New Seed Listings

I have just add more seeds to the Unfettered Wood Etsy shop, some are ones previously favourites which had sold out and others are completely new.

Returning:

Orca Bush Bean
Blue Jay Bush Bean
Purple Foxgloves
Bull Thistle

New Additions:

Hollyhocks Mix
Teasel
Bergamot/Bee Balm
Columbine Mix
Cardinal Flower
Forget-Me-Nots

There are also other seeds available too. Go over and have a look!

Welcoming Winter

 

 

After spending a good portion of yesterday baking and getting prepared, I ended up waiting until today to do my devotional ritual to An Cailleach. I think my timing was perfect, because today she is letting her presence be known with high winds and snow.

 

  

Offerings of various shortbreads {rosemary-coconut, chocolate-ginger and cardamom-nut}  and skeachan cake {Tairis has a great recipe here}, whiskey, hot chocolate and incense were made. I also did some divination and started working on charms to protect the home from storms.



 

 

In other news, there are some really nice photos over at the Shadows and Stone blog of yesterday's happenings at Newgrange during the Midwinter sunrise. After the passage tomb not being illuminated with sunlight since 2007, A'Ghrian decided to show her lovely face for them yesterday {I am glad she at least showed up for them, I didn't have such luck}.



Grianstad an Gheimhridh {The Winter Solstice}

 

I can't remember the last time I got up early to greet the sunrise during Midwinter. This is something I used to do as an eclectic neo-Pagan, and this is something that I still do for Midsummer. However, after being inspired by a few other Gaelic Polytheists, I figured I would drag my arse out of bed early to do so.

 

I walked down to the shore of Lake Nipissing waiting to for A'Ghrian to show herself, but she remained hidden under the cloud cover. So as the day started to get brighter, I recited a prayer that is found in Carmina Gadelica {volume 3}:

 

 

A'Ghrian



Fàilte ort féin a ghrian nan tràth,
'S tu siubhal ard nan speur ;

Do cheumaibh treun air sgeith nan ard,
'S tu màthair àigh nan reul.

Thu laighe sios an cuan na dith

Gun diobhail is gun sgàth ;
Thu 'g eirigh suas air stuagh na sith,

Mar rioghainn òg fo bhlàth.

**********

The Sun

 

Hail to thee, thou sun of the seasons,

As thou traversest the skies aloft ;
Thy steps are strong on the wing of the heavens,

Thou art the glorious mother of the stars.

Thou liest down in the destructive ocean
Without impairment and without fear ;

Thou risest up on the peaceful wave-crest
Like a queenly maiden in bloom.

 

 

Afterwards I left some offerings to the land spirits and admired the pretty scenery before heading on home.



 

It is turning out to be a lovely day, which will be spent mostly indoors baking treats and getting ready for a devotional ritual to An Cailleach. I hope that you all enjoy the day however your decide to celebrate it!

Yuletide Blessings

 

I want to wish all of my readers a wonderful holiday season & all the best for 2014! May you have plenty of warmth and merriment during this cold time!

Sláinte agus Beannachtaí,

Laurel

Coming Soon...

I have been making a gaggle of different charms including these witch balls. Coming soon to the Unfettered Wood Etsy shop!

A Spell for Safe Travels

I recently started a safe travel spell and charm for a loved one and their travel companions. The candle pictured is red for protection and was anointed with protection oil and the phrase "Taisteal sábháilte" {"safe travels" as Gaeilge} was carved in ogham script. Surrounding the candle is one of the rowan berry necklaces I made a couple of months back with a World Tree charm on it, along with candles for the Three Realms {Land, Sky, and Sea}.

 

For this kind of work I use a prayer that was inspired by a prayer for travelling found in Carmina Gadelica:

 

While traversing Land: mountainous, flat or forested,

While traversing Sky: under cloud, moon glow or sunray,

While traversing Sea: stormy, placid or wave.

 

The Gods still uphold them,

The Ancestors be their shield,

The Good Folk point the way.

 

The Dé ocus Andé protect them when leaving, upon returning and during stay.

 

 



I also made a charm bottle for protection during travel for my loved one, which will be sealed with red wax from the spell candle once I am done the working. In the bottle I have representations from the Three Realms {cemetery dirt for Land, a feather tip for Sky, and a shell for Sea}, as well as some protective botanicals {birch, yarrow, comfrey and rowan}.

 

Sláinte!

 

Laurel

Tree Corpses

photo by Hailey Toft

Tree Corpses

An electric hum sounds off a warning that their community will die:

The breath,

The heart,

The life of the forest will fall,

One tree at a time.

Their corpses will be carried out in a retinue of lumber hearses;

Bodies piled high to be processed at the mill.

Cadavers to be butchered and fashioned into trophy furnishings for

Murderous hearts.

The forest will fall one tree at a time.

After the ancient ones are gone there will be an ocean of saplings;

But the new hope, a chance for life will be mowed over and encased in concrete.

Another highway for the parade of

Wooden bodies.

The breath,

The heart,

The life of the forest will fall,

One tree at a time.

No longer a sacred refuge. Their community will die.

Snowy Day Candle Making

I have been getting into the Yuletide cheer by doing some candle making! The pillar candle pictured is the finished product of my crafty day.

 

The candle is made from beeswax that has been dyed green and has been scented with pine, cedar wood and vetiver essential oils. I then adorned the candle with some sprigs of blue spruce, cedar and sparkles.

 

I have another Yuletide themed candle that I will be working on next, one that will be more firey and spicy. ;)