I have some Imbolc decorations up

I have made a concession to it being Imbolc today and I have decorated our corn dolly with the seasonal colours:

I am also eating sheep's cheese with dinner tonight. This is progress. My mood may have dipped the last few weeks but my willingness to mark this festival clearly shows I am feeling a *bit* more positive. I guess it's good to find joy in some things.

Happy Imbolc!

Imbolc altar, image taken from this website.

My favourite time of the year!  Imbolc is St Brigid's Day, the time of year when we notice the daylight lasting a little longer and the first bulbs start poking through the soil. Last year we had snowdrops in early January and snows in February.  This year I have yet to see a snowdrop, the weather has been exceptionally mild for winter and we have mostly had rain.  The temperature has stayed between 2 and 7 degrees for January, which I can just about cope with.

Brigid is the goddess of the forge, of poetry and of medicine.  Brigid means firey arrow and her day is a fire festival, a festival of light.  In her honour (and the season's honour) we should light candles and do something creative.  Brigid is also the goddess of childbirth so if you are pregnant or due to labour you could consider sending a few prayers her way.

I am going to be spending the day in London with family but I think I shall enjoy some sheep's milk cheese and biscuits on Sunday.  If I could I'd also have a beer as Brigid is known for turning water into beer.

Whether you celebrate the Celtic Brigid, the Christian St Brigid or the Chinese New Year I wish you a good weekend and health and happiness in the coming months.

Pendant showing Brigid with her fire aspect.  Taken from this Deviantart page.

Happy Imbolc!

Today marks the return of Spring and the end of Winter.  This is my absolute favourite festival as it marks the end of the really dark days and miserableness of Winter.  Today, it was getting light at 7am ish (it was certainly light at 7.30) and it should still be light at 5.

Today is the day of the Goddess Brigid, an Irish deity associated with wells and water.  Her animals are the swan and the snake.  The snake symbolises rebirth as it sheds it skin. The swan perhaps symbolises purity.  The period between now and Ostara (the Spring equinox) is a time to clean and refresh your house and your life.  Imbolc is a time of purification.  Brigid is a goddess of the hearth and is often depicted with 3 firey arrows - one for health, one for healing and one for inspiration.  She works at the forge and is a warrior.

I am celebrating by going out to dinner with my boyfriend tonight.  I shall (or he shall) try and make celeriac and celery soup tomorrow.  I shall buy some sheep's milk cheese and have it with biscuits.  I am going to the theatre tomorrow evening to see Twelfth Night and we are having friends over for lunch on Sunday.  I think Sunday will be the best time to light the candles.  I may try and make a Brigid's Cross this weekend.  I will definitely make some honey and lemon bicsuits.

Whether you are celebrating Imbolc or Grounghog Day, or just like the lengthening days, or are not bothered at all, I wish you all a good day and a great weekend. :)

Imbolc

February 1st and 2nd is Imbolc, an old pagan festival. Imbolc means ewes milk and it marks the time of year when we see the light returning – the days have become noticeably longer, it’s now light-ish at 4.30 to 5pm. The Imbolc goddess is Brigit. She walks the ground tapping it with a white rod and then snowdrops appear. She can turn water into beer and she is linked with the moon. In the past, when Brigit had priestesses, she used to have 19 who guarded a fire each day. On the 20th day Brigit would arrive to tend it. Her animals are the swan and the wolf. I don’t know why. Brigit has 3 fire arrows – one for the hearth or forge, one for healing and one for inspiration. At Imbolc we eat sheeps milk cheese, drink a beer and light candles.

I like Imbolc – I hate the darkness of winter, I hate the cold. I like candles, and cheese, and beer. This festival suits me. Enjoy the new light folks!

Here's my BSL (ish) version of the above text:

Happy Imbolc :)

Have a good day everyone :)

Imbolc!

Today and tomorrow is the festival of Imbolc.  It's the first signs of Spring, we've got snowdrops appearing, the lambing season is starting (allegedly, altho I find this very difficult to believe), and the long winter is beginning to end.  To celebrate, I shall be eating ewe's milk cheese on crackers, lamb and dunpling stew, and hopefully some sort of honey or apple cake.  The green is coming back, bring on the sun!  Now to find some candles..

If you want to find out more, look here, here and here.