blessed Beltane at Woodford, ya gotta laugh

Today, I guess is traditionally Beltane eve.. I woke early this morning to race out and wash my face in the early morning dew (you see, this is a traditional thing to do at Beltane.. well it was for my ancestors apparently)... I brushed my hands through the wet grass and proceeded to wipe over my face.... then realised that it had not been a good idea, hayfever season, clover is out and I started sneezing... ahh well.. I guess my ancestors had a reason to do this... I don't need to.

I then walked around my garden, just noticing what was going on and decided to tie my tomato plants up and bless each one for Beltane...' bless you little tomato plant on this Beltane day' holding my hands over each plant.. thinking of how many tomatoes I will be gathering in summer.

I had planned on having a huge bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, with lashings of milk and brown sugar. .. of course, life had other plans. When I opened my fridge, it was warm as was my freezer.. it seemed my fridge/freezer had decided to depart this world at Beltane.. obviously confused like I am.. maybe Mr Fridge thought it was Samhain... anyhow, all my frozen food was melted - chicken breasts, meat, icecream... milk was warm & butter was soft. So I had to proceed to clean out my fridge, throwing food out and all the while wondering what I was going to have for breakfast... thank heavens I had bought some oatcakes the day before.. so I had them with honey(no butter mind you, that was melted). Not the most delicious meal I have had but at least it was something on my tummy.. before i went to have my massage...

as I drove down the road, there were signs all over the place announcing that today is a 'total fire ban'.. the day proceeded to get hotter and hotter, temps reaching in the high 30's. The wind howled, trees bending in the wind, garbage bins rolling up the road, branches & sticks were blowing all over the place, people driving like absolute maniacs, like they had just been let out of hell & were in a hurry to get somewhere, ambulances on the side of the road tending to children who were suffering heat stroke, old ladies walking up the road looking very cross in the heat. it was as if the world had gone completely insane, the energy was wild, out of control..... yes, welcome to Beltane in Australia.

.. I had wonderful plans for this day but it all went haywire.. I was going to do spring lamb for dinner...champagne with sweet wood ruff & decorate my home with candles & flowers everywhere, I was going to tie ribbons on the ancient apple tree, I was going to walk around and bless my yard. But by how today went, I think the Universe is trying to tell me something. The day was crazy, very odd, it was too hot to be doing much at all. Oh I did get my bowl of water and floated some flowers in it & my blackbird did come and sit in the apple tree and sing for me...... but Maybe I need to honour how my ancestors celebrated the seasons while also having my own little traditions to suit my own life... after all this is Australia.

later tonight, I will sit quietly and do a card reading and maybe my ancestors will come by to be with me. who knows.