Saturday 25th Oct 2009, visit 63

I am so so glad I decided to go to Glastonbury yesterday. If I had stayed at home I would have moped. As most of you know Glastonbury is my spiritual place, there is a very great spirit of place there to me, to coin a druid phrase. I needed to be there. There were many many tears and some synchronistic meetings too.

I got up at the crack of doom (5.30am) but it is worth it- I was in Bristol by 8.15 so got the 8.50 bus and was in Glastonbury before 10.30. In fact by 10.45 I was on the Tor! It was wet when I set out and I thought it was never going to get light, it was gone 8 before it was properly light. But by the time I got there the rain had stopped and by noon the sun was coming out. 

As I travelled down through the Mendips, we hit some fog, then when I got the magic first glimpse of the Tor which I always look out for, mist was swirling round the tower.

I decided to climb the Tor first because there was no-one up there! I have only once had the place to myself, in Feb 1991. The paths were covered in autumn leaves and I spotted some mushrooms on the path. I stopped at the Peace Mother tree for a hug. When I got to the summit it was quite magical, quiet and still, the sun was breaking through the clouds over towards the Quantock hills, and you could still see the rain to the east.

I was on my own for a few minutes so I went to the far side of the tower, got Poppy's* photo out, and let all the grief out (or started to). I wished her a smooth transition over the Rainbow Bridge, and then wished for a new little kitty for whom this will be the perfect home to be ready when the time was right. I told her how much I love her and how glad I was that she came to me and found her perfect forever home. Then a man, a boy and a dog arrived so I had to compose myself. I took some photos and just looked at the view. I love the view from up there. As I was heading down, the man, who had headed down before me, had to head back up to round up his son- the dog had gone back up the tor, son went off after it, dog arrived back with man. As he passed me he said "it feels special up there today" and it did. 

Then I went to the gardens and I felt very calm there, there were no tears. I had my usual wander stopping in various places. Both swing seats and the old apple tree in the orchard, one of my special trees to hug! By the well and in Arthurs Courtyard. Took loads of autumny photos. 

Then I headed into town and had lunch in Rainbow's End as usual, quiche and salad, elderflower cordial and a coffee. Then I did some shopping. I wasn't really in a shopping mood. I have a couple of little gifts to send to people, and I got a couple of little things to put with Poppy's casket when she comes back to me after she has been cremated. I did buy a gorgeous leather bag with a hare on it, that was my present to me. I got the details of my merit award this week and it was far far more than I expected financially so I decided I could have the bag as a treat. In "Venus" the lady behind the counter said to me when I walked in "Haven't you got gorgeous hair". That bought the most enormous smiles to my otherwise sad face. She said she had noticed that quite a lot of older women are growing their hair, so I told her my age and said if anyone says I am too old to have long hair I will say "Why?".

Then I went to the Goddess temple and the floodgates opened. It is being kept dark in there with Samhain coming up and it felt right. There was one man in there praying, and two priestesses on duty and that was all. The man was just meditating quietly so I managed to sit and cry and cry without disturbing him. I took my photo to the altar and once again wished for Poppy to have a painless crossing over the rainbow bridge. She will always be with me in spirit. I have been braver than I thought I would ever be but I needed to just let all the grief out. One of the priestesses on duty, who I think was at the Goddess in Cornwall weekend I went to in 2006, gave me a hug and I explained why I was so upset. I needed to just pour it all out. 

Then I did had a wander round the rest of the shops. I went into Cat and Cauldron to see if Trevor was in there- Liz and Trevor are friends and I always like to see them if I can when I am there. I got a hug from Trevor. I had put my bag on the ground and Cas, their Rotty, straight away dived into the bag- and pinched one of my sandwiches!! What an amazing sense of smell to track down the sandwich, grab it then eat it all in the space of about 10 seconds. I just laughed and boy did I need to!

Then I went to the abbey and had my usual wander all the way round the grounds, through the wild area where the badger setts are and both past ponds where the geese had a word as I had no bread for them. I find those grounds very peaceful and the autumn colours were fabulous. 

I bought a 2010 Glastonbury calendar in the shop, then went to Heaphey's for a cappuccino. It was so warm I sat out in the sun. I looked at all the people walking past, sitting there with a broken heart then thought.. any one of these people could be hurting inside the way I am for so so many reasons. All the people with their dogs will have to go through this one day with their beloved dogs. Some of those people might be losing a relative at the moment to cancer or any other disease. If there was anyone where also hurting inside I hope they did feel some of the healing energy I was sending out.

