It felt so good to paint something again! Even though I want to try so many new things, I keep coming back to the familiar.
Maybe that's what January is for, up here in the colder parts of the Northern Hemisphere - returning to the warm comforts of the familiar.
This time of year always has me looking forward to the first tiny signs of Spring. On January 21, I actually saw three male robins in our back yard. I always thought this was too early, since it usually gets especially cold here in January and February. A few years ago, though, I saw an entire swarm of male robins in January. There were dozens of them. I've never seen anything like it before or since. They were more like a gang of unruly young men, making lots of noise and fluttering about. Apparently they come back earlier than the females, to hang out with the boys and look for likely nesting spots.
Who knew?
This last month I was thinking a great deal about Mother Nature, Mother Earth, and the many goddesses who were worshiped throughout time.
Maybe that's what January is for, up here in the colder parts of the Northern Hemisphere - returning to the warm comforts of the familiar.
This time of year always has me looking forward to the first tiny signs of Spring. On January 21, I actually saw three male robins in our back yard. I always thought this was too early, since it usually gets especially cold here in January and February. A few years ago, though, I saw an entire swarm of male robins in January. There were dozens of them. I've never seen anything like it before or since. They were more like a gang of unruly young men, making lots of noise and fluttering about. Apparently they come back earlier than the females, to hang out with the boys and look for likely nesting spots.
Who knew?
This last month I was thinking a great deal about Mother Nature, Mother Earth, and the many goddesses who were worshiped throughout time.
I ended up doing this little illustration, too. I called it "Erda Greeting the Midwinter Sun." This is the first tree I've done that I'm really happy with.
Have you noticed all the trees that bloggers have been posting about in the last few days? I love it!
Erda actually is one of the names for Mother Earth. It's especially closely related to the German word for earth, which is "Erde." Have I ever mentioned that German was the first language I spoke? I learned English from my playmates and kindergarten classmates in Canada. Only German was spoken in our home.
That's why I chose the name "Erda" for my Earth Mother painting. To honor my heritage and the lives and beliefs of those who came long before me.
Erda was the goddess of fertility, the hearth, home, and domestic life. Some other names for the Earth Mother are:
Have you noticed all the trees that bloggers have been posting about in the last few days? I love it!
Erda actually is one of the names for Mother Earth. It's especially closely related to the German word for earth, which is "Erde." Have I ever mentioned that German was the first language I spoke? I learned English from my playmates and kindergarten classmates in Canada. Only German was spoken in our home.
That's why I chose the name "Erda" for my Earth Mother painting. To honor my heritage and the lives and beliefs of those who came long before me.
Erda was the goddess of fertility, the hearth, home, and domestic life. Some other names for the Earth Mother are:
Astarte
Bertha
Cybele
Ceres
Earth
Gaea
Gaia
Hertha
Herta
Hretha
Hrethra
Ishtar
Mother Earth
Nerthus
Peace Bringer
Bertha
Cybele
Ceres
Earth
Gaea
Gaia
Hertha
Herta
Hretha
Hrethra
Ishtar
Mother Earth
Nerthus
Peace Bringer
Rheda
Rhede
Tellus Mater
Rhede
Tellus Mater
I've always liked learning about what people thought about and considered important long ago. They often seemed to know mysterious and vital things that humanity has forgotten as we became more "civilized." It's interesting stuff.
