Merry Meet my friends. It’s a cold and very snowy day here. We’ve gotten about 4-5 inches of new snow! It was beautiful when we woke up this morning and just stopped in the last hour or two. We have a roaring fire going, chili in the crockpot, racing is on though my hubby has fallen into his 2nd nap of the day (he has a cold) and I’ve been writing recipes up for the Sunday Stew and Imramma Magazine this morning in my jammies 🙂 Gotta love Winter Sun days like that!
Today is March 1 and in 19 days it will be Ostara..the first day of Spring. It’s hard to see that right now with all this snow and cold, but I can feel it. There is a change in the pattern of the Sun and Moon, in the winds blowing, in the birds and ground animals. In the light of the morning, and the darkness of the sky at night. Oh yes, my friends….Spring is not far away..not just by calendar date but if you pay attention to the signs around you too.
I grew up in a home that celebrated Easter. We were casually christian I guess…went to church when I was little but after the age of 9-10 for me it was rare and only when my grandma asked us to go. But the Easter egg hunts were a big deal in our family….the little boys in dress pants, sweaters and bow ties, the little girls in frilly dresses with bonnets and I even remember my dad buying us orchid corsages to wear. I had 9 cousins and we would all go to my grandmother’s house, or an aunt’s house and have a great pot luck supper and a oh-so-much fun egg hunt. Many times, my birthday fell on or very close to that day, and there would be an extra gift for me. Big chocolate bunnies were always the best thing to find 🙂 Such fun for little kids. As I still have christian family members, we continued that practice with my girls and now with my grandchildren. It’s a family day…not a christian holiday for me, but each family member sees it their own way. And that is just fine! Does your family still celebrate Easter? Ostara? It’s one of those great Sabbats that can be enjoyed by all without too much discomfort I think for those of differing Paths.
Ostara now, meaning March 20…that is a whole different thing. It’s still about bunnies and eggs and food and pastel colors lol, but it’s also about knowing the Sun is getting stronger and warmer, the days are lengthening, and Spring will come. We watch for signs of buds on our flowering trees, shoots coming up from the wet ground, blades of grass turning green, and birds becoming more active. We might see a bunny hopping in our yard, a chipmunk scurrying, a robin or yellow finch, and of course the garden centers are setting out mowers, grills, seeds, pots, early spring flowers etc etc. I love Facebook as the seasons change. My friends love posting the first signs of the new Season. When I see my southern friends posting pics of forsythia and cherry trees blooming, I know we aren’t far behind! I can’t wait to smell that first scent of rich dirt, plant that first plant or seed, check out what’s coming up that was planted last year, and just plain get my hands and bare feet dirty again!
My Circle will gather a few days after Ostara as well. Last year we blessed seeds and planted them for each of our gardens. I’m sure we’ll do something like that again this year. If it’s warm enough, we’ll go outside and give our thanks and gratitude to the Sun God as he brings warmth back to Mother Earth. A feast will be had and always a fire too. I really look forward to time with my Sister Witches. Ostara is usually when I plant my seed starters as well. Blessing the seeds, placing potting soil in little sod pots, planting the seeds and watering with Moon water is such a wonderful way to observe the day.
For now, I still am enjoying Winter. As a matter of fact, all of a sudden I look back on how fast it’s gone by. Some of the things I vowed I would work on over the Winter escaped me. But I spent a lot of time reading, writing, working on my home, cooking and baking, and enjoying the beauty of staying home more, spending time with family and resting more. So things I didn’t get done..well, they will still get done eventually. It does bother me I haven’t worked on my herbalist course the way I wanted to….found myself wanting to read instead. But as Spring approaches, the mood is striking me more so I’ve picked it up today again and have worked on it some and will continue at my own pace until I finally do get that certificate! I can picture myself on my sunny patio, with an iced drink and warm breezes and the scent of lavender and rosemary while I study and work 🙂 Yes..that sounds perfect!
I can see that many are searching here on my blog for Ostara recipes, rituals etc. You can do that in the search box on the right hand side here on my blog. You can also find more of my recipes starting March 22 in the Sunday Stew….again the icon on the right here on my blog. I’ll be back here soon to post a new recipe or two, maybe a new seed blessing I’m working on and of course something Irish for Irish day! I’ll also be posting more herbal info very soon. I want to again thank my readers for being so supportive of me and my blog. I truly appreciate it.
Now, I hope you’re all warm and cozy if you’re having your Winter, and staying cool and comfortable if you’re having your Summer. Either way, have a happy March!
Oh, Spring is surely coming,
Her couriers fill the air;
Each morn are new arrivals,
Each night her ways prepare;
I scent her fragrant garments,
Her foot is on the stair.
~John Burroughs, “A March Glee”
Blessings and Love, Autumn
*All photos are either my own or creative commons unlicensed pictures.
My Moonlit Path..... 