San Francisco!

I went down to "The City" the weekend before last, by myself to visit an old college friend who was going to be in the Bay Area. SO MUCH FUN...Bought tons of books and magazines at the Borders near Union Square...where they were putting up a huge Xmas tree and had a little skating rink!
"MEN AT WORK!





















My hotel was just 1/2 a block from the Chinatown gate, and one of my fave restaurants,Cafe de la Presse. The hotel I liked alot - all the guests were very friendly and always struck up a conversation in the ONE very old slow elevator. The only caveat I have is that it did not have air conditioning...which was needed for the unseasonable warm weather they had. In the picture below, I'm looking out on the backside of the Chinatown gate at one of the pretty window displays..the restaurant is on the other side of the street in the background. I bought something for my new nephew at one of the quirky tchotchke-crowded stores...

Tourists!



Hmmm, the Cafe had some great tomato soup, blissful chocolate & strawberry gelato, and a great steak! Plus there are lots of magazines and books (in many languages too..so you can brush up on your French or German) to read while waiting for your meal. Mostly my friend and I walked around downtown, went window shopping and talked - alot! We also had a Dim Sum lunch down near the waterfront with another friend...very good! It's always great to catch up with someone who you're not able to see often enough...speaking of window displays - here's another one that caught my eye. Don't you just LOVE the colors on this lamp!



I want this one in my dream house!



We also saw a live version of the Rocky Horror Show, which was tons of rolicking fun! We met a cute French guy who was taking two girlfriends to the show....even though it was technically "sold out", they managed to get tickets-Yay!. The play is a little different than the film, but I liked seeing what the Victoria Theatre did with it...and OMG the shoes! They were the highest stilletto fetish heels I've ever seen (mostly red instead of black this time around); I was contantly afraid some actor was going to get a terribly sprained ankle or land flat on his/her ass!...(it nearly happened once..the entire audience audibly went "aaaaggghhh"!).


We also visited a newer shopping mall (mostly for the temperature factor), The Westfield Centre, right on Market st....it's got a beautiful dome, 5 floors of shopping, a movie theatre (saw Quantam of Solace..). It's a bit on the chic spendy side...did find an interesting Japanese tea shop Lupicia, (link takes you to a short review)...bought some Pommier for a gift too!


Finally I'll leave you with an early morning pic out of my hotel window of "The City" on the day I had to leave (sob!).

Coit Tower & Chinatown

PS. I can't say enough about BART and MUNI...the FANTASTIC public transportation is one of the main reasons San Francisco is such a joy to visit.

Spiders...and the Day of the Dead

Well, I haven't posted in awhile...actually have been very busy on the home front. It's not that I haven't noticed what a wonderful fall we've been having here the the Pacific Northwest...it's just I've had a little bit of "ennui" for some time. I ended up watching Serenity only about a million times, along with any other movie Sean Maher has ever made-(spoiler alert DO NOT watch the end of Living Til the End!) and just generally just having the blahs...Then I realized I was similarly obsessed with Hugh Jackman and The Fountain last year...just about this same time, (yes, we bought the movie AND the sound track...) Then it hit me...the thinning of the veil upon us, and I will remember our stillborn son, and all the other friends and family who went before, again.

I also started re-thinking my whole volunteer schedule..and I believe I'll be pulling back and spending some time on family and "wintering in" (fancy wording for working home projects, which sounds more poetic I guess); and may be seriously looking for a job in January. (In case you haven't heard, the economy's going in the pooper...and hubby's job may go the way of the dinosaurs...we'll see how Wall Street handles the 700 billion the taxpayers have SO nicely donated to their suffering cause...cynical snicker).

I digress! This post is actually about the exceptional autumn we've had...cold nights and clear sunny days. The perfect weather to produce color splendors worthy of an East Coast fall foliage tour. It's been so spectacular that when our usual rainy, cloudy weather appeared a couple days ago, I was a bit disappointed our Indian Summer had finally come to an end.


This picture is from my ancestral homeland, Champoeg. It's a nice time to be there now as the Park has very few visitors. It's got lovely views of the Willamette, and great biking/walking paths.

I've also observed (a la Waverly Fizgerald's School of the Seasons) the plethora of spiders during this season. They've been all around outside, in every nook and cranny in the garden...and some of them managed to sneak inside the house too! We have a very fat pregnant one just outide the kitchen window. Without realizing it, Waverly found out this natural process is called phenology-the science of tracking seasonal changes. She's got lots of links to some very interesting sites here ,(you'll have to scroll down to her phenology article first).

