A Bit of Batology

  Photo by Chris on Unsplash

 'There was a man in our town,
And he was wondrous wise,
He jumped into a bramble bush,
And scratched out both his eyes....

And when he saw what he had done,
With all his might and main
He jumped into the bramble bush,
And scratched them back again!’

Have you foraged for blackberries this year? If not, there's still time to pick over some brambles, but be warned, don't gather any berries after Samhain (October 31), as they then belong to the fairies and shouldn't be touched!

So say the Halifax Piecemakers in the booklet to accompany their beautiful textile art project currently on display at Halifax Minster.

'Bramble' is just one of the 21 textile panels created by this talented group and based on the trees and shrubs of the Celtic Ogham - devised by Celtic Druids around 2,000 years ago as an alphabet, calendar and numerical system.

Each panel is a stunning and intricate work of art, demonstrating skills including embroidery, printing, quilting and dyeing. Click here to read more about this wonderful exhibition and here to learn more about batology!

Writing prompt:

• Write about a time when you picked blackberries. Describe the colour, texture, smell and taste.
  
• Write down any stories or myths you know about any of the trees in the Ogham calendar. (Ivy, Alder, Oak, Hawthorn, Holly, Mistletoe are just a few.)
  
• What else do you forage - perhaps crab apples, wild mushrooms, rose hips? Write about your experiences and how you use the produce collected.
• Write about a favourite tree. Explain why you like it and what it means to you.