Canal Markets.

It's time to get busy again. Christmas has  long passed, towpath trading a bit desultory, and the winter months have been occupied with making items for sale in summer, doing written readings and doing various palmistry 'gigs' like hen nights and steampunk markets. It's all good fun but what I am really looking forward to is summer canal trading and in particular the floating markets arranged by the Roving Canal Traders Association. The first one will be at Stone on the 2nd to 4th of May, the early Bank Holiday.

A selection of boats trading all sorts will be gathering in this old canal town.

Getting busy

Well, the busy season begins. Usually I do three or four live readings a week and about the same number of postal readings, but it's hotting up big time now as people look for an unusual Christmas or Yule present for a special person. Today I have done a live reading, posted out two palm print kits and written up three readings. I am getting to know the post office folk in Marple, Whaley Bridge and  Stockport! 

This is what a palm print kit looks like, I can send it to you to pass on or send it direct to a recipient. It contains an inking kit, instructions, a questionnaire and a SAE. Simply take a palm print, fill in the questionnaire and pop in the enclosed SAE, I will then write up the reading and post it back to the recipient.

A beautiful personal present that will be treasured for a lifetime.

At £30, it's a substantial, meaningful present that no one else will have thought of. 

Secret Santa gifts

What a pain secret Santa gifts are, and so difficult to choose. But is that person you are nominated to buy for just a little bit boho, or pagan or into Fate?

For just £5 receive a Rune Reading, a gift wrapped fortune and a pack of Nag Champa Gold joss sticks wrapped and ready to give. Think no more about it. Natural, memorable and simple. 

Call me on 07907 135618 to arrange it :)  

Trading on the Move

Today I am grabbing the chance for a few hours evening trading at Westport Park in the Potteries. We had a lovely atmospheric journey through the five (or is it six ?) towns, past old derelict potteries and a couple still manufacturing. We did a good few locks today and its surprising how much Incense I sell whilst we are on the move, also quick thumbnail freebie readings which are always good for business :) 

We have some lovely new incense lines, Blessings, a really old style hippie smelling one, Midnight, very evening and Laxmi's Lotus in honour of my mother who loved the goddess Laxmi. 

Travelling north

After a busy weekend reading palms at the very exciting Birmingham Floating Market we are now headed north again. On day three of our travels, today we will head through Penkridge and Great Haywood and on up towards Stone. 

We had a wonderful cruise through Birmingham, it's an incredibly atmospheric place on the canals. Loads of folk really enjoyed the boatmans cabin, it's a lovely place to have your palm read.

As always I saw many interesting hands, all as unique and fascinating as the individuals they belong to. 

This picture is of Charlie and I waiting whilst the water tank fills in the beautiful Broad St Basin in Wolverhampton before we began the big task of taking the boat down 21 locks. 

Birmingham Floating Market

Well, it's Sunday afternoon and finally I have a moment to sit down and snatch a minute to write. The Floating Market has been a resounding success, fifteen or more boats gathered trading herbs, readings, jewellery, canal painting, crafts and fenders and much more besides. The sun has been shining and the Brummie public out in droves. We have all done well, and the banter between the boaters has been constant and joyful. We will be back next year for sure ! 

Tunnels and Post

Our journey today began with the Harecastle tunnel. Well over a mile long it takes one way traffic only and involves tunnel keepers communicating with each other end. The roof is low and one must make sure nothing on the boat roof can catch. There is almost always a wait for this tunnel in summer, but this morning we were greeted with a cheery 'alright Here Be Dragons, go on through.' With no time to tie up we hastily shoved the dog box below and set off, me feeling my way from light switch to light switch to the front of the boat to align the tunnel light correctly.

The Goddess seems to be smiling on this journey, we are making good time. In half an hour or so we will pop out into the  southern half of the canal system, well on our way to Brum. Still some shopping in Stoke to do, two postal readings to post and fifteen locks if we have enough light! 

Roving Canal Traders and the Floating Market.

I am privileged to be a member of a unique group of shopkeepers. We are known by the slightly clumsy name of Roving Canal Traders. As well as myself trading readings, joss sticks, cards and essential oils, there are folk out there selling traditional canal art, paintings, crafts, cheese, ice cream and cream teas, not to mention the Coal Boats who keep us all supplied with fuel. We are a close community on the canals and this month heralds an exciting new event. We  are gathering at Gas St Basin, Birmingham for a unique Floating Market.   An ideal place to do some early Christmas shopping in the picturesque setting of Gas St. 