Until just yesterday, (several days WELL after All Soul's Day), I still had all the Day of the Dead decorations up, (I find I prefer the Mexican take on this holiday...); I had wanted to do something more elaborate for a family ritual (my inspiration is this one done by Joanna Colbert)...but our daughter had Marching Band Championships that weekend, the weather didn't cooperate and we had already planned for a Firefly party (yup, we're Browncoats!)...so there just wasn't time for the entire family to come together and prepare anything. We barely got our pumpkins carved on Halloween day! I did the the traditional one on the lower step...

In any case, I was musing about, feeling a little unsettled...couldn't resolve it until I hit upon the idea of just lighting all the candles and doing a Goddess Rosary (I can already tell after reciting it this one time, I'm going to tweak it for my own purposes!). Now I'm not praying for the restoration of Avalon...-No, I'm much more focused on the here and now... the needs of my immediate family and the mysterious desire for communion with our Sacred Dead. After I had done all that, I felt a sense of closure and was able to put it all away for next year.



PS. I'll be going to San Francisco in a week or so to visit an old college friend, so there'll be posts galore coming up!

We've had beautiful weather here...high 70's..a little into the 80's, but cool and crisp in the evening...the shadows are lengthening! Mabon is just around the corner...

A couple days ago I ran out to get some milk and came upon a gorgeous 1st quarter moon, which I would have missed had I not done that. -(and yes, I know the pic is a full moon, but couldn't find anything free of a quarter moon...)

Sat outside last night and watched the moon and the twilight turn to darkness.

This is my favorite time of year, I always get so excited with the bevy of Holidays coming up, which I enjoy, even if it is alot of work...AND...since I am NOT working...I can plan things a little more. Already have lots of crafts and food items I'm preparing for...even signed up for some Herbalism classes, where I'll be making some gifts for Yule!

Strangely it's relaxing and stimulating at the same time...

Good Harvest to you and yours!

Seaside Thoughts and Musings....

Sunset on the Prom

Geez, it's almost the end of August...this "workin" business sure tends to interfere with my life! I have only 3 more days, yay!Anyway, earlier this month I took a week long vacation in Seaside w/my Dad and Husband. It was alot of fun, especially since I took along my new book I got for my birthday, The Druid Magic Handbook by John Michael Greer, sequel to his first book on the subject, The Druidry Handbook (which I also have!).

I took time out to finish some sewing projects, of which I VERY proud! I plan on having them framed when I have some money to do so...along with my OCF poster I got this past July.

I also went for long walks along "the Prom", some with Dad, and some w/hubby...but mostly by myself. The last couple days were a little strange...very misty and foggy. I walked all the way to Avenue U from the Turnaround...and on the way stopped to sit on a bench for a rest. Quite unexpectedly a flock of Canadian Geese winged almost silently overhead...almost imperceptible in the heavy misty morning. They flew in from "nothingnesss" straight as an arrow into "nothingness"...only they knew where they were going by some unknown sense. They seemed to be going to Tillamook Head from the direction they were going...I only knew that since I've been to this area since I was a little kid and have a good sense of direction. Otherwise, you could only see about 30-40 feet to any one side of yourself, due to the fog.

Strange and glorious, maybe even a little thrilling. I took a walk barefoot on the beach later that same day. I wanted to experience something, a bit of nature, perhaps I was in a "Spiritual Attitude" as Brendan Cathbad Myers says in his book, The Mysteries of Druidry. (I got this book in Astoria, of all places!).

Yea, Druidry - it's got alot to offer. I'm pondering that as a possible additional path to the Goddess path I've been treading for some time now... And I've ordered all of Shekhinah Mountainwater's currently available works: her Rune Book, Music CD, and Last Interview DVD, (she passed away August 11, 2007). Last year I managed to get my hands on her seminal work, Ariadne's Thread; a well-used copy from Powell's. I feel lucky to have gotten it.

This has been a busy summer, but I've been in the best of health (mostly!) to enjoy it! I can tell my mind and heart have been turning to make some decisions and commitments...while letting others go..but I need to figure out out exactly how and when all this will happen. What's important, what's not - and focus my efforts and energy towards those goals.

Now, curiously, as I'm no longer in my twenties...or even thirties (!)..I feel confident I will make the right decisions...but I'm not so impatient or anxious about it as I was in earlier times.... it will be "All in good time" I expect!

