Blessed Lughnasadh

There are many different interpretations and ways of celebrating the old Irish day of Lughnasadh.

It is high summer, and the sun in in full blast in many parts of the world, the crops are coming into fruition which is clear by the ripening that can be seen everywhere. Traditionally the fields would be blessed on this day, and offerings would be given to ensure that the crops would continue to ripen.

It was also an auspicious to be to be handfasted in the traditional year and a day, meaning that if after that time the couple wished to part ways they could, or they could continue on if they chose to. it was a sort of a trial marriage if you will.

Now a days couples are choosing the go back to some of the old ways and handfasting is a beautiful way to do that.

A few weeks a ago I married a couple with Scottish and Ukrainian ancestry that wanted to have a handfasting as part of the ceremony.

It was a beautiful way to include both traditions and families in the ceremony, and after doing a little digging I discovered that both traditions included handfastings,  for it is known that the Celts roamed far and wide moving across vast amounts of Europe including Romania, the Ukraine and Russia.

Today finds me with family and the hot sunshine of the hills in California, I am surrounded with love and the vitality of life that is found in small children and I have to say it is contagious!

Wishing you all a Blessed high summer and Lughnasadh!

Artist colonies in my backyard!

The bees have become artists! They have started making honeycomb along the top boards which sounds great, but when I go in to check on them I end up pulling all of the honey apart and it makes a grand mess!

Unfortunately I did not get any photos of their art because once I went in it was all pulled apart and so sticky, but next time I will see if I can capture some of their work.

The hives were full to capacity, so I added another box to each hive so they had more room which will also help to avoid a swarm. You can see from this photo the honey comb along the tops of the frames that I scraped off,  and the leftover honey oozing…

Once I finished with my visit I placed some of the comb that I had gathered into a smudge bowl and made offerings at my outdoor shrine, the ants love it!

Yes with all of the rain we have been having the garden is lush and the hives full of sweet honey, there is a lot to be grateful for, and an abundance of living things that I need look no further then to my own back yard for!

Offerings at the alter of gratefulness

Thirteen years ago today I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy and we named him Zubin Isiah Prakash Shah.

Today I am feeling ever so grateful, for my health, my children, a warm safe place to rest my bones and a knowing in my heart that everything is ok.

Today at the alter I make offerings to those who were born in parts of this great big world that do not have easy access to health care, warm and safe places to raise their children, and a bed to rest their weary bones. I ask for more strength for them, for all blocks to be removed, that all will be well, that everything will be ok.

I make offerings to the spirit world to the nature spirits of the land and to my guides in humble gratefulness for all I have.

Thank you.