Saturday, March 28, 2009

Feast Day of St. Alkelda

March 28 is the feast day of St. Alkelda. According to legend, Alkelda was an Anglo-Saxon princess in 800 A.D. who was strangled to death by pagan Danish women. According to my research, there is no documentation of this saint until the late Middle-Ages, and her name may simply be derived from the Saxon word haligkelda, which can be translated to "holy well" or "healing spring." Alkelda has two churches dedicated to her: one in Middleham, and one in Giggleswick.

March 28 is also my birthday. Today I am 37, and while birthdays aren't quite the big deal that they were when I was a little girl, I'm still self-centered enough to think of it as the real first day of spring. On March 20, the daffodils were still closed, but now they are in bloom, as are the violets. The trillium in my garden have just begun to unfurl their petals. Speaking of trillium, I am currently at work stitching up a trillium boy doll (nature table action figure!) for the Etsy shop opening May 1. I've already stitched up a red sunflower and a borage doll. I feel a bit wistful about selling them, as it's different from making dolls for friends on commission or as presents. When I told my mom about my ambivalence, she said, "Your grandfather always felt that way about his paintings."

12 comments:

tanita✿davis said...

How cute! Here your prince of daffodils would be a St. Daffyd dolly, as he's the patron saint of the Welsh, and those of Welsh ancestry wear daffodils in their lapels this month.

Happy Birthday! I wouldn't want to get rid of my dolls, either!

jama said...

Happy Birthday, Farida! Thanks for filling the world with beauty and music. :)

Lone Star Ma said...

Happy Birthday! Love you!

Anamaria (bookstogether) said...

Happy birthday, Farida! Thank you for sharing Saint Akelda's story today, and your words, stories, music, and art *every* day. Many happy returns!

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday! Our daffodils aren't get in bloom, but they've grown a good inch and a half this week, so it's looking like maybe another week and a half or so. I hope.

El JoPe Magnifico said...

Dear Ms. The Gleeful,

Hee, "Alkelda of Giggleswick". I've heard it before, but still it amuses. Though I always have to stop and think before repeating it myself, because a friend owns a domain using the word "Gigglewax".

Bon anniversaire à toi,
Señor Magnifico

Saints and Spinners said...

Thank you, all! What lovely words.

Andromeda Jazmon said...

Happy Birthday!! Our daffodils are just opening in the last couple days. It's a lovely time to have a birthday celebration. Your daffodil boy is just charming.

I feel the same way about selling things I've made. I'd much rather make them as gifts. I am proud of you for putting up the Etsy shop though. I am sure it will do well.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Sorry. I know that I am a little late but Happy Birthday Farida! Middleham has, as I am sure you already knew, particularly strong associations with the infamous Richard III. Jeez you have massive daffodils in Seattle unless that boy doll is of miniature proportions!

mamakopp said...

Happy Birthday! I always learn something new when I venture here :)

GraceAnne LadyHawk said...

We are just back from celebrating my mother's 86th birthday on March 27. I wish you flowers and many happies.
In the northeast Bronx, at the edge of New York City, the crocuses are almost spent, the Hellebore just bloomed this morning, and the daffodils have begun to open.

Charlotte said...

Happy Birthday! Happy Spring!

We have daffodils, just barely, but no sign at all of violets yet...