Farewell September

Yesterday, right after a heavy rain, I took a quick look at my garden. The Wedding Garden is still abundant with zinnias reaching for the sky. Some are over five feet tall! The planters for the wedding are still beautiful and we have been enjoying them all these months. The happy spirit of our daughter's wedding keeps on giving! I am going to hang on to these plantings until the frost has its way.

The Wedding Garden

Wedding Planter

Two other wedding planters

 Speaking of giving, Stacy at MagicLoveCrow blog had another giveaway last week. That girl just keeps on giving. I won her so-called "Booby Prize" (as did my friend Linda of Old Bagge and Stuft Shirt Blog...we are now officially Booby Buddies, lol). Anyway, a lovely packet arrived and I am thrilled to have more of Stacy's art. A gorgeous card, and a small painting (ACEO) depicting "Mother Earth, The Sacred Circle". Beautiful. Thanks so much, Stacy. Your are a gifted artist and a sweet spirit!

Gifts from Magic Love Crow

 

Remember last week I talked about the news story of the NASA satellite that was expected to fall to Earth, no one knew when or where?  WELL!!!! Through sources that I can not reveal (wimp.com) I have uncovered a secret video that will show the world exactly what happened and that the Government does know. Shhhhhhh! You cannot tell a soul! Seriously! Click on the link below. You will be as shocked as I was. Seriously.
 
NASA satellite crash revealed click here...shhhh!!!

So another September is finishing up. Time to move on, the Wheel is turning. Everyone is looking forward to a fantastic October. Not only because of Autumn foliage, festivals and fun; also the Countdown to Halloween, hosted by Danni at Whimsical Cottage. Click on the button at the top of my sidebar for info. I think I may be feeling a Giveaway coming on. Hang on.....yep, there is definitely a tingling that indicates a Giveaway here at Wiccan Writes.  Stay tuned.   Enjoy the last day of September, my friends!!

Coming Soon! October!

There's a new button on my sidebar, there to the right, see it? The delightful Danni from the blog The Whimsical Cottage is hosting a month-long celebration of Halloween, beginning October 1st. There are quite a few participants, the list is on Danni's blog. Just click on my sidebar there and you will be taken to that list. Everyone will be doing all kinds of great stuff in observance of the best month of Autumn. You never know what you may find!!! It will be boo-ti-ful! Oh, and I am participating too!

Wordless Wednesday--I Dare You Not to Smile

Website for these cuties

Thanks to Raethan for this dose of delight.

Projects

The last few weeks I have been gathering plants for drying and pressing. The pretty little plant press pictured here was a gift. I am enjoying the use of it, with its papers, boards and idea book for using pressed flowers and leaves. Normally, I use old telephone books for pressing, which work very well. Pressed plants are great for accenting letters (if anyone writes letters these days, that is!), making art for framing, framing under glass, decorating journals, grimoires, books of shadows, invitations....the uses are many. It is a soothing and creative practice. Old-fashioned, yes but an art that should be kept alive and well in these techno-crazed times. It is a satisfying way, too, of preserving memories of gardens past.

This photo shows my little Goddess necklace. I found this at a Medieval Faire last year. Handmade out of wood, it is hollow and filled with little bits of a (unknown) hard substance so when you shake it, it makes a soft rattling sound. I shake it to raise energy, sometimes during meditation, spellwork or sitting on my porch glider and want to send out some positive energy into the Universe. My project for this is to find some embellishments to attach which will make it an appropriate amulet. Searching for tiny items, charging them and putting it together will be most rewarding and, I think, a powerful, protective charm.

With October just a few days away, I am, like many of the bloggers I follow, looking forward to autumn crafting. Ideas are twirling around in my head, and this season is truly the one that inspires numerous creative pursuits. Hopefully, I will have some interesting things to show-and-tell about. I can't wait to read other bloggers' posts and see their artful endeavors.

Glass magnets with pressed leaves( image credit)

Bright Blessings! Enjoy the day!

