#european ivy

[ayanos-pl]

セイヨウキヅタがハゼノキの幹を元気に這い登る（4月19日）

[thebotanicalarcade]

n380_w1150 by Biodiversity Heritage Library Via Flickr: Icones florae Germanicae et Helveticae, simul Pedemontanae, Tirolensis, Istriacae, Dalmaticae, Austriacae, Hungaricae, Transylvanicae, Moravicae, Borussicae, Holsaticae, Belgicae, Hollandicae, ergo Mediae Europae. Lipsiae,F. Hofmeister [etc.]1834-1912. [v. 1, 1850] biodiversitylibrary.org/page/6082437

[sofialisbon]

I’ve been to Paris and I’m in love....

[angsttronautart]

first oil painting in a long time, definitely hoping to do more

[okkefac]

I was encouraged to do this silly idea.

Is Alfred gay or Firenese?

[useless-catalanfacts]

Casafort village in Camp de Tarragona, Catalonia.

Photos from the cooking blog La cuina violeta by Nani Nolla.

[mearpsdyke]

i've been studying for 8 hours for a month-ish and i think i know why so many scholars are insane

[artthatgivesmefeelings]

Francisco Pradilla Ortiz (Spanish, 1848-1921) Flute Player Crowned with Ivy, 1880

[suncaptor]

they should make funded graduate programs for people who could have realistic chances of getting into them actually.

[drsnp]

I was remiss yesterday in not posting about D-Day, June 6, 1944. Of course the Normandy Invasion took weeks, if not months. And although there would be over 11 more months of bloody battle, it does mark the beginning of the end of WW II in the European Theater.

[seasonplacko1973blog]

[beingjellybeans]

A Spanish-inspired Feast from Chef Tatung at Azadore

Indulging in a delightful lunch with my officemates at Azadore, Chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou’s newest restaurant in the Tomas Morato area, was a culinary adventure that transported us harried office workers to a world of international flavors with a touch of homegrown flair. There, we were able to experience Chef Tatung’s passion for food and sense of nostalgia which resulted to a memorable dining…

[whats-in-a-sentence]

The range of maximum life spans for perennial plants is given in Table 22.1.

"Plant Physiology and Development" int'l 6e - Taiz, L., Zeiger, E., Møller, I.M., Murphy, A.

[achievementthunter]

Brick - Mediterranean Exterior Example of a large tuscan brown two-story brick exterior home design with a hip roof

[feather-bone]

[ID: a green image with ivy that reads “March 2024 creature mail club, hedge”, followed by an illustration of a turkey in a misty field, and drawings, in order, of a gatekeeper butterfly, brown-headed cowbird, mourning dove, earthworms, European hedgehog, eastern bluebird, corn snake, and Baltimore oriole. End.]

Coming to creature club in March, hedge critter stickers! Some of these guys will get their own post in the next few days but I wanted to share the new creatures all together. :-) the turkey will be a postcard!

[broomsick]

Self-care & connecting with nature deities during the wintertime

Is it still possible to connect with harvest and nature deities such as Freyr during the cold season?

Long answer short, yes. Obviously, absolutely. But you all saw that answer coming, right? So I’m here to give you some ideas, as the person who’s favorite season is winter and who made it their mission to help everybody like winter just a little more. And since I feel especially close to Yngvi-Freyr when it comes to the Gods, I will use him as an example throughout this post, though a lot of the following could apply to most nature deities.

Let us first examine a common misconception before we get to the bottom of this topic: the fields don’t die when the sun sets on the 31st of October. The earth still lives under thick layers of snow. The process of dormancy is absolutely crucial to the cycles of nature. And if, like me, you find Freyr to be a sort of guardian of these cycles, then you’ll know he manifests himself in so many ways, even where you might not think to look.

Have you heard about the holly and ivy tradition? It was common during the European Medieval times to decorate houses and halls using holly and ivy, because they were the two plants with leaves that stayed green, even in the dark and cold of winter. This type of practice is often referred to as "bringing the outside in", and it's something I'm quite fond of. I've no doubt it could be a great help if you're the type to feel depressed during the winter time. It's a way to remind oneself of how everpresent nature actually is. Lots of greenery remains despite the snow! And to ackowledge this fact and to work with it is such a great way to connect with nature Gods in general! It goes to show that you appreciate their blessings all year round, not just during spring and summer. While it's true that in many cases, the presence of deities such as Freyr may feel somehow "dimmed" during the winter time, I assure you, they don't disappear once the first snow falls! On the contrary, they are every bit as present and active as when spring comes! They simply manifest themselves in a different manner.

When winter comes, I love to work with evergreen spirits. I incorporate spruce, fir and cedar into my practice and in my offerings. I won't go into too much detail for this topic however, because I've written posts that pertained to it in the past (namely, this post on tree work and this one on land spirits). Since I don't have easy access to holly or ivy, I make due with evergreen! Not with any actual branches, except when I'm lucky enough to find some that were torn away by the wind. But rather, using representations of it. In the same manner, and in the spirit of "bringing the outside in", it's also possible to decorate using representations of the sun! Harvest deities such as Freyr are often associated with it due to its crucial role in the cycles of plant growth. Candles also make for great solar symbols, and to place them around the home is like lighting a handful of little suns to bring much needed light and warmth inside. What's more, lighting candles on the winter solstice night is a widespread practice among pagans today! It serves to symbolize the return of the sun, as the days start to grow longer again. Until then however, it can be soothing for one to light a candle every morning before school or work, and to call upon any harvest, nature or solar deity of their choice to ask for strength and motivation throught the day. Even when it's difficult for us to feel their presence, they always hear us.

Now, how to actually feel more connected to nature? Oftentimes, connecting with nature and connecting with Yngvi-Freyr are one and the same. And on a more personal note, a lot of the advice I received from him pertained exactly to that: I believe he's often urged me to go spend more time in nature when I am going through rough patches. I know the cold and the cloudy weather can make it depressing for a lot of people to go out. My advice on this is to take it step by step: no need to go on long, four-hour long hikes right away! After all, there is already much beauty to be seen close to home. And I can't put enough emphasis on that: dress warmly! Also, as a tool for motivation, prepare a treat for yourself to enjoy after you've gone out. Part of what makes me enjoy winter so much is the thought of the warmth and light which await inside after I’ve gone out into the cold. The home is as sacred as the outside world! So why not buy, or prepare a batch of cookies, a cup of hot chocolate or a spicy dinner! It's something I love to do as a way to motivate myself to go out more often. And I like to offer part of these to local land spirits and to the Vanir, to show my appreciation for the beauty of this season. Just as an aside, I find snow water to be a great such offering as well!

I know that I’m not revolutionizing the pagan scene with this post, as there’s only so many ways to connect with nature during winter. I think it’s important to keep in mind that the snow, rain and cold that this season brings is just as much part of nature as the greens and lively colors of spring and summer. For this reason, they are just as much a part of nature deities and what they represent. Deities have so many facets and depth, and it can be so fulfilling to explore these different aspects, and the way we perceive them. While it’s true that spiritually speaking, it often feels to us heathens as if Skaði is somehow “taking” Freyr’s place in the order of things for the time being— much like the Holly King takes the Oak King’s place in Celtic folklore. This doesn’t make it so he disappears! In my experience, he presides over the cycle of seasons as a whole, and he is every bit as present for his followers as he is during the winter. I can connect with Skaði during the summer in a similar manner. And I’m sure that the same can be said for so many other harvest deities.