Eoster Blessings

Yesterday marked the Spring Equinox, when night and day are equal and the sun cuts a path neatly from east to wast. Spring is here! (Tell that to this weekends expected snowstorm...)

For the ancient Germanic tribes this was a time to celebrate! They venerated the Goddess Eoster (The Celts had Ostara), who represented dawn and rebirth.

The symbols of modern Easter of course date back to this time. Bunnies, who symbolize fecundity (Bow-Chicka-Wah-Wah...) and of course are emerging from their burrows in the Spring. Eggs are mystic magic things that hold new life too (in addition to being tasty). The tradition of decorating and playing games with eggs seems to pre-date written records in much of Northern Europe.

 Of course for our ancestors it was also a hopeful time. Their animals could return to greening pastures. Most farm animals give birth in the spring as well, and this represented growing wealth and prosperity. Early vegetables were emerging, and if you've spent a few months eating nothing but salted meat, turnips, and grains, a sprig of fresh dandelion or sorrel looks like heaven. In a time when starvation was a real and immediate concern, even for the relatively wealthy, Spring was a great relief.

May all of you enjoy the fertility and plenty of the new season! What are you doing to celebrate Spring?

Greening for Spring

 School has been limiting my time for craftiness, it's cramping my style! But I'm still working my way thru projects.

My crochet pattern of the month has made almost 6 squares, and this month's has me itching to get hooking! I've even been a good girl and woven in all my ends each time I finish a square. Which is just evading the final dilemma of what color to trim each square in....

And my knitting needles aren't resting either. This has been my knitting-in-class project for quite some time, this is in fact the third time starting it to get the proper collar/shoulders size ratio. It will be a lovely flowy green caplet if it takes me the rest of the semester! I did plan on wearing it for Eoster next week, yeah right...

Everyone go easy on the whiskey and green beer tonight! Are you crafting for spring?

Sacred Lands

I recently watched a number of clips from the Sacred Lands Film Project for a class, and I was moved like I'd been chopping onions. Here's the thing, in much of modern society, and particularly for Euro-Americans (we are a nation of immigrants after all), we don't have a strong local connection to places. The idea of a spot being sacred may be hard for many of us to imagine.

Watching these clips made me crave that connection, to love a part of the earth as a critical part of your culture. What makes land sacred to you? Are there any sacred spots near you?

Finds - Green Awakening

I don't often find myself wishing that time moved faster, but an unseasonably warm winter has made me crave the warm wet blooming of spring. Let's get green!

A fabulous bloom with the green remains of an ancient tree! Made by Dreamspell.

Brilliant take on a mug, this handle wraps all the way around! Hand-thrown and finished by MudonMyMind.

Spectacular specimens of green from the animal kingdom, an unexpected touch of spring! From RealButterflyGifts.

Delicate greens that remind me of a small bud pushing out from the earth, and fluffy merino. This win-win hand-spun by SpunbySuzanne

 

This glorious tree from PaperMoth could be fresh spring buds, redolent summer shade, or the first hint of autumn. It is a "Welcome Change" indeed!

I am currently preparing to sprout seedlings inside, and already making my list of garden task. But I know that we need plenty of snowfall to keep all our plants from wilting away like last year! Are you preparing for spring? Or savoring the last snows of winter?