Beautiful Places - Guernsey

A heady mix of stunning scenery and contemporary living make Guernsey an ideal place to relax. Inspiring walks along the cliff paths, rambles through the rural interior can be combined with lazy days on the island’s beautiful beaches. St Peter Port, the island’s capital, is a bustling harbor town with a tapestry of architectural styles that tell the story of the region’s changing fortunes. Here bistros, restaurants and boutiques jostle, while the harbor ferries make travel to the other Channel Islands (Jersey, Alderney, Sark etc) simple. Although Guernsey is geographically much closer to France than the UK, it is loyal to the British crown. This loyalty, can be traced back to Norman times when the Channel Islands first became part of the English realm, and forms the basis of the island’s constitution.

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Beautiful Creatures – The White Peacock

Some people believe that to see a white peacock will bring eternal happiness. Woven into the myths and belief systems of cultures worldwide, the peacock presents itself through the sciences of alchemy and Roman astrology, the religions of Islam and Christianity, as well as in Egyptian, Chinese, and Indian cultures. Through the peacock's 100 feathery eyes, the Chinese Goddess of Compassion, Kuan Yin, is able to watch over and guard all living things on Earth. "Peacocks are symbols of beauty, reminding us to take pleasure in life. The peacock is pure of heart." – Constantine The White Peacock is a creature of the light. Blue Peacocks get most of their color from light reflection rather than a dye. The feathers have barbs, which in turn have rods. It is these rods that controls how light reflects and produces the green, golden yellow, brown and bright blue. White peacocks have a slightly different arrangement of the rods thus don't develop the usual colors. The Whit

In praise of older women – no thank you!

Robert Graves (Th e White Goddess ) and the neo-pagans have a lot to answer for with their triple Goddess. We seem to have imbibed that whole "maiden-mother-crone" schema. It brings us all those stereotypes that I believe are best avoided – the girl who must be beautiful, the woman who must be a mother and, after a certain age, all that is left to us is our wisdom! These are gender roles that have existed for thousands of years! I tell you now, I don’t intend to be a crone – even one honoured for her wisdom! In reality, the most famous of the ancient Celtic triple Goddesses is Brigit, the daughter of the Dagda (Father God), often called "the poetess." The story goes that there were three of Brigits, all sisters--Brigit the Poetess, Brigit the Smith and Brigit the Doctor--patrons of their respective skills. But they are all the same age. Brigit’s multiplicity implies that she is a master of many arts – all valuable. Having said that, I am getting very tired of having

Amergin, Bard of the Milesians, lays claim to the Land of Ireland

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MphBfoSUWrM] Amergin, Bard of the Milesians, lays claim to the Land of Ireland I am a stag: of seven tines, I am a flood: across a plain, I am a wind: on a deep lake, I am a tear: the Sun lets fall, I am a hawk: above the cliff, I am a thorn: beneath the nail, I am a wonder: among flowers, I am a wizard: who but I Sets the cool head aflame with smoke? I am a spear: that roars for blood, I am a salmon: in a pool, I am a lure: from paradise, I am a hill: where poets walk, I am a boar: ruthless and red, I am a breaker: threatening doom, I am a tide: that drags to death, I am an infant: who but I Peeps from the unhewn dolmen, arch? I am the womb: of every holt, I am the blaze: on every hill, I am the queen: of every hive, I am the shield: for every head, I am the tomb: of every hope. Song of Amergin translated by Robert Graves , from The White Goddess , Faber and Faber Limited, 24 Russell Square London WC1. It appears here under the principle of Fai

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