It's rainy and raw, today. I love these chilly days. It's about 45* out there, and it was near to 70* yesterday...welcome, Spring!
It's not a whole lot different up here than in North Carolina. I venture to guess Spring happens in much the same way in the Eastern United States, though at different times.
Here, we are in growing season 5-something (b?). Western NC was 7-something. And Spring, I hear, is a couple weeks behind schedule. My friend sent me an email this morning that she just found baby nettles growing about a half hour south of here. I can't wait to go forage some! I wasn't thrilled with the nettle tea I made last year, but I'll deal. Nettle tea = Spring Tonic, and although I think it tastes much like the water left behind when boiling spinach, I will drink it anyway, and toast to the season.
It's hard to believe Beltane is upon us already, in only a week! My personal habit, Beltane morning, is to wash my face in the morning dew, to retain my youthful beauty. This year shall be no different, though I expect to rather have to hunt for a place for dew, unlike in Asheville when I just had to walk out my door into the backyard.
Ahh, Spring...welcome, new growth and rebirth. Father Winter has for sure gone into hiding, until next year; I'm sure of it.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Holy Days
It is the day before Easter. As a Pagan, my main holy day is Ostara, but I appreciate and honor all paths to the Divine as valid, and as a child I was raised Episcopalian-- those roots don't go away. I love all religions and I am fascinated with each and every one. We go to a Christian church on Easter, usually Episcopalian.
When we lived in Asheville, we went to the Cathedral of All Souls in Biltmore. What a beautiful church that is! And Reverend (Father?) Todd Donatelli is the coolest person. I've seen him at interfaith things, and at the board meetings to push to get all religions equal treatment (or NO treatment, really) in the public schools, which is a Big Deal in the South, let me tell you. Up here in Massachusetts, it's a refreshing break not to talk about religion all.the.time. Nobody mentions it at all!
But one thing I realized out of all that religious talk down there is, I love talking about it. Not contentiously, but in a "I do God this way, how do you?". Because I find it so interesting. I don't find any of them wrong. Here is what I believe: There are many paths up the mountain, as it were. Many paths. Some go winding and meandering around, some go straight up...you get my meaning. But they're all striving to reach the top. It's the striving that counts.
Back when I was first interested in Paganism, I met a woman who identified as a Celtic Christian. I was confused enough with all the new Pagan paths I was discovering, but what was this? She told me that she honored all the Old Ways, but she couldn't give up Jesus Christ as her lord and savior. Weird, to me, but cool. Anyway, she once told me that "If you aren't in love with your religion, you're not doing it right". That really stuck with me, and I believe it, too. I don't believe in lip service only, to the Divine(s)...I believe in jumping in all the way.
So here I sit on the eve of the most reverent Holy Day in the Christian traditions, honoring Jesus' path to enlightenment, as it were....as a Witch. And I really don't see any contradiction in that.
When we lived in Asheville, we went to the Cathedral of All Souls in Biltmore. What a beautiful church that is! And Reverend (Father?) Todd Donatelli is the coolest person. I've seen him at interfaith things, and at the board meetings to push to get all religions equal treatment (or NO treatment, really) in the public schools, which is a Big Deal in the South, let me tell you. Up here in Massachusetts, it's a refreshing break not to talk about religion all.the.time. Nobody mentions it at all!
But one thing I realized out of all that religious talk down there is, I love talking about it. Not contentiously, but in a "I do God this way, how do you?". Because I find it so interesting. I don't find any of them wrong. Here is what I believe: There are many paths up the mountain, as it were. Many paths. Some go winding and meandering around, some go straight up...you get my meaning. But they're all striving to reach the top. It's the striving that counts.
Back when I was first interested in Paganism, I met a woman who identified as a Celtic Christian. I was confused enough with all the new Pagan paths I was discovering, but what was this? She told me that she honored all the Old Ways, but she couldn't give up Jesus Christ as her lord and savior. Weird, to me, but cool. Anyway, she once told me that "If you aren't in love with your religion, you're not doing it right". That really stuck with me, and I believe it, too. I don't believe in lip service only, to the Divine(s)...I believe in jumping in all the way.
So here I sit on the eve of the most reverent Holy Day in the Christian traditions, honoring Jesus' path to enlightenment, as it were....as a Witch. And I really don't see any contradiction in that.
