Saturday 30 April 2011

~ Happy Beltane ~


A daisy ritual for the heart sampler on Beltane Eve.
The bottom left wanted to become a balloon ~
I'm still avoiding working the heart edges and am waiting
to understand why that is.


Preparing a 'playground'. The darker shade is linen from a pair
of thrifted trousers and the paler one is heavy, open weave cotton
from a thrifted shirt. They both feel so soft and good. The base
material is very lightweight cotton from curtain lining material
that I keep finding in bootsales, and enjoy working with.


It's going to be a cosy winter in my studio after all :~)
There was a lot of jumping up and down in the bootsale this morning when 
My Man spotted this little wood~stove made from a gas bottle.
We had one very similar in our camper van when we lived in her years ago.
We called that one Alice and I've decided to keep the same name for this one.
That hotplate is going to allow me to have tea or coffee right
there in my workplace....and that bain~marie will be keeping wax
 melted for all sorts of artwork....oh! and I might get to make creams again....
I'm thinking of painting her Jotul Green.
Later, I used Alice to honour Beltane Eve. I carried her out to the garden and lit a fire in her from a pile of prunings that have been drying out since the autumn. We had willow, rosemary, Elder, hibi, blackthorn, and bramble billowing their inimitable aromas over us and our garden  in a giant smudging ceremony.




We boiled water on the hotplate and had ginger and lemon tea...I had meant to get wine, but we drink so infrequently I forgot!

Throughout our little ceremony, until darkness fell, we had the company of one of our sweet friends
who live in our pond. Later we heard the 'plop' as he jumped back in :~)
It was rather apt that he be there  on this night due to frogs' association with fertility.
 Mr Blackbird also serenaded us until dark, then the stars and the bats
 (miniature dragons to the medieval people) came out to play.
My Man softly strummed his guitar and we said 'hello' to Taurus, Gemini, Leo,
The Plough, and Saturn...who looked magnificent through the telescope tonight.


 Earlier I had watched, enthralled, as Mr Frog had climbed out of the pond and sat under the sorrel and red campion leaves with such patience, and in complete stillness, until his dinner had flown or crawled  near him,
then moved his head and flicked out his tongue so quickly, it was almost too fast for my eyes to keep up.


We have had a lovely Beltane Eve with the four elements of earth, air, fire and water represented, and the powerful medicine of frog, blackbird and bat surrounding us.
  Have you done anything to celebrate Beltane Eve?

10 comments:

  1. Sounds like a wonderful Beltane Eve! It was Arbor Day today in the U.S., so, did that today, tomorrow I'm heading over to a local pagan community's Maypole ritual.

    Your little stove looks sooo sweet, and Jotul Green would suit it quite well. I have a Jotul for my heat here and love it..... though, its gray enamel, not green!

    Happy Beltane to you!

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  2. Helen thanks for visit and nice comment on my blog, your heart sampler is very beautiful, love the colors on the 'playground'you are making.
    Anni

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  3. What a wonderful little woodburning stove Alice is....I've never seen one like that and I love the idea. So cute!
    Enjoyed this post so much.

    Jacky xox

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  4. Happy Beltane! And I am so pleased to meet Alice. Lucky woman, you! Having a dedicated space for creating - wonderful!

    "I'm still avoiding working the heart edges and am waiting to understand why that is." I love what you've said here, the way you think.

    Blessings...

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  5. ~ Hi Valerianna...Arbour Day is such a great idea. Did you plant trees? I have never seen a Maypole dance in real life!! It is not such a Welsh thing really. I think many villages in England still celebrate that way though. I hope you had a great time...did you dress up? :~)

    ~ Hello Ani...it is a pleasure, and thank you :~)

    ~ Hi Jacky...isn't it a great idea...they are very popular here. Thank you for visiting. :~)

    ~ Hey W.S. Having a dedicated creating space has made such a difference to me....EVERYONE should have one :~))
    Thank you for your lovely words.
    Blessed be.

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  6. Love the stove and enjoyed hearing about the evening!

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  7. Hi Dean. Thank you, and glad you enjoyed :~))

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  8. Dear Helen!!!! I LOVE, love, love your posts and am sorry that i forget to come here often enough!! What lovely words and photos - and life you lead!! I love the little stove - and, my middle name is Alice, so now will think even more fondly of her keeping you warm :)) It's so cool that you can move it about too!! And - wow, the heart sampler and new playground - so beautiful!! Lovely day to you!!

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  9. What a great stove! beats a ceramic chimera any day, what personality it has!

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  10. Hey hey Maggie...thank you ~ love that your middle name is Alice. It is one of my favourites :~)

    Thank you Liniecat :~)

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