Imbolg 2017

For New Year I got the Llewellyn's Sabbats Almanac 2017 which has ideas for celebrating the sabbats. (In my family we also give a couple of presents at New Year, usually things like calendars and diaries). It started at Samhain 2016 but Imbolg was the first sabbat coming up after I celebrated. In the lead-up to it I did some activities suggested in the book, such as learning about chakras and lighting a candle. I got a Yankee Home Winter Season candle for Christmas, so I burnt that since Imbolg signals the end of winter and the beginning of spring.

Then on the day itself (last Thursday) I made pancakes like I usually do. As I mentioned in my last post I had a lemonade/lemon drink that I got before Christmas and hadn't got round to drinking, so I saved that for Imbolg. It was a lemon and mint one. (I also got a back-up drink in case I didn't like it, but I did, lol).

I made English pancakes (the bigger, thinner ones which are known as crepes in some countries). I don't make them that often so I'm not that good, lol. I did two and they didn't come out that well but never mind! Last year's were better.

Here's a picture from this year:

I also lit a white candle on the day (Imbolg/Imbolc is also known as Candlemas):

Imbolg candle- we keep the witches' hat and snowman pic up year round!

Then yesterday I made potato and leek soup which is an Imbolg recipe in the book The Kitchen Witch by Soraya. It was a couple of days afterwards but I think the energy of this sabbat is still around, so it doesn't matter. :) Here's a similar recipe: https://www.saga.co.uk/magazine/food/recipes/soups/mary-berry-leek-and-potato-soup

I often make potato and onion soup but not potato and leek, so it made a change. I did like it but it's smoother than the soups I normally make. I prefer mine more watery and chunkier but I did this one in my Daisy Cow smoothie maker, so it was a different texture. I left the cream out because I don't like creamy soups. I had it for lunch with bacon and a cheese and Marmite sandwich. Here's a photo:

With added bacon!

We're now moving away from winter and into spring. Although the weather is still cold and it's still getting dark quite early, the days are gradually getting longer and have been since Yule. In 2016's Imbolg post I mentioned that the daffodils were already coming out. They normally come out around my birthday at the beginning of March, so they were early last year. There aren't any this year but I'm on the lookout for signs of spring. :) I was inspired by this post from Rockstar Priestess: http://www.priestesstraining.com/7-simple-ways-celebrate-imbolg/



Hope those of you in the Northern Hemisphere had a good Imbolg! And have a good February wherever you live. :)