Ostara

Spring! Is there any other word that evokes such feelings of hope, renewal and pure joy? Traditionally, the 21st of March is celebrated as the first day of Spring, though, for me, Ostara is Mid-Spring. I begin to feel these currents around Imbolc but still, there is that electricity in the air! We are beginning to see the signs of life about us that we only felt stirring at Imbolc.

 Early flowers are starting to bloom, the birds are once again singing outside our windows, and the days are noticeably longer! In fact, day and night, at the Vernal Equinox, are in perfect balance. After that, the light begins to grow longer than the dark. This is the time to get outside and allow yourself to experience the sweeping changes of Mother Nature.

 Spring, like Autumn, can never be fully appreciated while indoors. Many local parks have wonderful walking trails but pay attention to the world right outside your front door, as well. Perhaps a robin has built a nest in the little tree in your yard. Watch the squirrels frolic, and count the tightly closed buds sprouting up from last year's flower garden.

 This is the perfect time for spring cleaning, literally and figuratively. At this time of year, after the booty of Christmas and Yule has been collected, the kids go through their toy boxes and decide what they want to keep, swap, give away or, as in the sad, sad case of the invalid Mr. Potato Head, what they want to throw away.

 I once read a book called "The Messies Guide to a Clean House" or something like that and it was chock full of good ideas for organizing your home. One of the ideas I still use to this day. When you are attempting to clean out closets, dressers or cabinets, take three boxes with you. One is for stuff you plan to keep, one is for garbage, and one is for things to give away. Of course, the trick is to actually give the stuff away afterwards! Everyone pitches in at this time of year, inside and out. I can't say housework is ever fun but there's a certain satisfaction in knowing your home is neat and organized. This also allows the positive energies to flow, unblocked, throughout your home. For however brief a time!

 Also fun is the house blessing that follows. Be creative as you think of ways to spiritually cleanse, protect and bless your home. Sage smudges and incense are great ways to purify and cleanse your house. After all the cleaning, you can hang Witch Balls or amulets and talismans that the kids have made in the windows, for good luck, protection or abundance for the coming year.

 You don't have to wait for Easter to dye eggs. Ostara is a great time to celebrate the return of the birds, as they are so busily building their nests. It isn't hard to see the correlation of colored eggs lying in a basket (nest).

We make hard-boiled eggs and also blown eggs. With a pin, poke holes in both ends of the egg and blow into one of them. The yolk and white of the egg will come out the other end. Obviously, these are much more fragile than the hard-boiled kind. Then you can color them as you would regularly, except these eggs tend to float and collect colored water in the shell. They need to drain after you are finished coloring them. Or if you prefer, color them raw and blow them out later.

 They look gorgeous in a basket on the table or hung from the windows and even the trees and bushes outside, however, if put outside, remember they are fragile and may easily break if blown off or wind damaged.

 If you write on the egg with either crayon or white candle wax, then you'll have patterns on the eggs after they are colored because the dye will not stick to the wax. We did this last year, with hard-boiled eggs. Everyone drew a rune or symbol on their "wish egg" symbolizing something they wanted or needed and then we colored the eggs. We then peeled the eggs and ate them, effectively taking the wish inside our own bodies to manifest outwards. The shells of both kind go into the compost heap when we are finished.

 Egg-shaped Basket

• Balloons

• Liquid Starch (available in the laundry aisle)

• Yarn or heavy string in Spring colors

This is a VERY messy project! It is alot of fun, though. Make sure the area is easy to clean and is covered with newspaper.

 Blow up the balloon and tie it off.

Pour some of the starch into a shallow bowl or pie pan and soak the yarn or string in it.

Begin wrapping the balloon with the string until it is thoroughly covered.

Allow it to dry, usually a few days.

If the balloon has not shrunk, then pop it and then cut the now hardened string in half and decorate the ragged edge with lace and fill with your blown eggs, jelly beans, or other Ostara candy.

This is also when we begin our garden preparation. The beds get turned over and the compost is added. Indoors, we begin certain types of seedlings, to be transplanted later in the season. I read somewhere, and can't remember where, about ritually planting a flower seed, visualizing the seed as your wish or intention and then planting it in a container. You need to nourish it as it grows and flowers along with your wish. Kids love to grow things and watch them pop out of the earth! A few days before Ostara, plant some alfalfa sprouts, or radish seeds (generally available in any garden or produce department). Harvest them on Ostara and eat them in a salad.

Egg-cellent Egg Salad or Devilled Eggs

Sorry, I don't have any egg-sact measurements for this recipe. I kinda toss things together until they look and taste good. The filling from the recipe below can be made WITH the egg whites for the salad or the whites can be halved and stuffed for the devilled eggs.

• 6 hard-boiled eggs   

• finely chopped onion  

• diced pickles or relish

• mayonnaise

•  peeled mustard

•  a dash of vinegar

•  sprinkle of dill weed

• paprika, for garnish

Coarsely chop the eggs and then just add the rest of the ingredients according to taste. Always begin with too little. You can always add more. Egg salad on croissants is an egg-cellent Ostara brunch. Run the whole thing through the food processor if you want a smoother texture.

Non-alcoholic Mimosa

What drink is more suited for a brunch than a mimosa? Just use one part orange juice to 2 parts Club Soda, ginger ale, or sparkling cider. Allow your child to add a drop or two of grenadine to celebrate the strengthening Sun. Serve in wine flutes and garnish with an orange slice.