Saturday, March 1, 2014
The tide is turning. I can feel it. Spring is definitely in the air.
There's still feet of snow on the ground, only less, because it was over 40* for two days and then it rained, so now there's feet of snowbanks covered in ice (only you wouldn't know it's ice till you get right up close and personal with it). The back "yard" has lots less in it, and I can actually see grass patches!
There's supposed to be new snow this coming week, and this week has seen temperatures once again in the single digits at night and 20s in the day, but...I can feel it. I can feel it. I can SMELL it. Spring.
I have three friends and a relative with birthdays this week, and one almost-brother-in-law who has an Equinox birthday. I can't believe that Ostara is only three weeks away! My new Pagan friends and I are planning a small ritual. I'm pretty excited to be Doing Ritual with other people! We did go to a couple of public family events but they were rather geared toward much younger children than mine, and while we did have fun, we had to travel umpteen miles to go to them. I want stuff to happen right here in my town, and this city is twice the population of Asheville, so, there's no excuse...I am going to sniff out the Pagans somehow. I found three. Now to find more.
My personal life is looking up. True Love and I are working out the kinks of having me actually BE here, in the same town, instead of our relationship being some Utopian thing that Doesn't Exist Yet except in our imaginations. It's Real and getting Realer. Which is wonderful, and sometimes not so wonderful, because nothing is ever up to the Utopian standards we hold ourselves to! And, things are getting better. You know you have a good relationship when things can be talked out, worked out, and we still love each other super duper lots.
The Sentinals that guard the parking lot of our building have lost their snowy mittens. They had shelves of snow that rather resembled chicken mushrooms. And I am seeing squirrels again, and a bird this morning. I think the sparrows really did go south a bit. I can't wait till they come back. I miss the crows terribly. Ain't no crows here on this property. True Love has them at his place across town, and I bought a crow-caller, but I feel like an eejit blowing that thing outdoors.
Working on grounding and shielding more often and more frequently throughout the day. I do feel the better for it.
There's still feet of snow on the ground, only less, because it was over 40* for two days and then it rained, so now there's feet of snowbanks covered in ice (only you wouldn't know it's ice till you get right up close and personal with it). The back "yard" has lots less in it, and I can actually see grass patches!
There's supposed to be new snow this coming week, and this week has seen temperatures once again in the single digits at night and 20s in the day, but...I can feel it. I can feel it. I can SMELL it. Spring.
I have three friends and a relative with birthdays this week, and one almost-brother-in-law who has an Equinox birthday. I can't believe that Ostara is only three weeks away! My new Pagan friends and I are planning a small ritual. I'm pretty excited to be Doing Ritual with other people! We did go to a couple of public family events but they were rather geared toward much younger children than mine, and while we did have fun, we had to travel umpteen miles to go to them. I want stuff to happen right here in my town, and this city is twice the population of Asheville, so, there's no excuse...I am going to sniff out the Pagans somehow. I found three. Now to find more.
My personal life is looking up. True Love and I are working out the kinks of having me actually BE here, in the same town, instead of our relationship being some Utopian thing that Doesn't Exist Yet except in our imaginations. It's Real and getting Realer. Which is wonderful, and sometimes not so wonderful, because nothing is ever up to the Utopian standards we hold ourselves to! And, things are getting better. You know you have a good relationship when things can be talked out, worked out, and we still love each other super duper lots.
The Sentinals that guard the parking lot of our building have lost their snowy mittens. They had shelves of snow that rather resembled chicken mushrooms. And I am seeing squirrels again, and a bird this morning. I think the sparrows really did go south a bit. I can't wait till they come back. I miss the crows terribly. Ain't no crows here on this property. True Love has them at his place across town, and I bought a crow-caller, but I feel like an eejit blowing that thing outdoors.
Working on grounding and shielding more often and more frequently throughout the day. I do feel the better for it.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
More snow!
We're supposed to get another foot, on top of the one that's already out there. It's coming down hard. The Boy has a snow day today. I am supposed to work tomorrow, in Northborough, and go to a workshop for work after my shift...we shall see! If I can drive, I shall go. I need the money.
I'm not feeling awfully Witchy lately...I am having a hard time in my personal life, and I know that connecting to my Witchy self would really help in that direction...but it's hard to do that when I'm feeling so low.
I had promised, last year, to keep up a Daily Practice, including meditation, self-blessing, grounding and centering, journaling. I have slacked off hard, with those things.
