coming out of the dark

The events of the past week have left me weak.  I have friends in Texas and only wish for them good things.  (How could this happen? - how could a fertilizer plant be anywhere near homes and schools?) 

I still can not believe that someone, anyone would just leave a couple of bombs at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.  (Was it to see how many people they could kill or injure.  Why on earth would people do this to other people?) 

A week like this reassures me that I'm on the right track - there is no god worth following, let alone worshipping.  A good god, even a mediocre one, would not let these kind of things happen. 

Many of my Facebook friends keep posting little sayings like ~

"God will make this all better."

"God has a plan."

"God will dry our tears."

Things will be made better by caring families, friends, neighbors, & communities, and with the help of state, local, and Federal government (that's right - who we vote into office matters on all levels). 

It will be our plans that help us move on through these tragedies (and try to prevent such things from happening in the future). 

And we are the ones who will dry each others' tears - for we know what it is like to cry.

First rose,
a sign of hope for me.

This evening, I am sad because of the destruction I have witnessed this week, but I have hope that my fellow humans will someday soon see that it is just us, and it is up to us to make the world a better place. 


~Sam

)O(

weeds

Not much time to blog these days, I'm weeding my garden and that keeps me very busy.  Darrin comes home some days and looks around the house, his morning coffee cup still on the kitchen counter and the mail unopened beside it.  "What did you do today?" he will ask me.  I'm usually covered in sweat and dirt (yes, you can sweat when it's cold outside - you just don't notice it until you come in and take your jacket off).  I'll tell him I've been working in the garden.  He usually gives me one of his puzzled looks.  How could I be so happy? 

I love working in the garden. Maybe it's because gardening comes so easy for me or maybe it's easy because I love it.  I'm totally organic here and every year I try to include a few more plants.  I see my garden someday bursting at the seams with beautiful plants everywhere and, maybe, just a small path of grass - not there yet, so I continue to collect plants.  I love learning the old names for plants, sometimes they seem more fitting than the garden shop names.

forsythia also known as yellow bells

I recently bought the book Garden Witchery by Ellen Dugan. It's full of cute garden projects sprinkled with witchy ideas.  I'm now looking for other books on this subject. Do you have (and use!) a favorite garden witch book? 

I can't help but look at the earth, especially this happy spot I call my own, and think how wonderful life is.  The earth providing us with so much - I can see why it is called Mother Earth.  That reminds me of the name Father Time - got to run, I have to get busy now and 'spring' my clocks ahead one hour.


~Sam

)O(

hidden symbols

Years ago, when we moved into our current home, one of the things that sold me on this house was the fireplace. As soon as the moving company left I was out shopping for a fireplace screen. My vision was a star which, sadly, I could not find anywhere. As the hot days of summer turned into chilly autumn evenings I was almost in a panic to find something - anything. I 'settled' for this one.

 It had a tag that proclaimed the design a Mariner's Compass.  "Big deal."  I thought, what does that mean to me? 
 

Sitting here early one morning, quietly meditating on my day, I noticed the Wheel of the Year.  I had started my day this way countless times, but on this day, because I had been studying the wheel of the year, I saw a hidden treasure.   

I'm enjoying my studies of celebrating / living my life based on what is going on in nature. It seems a much more peaceful way to live.  Now I look at my fireplace screen and I'm sure it was made just for me.


~Sam

)O(

in search of

I have been searching for my lost god or goddess.  Sadly, I have not found a deity.  My life was easier when I believed as everyone around me.  Christmas came and went - I went to church with my family and friends -I went through the motions, I kept my thoughts to myself.  The reason I keep my thoughts to myself is because I'm not sure what I think.  Must one believe in a god or goddess to be happy? 

My quest has brought me to study Imbolc.  A simple little holiday to remind me (or is it to give me courage?) that winter is half way over.  I like this celebration.  It seems full of hope and makes more sense than watching a groundhog - what is that all about?

So around my house on this day you will find new, white candles in every room.   I plan to light them and wander through the house blessing each room.  What?  I can't speak a blessing over my home because I have no deity to do the actual blessing?  Well, dear reader, this is where I have to let you in on a secret.  At this point in my life I believe that we are the source of love and blessings.  So today and every day, I wish you and yours happiness and peace.