I am busy making some new bunting so Here Be Dragons looks her best. I have ordered some exciting new signage too.

We are preparing to set off at the beginning of next week for the ten day journey to Brum,

Map reading

I was thinking about reading, what it means in the context of palmistry. The dictionary definition of read, 'to understand as by interpretation of signs'. 

Palmistry is a lot like map reading, there are lines and symbols, high areas and low. Reading a hand is very akin to reading a map. But there is a little more than that. You know how you begin a book and you are just reading the words off a page, then you settle into it and begin to see the pictures? That's exactly how it feels to read a palm, I look at the lines and symbols and the whole becomes clear and fluent. 

It is indeed reading in the true sense of the word.

Rope and the Boatmans Oracle

A little more about the Boatmans Oracle. The tiles fall into six groups of four, from the top of the picture down, there are tools, weather,canal features,mooring,weather and finally the cabin. Using these themes, we can read elements, blocks, movement, timing, renewal and atrophy plus an infinity of other concepts yielded by tile combinations. 

The Boatmans Oracle has been inspired by living on the canal, and reflecting on how elements of the life can be metaphors for the greater questions of life. 

Consider rope for instance. Without a rope a boat cannot be moored, so one must remain unsustainably on the move. A rope can be used to restrain the boat and so allow us rest and respite. It is an absolutely essential tool. When narrowboating it can also be used to help turn the boat, and to safely stop it, (boats have no brakes, nor do people!). 

More to come :)

The Boatmans Oracle

The Boatmans Oracle is a divining tool I designed myself to complement our lives on the canal. It works similarly to the Runes, where you draw tiles from a bag to create a reading. The symbols on the tiles all pertain to narrow boating and canals. Symbols such as locks, rope, windlass and weather conditions provide the elements that make up a reading. This type of reading is great when you are looking for an answer to a direct question and of course, the question need not need to relate in any way to boating! A recent client described the Boatmans Oracle as 'enchanting'. 

Readings can be done in person or over the telephone, call 07907 135618. A three tile reading lasting approximately 15  mins is £5. 

New morning, new mooring.

O We have moved on. Recently we have been incredibly busy taking advantage of the good weather painting the boat. Now it's time to catch up on other work. Open for business and writing up a couple of readings. If you want a reading I am moored at Marple today. 

Untying the Lines

This morning it's time to move on. Time to untie the lines, loose the boat and travel to pasture new. Its always a pleasure to move on, a journey on the boat, sometimes long, sometimes short, watching herons fishing, dabchicks scuttling up the banks and then a new place to moor and retie the lines to the bank. Then, once settled, a writing up day for some readings. One, a birthday gift, another a relationship analysis for a wedding gift. A palm reading makes an unusual present, one you can be sure the receiver has not already got. If you want a reading in person, this week I am at Furness Vale on the Peak Forest canal. 

Tools of the trade

Here are the tools of my trade. For palmistry, a simple magnifying glass is all I need. This I use to magnify not only the lines of your hand, but your fingerprints or dermatoglyphs as we call them. Every detail of your hand is important for your reading, not simply lifeline, heartline, headline and fateline, but the length of your palm and fingers, the shape of your fingernails, the texture of your skin. Each detail builds and broadens the scope of the reading. 

Beginnings

Travelling by boat and reading palms

Welcome to Following My Fateline. Not just about palmistry but about the palmist herself.
I live on a narrowboat, reading palms, Runes,  my unique Boatmans Oracle and travelling around England with my dog Charlie.
I have been divining since I became a teenager, taught by my mother. Its something that has always come naturally to me.
The palm is like a map full of lines and marks that enable me to interpret your palm revealing your truths. A palm reading will not reveal your future, as any good palmist will tell you. Your hand in fact marks the past more clearly and in the main it reveals your potentials and specific traits. Palmistry is really helpful for shedding light on dilemmas, helping with career decisions and relationship possibilities.
For a simple answer to a specific question the Runes or the Boatmans Oracle can give a quick answer.

Here is the back cabin on my boat, the kettle is on, always ready for a nice cup of tea.