.dll%253FViewItem%2526item%253D261831089660%2526ssPageName%253DADME%253AL%253ALCA%253AUS%253A1123%26srcrot%3De12000.m43.l1123&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE WORLD OF PETER RABBIT BUILDING BLOCKS BOXED SET 1998 WJ Fantasy Oxford England  $20.00      http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-WORLD-OF-PETER-RABBIT-BUILDING-BLOCKS-BOXED-SET-1998-WJ-Fantasy-Oxford-Engla-/261831070470?ul_ref=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%3A80%2Frover%2F0%2Fe12000.m43.l1123%2F7%3Feuid%3D1e65f468af4e45c5ada70617adbb54a0%26loc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fcgi.ebay.com%252Fws%252FeBayISAPI.dll%253FViewItem%2526item%253D261831070470%2526ssPageName%253DADME%253AL%253ALCA%253AUS%253A1123%26srcrot%3De12000.m43.l1123&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday I looked at some common objects in my effort to point out how much our lives have roots in our, often superstitious, past–or rather the past of our kind–humans that went before and learned or thought they knew things that played upon their minds so seriously that hundreds even thousands of years later it colors our present.

Take for instance the phrase:  He/she gave me the EVIL EYE.  This was a special power that one might have to destroy or bewitch by using the specifically endowed orb.  In Irish legend one of the protagonists is destroyed (Baylor) by casting a sling-stone at his Evil Eye.  And you just thought it was a silly saying but at one time it was a true belief and fear.

Today’s FAIRS comes down from ancient times when they were political and ceremonial functions in pre-Christian times and then moved on to markets and the like from medieval times on.   In Ireland Puck Fair in Killorglin County Kerry holds a fair from the 10th – 12th of August which is thought to stretch back to its pagan origins where a white male beribboned goat is hoisted onto a platform and gapes bemused for 3 days at the revelers below and to add to the good spirits pubs stay open the full three days without closing.  Now that’s a fun fair.

You see them on computer games, at carnivals, haunted houses and the like but did you realize how long they’ve been around or their significance. LABYRINTHS can be found carved on rocks on the road to Tintagel (legendary birth site of Arthur), one is set in mosaic tile in Ely Cathedral and in Greece their origins go back 4,000 years.  For years in what is now Great Britain the designs were cut into the grass as part of May Day’s spring fertility rites often with Maypoles set within them.   In the middle ages they were associated with the veil between the worlds (A Midsummer’s Night Dream).  And you thought only Harry Potter could find magic in it’s confines.

How many times have you WISHED ON A FALLING STAR when you were a child, or admit it long after you reached adulthood?   In an ever changing word early people were comforted by the permanency of the stars and as such they became symbols of unchanging values.  To the ancient Chinese the “stars and planets (were) examples of their earthly representatives.”  The Ojibwa believed that the wind changed to follow a falling star.   The star was connected to the human soul in many cultures around the globe.  It was even seen as a soul coming from heaven to animate a nearly born child (parts of Britain).  But when you make that wish do it quickly as the charm only works for a very limited time.

The Holy Grail and King Arthur have a convoluted history.  While cauldrons are ancient symbols in the Celtic (which Arthur was most definitely whether you believe he was Welsh, Irish or Cornish) with Dagda (Irish god) serving heroic warriors, but never cowards, from it for example.  And multiple cauldrons have been found in bogs and other watery places of Celtic ritual sacrifice across Europe.   We somehow got from this to the Grail–the cup or dish on the table used by Jesus at the last supper.  Most of my study on the subject found this as well as the widespread broadcast of the legend to be an addition of French writers in the 13th century.  Some even feel that the original vessel may well have been a human skull used for a drinking cup as early Celts were believed to take the heads a vanquished enemies.   Now there’s an image I’d rather not think of.

Ever get a CHARM BRACELET for a gift, or collect items for one you have?  Charms have been round since ancient times and have included phrases, inscriptions on paper (etc) and have been used to obtain every desire from chastity to fertility and all desires in between.  Early ones were written on items and worn around the neck and have been found back to ancient Rome and possibly beyond.  The Christians carried on this tradition with rosaries and holy relics.  But they were also favored by witches and warlocks.  So what are you wishing for or protecting by all those little items on your wrist?

 

 

 

 

 

“If a black cat crosses your path, it signifies that the animal is going somewhere.” ― Groucho Marx

 

 

Source:

Bluestone, PhD, Sarvananda:  HOW TO READ SIGNS AND OMENS IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Coghlan, Ronan:  THE ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ARTHURIAN LEGENDS

Guiley, Rosemary Ellen:  THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WITCHES AND WITCHCRAFT

Lake, Matt:  WEIRD ENGLAND

Morgan, Giles:  THE HOLY GRAIL

Radford, E. and M.A.:  THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SUPERSTITIONS

Ross, Anne:  DRUIDS PREACHERS OF IMMORTALITY

Editor:  Ruckenstein, Lelia & O’Malley, James:  EVERYTHING IRISH