A-Z Challenge

is for Loki…or Loptr, or Hveðrungr a major deity and often the mischief maker and trickster in the pantheon of Norse Gods and is the son of the giant Farbauti (“cruel striker”) and the giantess Laufey. He is regarded as one of Aesir, but is on occasion their enemy. He is connected with fire and magic, and can assume many different shapes (horse, falcon, fly).

He is crafty and malicious, but is also heroic: in that aspect he can be compared with the trickster from North American myths. The ambivalent god grows progressively more unpleasent, and is directly responsible for the death of Balder, the god of light.

Loki’s mistress is the giantess Angrboda, and with her he is the father of three monsters. His wife is Sigyn, who stayed loyal to him, even when the gods punished him for the death of Balder. He was chained to three large boulders; (see illustration below) one under his shoulders, one under his loins and one under his knees. A poisonous snake was placed above his head. The dripping venom that lands on him is caught by Sigyn in a bowl. But every now and then, when the bowl is filled to the brim, she has to leave him to empty it. Then the poison that falls on Loki’s face makes him twist in pain, causing earthquakes.

On the day of Ragnarok, Loki’s chains will break and he will lead the giants into battle against the gods.

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Loki’s punishment by Elin Gregory

A-Z Challenge

is for Jorvik, the old Scandinavian name for the City of York.

Thirty years ago, when archaeologists from the York Archaeological Trust began digging on the site of the old Cravens sweet factory…they made what was one of the most astounding discoveries of modern archaeology.
There, they found evidence of the Viking city of Jorvik as it would have been 1,000 years ago. They discovered houses, workshops, and other buildings as well as over 40,000 artefacts. They also removed over eight tonnes of rubble from the site.

Now, standing on that site is the Jorvik Viking Centre; a groundbreaking visitor experience that was to change the face of museums.

Authenticity was extremely important in the creation of the centre, consequently the layout of the houses and the workshops and shops followed the original layout as closely as possible.
Even the smells are authentic with aromas of everything from cooking to cesspits to tickle your nasal passages…and probably make you heave as well.
Source; Visit York

Modern York has always been proud of its Viking heritage evident in the Jorvik Viking Festival which takes place every February. This was a result of the YAT reviving, in the 1980s, the long forgotten Celebration known as Jolablot which was held to celebrate the coming of Spring and the survival of winter hardships.
The festival culminates in the spectacular Boat Burning on the River Ouse. Eric Bloodaxe would have been proud.

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Many of York’s street names also reflect its Viking past. For example…Goodramgate most probably derives from Guthrungate, and Coppergate, the site of the original dig gets its name from the cup and tableware makers. Copper deriving from the old Scandinavian word for Koppa…a cup.

So if you ever visit York, you know you will be walking in the footsteps of Eric Bloodaxe and other (slightly romanticised) noble savages. So…enjoy.

I’ll leave you with a few more images of ‘Jorvik’ and its Vikings.

A-Z Challenge

is for Ipswich (or Ippy or The Swich) and where I live and work four days a week. The other three days I live in Norwich.

Ipswich is the county town of Suffolk and is situated on the estuary of the river Orwell. The name Ipswich is derived from the old Medieval name Gippeswic, probably taken either from an Old Saxon personal name or from an earlier name for the Orwell estuary.

The Orwell Bridge

But wherever the name comes from, I am extremely fond of Ipswich. Before I first came here I imagined a town of ugly, modern buildings, concrete and glass office blocks and other horrors. But nothing could be further from the truth.

There are some stunning 15th & 16th century buildings in the town centre…and when I first saw them I was amazed and delighted. And of course, there is a beautiful pub named after Ipswich’s own historical great…Thomas Wolsey.

The Thomas Wolsey
I attended my niece’s birthday party at the Thomas Wolsey in January and it was every bit as beautiful inside as out. Below is a photo from that evening (I’m the one on the left) and behind is one of the lovely carved plaster wall panels. Some of these panel carvings depict wild boars, Tudor Roses and Fleur-De-lys. And the wood paneling and leaded windows are fabulous. And the courtyard is like the setting for a Sherlock Holmes film with old-fashioned lamps and, timber framed walls and a narrow passage way into the street. Very Jack The Ripper. *delicious thrill of fear*

The Author (left) and her sister, Jill.

