Frosty Friday--Yule Plans & Kitten Feet

Very bright sunshine this morning which makes the frost everywhere shine like diamonds. Blinding for driving, of course, but still very beautiful  I love how everything shimmers and can't help but think we are living in a faery world Truly magickal!

Meanwhile, in the mundane world, my lists of things to do is ever-growing as I negotiate this Yuletide season. Some things get done, but the lists don't grow any shorter! I am excited though, that next week is the Winter Solstice and our family will be having our delightful celebration.

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At this moment, the kittens are racing through the house, up and down, over boxes and bags of secret purchases. There is no pitter-patter of little feet by any means. These two little cats sound like a heard of elephants as they run up and down the stairs, through the kitchen, a quick stop to look at the patio door, then, with tails in the air, they zoom into the living room, up to their window perch, down the stairs to the family room where they begin again. Pixie throws her catnip mouse in the air, pouncing on it, attacking it and rolling around the floor clutching the thing in her mouth. Pyewacket isn't enthralled with the mouse the way Pixie is. He pounces on Pixie as if she were a catnip mouse.. Thank goodness for those surgeries they had last month, is all I can say!!!

On the agenda today: wrapping and packing up gifts to mail (yes, I am behind schedule), making out the shopping list for Yule Dinner (Cornish hens as the main course) and all kinds of little tasks that have waited this week. I am thriving in orderly chaos!

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Big item on the to-do list: Find a beautiful oak log for our Yule fire ritual. We always have a small piece of the Yule log from last year which we use to light this year's fire. The new log is decorated and adorned with holly, evergreen branches, paper garland, pine cones, sage, rosemary, cedar. A special part of our ritual involves each of us writing our wishes on paper for the New Year and then throwing these wishes on the Yule log, to be taken up the chimney in smoke, out into the Universe. With proper intent, we know these wishes will come to fruition.

One of our Yule fires

Just one of the things I am looking forward to. Family time in sacred space on Yule.

Now off to the races, kitten ones that is!! Have a wonderful day!!

Wordless Wednesday--Eat This Tree!

And Now For Something Completely Different

Firstly, Hanukkah Blessings to those that observe this wonderful Festival of Light! May you experience peace and joy during this celebration!

It is less than two weeks away from Yule, the Winter Solstice, the Wiccan/Pagan celebration of Light. And then Christmas a few days later. These are times of preparation, baking, cooking, gift-giving, fun, and observance. Sometimes a bit hectic, time-consuming, wearying (if you let it). Try to find some peaceful moments to reflect on simple things.


Here is something different that I saw in today's paper. Birds-of-Paradise. Not the tropical flower, real birds. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is launching a website in January, 2013 all about these magnificent birds. I visited the link this morning and was astounded by the short video there that shows a few of the 39 species of Birds-of-Paradise that inhabit New Guinea. If you watched the "Planet Earth" series a few years ago you may have seen some of these birds. There are not enough adjectives to describe these creatures.

If you would like to have a little respite from holiday havoc, here is the link to this 5 minute video. It will "wow" you. Nature is awesome! Have a great Monday!!

Birds of Paradise

(and one of these days I am going to figure out how to imbed a video on my blog!)

Kittens, Hobbits and Alberta Dwarf

A bright sunny Friday. Kittens are running around the house enraptured with the big bags of wreaths, garlands and other holiday accoutrement that I have brought home from the stores. My husband says not to buy these kittens any more toys...just bags and boxes, crumpled paper and twisty ties.

Speaking of kittens, my poor neglected blog, PurrrrSnicKitty, has been sitting alone and unloved for a while. I apologize to my kittens and my readers. Part of the fault lies with the kittens, though. I have been unable to get any good photos lately. I don't want to post without photos. I will make a concerted effort over the next few days, honestly. They are thriving, silly, funny, sweet; a real joy.

