In the Celtic Year, Samhain marks the end of summer and the beginning of winter.  A threshold; a period of rest and regeneration before rebirth.

 Darkness grows;
An ending, a beginning,
And renewal.

I am fascinated by trees, and the elder tree (Sambucus nigra) is considered to be deeply connected to this midpoint between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice.  There are many superstitions surrounding the tree.  One that intrigued me was the idea of not bringing elder wood into the house and burning it in the fire, thus releasing malevolent spirits.  I have recently learned that burning elder wood releases cyanogenic compounds.  These are found in the bark, stems, roots, leaves and immature fruits. [1]  Nevertheless, when used correctly, so much of the tree is benevolent to humans.

I have been trying to do some serious drawing, finding it both therapeutic and frustrating; is that a contradiction? When I look at some of the amazing work of botanical artists like Lizzie Harper [2], I often feel overwhelmed, but that tension pushes me on. Her work is inspirational.

In the Celtic Tree Ogham, elder is the 15th tree (RUIS.R) and below is my representation of it in elder wood.

A few lines of a poem that I have been working on:

Elder

Growing in hedgerows,
Surounding grazed fields,
Fast growing Elder thrives.
In spring,
Its scented umbels
Herald the happy season of warmer days.
In autumn,
The scents are transformed,
And berries, like alien antennae
Hang; shiny, black and full of vigour,
They shiver on the air.
Green, lilac, black and purple,
The colours of this blessed tree.

Ashley


[1] https://botanical-online.com

[2] https://lizzieharper.co.uk