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Post by trubble on Dec 21, 2008 12:19:07 GMT
After today, the days will get longer and the sunshine begins to return. Hurrah! I keep meaning to get to Newgrange to see the sunrise there but I forget to enter the lottery for the tickets. I've been forgetting for about 20 years.   Newgrange Stone Circle being not as impressive as Stonehenge Newgrange is the megolithic, neolithic tomb and stone circle, the Irish Stonehenge if you like, or the Irish Pyramids, where on the solstice the sun shines directly through a skylight into the tiny burial chamber inside the tomb. How they do that?  According to Carbon-14 dates, it is more than 500 years older than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, and predates Stonehenge trilithons by about 1,000 years (although the earliest stages of Stonehenge are roughly contemporary with Newgrange). (thanks wiki)Unlike Stonehenge, only 20 people can be inside the tomb to see the sunrise so it doesn't attract all the self proclaimed guardians of the ancient rites or something or nothing.  Stonehenge sunrise, rubbish compared to Newgrange, and being spoiled by stupid vegan drummers... : Newgrange 4 webcams: full sunlight at 4.44 but you probably don't want to watch webcams with some dodgy panpipey music overlay so photo too:  What you're looking at is the sunrise light streaming into the narrow passageway inside the mound. It's pitch black in the chamber, like a cave, and the only time light comes into it is the solstice sunrise. Like I said...how the heck they do that!!  Interlude: Some photos of Bilbo Baggins's house Newgrange before and after 'restoration'....            Ok, enough education for the day, happy winter solstice!   Peace out.  |
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Post by Patrick on Dec 21, 2008 13:06:17 GMT
Makes you wonder about some of the other "Mounds" around - like Silbury Hill etc. Whether they were in fact part and parcel of calendaeic celebrations? Love that stuff. Best Beloved travelled to some of the sites with a cousin years ago - said she felt some strong "vibes" coming off some of the stones. Good job I wasn't around then, I'd have suggested that perhaps someone had been walking their dog round there that morning!  Of course tomorrow's the shortest day as well, and the day after in fact. Here are the times according to the Beeb, until Thursday, for Lancaster; Sunday Sunrise 08:30 (GMT) Sunset 15:51 (GMT) Monday Sunrise 08:30 (GMT) Sunset 15:51 (GMT) Tuesday Sunrise 08:31 (GMT) Sunset 15:52 (GMT) I'm intrigued by that - Sun sets later - but rises later too! Wednesday Sunrise 08:31 (GMT) Sunset 15:52 (GMT) Thursday Sunrise 08:32 (GMT) Sunset 15:53 (GMT) |
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Post by riotgrrl on Dec 21, 2008 15:34:33 GMT
Trubs
Loving the Irish Stonehenge.
The bloody English go on about things so . . and we Irish and Scots have far better things, but we just don't make a fuss about them.
ROLL ON SOLSTICE.
Honestly, my whole soul (if I had one) is hanging on there really honestly being more daylight per day soon. I can understand why our pagan ancestors panicked so much at this time of year that they had to have big fire celebrations to try to tempt the Sun God back.
It makes so much more sense than Christmas.
(I'm off to dance naked round an ancient stone cairn made out of discarded Buckfast bottles in the park . . back soon!)
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Post by riotgrrl on Dec 21, 2008 16:13:51 GMT
Ten past four in the afternoon and pitch dark already.
I CAN'T STAND MUCH MORE OF THIS.
I have been trying to find murder statistics by month, but no joy so far. My hypothesis is that the rates for murder and other crimes of violence must go up at this time of year when the darkness makes us all a bit mad. It just feels like it's not the real world.