Yesterday I did smudge and do my self-blessing, and I did feel all the better for it. I have been grounding and shielding wherever and whenever I can-- the Short Version, lol!-- but it does help.
This water-poisoning in West Virginia, and now the coal sludge crapola in NC, is really getting to me. I am impotent and helpless and the best I can do, here in MA with no money to send, is to thank and bless the water that comes out of my tap every time I shower in the mornings. I am remembering my gratitude with the things that most people take for granted. I am picking up another three-liter jug of water when I go to the store, in case it's our turn next to have poisoned water. This is an outrage, and in my mind, terrorist acts by our own people...well...corporations, sanctioned by our own governments...if these acts happened *to* us by other countries, we'd be on it like white on rice. I could go on and on, but I shall not...in the meanwhile, I am thankful for what I have, and for my boy's health and my True Love's health, and for clean water and breathable air. Thank you, thank you.
I'm not feeling awfully Witchy lately...I am having a hard time in my personal life, and I know that connecting to my Witchy self would really help in that direction...but it's hard to do that when I'm feeling so low.
I had promised, last year, to keep up a Daily Practice, including meditation, self-blessing, grounding and centering, journaling. I have slacked off hard, with those things.
Yesterday I did smudge and do my self-blessing, and I did feel all the better for it. I have been grounding and shielding wherever and whenever I can-- the Short Version, lol!-- but it does help.
This water-poisoning in West Virginia, and now the coal sludge crapola in NC, is really getting to me. I am impotent and helpless and the best I can do, here in MA with no money to send, is to thank and bless the water that comes out of my tap every time I shower in the mornings. I am remembering my gratitude with the things that most people take for granted. I am picking up another three-liter jug of water when I go to the store, in case it's our turn next to have poisoned water. This is an outrage, and in my mind, terrorist acts by our own people...well...corporations, sanctioned by our own governments...if these acts happened *to* us by other countries, we'd be on it like white on rice. I could go on and on, but I shall not...in the meanwhile, I am thankful for what I have, and for my boy's health and my True Love's health, and for clean water and breathable air. Thank you, thank you.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Random New-Blog Musings
Here is my family: Me. The Boy, just turned 13 years old. True Love, who just asked me to marry him on my this-past-birthday, in November (I said YES!). And our newest family member: Hobbes, the 7 year old kitty-cat-meow that I got for The Boy for his birthday, from the rescue shelter.
Hobbes came to us on January 19th. He seemed to acclimate really well really fast, which is a wonderful thing, because he was surrendered from his old family, where he was for his whole 7 years, because, get this-- he was going outside his box. Because the family got a new baby (understandable), AND a new cat and a new dog. So they gave up on Hobbes. I am heartbroken whenever I think about this!
So Hobbes started going outside his box HERE, pee only, over the last 3 days or so, and I took him to the vet ($189...on a credit card...sigh) and they said nothing's wrong. Nothing in the lab work. Turns out, I think, that besides being kind of a nervous kitteh, he suddenly decided he didn't like his litter anymore.
Got new litter and put in a few more boxes and he peed in both, so *cross fingers*...I really don't like the upheaval, either, having to not have bathroom rugs because it is bloody COLD on the bare tootsies on a tile floor when it's 11*F outside.
I digress...I am supposed to be (according to me) writing about my Craft, being a Witch, moving from NC to MA...so, it's Winter here. Full-on Winter. |
Asheville, NC, barely has a winter anymore. From what I hear, they actually Got Snow this year, but if you ask me, it's more or less the first time since '09 when we got like two feet and the whole world shut down for a week while Buncombe County tried to figure out what to do with all that snow.
Here, mostly, people don't even bat an eye. There were THREE plows on my street the other day. Granted, I'm not on a major street, so they don't get to it till mostly later in the day or the next day, but they do plow, and they do salt, and they do sand. Buncombe County, I hear, has just four plows for the whole county. My thru-street rarely got plowed or sanded. So this is kind of a novelty, watching people here get rid of snow just as fast as it can come down.
The what-passes-for-a-backyard (I live in the city-- rare green spaces, this) is covered in feet of snow, and it is breathtakingly beautiful. I have a bird feeder but I haven't seen anybody in awhile. There are six giant pine trees (The Sentinals) guarding the parking lot of the 3-decker that we live in. I haven't seen the birdies that nest in those, either, in awhile. I wonder if birds go away altogether, here, in the cold, cold season. I would, if I had itty-bitty feet.
