Wheel of the Year // Spring

These little guys are our new neighbours. 

They've been prancing about in the field across the road from our house, in the bright sunshine, all week.

Spring is well and truly sprung!

I hope the fine weather continues for you all, wherever you are. School breaks up for Easter today, so I'm hoping it carries on a bit longer here, into my holiday. 

Brightest blessings. 

Wheel of the Year // Ostara

Spring has sprung!

Tonight the vernal (Spring) equinox occurs - the moment when there is equal light and dark in our day. 

Everywhere around us we can see the Earth coming back to life, spurred on by this increasing light. There are lambs in the fields, birds in the hedgerow and daffodils everywhere!

Hundreds of years ago, the Germanic pagans who resided in Western Europe, including the British Isles, celebrated this time by honouring their fertility goddess Eostre. The festival became known as Ostara and we retain aspects of its symbolism in modern celebrations for the Christian festival of Easter. 

Spring Equinox is a time to begin planting and sowing seeds, ready for the summer harvests - those of you who garden, like me, will surely be sorting through your packets of seeds and planning when you will plant them. 

I try to treat my hopes, dreams and personal goals in much the same way - by planting the metaphorical seeds. Right now, this is most clearly demonstrated by my photography; I'm working hard to get in place the skills and tools I need to allow it to come into fruition. 

I hope that whatever your plans and dreams may be, that the warmth and light of Eostre shines upon them, to allow them to grow. 

Brightest blessings. 

Hedgerow Ramblings // Which season is it?!

Mild it has been here over the past month - so mild that the bulbs have been fooled into thinking Spring is here. 

Poor, delicate, brave little daffodils have begun to open, offering a welcome flash of bright colour and the promise of what is round the corner. Sadly, yesterday's frosts brought a reminder that Mother Nature will always have the last word and they drooped wearily as the temperature fell below freezing. 

We - along with the bulbs - are perching nervously on the cusp of the seasons: some days it definitely feels like Spring, but we are yet to leap clear of Winter.

Enjoy the bright crispness of this balance between the two. 

Wheel of the Year // Easter Eggs

To both Pagans and Christians, this time of year signifies rebirth and resurrection. Whichever gods and goddesses you believe in, and whatever religion you follow, these ideas are evident all around us as we watch the Earth come back to life, ever fertile and filled with new hope. 

The egg is an eternal symbol of these concepts - new life waiting patiently within the confines of its protective shell, ready to break free when it is strong and ready. Whether you consider this to be an allegorical representation of Christ's resurrection or a symbol of the fertility goddess Eostre, I wish you a happy Easter and I hope you enjoy your eggs as much as I will enjoy nibbling on these. 

Blessings. 

Hedgerow Ramblings // Lords and Ladies

While on my hedgerow walks, I have often noticed these funny looking little cones protruding from the undergrowth an wondered what they were. I could guess they were part of the Arum family, but I didn't really know anything about them. As they are so odd in appearance, I just had to find out more...

Indeed they are part of the Arum (Araceae) family, related to the Arum lillies you have probably seen in fancy flower bouquets or the Peace Lillies you can find in the indoor plants section of the garden centre.

Arum maculatum is wild woodland plant, relatively common across Europe and variously known by an abundance of names: Lords and Ladies, Wild arum, Jack in the Pulpit, Devils and Angels, Cuckoo-Pint, Naked Boys, Adam and Eve, Cows and Bulls - to name a few!

Fascinatingly, as you can see in the diagram below from the Wild Arum's very own wikipedia page, the flowers are actually hidden within the spathe (the bit that looks like a giant folded petal) under the spadix (the poker shaped protrusion) - fig.3. 

Having read this, I can only assume the name 'Lords and Ladies' comes from the unusual coupled formation of male and female flowers - if any readers out there know differently, please feel free to correct me! I thought it was particularly apt that they have sprung up now, in the days leading up to Beltane, as such a clear symbol of the fertile combination of male and female. 

In the autumn, the female flowers forms into a cluster of bright red or orange berries (fig.4) which are highly poisonous - they irritate the skin and, if eaten, result in the swelling of the throat, difficulty breathing, burning pain and upset stomach. So this one is absolutely a 'look-with-interest-but-under-no-circumstances-touch' plant. You have been warned!

Hedgerow Ramblings // Bluebells herald the arrival of summer

With Beltane almost upon us here in the Northern Hemisphere, it is clear that Summer is around the corner.

 Here in England we have been blessed by some astonishingly warm, sunny weather of late and everywhere you look you can see how fertile and full of life the Earth is.

Cultivated Spanish Bluebells

Bluebells are perennial bulb plants which flower yearly around May-time. For me they will always be associated with woodland walks near my mother's house around this time of year - when the floor beneath the trees becomes carpeted with vibrant blues. 

