Beltane 2019

Friday November 15, 2019

I just realised I posted about my Beltane elsewhere but not here!

The Sunday before, we had a freak warm day (36°C/98°F),so I decided to take advantage for an early Beltane!

I’ve recently decided to spend more time in the lovely gardens a couple of blocks from my house, so I got dolled up in a cute floral dress, and took myself on a picnic date. I read, absorbed the warmth, snacked (delicious chilli brie), investigated the flora, and chatted to the ducks and swans and their teenaged ducklings/cygnets.

an image of ducks and ducklings, and my Beltane picnic

I did also take my camera with me, but I haven’t yet had the energy to upload the photos. I was delighted to see the jacaranda trees, jasmine, and roses in full bloom, as well as to discover a mulberry tree!

A Jacaranda tree in full bloom, and a Mulberry tree laden with berries

Upon returning home as the sun got low, I made a jug of summery cocktail, with seasonal strawberries and oranges - food and drinks are one of my favourite ways to connect with the changing seasons!

A photo of a jug and wine glass filled with a strawberry and blood orange cocktail and fruit

By the time Halloween came around, the weather was cold again, with strong winds and heavy rain! My fatigue was too bad to head to the party I’d been looking forward to, so my partner and I made mulled cider and watched spoopy movies, while I made my first witch’s ladder! As weaving is strongly associated with Beltane, it seemed perfect timing to finally bring this idea to fruition.

Inspired by this post, I wove myself a witch’s ladder necklace. I’ve been struggling with my health recently (physical and mental), as well as communication struggles and sensory overload due to the former issues meaning my autistic brain has less defences. As such, the idea for this ladder/necklace was to be a source of support for me when I’m out and about and things start getting difficult. I used the following materials:

Onyx beads for grounding, and support from confusion and physical/mental stress;
Garnet beads for balance and hope;
Hematite beads (plated in purple) for calm, and protection from negative energies;
Feather charms for positive change;
Black silk thread: black for protection be grounding, and silk for transformation and magical insulation.

A crystal-beaded necklace with silver feather charms

I was planning to add a cage for a crystal in-between the clasp and the feather, but it wound up much shorter than I was anticipating (hence the chain extension), so the bulk of it felt odd once I put it on.

I’ve still got some functional adjustments to make to the necklace, but I’ve worn it to work a few times now and found it super helpful

Update

I totally almost forgot the other thing I did on my early-Beltane - I made freakin summer perfumes for my partner and myself!

For my partner I made an insect-repelling perfume (as they get bothered by bugs in the warmer months) with citronella, lemongrass, lavender, and tea tree. Mine was Jasmine (which is the absolute smell of summer to me), orange, rose, and sandalwood. They were both essential oils in sweet almond oil, and left to develop for a week.

They both turned out spectacularly, and my partner has even found theirs reasonably effective at keeping the bugs away! (Not as effective as the heavy-duty insect repellent they use, but not hugely far behind.