I forgot to put this image in, intended for yesterday’s diary. Everywhere as far as the eye can see is covered with garlic. We love garlic, I eat it raw with nasturtiums. This photo graph was taken in the churchyard of the Paulton church where we attended for coffee on a Tuesday morning.

Beltane was originally a Gaelic Mayday festival marking the beginning of summer tradition and they held on the first of May or about midway between the spring equinox and the summer equinox. Today the festival was celebrated on Carlton Hill in Edinburgh. In the south it was celebrated in Glastonbury with an early morning jumping over the fire ritual.

Françoise and I arrived shortly after 11:30. We normally arrive early but she had a yoga session in the morning. When we went along to chalice well many people were streaming the other way because they were going to go to the town celebration and walk which was due to start at one pm. from the centre of Glastonbury  We like the midday celebration. For once, it was as spot-on perfect as I have seen in all my years coming to Chalice Well.

# We were welcomed round the world on the stroke old midday.
# We were reminded of the significance of the spring and the birth of new life.
# We were reminded of the formation by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in France followed by Alice Buckton who purchased the well in 1913 and followed by a trust created in 1959 set up by Wesley Tudor Pole.
# The brief speeches were to the point and clearly enunciated. The microphone was passed from hand to hand.
# I noticed that there was a very good fellowship between the four speakers.

Most important of all the microphone and speakers actually worked unlike last time and even if you were standing some distance away you could hear what was being said. What a joy it was to attend and I found that the 10 minutes silent meditation passed by in almost a timeless way. It is my practice to engage in outrageous and way out conversations with people.

I always try to spot people who haven’t been there before and encourage them to speak to strangers. This does take some getting used to for those unfamiliar with the protocol which is complete openness coupled with respect for others who are different. Let’s face it, you have to be different to be there in the first place. I tried to compliment strangers and congratulated one woman for having an outfit that matched the color of the tulips on bank behind her.

Food and drink is available but they have put the price up of a slice of cake to £4. People paid anyway, I did not especially as I have to keep a sugar free diet. I find that sugar is the closest thing to poison which causes acid reflux. The town procession ended on a hill close to the well. There were hundreds of people there.

I overheard someone mentioning the term ‘ intelligent conversation’ I thought about this and realize that you can only have such a conversation with those who are not too afraid to think. This excludes most people. With the majority it is just treading water which doesn’t get anyone anywhere. I went up to the group where the words of originated and thanked them for their unknowing stimulus of someone else. I seemed to throw them a bit but I think they got the idea and it certainly led to one or two interesting remarks.

Some of my readers know that I collect accents. I met someone else or should I say overheard them speaking English with a strong Finnish accent. I did work in Helsinki on a number of occasions. I asked a friend of the speaker if they were from Finland and they said no it was actually Sweden where they will bought up but they had a Finnish mother and Swedish father. I have never come across this combination before. I was quite proud of myself for picking it up.

So, another lovely day where mercifully the rain kept off. I must have been there about 50 times or more but each time it is different probably because I’m different and because the configuration and aspect of the planet is also morphing according to spiritual and political activities.

for some reason some of the young men felt more comfortable climbing the trees in the vicinity