Near the Ides of January

Monday is Martin Luther King Day. It’s also January’s full moon, known as the Great Spirit Moon by the Ojibwe and the Hard Times Moon by the Lakota according to our Minnesota Weatherguide. But the name Wolf Moon “... is thought to have a Celtic and Old English origin, brought over to North America by European settlers. Other Celtic names of the Full Moon include Stay Home Moon and Quiet Moon...”

January’s full moon has several names

Photo by J. Harrington

Have you noticed that the days are getting longer. Later sunsets have become obvious. It’s but a little more than two weeks until Imbolc, the first of three spring festivals. Although snowdrops are a seasonal sign associated with Imbolc, in Minnesota we look for blooming snowdrops some six weeks after Imbolc.

Today we’ve decided to spare you another political rant but will observe that, thanks to politics and related factors in the human condition, such as stupidity and cupidity, we are now looking at the situation where Minneapolis is mandating that clientele in its restaurants show proof of vaccination but the staff thereof (restaurants, not the city) aren’t required to be vaccinated. This, as we enter the pandemic’s third year.

Back to Druidry. It makes lots more sense these days.

Imbolc by Damh the Bard
As the dark, cold morning gives way to light,
And the world shows its face dazzling in her nakedness,
So the twigs and leaf-bare branches,
Bow to the passing dance
Of old Jack Frost.
His crystal breath on the earth,
And the corners of houses weep icicles of joy.
But where is the Sun’s warmth?
Where is life?
A small flower, delicate and pure-white,
Looks to the earth,
As if talking to the waiting green,
“Not yet,” it seems to whisper.
“When I fall, then you can return.”
And she nods her head,
as the Lady passes by,
Leaving more flowers in Her wake.

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