Have you noticed that things look a bit different on the Wild Library blog? February is the month of Imbolc, the return of the light, the start of spring. What a perfect time for a fresh start and a new look for the blog.
On 1 February Ireland celebrated St Brigid’s Day, which also marks the beginning of spring.
The history and myths around St Brigit’s persona became tangled over the years and there’s some debate whether Brigit was a real person or a figure from legends. St Brigid is often associated with poetry, healing, protection, smithcraft, and domestic animals… There was a belief that hanging a cross in her honour would bring protection and blessings to the household.
I celebrated with a trip to the garden centre to add some colour to my winter-weary garden. It felt good to work in the garden again! It’s looking a bit shabby and neglected so there will be lots more to do in the coming months.
This month there’s a tension between the old and the new, and it’s something I want to explore a bit more.
THE OLD MEN ADMIRING THEMSELVES IN THE WATER – W.B. Yeats
I heard the old, old men say,
'Everything alters,
And one by one we drop away?
They had hands like claws, and their knees Were twisted like the old thorn-trees
By the waters.
I heard the old, old men say,
'All that's beautiful drifts away
Like the waters.
But more on “things that were… things that are… and some things… that have not yet come to pass” later 🙂 Until then…
happy gardening,
Chantelle
Wild Library 