For Erica

No painting today. Instead I slipped down to the Bristol Memorial Woodlands for the funeral of a well loved Druid, Erica. Erica lived a long and happy life both in the UK and the Far East before returning to the West Country. 

She was a Pagan Chaplain, one of if not the first, and visited inmates in Leyhill and Bristol Prison. At Leyhill she arranged for the construction of a stone circle within the bounds of the prison, so that pagan inmates could have a space for spiritual ritual. She was a Member of The Druid Network, as well as of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.

As a Member of the Dobunni Grove of Druids, who meet at Stanton Drew stone circle, she was honoured with a Druid funeral followed by interment in the Woodland. Her family had the various elements of the ritual explained to them by the primary celebrant (right of pic, alongside three others, holding Erica's drum), and it was an emotional experience.

I smile... I just mentioned to my mum just now on Skype where I'd been... you could almost see the frost growing on the screen, lol. Took forever for her to respond, and of course  on a completely different subject. Religious extremists... gotta love 'em anyway.