Sunday, February 1, 2009

St. Brigid's Day (La Fheile Bhride)

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Brigid of Kildare (she has many names and has been claimed by both christian and pagan groups), and the first day of spring.



A traditional craft is still utilised to make the Brigid's Cross from rushes, it is hung in the home to keep the house fire free for the year.



This morning in true celebratory fashion, with a clear blue sky and bright sunshine Leiny and I fed the chickens (Brigid is the patron saint of babies; blacksmiths; boatmen; cattle; chicken farmers; children whose parents are not married; dairymaids; dairy workers; fugitives; infants; Ireland; Kildare; Leinster; mariners; midwives; milk maids; newborn babies; nuns; poets; poultry farmers; poultry raisers; printing presses; sailors; scholars; travellers; watermen)and collected the eggs.




I whisked up the eggs to make an omelette 'a la margie' for breakfast,



with fresh basil and mozzarella chesse topping.



Leiny then set about baking something nice for afternoon tea





A dozen carrot cake buns




By lunch the snow clouds were on the horizon and we are already planning tomorrow Candlemas day, the feast of light.




Saint Brigid

Lady Gilbert

'MlD dewy pastures girdled with blue air,
Where ruddy kine the limpid waters drink,
Through violet-purpled woods of green Kildare,
'Neath rainbow skies, by tinkling rivulet's brink,
O Brigid, young, thy tender, snow-white feet
In days of old on breezy morns and eves
Wandered through labyrinths of sun and shade,
Thy face so innocent-sweet
Shining with love that neither joys nor grieves
Save as the angels, meek and holy maid !


With white fire in thy hand that burned no man,
But cleansed and warmed where'er its ray might call,
Nor ever wasted low, or needed fan,
Thou walk'dst at eve among the oak-trees tall.
There thou didst chant thy vespers, while each star
Grew brighter listening through the leafy screen.
Then ceased the song-bird all his love-notes soft,
His music near or far,
Hushing his passion 'mid the sombre green
To let thy peaceful whispers float aloft.

And still from heavenly choirs thou steal'st by night
To tell sweet Aves in the woods unseen,
To tend the shrine-lamps with thy flambeau white
And set thy tender footprints in the green.
Thus sing our birds with holy note and pure,
As though the loves of angels were their theme;
Thus burn to throbbing flame our sacred fires
With heats that still endure ;
Thence hath our daffodil its golden gleam,
From thy dear mindfulness that never tires !

LADY GILBERT (ROSA MULHOLLAND)

A Popular and gifted Irish poetess and novelist of the day, born in Belfast. She published one volume of delicate verse (vagrant Verses, 1886); all her other writings, which are numerous, being stories. In 1891 she married Mr. (afterwards Sir J. T.) Gilbert, the noted Irish archaeologist.

A sincere Thank You to Vale at Les Cotrions for the Award she passed to me last week. I will consider who I will pass it to this week and put it on my next post.

11 comments:

idémakeriet said...

Thanks for your nice post on my blogg.
I became hungry looking att your pictures, mmmm.
Have a nice sonday evening.
Hugs Gerda

liset said...

The carrot cakes looks great! And what a nice celebration/traditions!

Les Cotrions said...

Ciao Margie! Today is a great day for you! I love traditions! Your omelette look delicious...I love tomato and mozzarella! And your carrot cakes must be...wonderful! Today lazy Sunday for me...I just feel like doing...nothing! May be I need to relax...I'm usulally too active!
Have a nice evening my friend and enjoy St. Brigid!!!
Hugs
Vale

Veronica Tingvall said...

Oh, springtime... lovely springtime. Here we have almost three winter months left. Like I said before I love chickens and yours are gorgeous.
Lots of love/ Veronica

vicki archer said...

Margie, a truly 'delicious' post - such a scrumptious looking omelette and I had to scroll down very fast over the finished cupcakes. I hope you have enjoyed your weekend, xv.

Vee said...

Sounds as if Brigid has just about everything covered.

It's always fun to see your beautiful chickens. And what was your darling girlie whipping up for tea?

Cait O'Connor said...

Thank you for calling by my blog. And what a treat for me to find yours, it is wonderful, I shall return.
I would love the recipe for carrot cake buns.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful life you live in such a gorgeous area! It feels as though it's a million miles away until you bring it into my home with your gorgeous stories and writing. Thanks!♥

MelMel said...

morning!
Very snowy here, we are about to go out and play in it!
Have a good day!x

Deborah said...

I love your post for the day. I'll wear my St. Brigid today in your honor! Our temps dropped again and I'm teaching and working at the LYS today. Enjoy your tea and buns!

LuLu Kellogg said...

What a lovely post Margie. I would love to have been at your house for breakfast and tea. Those carrot muffins look incredible :)

I hope you have a lovely week my friend.

LuLu~*xoxo