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Ostara 2020 in Pictures

Ostara BannerIt’s hard to know what to say about how completely everything has changed—for everyone—since I last posted. A lot of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic struck my community shortly before Ostara. But my observation of the spring equinox wasn’t significantly affected: as a solitary Pagan, I was going to decorate and eat and pray and make offerings alone at home no matter what.

Here are a few photographic impressions of my Ostara celebration. If you’re interested in the history and science of the holiday, check out last year’s Ostara post; for an explanation of how I’m blogging about the sabbats this year, see my post from Imbolc 2020.

As I mentioned at Imbolc, I’m in the process of making a decorative bunting for every sabbat. The one at the top of this post was the first one I created; it predates my formal adoption of Paganism and was originally intended to be general spring décor.

Ostara Dinner
Right before Ostara, institutions in my city, including the university where I study and work, began to close in response to the pandemic. As a result, there was a bit of a run on the grocery stores and I wasn’t able to get everything on my shopping list. (Shortages continue as I write this.) I wasn’t able to make my planned Ostara meal but I managed to produce something delicious anyway: slow cooker baked beans, tarragon rice, and steamed green beans. I also had a beer, which I tried to savor since I have no idea when I’ll be able to get more. Liquor stores in my province remain open to serve those living with addiction, but I don’t think it would be socially responsible for me to visit one since beer and wine aren’t necessities for me.

Key Lime Pie
Perhaps unsurprisingly, no one was trying to stock up on key limes, so my Ostara pie plan remained feasible. I made key lime pie for the first time. It wasn’t too hard at all (except for juicing all the tiny key limes) and I liked it better than the banana cream pie I made for Imbolc. I also liked it better than most other key lime pies I’ve had, and I was already a big fan of key lime pie. I would definitely make this again.

Ostara Plants
The spring equinox falls during the earliest part of spring in my region. At this year’s equinox, snowdrops were in full bloom and the first crocuses of the season were emerging. In my own little garden, green shoots herald the imminent arrival of daffodils and tulips. When I moved into this place there were a couple white daffodils, orange tulips, and purple hyacinths mostly hidden under an invasive shrub; when we redid the garden last year, I tried to avoid disturbing those bulbs and also added some left over from potted tulips I’d received as a gift. I have no idea what will bloom this year but the shoots are a good sign!

Since I’ve been celebrating Pagan holidays, I’ve felt a little sad that Ostara is over and past when spring is barely getting started. I’ve always enjoyed spring celebrations and this one feels kind of anticlimactic. But I believe that all Pagan holidays are basically seasons anyway, and I have to remind myself that I actually have a second spring holiday to look forward to, which is more than most religions get! I’ll be doing my best to enjoy every moment of spring between now and Beltane.

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