Saturday 9 February 2008

Queen Mary's Bath


Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile near the Palace of Holyroodhouse is this diminutive stone building, built in the 16th century. I love this little house. It is known as Queen Mary's Bath, as Mary Queen of Scots is said to have used the quaint enclosure to bathe "in sweet white wine." However the royals more likely used it as a wee cool retreat in summer, or as a garden or tennis pavilion.
To me it is the perfect dwelling for a very small hermit. Take away all the streetlights and cars and just leave this little house at the bottom of the cobblestone street, with the mountain called Arthur's Seat looming behind it. And let a life begin, in which our hermit leaves in the mornings to wander the valleys outside the city, collecting firewood and herbs. And then to come home at the end of the day and be tucked away snuggly behind the stones.
I dream...of fearies and sly old crones with magic potions. Of the slow rhythm of the seasons and of the intense pleasure of watching bad weather from inside a warm livingroom. Someday I think I'll knot all my mysteries together and escape out the tower window. What an adventure that will be.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Tonight at bedtime, alo and i are discussing the celts. who they were, and where they lived.
we started talking about you and scotland. she estimated it was 4 a.m. where you are. we talked about what you are doing right now. she guessed dreaming.
so, we tried to send you thoughts so they'd wind up in your dreams. did you dream about horses?us?chocolate (that one was from me)?