Oregon Country Fair - Meaningful Meditations

Chela Mela Meadow
Well, July has come and gone...and I didn't even do a post. However, for this Lughnasa season I'd like to go back to an event I attended way back in early in the month, for the 1oth straight year in a row, the Oregon Country Fair. This was a very interesting one for me, as I went alone, instead of with my family or friends. I especially want to talk about my second day there, as it was more meditative and thoughtful that the first frenzied shop-hopping day....so much more mellow and enjoyable.

After a small debacle in which I couldn't find my parking pass, had to pay the parking fee, then found it, and then had to walk back and forth to my car to get my $5 back....I decided to stop at a couple "doings' near a field by the Cabal gate. I was in no rush, so I went over to Eyes Wide Open, an exhibit by the Friends (Quakers) on the true cost of the Iraq War. It was very moving, and geared towards Oregonians, with the monetary costs, civilian lives lost comparison and memorial for Oregonian soldiers killed (represented by their empty shoes). Although you cannot see the names in the placard below, actual names of Iraqis killed appear listed above and below the picture.

After this sobering experience, I was in a more thoughtful mood and knew I needed something to transition from a heavy, cruel reality back to the zany atmosphere of the Fair with out forgetting the importance of what I had just witnessed. Fortunately opposite this exhibit was The Labyrinth, a feature which has been at the Fair...for I don't know how long... Most of the fields surrounding the Fair have been cut (hayed?) so people can use them as parking lots and Fair Family as campgrounds, but they leave this one small portion long, and only cut a small winding path...braiding the long grasses into short mounds separating the trails. (Note: The hay is formed into bales and used as "fencing" around entrance gates, inpromptu tables & sitting areas and such all around the Fair - a couple random bales appear below).


This was the perfect method for me to process all I had just seen, I entered the Labyrinth lightly holding onto my new Goddess Rosary, spontaneously deciding to use this opportunity to bless it in use for the first time. I began by clearing my mind and simply walking forward, then concentrating on the War Memorial exhibit, and said to myself "I will witness this in words and actions, in a postive way in my daily life". I resolved to continue my volunteer actions for social justice (currently with REACH), the environment and to speak out about the devastation of war (and in particular the Iraq War) when the opportunity presents itself. The rosary I held would be a connection to and physical reminder of my promise. As I walked looking down at the grass, the path..with intent focus...I felt the cares of the day dissolve and a calm clarity emerge. At the center of The Labyrinth, there's a little mound with small objects folk leave...I think I left a few coins and a movie ticket..but it could have been something else. I just remember that it was the perfect item and I felt "finished" when I stepped over the paths to leave the center mound.

Next up, I got in a little early due to my 3-day wristband, and wandered around and checked out the Energy Park and the Community Village. I spent alot of time looking at native plants & flowers in an exhibit by an organization I can't remember the name of now...I especially wanted to be able to identify and use some of these plants and the information provided was very useful (Latin Names, other Common Names, botanical properties, some growing information). I plan to definitely go back next year,and also spend some more time to talk to some of the Master Gardeners at CV but take some mosquito repellent with me!

Up by the Outer Banks loop was an Memorial for all OCF Family who had passed, with an invitation for the public to add thoughts for their own lost members...which I did of course, honoring my son, my cousin, my grandmother and a local teen who was killed riding his bike home from school earlier this year, Austin Miller.

I guessed I must have missed it the first time I went around; there was a HUGE World Ball map (with people signing and decorating it), right nearby, closer to the path...and I had earlier decided I didn't need to "mark my place", (so to speak) on that particular public art project.

Since I was just wandering taking the time to look at the various vendors, people watch and generally soak in the Fair atmosphere...I joyfully spotted the "River/Island" art piece they had this year at the Outer Banks area too..every year it's different...I remember several large decorated teepees one year, another some huge colorful flags...this year's was "modern" looking, something maybe inspired by the wind, or rushing water?


The white "arty" balloons were a perfect, relaxing way to end an a perfect meditative day...until next year Fair Family!

My Contribution

I've been pondering how best to respond to the Peak Oil crisis (now that it has actually arrived!) in my own life. How to best cushion financial blows, and build resiliancy into our daily life.

I done a couple things, like reducing energy use ALOT (saves money right off the bat!), keeping up my canning skills, and cleaning with simple products like vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda...growing my own herbs and tomatos, and learning more technical stuff, like home maintenance and Norwegian embroidery.

But at other things...not so much. I've tried to drive less, but since both my parents live at least a 45 minute drive (in opposite directions!)..a teenage daughter who is extremely busy with a summer job and social activities..and my job as overall errand person for the family - I've completely failed at it.

