I lied!

Time for one more well* for 2022 and it came as a delightful surprise - a handmade card by Himself for our anniversary. It's St Kyren's Well somewhere in Limerick, as yet unblogged but shortly to be recorded.  It's a beauty and he's captured it so well. Also I was given the most beautiful book St Manchan's Shrine which I have been lusting after. This wedding anniversary has no specific gift associated with it but poetry is suggested! Eek. He was gifted something less romantic - a drawing pen from Japan and a Marino buff to keep him warm.
It has been an odd day. I was invited to a walk hosted by ecologist activist, tree lover and general out of the box thinker, Ted Cook. I wasn't going to go as it was a good hour and a half away and I had had enough driving but on the spur of the moment I did. We gathered in Kilbrogan cemetery and walked to two holy wells in the park, about 500m away - this took two and a half hours as every tree, lichen and hedgerow were examined and remarked upon in depth - what an extraordinary depth of knowledge he has all delivered in a passionate and often humorous manner. His message, we have lost the run of ourselves and our connections with our surroundings. He described Irish people as forest dwellers without a forest, and urged us to look around us, breathe and start telling the truth. He likened the situation to the Titanic - rumbling towards an iceberg, not enough lifeboats and egoistic fools at the helm. I especially liked learning the meaning of the word sloven - someone who  did not look after his trees carefully enough, a bad coppicer and someone no sensible woman would marry!
We arrived at the wells and yes, some spiel was forthcoming from the doyenne of holy wells and I was flattered and astounded that Ted knew who I was and what I was up to.. Ah Amanda he, said, it means the lover, are you a lover? 

I shall let you ponder on that and wish you all a very happy, peaceful and healthy 2023. See you on the other side. 

* actually there were two more!