Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Seasonal doldrums

Yesterday: slush and muck. The lanes ran with melt water.

Today? Still some grubby snow up here and a 'pratfall' on the vestiges of ice awaits the unwary. Our landscape is green again. I stood on the field today and looked around - much as I looked out 10 days ago at the snow covered hills. I knew green would be under the white stuff - how come it's such a surprise?

Everywhere looks battered and bruised and a little washed out. It's much the same indoors. The flotsam and jetsam of the holiday season covers every surface; fridge is full of little leftovers on plates, cards sit drunkenly and the mistletoe shrivels. Our guests have gone home.

We loll around indolently, feeling full and bored to tears by holiday television and its wall to wall crap furniture advertising. Maybe we should get out into the great outdoors which surrounds us....but frankly, seasonal inertia has set in; we can't be arsed. The Glam Ass retreats to his shed and I take up knitting. Ah, the joy of socks!

Our Lovely Presents have not yet found their final homes and sit around where they can be admired, stroked and pondered over. Give me a week and the loveliest little doggy doorstop will be stopping the bedroom window from banging. The chocolate panettone will be scoffed and the Yaktrax crampons will be firmly attached to the boots.

What's a girl to do with this though?

Yes, it's a stone axe head. Possibly about 4,000 years old, maybe 5,000. Blimey! I wasn't expecting one of those.

Next stop: New Year. Only 3 action packed days to go before then.

17 comments:

Pondside said...

Have it mounted in silver and sling it around your neck - an important piece of jewelry and a weapon, all in one.
Sunny and cold over here, and no thought of snow in the forecast.

Frances said...

Mountaineer, you've captured this time of year, after Christmas, before the new year, very well.

We've now got plenty of slush here in New York, too, and that always changes my point of view. If I don't focus, I will definitely slip and fall, or get a nasty bit of splashing from a passing vehicle or an inconsiderate fellow pedestrian.

Now, I think that ancient axe head is beautiful. I would keep it just as it is, to be picked up and held in my hands every so often, to remind me of the larger world, of our place in the galaxy, or even to be peaceful even when carrying an axe head. xo

Mrs Jones said...

Ooh, I would LOVE to have an ancient axehead (she says, speaking with her archaeologist's hat on) - that would be something very special indeed. And genuinely unique. I haz a jelus now!

Annie said...

That axe head is for stroking :-) just imagine the life it has had....amazing :-) What a wonderful gift.
The mucky scenery that has been left behind now the snow has left us is really not my fav either and still not feeling well enough to get out to enjoy some fresh air :-(
Hope 2011 comes with good health and lots of fun and laughter.
Hugs,
A x

Chris Stovell said...

It's a good job I haven't got one of those since I might find a home for it given that I'm on the tail end of a long run of visitors...

Kirsty.A said...

What a wonderful thing to own. Display it with pride

Twiglet said...

Is the axehead really as blue as it looks? What a little treasure. All the best for a happy and healthy New Year. -Jo

Mac n' Janet said...

We are so impressed, my husband is green with envy!

Diary Farmer said...

If your bored and in need of something to do - how about a spot of milking!!!!

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

With another long weekend ahead , I actually found myself making a shopping list again . Mainly in the interests of avoiding scurvy , I must say . But , before I go shopping , I should Google recipes that include things like wild rice , dates and gherkins ...... preferably a one-pan one .

Your axe head is quite the best present ever . Severe envy being felt by us all here !

Friko said...

Have you noticed how much dirt there is where the snow was?
We must have had particularly dirty snow.

rachel said...

Put it in your pocket. It must feel wonderful and weigh just right. And you never know when an axe head may be required.....

Pam said...

Give it a shaft (oh err) and give it back it's glory then hang it somewhere threatening.
Slushy snow is no fun but I hope you enjoyed seeing a bit of green. I know I did (similar conditions here in Ohio).
I hope you & the Glam Ass have a wonderful New Year's Eve tomorrow. I look forward to reading your blogs in 2011. X

Anonymous said...

Love Pondside's suggestion for the prehistoric axe head. A fine pendant cum weapon indeed!
Happy New Year!
Canadian Chickadee

Maggie Christie said...

Lolly around indolently in a 'can't be arsed' frame of mind here too. I love the axe head - what an unusual present. If only it could talk!

Kitty said...

Much like that here too, muddy, squelchy and grey. Inertia, chocolate overload and piles of pressies with no homes. Must do better in 2011. On which note - Happy New Year, dear Mountainear, I do hope we meet again next year x

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

Love your axehead. Are you sure it wasn't on a list somewhere?