Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet
and the winds long to play with your hair.
-Khalil Gibran
Merry Meet and Happy Spring on this beautiful April day. I love April, always have. Not only because it’s the month I was born, but because it brings in Spring! The weather is a bit unpredictable…we can have snow one day, near 80* temps another with lots of wind, rain, storms and tornado warnings thrown in for good measure. The last few days it’s rained and stormed here a lot! But it’s been a good thing for Mother Earth as she is greening more and more every day. I love the color green and it’s everywhere! Our grass is really green and lush, trees are budding, spring bulbs and flowering bushes and trees are bloomed, and my summer plants have green sprouting up. In my herb bed, cilantro and garlic are up already and my lavender is greening too! I so love it! Today, I woke up to a chill in the Air but it’s warming up to 60* and the Sun is shining so it’s a beautiful day!
I have been Spring cleaning like crazy as well. The winter linens are put away, winter clothes being put away to make room for our Spring/Summer clothes. My clothesline is back up. I have taken each day a trash bag and gone around the house just pitching stuff. Drawers, cupboards and closets are all checked for items no longer needed. It is so freeing to de-junk! You’d be amazed what’s in your home that no longer serves a purpose. Whether it be paperwork, knickknacks, clothes, shoes, dishes etc…there are things in your home that can go I’m sure! My home feels lighter and simpler with everything that goes out the door. Add fresh flowers to mason jars on your window sill, open windows to air out your house and wash windows and you’ll feel like Spring has arrived INSIDE your home too!
My seedlings so far this year!
Beltane is approaching fast! One of my favorite Sabbats..probably because it’s one of the first ones that I can celebrate outside without being cold! I’ve written in the past 5 years all the many ways to celebrate this Sabbat and for me, that hasn’t changed. I still have an outdoor fire, weather permitting, and burn any of the last of my dried herbs that have grown old and dusty hanging in my kitchen. The scent is incredible! I plant my seedlings in their outdoor beds, make offerings to the Fae of honey and bread, set out new wards and protection for my home and yard, and spend as much time barefoot in the grass with my hands in the dirt as I can! A wonderful feast of fresh veggies, fruits, and grains are had by whoever decides to come by for dinner. And I never forget to gather the morning dew to wash my face in…to bring youth and beauty to this aging face of mine 🙂
My Coven will gather, if not on Beltane shortly after. Last year we made up May baskets (in jars really) to distribute to our elderly neighbors and loved ones. It was a lot of fun and I imagine we’ll do it again this year 🙂 We then welcome the Sun God…rejoicing in the return of the longer days, warmer weather, and Mother Earth blooming forth in all Her glory.
Other things I enjoy doing in the Spring….walks are a must. I now have a gathering bag, a wildflower reference book and a good knife for gathering wild herbs on my walks. It’ll also hold acorns, pinecones, feathers and stones and whatever else I might come across on my walk that calls to me. A walk by a pond, in a woods, on a beach, in a meadow…..whatever place I can find that allows me to enjoy being under the Sun again, outdoors. Attending a pagan festival or maypole gathering, drum circles which usually move outdoors now, picnics in the park, drives out into the country to find early farm stands, visiting a botanical garden or butterfly house, going fishing, planting a tree and whatever else you can think of to do outdoors will help you to celebrate the change in the season, the turning of the wheel….Beltane!
Remember too that Beltane is about the God and Goddess coming together in love and lust for each other. Whether you have a partner or not, find a way to spread some love. For yourself and others. Do something for yourself..whatever it is you need. Be kind, be joyful, be peaceful and spread Love. You will gain back much in return. There is so much un-kindness in our online experiences and in our real life. We see bad news everyday, people being mean, judgemental, non-accepting….that we can get discouraged from it. But spreading LOVE starts with each of us. I know so many of you do just that…all my friends do…or they wouldn’t be my friend! lol.
So my friends….Spring and soon, Beltane, have arrived here in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s a beautiful time of year and I for one will be taking complete advantage of every moment! Enjoy the greening, blooming, warming of Mother Earth. Enjoy lightening up on your clothes and foods. Enjoy the Sun on your head and the grass under your feet. Make love, grow flowers, and dance under the light of the Moon!
I’ll be back soon with some recipes of course, along with pics of my gardens as they bloom and whatever else I find I’d like to tell you about. I’ll have a new herb posting very soon too. So for now, I wish you all a very Happy weekend! Make it magickal!
Blessings and Love, Autumn
*All photos are either my own or creative common license.
My Moonlit Path..... 