I had a quick look round the last few shops and in the clothes shop Bedlam I bought the most gorgeous Indian jacket. It is silver and turquoise. It had no price on it, so I decided if it was up to £30.00 I would buy it, as I had gone with a fixed cash budget and hardly spent any. It was... £30.00! I will have to take a photo, it is gorgeous.

Then it was time to come home. At Wells, a lady got on the bus and came and sat next to me. She was one of those casually dressed but obviously well to do ladies and I was a bit wary- but she was lovely! We got chatting and she was going to the opera and wished she could stay at home with her cat. So we got talking about cats and it was just what I needed. I cheered up a lot. She was delightful to chat to. 

I got home about 8 and I was exhausted. I was in bed by 9.30, and asleep by 10. The clocks went back last night so we got an extra hour in bed anyway and for the first time in weeks I slept really really well. 



* Poppy was my cat, my soul mate cat, who came to me in May 2000 and who died two days after this visit, she had cancer. But my now cat, my lovely Shelley, came to live with me a few weeks later and I am sure Poppy had a paw in that. The lady on the bus had two cats both with heart murmurs, and Shelley has a heart murmur and I just knew.. synchronisity.. Shelley was meant to come to me.

August 12th 2009, Visit 62

This was another meeting someone visit, this time one of my fave travel writers, who was writing a book about the UK, and asked the members of his maillist to suggest places to visit. I replied and said "Glastonbury", he replied and said "Yes!" but it tool us about a year to arrange a date.

From my LJ entry

I signed up to his newsletter some time ago, he is one of my fave travel writers, I have read all his books (some more than once). About a year ago, he emailed his subscribers to say he is applying for British citizenship, his wife is English and he is settled here now. He is writing a book about the UK and he wanted his readers help, with suggestions about places to visit. I emailed back and of course I said I thought he should go to Glastonbury.. and he agreed. what with one thing and another, him being busy and me being busy, it has taken till now to sort out a date, but we finally did. Today I went down to Glastonbury (I was up at 5am), met him on arrival, and gave him a guided tour (or Tor). Starting with coffee in Heapheys, one of my fave cafes. We went to the well and Tor with a flying visit to the (closed) white spring. On the tor, about half way up, I met quite by chance a lovely lady called Gita who I worked with in my last job! She lives near me so we have met on the bus a few times but to meet in Glastonbury- we were both amazed! We had lunch in my fave eatery, Rainbow's End, went in a handful of shops, then had a lovely long wander round the Abbey ruins and grounds. All the way I was telling him snippets of history and about the legends. It was a lovely day and he was delightful, really laid back and easy to chat to. So I may well be in his new book when it comes out. We travelled back as far as Didcot together, talking travel writing all the way!

I took some photos of course so my new camera has been properly tried and tested now! (I had just got my current Canon Powershot 110SX)

A handful of purchases were made. Lunar Moon Hare calendar 2010 by Wendy Andrew which is gorgeous, another pair of double later silk trousers, there was only one pair left, these are green fabrics. Mystical Times magazine, a little pilgrim guide, and a Glastonbury guide put together by the Pilgrims centre.

Sat 27th June 2009, visit 61

I have had a lovely day today and I think it did me a power of good.. well I did go to my beloved Glastonbury so I am glastified!! I was really worried that the buses may be busy and the town heaving because of the festival, but in fact it was all fine. They lay on special buses, and the festival goers seem to stay at Pilton, there the festival is actually held (about 6 miles away) anyway. 

I got down there about 10.15 and having travelled through fog a lot of the way (through the mists to Avalon), it was sunny and warm when I arrived. I armed myself with a coffee and not long later my flickr friend Kel and her partner Mark arrived. She is really really lovely, another hippy lady with red hair, hers is in dreads. We got on so well, you would never have guessed we had only just met. 

Then I went onto the well and had a wander round, then about 12.50 Jhenah* came and found me- and she is lovely too :)) I have kept it quiet, but she is going to be publishing a revised edition of her book "Avalon Within" and is putting quite a few of my photos in the new edition :) I am very proud of that and very honoured to be asked. We had lunch in Rainbow's End and went to the Goddess Temple. I took some photos in there, having checked before hand that it was OK to do so. We did some shopping too, I always mentally spend several hundred pounds there while in reality keeping to budget.. I am not allowed to make purchases on Visa any more, only use it to book flights and pay for advance rail travel. I bought the most gorgeous pair of purple silk trousers in two layers. I'll have to take a photo, and also some cards and next years diary and some shampoo and conditioner.


