It feels like forever since then. It is forever.
We are now past that time. Past thinking and fearing and now just here.
It felt like Spring would never arrive. We had many more snow days and ice storms and cold weather to hold us back, to keep us quiet, to slow us down.
But we felt it. Felt it in our spirit, in our hearts in our thoughts and memories.
We saw incremental and tiny changes.
It felt just right.
We needed the extended Winter, the darkness even as the days grew longer, the not-flowering.
And suddenly we are.
As an aside I offer my deep gratitude to our grove-mates and all the spirits of support and healing.
We would not be so well now, if not for your underlying prayers, wishes and juju.
I remarked that back then the light seemed new.
And now it is strong in the sky and filling the days until late.
In Winter we take little for granted and as we tip past the balance we come to accept the endlessness of the season.
I pray that we never again take anything or anyone for granted.
That we value each drop of water, each flower and fruit and tree, each breath and each other.
Silence is hard.
So today it is Springlike but yesterday it was hot like MidSummer.
The earth is slightly damp under my bare feet and each day there are new blooms.
Tomorrow is our Beltaine ritual. Happy to dance on the Earth.
I pruned roses this morning, good to let go of the old to enhance positive growth.
Notes from then and pics
a reminder how long ago that balance was.
Cresent Moon
Grove Gathering before
Simple Cleaning-No Fuss/No Fucks
Cold Cold Snow Cold
Coffee and Water and Sap
ORGANIZE
New ritual of lighting the fire before as Our Whole Grove.
Gentle/Simple/Easy
Just us being.
I made nothing-all store bought food, all full of gluten.
My energy gone.
She made a giant meal
and our oven became stuffed with goodies.
Sunlight pouring over us all.
Went inside to get baskets of sacrifice.
Everyone arrives almost at once.
Kid comes home from the Federal Reserve
just in time for ritual
with stories of gold
and a bag of shredded money.
Hostessing and timekeeping and culling folks.
Everyone always gathers in the kitchen.
Oddly, one of the least group-friendly rooms in the house.
The gathering was so good.
Cosmic Portals.
Being on the Earth.
Old Matzah for the Earth Mother.
Old Dried Apricots for the Directions-many to the East, only one left for the North
Old Petals from my pockets for the Up and Down.
Calling the Outsiders by name- "Illness", "Sorrow", "Fear"
and more.
Asking them to please leave us be.
Bridget of so many Abilities.
Bridget of Song.
Bridget of Words.
Bridget of Fire & Smithcraft.
Bridget of HEALING.
Oils and Sage.
Her offering Bridget Peat.
Each of us seeking Our Balance.
Her finding Bear Scat and a Mushroom.
Sparking Chia Seeds for our Ancestors with Gratitude
And Prayers for Flowers to come.
The Mysteries of the In-The-Earth.
Holding the Vervain Stalks in the Leaping Fire.
The Bear's Greens from Winter.
Last Year's last Milkweed (hollow trunks funneling smoke).
One of our three Bunches of Mint.
The Dance of Sweet Grass.
Prayers for Spring
Peas jumping out of the Earth
Wet Sleeves and Cold Water.
Our Omens
from our Honored Dead: Berkanu- Birth/Beginning/Birch.
This makes sense.
Especially as we re-centered, thanks ancestors for being here now and for having gone before.
from the Spirits of Nature and Place: Hagal- Hail/Disruption.
We get this a lot.
And certainly the weather this season was unsettled with extra months of snow and ice.
from the Gods & Godesses: Fehu- Fee/Mobile Wealth/Cattle/Cash.
How do you value something?
Health is Wealth.
for the Season and the Balance: Ehwaz- Horse/Vehicle/Tool.
What empowered people to get things done, that ability to suddenly make happen, Horse-Power.
The Partnership between the Rider and the Driver
and What's Happening and the Control.
So now all the trees are in bloom and flowers are everywhere.
It seems that hourly new plants and bugs emerge.
I guess the balance is in the doing.
We are here now.
