Wednesday, May 1, 2019

May Day / Beltane

May Day is one of the great festivals of Spring.  Halfway through the year from Halloween, when we honor our beloved dead, Beltane is a celebration of life.  Flowers are appearing, trees begin to bud, animals are more active and birds are singing and building their nests.  This festival celebrates all the differences that are necessary in our world and come together to make it whole. The maypole with its different colored ribbons symbolizes the coming together of all these differing components.  
Here are a few suggestions I have put together to inspire your celebration.

Verse and song

Here’s a branch of snowy May,
A branch the fairies gave us.
Who would like to dance today,
With a branch the fairies gave us.
Dance away, dance away
Holding high this branch of May.
Dance away, dance away
Holding high this branch of May.

Game to play
One child sits in the middle of the circle, hidden under a light cloth.
Everyone else holds hands and walks around, until she reveals her lovely eyes.

Walking in the woods

While walking in the woods one day, in the merry merry month of May, I was taken by surprise, by a pair of lovely eyes, while walking in the woods one day.

Both come from a book The Singing Year by Candy Verney

Activity for May

You will need,
One side round shallow container.  Plant saucers work well.
Chai seed, clover or alfalfa (any ground cover seeds that don’t grow too tall.)
Dirt
Dowel
Ribbons
Glue/tape
Flowers

Soak chia seeds in water and set aside
Fill dish with dirt about ½ inch from top.  Sprinkle seeds all around and add clumps of the chia seed mix in different spots.

Cut ribbons the length of your dowel and tape or glue to one end.  At that same end, attach flowers. Press the opposite end into the center of your dish of soil and seeds.  Keep your soil moist and watch the seeds sprout and grow over the next couple of weeks. Add playmobile characters at the end of each ribbon so they can dance the maypole.  Enjoy throughout the month of May!

Recommended reading:

Circle Round, Starhawk, Diane Baker, Anne Hill
A Child’s Seasonal Treasury, Betty Jones
Beltane, Raven Grimassi

Websites:


Tuesday, April 30, 2019

May Day Family Festivals

It is that time of year again!


Mayday Celebration
Wednesday May 1, 2019
O’Hara Commons
111 S. 4th st. Hamilton, Mt.
4-6pm

  • Flower Head Garland
  • Ribbon wand making
  • May Pole dance
A small pole for the children
Tall pole for adults to weave

$10 suggested donation



Hamilton Farmers Market Co-op
Bedford & Third Streets
PO Box 844, Hamilton, MT 59840
Terri Frost, Manager, 360-0616 managerhfm@cybernet1.com
     
Children’s Celebration,Parade and Maypole Dance
Saturday, May 4th
Legion park at 11am
Come dressed as your favorite part of our diverse world.  All beasts, birds, insects, large and small are welcome.

Biodiversity!
Celebrating the variety of life on planet earth.

“I turned to the teeming small creatures that can be held between the thumb and forefinger: the little things that compose the foundation of our ecosystems, the little things, as I like to say, who run the world.”                   E. O. Wilson

Celebrating all the children of our community and their families!

11:00 Meet at Legion Park in costume
11:05 Yoga on the grass
11:15 Line up for parade
11:30 Parade through market to lawn of Ravalli Museum
11:40 Join in Maypole dancing

Call Dulcie with any questions 381-4029




Imbolc Family Festival

Hello all,

The end of this week brings us half way between Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.  It is a time when even though temperatures are low and ice flows down the river the days are growing longer.  January tricks us with a few warm days and kindles an awareness of the coming of spring. We look to the groundhog on February 2nd wondering if he'll see his shadow or not.  We may feel the urge to clean our homes, and we feel a quickening within ourselves.
As we near the midway point of winter I've gathered a few ideas for the young and not so young to cherish this time of year and honor the change of the season around us.

Enjoy a nature walk.  Looking for swelling buds on the trees and listening for new bird songs.

Turn on some music at home and spend an afternoon cleaning your house.  Children have fun helping with dust brooms and buckets of warm soapy water.

Make A Brigit's Cross.  Bridig, the Goddess of Imbolc teaches us to nature the seeds of healing and hew growth before their actual emergence in these dark days.


Create paper sheep shapes and wrap with wool yarn or roving.  Baby sheep and calves beginning to show themselves around the valley remind us that spring is on its way.



Begin to plan your garden.  What will you grow this summer?



Spend some time thinking about the seeds you want to plant in your life this spring.  Feel the inspiration of the goddess Brigid and write down what you plan to grow for yourself and your community.

Create a nature table, altar or place of prayer.  Perhaps snipping a branch from a bush outside to bring inside and force the blossoms in the warmth of your home.  Adding candles to honor the fire of the returning sun.



Grow some sprouts to eat.





Verses for this time of year:

Candle, Candle, burning bright;
Winters halfway done tonight
With a glowing, were are knowing
Spring will come again.

If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Winter will have another flight
If Candlemas bring clouds and rain,
Go winter and come not again.

Friday morning I will join the tadpoles at The O'Hara Commons to share a puppet show about the coming of spring.  I hope you can join me.



Thank you and happy turning of the seasons.
XO
Dulcie

Winter Solstice Family Festival

Winter Solstice Advent Workshop
With Dulcie Belanger
Create an interactive tabletop wreath for the weeks leading up to the longest night of the year
Sunday, November 18th 1-3pm
The Historic Oliver Blood House
524 South 1st Street, Hamilton. Parking in back
$25 per family
Includes supplies for wreath, dipping candles and making an object for each week.
Workshop is more enjoyable for children five and up shared
and accompanied by an adult.
  • Candle dipping
  • Sculpting with wax and paperclay
  • Lantern making
  • Learn verses, songs & stories

To register call Dulcie Belanger 406 381 4029
Space is limited to 15 families