La Befana

Ahh La Befana. Today we celebrate the day of the epiphany, which represents the day the 3 Magi visited and brought gifts to the baby Jesus. But as a child, this day meant much more to me and was welcomed with glee, as this day was the day La Befana, a kindly old Italian witch from folklore, filled my stockings with treasure. But beware of being a naughty child throughout the year for if so, instead of treats, you would receive coal and orange rinds, which, is exactly what I received one unhappy year. LOL The coal is usually a sugar treat or meringue coloured black with food colouring but for lazy moms just dump in some real coal and the kiddies will get the picture for sure. I know I did. ;) But I digress…

The name Befana itself, is derived from the Greek word for Epiphany or the Italian word Epifania. This benevolent witch derives from an old Italian tradition which, for some lucky children (and adults), remains a welcomed and cherished icon to this day. She is one of the three goddesses of Fate in Tuscan Witchcraft: Rododesa, Marantega and Befana, and can be considered the Italian version of Santa Claus. She flies around on her broomstick dressed as a Renaissance peasant woman with a black shawl and shuffles down chimneys like Santa to fill socks and stockings with gifts.

Legend has it that one night the 3 wise men were lost and happened upon the house of La Befana for directions. She knew not where to lead them so invited them in for a welcomed night's rest. The next day the Magi asked her to come along on their journey and search for baby Jesus but La Befana sadly declined, stating she had too many chores and housework to do. She later reconsidered and sought out to join the wise men but could no longer find them and to this day she flies through the night in search of the baby she did not meet.

A popular song or chant about the Befana is fondly sung like a Christmas carol:

La Befana vien di notte
con le scarpe tutte rotte
col vestito alla "romana"
viva viva la Befana!!

Porta cenere e carboni
ai bambini cattivoni
ai bambini belli e buoni
porta chicchi e tanti doni!

Which translates to:

The Befana comes by night
With her shoes all broken
With a dress in Roman style
Hooray for la Befana !!

She brings ashes and coal
To very bad children
To the nice and good children
She brings candies and many gifts !

Obviously the poetic melody and rhyme is lost in translation.

There are many versions of this song as well as the legend itself, but each adaptation describes the merriment of this holiday and encourages us all to be a little more giving and to take the time for loved ones, regardless of how busy we are.

For me, this will remain a time honoured tradition and one which I hope to one day share and pass on to my own children and family. I urge you all to adopt this fun-filled holiday as well because Christmas just isn't long enough. ;)

To learn more about the Befana here are some links I have found:

Wikipedia La Befana

Epiphany-Befana

A Litha Ritual

A Befana Tradition

Happy Yule!

Tonight we all get to enjoy the longest night of the year and of course I begin it with sleeplessness and restlessness. LOL ;)

It is a special night however, as it preludes the morning of the rebirth of light and the return of the god of the Sun, son of the goddess. As the sun rises tomorrow, it welcomes with it a longer day with each passing, growing increasingly throughout the season until the longest day on the Summer Solstice, known as Midsummer or Litha.

So why not light the Yule log and snuggle by the fire, or maybe sing a Yuletide carol or two. And for those of you who prefer to spend the evening learning a little more about the holiday, here some helpful links.....

Wikipedia Yule

Candle Grove

Witchhvox Article

Yule Lore

Artwork - "Winter Solstice" by Amy Brown

Something Beautiful for Maia

I found this store on Ebay while looking for books. A woman who makes pendants out of art, and many many of them made with Waterhouse paintings. For your enjoyment Maia:

Sparkle Art Glass Pendants

Winds of Change

The new year will soon be upon us and the winds of change are stirring. As this year draws to an end, I am moved to reflect on the happenings of this passed year, to look back with awe and wonder. Well, the winds certainly spun this little fairy around and took her for a wild ride. Many challenges were faced, new friendships were made while others were broken, a new member was added to my little family, a variety of jobs were had, new places were discovered, a tiny flood was conquered, and even homes were moved. Phew! Who would have guessed this year would have been this eventful and exciting? Even though I faced unpleasant surprises and hardships in the beginning of the year, I have to say I am quite pleased with the way it ended. Everything happens for a reason and I have no regrets. I must admit that some of the friendships I've made and maintained this year have been the best and most meaningful, and the experiences I encountered were all truly great lessons that only made me braver and stronger and I am all the more blessed and grateful for them all.

But onwards and upwards......
What will the new year bring for us all? Well, we can start by making a list of what we actually want. It's called manifesting and it's a great tool. If you really want to have everything your heart desires, you have to believe it is possible. The best way to bring our dreams to fruition is to already envision them as reality. Visualization and affirmations are key, and writing your ideas, thoughts and desires down on paper, though silly it may seem to some, will actually help write them into your life as well. So ladies and gentlemen, get your pencils sharpened and start your engines, I mean lists. Instead of the usual and often meaningless New Year's Resolutions (which let's face it, people seldom keep), why not commit to something that will actually help us in the long run - ourselves! If we can commit to becoming more courageous, to believe in possibilities, to feel inspired, to have faith in ourselves and our loved ones, and to hold on to a little bit of hope, it will help to give us all the strength to surrender to the winds of change so that we may be drifted in the right direction. Listen to the breeze my little scatterlings, the universe is whispering its secrets.

Painting by John William Waterhouse - "Boreas"

Welcome to my blog!

Well I've taken the leap and joined the world of blogging. With the cold winter months quickly approaching I thought it was best if I discovered a new indoor hobby to keep me from being bored so I figured this'll keep me occupied and connected with my friends while giving me the chance to share some of my interests and passions. I have yet to come up with one main topic of discussion and probably never will; rather, this will be a collage of ideas, thoughts, stories, articles, rants, etc. Those who know me, know my interests are vast and varied so I will try to incoporate this side of myself into the blog to make it interesting and entertaining for all.

To begin with, I'll tell you a little bit about where the blog name came from. Originally I borrowed the name from the title of a work of art by John William Waterhouse, my favourite painter (painting above). The name also resonates with the magical and spiritual side of myself and creates visions of beautiful forests filled with lush foliage, wildflowers and roses, frolicking fairies, crystal pools of water, rushing streams, cascading waterfalls, exotic wildlife and natural wonders. To me, an Enchanted Garden is a place where one goes for quiet, peace and solitude to possibly meditate, regroup, renew, and revitalize; a place to dream and draw inspiration and to become more enlightened. But it is also a place for friendship, fun, laughter and merriment; a gathering place where stories are shared, wonders and surprises abound and there is never a dull moment to be had. So I hope you will all find your own little corner in my enchanted garden and join in our circle as well.

Here's to keeping you posted, literally! :)