In a recent worldwide survey, when asked to answer to the question 'Do you find school boring?' guess which country came out at number 1?

[Clue: 67% of the people surveyed in the No.1 country answered 'yes' school is boring!!
Second-placed country was 61%]

Have a guess, go on~~~

Saying "God Bless You" following a sneeze - Elizabethans believed that the devil could enter your body when you opened your mouth to sneeze - the blessing warded off the Devil

An eclipse was seen as an omen of evil

It was unlucky for a black cat to cross your path ( Black is the color associated with evil magic and a cat was strongly associated with a witch's familiar

The 'seventh son of a seventh son' was believed to possess supernatural powers

It was unlucky to keep the feather of a peacock ( the eye-shape on the feathers of peacocks were seen as the 'Evil-eye')

Pin bay leaves to your pillow on the Eve of St Valentine, one at each corner and one in the middle and you will then dream of your future husband

Touch wood to guard against bad luck. This Celtic superstition dates back to the Dark Ages when it was believed that a tree possessed magical powers

Not to walk under ladders - considered bad luck as ladders are associated with the gallows and executions

Shoes on a table - If you put shoes on a table it was very bad luck - inviting an imminent death

Spilling Salt or pepper - Seen as bad luck - the cost of these spices were extremely expensive during the Elizabethan era

There are many beliefs attached to our feathered friends, a fraction of which I've written about below;

Raven:
The Celts viewed the raven as an important animal, being associated with battles in Ireland and also with goddesses Morrigu or the latter Welsh Morrigan. It was also connected with Brian the Blessed. The raven thought of as the embodiment of paradox, self-importance, contradiction even, representing crises in life, thought necessary for the creation of the new.

The raven is renowned to be of ill omen and is said to have the worst nature of all birds according to legend, even associated with the Devil. It has supposed power to see into the future, which brought the expression, 'the foresight of a raven'. 'The messenger of death' is attached to ravens by native American Indians, as it has a highly developed sense of smell being able to detect death from a great distance.

The Tower of London house the world's most famous ravens, who, tradition tells us, will signal the fall of Monarchy and Britian itself, should they leave the famous Tower.

In the event of a raven croaking, or flying above a house, an omen of sickness, or even death is envisaged. The flight around a chimney, an ill person is seen as having a almost negligable chance of survival, while in Scotland, traditionally, the croaking raven before a hunt will herald a succesful day regarding this pursuit.

Preening may forecast the imminent approach of rain, while flying toward the sun may be an indication of hot weather in the ensuing days.

The theft of raven eggs, according to rural England belief, has the dark picture of a baby dying. In Yorkshire, "The Great Black Bird" was a warning to children to behave themselves. A reference to the raven. Kinf Arthur and ravens too have association in the West Country and Wales, where it is believed that upon his death, Kinf Arthur turned into a raven. Though the true nature of the raven may be found in Edgar Allen Poe's poem, entitled simply, 'The Raven.'

Eagle:
A bird noted for wisdom and long life in Celtic stories. The eagle represents swiftness, strength, keen sight, and the knowledge of magick. It helps one to see hidden spiritual truths. Universally protected, the eggs of which are precious, so anyone caught stealing them will be troubled restless, it is said. If the eagle is heard to be screeching or hovering over flat land, it is believed to be a precursor of death and disease.

Hawk (Aracos):
Celtic tradition, passed down by word-of-mouth, lists the oldest animal as the Hawk of Achill. The hawk, like many other birds, is considered a link between the otherworld and this one. It symbolises clear-sightedness and an alertness of mind reaching longevity. The nightime cry of a hawk during a journey, according to belief, will necesitate extreme caution on the listener's behalf, requiring decisiveness to guard against being thrown off balance.

Seagull (Faoilean):
Connected to sea deities, such as the God Manannan mac Lir and the Goddess Don in Celtic Shamanism.

Swan (Eala):
A mystical bird who finds its way into several Celtic stories. Its feathers were often used in the ritual cloak of the Bards. Swans are connected with music and song. Swans also help with the interpretation of dream symbols, transitions, and spiritual evolution. The swan is now protected, and sometimes thought of as 'Royal' with Richard the Lionheart, King of England, perhaps bringing the first to the UK from Cyprus after the Third Crusade.In mythology, Zeus appeared as a swan to Leda, though, universally, the swan is dedicated to Apollo the Greek god of music.

The word swansong has much creedence in the belief that when a swan is dying it sings, giving rise to the word, however, in reality, it hisses.). A swan laying it's head back along it's body may warn of a storm ahead, while another belief informs that a thunderstorm is needed for the hatching of a swan's eggs. Scottish tradition tells that a national disaster may follow the sight of three swans flying together overhead.

