Scatterday

Scary high winds during the night scattering stuff around the yards, mostly the flotsam and jetsam from trash day. It's cold, too, which should be no surprise, but the weather has been off kilter lately.

Long day Friday spent at a surgery center with my brother. A procedure for his kidneys. Not successful, and will need repeating next week. He has been having a rough go of it, but hanging in there.

Before I forget (again) I wanted to place the correct link for a photo I had in a post a few days ago, for the gypsy horse. Somehow I copied the wrong URL. So here is the picture again with the right link. (Scatterbrained)

Gypsy Horse Image source (corrected)

Anyone watching the short tv series called The River? It's a little odd, a little scary and I can't decide if I like it or not. Shows I am crazy about:  Fringe, Grimm, Lost Girl and oddly enough, Castle (Nathan Fillion from the sci fi series Firefly is in this show). And of course, Downton Abbey. We record everything on the DVR and zoom through the commercials. The only way to watch tv.

Something I have not heard in months: cardinals singing and blue jays squawking. Heard both yesterday. Do they think Spring is coming early??

Working on my magickal herb cupboard this weekend.  Some other re-organizing as well. No particular reason other than, like this post, I am feeling scattered.

Hope the weekend is a great one!! Blessed be!

Well, Crappity!

Okie doke, you all must know by now that I positively, absolutely am not a computer techie kind of person, nor do I like change, once I have figured something out!

So now, according to reliable sources, something is changing. The Google Friend Connect widget is going away. All the people who have signed up to follow blogs through this widget will disappear off the blogs. So bloggers are scrambling (or not...) to get other widgets in place for people to sign on to follow.

I read my friend Kim's blog The Wiccan Life today and with her prompting I did my best to get this Linky thing set up. I also added the gadget where you can sign up to receive email notices when the blog has a new post. The Linky Follower gadget is free and you just need an email address to sign on, whether you have a blog or not. It is fairly easy, actually to sign up for it, although at the moment I am having trouble getting my thumbnail photo onto my own i.d.

Oh, here is the link to the Linky follower site:  http://www.linkyfollowers.com/

But I don't understand why Google wants to do away with this nice little widget. I am concerned a lot of people may drop out of the blog-o-sphere and have trouble getting back in. At the same time, I am sure that most people are much more computer-savvy then yours truly, and won't have a problem.

Like I said, I hate change, and crappity, I hate having to muck around in the dashboard trying to remember how to do stuff. Anyway, enough complaining for now. All will be well, I'm sure!

image source

Blogging about Bloggers, Part Two

Ah, you didn't know there was going to be a part two, did you?! Well, I decided I wanted to tell you about the very first blog I ever read.

A few years ago (and I can't be specific, because I don't actually remember what year, but at least 3-4 years, maybe??) I was spending my internet time mostly emailing, web browsing, online shopping, and casual game playing. One day I was on the website, http://www.stumbleupon.com/.  My son had introduced me to this site and I enjoyed looking at various pages that showed up based on the interests I had entered: nature, animals, Wicca, gardening etc. A web site featuring horses appeared, gypsy horses to be specific. Gorgeous animals that inspired me to search for more sites about these stunning creatures. And a blog turned up.

A blog that changed everything. This blog, http://gypsymare.blogspot.com/  written by the gifted artist Jennifer MacNeill-Traylor evoked several emotions for me. Amazement, curiosity, excitement and a keen interest in investigating not only Jennifer's blog, but finding more blogs. The Gypsy Mare blog is a beautifully rendered site showcasing a lot of Jennifer's paintings of horses of all kinds, rabbits, cats and other creatures of nature. She paints with a flair and in rich, authentic detail. Her colors, her technique and her subjects leap from the page. It is amazing the emotion I feel when I look at her work. But that is not all. She is also an award-winning carver of pumpkins. You have to see her Halloween art. Unbelievable!! AND she is a gifted photographer, traveling around Lancaster County, PA with her adorable daughter, visiting many places of interest, snapping photos, with a keen and talented eye, such wonderful scenes. Country roads, farms, gardens. I could go on and on, because I enjoy her blog so much.