In September, I may need to look for another job - but maybe then I can also work on getting on a bike for the near errands. It's a start!

Summertime...

is when I tend to get some stuff done. Unfortunately, it's also coincides with the busiest work schedule for the part-time/on-call job I currently have. Be that as it may, I'm excited about OCF this year, they've got a new Art Nouveau style logo for this year's fair, it's very pretty!...and I will be going alone, (for the 1st time ever! so I can just wander around and do whatever I want, when I want. I'm contemplating getting a 3-day entrance bracelet, even though I'd probably only go 2 days. You get in a smidgen earlier and you don't have to worry about keeping track of 3 days of tickets.

I'd like to attend the Faeriworlds Festival during Lughnasa, but it's also the same time as REACH's Paint & Repair-A-Thon, so there will always be a conflict...I'll just have to decide one year to go!

Finally, I've been following Lunaea Weatherstone's blog for quite some time...at last she put up some new Goddess Rosaries, (you'll need to scroll down just a little to see them all), and I bought one! I'll put up some pics once I receive it...she also has a great ritual for a "Spiritual Bath", which is easy and fun. I plan to get a colorful bucket (like the pink one she has a picture of), and use the flowers from my pot garden. The miniature roses are just coming into bloom (both pink and yellow),as well as the thyme, parsely and lavender. Soon the Easter lilies, along with some California Poppies and Calendula I recently planted should bloom, so I can have several "Baths" all summer long!

Workin'

Wow, the May full moon's come and gone already and the Rhodie's are in bloom! We'll be visiting the graves this Sunday for Memorial Day and working more on the house to get it ready for painting. My Bleeding Harts are in full force as well, and I'm enjoying all my herbs...still have to plant some seeds and tomato plants a neighbor gave us.

....am excited for Midsommer this year, and hopefully will be able to celebrate Lughnasa as well (it will be in the middle of my full working months...). I read in Cunningham's Encylopedia of Magical Herbs that some folks make a blackberry pie to mark the holiday. I think that fits in perfectly with the seasons around here, although I prefer cobblers to pies!

It actually got hot a couple days ago, into the 90's! Seem like we went straight from late winter (it hailed just a couple weeks ago) straight into full summer! I've changed the decorations around the house from May Day to summertime fruits...it's sure nice!

Ok, A Fun Post!

* The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
* Each player answers the questions about himself or herself.
* At the end of the post, blah, blah blah...this is all Swinebread's fault!

Ten Years Ago I Was

Working long hours at a stressful job and being a single parent to a crazy fun kid!


Five Things on Today's To Do List

1. Something (said w/a Kids in the Hall simper...)

2. Finish weeding the front flower bed and buy some barkdust for it also.

3. Recover from yesterday's drive to Everett..

4. Figure out what the hell else is happening this week.

5. Housework.


Things I'd do if I were a Billionaire

Build a bill ol' house (ranch) in the country...with the whole off-the-grid renewable energy thing....

Start a charitable foundation and give loads of money away to education, environmental causes, Theater groups, and social justice organizations.

Have some blow-out parties for friends and family at our "ranch" for all the 8 Wheel of the Year celebrations (Mabon, Halloween, Yule, Candlemas, Easter, May Day, Litha and Lughnasah).

Start a collection of Native & Historical Dress (Norwegian Bunads, Scottish Kilts, German/Swiss Volktracht, Mountain Man/Metis wear, French Norman Paysan & BOURGEOISIE RURALE, as many 1930's repro's as I a lay my hands on...etc.)

Visit Norway, France, Ireland, England, Switzerland/Austria, New Zealand/Hawaii, Japan and anywhere else that strikes my fancy.

Work on my French, learn Spanish, relearn my German...maybe pick up Russian, Classical Greek and Classical Latin...maybe some Norwegian too


Three Bad Habits

(these are the same!)

1) Food
2) Daydreaming too much
3) Not enough exercise


Five Places I've lived

Santa Clara CA, Washington DC, Saltillo Mexico (6 months), Portland OR


Six Jobs I've had in Life (not in order)

1) Hotel Maid & Schwimmbad Putzen!
2) Operations "coordinator" for overseas ER response.
3) Undocumented English Teacher.
4) Fille au pair (glorfied babysitter or "nanny").
5) Bookkeeper
6) Many, many Food service jobs...


I'll tag anyone that reads this blog and feels like doing it...

Amazing Dream!

...and the answer turned out to be 42! (My future age upon my birthday this year)...

