Christmas and Yule

I am listening to Christmas music lately, the traditional tunes as well as modern ones and some pagan stuff, like Midwinter Moon and  Jaiya's Firedance. I love to sing this time of year. I find myself thinking of going to Catholic church and singing with Mike's family, or going to Lutheran church and singing along with my first husband, Jeff Fox, while he plays the pipe organ.  They even have a cool bell choir there on Christmas eve.

Jeff at Mt Baker Theater

And though I do not enjoy the Christian doctrine as a rule, I do love the tradition and ritual of Christmas services, because there is so much singing! I really like to belt it out!  I always get a giggle out of the off key singers, yet it's wonderful because they too are belting it out, for the joy of it.

I continue to struggle with seasonal depression, so identified since it happened last year too, but this year I have a couple tricks to help me.

  First I'm taking several people's advice, including my husband's; jump on the exercise bike when I am feeling low.  Second, I'm using my happy light by my computer for longer periods (why yes, it's shining on me now!) instead of just in the bathroom when I shower. 
I do have to watch out for heightened emotions, however.  I tend to get sucked into the media's milking of the tender side of the holidays; I'll even cry at ads if they're tearjerkers!  Don't even get me going on the damned holiday movies!  Dana told me she had been watching them so I recorded a couple to watch while on the exercise bike.  VERY light entertainment!


  Mike and I have been watching The Sing-Off.
  It's a show about a bunch of acapella groups competing for some money and a recording contract.  After I got past the cheesy MC the music was wonderful!  This group, Pentatonix, was so creative and exciting, and they won.

 I have been learning about myself this one thing:
I get very emotional when I see groups of people being creative in an organized way.  Parades, marching bands, groups like on the sing-off, and dance groups.  people who aren't rock stars, but are doing something they love.  I always think back to when I used to be in marching band and really liked the way we did cool patterns and went to parades and games to play and march.  I'm probably yearning to feel a part of something like that again.


What I am part of is a wonderful group of people who present celebrational rituals for the seasons.  We are putting on a Yule, or winter solstice event again at a local grange hall.  It will be fun and wonderful community atmosphere, and we get to have a fire outside among the fir trees, in a big cauldron! 

So, enough ramblings for now, and I hope to see YOU soon!
Blessings!

Betsy

Memories, Dreams, All Hallows

Ah, Halloween, All Souls Eve, All Hallows.  The ancient holiday where the dead are honored and the harvests must be done, including the harvesting of the animals you are not willing to feed all winter. Hibernation time is here!  I certainly feel that way anyway.
I remember going to a local event, called Hecate's Sickle Festival, held at  Cornet Bay state park group camp, where we had a silent supper.  At the supper no one said anything the entire time, and we invited our beloved ancestors to dine with us.  The silence is really hard for me, but once I sunk down into it I felt the presence of my dear friend Blake Grinstein, who was lost at sea on his fishing boat, and my beloved cat Bosco, who has been a companion for me on shamanic journeys I have taken.  (A visualized journey into other realities, but is it just visualized???)
This year, I will be thinking of my sweet niece Kate, who passed away a number of years ago, and of someone who really enjoyed her and me, Paul Bingman, who passed away of cancer this year very unexpectedly to me.  I had just emailed him and asked him if I could come visit him this fall for a quilt conference, which was one thing we enjoyed talking about, and a week later I heard he had passed.  It was quite a shock and our local community, which had connections with him, were sad in a deep and regretful way because he hid his illness from us and passed on quietly without our being able to say goodbye.  I hope to do that tonight at a quiet ceremony. 
He is pictured here at Joanna's home during our St. Lucia party hugging Deb.
And I will be thinking of my friends Elaine, Lee and Chloe, who lost their beloved mom/grandma Janet.  I had the honor of spending Thanksgiving with their family last year and really enjoyed talking with Janet and hearing her stories.  Janet passed away this year somewhat unexpectedly and the loss has hurt Elaine and her family very deeply, of course. 

