Hop, skip and a jump with the Ostara Hares

Today is Ostara, the Spring Equinox and a perfect time to get the balance right in everything you are doing.

Ostara is an ancient pagan celebration of welcoming new life, the start of Spring and shaking off the long hard months of winter. Today is a  time when everything is in balance, the day is just as long as the night but from now on we will have longer days as the sun grows and warms the earth and the days of light become longer.  Although it may not seem like it at the moment when we are still having snow in some areas, it will change.

I spent a magical morning making salt dough ornaments to celebrate this turn of the wheel which has strong connections with the hare, spring flowers and the egg to symbolise new life.

I wanted my Ostara decorations to actualy be a part of nature so I collected some water from the spring that constantly flows  in our village.  It doesn't matter how severe the weather is, that spring continues to flow.

I used two cups of  plain flour, one cup of salt and one cup of water.  Mixed together, rolled out and cut my shapes.  After baking them in an oven for 45 minutes, I had two magical hares, ready for painting and once that was done they were ready to hop, skip and jump into Spring and banish winter for another year.

Happy Imbolc

                                      My own home made St Brigid Cross ( although rushes or straw are the traditional  material you can use anything.  I used old wrapping paper)

I love this time of year, it really does feel like the awakening of the land from the harsh cold of winter.

Imbolc celebrates the coming of Spring and although we are not there yet, it gives hope of the sun returning after months of darkness.

Imbolc or Candlemass also celebrates St Brigid's day.  St Brigid has strong links with poetry and story telling and all creative things which is why she is one of my favourite Goddesses.  The moment I woke up, I felt creative and wanted to do some form of writing as well as enjoying the outdoors and feeling the sun on my face again.

I went for a long walk and took pleasure in watching the birds and seeing the snowdrops peeping from the frozen ground as if they know what day it is too.  

The story of St Brigid is very special, it is believed that she found a dying pagan and wove a cross before telling him of the Christian faith.  The cross signifies the pagan wheel of the year but St Brigid was thought to be the bridge between the old pagan ways and Christianity which is still as strong today. I love to think that some religions can come together without violence and aggression.

Today is about celebrating another turn of the pagan wheel of the year and honouring this special Celtic Goddess who is thought to bring back the warmth of the sun as the earth shakes off its winter cloak.  

I will be celebrating this day with a feast in honour of the sun returning and of St Brigid who many centuries ago bridged a gap yet still allowed people to keep the old ways as I do.  

Anyone can celebrate a feast day like this, it's just thinking about foods that honour the sun such as spicy warm foods or dairy products that also have a strong connection with Imbolc which translates roughly as milk of the Ewe.

I am having a spicy chicken casserole with Mediterranean bread followed by a piece of cheesecake.  So see, it's simple anyone can celebrate these special occasions without going to much trouble in the kitchen!

However you choose to celebrate today it doesn't matter - just celebrate!