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| Siren's Lament; the image on my new handbag I love the work of Yorkshire artist Anne Stokes. Check out her website www.annestokes.com |
Yesterday my mother and I spent the day in Whitby on the North Yorkshire coast. Whitby is of course famous for being the place where Dracula first landed in England and the author, Bram Stoker had a fondness for the seaside town - there is a bench named after him, said to be where he sat and gleaned inspiration from the sea. It is a lovely coastal town with the ruins of Whitby Abbey still standing like a sentinel upon the sea cliff, lots of Gothic references and it's own kind of ice-cream, the Whitby Gothic ice-cream which is a blackcurrant and liquorice purple and black confection.
It was a chilly day with a strong wind blowing in a swirling sea mist, but then Whitby is supposed to be Gothic so the weather was fitting. We had our fortunes told by a Romany Gypsy in a pretty little kiosk on the edge of the pier. It was a small room, fitted out with sparkling chandeliers, a large collection of crystal balls, photos of the beautiful family vardo (gypsy caravan) and a very welcoming atmosphere. I had never had my fortune told before as I usually just read my own cards and crystals, but I wanted to see if a stranger could come up with anything new.
The fortune teller said that within the year I will meet a handsome, kind hearted man who will carry me away to the realm of happy ever afters. I'd like to believe this, but then she also said I would have twin boys - I'm nearly 40, can't stand kids and have no intention of signing my independence away to the Motherhood, so I took it all with a pinch of salt to be honest. I did have a giggle when she pointed to a crystal dish full of trinkets and told me to pick out a lucky charm for myself. I dipped in and pulled out a small silver witch riding a broomstick ...so maybe there was something in it after all... I'm still not having babies though.
It would be nice to think that the romance and 'even greater success' she foretold is genuinely waiting for me in my future. I saw the whole thing as a rather fun experience, but not set in stone. I have always believed that to a certain extent we create our own futures. I guess that is the rub with a seaside fortune teller - they have to be very general, even if they hit on the odd accuracy, their clients are likely to develop selective hearing anyway! Still, it was fun. I enjoyed the experience and I would go again.
Afterwards we walked on the pier and threw silver coins into the seventh wave of an incoming tide while making wishes. This is something we have done since I was a little girl. It was fun to make new wishes with my mother beside me. We also went shopping in a lovely ethical gems and sea-shell shop (try saying that after half a cider!) where I got a beautiful heart shaped rose quartz crystal and Mum treated herself to a new dream catcher. But the main purchase was a new messenger handbag with the picture above, Siren's Lament, on the flap. I am a water sign, so a mermaid bag suits me perfectly. Like me the artist Anne Stokes is a Yorkshire lass so I try to support her work whenever I can. She has licensed her art work to a variety of products, from mugs to handbags to wall hangings, so check out the Shop on her website above.
All in all it was a lovely day out and I am looking forward to going to Whitby again over the summer and hearing the mournful cry of the seagulls once more.
BB Marie x
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