Blessed Imbolc 2020

Merry Meet, Happy February and Blessed Imbolc to all.  Well, here I am again, having been a few months since I wrote.  I’ve had a lot going on, as we all do, and unfortunately my blog gets put so far down my list I don’t get to it……until the real urge to write strikes me again.  I hope that 2020 is treating you all well and life is good for you and yours.

To tell you what’s been going on in my life would take a bit but some highlights are:

*I had knee surgery finally in later October for a torn meniscus. It was nearly 4 months from injury to surgery! I’m healed mostly from the tear and surgery, but arthritis remains to cause me some discomfort.

*I got a job!  LOL…I haven’t worked outside my home in 20 years, caring for my daughter Sara during that time.  My husband’s doctor, knowing that Sara had passed and I was a nurse etc, asked me if I’d be interested in working a few hours a week in his office.  While I love being home, I thought it was probably good for me so I took it.  I’ve been there 3 months, love the staff, (doc is okay lol) and I’ve learned I hadn’t lost my skills with being home.

*My Mother-in-law is increasingly wanting help from my husband especially, despite the fact she’s in better shape then most her age.  This has affected our lives greatly.  It’s a long story but lets just say she’s a very selfish, unkind woman and it’s been a difficult time for us.

*My sweet Roxie kitty went to the rainbow bridge in October as well.  Miss her so much.  She got sick, we thought just a stomach thing, but turned out to be she was ate up with cancer and her time with us was over. She was just the best kitty and we were all so sad at losing her at the young age of 9. 😦

*About a month after we lost Roxie, we were happily rescued by our new kitty, Ralphie.  Yes, he came about Thanksgiving time and we named him Ralphie after the Christmas movie “A Christmas Story”   It just suits him! He’s still a kitten, actually rescued from the streets by my dear friend.  As she has like 5 dogs, she asked me if I’d like to meet him and see about him coming to live with us.  It was love at first site and he’s delightful.  As a kitten,  he of course is full of the “zoomies” as my grandkids call it, but we are thrilled with him.  My feelings are every home needs a cat! ❤

Well that’s the rundown of the highlights for me.  The holidays were both busy and peaceful too, most days.  I enjoyed my time with family, my Yule gathering with my coven, and quiet time at home on dark evenings with a fire, a kitty, a book, lit candles etc.  We have had a very mild Winter! Hardly any snow and most days seem to be in the 40’s.  When we do get a few snow flurries, the ground is too warm for it to accumulate.  This to me is a bad thing!  I love Winter, cold, frosty air and lots of snow.  In Ohio though, we could get hit still in March and April. lol.

And now, it’s February already and the wheel has turned to Imbolc.  My altar is ready, my coven gathers tomorrow, and tonight I’ll light candles and do my rituals to Brighid, the coming of the Sun, and blessings to still enjoy the dark days ahead of us yet to come.  While I know Spring is coming, we still have many weeks of Winter and I for one am glad of it.

I’ve been working on my Imbolc (spring) cleaning for this whole month really.  Hubby and I are thinking hard about moving to a smaller place with less to tend to.  We want more time for relaxing, some travel, time with kids and grandkids etc and also for our RV camper at the lake we LOVE spending time at.  So purging is high on my list of things to do again.  Seems no matter how hard I try, I feel I have too much stuff.  A smaller home won’t hold it and I’m happy to have less stuff.  So I’m constantly revisiting areas of my home to part with things no longer needed, used or wanted.  It’s a good thing!

I’d like to share an Imbolc tea recipe I came across.  My coven spent time last Saturday making it, and a loose incense together.  Both are quite yummy!   The tea is quite simple. I recommend of course using organic herbs as who knows what you’ll get if you don’t!

Imbolc Tea

2 parts dried calendula

2 parts dried chamomile

1 part dried lavender

1 part dried rose hips

 Blend them together and store in an airtight container.  If you don’t like the stronger taste of lavender, use less.  I prefer a bit less myself.

I won’t be leaving any food recipes in this post today. I’ve done many fabulous ones in previous posts over the years. To find those, Just do a search in the box to the right for Imbolc and they’ll pop up for you.

To my friends in the Southern Hemisphere, Blessings of Lughnassadh to you all.

I’ll be back soon.  I have some books I’ve read lately I thought I’d tell you about, and recipes and such will be coming as well.  Even if it’s not as timely as I’d like! For now, I wish you all a very blessed Imbolc, Candlemas, or whatever you celebrate on the Equinox weekend! Just remember that even in the darkest days of Winter, Spring will come, ready or not!!

deep in the belly
life stirs
not yet formed
but quickening.
slight movement waking,
promising of life to come,
in the dark
as yet unborn.
manifesting, yet waiting,
the warming Earth
stirs.

Poem by Deanne Quarrie

 

Blessings and Love, Autumn