A cold but beautiful morning
Woke up this morning to find the water in the bird bath was frozen and the slates on the garage roof were white with frost. It's cold out there, but absolutely beautiful. The leaves on the plants highlighted with a white crystalline outline, each shape catching your eye more with its icy sheath... Thanks also to thermalsatsuma for your lovely pics of this frosty morning!
Despite the cold, I do like all kinds of things about winter. So I'm going to post words from a favourite Pagan song of mine by Carolyn Hillyer because to this Yule baby it says things that about the comforting side of winter, a time for reflection and regrowth (as well as comfort food like lots of root veg, spiced apples, mulled wine, home made soup etc!).
I love the work of Carolyn Hillyer and her partner Nigel Shaw because of the instruments he uses, her words and her voice that can handle being used either melodically or chordally (like another instrument, rather than being the central focus of a piece of music). If anyone's curious now about these artists - this piece comes from the album Riven Inside, which has loads of interesting songs on it. This particular piece is done in minor key, with wooden flute, keyboard and violin. It's very haunting and gentle. My favourite CD to use while doing healing work is Nigel Shaw's Seven Stones, which almost guarantees a relaxed patient on the couch (if not outright asleep)...
A Winter Blessing
A bare-armed tree above my head
The cold black earth beneath me
The northern wind to kiss my skin
A cloak of ice to sheath me
A promise from the deepest night
To hold me close and safely
A blessing to this winter light
That quietly burns within me
Despite the cold, I do like all kinds of things about winter. So I'm going to post words from a favourite Pagan song of mine by Carolyn Hillyer because to this Yule baby it says things that about the comforting side of winter, a time for reflection and regrowth (as well as comfort food like lots of root veg, spiced apples, mulled wine, home made soup etc!).
I love the work of Carolyn Hillyer and her partner Nigel Shaw because of the instruments he uses, her words and her voice that can handle being used either melodically or chordally (like another instrument, rather than being the central focus of a piece of music). If anyone's curious now about these artists - this piece comes from the album Riven Inside, which has loads of interesting songs on it. This particular piece is done in minor key, with wooden flute, keyboard and violin. It's very haunting and gentle. My favourite CD to use while doing healing work is Nigel Shaw's Seven Stones, which almost guarantees a relaxed patient on the couch (if not outright asleep)...
A Winter Blessing
A bare-armed tree above my head
The cold black earth beneath me
The northern wind to kiss my skin
A cloak of ice to sheath me
A promise from the deepest night
To hold me close and safely
A blessing to this winter light
That quietly burns within me