Good Monday to You

The days are getting shorter, and that includes Mondays!! (inspired by this morning's newspaper comic "Mutts")

Just got an email from Breck's Bulbs (their website) that my spring bulb order is on its way. Sorry to sound moronic, but that makes me giddy! I order my bulbs in April and they are shipped in the fall. Come the Spring and it is giddiness all over again as they bloom for the first time.

Tulips blooming in my Spring garden

Two books to recommend, not just for a good read, but also for good reference books to have for spell work. Dorothy Morrison is one of my favorite authors for all things Wiccan. Everyday Moon Magic Spells and Rituals for Abundant Living (published by Llewellyn Publications, 2003) and Everyday Sun Magic Spells and Rituals for Radiant Living (published by Llewellyn Publications) Both of the books discuss in plain, easy-to-understand language the many aspects of these celestial bodies that are important to our lives in such a variety of ways. They will help you understand how to incorporate phases of the moon into your rituals and spells and the use of both lunar and solar energies to enhance your daily Work. Both books are packed with ideas for celebrations, ways to "boost your magical practice", chants, spells, rituals and good solid explanations of how the Moon and the Sun are vital to a Wiccan's everyday life. I highly recommend these books for Wiccans and pagans, or for anyone interested in learning how to look at the Moon and Sun in a different Light.

Have a super day! Stay well and keep up the good Work!

Rhythms and Glitches

Last night, HH and I attended the monthly drumming circle. What a great way to spend Mabon. Outside the night was rainy and dismal, but inside The Fey Dragon, the rhythms and vibes were warm and flowing, sometimes mellow and trance-inducing, other times energetic with glee and exuberance.! Love the drumming circle!!

Finished up my first week of physical torture therapy and I have to say there is improvement in my afflicted knee and light at the end of this tunnel. Three more weeks to go.(sigh)

Some new Blogger glitches I have noticed: (1) Blogs I have signed on to follow have dropped off my list. (2) My own followers list decreases or increases by two or three followers throughout the day. (3) Comments I published one day disappeared then re-appeared the next day to be re-moderated. Odd. Anyone else?

Brightest blessings! The first autumn weekend! And trees are turning colors! Don't ya just love our beautiful Mother Nature??!!

Blessed Mabon!!

The Wheel of the Year has turned to Autumn and we welcome the beauty of the season. Even though the light grows shorter, and the Earth will be settling down for a much-needed rest, there are so many wonderful things to embrace about this time of year. May the blessings of Mabon bring peace to you and your loved ones.

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Views and News

Our beautiful autumn-blooming clematis "Sweet Autumn" is enhancing the view on our front porch. Loaded with buds and lightly scented flowers, it is creeping and climbing and wrapping itself around pots of impatiens, railings and anything else it can grip. We planted it last summer and this is the first blooming. Such a thing of beauty as other plants are fading.

News stories that have grabbed my attention and prayers:

The two American hikers being held in Iran for the last two years were released finally. $500,000 "bail" each was paid. Sounds like a ransom. They were more like hostages then prisoners. Thankfully and at long last they are out of there. Travelers should really think more than twice before venturing into some places.

Can Japan take any more storms? Hit with a typhoon yesterday, the country has not yet recovered from the quake and tsunami and recent storms.

The execution of Troy Davis in Georgia has me wringing my hands. With much doubt cast as to the testimonies of witnesses and on other evidence, how can someone be put to death? There are many websites where you can read about this if you are unfamiliar with the story. Just google Troy Davis.

And now a satellite will be plummeting to Earth sometime between today (Sept 22) and Saturday (Sept 24). NASA says they cannot predict when or where it will crash to Earth, but expect it most likely to break up somewhere over one of the oceans. I would keep an eye to the sky if I were you over the next few days. Duck and cover might be a good thing to keep in mind.

Well, that is it for me. Hope all is well in your world.

To-Do List for Autumn

 
Decorate for Autumn--with pumpkins, gourds, fall garlands. Bring out the boxes with all the great autumn decorations.

Visit the Farmer's Market for fresh pumpkins, especially all those unusual ones that grow into odd shapes, strange colors and weird growths.

Set up a beautiful Autumn altar for Mabon.

Plan the Mabon ritual; outdoors if the weather cooperates. Includes the firepit and the outdoor altar. Excitement!

