Beautiful Plants – Proust's Cattleya Orchid

The most sensual of flowers for those who love Proust!

The Cattleya is a genus of 42 species of orchids from Costa Rica to tropical South America. It was named in 1824 by John Lindley after Sir William Cattley who received and successfully cultivated specimens of Cattleya Labiata (pictured above) that were used as packing material in a shipment of other orchids.

But the full glory of the orchids, their significance and fascination, is shown in Proust’s first volume of Remembrance of Things Past – Swann’s Way. Swann’s lover, loves Cattleyas because they have the “supreme merit of not looking like other flowers” “scraps of silk” – like something cut out of the lining of her cloak - “a distinguished and unexpected sister” – so delicate and so refined! But in due course they take on an entirely different significance when “doing a Cattleya” becomes their code for their intense and intriguing intimate relationship.

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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...

Beautiful Places - The Swallow Falls

Betws-y-Coed ("Prayer house in the wood") in Conwy, North Wales, lies in a valley near the point where the River Conwy is joined by the River Llugwy and the River Lledr. It was founded around a monastery in the late sixth century and nearby is the famous Swallow Falls – Rhaedr Ewynnol, in Welsh menaing literally Foaming Waterfall ! This waterfall on the Afon Llugwy has become a familiar natural celebrity over the past 100 years and has featured on film, postcard and canvas. Rising among the towering peaks of Carnedd Llewellyn the River Llugwy runs eastward towards Capel Curig and Betws-y-Coed, before reaching Swallow falls which is the highest continuous waterfall in Wales. The river hurls itself into a spectacular chasm at the Falls. Best viewed after heavy rain the river rushes down from the mountains through tree-hung, rocky chasms. Jagged rocks and crags divide the stream into a number of foaming cascades which tumble headlong over boulders between richly wooded banks...

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