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Post by trubble on Dec 21, 2008 16:23:56 GMT
The bloody English go on about things so . . and we Irish and Scots have far better things, but we just don't make a fuss about them. So true so true...  |
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Post by trubble on Dec 21, 2008 16:26:16 GMT
Ten past four in the afternoon and pitch dark already. I CAN'T STAND MUCH MORE OF THIS. I have been trying to find murder statistics by month, but no joy so far. My hypothesis is that the rates for murder and other crimes of violence must go up at this time of year when the darkness makes us all a bit mad. It just feels like it's not the real world. 16.26 and still light here, but fading fast. (Am just noting that hypthesis for future defence case if ever needed. Previously was planning on relying on PMT one but I'm liking the non-gender based one so much more.) |
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Post by Patrick on Dec 21, 2008 22:38:06 GMT
I have heard that a seriously grisly murder in a lesser known region of Glasgow was avoided this afternoon - the murderer having spotted a strange young lady apparently dancing naked round a beer bottle........ The suicide rate goes up too apparently. Whether that happens in Scottish Cities too, I'm not sure. The Celts invented most of it anyway, so what do I know!  |
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Post by riotgrrl on Dec 21, 2008 23:06:04 GMT
I have heard that a seriously grisly murder in a lesser known region of Glasgow was avoided this afternoon - the murderer having spotted a strange young lady apparently dancing naked round a beer bottle........ The suicide rate goes up too apparently. Whether that happens in Scottish Cities too, I'm not sure. The Celts invented most of it anyway, so what do I know! I understand that the self-harm rate among those unlucky enough to see that naked, dancing lady all blue and bouncing, is up through the roof. |
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Post by Patrick on Dec 22, 2008 9:49:17 GMT
I have heard that a seriously grisly murder in a lesser known region of Glasgow was avoided this afternoon - the murderer having spotted a strange young lady apparently dancing naked round a beer bottle........ The suicide rate goes up too apparently. Whether that happens in Scottish Cities too, I'm not sure. The Celts invented most of it anyway, so what do I know! I understand that the self-harm rate among those unlucky enough to see that naked, dancing lady all blue and bouncing, is up through the roof. Ah, um. Can anyone spot the mistake in the way I put that? The first sentence was of course directed at certain solstice er hem, celebrations. My mention of suicide rates was related to RG's research into murder rates and had nothing to do whatsoever with the aforementioned sighting of blue and bouncing things in public parks! Better stop there now I think  |
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Post by Patrick on Feb 4, 2009 13:08:55 GMT
This January has been back to the old Long and Dark of old! It seemed to go on for ages!
Yet the Birdies started to go mad about midway through! It's supposed to be colder than usual - yet they are well on their way to seemingly knowing that Spring is on it's way!
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Post by everso on Feb 4, 2009 14:35:44 GMT
This January has been back to the old Long and Dark of old! It seemed to go on for ages! Yet the Birdies started to go mad about midway through! It's supposed to be colder than usual - yet they are well on their way to seemingly knowing that Spring is on it's way! Yes, I've been hearing lots of birdsong and a fair bit of movement - even thought it's been snowing. I think it must be something to do with the light. I've noticed that the evenings are pulling out. |
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Post by riotgrrl on Mar 23, 2009 12:57:53 GMT
Must be coming up spring now, as I see that the blossom is out on the trees opposite the High Court.
This would fit in with the theory that March-April-May are the months of Spring.
(June, July, August = Summer
September, October, November = Autumn
December, January, February = Winter.)
It's very pretty. rows of trees all pink and bridesmaidsy. I love blossom. In fact, if I pop out this afternoon I'll take you all a photo from outside the mortuary to show you.
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Post by Patrick on Mar 23, 2009 13:24:54 GMT
'pparently it officially started a few days earlier than the 21st this year. (As far as the official Pagan-ey version goes). You must be warmer than here at the moment then - for I was remarking just the other day that the ornamental cherry trees in the park have yet to come out, down here. I haven't seen a good long display of blossom since 2006  |
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Post by bonbonlarue on Mar 23, 2009 14:59:07 GMT
I love Spring and today I have managed to convince my boss that it was his idea for me to start and finish work earlier..  YAY!!! I could be in the pub by 4.35 !!!! |
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Post by Flatypus on Mar 23, 2009 15:23:34 GMT
Newgrange brings some beautiful memories back from the Autumn. Sadly, when people are physically out of touch they can let worries about each other drive them apart.  |
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Post by trubble on Mar 23, 2009 19:51:22 GMT
Oh Piffle, don't be sad.  . There'll be more memories to have. And Summer will be along soon - May to be precise - with all that nice exam weather. |
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Post by trubble on Mar 23, 2009 19:55:04 GMT
a photo from outside the mortuary to show you. That this month's photo theme, then?  |
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Post by riotgrrl on Mar 23, 2009 20:01:10 GMT
Oh Piffle, don't be sad. . There'll be more memories to have. And Summer will be along soon - May to be precise - with all that nice exam weather. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr |
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Post by Flatypus on Mar 23, 2009 20:12:43 GMT
It's pretty obvious really that the time when people need reassurance the most is when you're not there to give it. Besides, being apart has a bit of the worst of both worlds about it: you're not together but you're not going to start with somebody else either.
They told us that Newgrange is the oldest building in the world, about 3,000BC. There's two others but what gets me is that I don't see building something like that without a long history even if it was in wood.
Ha! Not far from Stonehenge towards Avebury is Woodhenge, just rings and rings of concentric post-holes. It's thought that it was some sort of ritual maze, maybe covered. But maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was posts to keep a mound in place and worked the same way as Newgrange. That would account for how something like that can emerge with no known history behind it.
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Post by motorist on Mar 23, 2009 20:29:18 GMT
Oh Piffle, don't be sad. . There'll be more memories to have. And Summer will be along soon - May to be precise - with all that nice exam weather. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I got one of them in about 6 weeks  |
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A.P.P.S
S C 
. There'll be more memories to have.