Although the plant has some medicinal uses, the bulbs themselves are highly toxic. This toxicity led to their use as a source of glue for bookbinding - silverfish which would commonly attack the books would be discouraged by this toxicity. 

Spanish bluebells in the wild

In myth and legend, tales tell of the bells summoning faerie folk and any human hearing the summoning of the bells, or wandering into a ring of bluebells, being doomed to die. Some superstitions state that wearing a wreath made of bluebell flowers would  compel the wearer to speak only the truth; others say that if you successfully turn a flower inside out without tearing it, you would win the one you love.

Native Bluebells - image courtesy of Really Wild Flowers

Although prevalent in much of Britain and Ireland, bluebells are scarce in the rest of Europe and do not grow wild in the rest of the world. Globally, they are considered a threatened species, particularly as loss of habitat and people pulling up the wild bulbs for their gardens has resulted in a huge decline in the last 50 years. In Northern Ireland, native bluebells are now a protected species. 

To complicate matters further for the native bluebell, the Spanish bluebell has been widely planted here in Britain, resulting in the hybridisation of the species. Wild hybrid bluebells are becoming widespread, as can be seen in the second image, resulting in the further decline of the less-vigorous native species, which cannot compete. Spanish bluebells and hybrids have bells produced from all sides of the stem which stands upright; native bluebells, as seen in the final image, have bells on only one side of a drooping stem.

Full Moon // Fulfilment

Today's Full Moon seems to have sent me into overdrive.

March's full moon is known as the Storm Moon or Seed Moon. 

It brings with it fertility and growth and marks a time of preparation for the harvests to come.

Growth indeed is all around Hearthwitch Cottage at the moment - and nowhere more evident than in the triumphant daffodil blooms. My little patch of Earth is circled by them - a battalion of yellow trumpeters, all standing on guard. 

Something about this moment in the turning Wheel of the Year always kicks me into action. My natural clock must be telling me to prepare for the coming seasons. Today I have Spring cleaned the house from top to toe!

 It feels so good to wipe away the cobwebs, the remnants of the dark months, and let the light and air back through the house. 

May the season bring you much joy and fulfilment and may tonight's full moon bless you with growth in whichever area of your life you seek it.

Brightest blessings.

Hedgerow Ramblings // The light...

...is returning.

Look what it did.

Beauty is waking all around us because of its nurturing warmth.

Tonight it was aglow.

Captivating and warm.

Utterly perfect. 

Wheel of the Year // Imbolc

To those who celebrate the pagan Wheel of the Year, February 1st-2nd marks the Celtic fire festival of Imbolc, which heralds the returning of the light and the beginning of Spring.

So named after the Celtic word 'oimelc', which is believed to mean 'in the belly' or 'ewe's milk', it refers to the life-giving milk of lactation recommencing. It is at this time of year that the lambing cycle begins and the earth warms up to allow new life to grow. 

Ancient celebrations fell on this day to honour the powerful bringer of light - the goddess Brigid (Brid, Bride, Brigit) - who would breathe life, warmth and fertility back into the dead, cold lands and begin a new season of  growth and fruition. 

Today, people still celebrate this important turn of the wheel, by lighting fires and candles to reflect the light returning and inviting Brigid to warm their hearths and the Earth itself.  As it is a time to prepare for new growth, ask Brigid for her assistance in bringing your hopes and dreams to being. Prepare the ground for the planting of seeds which will flower in the coming seasons - both literally and metaphorically. 

Brightest Imbolc blessings to you all. 

Wheel of the Year // Welcome...

...to February.

Squeals of joyous delight rang through my kitchen this evening as I discovered these pretty little narcissi opening, at my hearth-side just in time for Imbolc: the most beautiful altar decoration I could have wished for.

I will be celebrating tomorrow - the 2nd - but for those of you honouring Brigid this evening, I wish you brightest Imbolc blessings.

Love and light.

Wheel of the Year // Imbolc...just around the corner!

Imbolc is only a couple of days away and the sense that the world is waking up again, under Brigid's warming influence, is all around me.

Lately I have found waking and rising in the mornings particularly difficult - I think due to the combination of residual lethargy from being ill and the prevalent darkness in the mornings. Today I allowed myself the treat of being awakened in my own good time, with the morning light - rather than an irritating alarm - and going for an early walk.

Leaving for work and returning home in darkness has been my routine for the past couple of weeks, since going back to work - I haven't had much chance to see the light, let alone everything that is growing around me. I am always surprised when green shoots begin to poke back up from the dark earth at this time of year.

 I don't know anyone who gets as giddy as me about snowdrops. These are the first I have seen this year and I was overjoyed when I spied them. 

