Yuletide greeting to all my blog readers!

December 23, 2021

Yuletide greeting to all my blog readers!

Herne the Hunter Cernunnos Digital Art by Angela Jayne Latham

I had a lovely Winter Solstice article ready to post up and instead of posting it I accidentally deleted it! Lol! I didn't have time to repost as I had to travel down to meet up with my Mum. We spent a lovely Winter Solstice day at Charlecote Park which has a beautiful Elizabethan house and deer park. A really beautiful place and even though it's the Christmas holidays it was quiet enough to grab some peace and quite and a hot cup of tea! The house though closed for winter still was interesting to visit as are the surrounded countryside. A wonderful area for long walks, photography and getting inspired for painting. They have a large deer park and we were delighted to spot three White Hart's! Which are quite rare and are a very magical sight! Funny enough in the morning before we headed off I watched an episode of Robin of Sherwood. Those of you who have seen this series will know the character Herne the Hunter often appears to Robin dressed in deer skins and horned stag headdress. Robin, his followers and the local villagers treat Herne as a god and he, in return, offers advice, guidance and gives magical protection to his followers much to the annoyance of the local Sheriff of Nottingham! So to see so many deer so close by and especially White Hart deer, which are also connected to magical folklore, seemed just perfect! Especially for the beginning of Yule and on Winter Solstice day.

The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

There is an interesting article on the folklore of Herne the Hunter at Britannica's website. Please visit their link below.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Herne-the-Hunter

Some photos from my trip to Charlecote Park.