Today is the Spring Equinox
in the northern hemisphere.
In pagan circles it is a day to honour
the Goddess of Spring known as
Ostara or Eostre (from whose name
the word "Easter" comes).
Her sacred animal
is the rabbit or hare.
And hey! 2023 is
the Year of the Rabbit too!
May your joys multiply
like bunnies in Spring!
When I lived in cold climates, I counted the days until its arrival. Now I have to be reminded. And this is a beautiful reminder.
ReplyDeleteHappy Spring,
ReplyDeletewell crap, it's spring again and that means summer is on the way. i should just hibernate for 6 months. and we never got any winter. but maybe this is just me...hehe! happy spring to you!
ReplyDeleteHappy equinox! I think eostre means opening, as in the opening of the year.
ReplyDeleteI'm ready for things to bloom! We need some color up in this joint.
ReplyDeleteThey're still expecting rain in my area! Not feeling much like spring yet.
ReplyDeleteThe first sign of Spring around here was birds sitting on my patio's railing yesterday. Today it's once again raining cats and dogs. Spring is looking to be a washout.
ReplyDeleteHappy Spring to you! I love the pretty pictures you posted!
ReplyDeleteHappy spring, Debra! This is my favourite season. I'm looking forward to all the snow melting, day trips, gardening, outdoor photography (and videos!), biking, long walks, exploring neighbouring cities, meeting up with friends in Montreal, many visits to Ottawa and hopefully a vacation that we're eager to have!
ReplyDeleteStill related to estris too
ReplyDeleteHopping by to say, “Happy spring.”
ReplyDeleteWhat was Ostara thinking in taking her name from Christian holidays? Celebrating Jesus's murder seems much more important than some bunnies.
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult to believe the equinox is here. It still feels like w****r here.
Blessed Ostara to you and yours, Debra! I'm definitely seeing signs of Spring in my neighborhood - flowers starting to bloom, birds singing loudly, the sun gracing us longer (ok, daylight savings time has something to do with that...).
ReplyDeleteWell I have SOME color here in my corner of the Southwest; the Desert evening primroses, blue dicks (STOP LAUGHING! That's really their name!) and my feather cassia shrubs are blooming, https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAwz6k
ReplyDeleteThe Primroses and Blue dicks (stop giggling!) are native wildflowers, and simply moved into my yard at some point and have been spreading. Best kind of flowers.
The bunnies are coming to life in our yard. It gives our dog Ripley lots of exercise chasing them.
ReplyDeletePicture 3 is a really colorful bunny. Did you do that? 😄 You should give it a try.
dear Debra Happy Equinox !
ReplyDeletethe images you shared are divine :) love your choice my talented dear friend with amazingly beautiful mind !
and yes Happy Rabbit day too :)
amen and may health peace of soul and joys keep showering upon you both!amen
ReplyDeleteThanks for this bright and beautiful post!
ReplyDelete@ Unknown -- Thanks for the link to your beautiful photos, including the *blue dicks* (first I've heard of that floral name, lol!)
ReplyDelete@ Mike -- No, the colourful bunny is not one of my art pieces but thanks for thinking it could be! If something is mine, I always say so in order to claim copyright (not that my stuff is theft worthy but, you know, that's the cautious lawyer in me, lol).
ReplyDeleteLovely happy post. Your graphite drawings are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOstara refers to oestrus/estrus of flora and fauna in the northern hemisphere triggered by lengthening daylight and warming temperatures. What better sacred/representative animals are there for the Goddess of Spring and of life renewing itself than bunnies and hares?
ReplyDeleteHappy Spring, Debra!
Awe thanks - I hope joy comes your way too!
ReplyDeleteOstara looks like an elegant and gentle princess there.
ReplyDeleteSwa4 Lasy
ReplyDeleteof coarse we care
We hoight od you just the other say ,,,
just sottomg here at oir computer se[up with our irrtaticat mm
She Knocked the keyboard off and Dha keeps arrachi ( artcking
ReplyDeletemy mouse ``
Good nigh4ightr Lady
ReplyDelete& happy
Happy spring.
ReplyDeleteWe are now in autumn, fall, here.
Soon we will have the fire going, eat homemade soup and snuggle under blankets. Bliss
Yay!
ReplyDeleteHappy Spring! And you are right! It's the Year of the Rabbit! What are the odds??
LOL
XOXO
Spring is here! Luckily we didn't have a bad winter here.
ReplyDeleteHappy Equinox one and all! Picture # 3 was also my favorite.
ReplyDeleteRain off and on today, heavier rain tomorrow. It is looking like it is going to be a nice green Spring with lots of flowers.
Now all you need is a full moon and the first Sunday after that to get to the Christian version of the holiday. I doubt that the original pagan holiday required it to fall on a Sunday, though I imagine the full moon still mattered.
ReplyDeleteBelated happy equinox! I must confess, I am not a big fan of spring anymore. I used to love it as a child, nowadays for me it represents the coming heat and the lack of sleep that comes with more daylight. I'm an autumn man, so love when spring is cooler.
ReplyDeleteHappy Happy Happy SPRING!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a job for Captain Equinox !
ReplyDeleteHope your Spring is full of goodness.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe.
Happy Spring! I love the rabbits!
ReplyDeleteIt's all about Jesus
ReplyDeleteNo wait, bunnies and eggs 🥚🥚🥚🐇🐇🐇
Happy spring!
ReplyDeleteSuch pretty images! I'm a bit late but Happy Spring!
ReplyDeleteIt's spring? Feels like summer, but we don't do 'normal' way down here.
ReplyDeleteLovely images and I hope your spring is going beautifully!