Status
The analysis of and reading for The Brewery of Eggshells commentary is taking longer than I thought. Although I didn't expect it to be open and shut--folklore never is, you know--I most certainly didn't expect the wealth (and length thereof!) papers I stumbled upon. Changeling lore is particularly interesting from a biological standpoint, too, and I'm finding the reading to be more than usually interesting.
I'm hoping to get the first part of the commentary up early tomorrow, and the second part plus fairy tale up by tomorrow night. Then, with a bit of luck (and, I hope, an abeyance of migraines), I'll get the commentary for the week's fairy tale up by Wednesday so that we can then return to our usual Friday posting schedule.
In the meantime, a picture...
...taken beside the weir out at Framingham, under blue sky and bright sun.
Interestingly, yarrow (also milfoil) has long been associated with the Greek hero Achilles, even deriving its genus name, Achillea, from him. Some say that yarrow is the herb that was placed upon his wounded heel, while others suggest that when Thetis sought to protect him she dipped him in a vat of yarrow tea. As herbalists have noted that yarrow is antiseptic and good for causing clotting at the site of a wound, it seems more likely that the former is true.
Now, back to my reading...