Many blessings and love...... Goodbye friends........


Last night I had a very detailed dream about finding a spot on a campus of some sort where there was a safe that I finally remembered the combination to.  I opened it and found many little mementos of my life, and things I'd saved that were "interesting" "cute" or "neat" to me.  Mostly household objects.  I started pulling them out of the safe, which wasn't just a square box, it was built into a window on the outside of the building, on a corner.  I had to reach into odd little compartments to find more things to pull out, and at one point a rat cruised across the windowsill above the opening that I was reaching into.  I was startled by the rat and wondered if I was going to put my hand in a nest or some poop!  But I figured the rat wasn't in my safe but was just going above it.  I kept unloading.  Soon I had it all out and spread on the ledge by the safe and a table by the window.  I started looking at it all and deciding to give stuff away to passers-by, who seemed like students on this campus. 
That's it for my clear memory, as my cat started poking me to be let out.  I went back to sleep hoping my dream self would work out the rest.

 But the clarity of this dream and the symbolism were good, and considering the time in my life and the time of the year, I consider it very symbolic of my beginning to dig around for the things I've learned and experienced and sharing them with people who might be interested in them.  Also, it's time to let go of things I have stored up and made a part of me, but are probably not needed any more. 

And, all this leads to where we are now, All Hallows, the time of letting go.  I am ready to let go of the people and things that have been hanging on to all these years.  Things change, they wheel turns, and life moves along on it's own pace.  All Hallows is the time for pause and assessment, and sending love across the great divide between life and death to those who have left us bereft.

Fall Beauty

I haven't posted for awhile, it seems like I am teetering on the brink of the same depression I fell into last year at this time.  I just turned 49 and though I don't think it affects me that deeply, it may well be a part of my issues!   My parents, 82 and 84, are still here but are leaving this week for their trek back to Palm Desert.  I have loved having them here but I guess it's time to see them off and for me to try to get back to my routine.  Mike, my husband, says that he heard that if you want to avoid depression, the minute you feel down, go do some vigorous exercises.  I tried that today and it seemed to help!  So I have my exercise bike all ready for action and will keep trying it. 
I want to share with you a fun and happy looking squash someone left me at our farewell/birthday party.
This squash lifted my spirits tonight when I saw him (her?) and I put him in this cup at a jaunty angle so he could be displayed nicely and show off a bit before I decide to eat him!!! 
I got my mom to make another of her pie/tart things out of some blackberries I bought in Tacoma at the farmers market last month.  I think she just mixes a little flour and some agave, and uses a pie crust from safeway that she lays over the top only.  It seems easy and very tasty. 
I have really enjoyed the tomatoes that mom and dad have grown for me here on my patio, they are great patio gardeners and have really done a wonderful job beautifying my house. 
One of the presents I was given for my birthday was this exceptionally cool lily pad food cover, from the Greenhouse in Bellingham.  Thanks Drew!
I just noticed that the Greenhouse also sells Envirosax, my favorite designer shopping bags.  They roll up into small light tubes that fit in your purse easily.  These have actually changed me from a wannabe to a real "no/minimal plastic" shopper. 
I have the usual problem with fruit flies every year so my solution for the most part is to create these little traps for them.  I discovered they like witch hazel so I made a recipe that includes a little witch hazel, some red wine and some apple cider vinegar.  I put these in one of those oil/vinegar bottles and the little bastards go in and die!!    :-)  I also use the wine stopper things that have an opening and closing lever for pouring and use old wine bottles to catch them.  You can rig up any number of trap types, just search the net. 

