Wish Upon A Star by Trisha AshleyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
View all my reviews
Friday, December 13, 2019
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Monday, November 18, 2019
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Review: The Northern Lights Lodge
The Northern Lights Lodge by Julie CaplinMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This series is a wonderful journey! It's cosy, fun, warm, funny...I just love all of the books!
View all my reviews
Saturday, November 2, 2019
~ Cailleach ~ Winter Goddess
text & image courtesy of Tempestuous Moon on Facebook~ Cailleach ~
Winter Goddess
The goddess known as Cailleach in Scotland and parts of Ireland is the embodiment of the dark mother, the harvest goddess, the hag or crone entity. She appears in the late fall, as the earth is dying, and is known as a bringer of storms. She is typically portrayed as a one-eyed old woman with bad teeth and matted hair. Mythologist Joseph Campbell says that in Scotland, she is known as Cailleach Bheur, while along the Irish coast she appears as Cailleach Beare. Her name is varied, depending on the county and region in which she appears.
According to The Etymological Dictionary Of Scottish-Gaelic the word cailleach itself means "veiled one" or "old woman." In some stories, she appears to a hero as a hideous old woman, and when he is kind to her, she turns into a lovely young woman who rewards him for his good deeds. In other stories, she turns into a giant gray boulder at the end of winter, and remains this way until Beltane, when she springs back to life.
Shee-Eire, a website dedicated to Irish folklore and legend, says,
"The Cailleach Beara is ever-renewing and passes through many lifetimes going from old age to youth in a cyclic fashion. She is reputed to have had at least fifty foster children during her 'lives.' Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren formed the tribes of Kerry and its surroundings. The Book of Lecan (c.1400 a.d.) claims that the Cailleach Beara was the goddess of the Corcu Duibne people from the Kerry region. In Scotland the Cailleach Bheur serves a similar purpose as the personification of Winter; she has a blue face, and is born old at Samhain ... but grows ever younger over time until she is a beautiful maiden at Bealtaine."
Cailleach rules the dark half of the year, while her young and fresh counterpart, Brighid or Bride, is the queen of the summer months. She is sometimes portrayed riding on the back of a speeding wolf, bearing a hammer or a wand made of human flesh, and sometimes even wearing human skulls attached to her clothes.
Interestingly, even though Cailleach is typically depicted as a destroyer goddess, especially as a storm-bringer, she is also known for her ability to create new life. With her magical hammer, she is said to have created mountain ranges, lochs, and cairns all over Scotland. She is also known as a protector of wild animals, in particular, the deer and the wolf, according to the Carmina Gadelica.
The Caillagh ny Groamagh ("Gloomy Old Woman", also called the Caillagh ny Gueshag, "Old Woman of the Spells") of the Isle of Man is a winter and storm spirit whose actions on the 1st of February are said to foretell the year's weather; if it is a nice day, She will come out into the sun, which brings bad luck for the year. The Cailleach Uragaig, of the Isle of Colonsay in Scotland, is also a winter spirit who holds a young woman captive, away from her lover."
In some Irish counties, Cailleach is a goddess of sovereignty, who offers kings the ability to rule their lands. In this aspect, she is similar to the Morrighan, another destroyer goddess of Celtic myth.
"Since this Goddess is one of cold honesty, wear something blue today to encourage personal reserve, control, and truth with yourself throughout the day... In the morning, cover your altar or a table with a yellow cloth (maybe a napkin or placemat) to represent the sun. Place a blue candle in a central location on the table, along with a bowl of snow to represent Cailleach Bheur and winter. As the candle burns with the light of the sun, the wax shrinks and this Goddess’s snows melt, giving away once more to the power of warmth and light. Keep the remnant was and re-melt it for any spells in which you need a cooler head. Pour the water from the snow outside to rejoin the Goddess.”
Friday, November 1, 2019
Review: The Little Paris Patisserie
The Little Paris Patisserie by Julie CaplinMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This series is a wonderful journey! It's cosy, fun, warm, funny...I just love all of the books!
View all my reviews
Review: Single All the Way
Single All the Way by Karen KingMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Another lovely, fun, grab a cuppa and curl-up story.
View all my reviews
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Review: The Little Brooklyn Bakery
The Little Brooklyn Bakery by Julie CaplinMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Sweet, lovely, and fun! Chick Lit at it's best :c)
View all my reviews
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Monday, October 28, 2019
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Review: The Gift of Happiness
The Gift of Happiness by Holly MartinMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
A Warm Holiday Hug
Another wonderful Christmas book by one of my favourite authors!
Grab a blanket, a cup of cocoa, and curl-up with this one on a cold day...
The perfect holiday story to get lost in 🎄🎅
View all my reviews
Friday, October 25, 2019
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Review: The Christmas Invitation
The Christmas Invitation by Trisha AshleyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a twisty-turny ride! Unexpected Revelations and a dachshund! Full marks 🐾
View all my reviews
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Monday, October 21, 2019
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Review: The Christmas Calendar Girls
The Christmas Calendar Girls by Samantha TongeMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
A light, lovely, fun, festive, holiday read...with a deeper social message!
No one can combine themes like Samantha Tonge.
On it's surface this is a wonderful cup of Chick Lit cocoa...but dig deeper and you just might learn something about life, friendship, and the world around you.
5 stars, wonderful!
View all my reviews
Friday, October 18, 2019
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
![Mac + Cheese 300: Enjoy 300 Days With Amazing Mac + Cheese Recipes In Your Own Mac + Cheese Cookbook! (Macaroni Cookbook, Mac And Cheese Book, Mac N Cheese Cooking Mac N Cheese Recipe Book) [Book 1]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1542807148l/42903012._SX98_.jpg)
Monday, October 14, 2019
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)