Brigid of the Apples...

Brigid of the Apples

One of the large scale spirals here at Twilight is an orchard planted with 18 different varieties of apples which are positioned in two concentric circles with a spiral path that winds into a central space. Volcanic rocks line the way there and in between each apple tree are lavenders.

Twilight's 'Isle of Apples' was birthed some 11 years ago and as all living spaces is constantly growing & evolving. It is true to say that am not an experienced or learned orchardist so despite well sought out advice regrettably I lost many trees to the heat of the summers and to technical complications in the early years but other apple trees were planted and life carried on.

Today, the orchard is doing better... the Spanish lavenders are being replaced with a French variety and its flowers are harvested & dried. Each Jan/Feb when the trees are pruned, the small budded tips are cut and dried to create next year's apple wood Brigid Crosses. The rest of the pruned wood is cut to size, bundled up and sold as chew sticks for small critters such as rabbits and chinchillas. All these 'From the Land' Twilight products, including iris bulbs, are available for purchase seasonally in my Etsy shop: Brizel4TheAnimals.

This year, as previous ones, I have been pondering on (Brigit / Brighid) Brigid's association with apples. Some years ago, I had more than the intuitive notion that making Brigid Crosses from Twilight's apple wood cuttings would be most appropriate. This is by no means a traditional material that is used for Breed's crosses but I had read that both saint and goddess had an affiliation with this lovely fruit and wood.

A brief recounting tells stories about St Brigid using her saintly powers to both bestow blessings through an abundant harvest of apples or punish the undeserving by cursing their apple trees to bareness. Goddess Brigid, on the hand, was said to have an apple orchard in the 'OtherWorld' where it was told that bees would travel from 'afar' to gather its sweet nectar.

This blog post is not intended to be a scholarly treatise on Brigid but rather a slight meandering of personal thoughts and meditations... as well as to *show* why I personally think there is an association between Brigid & apples...

During the winter months, apple trees- although dormant in terms of foliage, and fruit bearing- gathers strength from both earth and water- and spends its energy getting ready for the upcoming spring. As time approaches, buds and branch tips swell up in anticipatory celebration. Some of the branches become spear and arrow like...

Brigid is a Goddess with many names... Her connection to the element of fire and with the sun brought her names such as Bright Flame... and as a protectress and warrior: Bright Arrow. The spears on the apple trees seem to rejoice in portraying those energetic aspects of her 'in the flesh'.

Brigid has always been the founding patroness of this land and the reason why I came to it & have been here ever since. Her altar resides at the well house which structure safeguards the well to the property. May her cloak continue to protect Twilight and bring abundance to the land.

Brigid is here, Brigid has come, welcome Breed !