Blessed Imbolc!
Today marks on the modern Catholic calendar, St. Brigid's Day, the patroness of Ireland. While the modern calendar says winter and in some places snow is on the ground, on the old calendar it is an approximate date for Imbolc, the first day of Spring. It translates from Old Irish as "in the belly" and is said marked the pregnancy of the ewes. It is one of the fire festivals, or major festivals, on the Druid calendar. With Beltane, it is one of the two that are goddess-centered days. There are several traditional ways to mark Imbolc/St Brigid's Day. Many of these carry whispers of pre-christian traditions.
This is a symbolic time for me. In November, just after Samhain (the Celtic New Year) I launched Three Worlds Press as a full-fledged publishing company. The early months have been exciting. As with the Spring, we are poised for the new, explosive growth of Spring. Everything smells new, green and earthy. Who cares if snow is in the forecast for today.
Pay attention...this is a double blog day as a cover reveal from Three Worlds Press follows shortly!
I want to share just a few links with you to explore and celebrate.
From the Irish Central website: http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/St-Brigids-Day-February-1-marks-start-of-Celtic-Spring-138470479.html
Wikipedia gives an acceptable overview here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imbolc
Imbolc is the date of the second event on my upcoming novel Dark Dealings. While Micaela does not realized it, the event marks the beginning of a new cycle of her life and the birth of her "true" self in a dangerous world of magic, vampires and shapeshifters .
Anything that gets me to spring faster is awesome in my book. :-) Of course, it definitely feels like spring, too. To be honest, I a really enjoying this weather, although I seem to be in the minority. :-)
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