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"She seemed to come suddenly upon happiness as if she had surprised a butterfly in the Winter woods"
(edith wharton)


Saturday 1 September 2007

welcome September ~ National Wattle Day

"To the native born Australian, the wattle stands for home, country, kindred, sunshine, and love - every instinct that the heart most deeply enshrines."

Sydney Morning Herald, September 1, 1910


yes, here in Australia, September 1st, the first official day of Spring, we celebrate National Wattle Day.
National Wattle Day is celebrated throughout Australia on the 1st September each year. The day was originally conceived as a day to demonstrate patriotism for the new nation of Australia by wearing a sprig of wattle. The day now has wider significance as a day to celebrate our natural environment, our flora, our rainforests and bushland, our coastal heathlands and desert dunes. The sprig of wattle should encourage us to preserve our fragile environment, so that future generations will experience the joy of seeing our bushland light up each spring with golden bloom.
the message of Wattle day is: Just as Wattles rise from the ash of bushfires, Australians have always shown a determination to succeed and rise above any disasters, showing the spirit that has made us a great nation.


however, due to my hayfever, I need to stay away from the glorious golden blooms, which are heavily laden with pollen. I will leave it all for the bees!
today has dawned a glorious spring day - Mother Nature has not disappointed me. So I can spend my whole day in my garden. I have some more potatoes to plant and I am off to Todarellos this morning to buy some more lucerne mulch as well as potting mix. I need to repot all my pot plants. I am hoping to pick up some herbs as well.

During September, we honour the trooping faeries:

"Pixies: These are small, winged creatures with heads too large for their bodies. They have small pointed ears and noses and arched eyebrows. Their wings are shiny and translucent, and are seen wearing seasonal colors and flora. They are friendly but capricious and are given to non-malicious mischief. They wear caps of foxglove and toadstools, plants they hold sacred. There is no gender differentiation. They are most active in the spring and are found in flower gardens, in wildflower preserves, and in the spring of Faeryland. They are often seen around Beltaine. Their queen is said to be a tiny woman of sublime beauty who has created a spring world in Faeryland. They hate human laziness and also detest iron which will kill them on contact. They are trooping faeries who love dancing, playing, and music. They have gatherings known as Pixie Fairs in Northern England. Pixie dust is a sparkling material seen wherever these faeries have walked. It is a silvery gold material left by their footprints. If you wish to contact them approach with caution and let them know you wish to befriend them. They may respond with mischief. They will not accept invitations to your circle."

and some lore for your Book of Shadows for September:
Herbs: Copal, Fennel, Rye, Wheat, Valerian and Skullcap
Flowers: Narcissus and Lily
Trees: Hazel, Larch and Bay
Birds: Ibis and Sparrow

*~* I hope your day is filled with butterflies, magick, colour & fripperies! ~*~

17 comments:

Julie said...

Hi, it's still August here but I enjoyed your thoughts on September. It was so very interesting to read about Wattle Day (what a great concept. We don't have wattle here and I don't know if it grows anywhere in the US.

Are you sure you are blaming the right plant for your hayfever? Americans blame goldenrod at this time of the year, but the real culpit is ragweed. Do you have goldenrod over there? It is a sure harbinger of fall for us.

P.S. Love the Pixie info too!

XOXO,

Julie

Leanne said...

morning Robyn!
I remember Wattle from my childhood in Oz, but I didnt know it held such meaning now.

have a lovely time shopping for your herbs. oh, and say hello to those trooping faeries from me!

Leanne x

Leanne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Leanne said...

Hi Robyn, me again!

You mentioned on my blog that most september folklore was not relevant in australia.

I found this,and thought you might like it...

Grey winter hath gone like a wearisome guest,
And, behold, for payment,
September comes in with the wind of the West,
And the Spring in her raiment!

Henry Kendall; (September in Australia)


Leanne x

Everydaythings said...

Ibis is about right....we have lots of them here trying to steal fish to eat from our pond!

I get hayfever too - not quite sure which flowers actually are its cause though.

gma said...

Happy Spring and Wattle Day....
wishing you many happy hours in your garden, communing with the Pixies and all of nature.
:-)

Peggy said...

Enoy your spring as much as I will be enjoying my fall. Have a great weekend

Sweetpea said...

I named Pixie, the reason being when my mum and I went to get her my mum cuddled her, her little head peeked over my mum's arm and she all i saw was her little pointy ears and nose! which is what I read about the pixies here! I loved reading this xxx

Annie Jeffries said...

How nice to have this alternate understanding of the word, wattle. When I think of wattle, I think of the loose skin under my chin at my throat.

Gill said...

Narcissus and the Ibis, two faves! I may just start a book of shadows. Need more info!!!
Wattle is interesting, we have ragweed for our allergies. Sneezeville!
xo
Blue

mrsnesbitt said...

September so soon. Strange you have Spring and we have Autumn beckoning!

Pam Aries said...

Happy SPRING! Please go out and drink in that Springness and think of moi ! We have hot summer weather straight through fall!!and on into Winter!

Tracy said...

Happy Spring to you, Robyn! It's soon to be fall here. Have fun working in your garden. :)

peppylady (Dora) said...

I've never heard of National Waddling day but I enjoyed learning about it.

I'll be hosting a scavenger hunt for the fall here.
I'll be posting it over on my blog Tuesday or Wednesday. I'm sure your a day a head of me.

Laurie said...

I never heard of wattle ~ although it reminds me of goldenrod. But I love the sentiment that goes with Wattle Day.
I love visiting your blog ~ I always learn so much. Always enjoy your posts about faeries!!

couragetocreatewriteandlove said...

Happy begining of the Spring to you! I hope our fall shows up soon, it's too hot here!!! LOL

Fire Byrd said...

ooooohhh I like the stuff about pixies.... especialy the ppixie dust.
I have pixie dust of my own, it's my ablilty to help people love themselves, even things are not going well for them.
And you need that now, so as you are too far away to feel my dust go and get yourself the sweetest smelling bunch of flowers you can find and put them where they will most be noticed.
And hold on, just hold on the pain will get better slowly.
pxx