Voor de Nederandse versie van dit artikel klik hier. The beautiful colour of the mineral garnet appeals to the imagination of people. Or rather, the mineral group garnet. For centuries people have seen the beauty of the deep red stones. It was also one of the first minerals I had as a child, a garnet [...]
Voor de Nederlandse versie van dit verhaal klik hier. Midwinter, winter solstice. This time last year I wrote to you about the history of Yule and the pagan roots of what we now call Christmas. But winter is not just Yule. It is also the time of the Cailleach, the Celtic goddess of winter. The [...]
I am really sorry, this blog is not available in English. This is a tekst in which I explain to my Dutch readers how the UK electoral system works. De afgelopen weken heb ik op de Puffins and Pies Facebook pagina proberen uit te leggen hoe de verkiezingen in de UK in elkaar steken en [...]
Voor de Nederlandse versie van dit verhaal, klik hier. It’s one of the most stereotypical pictures of witches and fortune tellers, the woman gazing into the crystal ball. The crystal ball has been known for centuries as an object to predict the future. Where does this believe come from? Last year I wrote a blog [...]
Voor de Nederlandse versie van dit verhaal klik hier Hagstones ... a magical find for many. A piece of stone with a natural hole through it. Finding a hagstone or witch stone is special. A stone to which all kinds of magical properties are attributed. But what exactly is a hagstone? What is a hagstone? [...]
Voor de Nederlandse versie van het artikel klik hier Anyone who has ever walked on the beach, especially in southern England, has found flint. For most people not really a special, attractive or beautiful stone. Ok, sometimes they have interesting shapes or beautiful colours. But how ordinary this stone might be, no rock or mineral [...]
De Nederlandse vertaling van dit artikel vind je hier In England, midsummer or summer solstice is synonymous with Stonehenge and the midsummer celebration there with thousands of people gathering at the famous stone circle every year. In the early morning of June the 21st, they gather to see the sun rise over the so-called 'Heel [...]
Voor de Nederlandse versie van dit artikel klik hier. Quite some years ago, when I started to read about the history of Great Britain because I realised I loved that country, I often saw King Arthur's name in the books that I read. And he caught my attention. Who was this king and why did [...]
Voor de Nederlandse versie van dit verhaal klik hier ‘The carpenter's daughter has won a name for herself , and has deserved to win it. ’ - Charles Dickens, 1865 220 Years ago on the 21st of May Mary Anning was born. Who? Mary Anning ... Most people won't know her name. But people who [...]
Nederlandse versie van dit artikel door hier te klikken On the first of May Beltane was celebrated in pre-Christian Britain. The name Beltane is Gaelic. The oldest written sources date from the 9th and 10th century from an Irish writing that talks about Beltine, the fire (tine in Gaelic) of Bel. It is Samhain's counterpart, the [...]
