Ze Fair!

Gnomes on Parade!

Once again, we headed down to Eugene for the Oregon Country Fair...and had a pretty wonderful time, (there was a little unfriendliness the 1st day...but great after that). It also was the 40th anniversary of the Fair, and I managed to get one of the last Commemorative Batik Sarongs...they also had some flags which I wish I gotten now...but no worries! We also had one of the Beaniac's friends from Alaska (via Virginia...it's a long story!)-he was great, just became part of the family, and we're planning on having him back next year too! So now onto some more pics...


E -The Bean's AK friend & all around good kid, the Beaniac & Snabby

The second day was nice as well as we got to park nearer the entrance, and just mosey on in a little early with our 3-day wristband passes (cost a pretty penny, but makes Fair life just a little easier)...You can see above an example of the funky signs around that make it a fun place too-even the No Parking ones!


Glitter Henna!

I decided to spend a little cashola and get some Mehendi done - the lady that I chose incidently also offers a fine glitter decoration while it dries if you want - and I wanted! Here below is a pic of the finished design a day or so later...

Done!

May Day Fun!

Spring Lady Bag

Well, I'm working on a new project...and trying to get it done by Friday - May 1st!
I got the special edition Eco Bag from Sublime Stitching, and mostly following Jenny Hart's design & colors, (see pic above). I'll post updates as I finish more embroidery.

Also, I'll see if I can take pics at the May Day celebration at the Rose Garden too - I'll be up early - at 4am to get there in time for the Bagpipes at Sunrise!

Spring Lady-More!

Update # 1 - I've finished up the face, and will do the bee stuff tomorrow (will upload another pic too). I've really liked how it's turned out so far...and I'm on track to be finished by Thursday night (May Day Eve)-Yay!




Spring Lady-"Bee" almost done!
Well, I am way ahead of myself...I might be able to finish it by tonight...a whole day early! This is great, since I've got alot of other things to prepare for May Day - I really want it to be a totally fun day for the family!





Spring Lady DONE!
Yay! It's all done, and I've sure received alot of compliments on it! I am really pleased with how this project turned out, and will definitely be checking out other Limited Edition stuff by Sublime Stitching (the bag is already down from the website!)...Jenny Hart has had something special for each month this year; in February she had a VERY cute Valentine's inspired stitchable card...but I couldn't get it :( ...due to money being tight. Check out her site at the link above and see what her featured product is this month!

Opening to the Fullness of Spring!

Wow, spring has finally sprung from this long, dark, COLD wintertide...but still the chilly fingers of Jack Frost haven't let go...The mornings are often very cold still...

In the meantime we've worked on our garden, my potted herbs and even gotten an air/duct sealing for our home (for free!). We've worked very hard on getting more frugal with our lifestyle, reduced/eliminated some debt and will even be able to have some savings soon (in case of job loss). So many positive steps...

However, recently I've had to step back from an increasingly unhealthy situation...and it's been difficult. I'd been back and forth on how to handle it...and every time I thought, "Well, maybe..I'll just do this,...or ...I'll just help out here..", I'd get requests to do even MORE! "Do this! We need this!" There were several creative ways to "get the job done" without me, but they "can't see the forest for the trees" evidently.

I didn't want people who I've really come to like and admire think bad of me...but since they don't know the FULL details of what my family's dealing with on a financial, wellness/health and psychological level, I simply can't expect them to understand. Some have a small inkling, but aren't sympathetic as several others are dealing with health-related crises of their own. The one thing I didn't bring up to these folks is that this all happened during February/March, leading up to the most difficult part of the year for me. It dawned on me that my son's death still affects me to this day, and the grieving process intensifies problematic situations. I discussed the problem extensively with the two people who were present on the worst day of my life (the stillbirth of our son), and they both agreed with me; I had made the right decision to stand firm in my departure from this group. The relief is palpable, I didn't realize I had had been doing so much work for so long! It may get nasty, but come what may, I can finally say I made the right decision for me, my family and ultimately, for them.

So on to May Day...a Spring Sabbat to celebrate with Mirth and Joy; release burdens, and open up to new mysterious possibilities!

Signs of Spring

I should have posted this a couple weeks ago...but now will do. There's a fab full Storm Moon out...and I've decanted the herbal tinctures I started on the New Moon, which happened to be Mardi Gras! (more about that later..).

Anyhow, as a very occasional phenologist, I've noticed the obvious seasonal changes: chattering morning birds, the spring bulbs slow emergence and flowering, the longer days (although this was now screwed up by Spring Ahead Daylight Savings this past Sunday), and cloudy rainy days. Strangely, it snowed just a couple days ago (Monday the 9th) and earlier the year started out dry, COLD and sunny (see beautiful sunrise pic from early February)
February 09
In fact, it has been very cold this whole winter, and we've all had bad bouts with colds as a result.

Speaking of the Spring flowers, they are very late this year, usually by this time I have masses of Daffodils for a huge bouquet I make for the St. Patrick's Day celebration that I host for the older members of our family. We barely have any, just two pink hyacinths and one small early-blooming variety of Daffodil have fully blossomed, the rest are just buds...

Imbolc-First Post

Brigit pours out her Blessings

I really like this time of year, when the sun starts coming back, the spring flowers start poking their heads above ground and the frenzy of the mid-winter holidays are behind us. I especially love snowdrops, often the very first blooms of the season. I sometimes use old Catholic name for this holiday, Candlemas
. I like to celebrate it by making a Brigid's Cross, to hang over our threshold during the year (you can see examples in the background in the picture above); put away or burn any remaining mid-winter decorations and renew New Years resolutions.


There are several holidays that fall around this time as well:

1. Valentine's Day - Apersonal favorite as this is when my husband & I celebrate our "anniversary" - even though we were married in August.

2. Imbolc/Oimelc, a Wiccan/Pagan Sabbat (Holy Day); Often a day when new initiates are accepted into covens or begin individual studies with an elder. It also celebrates the end of Winter and the first day of Spring (despite Ground Hog Day stating "4 more weeks of Winter" usually!)

4. Mardi Gras! - Link takes you to the official New Orleans website...Party time!