The Holy Isle of Lindisfarne

There is a holiness about this island, a peacefulness. Today during the morning's low tide, I walked (in my new Wellies) to the nearby Cuthbert's Island; the birds, the grasses, the rocks and the wind all spoke to me. So did the seals lallygagging on a nearby sandy shoal. I leave tomorrow, and will take so much with me. I have:

• Learned how the Lindisfarne Gospels were created. That's a sample page on the left. The artwork is intricate, full of knots and triskeles (three spirals with a common "stem"), and laden with imaginative animals that morph from bird to snake or the like.
• Walked through the ruins of a 12th century abbey, and wondered what life must have been like for the monks and for the townspeople.
• Tasted Lindisfarne Mead, decided it would be great communion wine, considered buying some to bring back to St. Paul's, and thought better of it. (How could I schlepp it all over Scotland on the trains and buses? Would I have the discipline not to drink it on the way!?)
• Discovered the Celtic library here. (It is really the collection belonging to Ray Simpson, a prolific writer who is associated with the Community of Aiden and Hilda here. He decided he wanted more people to have access to his books, so they are housed in a building that any old tourist or pilgrim can enter, sit and read, or take out a volume or two simply by signing one's name in a book.)
• Learned that indeed I can walk into a pub and order a pint, even if I am alone, and even if I am a woman. The pubs here are definitely family-friendly. I have been warned to check out the pub visually before entering, though. There was one in Berwick-upon-Tweed where I knew I wouldn't be comfortable; that town is hard hit by the recession and the condition of the pub's patrons showed me how the men were handling that.
• Come to love the stories of St. Cuthbert and the person of St. Aiden. It really is nice coming to know these English/Irish saints; so many are in our Book of Lesser Feasts and Fasts.

Tomorrow I will rise early to say Matins and receive Eucharist at St. Mary-the-Virgin before taking off by bus then trains to Pitlochry, Scotland. On Friday, I travel from there through Inverness to Kyle of Lochash. There I hire a car (meaning rent a car to drive myself!) and practice driving on the Isle of Skye, where I'm told that there will be very few other vehicles on the road. Unfortunately, there will be many flock of sheep--on the road.

There may be sheep and mountains there, but probably no Internet. I'll be back blogging on Tuesday. Peace to you!