They are so clean and white; so fragile yet clearly such hardy little beings to survive the frost deep in the ground each year. 

So when I arrived back home after my walk, I began my hasty preparations for honouring Brigid on Tuesday. My hearth has had a jolly good Spring clean today, so I feel ready to welcome her in for Imbolc. She's already waiting outside.

Spells // A Spell for New Beginnings

Light is seeping back into our world in the Northern Hemisphere and Imbolc - the festival which heralds the return of the life-giving forces of Spring - is around the corner. It is a time of new beginnings and, with that in mind, I thought I would share with you a spell, or ritual, you could perform to honour and utilise these powerful forces of change. 

You will need:

* A piece of black paper

* A piece of white paper

* A pen

* A feather

* A piece of ribbon

* A small fabric pouch

*Any nuts, seeds or dried flower heads

*A large pillar candle, representing the Goddess

* A white candle

* Cedarwood incense

* Water

* Salt

Cast a circle around yourself, to create a peaceful, safe space, free from interruption. You may work on the floor or around your altar. Working outside, somewhere in nature would be ideal but if this is not possible, don't worry. Ensure you won't be disturbed - this ritual requires quiet reflection. 

Each corresponding tool above should be placed in the right 'corner' of your circle. North (Earth) should hold the salt; West (Water) should hold the water; South (Fire) should hold the candle and East (Air) should hold the incense. As you place the item in each corner, visualise the element you are calling and invite them respectfully to your circle. 

Within your circle, quietly meditate whilst focussing on the Goddess candle. Visualise changes you wish to come to be in your life and yourself; imagine any traits, doubts, worries or fears you wish to let go and bring to mind any positive alterations and outcomes you want to achieve. Ask the Goddess to help you in making these wishes become reality. 

Keeping these visualisations clearly in mind, write on the black piece of paper all the things you wish to stop or cast away. Once you have finished, wrap this around the feather and tie with the ribbon. In turn, take the bundle to each of the elemental corners and politely ask the elements to guide your fears and negative behaviours away from you. Sprinkle  the bundle with salt and water; move it gently it through incense and flame.

On the white piece of paper, write down all the things you wish to grow, nurture and achieve. Once you have finished, fold this piece of paper tightly and place inside the fabric bag with the nuts, seeds or flowers. Again, ask the elements for their assistance in ensuring your hopes come into fruition. 

Close the circle, thanking each element for their help. You will now need to move outdoors - somewhere as undisturbed and natural as possible. 

Your black piece of paper, tied to its feather needs to be cast away. If you are lucky enough to live by the sea or a river - even a little stream - these are perfect. Those of you who live in a more urban setting will need to be a bit more creative: think of ways the feather can be carried away on water or wind. It must not be allowed to stagnate near you any longer. 

Your little pouch, containing the seeds and your white piece of paper, should be buried - somewhere where your dreams can 'grow' into fruition: beneath a strong tree would be perfect. Pour your 'seeds' into the soil and imagine them growing as strong and tall as the tree. Gently tie the pouch or a spare ribbon to the tree as an offering of thanks. Try to return to the spot through the year to 'water' your seeds with good intentions.

Blessings. 

Wheel of the Year // Waking Up

Spring is on its way!

Pushing their way up out of the thawing soil, the bulbs I planted in the autumn are starting to appear in abundance. In my teeny tiny plot of land, the wheel is turning again...we have come full circle.

Who cares that Christmas is over? This is far more exciting!

A short walk...

...along a path that meandered and twisted, turning into a long sun-kissed stroll.

Who wouldn't want to hang out in a field with these cute little chaps for a while?

I'm not sure who was more curious and keen to have a nosey - them or us.

And while we were out and about enjoying the, surprisingly warm, spring sunshine, we realised that the hedgerows and fields were teeming with clumps of freshly sprouting nettles - a fantastic opportunity for foraging. More to come on that later. 

The blessing of a two week break from school seems truly wonderful today, as I get the chance to enjoy being outdoors in the bright sunlight. Even my marking can be done from my window-seat with the windows wide open and a glass of elderflower cordial. I hope you too get the chance to be outdoors. Enjoy!

Bee happy

Today I most certainly have been. After heavy rains over the past couple of days, this morning I awoke bright and early to glorious sunlight streaming through my window and the sound of birds chirping. As I have to be up super early during the week, I usually make the most of weekend lie-ins, but today I was up and about, making tea and breakfast, chatting with a friend who had come to visit, enjoying the warm light. 

Our idyllic morning continued as we rambled over the fields for a stroll in the sunshine and arrived at Lacock Abbey. Normally the National Trust charge for entry; however, today being the first day of Spring, they were having a free visiting day. Joy! As we entered the beautiful grounds, we were greeted by this wondrous sight...

