A Wintery Wassail

Lady Moon
Admiring the Snow

Wonderful and Wintery Wassail Wishes to you All !!
So, just a small clue - you'll never guess what I've been up to this week then?!
Apart from running around like a big kid in the snow taking pictures of course!  
I love the snow, luckily it only made a brief appearance and didn't cause too much chaos here! I managed to catch a shy full Lady Moon in the distance over the snowy fields next to our home early in the morning before work. 

It really reinforced the presence of the Crone for me, our ancient and wise mother breathing the cold winter air of death, change and rebirth through us all. Last year was a very tough year for some of my friends, losing precious family members and friends, some way before

A Rare Visitor

their time and not for the first time, I've found myself catching my breath and feeling humble and thankful for my loved ones around me. 
We've had a few new visitors due to the snow - this beautiful wagtail braved the cats to visit our bird table, safely above their reach - we watched with delight from our kitchen window and were delighted to see a young adult fox wander past a couple of times, also in search of food, he or she disappeared when I went out to put a small bowl of cat food down for them but it soon vanished!

Smoke and Mirrors

Braving the wintery weather ourselves, after my Crone-like purchase of thermal leggings and vest,  (yes really ! - I decided that if I am going to spend the foreseeable future roaming the countryside in all kinds of weather, the time had come to purchase them!) We - I'd managed to persuade himself that he'd enjoy it, wrapped up warm and headed to the coast to join in the fabulous Winter Wassail organised by Pentacle Drummers. 
We met up with friends of mine, which was lovely for himself to meet them at last and once again we were treated to a fantastic night. The traditions of the wassail date back many centuries, check me out adding links again! The fire dancing from the

Wassail by Moonlight

lovely ladies from Smoke and Mirrors and Fire Jack spoke to me of Brigid and the approach of Imbolc and spring as well as the wonderful belly dancing of Tribal Unity, a beautiful and glorious group of sexy and beautiful, voluptuous and slimmer ladies who slunk and shook their hips around the square looking amazing and classy at the same time.  
After plenty more powerful and resonating drumming from Pentacle Drummers  and wonderful Morris Dancing from Hunters Moon and black swan Morris, with such fabulous old and unusual instruments that I feel quite inspired to learn to play something, maybe a tin whistle - I wasn't half bad on the recorder when I was little, we joined the torch lit procession

Scaring Away any Evil
Spirits From the Orchard

through the castle grounds and the candle lit pathway down to the orchard to scare away the evil spirits and bless the apple trees and their yield this year. Much merry making and general noisy mayhem was to be had here, fire crackers, fireworks, drumming, singing and blowing of horns - combined with some swearing when they couldn't do it (that'll be himself and my group!) adding to the wonderful atmosphere. Lady Moon watched over us, distant but visible.
What a wonderful night - we well and truly wassailed!!

     Have a Blessed Week   x x 

Ref for Link  : http://www.independent.co.uk