Folklore – Wineberry Wood Press

26Mar 2025 by catbird No Comments

“Clear and Bright”

Craft Project, Folklore, Foraging, Learning, Picture Book Buds, Spring

Picture Book Buds are a fun and easy way to incorporate literacy into nature study. Read a book (you can even read it outside!) and then enjoy the related activity and snack suggestions! Clear and Bright: A Ching Ming Festival Story Written by: Teresa Robeson Illustrated by: William Low Clear and Bright: A Ching Ming Festival Story is a lovely, lyrical story about a family celebrating the Ching Ming Festival. This is a spring festival right around the same time as spring equinox that has been on my radar for some time, but that I didn't previously know very much about. When I came across this picture book I jumped at the chance to learn more. If you have read much of my work than you may have noticed that…

20Mar 2025 by catbird 1 Comment

“When We Gather (Ostadahlisiha): A Cherokee Tribal Feast”

Folklore, Foraging, Hike Ideas, Learning, Picture Book Hikes, Spring, Spring Equinox

Picture Book Hikes are a fun and easy way to bring learning outside. Read a book (you can even read it outside!) and then enjoy the related hike, activity and snack suggestions! When We Gather (Ostadahlisiha): A Cherokee Tribal Feast Written by: Andrea L. Rogers, Illustrated by: Madelyn Goodnight When We Gather (Ostadahlisiha): A Cherokee Tribal Feast is about a familiy foraging in the early spring for wild onions and then joining a feast at their local community center. I was excited to come across it because I am always looking for seasonal celebrations from different cultures and this is one I had not come across before. I also love wild onions in the spring, they are one of the first (if not the very first) edible plants to start growing, months…

12Mar 2025 by catbird No Comments

What is Spring Equinox?

Folklore, Learning, Spring, Spring Equinox

The Spring or Vernal Equinox is the midpoint between the Summer and Winter Solstices. Day and night are of equal length in nearly all parts of the world. The word equinox comes from the Latin words for “equal night”—aequus (equal) and nox (night). On the Spring Equinox the Earth’s tilt is at zero relative to the sun, meaning it is not tilting towards or away from the light, it is in balance. The Equinox is the astronomical first day of spring, traditionally starting the spring season. Sunlight increases, dawn is earlier, sunset is later and the earth begins again. This time of year has long been associated with spring and rebirth in cultures across the world. It was an important marker in the agricultural cycle, time to begin planting and…

29Dec 2024 by catbird No Comments

“Yours, Befana: A Letter from the Winter Witch”

Craft Project, Folklore, Picture Book Buds, Play, Recipes, Twelfth Night, Winter

Picture Book Buds are a fun and easy way to incorporate literacy into nature study. Read a book (you can even read it outside!) and then enjoy the related activity and snack suggestions! Yours, Befana: A Letter from the Winter Witch Written by: Barbara Cuoghi, Illustrated by: Elenia Beretta, Translated by: Genni Gunn Yours, Befana: A Letter from the Winter Witch is a picture book that has been translated from its original Italian which tells the story of Befana the Winter Witch. If you have read my blog before you may know that I am a huge fan of Befana (check out my Befana bread here) and always include her in our Twelfth Night festivities, I have even considered writing a picture book about her because all of the ones that…

21Dec 2024 by catbird No Comments

What is Winter Solstice?

Folklore, Learning, Winter, Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice is the day that the earth is tilted the furthest away from the sun and consequently has more hours of darkness and less hours of light then any other day of the year. Every day after the Winter Solstice there is gradually a little more light until the Summer Solstice. The sun is at its lowest point in the sky on the Winter Solstice and shadows become stretched out and longer than usual. Ancient people thought that the sun was dying and being reborn on this day. The Winter Solstice most often falls on December 21st and has long been a day of celebration. In fact, it was a whole season of celebration in ancient times. The time between Winter Solstice and the Twelfth Night was once…

10Dec 2024 by catbird No Comments

Deer Mother Winter Solstice Cookies

Folklore, Recipes, Winter, Winter Solstice

After drawing my 2024 Winter Solstice Countdown calendar I couldn't stop thinking about the beautiful image of the deer carrying the sun in it's antlers. I was thinking about all of the Winter Solstice cookies I have made and wondering how I could make one that really is Winter Solstice. Full stop. My Longest Night cookie almost does that, but for the most part they would be perfectly appropriate for a variety of holidays. Generally I like that, we celebrate secular Christmas and Hanukkah too. But I wanted to make one cookie that was unabashedly for the Solstice. Hence the Deer Mother Cookie was born. First, a little background on the Deer Mother. There has been a deer mother/ winter solstice tale making the rounds lately with most claiming it…

13Nov 2024 by catbird No Comments

Magical Winter Solstice Rituals & Traditions

Folklore, Winter, Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice is the day that the earth is tilted the furthest away from the sun and consequently has more hours of darkness and less hours of light than any other day of the year. Every day after the Winter Solstice there is gradually a little more light until the Summer Solstice. Ancient people thought that the sun was dying and being reborn on this day. The Winter Solstice most often falls on December 21st and has long been a day of celebration. In fact, it was a whole season of celebration in ancient times. The sun is at its lowest point in the sky on the Winter Solstice and shadows become stretched out and longer than usual. The word solstice comes from the Latin, sol means sun and stitium…

31Oct 2024 by catbird No Comments

What is Samhain?

Autumn, Folklore, Learning, Samhain

Samhain is a celebration halfway between the Autumn Equinox (the official start of fall) and the Winter Solstice (the official start of winter). It is observed on November 1st, although the technical astronomical midpoint varies slightly. It is what is known as a “cross quarter” day on the Wheel of the Year. These days are seasonal midpoints in between the “quarters” or solstices/ equinoxes. This celebration can be known as Halloween, All Souls Day, Dia de la Muertos or Samhain. It is the end of the harvest season and begins the darker half of the Wheel of the Year. It is the last harvest of any remaining food before the killing frost sets in, but it’s also the time to harvest seed for next year. For our ancestors this time…

22Oct 2024 by catbird No Comments

Samhain Simmer Pot

Autumn, Folklore, Samhain, Simmer Pot

Where I live Samhain is when the cold really starts to set in. Simmer pots become more than just a way to make the house smell nice, they add much needed moisture and warmth to the air in my drafty old house. Samhain is more of a time for quiet reflection than other fall holidays, thinking about those who are no longer with us and the cycle of life. Consequently, this recipe has a different vibe. It's not all apples and pumpkin spice it's more about memory. If there is a plant or scent you associate with a particular loved one, that would be a perfect thing to add as well. Use this recipe as a start and add anything else that speaks to you– you might just really like…

21Sep 2024 by catbird No Comments

What is Autumn Equinox?

Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Folklore, Learning

The Fall or Autumnal Equinox is the midpoint between the Summer and Winter Solstices. Day and night are of equal length in nearly all parts of the world. The word equinox comes from the Latin words for “equal night”—aequus (equal) and nox (night). On the Autumn Equinox the Earth’s tilt is at zero relative to the sun, meaning it is not tilting towards or away from the light, it is in balance. The Equinox is the astronomical first day of fall, traditionally starting the fall season. Darkness and night increase, we move within our homes and ourselves and begin to prepare ourselves for the coming winter. This is the time of year when farmers would know how well their summer crops did, and whether they would have enough food for…

Category: Folklore