Month: Dec 2022

So the shortest day came, and the year died,
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen,
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake
,They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing, behind us — listen!
All the long echoes sing the same delight
This shortest day
As promise wakens in the sleeping land.
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends, and hope for peace.
And so do we, here, now,
This year, and every year.
Welcome Yule!

written by ❅ 𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯 𝘊𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳, 1984

I’m nearly ready for Christmas 🤶

The Celts believed the world was inhabited by many spirits, and viewed nature as the physical manifestation of the Divine. The Tree of Life in particular was believed to be a path between the physical and spiritual worlds, with the roots planted in the soil and the branches reaching toward Heaven.

Hawthorn

In Oliver Rackham’s study of Anglo Saxon charters, the hawthorn was mentioned more frequently than any other tree, even the oak. It often marked the boundary between cultivated land and the open common. 

The Hawthorn is a small tree with an abundance of foliage, growing on its thorny branches, which is wonderful for garden birds to safely make ther nests. It is  known for its longevity and can live over 400 years. In March the Hawthorn tree’s leaf-buds open and pale green leaves appear. These leaves are joined by masses of delicate white flower buds, which open in May to reveal blossoms with five white petals surrounding stamens with bright pink heads.  Each flower produces a fruit, called a ‘Haw’ which appear in July and ripen in October resembling small bright red apples which are loved by our birds.

Hawthorn trees are sacred in Celtic culture. They are associated with Beltane (May 1) one of the four principal pagan festivals and traditionally the first day of summer in Ireland. Doors and windows outside homes were hung with hawthorn branches and a hawthorn bush was transformed into a May Bush decorated with shells and trinkets. In modern times Beltane is called May Day, celebrated by dancing around a decorated maypole and building bonfires.

Hawthorn trees are also known as “fairy trees”. It is believed that fairies (or the sidhe) live underground and in certain trees, namely the hawthorn. Even in modern times, one often sees a lone tree in the middle of a field; farmers and landowners are reluctant to cut down hawthorn trees for fear of disturbing the fairies. Roadworks and motorways are often diverted around fairy trees for the same reason.

Blackthorn

Closely related to the hawthorn tree is the blackthorn; both are part of the rose family.

You may already have noticed the blackthorn blossom, delicate plum-flowers on bare branches, punctuated by dark, cruel spikes. The widely known saying ‘blackthorn winter’ refers to this tree’s habit of flowering just before a particularly cold snap in the weather. Perversely for such a herald of spring, the blackthorn is associated with Samhain (late October) in the Irish calendar, and it represents the dark side of the year and the hag, as the hawthorn represents the light and the maiden.

Blackthorn is depicted in many fairy tales as a tree of ill omen and is linked with warfare, wounding and death. Not surprisingly, the Irish cudgel (or shillelagh) is fashioned from a blackthorn stick. Blackthorn is a hard wood, plentiful throughout Ireland, and often has a knob on the end formed from the root of the shrub.

Blackthorn is also used in spells of protection in Irish folklore. Heroes could be aided by the blackthorn tree; if they threw a blackthorn twig, an impenetrable hedge would form, protecting them from oncoming danger.

A more benign use of blackthorn wood is for a walking stick. A common misconception is that the walking stick is called a shillelagh; the shillelagh is in fact a club or weapon.

Rowan

Our third white blossom tree, the rowan, is a tree of light and fire like the hawthorn, but more upland in character. It has fine, complex leaves (hence its other name, mountain ash) and clusters of heady flowers in May. Rowan is the Quicken Tree, Delight of the Eye, The Wizard Tree, a protection from enchantment, dark magic, and illness. It was planted near houses to protect the inhabitants, and kept in the byre to protect cattle and milk alike. (Are any of us still drinking milk that has been produced under the protection of the rowan tree?) Carrying two rowan twigs tied into a cross with red ribbon was protection against the spirits of the dead at Samhain, sometimes very practical protection from attack out on the moor. Although the blossom and berries of the rowan are striking, the timber was equally valued for its protective properties.

These three trees are very different characters in our folklore. Time and time again in the old stories, they are the interface between human-world and fairy-world. But they are not just some fancy notion or ancient wisdom now lost. These trees are real and alive and flowering somewhere near you this springtime. You don’t need to be on Dartmoor or in other wild and wonderful places, they are also common trees in towns and cities.

Go and seek out the blackthorn, the hawthorn and the rowan tree this spring. Spend some time with them… think about their history and what they might have seen… and perhaps even make a wish. Surely what we need in the world right now is justice, magic, and protection — for all of us, human and non-human alike.

Recommended Books

Description
A great little book for anyone like me who likes nature, plants and folk tales – Goodreads Reviewer

The islands of Britain and Ireland hold a rich heritage of plant folklore and wisdom, from the magical yew tree to the bad-tempered dandelion.

Here are traditional tales about the trees and plants that shape our landscapes and our lives through the seasons. They explore the complex relationship between people and plants, in lowlands and uplands, fields, bogs, moors, woodlands and towns.

Suitable for all ages, this is an essential collection of stories for anyone interested in botany, the environment and our living heritage.

Review
“A wonderful collection suitable for all ages and filled with pretty florals too.” ― The Independent

About the Author

Lisa Schneidau trained as an ecologist. She has worked with wildlife charities all over Britain to restore nature in the landscape, in roles including farm advisor, river surveyor, political lobbyist and conservation director. She is also a professional storyteller, sharing stories that inspire, provoke curiosity and build stronger connections between people and nature. She lives on Dartmoor. http://www.lisaschneidau.co.uk