Helloo Spring Equinox!

It was such a beautiful warm, sunny day yesterday. I planted more flower and vegetable seeds for our garden and worked a little on the village school eco garden.  The birds were singing and keeping busy, especially the little robin that kept me company and watching for any stray worms to eat.

Flowers and shoots are pulling themselves out of the earth as the light and dark are at equals. Now the longer days are on their way back to us and we can look forward to warm spring days and the glorious summer.

Spring Equinox by Amanda Clark 2011


The Divinity is all around us now,
in the leaf, bud and early flowers.
In the bird song and their nest making.
In the cool breeze and the sprinkling of rain.
The new borns and new life.
The air,  the delicate aroma and freshness,
kisses my smiling face.
It is in the light and dark of equals.
In the earth and the sky.
Planting seeds here and now, so welcome life!
Welcome warm and joyful light.
Welcome and blessings to you, our Goddess of Spring.

Mother of the Dawn. by Amanda Clark 2011
Ostara/Eostre

Goddess of Spring and rebirth. A Goddess of new beginnings. Eostre's sacred animal is the hare or rabbit and represents creativity and fertility. The moon, spring, magic and mystery are also associated with the Goddess.
One legend was thought to explain the easter rabbit who laid eggs in a nest. The Goddess Eostre saved a baby bird from the cruel, harsh winter by turning it into a hare.  This magical hare was able to lay eggs and would forever more decorate the eggs as a gift for the Goddess.

The Norse Goddess, Freya, is also associated ( as with many others) with Eostre. She wears a magical necklace that represents the fire of the sun. She is also attended by lantern holding hares.

 

Land of the Hare.      Moon, Sun and Earth.  by Amanda Clark 2011.


Eggs  and the equinoxes are linked to the folk legend of being able to balance an egg on end during these times.

Naturally dyed eggs is something to make for a symbol ,used for this celebration. They can be dyed with onion skins.  Give this a try:

Collect some brown onion skins and cover the eggs with a couple of layers, then wrap this with paper towel and secure with elastic bands.
Boil these bundles for 20 mins - for a light bronze colour.
Or for 2hrs or so for a deeper bronze or mahogany colour.
Rinse with cold water and carefully unwrap and dry the eggs.
You should have  beautiful marbeled patterns that you can coat with a little cooking oil to bring out the colours and make them glossy.
Another way to make more patterns is to soak a leaf or flower in a little water and then place this onto the egg befor covering with onion skins.  It may help if you soak the onion skins in cool water aswell to help stick to the surface of the eggs.

Spring Light. by Amanda Clark 2010.

There are lots of ways to decorated a totem egg, and  you can bury these in your garden or favorite woodland after a few days, as more potent charms of re-newal.

Happy spring equinox! XXX