Thursday 11 February 2010

we walk in Ancient places


The sun has finally emerged from the wintery clouds, stretching golden fingers across the icy fields. Though the wind is bitter still, the earth is springing to life beneath our feet. If you pause, hold very still and open your senses, it is possible to hear the sap rising, the land quickening. I can hear it in the birdsong, I can smell the spring as I walk across the hill towards the ancient settlement at Kestor. These 'roundy pounds' are the remains of ancient roundhouses, a lasting reminder of our ancestors who lived on these granite hills 2000 years ago. There are at least a dozen hut circles across this hillside. We sit on a rock overlooking the valley, and the weight of human history is overwhelming. How many people have been born and died here? Have lived, and loved, and laughed and grieved, and struggled to survive in this harsh beauty?



And this is what I am listening to as I work at the moment - I had to show you! Polly Scattergood is brilliant, (although possibly an acquired taste - you can hear the influences of Bjork, Tori Amos and Joanna Newsome in her songs)



Don't forget, there is still time to sign up for the print giveaway! You need to sign up in the comments of the Giveaway Post, not after this post. Good Luck!

8 comments:

Julia Guthrie said...

That looks like a gorgeous place for a walk :)
The more ancient the better for me :)

I'd never heard of Polly Scattergood before, I like the youtubes you posted!

Carol Anne Strange said...

What a magical place, Danielle. I can imagine it's full of whispers on the breeze of times gone by. Spring is definitely in the air, even though it's freezing here today. xx

Unknown said...

You are so fortunate to live in such a beautiful green place. Oh how you make me long to go back to Scotland. Your photos remind me of the many stone circles we came across. I love your blog because of all the photos you post, in fact it is the only one I follow regularly so far.

Maia said...

That was so beautifully said. Don't you just love places where time is fluid? Where you get the feeling that what has happened,is happening and will happen somehow merge; and if you sit very still you can hear the echoes of times gone by and times yet to be.

We have just had our second blizzard in less than a week, but the sun is stronger and the days last longer. Spring is on the way

Unknown said...

I love places where the history enfolds you...you can breath the life that came before you. How envious I am of your location:)

Jess said...

Aren't we lucky to be living so near to amazing places like this? That's such a lovely photo. Thanks for the Polly Scattergood music, I hadn't come across her before but I really like it :)xx

A mermaid in the attic said...

Beautiful photos Danielle, and such an amazing place. It's one of the things I loved most on the two trips I've had to the UK, being able to connect somehow with my ancestors and my history, my people's story going back thousands of years. Australia has such deep, deep ancient history, and yet I feel like it doesn't belong to me, I cannot put my hand over a handprint painted in a cave and say 'this is the hand of my ancestors'...my people are recent arrivals and our roots here are still shallow.

Carolee said...

Swoon!! Oh, what I wouldn't give to live in such a stunning and magical place, *sigh*....

And thanks for the intro to Polly Scattergood too - very cool!

~ Carolee

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