[Some extra info from sudha_c, with grateful thanks: A swan is considered to be very wise,as its believed that that it can separate milk from water and then drink the milk! A swan was used along with the pigeons to carry love messages.]

Blackbird (Druid-dhubh, Lon Duhb):
Legends say that the birds of Rhiannan are three blackbirds, which sit and sing in the World Tree of the Otherworlds. Their singing puts the listener into a sleep or a trance which enables him/her to travel to the otherworld.

Apparently, in England, (Essex to be precise), it's considered very good luck if a blackbird nests on one's roof, (a rather unusual occurance), and blackbird's being territorial by nature, seeing two together also offers the viewer a blessing of good luck!

Crow:
Not to be mistaken with Raven or Blackbird, the Crow is the most cunning and devious of these three birds and is sometimes seen as a traitor or malicious trickster associated with air, and sometimes fire. Personally, I quite like the crow, despite it's sometimes tarnished image. (They get stardom on XTC's "Senses Working Overtime").

As with all black birds, death seems to follow their profile, albeit unfairly, but the crow has the image of misfortune and since ancient times, witchcraft, negativity etchave come to be linked with the crow, which is seen as possessing prophecy, one reason, perhaps, for it's not infrequent usage during fortune telling.

A crow sitting alone or circling a house symbolises an ill-omen presently at-hand, and crowing alone will highlight this. The abandonement of a rookery, by the whole flock is thought of as a death omen, while the settling or walking of a crow beside water can forewarn us of imminent storms.

I would like to add that rooks are amongst the most intelligent of birds in the UK, and the RSPB once noted rooks gathering together, seemingly deciding the fate of another 'guilty' bird...a not uncommon sight for 'twitchers' to observe!

[I would like to add this from sudha_c: A crow is believed to carry the offerings of the last rites performed to the departed soul,and hence crows r invited on these occasions in India.]

There is a traditional American rhyme which I've added, that is said to have an impact upon your future according to the number of crows seen;

'One crow, sorrow,
Two crows, mirth.
Three crows, wedding,
Four crows, birth.

by lauren6

~~~

"Never look for birds of this year in the nests of the last."
Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) Don Quixote

living for today
believing in tomorrow
remembering yesterday
all because of now

| | |

vie pour aujourd'hui
croyance au demain
se rappeler hier
tous en raison de maintenant

by lauren6

Good morning.

Last night was an interrupted one yet again, though not for the usual shock of spinal pain, or necessity to take the 4-hourly medicine, no, but for the lightning illuminating my bedroom every minute or so. At first, (12:30), I thought it my own fatigue, but when my 1977 shira radio started crackling I realised the clear sky was hiding a charge. This clear sky lightning went on until barely a couple of hours ago, just before sunrise camouflaged the sky's secret. Six hours of cloudless lightning is quite rare here, what about your neighbourhoods??

I'm happy that two days ago my dear friend called me and asked about me. She is working flat-out and hopefully will be able to revisit me in January, touch wood. She told me Japan is currently cold, but was amazed when I informed her of England's snowfalls.

Yesterday, Norwich City FC managed a creditable 2-2 draw away to Coventry City, after going a customary two goals down inside 10 minutes, but found some spirit, after losing Huckerby too, and gained an away point. Well done the Canaries.

I felt great sympathy for the travelling Canaries fans though, as one coach broke down en-route to Coventry's Ricoh Arena, which was followed by their replacement coach also breaking down!!! They reached the game only in time to see Norwich's late, late equaliser.

The hospital surprised me yet again yesterday. They now announce, (after informing me the MRI will have to wait maybe a year), that I can have it done next month in King's Lynn! It is an admission that Norwich's flagship hospital cannot cope, even with the well-known national problem, and it seems ONLY after my continual pressure to merely be seen was this appointment made.
I feel victorious in just getting a MRI appointment, eleven months after my injury, and must appreciate the sobering thought that the necessary treatments thereafter will probably incur several more months, or even years of waiting.
I'm looking at health spas once more!

What's your indulgence this weekend blog buddies?

~~~

We see a fine white frost over the grass this morning; and I suppose you have rubbed your hands and cried 'Oh Lauk, how cold it is!' twenty times before I write this.
-Fitzgerald, Geldeston, Beccles, November 27th, 1844

~~~

Colour: Hailstonewhite
Music: Brazilfunk: Fatback (Bossa mix)
Orchestra PM: Echo (Bassbins mix)
Films: Belleville Rendezvous by Sylvain Chomet...wonderful!
Bridget Jones's Diary

Each morning I appear
To lie at your feet,
All day I will follow
No matter how fast you run,
Yet I nearly perish
In the midday sun.