I am finally meeting local Pagans! On the 15th of this month, I am meeting with three members of the UU church we go to, to plan an Ostara ritual. Four people...well, that's one for each quarter, provided they do that...they've been meeting for awhile and I am the outsider, so I shall have to hush and see how they do things.
I really, REALLY miss Mother Grove http://www.mothergroveavl.org/ the organization I used to go to their open rituals in Asheville. If I'd stayed there, I would have probably been getting lots more involved. I have to find my footing here. I have to. I miss my tribe, I really do.
Hobbes came to us on January 19th. He seemed to acclimate really well really fast, which is a wonderful thing, because he was surrendered from his old family, where he was for his whole 7 years, because, get this-- he was going outside his box. Because the family got a new baby (understandable), AND a new cat and a new dog. So they gave up on Hobbes. I am heartbroken whenever I think about this!
So Hobbes started going outside his box HERE, pee only, over the last 3 days or so, and I took him to the vet ($189...on a credit card...sigh) and they said nothing's wrong. Nothing in the lab work. Turns out, I think, that besides being kind of a nervous kitteh, he suddenly decided he didn't like his litter anymore.
Got new litter and put in a few more boxes and he peed in both, so *cross fingers*...I really don't like the upheaval, either, having to not have bathroom rugs because it is bloody COLD on the bare tootsies on a tile floor when it's 11*F outside.
I digress...I am supposed to be (according to me) writing about my Craft, being a Witch, moving from NC to MA...so, it's Winter here. Full-on Winter. |
Asheville, NC, barely has a winter anymore. From what I hear, they actually Got Snow this year, but if you ask me, it's more or less the first time since '09 when we got like two feet and the whole world shut down for a week while Buncombe County tried to figure out what to do with all that snow.
Here, mostly, people don't even bat an eye. There were THREE plows on my street the other day. Granted, I'm not on a major street, so they don't get to it till mostly later in the day or the next day, but they do plow, and they do salt, and they do sand. Buncombe County, I hear, has just four plows for the whole county. My thru-street rarely got plowed or sanded. So this is kind of a novelty, watching people here get rid of snow just as fast as it can come down.
The what-passes-for-a-backyard (I live in the city-- rare green spaces, this) is covered in feet of snow, and it is breathtakingly beautiful. I have a bird feeder but I haven't seen anybody in awhile. There are six giant pine trees (The Sentinals) guarding the parking lot of the 3-decker that we live in. I haven't seen the birdies that nest in those, either, in awhile. I wonder if birds go away altogether, here, in the cold, cold season. I would, if I had itty-bitty feet.
I am finally meeting local Pagans! On the 15th of this month, I am meeting with three members of the UU church we go to, to plan an Ostara ritual. Four people...well, that's one for each quarter, provided they do that...they've been meeting for awhile and I am the outsider, so I shall have to hush and see how they do things.
I really, REALLY miss Mother Grove http://www.mothergroveavl.org/ the organization I used to go to their open rituals in Asheville. If I'd stayed there, I would have probably been getting lots more involved. I have to find my footing here. I have to. I miss my tribe, I really do.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Merry Meet, world wide web folks! Yes, this is new, but it's a continuation of a blog I had at another site, only the other one didn't allow comments and since I got brave enough to put my thoughts out there in public, it would have been kind of nice to not just have "followers", but "commenters". So here I am.
Anyway, my family moved to MA from NC in June of 2013, and I can't believe we've been here over 7 months already!
Still getting used to living in the NorthEast after being in the South since 1988. Lived on the Outer Banks for 14 years and then Asheville until last year. I feel like I've moved to another country, with the accents up here! I dunno if I will ever get used to the New England accent.
I shall have to continue this later. I just wanted to set it up, for now.
So here I am. Weird photo, this!
Anyway, my family moved to MA from NC in June of 2013, and I can't believe we've been here over 7 months already!
Still getting used to living in the NorthEast after being in the South since 1988. Lived on the Outer Banks for 14 years and then Asheville until last year. I feel like I've moved to another country, with the accents up here! I dunno if I will ever get used to the New England accent.
I shall have to continue this later. I just wanted to set it up, for now.
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