I turned a really negative, increasingly dystopian dream into something VERY empowering! I finished it, consciously, in a most positive and satisfactory manner just after I woke up! I remembered almost all of it, and could identify many aspects as I went through it several times in my mind (mostly to secure the memories..which I will post later in a shortcut)...as well as spontaneously interpreted or "deduced" you might say, it's larger message at the same time.

Which is don't let yourself unconsciously acquiesce to society's games...and don't let a bad decision set you on a dead-end course...change it!

This gives me such a boost for the future, that no matter what happes, even if it's bad-I can change my approach, use confidence in myself and my decisions to go for what I want!

April Full Moon

Tonight I did a really simple Full Moon Ritual with my family...it was really low-key, relaxing and short! I took a photo of the table, with a bowl of floating crabapple blossoms, glass holders for the 3 elements (Earth [salt or herbs], Sea [water infused w/drops of Holy Oil] and Sky [a bell or sage-depending on if we're inside or outside] that I use to consecrate the house or yard for the ritual. I also include holder for at least one candle to light and we've got 3 glasses for our "Maiwein" (lemonade).

Earlier in the day I cut branches off my neighbor's crab apple tree...something I've been doing for a couple years now, (I always ask before I do it though!)...and it was a wonderful simple way to mark another Spring season transition. And what a strange changes we've been seeing! It snowed and hailed today, then the sun came out and melted it all away...it's been the chilliest Spring I can remember....

Can't wait to watch "Wicker Man" (we have both the old and new movies, but I MUCH prefer the old 1970's one!), one of our regular "Spring Activities"...

Crabapple Time!

The neighbor down the street finally is about to have her Crabapples bloom...I'm so excited! I love to make a big vase w/branches to display in our home, it makes me feel like Beltane is truly "on it's way"! I also like the fact the they last longer than Cherry blossoms, start out hot pink and then gradually whiten as they bloom!

I've planted some more herbs, (Lavender, Italian-(Flatleaf) Parsely), and got just a few flowers as well-a hanging pot w/3 different things, a hot pink geranium, some kind of blue perennial and for a change of pace - white pansies w/a yellow center. I've planted the pansies in the front pots, everything else in the back. We also received some kind of yellow perennial as a gift from my SIL and her hubby. This was a present in rememberance of our son, so it's very special and I hope it does well. The dogwood is budding out, so I hope to have pics of it soon too!

More soon...

I've been so busy, I haven't had time to compose anything thoughtful for awhile, but here's a pretty picture inspired by Lunaea Weatherstone's post on Wisteria. I've also noted while pulling up some "sticker bushes" in my garden yesterday that the Lilacs are budding out, and at least one Bleeding Heart has pushed up delicate first stems!

Spring!

Finally the cherry trees in our area are in full bloom! Our annual family St. Patrick's Day dinner is tomorrow and I've made some lovely bouquets from the daffodils and hyacinth from our yard. I think I may try and order some of the pink daffodils, they look very pretty to me.

I'm really excited about this spring, I don't know why...I have generally positive attitude. It's been rainy and sunny, both together. A bit weird, but I'll take it. Worked on the yard a tiny bit as well. I'm going to plant lots of herbs, as I've found they are easy to grow, don't take as much time as vegetables and smell good all year long. Happy Ostara!

First Post

So this is my first post, not sure what to start off with, but here goes:

This blog will primarily be a pagan-themed blog, with a little miscellaneous stuff thrown in. Any and all aspects of paganism will be covered, along with information on my personal practices. For the purposes of this blog, Paganism is defined as any religious or esoteric practice which is not of the 3 Major monotheistic religions (Xianity, Islam or Judaism) OR the 3 Major Orthodox Eastern religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism/Taoism).

While the 3 Western monotheistic traditions consider any non-adherent as a "Pagan", I've included the 3 Major Eastern traditions as well, regardless of the number of divinities recognized in their respective pantheons, since I consider them to be "orthodox", (i.e. conforming to the approved form of any doctrine, philosophy, ideology, customary or conventional, as a means or method; established); and current Pagan religions and practices are primarily unorthodox in nature.

Of course, there exist Pagan organizations which have specific practices (Gardnerian & Alexandrian Covens, as well as several Druid groups), but overall their beliefs and practices have not been endorsed by the vast majority of people. In addition, the blog will most likely focus on Western Pagan themes (Celtic, Norse, Greek/Roman, North American, Wicca, some Egyptian/Near Ancient Eastern, etc.), as that is the subject area I'm most familiar with and practice in daily life.