I am wondering how many "Hobbit" fans are out there? The new movie opens on December 14th here, and though I won't attempt to face the crowds for the first week or so, I am thrilled to be planning on seeing it. I spent many a happy hour reading The Hobbit in my youth. I loved Bilbo Baggins. In fact, when I started reading  the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy I was very upset that Bilbo wasn't the main character. Frodo? No!!! I want Bilbo!  Of course that changed and I do still believe that "Frodo Lives!"

Well, naturally the weekend will be fraught with countless tasks including putting lights on our 5 dwarf Alberta spruce trees in front of the house. Yes, little Alberta will be spruced up with lights, Christer!

Have a fabulous weekend, won't you?!! Be safe out there!

Seasonal Remarks

I love traditional Christmas carols. Singing them with a bunch of people is fun. Even though I am not Christian, I did grow up that way, and Christmas music was always my favorite at church way back when dinosaurs walked the earth!

However, Christmas music has been playing non-stop in stores and restaurants for days and days now. There are so many versions of the same songs, and to hear most of them over and over is a bit of a downer. A peppy, rocky version of "O Holy Night" is a bit much, don't you think?

Even my favorite Sirius radio, a classical music channel, started playing Christmas music non-stop yesterday. Sigh.

Am I sounding like a Scrooge? Don't mean to. Just a seasonal complaint, kind of like the flu.

Cooler, rain mixed with snow today. So much for the fabulous weather of yesterday. But that is okay; it is weird to have warm weather here in December. It should be snowy! The fire will be so delightful!!

Once again, I would like to recommend this wonderful book by the beloved author, Dorothy Morrison, "Yule A Celebration of Light & Warmth".  Filled with so much good information about this important Sabbat; history and customs, rituals, crafts, recipes and other ideas to observe the Winter Solstice. I love this book.

Thinking about Yule really makes me smile.

Turn Off the Heat, Open the Windows!

Apologies to dear friends in snowy, frigid Sweden and blizzardy prairies of Canada. Here in Syracuse today we have bright sunny skies and it is almost 70 degrees F. I am blissful. Though I do like cold snowy weather around Yule, it is lovely to have a day like this to throw open the windows and let the balmy breezes blow through the house. This gives me an opportunity to do a special ritual for cleansing. Working with the wind can be a little iffy, because it is so fickle. Blowing first one way, than another, then ceasing all together. But grab the opportunity when you can. I love how the house feels after a windy day ritual. It smells divine too!

One of the craft stores I go to is having a special 50% sale on all their Christmas supplies. Boy, howdy did I go a little nuts!! Decking the halls is a little challenging this year with kittens amongst us. So I am looking vertically and high for decorating. These little cats are jumpers...leapers...climbers. We shall see! I will keep you posted. I did buy a small artificial tree to put on a table top. It will have soft or wooden ornaments. I am sure they will be fascinated by it. I just don't want to risk our usual big fresh tree; worried about the kittens ingesting needles, drinking up the tree water, climbing up and inside and all around.

The next few days will be busy with decorating, crafting and other Yule-themed activities. I think I have gotten a bit of the Spirit of the Season simmering. That's a good thing!

How is December treating you so far?

Fun Start to December!

Well, I have been silent on the blog this week. Still a bit under the weather, busy with doctor appointments with my brother, and just a bit blue. But that is neither here nor there, as I am back today, a rainy Sunday to say happy December!

Last night, my husband, son Nicarus and I went to see my most very favorite comedian of all time. She was at the Palace Theater in Syracuse, we had great seats and, as always she was fabulous. This is the second time we have seen her live performance. Years ago, in southern California we saw her in Ventura. She is as fresh and funny now as she was then. I am talking about Paula Poundstone, of course.

A little blurry, but here is Paula Poundstone

She interacts with the audience in hilarious ways

At some point, Paula ends up lying on the stage. Here her feet are propped up on the stool.

Laughter is, indeed, great medicine. A fun way to start the month of December!!!