There are many more lovely buildings in Ippy and some lovely parks. So I’ll leave you with some images of these.

Yes, I know this seems rushed, but this should have been yesterday’s post and I’ve been a little bit busy. But, hey….it has pretty pictures so don’t grumble. 😃 See you all later with J……..now what can I do with J *walks away scratching head and frowning*

A-Z Challenge

is for Hubris. Ok, ok….I’m being a clever beggar here but I couldn’t think of anything else. Soooooorreeeee!

Anyway, Hubris, or pride comes from the Ancient Greek ὕβρις and if you speak and read Greek, you’ll be able to decipher that. ☺

We all feel pride in things; our own achievements and those of our loved ones, a beautiful house or garden. This is normal pride, but hubris is pride with arrogance, the over confidence in ones ability and sometimes with a lack of humility.

There are many examples of hubris in literature; Paradise Lost and Frankenstein being two examples. Victor, in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein manifests hubris in his attempt to create a being using technological means. But later, he regrets it and pays the price of his pride and arrogance, his hubris.

And this is where Nemesis joins forces with Hubris as was occasionally the case in Greek society. Suffering and punishment will follow pride, as in “Pride Cometh Before a Fall“. It is the pride which blinds as one accused of hubris often acts in an extremely foolish way without common sense.

And hubris was a crime in ancient Athens. It was considered to be one of the greatest sins in the Ancient Greek world. And no wonder; after all who wants some overweening, arrogant little pip-squeak running around causing untold chaos in a flagrant disregard for basic moral law.

But…..isn’t that what some of our MPs are doing right now? 😳

Anyway, I’m often quietly proud of my writing and no doubt all you lovely people who are reading this are as well. But, I’ll never be over proud or arrogant about my writing. I’m too self- deprecating for that malarkey.

A-Z Challenge

is for Gay. Originally, the term was used to mean “carefree”, “happy” and “bright”. However, the term’s use as a reference to homosexuality may have been used as early as the late 19th century.

But, we use it primarily as a noun and an adjective referring to homosexual men and the practices and cultures associated with homosexuality, and have done since its use increased in the 20th century.

Of course, there are some people who use it to refer to anything they regard as stupid or something or someone they do not like. This is rightly frowned upon and it’s use in that context is discouraged by anyone but homophobes, bigots and the extremely ignorant.

One of my WsIP, Defying Leviticus is set in the 16th century when men who loved men where referred to as Sodomites (or Sondomite if you were the Marquess of Queensbury) or an ‘Unnatural’ . Loving other men was ok but the act of Buggery was punishable by death. Indeed, Walter, Baron Hungerford was beheaded in June 1540 under the Buggery Act of 1533 when Henry V111 made it a capital offence. He (Hungerford) shared the scaffold with Thomas Cromwell who lost his head on the same day.

Walter, Lord Hungerford

Thankfully we have moved on from the days when homosexuality was a capital offence. But in other countries, particularly in the Middle East and countries where Muslim is the prevalent religion men and women can still be executed or imprisoned for homosexuality. In our more enlightened culture, it seems extremely harsh and unjust to us that human beings can be so cruel to others merely for being who they are and loving who they do.

But we shouldn’t be too complacent, because there is still a long way to go even in our own country before being gay is seen as normal and hardly worth mentioning. Gay men and women are still targeted by bigots and homophobes, called names, beaten up, maimed or even murdered. The fight to marry and have the same rights as heterosexuals is even now being fought for in the UK and in the USA.

And one day, hopefully the right to marry, have a family, to visit and be visited by loved ones in hospital, and to have the right to be recognised as the next of kin will become a reality for the thousands of gay couples in every state, province and country around the world.

Meanwhile…the fight goes on.