~ Happy Imbolc ~

The light is back....wahooo. I love this day. The snowdrops, daffodils and crocuses are all promising us their blooms very soon. Two brave and hardy primroses are already cheering us with their pale yellow flowers, and we had sunshine this morning.

We were told recently that the Buddha said: 'the time of the dawn is when it is light enough to be able to see the lines in your hands and the green of the grass'...isn't that beautiful. This morning that was at 7:30, and this evening, the light lingered until 5:30....ten hours feels great....and it is going to get better and better :~)))

With fire and candles lit, and the little hearth alter in place as usual to honour Brigid....

Happy Imbolc.

Cariad Mawr.

H. x

~ Imbolc : Stitching : and Six-Word-Days ~

the crocuses are in bloom

this morning in our garden 

I am feeling quiet, and words are keeping a distance, so please excuse this laundry-list of a post....

It is Imbolc again, and we have the fire and candles lit and the little hearth alter in place to honour Brigid and the return of the light.

I wasn't sure what to do with this piece

but....

....Jude's Cloth to Cloth class came to the rescue

and I had great fun doing a small weave.

I like it!

We had a dusting of snow, so I gave the cloth a little snow ceremony. 

I have been taking part in 41 6-word Days with j and julia. It's a great community and I love condensing the description of my day to six words....I can cope with that number!

Happy Imbolc, and greetings to February ~

Cariad mawr

H x

~ Imbolc and dragons ~

A little hearth altar to honour Brigid and the return of the light.

The goddess in the back which was a woodland~walk gift, the crystal and stone friends have a permanent residence there.

I made the cross in the little woven basket ~ which was a beautiful thrift find ~ many years ago, the mini brass anvil was also a thrift find, and St Brigid's Cross I made last week while house~sitting the Willow Farm for a few days again. The sage and rosemary are from our garden ~ brave survivors of the snow and frost ~ they will be wrapped up into a small smudge stick tomorrow.

I always like to honour the return of the light on February 1st and 2nd. It is obviously lighter now ~ yay ~ and I could, if I wished to (always!) or had the time, read from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm without flicking a switch or lighting a candle....yes! yes! yes!

Brigid is one of my favourite goddesses and I love that she is the patroness of poetry, healing, smithcraft, midwifery and the care of animals. She also presides over the hearth and is traditionally honoured on this day. I often ask for her assistance if the fire is being difficult to light....she always answers.

I had such fun making the Brigid's Cross...my first attempt, and I was glad that I thought of it while I was on the Willow Farm and that Willow is the tree for February...LOVE it so much when things fit so neatly. I found this excellent video tutorial, and armed with a bunch of very fine purpurea willow, successfully followed Stella's instructions. The man with her, cracks me up with his 'mmmm's' and 'aaahhh's'!

 Yesterday, My Man and I were in my favourite town ~ Newcastle Emlyn ~ only three miles from the village where I grew up. It's ancient castle ruin ~

taken in September 2010

~ which has quite a history, was the site of the death of the last dragon in Wales....although, since the hatching of that egg I am so very happy to see it has returned ~

~ and was standing guard over the gateway into the castle. I'm glad to say it was very friendly to us :~)

Happy Imbolc ~ from a wet Wales with fire and candles lit ~

Cariad mawr
H x