“In times long past lived a man of green
and his footsteps brought life wherever he’d been
In the deepest wild wood was the place he’d once been
and the people did love and protect him…”
Clun put on another fabulous event this year with its GreenMan festival.
We got held up in traffic on the way there so sadly missed the ‘Battle on the Bridge’ between the Frost Queen and the Green Man where the Green Man defeats the rule of winter, driving her from the town. He lost to her powers last year, resulting in horrible weather for the whole year, but this year he won!!!! Roll on the sunshine!
We found him atop the castle hill, overlooking the valley below where he blessed the valley with spring; and didn’t he just… the day was roastingly hot and utterly beautiful!
The children and I decended the steep steep hill, kicked off our shoes and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon with family and friends eating from No Bones Jones, drinking real Lemonade, watching performers, listening to live music and playing to our hearts content.
the giant jester
Toby had a little pottery lesson,
While Emily and I enjoyed a dance, feeling the beat of the drums and the sun
We met the Lord of the Forest himself
Emily and Toby, with a friend of Toby’s
and Dragons; the left being a non fire breathing variety; the red American Dragon apparently does not have the correct kind of rock to digest, and is flightless, unlike the fire eater below!
The end of the day drew in, and we watched with our breath held as these performers danced with fire…
“…and they saw his face change with the turn of the wheel;
of the seasons they heard his voice sing…
I’m the horned God, I’m the face of the trees, I’m the breath of the wind that rustles the leaves – I’m the Green Man in the wildwood I roam, Cernunnos, I’m pan and I’m Herne!”
Damh the Bard – noon of the Solstice
We didn’t see my longed for Maypole this year, but the spirit of Mayday certainly paid us a visit!
I also tried my first sip of the amber nectar that is Mead. I am not a drinker, in fact I avoid it at all costs, but when Toby asked if we could sample a stall holders Heather Moorland Honey I spied it on a corner of the table.
Oh my… the smallest sip and my senses were alive with the fragrance of honey. Wow. I can honestly say I am in love. That evening, when the children were fast asleep I stole a quite moment alone to reflect with a little esspresso cup of mead in the garden ,watching the darkness drift over the newly bloomed life that the Green man left in his tracks.
