Pictures

A long busy week comes to an end. The most beautiful weather gilding each day. A walk around my yard to see the end of summer and the beginnings of autumn.

Tiny mushroom village

Petunias and purple fountain grass

Bright red berries on the yew tree

Clusters of rowan berries (also called Mountain Ash)

Our three year old weeping willow

Little red "helicopters" on the Japanese maple

Late afternoon sunbeams

Sweet Autumn clematis on the front porch

Now we wait for the majesty of Autumn Colors. Brief, but beauteous. My heart beats fast just imagining it!

Glorious Universe

Click on the link below to view an amazing slide show of photographs of our incredible solar system, galaxy and the Universe. It is a compilation of entries from around the world for "The Royal Observatory Greenwich's Astronomy Photographer of the Year" competition. These photographs are awe-inspiring.

Astronomy Photographer of 2013
 (the link starts you on photo 3; I can't seem to find a link that starts on photo 1)

The skies now are vividly beautiful with these cool, crisp Autumn nights. It is humbling, but also inspirational to gaze at this wonderful natural beauty. And also, very spiritually enhancing.

Take time to observe and to know that we are also part of this awesome Universe. Perhaps that sounds somewhat naive in the face of much horror, war and the despicable deeds that humans perpetrate on each other. But I believe there is much goodness, too in this world of ours; I am counting on the combined positive energies of all the good on this planet to keep it spinning. This is a driving force of my Wiccan Path. Honor the Universe, honor ourselves.

Sage Away

Okay, kids...what's the first thing a witch does when bringing something into the house such as an antique, collectible, something old?

Yes,you in the far corner over there!!! Correct! First you clean. Then you cleanse. With sage. Of course.

So after vacuuming out and wiping down, I placed bunches of dried sage into my small cauldron, then lit it and saged the heck out of my new-old cupboard. (the dining room, living room and kitchen got saged pretty well too!)

Sagey Haze

This cupboard is called a Larkin. It is what falls into the category of a "Hoosier" cupboard---a baker's cupboard. I am not sure of the age of this cupboard, probably made in the '30s.  Solid maple with all the wonderful drawers and cupboards. The "counter" space needs work, as someone had glued a piece of linoleum on it. Looks like the original wood is still underneath the old dried up glue.

I'll show better photos after I get it fixed up and filled with "stuff".

After lighting the sage and saying some ritual words about chasing negativity away, I let the sage in the cauldron burn until it goes out. It's a good thing to do to dispel dark or negative energies that may cling to an object.

Glorious autumn day today!!  Take care. Hugs from Robin.

Blue Jays from a new tapestry I got a couple of weeks ago

Blessed Mabon

Source

Autumn Bound!!

Just a couple of more days until the Autumnal Equinox (Mabon)! Subtle colors are showing on the trees and the nights are just that little bit nippy.

The Syracuse area Pagan Pride Festival is taking place on Saturday, Sept 21st. Can't wait to go!!

Pulling out the fall sweaters and sweatshirts, and even got some new socks, baby....in autumn colors.

This time of year makes a witch's heart full.  Very inspiring, don't you agree?

On the homefront this morning, our kittens sliced open the bottom of the screen on the slider, and slipped out into the backyard. Since they are indoor cats, and we have traffic on two sides of our house, naturally I went into panic mode. We have a fence, but they can squeeze under, or climb up. They actually teased us by staying under the deck for a long while, ignoring the opening of a tin of cat food, the shaking of the treats container, the beaming of the laser pointing and the shaking of the feather wand. But finally they were ready to get out of the sun and muddiness under the deck and scrambled back in the open door which I slammed shut behind. Now they have spent about 45 minutes grooming!

Happy Birthday to my kid brother today!!! He lives in Virginia so I am sending him loving energy and birthday happiness!!

Pumpkins and mums are in my very near future. And pulling out the decorations for fall, because we are Autumn-Bound!!

Friday greetings! Hugs from Robin.

Clematis and Cake

A wonderful sign that Autumn is very close by! My "Sweet Autumn" clematis, which is a fall bloomer and a prolific climber, growing bigger every year!! It does smell sweet.

Sweet Autumn on my front porch (climbing into the Japanese Weeping Cherry Tree)

Close up of Sweet Autumn's blooms

Chilly these last few nights, and now we have a frost advisory for tonight. Bring on the pumpkins and mums!!

Here's some photos from our birthday celebration the other night:

The cake, the all important dessert. Nick asked for a Marble cake.

Spoonfuls of chocolate on the vanilla batter

Using a knife to swirl the chocolate

Just out of the oven

Frosted and candles lit up

Nick, age 25

Wishing everyone well. Enjoy the last few days of summer. Soon the leaves will begin their Autumn Show!
Delightful!!!!

Happy Birthday to Nick

Big goings-on at our house today.  A birthday celebration for our son, Nicarus. 25 years old. Good grief, how did that happen!? Favorite food and favorite people. A wonderful way to spend a Saturday. 

Nick