Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Green Man Gazatteer

 My feeble attempts on a blog on the Green Man are clearly outshined by the fabulous and wonderful blog "The company of the Green Man" at: http://thecompanyofthegreenman.wordpress.com/author/thecompanyofthegreenman/

Currently they have a gazetteer of historical "Jack-in-the-Greens."  Check it out!  Their website is phenomenal!

Thursday, April 3, 2014

A fresh new look for Spring

 
A fabulous new cover for Book 1 of The Green Man Series.
 
Special promotion -- The Greening is free from April 4th - April 6th, 2014 at amazon.com!
 
Designed by Laura Gordon of: http://bookcovermachine.wordpress.com/
 
Re-edited and updated book coming out in paperback soon.
Stay tuned.

Monday, March 17, 2014

Irish Green Men

Happy St. Patrick's Day -- Tis the Wearin' o' the Green or Green Man?
The famous Irish "Book of Kells" has numerous illustrations of men and beasts disgorging vegetation.  The Book of Kells, housed at Trinity college in Dublin, Ireland can now be seen online at this link: http://digitalcollections.tcd.ie/home/index.php?DRIS_ID=MS58_003v

http://books.google.com/books?id=xJ3Ppecdh14C&printsec=frontcover

 


The above book has some terrific information  on Ireland and the Green Man.  See pages 211 and 212.  I've only had a chance to read portions of the book, but am looking forward to reading the complete volume in the next week.  The reviews are excellent.

As I think literally of the "Wearing o' the Green" my thoughts return to Zeleni Jurae of a previous
post: http://thegreenmanseries.blogspot.com/2012/09/zeleni-jurij.html

and 'green' costuming at: http://www.thegreenmanseries.blogspot.com/2012/10/green-man-masquerade-part-1.html

Slainte!

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Of the Green Man and War


When I first became aware that the Green Man was something that was real and not a prickling in the recesses of my imagination, I found Kathleen Basford’s wonderful book The Green Man which is comprised of photographs of Green Man (a.k.a. : the Foliate Head) from around the world.  Some of her photographs are from ancient Iran.  I can’t help but wonder if they still exist or have been destroyed in recent years by warring factions.  Those thoughts take me to the Urkraine and the increasing possibility of invasion and war and their tradition with the Green Man.

One of the traditions in the Ukraine is that of St. George’s Day.  Gary Varner, author of The Mythic Forest, the Green Man and the Spirit of Nature  discusses St. George’s day where Spring will be reborn.  In many cultures it is said that “George will bring Spring.”  Traditionally a tree will be felled on the eve of St. George and decorated with vines and flowers and carried through the town.  Fields will be blessed and the continuing tradition of the Green Man and humankind of birth, death and rebirth will continue. 

I can’t help but wonder how this tradition can flourish in the travesty of potential war. Will tradition survive or will it be blown to pieces like the antiquities in the middle East?  Perhaps it is very much like the Green Man of birth, death and rebirth.  My hope is that like the blade of grass or weed that makes its way through a crack in the sidewalk, that Green (and good) will conquer over the winter and the dark.  I hope so and hope is a seed.

And though my written thoughts may be brief, my heart and head are full of thoughts for the Urkraine people at this time.  Here’s to Spring! Here’s to Green George! Here’s to the brave people of the Ukraine!
Gary Varner:
 
Kathleen Basford's book: 
 
 

 

 

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Green Men in warmer climes

As the winter winds still blow with bluster and might, I was surfing youtube and came across this video:



and
As Spock would say, "Fascinating."

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Apologies

Apologies for the delay in posts in the last few months.  I am hard at work on the 3rd book in the "Green Man" series with the working title "The Blossoming."   A prequel is also in the works.  The first two books are available at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Greening-Green-Man-ebook/dp/B0084TH53Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391900141&sr=8-1&keywords=the+greening+sharon+brubaker



A fantastic site for all things Green Man is: http://thecompanyofthegreenman.wordpress.com/
Enjoy!
Veriditas

Friday, June 28, 2013

Antique Green Men in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

I had the opportunity to visit the "City of Brotherly Love" today -- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA to see Isaiah Zagar's incredible art at his "Magic Garden."  See: http://www.philadelphiasmagicgardens.org/

While perusing South Street, my friends and I found: C. Neri - Antiques and Lighting.  It's a fabulous antique store crowded with many treasures.  In the dark, dusky and dusty upstairs, I commented that this was the kind of place where one could find Green Man furniture.  I moved a stack of books and there it was:

 
 
With further sleuthing we found six leather chairs with Green Man carvings:

 
and an incredible Green Man chandelier:

 
 
 
Unfortunately, I was not able to purchase these items, but if you're interested, visit:
C. Neri Antiques & Lighting
313 South Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19147
USA
215.923.6669
 
Someday...