Here’s an article that I wrote for the 2023 Lughnasadh edition of the Òran Mór Celtic E‐Zine that looks into the Scottish legend of John Barleycorn and the traditional songs associated with it.
The Legend of John Barleycorn
Category: Article
Lughnasadh on the Homestead Remixed
As we spiral through the cycles of the seasons on our homestead, Lughnasadh comes to us as a time of balance … between sacrifice and blessing, hard work and reward, safety and danger.
Hawthorn: The May Tree
The Hawthorn, a tree that displays a prolific splendour of white or pink flowers at the beginning of May, is known by a variety of different names, such as “The May Tree“, “The Beltane Tree“, “The May Blossom“, “The Whitethorn“, “The Quick“, or simply the “May“.
Lughnasadh on the Homestead
I wrote this little color piece for an e-zine back in August. It captures some of the joys and fears of summertime on our homestead.
Samhain Walk
Today is Samhain, or as most people know it, Halloween. What better way to spend a Halloween afternoon than on a hike through the damp fall woods, battling through spiderwebs and hunting weird mushrooms.
Beltane
Beltane is the name for the Gaelic May Day festival. which is held on May 1st, or about halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice.
Ostara’s Path
Today is the spring equinox, and we finally finished cutting a trail from the cabin up to the center of the property. This trail will allow us to access the old logging road that runs through the upper reaches of our land. Finally, we will be able to move around our property more easily and get to know our 50 acres better. We are calling this new trail Ostara’s Path.
Imbolc
Today we celebrated Imbolc in our little cabin in the woods.
New Year’s Day
Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year, and is the Scottish celebration of the New Year. One of the most widespread customs associated with Hogmanay is the practice of first-footing, which starts immediately after midnight. This involves being the first person to cross the threshold of a friend or neighbour and often involves the giving of symbolic gifts intended to bring luck to the householder. Food and drink are then given to the guests. This may go on throughout the early hours of the morning, and well into the next day. The first-foot is supposed to set the luck for the rest of the year.