February 1st .......... Imbolc (pronounced imulk) - The first of the four Celtic festivals, held to celebrate a stirring of life after winter and the beginning of the lambing season. The word Imbolc may derive from old Irish meaning 'in the belly'. The Celts celebrated by lighting fires to honour the Goddess of light, youth and fertility, hearth and home -Brighid - The Bright One.
Brighid later became the Christian St Brigid who was a real person living around 525 CE. Celtic myth and Christian folktales are often blended. One story says Brigid was the midwife of the Virgin Mary.
A lucky charm associated with Imbolc is St Brigids cross - originally woven from rushes and hung on the door to protect, purify and bring good fortune to the home
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| Image from internet |
So until I find some rushes somewhere - not common in dry Suffolk but I've seen them occasionally, I had a go with paper strips.
Here's a youtube tutorial................
And my effort with paper.
Hope you all have a lovely weekend.............I'm looking forward to the start of the 6 Nations Rugby on TV.
Back on Monday
Sue
I’m just catching up on reading your posts, Sue. I hope the plug-in helps Polly de-stress and she stops over grooming. Karma does the same and has a bald patch along her back at the moment which is slowly growing back. Her stress was a result of being beaten up by a neighbouring cat, resulting in an infection. Sometimes it becomes a habit too and you have to ‘remind’ them to stop. How annoying about the apple tree branch, the air would have been blue if I saw it too! I love the snowdrops on the February/March segment and your paper St Brigid is a very good effort. Have a nice weekend!
ReplyDeleteLocking the cat flap at night has worked and I don't get woken with it going bang! Polly is still licking too much - I guess it will take a while for her to feel settled again
DeleteI read somewhere (I think on Twitter) that February 1st is the start of astronomical Spring but I can’t help thinking we might still have a dose of Winter to come.
ReplyDeleteI always read something interesting on your blog. Thank you.
Feb is still a winter month. Meteorological spring starts on March 1st and then March 20th for the equinox and spring
DeleteLove the St. Brigid's cross and the story behind the name. I have a cousin named Brigitte. A good practice run with the paper cross, I wonder, could one use straw?
ReplyDeleteI reckon straw when still green might work.
DeleteBullrushes in ditches here, but usually quite difficult to get at. I have never heard of what you were writing about. February is usually a long and dismal month but it is lovely and sunny this morning. Have a good weekend. We must meet up again soon. x
ReplyDeleteYes - meeting up sounds good. I'm just staying close to home at the mo waiting for grandchild 4 in case I have to go and look after grandchild 3. Already a week late poor DiL
DeleteI'm laughing at myself. When your page popped up and I caught a glimpse of the photo, the first thing I thought of was a tin of Lyle's Golden Syrup.
ReplyDeleteNo syrup here!
DeleteThat was fascinating and has me wondering if I could go across the road, climb over the gate and get myself a bunch of rushes. I love the look of the St Brigid cross and watching that chap making it was fascinating. I bet I'm not the only viewer who thought if he just kept going he would have some lovely coasters and tablemats :-)
ReplyDeleteDef no shortage of rush in Wales - we looked at plenty of properties where the fields were full of the stuff = poor soil
DeleteWow, very interesting. The St. Brigid cross making video was extremely fascinating.
ReplyDeleteYou always have such wonderful things to share with us all.
God bless.
Thank you - I keep finding things to blog about - thankfully.
DeleteThe only sign of spring here is the aphids that have eaten all the pansy roots in the greenhouse.
ReplyDeleteThat's a bit odd
DeleteThe leaves have wilted and when you pick them up they lift straight off with no roots.
DeleteAhhhh yes, Imbolc. Me'thinks you will see more signs of Spring Coming, in your country, than my area of mine. We still have snow on the ground and cold temps alternate, with milder ones.
ReplyDeleteI did notice a certain 'difference' in the light, perhaps...... So I suppose, that can be my sign of the Turning of the Wheel of the Year.
Although, February can be long, in my part of the world. Not good to pop up, out of hibernation mode, tooooo soooon. -smile-
💖 💖 💖
We might still get snow here but no sign at the moment and it won't stay long if it does snow
ReplyDeleteOhhhh....don’t be sure Winter has finished with us yet! Hope you enjoyed the rugby!! x
ReplyDeleteThe cross is lovely and works really well with paper/card, I think.
ReplyDeletexx
Your St Brigid's Cross is a lovely way to celebrate the coming of Spring, not here yet by the look of the weather outside my window this morning but it is staying a bit lighter in the evenings now:)
ReplyDeleteYou made a great Brigid cross using the green paper, well done.
ReplyDeleteA candle lit here for Candlemas, lighting the way into spring, although for me Spring doesn't come till March.
Beautiful illustrations in your book, so very colourful.
We always learned at school that St. Brigid's day (Feb 1st) is the first day of Spring. I do like the overlap of paganism and Christianity. But we now teach March 1st as the first day of Spring. We still make the St Brigid's crosses but as we're in a Dublin city school we use paper straws instead. Times (and climates) have changed.
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