It has been a while since I last blogged. I’ve needed the time to just be, to heal and to reflect. I became a bit of a hermit because that’s what I needed at the time.
Grief is a strange phenomena. Sometimes when you think you are piecing yourself back together, something comes along: a memory, a scent, a sound which reminds you of your loved one’s absence and you’re back in that heartache. That’s how it’s been for me anyway, everyone grieves differently.
Besides being a hermit, I’ve had to focus more on my uni studies and I’m pleased to say I’ve completed my degree and will graduate next month. Studying towards a degree has been a challenge for me with working full time, losing loved ones the stress of day to day life, and I’m so pleased and relieved to have passed my course. Once I’ve graduated I will need to then do some research about what I would like to do with my degree. One path leads to another.
In other news, my partner and I got engaged and we’re getting married next year, so I’ve been doing a lot of wedding planning. We also bought our first house together and moved in during the winter months. So a lot has been going on for me this past year!
I plan to get back into blogging because I’ve really missed writing and researching folklore and witchcraft. So keep tuned because more content will be coming soon!
My fiance and I are just back from a trip to Berlin, and it was amazing exploring all of the sights such as the Berlin Wall, the TV Tower and Brandenburg Tor and trying currywurst for the first time. I’m now having currywurst withdrawal so I’m hoping when the next German food stalls appear in town they will be selling this as well as regular bratwurst.
We also went to see the Icelandic techno-punk BDSM perfomance art group Hatari play in Berlin, and it was honestly the best gig of my life. I loved it so much that I’m going to see them in London again next year for their Europe Will Crumble tour. Hatari have inspired me to get back into being my creative self, as well as looking deeply into the state of the world. Their music speaks of the paradox of man’s existence in a capitalist society, of the destruction we’re causing the planet and thus ultimately destroying ourselves. Everyone has a price, everyone is for sale. From their instagram:
Hatari is a political multimedia project which aims to unveil the relentless scam that is everyday life. We cannot change things, but we can unveil the anomie of neoliberal society, the pointlessness of every minute spent in the race, and the low price for which man sells himself ever more blatantly.
I had intentions to set up a witchy shop online, but I never got round to doing it due to studies. It’s something I consider doing every now and then but ultimately I’m unsure if I will at this stage. I’ve been rather busy as mentioned above!
I mentioned in a post a little while back about fundraising for the Tales of the Taibhsear album, and it’s been released and the project is such a success, that Scott of The Cailleach’s Herbarium also set up a organisation called The Woven Land Network designed to raise funds to restore and preserve important sacred sites around Scotland such as holy wells and standing stones as well as education people about their history (if known), their function and how to visit these sites respectfully. You can find out more on their facebook page or website: The Woven Land Network It’s a very exciting project and I’m proud of Scott for working so hard to educate others and conserve these sites.
I plan to get blogging again more frequently, there are still plenty of folkloric tales to tell and spells to do.
Beannachd Leibh x
Hag o' The Hills 