happy spring!

Wow, what a great ritual! ^^

Due to scheduling limitations, we celebrated Ostara a week before equinox this year, and it turned out to be great. There were all kinds of new people, the potluck had many wonderful dishes to share, and the ritual itself went smoothly as could be wished for.

I really hope our first-timers become regulars and good friends--some lovely discussions were had, and I'd like to get to know everyone better as time goes on. We've also had a good input of fresh ideas, which should liven things up a bit! Outdoor rituals are what we're aiming for now that the snow is gone; a park somewhere that's easy for everyone to get to would be ideal. Plus it's always good to add new skills to our small group and learn from each other. I'm definitely trying out P.'s farl recipe when I get a chance! Comment if you'd like to try it too--they were soft and warm and wonderful with a bit of real butter and jam. Very comforting and homey.

Perhaps I'll try them out while I'm back in WI for the last bit of spring break. The weather's taken a chilly turn, though it was sunny and warm for our ritual. Even though we held it indoors, it was nice to have the windows down on the way up and back!

Like last year, I led the Ostara rite; it was simple enough to update the old ritual for easier reading and a bit of polish. I've also found a new prayer (browsing on Wikipedia of course) that fits my Germanic/Norse focus nicely.

Hail to Day!
Hail the sons of Day,
and Night and her daughter now.
Look on us here
with loving eyes
that waiting we victory win.

Hail to the Gods!
Ye Goddesses, hail,
and all the generous Earth.
Give to us wisdom
and goodly speech
and healing hands, life-long.

This prayer hails from the Poetic Edda; it's found in the Codex Regius. Google the first few lines to find the Wiki page, and there's also some good links on that page for more information.
I like it--it's a good all-purpose prayer, and it's nice to say when the sun is shining and I feel its strength flowing to all the light touches. Sowilo! ^^

speaking of which, I should get back to meditating regularly. Might as well start while I'm on vacation and have relatively little on my plate.