The Harvest God - Oil Pastel
Marking the beginning of the end of Summer, Lughnasadh is one of my favorite sabbats. The earth is near bursting with ripe grains and vegetables, the summer fruit season begins to ebb making way for the apples of Autumn. While the days will remain hot and humid for a while longer, the sun will set sooner giving more time to the darkness. Autumn is creeping in and the old woman of Winter, the Cailleach, begins to stir. Lughnasadh is the sabbat on which I take stock of how the things I began in Spring are coming along, to begin to see the benefits of the seeds I've sewn whether they be physical or metaphorical.
This time of the year, as the harvest comes on and the year wanes I focus on the Horned God, that primal masculine force of nature, as he prepares for his descent into the Underworld. Today, my attentions are on he and my bright patron, Lugh. The Goddess is not forgotten and is given offerings and recognition alongside the Gods, but just as her altar shines brightest at Imbolc, Lughnasadh is a day that I focus on them.
A fresh harvest of cucumbers, the first three tomatoes to ripen this year as well as several sunflowers, fragrant sprigs of rosemary and sage and corn muffins straight from the oven are offered up at the thicket on the edges of my yard. Nourishment to the spirits and critters of nature, brought forth by the fertility of the Lord and Lady with help from my two hands.
A bright and cheerful day, filled with a buzz of activity from the drawing of the Harvest God above, several loads of laundry, baking and the fashioning of a new necklace will be followed by an evening of relaxation, thankfulness, fresh chili and a few cold pints.
Merry Lughnasadh to you, my lovelies. May the harvest's blessings be plenty, whatever the seeds you've sewn.
May your year be filled with never ending First Harvest blessings!
ReplyDeleteLughnasadh Blessings to you!!
ReplyDeletemerry Lughnasadh my love ^_^
ReplyDeleteYour altar is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous picture of Lugh, I know he loves it...And your altar is so full of bounty and beauty, Danni. May Lugh always shine upon you and your loved ones, bringing you blessings of the harvest and home.
ReplyDeleteMay I offer Lughnasadh blessings to you as well. I adore your altar in your freshly painted room and your offerings to Nature and Deity is beautifully displayed, and important and special since you grew the Green and baked too! Hugs.
ReplyDeleteThat altar is beautiful and I hope you spent a day just like you wanted it :D
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove you altars! :) Lughnasadh Blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteLovely altar! Harvest blessings to you )O(
ReplyDeleteHappy Lughnasadh Blessings to you!! Your altar is wonderful. :) Thank you for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteMerry Lughnasadh. I hope you had a wonderful celebration. Have a magical day.
ReplyDeleteHope you had a wonderful day! We had lovely weather here for it for once, and the whole place was buzzing. I'm not sure if most people even realise what they're celebrating anymore but I was really happy this year when RTE (the main Irish television station) made a big deal of pointing out the significance of the festival. They had a live show running for most of the night! I know committed souls such as yourself are keeping it alive, but I've always thought Lughnasadh to be one of the more under-appreciated celebrations here in Ireland so I'm glad to see it finally getting some recognition :)
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful Altars, and words...as usual. I was away from my Altars this Lammas.....The Ocean, The Earth, The Woods.....those were my Altars. It was actually the best Lammas I've had since I stepped foot on my path.
ReplyDeleteLovely alter! I am finally in sight of having one for real (indoors) not like my temporary one I used outside just for Samhain, and Yule (too cold to be outside. I am looking forward to it, and hoping to have it up for Mabon.
ReplyDeleteSusan