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!

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!