Today I walked in the direction of Shipley and paused here at a winding hole area of the canal which although has a derelict old building and a very old bridge, the scene can still produce a very interesting image which conjures up thoughts of bustling life when the building and the canal were "alive and well" as it were, with business and trade.
A little further on, I came across the swans resting in this alleyway. I thought of the contrast of such beautiful wildlife taking refuge in such an ugly area.
On returning home, the pussy willow flowers caught my eye as the sun danced and reflected on the delicate petals.
All willows were seen as trees of celebration in biblical times but this had changed over time and now the willows are associated with sadness and mourning. Classical poems often refer to willow in this way and it is repeated in art with Ophelia drowning herself near a willow. It is suggested that the bitter taste of willow gave it this assocation. Sprays of sallow have frequently been used as ‘palm’ to decorate churches and homes at Easter as little else was in leaf or flower. Tradition has it that if girls didn’t wear a sprig of pussy willow on Palm Sunday, then they would get their hair pulled. In Ireland it was thought that goat willow can protect against enchantment and that it is lucky to take a rod/twig on a journey (sourced from the Woodland Trust).
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