Imbolic

 

If Candlemas be mild and gay,

Go saddle your horses and buy them hay;
But if Candlemas be stormy and black,
It carries the winter away on its back.

 –proverb

Celebrations like Imbolic are a time that I can be thankful to the Creator.   Imbolic to me is an illustration of a magical occurrence.  Around Imbolic, those living in the Northern Hemisphere can actually begin to seen daylight increasing.  I know that the laws of physics are playing out and the earth beginning to tilt the other way as it goes around the sun, but I always step back and ask who governs that?  It is my belief the Creator with many names.  So for this magical occurrence – I am grateful.  It brings a hopeful feeling that spring is just around the corner making the last part of winter bearable.

My celebration activities are mixed.

The corn wreath that hung on my door during Halloween and Thanksgiving is now given to the birds and squirrels.  As I share it with the animals that live in my yard, I thank the creator and all creation for keeping my family fed during these last two months.  I ask for blessings to those who are hungry and ask blessings on the seed that soon to be planted.

I also spend extra time cleaning my home.  If the weekend is sunny – I might open my door and let the fresh air in.  (T (lifetime partner) really doesn’t like this and grumbles about the heating bill.)  But, it’s like a mini pre spring cleaning.  I mix up a spray – that I call Bless this House.  The original idea was from a recipe I found in Sage Woman.  I’ve changed it up by adding the essential oils.

Bless This House Spray

¼ cup of rose water – for love

3-4 drops of lavender essential oil – for peace

2 drops of cedar essential oil – for healing

2-3 drops of rose geranium essential oil – for protection

Place above mixture into a clean plastic spray bottle (type you mist plants with).  Dilute with spring water.  (recipe for 12 oz bottle)

I place my hands on the bottle and ask the Creator to Bless my House.  As I clean – I spray as I go.

I also like to burn a candle all day in my fire place.  I get a new Lady of Guadalupe candle.  I tend to follow the customs and lore from my Irish/Scot descent; I know this is a day to honor Bridgit, but I live in America and feel she is the lady I should honor. 

Finally I like to bake a Jam Cake.  I use one of the jars I made the previous summer.  I usually pick the peach ginger jam.  Any jam I choose reminds me of the taste of summer.  In this case, the peach also symbolically represents the returning golden summer sun.  The recipe isn’t mine; however I have changed it – as you’ll read.

Rombauer Jam Cake

1 ½ cup of all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

6 Tbsp butter room temp

1 cup of packed dark brown sugar (I use ¾ cup because the jam is already sweet)

2 eggs

3 Tbsp sour cream (I use low fat yogurt)

1 cup of jam

½ cup of walnuts (I don’t add because the people in my house are allergic to nuts or don't like nuts – but it is a nice added ingredient if they aren't around)

Pre-heat oven 350 F - butter and flour dust Bundt pan.

Sift together all the dry ingredients

Cream butter and brown sugar till fluffy.  Beat in one egg at a time.  Beat in sour cream.  Beat in the jam.  (add nuts here) Stir the flour in till just blended.  Pour into Bundt pan – (If you are lucky like me I inherited my Great Aunt’s – when I use it I feel like she’s looking over my shoulder).

Bake 30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool for 10 minutes before trying to get out of the pan.

On the web you will find icing recipes, but the cake is nice just as it is.

It is also a special day for me because my T proposed to me 16 years ago.