I’ve bought a few things this month I’d like to share. Ranging from shoes and clothes, to books and jewellery supplies.

Some jewellery supplies to have a good play with, and create.

Some pieces made.

For Hydro coming up I got a couple of swimming costumes, a nice hippie skirt and vest top for Glastonbury in the summer, and some witchy boots.

Also got myself some new hair clips ready for when I have hand surgery and I can’t put a bobble in my hair, a new bigger medicine bag for all my tablets, and some washi tape as I love adding it to my parcels.

I’m a firm fan of Kerry Ward and I have 2 of her Tarot Decks, and lately I’ve been buying her books too.

I got this one first in Sept

So I had to follow up with the latest one, that arrived Thursday. I can’t wait to dive in. So I have plenty here to occupy me with creativity, physio/hydro gear, and preparing for up coming surgery items too.

A holy well or sacred spring is a well, spring or small pool of water revered either in a Christian or pagan context, sometimes both. The water of holy wells is often thought to have healing qualities, through the numinous presence of its guardian spirit or Christian saint. They often have local legends associated with them; for example in Christian legends, the water is often said to have been made to flow by the action of a saint. Holy wells are often also places of ritual and pilgrimage, where people pray and leave votive offerings. In Celtic regions, strips of cloth are often tied to trees at holy wells, known as clootie wells.

St Winefride’s Well
I looked up this Holy well and it’s reputed to have healing powers (feels fitting after visiting White Spring and Red Spring Holy Waters in Glastonbury) so this was a MUST visit, There is a Well and a Chapel, these are a place of pilgrimage for 1300 years. The Chapel was built over the well in 1490 and has a camber-beam roof and beautifully carved corbels.

ST WINEFRIDE
Winifred (the Anglicised version of the name Winefride), was a 7th-century Welsh woman, the daughter of a local chief and niece of St Bueno. Her family connections mean she is sometimes called a princess.

Winefride was pursued by a suitor named Caradoc, but when she told him she had decided to become a nun rather than give in to his advances, Caradoc flew into a rage. He cut off Winefride’s head with his sword.

Versions of the story differ, but one popular version is that her head rolled down the hill, and where it came to rest a spring gushed forth from the ground. This spring and the well that later developed around it, have been thought to have healing powers ever since.

Winefride’s uncle, Bueno, was passing, and miraculously managed to reattach the head to its body. He then called down the wrath of Heaven on Caradoc, who was struck dead on the spot, and the ground opened up to swallow his body whole.

Bueno then sat upon a stone and vowed that if anyone should stand or sit on that spot and three times ask God for help in Winefride’s name, that help would be granted. The stone upon which he made this vow is called Bueno’s Stone, and lies in the outer pool of the holy well.

As for Winefride, she carried out her vow and became a nun at Gwytherin (Denbighshire) and rose to be abbess. She died around 660 AD and was buried at her abbey.

In 1138 her bones were carried with great ceremony to Shrewsbury Abbey, where they became an extremely popular destination for pilgrims throughout the medieval period. The story of the relics being taken to Shrewsbury forms the basis of Ellis Peter’s novel, ‘A Morbid Taste for Bones’, the first in her series of Brother Cadfael mysteries.

From the time of her death Winefride/Winifred was venerated, and the holy well became a place of pilgrimage. It is no exaggeration to say that St Winefride’s Well has been a destination for pilgrims for over 1300 years, a span unmatched by any other British site. This long history as a place of pilgrimage has led Holywell to become known as the Lourdes of Wales.

THE SHRINE AND WELL
The well is contained within a beautiful early 16th-century building in Perpendicular Gothic style. This beautiful structure has a bathing pool (not sure when the bathing times are though) within a star-shaped inner chamber, (I’m a sucker for anything celestial) joined to a more modern rectangular bathing pool for pilgrims. ( Wonder if they still pilgrimage here?)

In the inner pool is St Bueno’s Stone, taken from the nearby streambed. Look up at the vaulted canopy over the pool; it was erected by Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII, and carries elaborate carvings of Tudor family symbols. ( I love the Tudor period as I’m a Lancaster!!) Carvings depicting St Winifred are everywhere; one large carving is set on the ceiling, showing the saint with a staff and a crown upon her head.

The earliest written records of pilgrimages date to the 12th century, when pilgrims claimed healing from illness after bathing in the waters of the well. Among the treasures on display in the museum are wooden crutches thrown aside by pilgrims after healing. (Wonder if I can cast my crutches or walking stick aside and be healed?? A girl can try can’t they!)

