Springing the Balance

 Our Spring went into overdrive
with a few days of intense
summer weather.

Suddenly everything in full bloom.
Daffodils and forsythia and dandelions
and the magnolia and the pin cherry and the dogwood
and all the fruit trees
all at once.

Will there be any left to flower
at Beltaine?

Even when the winters are not fierce
we blink at this new season,
amazed that we lived through
to be here now,
somehow.
Like it never happens
again and again.

 Glorious fecundity of this magnificent Earth!
How many shades of greens can exists?
The aliveness awaking.

I wrote little after ritual,
so full and complete,
will try to find words from photos.

Vernal Equinox

Changing Light
showing
What and How
to clean and clear.

 
the base for our fire dug out as the weather shifted
after our only real snow of the Winter
in March
when the sun is already high in the sky
and Nature is already moving on.

Peas planted on St. Patrick's Day
as is our tradition
and now a month later
cleared from under the mulch
there are pea sprouts
that hopefully won't all get eaten
by the local critters
before they bear fruit.

overnight the mounds shrank
and the portals grew

 

loads of delicious cabbage dishes
and so much more
overfilling the table
with color and texture and taste

 

we were fourteen earthly humans and one baby lamb
"summer in the sun, winter in the shade"

 

fire built of shavings from Bryan's carving of Mananan

lit by Elizabeth with a long beeswax candle
then blessed with smudge

 

a winter's worth of sacrifice and is it ever enough?

baskets and flowers and rope
and grease and garlic and herbs
and honey and sauce and wine
emptying last years harvest
opening for the new

ring of fire

you know!

to be able to call out to the spirits of Spring!

final sacrifice

dragon

giant dragon

more dragons

and more dragons

fire so alive

and full of heart

and then
after slight singes of hair and eyebrows
the fire is good
and begins to recede
amid our nervous laughter
and awed gratitude

 

our omens

spring is gonna sprung

what goes up also comes down

from our Beloved Ancestors: Raido
communication and the traveling circuit connection

from the Enlivening Spirits of Nature and Place: Tir
the North Star focusing movement of direction
-balance and truth-
from the Most Generous Gods and Goddesses: Laguz
the lake from which we draw up
for the Emergent Season of Springtime: Fehu
the fee, mobile wealth and cattle

 

RTLF
right life
right laugh
root life

feeling renewed
clear light
little lamb

Let our feasting be plentiful and delicious.
Let our gatherings bring joy and love.
Let the season allow balance
and may our gardens produce well.
Long live the tradition!