Hestia, Athenian red-figure kylix C5th B.C., National Museum, Tarquinia

Hi friends! (((group hug))) How is everyone? Continually slow & pleasant days on this end. Canning rush is over and just a few stragglers need to be tended to… pumpkins, of course… still a few strawberries (gotta love those ever-bearing plants!), some melons and yes, the tomatoes are still going strong but they’re slowing down a bit, thank goodness. I was having trouble getting canning jars, lol. I’ve harvested a second time from the herbs and will have a nice little supply here for the dark months. Granted they’re hanging all over the kitchen but I kind of like that look so it’s all good :P There’s not a whole lot of room in here as it is and now I’m bringing in the shrubbery, ha! I brought all the house plants in yesterday afternoon too! Yikes!!

I want a summer kitchen! Does anyone remember those? If I didn’t have to heat the damn thing I’d live in an old New England farm house just to get one. (been there, done that) The one at Aunt Grace & Uncle George’s would be perfect, thank you. It wrapped around one side of the house, fully screened, TONS of counter space and fabulous old gas range with lots of burner surface.  Really, how can any earth mother be complete without one? As I just said to a dear friend... I seem to want to draw everything to me that’s important at this time of year… it’s primal. I love it.

Sale at the Landis Arboretum this weekend!! I may buy one item… “Goddess grant me strength!” Anyone who wants to add their energy to that, feel free! I could spend the rent money there!

Gearing up for the full moon and then a trip to Herbal Pagan’s paradise for Mabon! It’s the anniversary of my pagan awakening, 22 yrs ago… my, how time flies. I don’t regret a single minute and I'm really looking forward to spending time immersed in my witchy loves. <3 Does a soul good, know what I mean?

Hope everyone has a good weekend and a candle burns for all who require my magic. It’s pretty strong lately, lol… my magic, I mean :P But be warned… it’s heavy with Hestia’s touch! You may find yourself suddenly drawn to baking bread over a hearth fire :)

Blessings and love… xxx ooo

Wide awake in the middle of the night… another side effect. Bleh. I won’t complain too loudly as it is a beautifully silent time to be…

Yesterday was the village wide yard sale. Love that! Found some needed items and some un-needed items, lol. You know how it is :) Spent the day with “Hey, nineteen” (who is now 20!), walking the village, coveting gardens and buying little treasures. Good day.

I’ve been thinking a great deal on something the stone seer imparted last year. Something that made little sense, at the time, can now be heard loud and clear. Actually, that something is a someone! An old dialog that had become distant and muted over time still holds purpose and meaning for both our old souls. My lessons or theirs? Probably both, huh. Either way, it is most welcome. Ha! I say that now… till the lesson is mine :P

Tomorrow will be more canning and pleasant puttering. Maybe a little fall decorating!

Hope all have a beautiful Sunday, full of all the things that make your heart sing… abundant blessings and much love… xxx ooo

Thanks for all the b-day love sent my way yesterday! You guys are the best. You may continue all week if you’d like, lol… I fully intend to stretch it out a bit myself, :P

I’m an indulgent witch…

My days, of late, have been full of handfuls of perfect little pleasures… and by ‘little’ I don’t mean small.  Garden harvests, blooming flowers, comfortable weather, my family’s love (sometimes :P), sweet friends voices, baking and the list goes on... Yesterday, the first look off the back deck was a turkey hen and wee ones, plucking their way across the woodland’s edge. Sorry, no pic… the scene was so poignant I couldn’t move!

Gaia gives the best b-day gifts, hands down…

The energy I’ve felt since the full moon recharge as been nothing short of awesome! Divination, meditation, dreams, intuition… all have been heightened. Birthday gifts from the Universal? Wow! Thanks :)

Yup, all the icky mundane life crap is still there… the works. Finances have to top the list, 20 something drama still ranks right up there, blah, blah, blah. So, nothings ever going to be my idea of ‘perfect’… who cares?!  I’ve carefully crafted my life to maximize the enjoyment of pleasures. Ha! Listen to me… in the midst of a major financial catastrophe; I’ve immersed myself in delight, lol. I know it looks quite contrary but it just feels correct. How uncharacteristic of a virgo, eh?

I'm headed off to play with my wee witchling, Nathan. Take care of you!

Blessings and love… xxx ooo

Have a great day! Blessings and love... xxx ooo

Beautiful summer, Sunday morning here in the valley… I hope it’s still morning by the time I get this post done and uploaded! I don’t have too much on the board for today so dial-up can take its sweet time, lol… I’m easy. Bright candle is burning for Amber Morning Rain and her boys. Love you, sweet and holding your hand (((hug))). It’s going to be a great day!

Let’s see… garden harvest is coming along nicely… tomatoes are finally starting to ripen. We’d had some very cool and overcast weather for August so the process seems to be taking forever. But we’re back to somewhat normal temps and sunshine (it’s actually the temps that ripen them) and I’m prepared to handle all the plants coming to bear at once, lol. Isn’t that always the way? I also have several pumpkins showing more orange than green and my melons look divine! HA! Sorry… couldn’t resist :P

The days are becoming noticeably shorter. That bums me out a bit… I’m not ready to give them back. C’est la vie…

I’ve been accepted for the November term at Empire State SUNY. I was desperately hoping to get in for September but it is not to be. November works… New Year, fresh turn of the wheel… new start. Makes sense, right? I’ll use the time till then putting together formal requests for credits by evaluation. I should be able to gather a few for 20+ year career. But the evaluation process is stringent (as it should be) so I’m not getting my hopes up on that. Financial aid is in place and I’m waiting for my mentor to contact me so that I can begin the degree planning process. I already know exactly what I want in that regard so that shouldn’t be too terribly difficult. But still it has to be prepared and set before the approval committee.

I’ve done some MAJOR clutter clear-out this past week… still more to tackle but I’ve taken the weekend off from it. Clutter clearing, for a Virgo, is a huge process. Everything must be closely looked at and inspected. Every item of clothing, every trinket, every bit of paper must be gone over. Piles must be made and moved around, lol… then the piles must find a permanent home somewhere acceptable. I’m not kidding… it’s an f’ing pain in the old junk drawer. I can’t help it though. I’ve tried to just toss willy-nilly but I can’t. It’s a fault. *shrugs* Will just stands back and shakes his head and says “I know, Doll. It’s ok.” But for as much as it’s a pain, I sure do feel better when it’s all said and done and I have to make room for canning, so I’ll keep at it. My goal is to finish by the dark moon (including the file cabinet). It could happen!

Scored a few books for pennies at the used book store (I love that place!). A fab holiday baking collection, ‘Ghostwalk’ by Rebecca Scott and yet another herb use book, lol. I’ve got several on request at the library, as well… ‘The Monster of Florence’ and ‘Charmed Circle’, which is the next in the series by Delores Riccio. Moonsong recommended them to me. I’ve never been one for pagan fiction but I really do like them. I’m a sucker for a mystery!

Hmm… what else... Girls are a pain; boys are perfect, par usual. Finances aren’t any worse. No better, lol… but no worse.

I’m really looking forward to the harvest at Em’s!!! I’ve already started planning (weeks ago, actually) and I’m less anxious about leading ritual than I thought I would be. I can’t wait! Did I say that already? Who's all coming anyway? I hope enough to make a circle :P I’m also trying to sort out how I can make it to Lisa’s for Samhain. Where there’s a will there’s a way… that’s my take on it, ha! Again, it could happen… I wish it to happen, anyway.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week full of all the things that make your heart sing!

Blessings and love… xxx ooo