Lost Gods of England

Just put down the book for the night. In the author's view, Tiw (Tyr) was the original "head god." Makes sense enough from an Indo-European perspective, Woden (Odin) certainly isn't much of a "sky father" type, and it's hardly the first time I've heard this notion :). So he's been separating out which of Odin's stories he thinks were originally the property of Tyr. I'll have to find some other books to cross-reference, I suppose :).

Of more interest (the above is interesting but it seems to me that if they weren't Odin's stories and traits to begin with, they are now) are his thoughts on the development of Woden and of Odin. I am a hard polytheist but, honestly, I do see the Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon gods as pretty much the same gods showing slightly different faces. (The mythology seems to be the same, etc.) I'll have to reread that chapter when I'm less sleepy and give it more thought, but one thing he seems to feel is that Woden in England never developed into the sort of farsighted war-god that Odin did. (Then again, part of his reasoning has to do with early comparisons of the valkyries with the erinyes.) Interesting stuff. More thought required. Sleep required first :)

The bread machine dance

We're waiting for younger daughter's playdate to arrive; she's been helping me in the kitchen while I made muffins (new recipe, chocolate oatmeal raisin, hope they're good), put a stew in the oven for supper, and started the bread machine.

One of those 5-year-old moments I hope to remember--I looked over and she was watching through the bread machine's viewing window, fascinated--doing this little dance along with the bread :). I like being a stay-at-home mom, but some days I love it :)

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Another thought on Lost Gods of England--I wish it had a bibliography! It's hard to judge the worth of uncited sources. I'll have to do a websearch for reviews. Enjoying the read, though.