Bake autumn goodies such as pumpkin bread and apple cake.

Time to break out the autumn sweaters and sweatshirts.

Write an autumn poem or short story.

Harvest all the herbs, some for drying, some for pressing.

Get a copy of Ellen Dugan's book Autumnal Equinox.

Say good-bye to Summer with reverence and thankfulness.

Sad Cat, Dancing Dragon

Unfortunately I am unable to attend today's Autumn Celebration, the CNY Pagan Pride Festival. I have look forward for months to this event, but my knee injury prevents me. Yep, I am bummed. It is a beautiful day for it and lots will be going on. Seminars, workshops, music, vendors of all kinds, food, fun and a memorable Mabon ritual. (Mabon is the name of the Autumnal Equinox sabbat). I posted about last year's Festival here
I wish everyone a wonderful time and hate that I have to miss it.

Okay, okay, enough with the sad cat image!! LOL! Onto other things!

In case you were wondering, and I know there are those who have been biting their nails over this, I did finish reading the massive fifth book of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice series, A Dance With Dragons. This is the book I had started listening to on audio during my Eye Event, and ended up purchasing the actual book later. Actually I finished it before Labor Day, and Kallan, I will be emailing you with my thoughts on this book.  This book had a lot of great moments, and some not so great.

Dancing Dragon

A quiet weekend then for me. A lot of reading: autumnal celebrations, moon rituals and a couple of great fiction books (witchy in nature, of course).

Bright Blessings!!

The Last Weekend of Summer

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Autumn is coming!

Hey, howdy!

A beautiful Thursday here in Syracuse, if you like rain. And actually I do on occasion. It is quite cool and feels so terrifically like autumn. Autumn is almost here too! Mabon, the Autumnal Equinox is the 23rd of September. All the witchy blogs I visit are just humming with excitement and energy, trilling about the witch's favorite season. We love us some pumpkins, fall color, and all the Halloween stories you can dish out! Perfect time of year!!!

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Now here is a medical update for all my wonderful blog friends. You have sent so many nice comments and emails and good, healing wishes. Thanks a bunch!!  Up first, the eye. You will remember the plunging of the thumb nail into the eye in late July. I had a re-check earlier this week and all is well. The eye is healed beautifully and I am good to go!! Next, the knee. Still swollen, black and blue, though the pain has lessened somewhat. I visited an orthopedic doctor yesterday who was very kind and helpful. It appears no permanent damage has been done, though healing will take a while. He has sent me to physical therapy for the next month, which you must know I am not looking forward to, at least for the first couple of visits. Yes, I am a wimp! But I shall prevail in the end.

Have a great Thursday! Lots of great stuff coming up in the next few weeks...more later!!!

P.S. Happy Birthday yesterday (Sept 14) to our dear son, Nicarus!! 23 years old!

Herbal Harvest

Marigolds grown from seed

Last week, before the knee incident, I spent some time in the garden gathering herbs. It was a beautiful day and I experienced a magickal time snipping, clipping and snapping (photos). (click on photos for better view)

This sunflower is a gift from the wild birds. A bumblebee is too busy to notice me taking his photo.

In the moon garden, this big-leaf hydrangea had white blooms, and now is turning pinkish-green. This is its second season, and despite being whacked down last year by an over-enthusiastic weed-whacking HH (happy hubby) did very well this year.

My gathering basket is filling up with sage, chamomile, thyme, honeysuckle blooms, roses, parsley, rosemary, marigolds and nasturtiams. The aromas are intoxicating.

Marigolds will dry faster by pulling the petals....also drying here are nasturtiams and honeysuckle

A tray of green herbs beginning the drying process

Bundles of herbs to hang up for drying

All these herbs, once dried, will be placed in labeled jars to use for magickal purposes. The whole process from planting the seeds, tending to them as they grow, then gathering and drying is done with reverance and magickal intent. I look forward to using my own herbs in spell work and ritual. This has been a true labor of love.

Accident-Prone? Klutz? Gremlins?

