An Cailleach is wide awake and busy! We woke to a winter wonderland. My daughter got that excited, magical look in her eyes, and her chief goal for the day was go go outside and sled. As for myself, I knew I had to make offerings to An Cailleach and get into the trees.
I had already made an offering of bread yesterday. My UPG is that the goddess loves homemade bread, and she often demands it. I thanked her for the upcoming beauty and lessons, and I prayed that she would be gentle to my family this year.
Today, after making some offerings at my altar as part of my daily devotional, I brought some maple whiskey outside and poured an offering to her. I have a bowl in my garden shrine area. It was full of snow, so it felt very appropriate. I then brought offerings of birdseed, peanuts, and apple outside for the nature spirits, including something for the deer who are sacred to An Cailleach.
The forest pulled me, so I let my feet carry me onto the ATV trail. There were fresh tracks, but it was delightfully quiet when I was there – quiet save for the pleasant chirp of birds seeking food and a small, gurgling creek I hadn’t known was there before. The silence of winter gives us the opportunity to explore forests in ways we can’t, or won’t, in the warmer months when they are filled with thorns, tall grass, ticks, mosquitoes, and such. I’m still getting to know the woods around my new home, and I’m glad I gave in to my wanderlust just a bit.
Author M. A. Phillips 