Imbolc
February
2017
The weather has been a mixture of chilly easterly winds to make your ears ache or fairly mild temperatures, if a little damp at times. The result of all this is the early arrival of my Hellebores...not that I'm complaining! I love them and have a nice little selection in my new{ish} garden.
Half term has seen me laid low by a horrible cold virus that has flattened even the toughest of the tough! Nasty but thankfully short lived with a few little 'workings' and herbals. I've included my favourite here but having a few doses of vitamin C at the first signs of a cold does help to lessen its effect. You can do this spell any time not just in the Spring but there are remedies for Summer Winter and Autumn that are equally effective....just make sure you have no allergy/issues with the ingredients and have only one cup a day and not while working machinery or driving if you have the whisky!
A clean mug or teacup
Kettle of water fresh from the tap
Manuka honey 1tsp
Juice of freshly squeezed half a lemon
A dram of good whisky {if you like}
If not...a couple of thin slithers of fresh ginger
freshly boiled water to fill to half a mug or fill a full tea cup.
A teaspoon {freshly washed}
Stir together all the ingredients, wait a while until until just hot not scalding or as cool/warm/hot as you like.
While you wait for the remedy to cool say:
Winter colds, coughs and sneezes
Will catch us all while earth freezes
When Spring time comes to warm the lands
Hold nature's cure cup in your hands
Then sup the nectar of the Goddess
Cure and healing is the promise
Stir your cup doesil thrice whilst chanting this little healing spell for stopping or reducing your cold.
Now relax and cosy up with a nice blanket and preferably in your Jimmy Jams, put a good film on and sip your 'toddy' until only the ginger is left.
Hope you feel better soon
Bless you!
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I managed a short trek over the local hill yesterday and into my favourite place. The woodland on the slopes are still muddy with pockets of welly-sucking puddles that nearly pulled off my socks as well as the boot! Good fun though and plenty of fresh air to clear the last vestiges of my horrible cough....did I tell you I had a cold? {sniff!}
I found my 'special' place and sat on the log seat drinking in the air and lovely fresh earthy scents when I noticed that a spring had sprung. A little bubbling pool and a fledgling stream running through the silver birch. I was so pleased with my little self for choosing such a sacred spot that I fell off said seat! So, muddy boots and grubby bum!
I had some snowdrops in a bag with a little trowel. I know you may say 'naughty' you shouldn't plant flowers that don't belong but they are a native species to the area and besides it was perfect for them, so in they went! Hopefully they'll take off and spread out. Any way I did a little tree hugging...well touching and got in tune with the the 'vibes'.
It was amazingly relaxing and tingly or maybe that was the beginning of wind chill on my poor red cheeks?
I planted the snowdrops under a silver birch and said a little incantation for a recently lost friend who I know would appreciate being remembered looking out to the new spring...so apt for the beginning of new life and the passing of it. Goodbye Winter until next we meet....Hello Sunshine!
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