A carpet of purple! The crocuses were in full glory, everywhere we looked.

This was almost too much for me. I was on my knees, taking pictures from every possible angle and imagining fae-folk peeping out from behind the flowers.

I thought of the prettily illustrated 'Flower Fairy' books I had as a child and understood exactly why Cicely Mary Barker would have felt inspired to create them. With the sunlight streaming through and shimmering off these delicate petals, spread like a sea beneath the trees, it felt just like a faerie glen. 

By the touch of the warm and welcome Sun,

Opened suddenly; Spring's begun!

Dance then, fairies, for joy and sing,

The song of the coming again of Spring

Sadly, I didn't spy any faeries today, but I did meet this little guy who was frantically going about his business amidst the purple blooms.

Folklore cites this flower's symbolic meaning as 'youthful gladness' and I think it's fair to say this Spring joy was felt by both busy bee and I today.

Blessed Ostara!

Happy Springtime! Today's vernal equinox falls during the early evening (17:32 to be precise) and it marks the moment when the Earth's axis is inclined neither away nor towards the Sun.

In 'real' terms, this means we have an instant of 'equal night'; the light and the dark are today of even length. Come tomorrow, our friends in the Southern Hemisphere will start moving into the dark months, while we here in the North will stride into light.

In pagan terms, this means Eostre / Persephone / Cybele / Freya is here. The Earth has awakened; reborn with new life. In Anglo-Saxon England, the goddess Eostre / Ostara was celebrated for the month following the equinox with her feast-day falling on nearest full moon after this moment of equal light and darkness. We see many of these pagan traditions mirrored in modern-day 'Easter' celebrations, with the Christian holiday falling on the nearest weekend to said full moon.

Early Christians, arriving in western European countries believed it would be easier to convert the pagan locals to their teachings if they could amalgamate their practices with existing dates and rituals. It is for this reason that this time of year sees pagan and Christian tradition walking hand it hand, as children at Sunday school paint eggs and make fuzzy-felt cards of chicks and rabbits; families perpetuate the story of the 'Easter bunny' providing chocolate treats and inside a church, filled with spring flowers, a minister will teach about rebirth and light.

For pagans, this time of year honours the Spring goddesses and the life they have brought back to the world. Traditionally these goddesses are associated with animals such as hares, birds and lambs - the creatures who are currently enjoying seasonal frolic and birth.

Eggs are used as decorations round the house, as powerful symbols of birth and the combined fragility and strength present in new life. Spring flowers such as tulips, daffodils and irises display their prominent blooms proudly, representing the combination of male and female required to make the land fertile. I cannot think of a flower more obviously showing off its reproductive organs than a daffodil!

Candles in bright colours demonstrate the growing light and warmth of the sun and often you will find modern-day pagans using a pair of candles (one black, one white) to symbolise the equality and balance found in today's festival.

Ostara is a time for sowing seeds, to ensure there is a harvest for autumn: this may be a physical act of planting your own food crops or a psychological one focussing on the spiritual and emotional rewards you would like to reap later in the year. Try writing down your goals - make them specific - and fold the piece of paper. Sit quietly in front of a lit candle and meditate, visualising the outcome of these hopes and aspirations in the dancing flames.

Ask your chosen Spring goddess to help you tend your wishes, by providing warmth and light whilst they grow. Once you have finished, take your folded paper and the candle down to a quiet spot somewhere earthy, perhaps beneath a budding hedge or beside a tree's roots. Plant both and bless the ground, thanking the goddess for her assistance. Remember to revisit your spot throughout the coming months to nourish with positive thoughts. Brightest blessings.

One egg is enough....

As the Spring Equinox traditionally marks the beginning of Eostre's month, preparations for tomorrow's Ostara celebrations are already well under way in my household. New spring flowers have been gathered and are adorning every available surface, bread is being baked and an egg has been painted.

Just one egg.

One egg is enough.

First the egg was pricked with a needle at either end and the insides blown out into a bowl.

Then, using a long needle, I threaded a ribbon through the holes and tied a knot at the bottom to secure. (At least I thought it was secure; about half-way through the painting process this proved not to be the case and the whole rigmarole had to be done again afterwards).

Now the egg was ready to be painted and, if I'm honest, I didn't really have a plan for this. I just took paints in what I thought were bright, spring-like colours, and did the first thing that came to mind. After a base coat of turquoise, this was essentially just a case of streaking blue and yellow around to make what can only really be described as a marbled mess. But a pretty marbled mess, I'd like to think.

The lone egg is now ready to take pride of place on my Ostara altar, which I will reveal tomorrow. Brightest blessings.