Eoestre Antics

The above is one of a couple of male mallards pursuing a female. I got (not very good) pics of their aerial antics. I've never seen ducks having a dog fight before. The determined look in the male's eye can be seen in my pic. Together with rabbits and hares, which can mate and conceive again before they have even given birth, mallards are well-know for spring fertility friskiness. In pagan times Eoestre was the spring fertility goddess. We get the word oestrogen from her name and our Christian Easter celebration of Christ's new life incorporated many of the pagan springtime symbols and traditions.

The Easter Bunny comes from Germanic folklore and was taken to America by settlers in Pennsylvania. I've noticed that in my lifetime it has arrived in the UK. I'm not a great fan of the Easter Bunny but bought my granddaughter a cushion with a baby rabbit on it, complete with fluffy tail. I've dubbed it a revision cushion as she has GCSE exams coming up soon. My pic in extras is of some special breed eggs that I took to the family. I love the Aranucana Blue, which are actually a beautifully delicate shade of green.

Today's poem is Muse by Jo Shapcott. https://inspirare.wordpress.com/2010/12/30/muse-by-jo-shapcott/

That's her excuse and she's sticking to it. :) Makes a change, a female poet with a male muse.