THE CHAPEL
Most visitors focus on the holy well and shrine, and that’s understandable, but they miss a real historical treat; above the well rises a late 15th-century chapel, nominally in the care of CADW, but the key is kept at the holy well reception desk in the museum. You can request the key and leave a refundable deposit if the Chapel isn’t open.

The chapel is really the ‘above ground’ part of the holy well structure; while the crypt provides a vaulted chamber over the well pool itself, the upper floors provide a chapel with a nave, north aisle, and apse. It is well worth exploring the chapel, especially for the exceptional corbel head carvings in the aisle. Look for the carved wooden head of a man sticking his tongue out. You never know what extra hidden treasures you will find.

ROYAL PILGRIMAGES
When you visit you’d be amongst many including Royalty!! There has been at least 6 royal visitors have come to Holywell over the centuries. The earliest recorded visit was by Richard I (King Richard the Lionheart) in 1189. Perhaps the most famous visit was by Henry V in 1416. Henry came to give thanks for his victory at Agincourt the previous year. He famously went on foot from Shrewsbury Abbey to Holywell as an act of reverence.

In 1461 Edward IV of England came on pilgrimage. According to an account by the Welsh poet Tudor Aled, the king took earth from beside the well and placed it upon his crown.

In 1686 James II and Queen Mary Beatrice visited the well to pray for an heir. An account written 110 years later says that the priests at the well gave the king the shift (a slip or chemise) worn by Mary, Queen of Scots to her execution. Mary, of course, was the king’s great-grandmother.

In 1828 King Leopold of Belgium brought his young niece Victoria, the future queen of England, to Holywell. And finally, the most recent royal visit came in 2005, when HRH The Duchess of Gloucester came to the well and visited the museum.

What a line up of exhibitors they have for us this year at Living Well 2023. It’s at Shrewsbury Quarry and it is FREE to enter and to attend the workshops and talks. SUNDAY, 2nd July.

Acorn & The Moo
Adventurine Wellbeing
Air Ambulance
Amanda Vernalls
Andrew Perry Massage
Apostle Coffee
Atia Catering
Back on Track Therapies
Believe-in Yoga
Body & Mind Holistics
Brahma Kumaris Organisation
Bridgnorth Yoga Studio
Broadmeadow Holistic Centre
Calluna Clothing
Canel & River Trust
Cannabloom
Centre for Integral Health
Chakrascension TM
Champion Crepes
Crystal Garden
Denise McGowan
Chris Quartermaine Diviner
Dr Helen Ford
Earth Kind Community Interest Company
Earthlight Community
Elevate your Mind
Emily Baker
Empress of the Moon
Energise Chiropractic
Evanji
Finding Peace Within EFT
Golden Glow Healing
Hands for Healing
Healing in the Hills
Hearts and Hooves Connection Coaching
Holi Moli Clothing
Hugos Bar
Hummingbird Healing
Ian Hart Readings
Ingrid Barisco & Kevin Dawson Healing & Massage
Janine Peters Reader
Jehandra Gifts & Healling
Jenny Probin Kundalini
Joolzery
Kaye Law Readings & Medium
Keith Gullis Hypnotherapy
Keith Higgs Author Little Books of Love
Life Transformation Specialist Limited
Light & Sound Therapy
Lisa Hardy Holistics
Magnetix
Mamas Cottage Mushrooms
Arran Ford Massage
Olly Atman Ellis Mens Circle
Meridian Life
Su Barber Mothers & Babies
Mystique
Oriental Body Balance
Pilates
Gios pizza italiana
Popaeg
Raw & Refine
Reiki with Nia
Rob Chapman Meditations
Rowanna Tarot/Psychic Readings
RSPB
Sally Hamilton Readings
Sanshin Holistic Health
Simmering Cauldron
Skin Care Boutique
Sonya Rigby Reflexology
Thai Massage
The Health Coach Habit
The perfume laboratory
The Shrewsbury Furniture Scheme
The Woodland Trust
Thrive Well Retreats
Tippy Toes Reflexology
Titch’s Spirit Led Oracle Card Readings
Tom Shanti
Totem Health
Tranquil Minds
Tranquil Serenity
TrulyTea Shop & Events
Utility Warehouse
Wellness Atelier
Willow Paranormal
Wire Soul
Wood And The Trees Coaching & The Knotted Tree
World Wildlife Fund

It was nice enough to visit, and we listened to some of the speakers, and watched the Qigong, Shamanic Drumming and Yoga mainly, but as they got busy it was extremely hard to hear them speak, so mainly it was watching and seeing the crowds.