~ Sam

)O(

wish craft

Did you get what you wanted for Christmas?  I did. Unfortunately, Darrin thinks I did it. That's right.  He seems to believe I made it snow. 

A few weeks ago we were visiting with neighbors and the discussing our holiday plans when the light hearted query was made, "What do you really, truly want for Christmas?" I said, without thinking, "A white Christmas." Everyone laughed (we normally do not have snow at Christmas) and then I heard something like "you must want more than that." I professed guilt at not saying "I want the UN to declare killing in the name of god - any god - illegal." But I had blurted out the first thing that popped into my head:

 

"I would love snow on Christmas day."

We got snow, several inches. All day Tuesday, and for a few hours this morning, Darrin would look out of a window and sigh and then looked at me, as if I had done it on purpose.  (He did not grow up with snow and does not care for it - something I did not learn until after we were married.)

Here's where I come clean with you.  I only wished for snow.  A simple sentence, spoken out loud.  No candles were harmed in the making of this beautiful day.  No herbs, potions, or crystals used nor poems spoken.  I didn't even dance naked under the moon.  I just honestly answered a question.

So, what do you think - 'coincidence' or 'magic?'

 

Do you keep track of how many times your wishes come true? 

~Sam


)O(

darkness

I am enjoying the dark time of the year.  Under this week's waning moon I seek to make changes, and in my home I have a few extra candles warming up the place. 

I'm not trying to get rid of all my problems. For example, I'm not one of those people who seeks to lose ALL my excess weight (it is the extra pounds that make me curvy). And I truly believe that my problems are part of the lessons I'm here to learn in this life.
 
If for some reason you are sorrowful right now, please take some time for yourself and give up some of the burden you carry.  I'm not saying you have to have zero problems to enjoy your life, but the weight of the world is not meant to be carried by anyone.  Take a few minutes and make time to light a candle and ask the universe for a little relief.  Then take steps to make the changes YOU need. Go ahead, give yourself permission not to make the holidays perfect.  Or accept the fact that you can not buy each and everyone of your family and friends the perfect gift. 

I see the dark time as a time to rest - just like the land is resting outside under the heavy frost.  I try to celebrate the seasons by following the rhythm of the land - and see winter as the time for taking it easy.   I sometimes think that I'm doing too much when I knock myself out to 'do' Yuletide / Christmas celebrating, bringing on unnecessary problems and extra work.  Then I remember, the plants are dead outside, we are alive and celebrating, humans were made to party.  If I start to feel overwhelmed, I stop and try to find balance.  To trade off some of the manufactured craziness for true peace on earth (well, at least peace and quiet in my little world).

Our neighbors (a superstitious lot) have this need to remove all traces of their Christmas celebrations before the first day of the new year. This causes them as much (or more!) grief than getting ready for the holidays - rushing around as if they would be cursed if all signs of a good time were not put away.  Not me, at this house we celebrate winter without guilt until we have to dust the ornaments - or until the next turning of the wheel.

Whiskey and candle light - enjoying a warm drink on a cold night.

Hidden in plain sight moment:  We both look forward to those peaceful pauses just to enjoy the decorations and the extra light here in our home.  And, after the holiday rush, Darrin loves to sit by the lit tree and the fireplace almost as much as I do. I think he likes breaking the tradition his family had of having to get all of Christmas put away just after they had celebrated.  Me, I like holding on to the winter, celebrating the season as long as I can. 


~Sam

)O(

permissible magic

I love this time of year.  Who wouldn't?  Magic is such a big part of the Christmas celebration (sure, they call it miracle - but we know).  What many people don't seem to realize is this time of year is loved because we allow magic.  We expect it - demand it of our celebrations.  Just think what life would be like if we expected it every day...

Here in December, with Christmas rushing at folks, a few of my television channels are running movies (almost nonstop) and every one of them has a bit of magic - oh, yes, they'll say "coincidence" or "Christmas miracles" - there's that word again.  Every now and then they will even say "magic." 

Imagine every day with magic possibilities.  This is how I got started with my magical life.  I just accepted that 'it' was possible. 

Give yourself permission to dream and make those dreams come true.

Do not limit yourself to this time of year.

B E L I E V E

 ~Sam

)O(