Excuse my language, please, but WTF??!! It seems I am mine own worst enemy! You will recall that just a few weeks ago, I gouged myself in the eye.  Thanks to my sweet Happy Hubby (HH) you know of the mishap I suffered the other day at the Court House. My non-skid shoes worked overly well by sticking to the marble floor and causing me to fall knee first into a spectacle worthy of Calamity Jane. Painful, yes. Embarrassing, yes!

I did get excused from jury duty, which despite all the jokes at the court house, the ambulance, the emergency room and from well-meaning friends and family, was NOT my plan.

I have spent the last three days in a druggy-haze, languishing in the recliner, sometimes moaning, but mostly be-moaning my bad luck. The dogs are concerned and won't leave my side. In my very near future is a trip to an orthopedic surgeon to see what damage might have been done. You would love the many colors of my knee, blues, blacks, purples, very Tim Burton-ish!

My quest now is to do some research to find some protection spells for myself...protection from myself!!

One nice thing that happened, though is I met a very nice nurse who turned out to be Wiccan. I gave her my phone number and hope she will call. We had a nice chat while she was wrapping my knee and later as she pushed me in a wheel chair to the car. Interesting how things happen.

So that's the update for now. Thanks for all your well-wishes, you are the best!!

How to get out of Jury Duty - NOT !!!

This is the Happy Hubby bringing you Robin's blog for today. Robin went off to Jury Duty Wednesday and was in the second group waiting to be called in for a Supreme Court case.  As they broke for lunch and headed to the elevator Robin's shoe stuck on the marble flooring and she crashed down onto her left knee.  A quick call from Robin as she was being whisked away in an ambulance to the Emergency Room and I high tailed there ASAP.

Bad News - It took over 3 hours before Robin got an X-Ray and was really examined by an MD.

Good News - Nothing was broken. Robin has a severely bruised and swollen left knee and shin. She continues to be in quite a bit of pain and can put only the smallest amount of weight on the leg. The Doc said it could be a few weeks before she may be able to move pain free but even then, mobility of the knee may be effected. Also her right hand is bruised and swollen.

Next stop: Orthopedic Surgeon for a consult, when the swelling has gone down.

Robin's blogs may be a little spotty over the next few days as she is recovering, but I am sure that as soon as she can sit at or hold her laptop she will be back.

Two Words for Wednesday

Jury Duty!

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Crabapple Love

Our first crabapples

Tiny crabapples have formed on the tree we planted in early summer. They will not get any bigger than this. The tree is young and will grow taller next year. The fruit, though will stay this small, as this is a variety of crabapple that does not form the larger fruit. I am glad of that for the main reason of not having to deal with lots of fallen crabapples in the near future. The birds and squirrels can enjoy these little apples to their hearts' content. The blossoms in spring will be pink and I will gather some to dry. Just to have in my herbal collection. I have read several articles about using the extract of the fruit of the crabapple in dealing with indigestion or external skin problems. It also seems that a potion using crabapple is good for people with self confidence issues, or who suffer with feelings of self-hate. 

For now, I am just enjoying my little tree with its tiny apples. I am pleased it has grown well its first season with us, and with a good mulching this fall, I have every confidence that it will survive its first winter. 

We also planted a Red Maple and a Weeping Willow. When the maple leaves turn their brilliant crimson, I will proudly show you a photo. The willow is still small, but I hope to harvest a few willow branches, for a teeny wreath.  The willow is one of the most magickal trees of all.

Trees are so important for our environment, for habitat, shade and beauty.  Trees are also brimming with energies and wisdom. So many great books about trees abound.  Take the time to learn more about magickal properties of trees. I love every single one of the trees on our property. Each has its own personality and qualities. 

Yep, I am a tree hugger!! Lol!! And proud of it.

For the Love of Nature

A view of my backyard

The robins left about three weeks ago. Grackles, red-winged blackbirds and starlings departed a few days later. It has gotten quiet in the garden. The robins would wake us up before sunrise, while stars are still twinkling, calling to each other and declaring the day had begun. Robins also are the last to go to sleep, after conducting a loud pre-bedtime ritual of songs.

