Rounding the Year: New Leaf Buds at the Spring Equinox

One of the things I find most joyful at the spring equinox is the sight of new leaf buds on trees. The photo at the top shows the first green leaves on the horse chestnut tree in my local park. 

When I was a child, my mum and I would go down the garden to cut sticky buds from the massive horse chestnut tree at the end. They're called "sticky buds" because they're covered with a protective natural adhesive that keeps the buds safe all winter and allows the new leaves to form a bit earlier than those of some other trees. You can just see the brown, sticky remains of the bud scales below the leaves in the picture.

Mum and I would carry our bunch of twigs indoors and put them in a vase of water to watch the leaves unfurl indoors. It seemed magical then, and it still seems part the seaon's enchantment to me now. I no longer live in a house with a horse chestnut tree, but I went into my garden yesterday and pruned a few sycamore twigs and put them in a vase for my spring equinox altar. (There's a sycamore bud photo to the left)

I've seen a lot of memes shared about flowers suitable for an altar at this time of year, including daffodils, primroses and blossom. They are beautiful springtime blooms, but I think leaf buds are just as perfect. 

On the subject of memes, I thought I'd also mention that I've seen some very unseasonal flowers suggested for spring equinox altars too. My advice is always to go outside and have a look for yourself to see what's in bloom in your area rather than just relying on information shared on social media.

Share your seasonal photos!

I recently started prompts to share seasonal pictures, art, crafts, words and other creativity. I'll continue this over the months ahead. I'd love to encourage readers to record what's happening in nature in various ways including photographs, journalling, drawing or painting and crafting.

Here are ways to share the things you're doing or what you see out and about as the wheel turns:

• Leave a comment on this post about what you're up to
• Find my prompts to share on my Facebook Page: Lucya Starza Pagan Portals Author
• Share on Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) with the tag #RoundingtheYear

Where to Find my Book

My book offers more ways to acknowledge the Wheel of the Year and celebrate the seasons in ritual, magic, folklore and nature. You can find it at estoeric bookshops and via my publisher Moon Books: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/moon-books/our-books/pagan-portals-rounding-wheel-year

Previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/03/spring-spellcraft-growing-herbs.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/02/rounding-year-camelia-forsythia-blossom.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/02/spring-herb-lore-greater-periwinkle-or.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/02/rounding-year-flowers-birds-pancakes.html