It's been a beautiful prolonged Springing.
Energy like sap rising,
still encouraged to go slow and steady,
flowers and trees bloom
with days of rain.
Warm bright sun when shining,
days as long as August
but with no leaf shade,
the busyness of the season
is immediate and strong.
Dappled pinks, pale greens and yellows,
spots of crimson or deep madder,
and the rushing stream
-still a little cold-
fill the landscape.
Balance is a verb.
Between then and now there was
the last and some of the only snows,
total solar eclipse and full moon,
first flower harvests and initial garden clearing,
renewed life
in the midst of continued global destruction,
prayers and more prayers,
opening hearts.
Notes and pics from ritual with some comments from now
at this almost Beltaine time
looking back at how far we have come
Vernal Equinox ritual
on St. Patrick's Day,
peas planted
in the not frozen Earth.
Lots 'o' green
messages about messages
the wasp emerging from the dead bee in a jar
(the internal larval stage of it is what probably killed the bee)
what is this early Springtime with no Winter?
when things aren't transformed
that's when they rot
the green in the old wood
maybe two dozen shades of green
in our collective wardrobes
all the sprouting and garden talk
seed sharing and seedling sales
itching to get into the garden
but it feels too early
though our minds and hearts race forward
to dahlias and peppers and herbs
a woodpecker and birds loudly presenting
as we set our sacred fire
and then silent until the end
budding maples and the peach tree
and the coloring of the willow
simple and straight forward
cold wind and light biting rain
and then the sun
and sunlight in the rain
and dark clouds
and small snow hail
and silence
and clearing skies
Springtime
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you
Balanced and Grounded
and Springing Up
Appreciating the present
Love is the answer
setting up the house
setting up the fire
lastly gathering napkins from the laundry downstairs,
as folks arrive.
Full of colors and fabulousness
and green shamrocks,
bottles of mead & salads & deviled eggs,
hugging ladies
in the Center of the House
And then they arrived
with shining hair like sunlight
and a cast iron caldron of roasted potatoes
I couldn't vacuum,
barely mopped
grateful for store-bought food
and fruit and sprouts.
Acknowledging what is
and what is easy,
makes things easy.
Lists from the night before
as guidance
to dismiss and/or use
as needed.
is itself
always
a ritual
of focus
at the 5 Circle fire pit
the weather turning cold
even as the sun shone bright
Nicci ("don't kiss me, I love you")
and Leah in a beautiful green velvet dress
and light jacket in big coat weather
and Eric with good homemade food always
and Sophie and Charlie barely dressed
and wrapping up in the blankets
and finally Mary Jane
silently appearing
during ritual
beaming joy
and flowing Water
Reverence of Space and Breath
Simplicity of Sacrifice
Everyone get three sticks for the Fire
Specific defining of the Outsiders
say them by name
have a nice snack of almost forgotten cheese offering
and leave us alone
please
3 nickles
a quarter and a dime
for the Well,
overflowing with water
a piece of the Bridget's cloth
woven into the split bark
of the aging
-but still alive-
Willow Tree,
covered with galls
and imperceptibly
budding
sage for our Fire,
LET THIS BE
A GOOD FIRE,
LET OUR PRAYERS
BE CARRIED
THROUGH THESE PORTALS
WITH LOVE AND GRATITUDE
AND FOCUSED INTENT
Lavender and the finest Grasses
saved on the mantle
for Bridget and Mananan
oil and sage
Eric with pantry flours
making the fire "foom"
Katrina with pine boughs
and hydrangea
Elizabeth sacrificing peat for Bridget
with words of praise in her own tongue
quiet invocation of love
for our dear Honored Dead,
the recently departed,
those closest to us,
the casualties of these crazy wars,
and those long ago
gone before.
Nettle for the Spirits of Nature & Place,
sprouting gardens & weeds & bugs,
all the trees and sticks
and rocks,
birds and fish and critters
and flowers.
Oatstraw for the Gods & Goddesses,
givers of great gifts,
beings with special powers
and of so many names.
flowers from the florist from this last season
for all.
one dried white rose,
broken off
from the bouquet
that was heartfelt but meager condolences,
and that lasted for weeks
blooming in the kitchen window,
offered with loving prayers
flew out of the fire
bouncing on the wind
towards the East
and disappeared
much gratitude for
this Season of Balancing
equal day and night
Springtime bursting forth.
Let us be able to keep up.
Grounded flexibility
gently guided transformative
evolution
in good health and strength.
hear and answer us
give us a sign.
stone beat on the drum
meditation
while we wait to hear
the omens
from 3 divinatory tools
the Virtues-Fertility, the Runes- Sowleu or the Sun,
the Ogham- Beith or Birch
Purification, Changes, Initiation, Beginnings, Brightness, Renewal
from the Spirits of Nature and Place:
the Virtues- Integrity, the Runes- Uruz or the Primordial Ox, the Ogham- Duir or the Oak
Serious and Ancient Strength, Protection, Nobility, Endurance
from the Gods and Goddesses:
the Virtues- Vision (upside down), the Runes- Perth or the Lottery Cup and Chance, the Ogham- Ruis or the Elder
Blushing, Transformation and Regeneration, Renewal, Magic, Good Luck
for the Season:
the Virtues- Wisdom, the Runes- Yera or a Year and the Completion of Harvest, the Ogham- Nuinn or the Ash
Full Cycle, Order, Weaving Harmony and Balance, the Connector Channel to All that is, Support
keeping sacrifice simple
there was exactly enough
what is enough?
is enough the same as boundaries?
of what do we know of the meaning of life?
the waters of life!
And from whence do those waters come?
from the bosom of the Earth Mother,
the ever-changing all Mother.
Bryan drank those hallowed waters
right out of the pitcher
(also green)
because there were not enough glasses
duck, duck, duck, duck
there is no goose
gathered in our circle
in the growing light
Ann barefoot and Bryan with shoes on
and fuzzy green socks
smooth hands,
shoes off,
socks on or off
sitting in a chair
standing near the fire
laying on the earth
interconnected
the daffys are freezing at night
nature slows to almost normal
but without snow,
without reserves
as it has been for a while now
there is a feeling of instability
of impending doom
and insanity
and yet
our honoring of this new season
seemed to portend
good
good enough
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