Climbing Toward Spring

Happy Saint Brigid's Day, Imbolc, Groundhogs Day (tomorrow) and the arrival of spring - that most hopeful of seasons! I love that on the old Celtic wheel of the year now is the very start of spring, as the inklings of color return as color pops of crocuses, tree buds swell, and I can feel the thrum of green underground. (A better time than January 1st to set goals, aspirations, resolutions, in my opinion). Of course, here in my neck of the woods winter often clings much later and we consider Spring Equinox the beginning of Spring. Optimistically, I prefer today as the beginning. Many blessings as nature heralds in the green. 

Read more about today in the Celtic tradition HERE. 

Secret Spring Garden

A recent creation for a local shop inspired by some of Ireland's rock walls. 

Lúnasa

The beginning of August marks the old Irish Gaelic festival day of Lúnasa, halfway between summer solstice & autumn equinox, marking the beginning of harvest time and the turn from summer to winter. (In Irish, the word for August is Lúnasa.) It is a time to honor the sun, for Lúnasa (or Lughnasadh) is named for Lugh, the old Irish god of the Sun. It's a time to gather the first harvests, to light a bonfire in thanks for your blessings, bake a pie with freshly gathered blueberries, for matchmaking and hand-fasting, for pilgrimages to holy wells and sacred trees. Here Lúnasa arrived on a cool front, one I was aching for, a blessed foreshadowing of Autumn and all her finery. Happy Harvest to come. 

You can read more about Lúnasa and Irish customs at:
yourirish.com
Ireland Calling
Irish Central

Welcome Spring

Spring, or the Vernal Equinox, arrived yesterday in which day and night were equal. In Ireland many ancient portal tombs and cairns align with sunrises or sunsets of solstices & equinoxes. Loughcrew Cairns is one such ancient monument that aligns with the Spring Equinox. Watch the magical video below to see that sun illuminate the inside of a stone cairn. Read more about it HERE.

Here in the Midwest Spring arrived with a sultry 87 degrees and a gorgeous blood orange sunset. Back to normal today with rain (thank goodness) and 60s. Spring is such a delicious, refreshing season. I hope it lingers, though yesterday had me fearing it would get skipped altogether.

May Spring be beautiful, long, and green. May we be blessed with blooms and rain a plenty. May the season inspire your soul. Go outside and greet the it.

Countryside in County Kerry

My Irish Cottage

Happy March! Spring is just around the corner.

A recent painting I completed on a shop window. Spreading some spring fever and a little (or a lot) of Irish charm.