We've just passed Mothers Day (Mother's Day) and the anniversary of Mom's birthday. When she was alive and I was home, starting in my youth, I'd pick a bouquet of the very earliest wildflowers, if I could find any! In more recent years I'd add some early flowers from my gardens. I've continued the practise after her death and expanded it to a general spring altar- a pagan / animist seasonal celebration of the Great Mother/Great Goddess/Mara (Ragana?)/Bird Goddess-- the primal Life force of Earth, regenerative, partnering with Saule/Sun to renew life and growth in spring. The altar consists of many branches ( and a few pots) of local native willows, poplars and birch- new leaves just breaking out, some with catkins still in flower others near to releasing seed already- in the constant tumultuous cycle of life/death/rebirth! Other than catkins, the first handful of native wildflowers are included- especially Caltha palustris/ Marsh Marigold. We called these Cowslips when I was growing up, but that name could be confused with the English Cowslip- Primula Veris, a very different plant. Also important are the two earliest wild Violets- V. adunca and V. renifolia. A selection of flowers from the gardens are also included. While I was building the altar, a variety of birds were singing in the trees around- (American) Robin, Chickadee, Wren, Crows farther off, and pollinators were visiting the plants on the bench- including a beautiful hover fly (see blog post coming soon).

Music: Improvised guitar music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv8q3ILRPJI Nuson Guitar No Copyright https://www.youtube.com/@NusonGuitarNoCopyright

Note: I wrote "Mothers Day" on purpose vs "Mother's Day", the original and 'correct' punctuation. Especially now that Mom has died, I intend a celebration of all mothers, of the idea of motherhood rather than the singular familial celebration intended by the person who created the day: https://www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/mothers-day-punctuation/