An dà shealladh

Only a thousnad times? If it's primarily a US site, then I think you have to show more patience :> Besides, North Americans generally don't acknowledge anything before the 'concrete' age, whichever way you read that.

Scouring sounds harsher, akin to several references I read regarding her 'smiting the earth', and cleansing, although appropriate, harbours connotations of 'permanent removal'. As far as I understand it, Cailleach's ritual cleansing forms part of the seasonal cycle, a preparation for hibernation until the 'renewal' of the land at the start of the second/summer season - the genesis beneath her feet. Funny how pagan stuff makes perfect (natural) sense Farmers and gardeners alike traditionally welcomed sub-zero condidtions to kill off harmful bacterial/fungal/viral microbes for a 'fresh' start in spring; and why they regarded it as 'good practice' to clear residual debris in which the nasty bastards can shelter. Now they just spray, play and pray, I guess.

So cleansing would be good - it sounds 'softer', but it possibly represents a more comprehensive clean-out? Scouring is often associated with a superficial, abrasive action applied to visible contamination - or is that just me scratching the surface of the word's meaning?

Do I look too particular in this discussion? And is anything ever labelled as 'finished'? :> (This one surely has to be close to the close?)

Cleansing or scouring maybe?  I posted this on another site recently and they took issue with concrete, but I suspect they really just didn't get what I was driving at (despite explaining it about a thousand times).