But back to the subject at hand, which is that having discovered Jennifer's blog, I decided I had to see if there were more blogs to read. I visited blogs from Jennifer's own blog list and needless to say the world opened up for me. I found blogs that catered to my varied interests. I spent months reading blogs, but never had the courage to comment. Finally, I decided to create my google account, using my magickal name, and began signing on to follow blogs, leaving comments and, more or less, getting the hang of the blog world.  Eventually, I got brave enough to try a blog of my own, despite my lack of computer techie knowledge, and the rest, as they say, is history.  And all because of a beautiful, wondrous horse and the artist who paints them.

What got you started in the blogging world?

Gypsy Horse Image Source

Blogging about Bloggers

While reading some of my favorite blogs over the last two or three days, I have been amused, sad, concerned,  shocked, angered, happy, and even received some doses of spring fever. A lot going on with folks in the blog-o-sphere. In this on-line community, we share our lives with each other and receive love and support. I am proud to call many of these bloggers "friend", even though we most likely will never meet in the "real world".

Sometimes you never know what you are going to read on a blog. There are often very educational and interesting posts, anecdotal and moving posts, friendly reminders, humorous relatings of day-to-day life. I follow several artists and crafters and it is amazing to read about their work, follow the projects, see the finished examples of brilliance!

There are fun blog parties, giveaways and seasonal celebrations. Many great photographers out there too. I enjoy seeing photos from your neck of woods, seeing your pets, your gardens, your travels. My blogging neighborhood is a great place to hang out! I always love seeing new posts, meeting new followers, finding new bloggers. I am always inspired and never bored.  Thanks to all who make my world a better place. (Hope you didn't find this post overly sentimental, saccharine or "smarmy")

Group Hug!

Aine is Awesome!

Please follow this link The Deepest Well to read about Aine O'Brien's fab giveaway. Aine is a special witch and a great friend. Truly an awesome writer of all things witchy. Her blog is terrific and you will always learn something in her posts. She has a special attachment to her neighborhood crows, has an enviable home in a beautiful place near the sea, creates many a spell with her herbals and generally speaking is the "go-to-witch" for any guidance one may need for all things Craft.  Enjoy a visit to her blog!!!

disclaimer: I am speaking honestly and from the heart and not because I really want to win her giveaway.

Snippets

For the past four and half months, I have spent a lot of time in hospitals and doctor offices. My brother is going through a lot of tests for various problems, including kidney disease and heart issues. After suffering two strokes, several other medical problems were discovered, and we have been traipsing from one place to another. It is wearying for my brother, who endures these tests, and awaits diagnoses and treatments. He is a trooper and is carrying on as best he can.

For the sister of the patient, many idle hours have been spent in waiting rooms, passing the time with books, newspapers, magazines and whatever else is at hand to occupy the time. Many other people pass their time in these waiting rooms or hallways outside of testing areas using their cell phones. I have been privy to various and sundry one-sided conversations. Not intentionally. It can hardly be called eaves-dropping when the person is talking, often times in a loud voice, seemingly oblivious to the presence of anyone else.

Some conversations are brief and to the point. "We are almost done here"; "We are waiting for the doctor"; "Pick up Johnny after school".  I have no problem with those type of calls. Unfortunately, 95% of the other calls are often intensely personal causing a sense of discomfort to those in the proximity.

These snippets of conversations involving people and situations can make you squirm in your seat, trying to avoid eye contact with the caller, or, at times, sending stares of disbelief in their direction. Why do I have to hear about "granny's enema" or "there's no way I'm pregnant, we haven't had sex in weeks" or"get your f***ing ass down here now", or the long, drawn out description of "the worst manicure I ever had".

I am not sure if it is a lack of good manners, or a belief that everyone wants to hear about their personal business, or just sheer ignorance of the barriers between public and private subjects. At any rate, sometimes these brief glimpses into other people's lives are almost entertaining, but for the most part I find it aggravating and just one more torment to tolerate while sitting in a crowded waiting room and the doctor is way behind schedule.

I would love to carry a few of these cards

 image source

To Hearts and Flowers

To Hearts and Flowers

I sing their praises:

Their gifts of smiles

And rosy phrases.

Let their subtle ways embrace you,

Overtake, command, and grace you.

Sing a song from Valentine's treasure

A verse or more

There is no measure.

Spirits soar when love's afire

No chance to wane, to fall or tire.

To Hearts and Flowers

I sing their glory

A joyful song

A much-loved story.

~~~by Robin Larkspur

Valentine's Day 2012

Happy Valentine's Day to Everyone! Considered yourselves hugged!!!

valentine image source