In last week's #CreteNature blog we found a beautiful ivy hedgerow buzzing with life. Ivy has been associated with the Winter solstice since pagan times but in Germany they traditionally tie it to the outside of a church. Is this to protect it against
a) the devil
b) lightning
c) witches
Somewhat surprisingly the answer is lightning. Why this should be is a matter of speculation; perhaps someone observed that ivy covered trees did not get struck by lightning so often as bare trees? A similar thought was held by the druids who believed that Ivy's Christmas counterpart, Holly, if self seeded near a dwelling, would protect the inhabitants from fire, nightmares and, once again, lightning.
More seasonal nature notes and other trivia in this week's #CreteNature blog: The Springs of Paraspori
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Recent Posts
-
Just to the north of Bassenthwaite lake lies Messengermire Wood. Who the messenger was, and whether he got sucked into the mire, is a t...
-
We're off to Silloth West Beach today, in search of a somewhat drab looking plant called Mugwort. Drab it may be, but it is the first ...
-
It’s once more into the ditch dear friends this week as we descend into the valley depths and continue our journey up the river bed. It...
-
Twenty years or so ago, if I saw a hill, I felt an irresistible urge to climb it. Now, older and wiser, I have come to re...
-
Is Turkey Tangle Frogfruit effective against a) suppurating sores b) stones c) the common cold According to Sanskrit literat...
No comments:
Post a Comment