Sparrow In a Box

Yesterday as I rose with thoughts of preparing for Lammas, I found an injured sparrow in my yard. Its hurt little body touched my heart. I was saddened and conflicted, as I had rose in happy thought mode, to celebrate Lammas and give thanks for all which I have received.

So I did what I could for the sparrow. I picked it up and gently put it in a box filled with mulch. I added some water in a shallow dish, and the same seed which they love to eat, from my feeder. I vacillated between constantly checking on it and leaving it alone, moving its rescue home into the shade, when the Sun got too hot.

Later in the day, when I made another check it didn't look too good. Earlier in the day, it had managed to get around in the box, but now its body was in a horrible contorted position. Something told me it wasn't going to make it.
I decided to take it out of the box and put it back under the tree, where I'd found it earlier. I prayed to the Goddess to watch over it and for me to accept Her will, as She truly is Mother of All Living Things. But I didn't want to see it suffer. Poor little thing.

Before darkness fell, I checked on it again. Its little body was fluttering in the mulch. Oh my heart. There was nothing else I could do. I said more prayers and went forward with lighting our Lammas candle and breaking bread.

I thought about the little sparrow out there in the night, and sent good thoughts its way. I hoped I wouldn't dream of dead sparrows.

This morning, my writing muses called me early. I woke up, got settled in and began to put words on the page. And lo and behold, what did I see outside my window? THE SPARROW!

It was alive! It lived! It had made it from the tree all the way across the yard. I went out to it and it actually cocked its head to my voice. I sat with it, put out a little water and seed, which it didn't drink or eat, but that was okay. It knew I was trying to help it.

I watched it take stronger and stronger steps. And then it attempted flight only to fall from the sky and hit the picnic table. Oh MY HEART. Watching it trying to fly and then fall, is beyond my words to describe. Is this how Mother Nature feels?

It was stunned. But it shook it off and a bit later tried to fly again. This time it made to a branch.  I checked on it a bit later. It was no where to be seen. Apparently lift and take off was a success. Hurray!

Such a blessing as the Wheel turns. My heart is filled with gratitude to have been able to help and for the trust the little sparrow put in me. I actually shed a few tears when it took off.

Blessed Be is the Great Mother. Blessed be are we.

Here's a photo of my little friend:

Prepping for Lammas

It's July and it's hot. It's hard to get our minds around harvest time celebrations, although if the heat is wearing you down, you probably are already entertaining thoughts of cooler days and nights. And since we know Summer will eventually leave us, now is a good time to start thinking about the ritual of our first harvest celebration.

Granted sometimes there isn't much time for ritual prep. I know it's been for hard for me, for many years, to get ahead of the Wheel. Seems we just get over one holiday and the next one is on the horizon. And if you follow the Wheel of the Year, we have eight holidays to prep for and celebrate, which can seem like a lot. Sometimes all one can do is acknowledge the day, perhaps light a candle and blow a kiss. Believe me I've been there. So I am grateful for the times when I can do a little pre-ritual preparing, even if it's only in my thoughts.

Following the everyday calendar, there won't be another holiday until Labor Day in September. It's nice to have the lesser Sabbat of Lammas to break up the long hot Summer. And since Witches are keenly tuned to Nature, we can feel the change coming. As I live in Colorado, the mornings already have a slight chill to them, even as the boiling hot day comes into play.

Llewellyn publishes wonderful resources, books, and hints on how to prepare for the Sabbats. I'm thinking of setting out delicious veggies, plants and flowers. All things which symbolize the abundance of a first harvest, the good stuff the hot Summer days have brought us. We've got a few weeks to go, so of course none of these ideas are set in stone, but it's good to start thinking about it!