Riot of color in the Wedding Garden, still blooming

The hummingbirds are still with us, busily gathering their nectar from zinnias and honeysuckle. Any day now they will be leaving for southern regions and that will be sad. They are beloved visitors to the garden.

Honeysuckle

But we have many winged friends who will stay with us, hunkering down for the long, snowy winter among the beams and eaves of our porch, the birdhouses along the fence and in the pinetrees and dense shrubbery that surrounds our cottage on the corner. Sparrows have been quite prolific this summer, raising three and four sets of babies; it should be quite busy at the feeders this winter. Goldfinch, housefinch and chickadees will also be regular visitors. We also have a population of the beautiful mourning dove. Crows will be around, bluejays and cardinals, tufted titmouse, downy woodpecker, white-breasted nuthatch. It's the birds that keep the neighborhood interesting and happy during the cold months that are coming.

Hyacinth bean in bloom

Until then though, we have the last days of summer, with the golden days of autumn ready to embrace us. Nature gives us special moments every day of every season.

nasturtiams

Red usurper in one of the Wedding Garden planters

Celebrate the seasons. Observe nature, enjoy, appreciate, revere.

Good Grief, It's Friday

I got so caught up in reading other blogs this morning that I forgot to do my own post!! Now that is a sign of a brain cloud, for sure!

Happy times here at home: The Hubby is beside himself with joy that Syracuse University Football won their first game of the Season, in overtime! This is truly big news around here!

Reading the newspaper this morning, I was dismayed to see that there is a very large problem with Space Junk. This is not the first time we have heard about this, but it has gotten worse in the last two years. The debris in Earth's orbit has become very very dense. It is a wonder that any rockets can even get through this mess. NASA is trying to come up with ways to deal with it; for instance a giant space vacuum! Did anyone see "Spaceballs", the hilarious Mel Brooks movie, a take-off on Star Wars? There was a very large Hoover vacuum in that movie, lol!

On the positive side of interstellar news, have you seen the incredible photos that the feisty little Mars Rover has sent back? Amazing landscapes and mountains. Way back when, probably when I was 9 or 10 years old, I read Robert Heinlein's Red Planet. What a tremendous book! It set fire to my imagination and began a life-long love affair with sci-fi. The U.S. Space program never did take off like it should have back in the day and now, I am not so sure I can support monies spent for space exploration. Too much on this planet needs taking care of. If we could get out of these wars we are in..........but that is another post.

Anyway, it is Labor Day weekend here in the States, three days of non-labor for us. Maybe a barbecue if the weather is fine. Enjoy and relax if at all possible.

Hugs and blessings from Robin.

Drumming Circle

Last Friday, before the onslaught of Irene, my husband and I experienced a terrific evening with a group of people that truly had an impact on us. We headed down to Oswego NY on the shores of  Lake Ontario to The Fey Dragon. This is the new metaphysical shop of Mary Hudson, friend, pagan chaplain (who officiated at our daughter's wedding) and now, a source of community and fellowship among pagans in Central New York.

There were about fifteen people gathered to embark on an evening of drumming. Using African drums of varying sizes, hand symbols, rhythm sticks, maracas and other shakers, a rhythm was established and off we went. Being total novices at this, my husband and I tentatively, at first, drummed with our hands on borrowed African drums. No one batted an eye if we got out of rhythm. Soon we were drumming along with everyone and totally immersed in the beat. Ten minutes or so of drumming, then we would stop and chat. A new beat was begun, and away we would all go again. I cannot tell you how exhilarating  this experience was. Joining together in a primal rhythm with everyone, building slowly to a faster pace, then slowing back down, following the lead drummer. The energy that was raised was so strong and positive. You could almost see it as the patterns of drumming rose and fell. Vibrations up and down our arms, from our hands to our spirits. I never knew this kind of activity could release tensions, soothe the mind and generate such contentment and power.

We drummed for two hours with little breaks in between. The friendly atmosphere was a tonic! This drumming circle will meet on the fourth Friday of every month and my husband and I plan on going every month. We are even browsing the internet for our own drums. If you have never tried a drumming circle, I do so highly recommend it. What a wonderful way to spend an evening. You will have a sense of euphoria for hours, believe me!!

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