Jhenah is Jhenah Telyndru who wrote "Avalon Within" and the revised edition of the book has several of my photos in it which I am secretly very proud of :) Photography is one of my hobbies so to have some of my photos published was wonderful.





















Kel made me this gorgeous hare pendant



With Jhenah

Avalon 366 project

I must hasten on with my visit write ups, I meant to do that over the festive season and somehow never did. But my spare room/computer room looks MUCH better than it did with lovely pictures on the wall, and the manky old carpet taken up. Wee peep here


Funny how there are a lot of pictures of *that* place in Somerset there. I moved all my spiritual and esoteric books there too, and made a little altar so it is now also my little spiritual sanctuary

I did a 365 project on flickr last year and this year I find myself looking for a photo to take each day! But I do have a new project for 2012, the Avalon 366 project. I used to post a photo of my hair (yes, bit vain about it!) on my livejournal every Thursday too, it was tHAIRsday. But this year in honour of my new project I have a  new theme



The Avalon 366 project will be 366 of my photos of Glastonbury by the end of the year. They will be ones not posted to flickr before, some will be new and some will be old and some will be prettied up with Picnik. I am enjoying this challenge :) The set is here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jackiesjottings/sets/72157628668108367/with/6641096879/

Happy New Year±

23rd May 2009,visit 60!!!!!

The first entry not copied over from my website! Virgin territory now folks.


So we had a lovely day yesterday, once we got to Glastonbury that is. Bex got to Bristol OK. My train was packed though and running late just because of the sheer numbers of people who were getting on it. It was chaos and some bright spark had decided to move some of the seat reservations around so a family who had reserved seats all together found other people sat in their seats. Sadly when the guard came round he didn't try and sort it out. The me me me of some members of the human race never ceases to appall me. Some people really do have an "I'm all right Jack, stuff you" attitude. Am I rare in being the sort of person who would never dream of doing something like that? We were only 15 minutes late at Bristol in the end. The train was going on down to Penzance and a train from Didcot and Swindon straight to Penzance is rare, they usually branch off at Reading.

Then came the fun of getting on the bus. Bex got on OK at the bus station but it was then touch and go whether I would get on at Temple Meads, as there were loads of people waiting. In the end I did, and it turned out the bus before had been involved in an accident. They let a couple more people on at the next stop then had to keep telling people the bus was full. So I stood all the way to Wells which actually was OK, it was very hot on the bus but I was by an open window and by a pole so I had something to hang onto. The bus emptied out in Wells and I was actually able to go and say hello to Bex properly!

We started off with coffee in Heapheys which is one of my regular things to do. Then we had an amble round the shops. Summer of Love has closed but there is now a music shop there selling drums and shamanic bits and pieces which is really nice. I was on a tight budget so purchases were modest.. latest copies of "Avalon" and "Fae" magazing, a little pouch with hares on it to keep my camera in, and a gorgeous hare cuddly toy scented with camomile and lavender from Liz's shop. I will have to take photos. We had lunch in Rainbow's End, I had a piece of yummy cheesy quiche and salad and elderflower presse.

Then we headed for the Tor, with a stop at the lovely little St. Margaret's Chapel which isn't often open these days. The Tor was covered in buttercups! I have never seen so many! We took it easy climbing up as it was quite warm, and the views were amazing, Quantock Hills and beyond, and you could see the coast of Wales, it isn't that often I have seen that. There were lots of people up there. We spent a fair bit of time there, it feels like being on top of the world. Then we went and had a look in the White Spring wellhouse. They have stripped out the inside so it looks like a reservoir chamber again, I do hope they might do more with it. The Chalice Well Gardens were gorgeous, so many bright colours and things in bloom. I do love it there. I made one more purchase, a really nice candle and the new toilet block is open except there didn't seem to be any water from the taps in the basins! 

Journey home was much smoother. We left a bit earlier than we needed to as with there being a bus missing we didn't want to wait for the best bus then find it didn't arrive. I had time to get a coffee when I got to Temple Meads and the train was much quieter. A group of really laddish youths got on at Swindon though and they were dire. Loud, uncouth, (belching etc), just obnoxious to decent citizens- and they probably thought they were so cool. Thankfully I managed to stay out of their way! There were plenty of other people about anyway. 


I think of this visit as the buttercup visit as the tor was covered with them



Bex took this for me and I love this photo