We had hoped it would have had more free tasters, try out sessions and workshops, rather than most things being £15 for 20mins plus.

For food, it was lacking! 2 real food sellers and they were packed and then sold out, a bit more food would have been nice. The stalls selling goods were lovely, and not too many doubling up in stock, so that was good.

I will add I’ve been poorly for a week, not sleeping well, and I’ve been wiped out exhausted at the smallest things, so I was impressed and happy to finally be outside getting fresh air. So although we couldn’t join in as much and we missed the drumming lesson (they didn’t turn up) I am still happy we went.

This last week has been eventful, I’ve sat on my hand TWICE!! How?? What an idiot but thankfully no lasting damage and I had my splint on.

Splint wearing has become extremely sweaty and uncomfortable. So today’s appointment I’m hoping the x-ray will show its healed and I can progress to perhaps either a brace or nothing!!

I’m hoping they will have some more exercises for me too. Or is daily living enough movement for the hand. And I must ask if I can restart my Etoricoxib too, as I’ve been off it for 17 weeks, and this could be why my back and hips are extremely sore too.

Thankfully I think the Right Hand steroid is still working, though I had a definite blip in pain returning. But it’s settled down again somehow, even though I’ve used my walking stick more. So I’m extremely grateful it’s feeling ok.

From 6 weeks to 17 weeks the bone has started to fluff up and heal

Good news the bone is healing nicely, so the splint is no longer needed. Exercise wise I’m doing all I need to do. We had a discussion over the Right hand though, we had planned the exact same surgery for this side. However the bone stock isn’t there, and it’s far more complex as it involves more joints. They are thinking of a silicon implant and pin. And not do the middle finger at the same time as previously planned, as the thumb is complex enough without adding more.

Next appointment is Sept and by then the consultant will have had another meeting of colleagues to discuss the final plans for the right hand. Curse of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome isn’t it.

It’s nearly Beltane, 1st May. Beltane is a Pagan holiday, and one of the eight Sabbats. It falls about halfway between the spring equinox (Ostara) and the coming summer solstice, Litha. The holiday celebrates spring at its peak, and the coming summer. Beltane also sometimes goes by the name May Day.

It marks the time we are taking a break and getting out there to enjoy pagan company, sit around a fire with mead, stories and music, and look at the stars. And if course waterfall hunt if we can.

It’s the perfect time to look for bluebells in the woods, put your hands or feet in the streams,rivers and reconnect with the energies of the elements around you. Feel the promise and hope of new life, new beginnings and youthful vibrations all around you, as life returns to the lands.

Have a wonderful weekend and fingers crossed the weather holds out for us.

It’s been 2 weeks since surgery, and apart from some twinges and aches it’s going so well.

Getting this appointment was stressful though! It was meant to be xray, consultant then cast change. But ended up just changing the cast.

Goodbye big lose squishy bandage

First this bandage needing removing, easily enough as it’s 90% soft.

One long stitch needed removing, not much swelling, or bruises. Really neat wound, so I’m impressed. Skin terribly dry though. Stung while she wiped it, and pulled stitch. But only for a second.

I went with a cadburys purple cast colour, and omg it’s such a fast process. A sock like sleeve first (tubigrip) then this gorgeous purple bandage dipped into lukewarm water and wrapped around, it gets warmer and warmer as the process goes, and cures it into a hard cast.

So apparently it’s 4 weeks with this, then x-ray and removed. I think a temporary splint is then made too. Feels good to be progressing.

This week is the week the big bandage comes off ( well I hope so, if I ever get my appointment through! I’ve been ringing and chasing them for days!!) Woohoo finally through its 10am on the 15th, stitches are meant to be removed, x-rays are needed and a new cast is put on. (I’m hoping for purple glitter one) a girl can dream. This bandage is feeling gross, sweaty and big!!

So while that causes huge anxiety and frustration in me, I’m trying to distract myself with upper body and hand exercises. But being careful too.

Totally ignoring the thumb exercise as that’s impossible. But periodically through the day, I move the fingers to keep them from getting stuff.

I also do these to keep movement and muscles working. I do both arms.

Bruising is coming out, a different array of green and blue, and dark purple in the palm lines.

Regardless of what I do, pain is worse at night, it gets sharp and deep ache. So ice is used overnight to help relieve it. But during the day I seem to do well just on paracetamol. If only the right hand was feeling as good!! Roll on when I can take etoricoxib again, or have a steroid injection to tide me over.