SUMMER SOLSTICE

I'm not sure when the summer solstice falls this year but it's either just gone or just about to arrive, Google was no help, all it did was inform me I would not be welcome at Stonehenge. Not that I'd thought of going but in these days of toleration and political correctness it seems a touch mean. For those short of something to do or those that don't get out much if you click HERE there are several hundred alternative venues. No doubt busy with pagans, druids, wiccas and all sorts of interesting people. Odd that the Christian church doesn't have a major celebration at this time of the year after all they hijacked several other pagan festivals. The sight of our vicar running around painted blue would have the church bursting at the seams! There are plenty of stone circles in Derbyshire, unfortunately I have no pictures, they are all lack height and so don't show to advantage when combined with summer vegetation.

This is a couple of miles from home and has always been a mystery to me, too tall for a gate stoop. Why wasn't it incorporated into the wall? We have similar stone posts in fields but they are centrally positioned and have a hole in to facilitate the tethering of bulls.

The three pictures above are all of Five Wells, the remains of a neolithic burial chamber which is on Taddington Moor. Originally it would have been covered by a large mound of stone but farmers over the years plundered the stone for wall building. A mixed blessing. In summer it is too overgrown for a satisfactory picture so, as you will see from the snow, this was taken in winter. I live just under the horizon in the top right hand corner.

Finally Molly wanted her image on a chrome ball, impressed with yesterdays flower, so here it is. make sure the wode is washable else you'll get some strange looks at work, all the best.