I've lost about 11 pounds.  So has Mike.  We are trying to do a whole bunch of stuff to improve our bodies and our relationship.  I've started Tai Chi back in August.  I'm going to the Chinese Martial Arts Academy and it's been good for me! 
I'm really looking forward to all the harvest celebrations in the next month or two.  Next weekend are our local Pagan Pride and Fall Equinox events.  I'll be doing something at each of them; come visit me!
Next month, I get to visit my pal Angie in Boston, and our pal Lori, from Austin TX will be coming too! 
Ok, I've rambled on enough. 
Blessings of the fall and harvests upon you!
--Betsy

Of Weddings, grasshoppers, Sandhill cranes, weasels and magpies

I've been traveling this weekend. Going on I-90 to Billings, MT for my sister in law Sheri's wedding. The wedding was held in St. Olaf Church near Roberts, MT...15 miles on a rocky road into the rolling green hills with mountain ranges around us.

I'm always amazed at the creatures that live in this part of the country, and I like to catalogue in my head what I've seen..

let's see, I saw Sandhill cranes (I've deduced), a few green grasshoppers and of course ravens and magpies, ospreys, a number of hawks, vultures, swans in a creek by the dirt road on the way to the church, pronghorns, a weasel in Costco parking lot, very cute, a few swallows and other sweet birds, cows, horse, bison (ranched), sheep, llamas, goats and little bunnies of course.
It's been lots of family visiting this weekend, the last time I'll see brother in law Brian before he becomes a daddy, met my two new step nephews that Sheri's new mate Rudy brings with him into the marriage, and excitement is building for Pam (sis in law) over her impending adoption.
It's been a little difficult for me being without Marina, she's in Hawaii. But i've gotten a lot of time with Mike on the road. It's been a little weird for me because I've been feeling unsettled lately. So of course my Virago/Virgo self picks at him.
But what I think the answer for me is, has to be found inside me, not by trying to pick apart someone else....
And I already knew that, I just didn't pull it out of my brain's crevasses until today.

Sun with Clouds

My experience of life right now is sort of like this Pacific Northwest summer:  Some very lovely days and moments, but with clouds of all kinds, some heavy with rain and others fluffy and shade providing.


I have news of several friends who are losing their footing in this life; it illustrates to me the tenuousness of our being here, now.  Cancer, leukemia, other health issues all scare the crap out of me.   These are the clouds, of course... but aren't we used to that here?

And then the sun comes out and we appreciate the love and beauty of such blessings as my husband Mike's brothers and sisters having babies this summer, and of Sheri getting married in a couple weeks. 

I'm just flowing along with all this news, hoping I can send love where it is needed.  Because that's about all I can do sometimes. 

This is home, this is me.  Love and Blessings to you too....

Seeking shelter

The last week or so I have begun to try and figure out what I will do for shelter when we go for our annual camp out in August, "the Northwest Lammas Festival" (www.nwlammasfestival.org) at which I have been back and forth between our cheap coleman dome tent (collapsed on us in the downpour one year) and my family's RV's (borrowed on threat of extinction if they get dirty!).  Of course I prefer the RV, who wouldn't!!!  It has a toilet and stove all built in!  But I always feel like I'm sticking out like a sore thumb at this mostly low tech event.  So now I'm thinking how to camp in style with a better, more "me" tent?  Well at first I was dreaming of making my own medieval pavilion,

as a woman I met at the long-ago "Solstice in the Northwoods" event had done, and it was really cool.  Hers was very colorful.   Here's a white one.....
Then I started adding up the costs of all the yardage and the woodworking needed for a center spoke pole, etc, and I balked a bit.  It IS totally cool how they work, though!

You have to remember I've been a bit low on the energy scale this year too!!!  However, the medieval pavilions are pretty pricey for a nice canvas one (more than a grand)  and truly, I'm not an anachronist so still it wouldn't be "me" to go that route! 



 So I surfed the net and found what is all the rage in the UK right now: Bell tents.  Now THERE I feel like I'd be right at home with one of these.  Check out how sweet it looks!  Many, many people are buzzing on the net about how they love them.  They are being used as villages on people's land and folks come rent them for the weekend, and they are set up at festivals too, for rent. 
So, I'm seriously thinking of this as an option.

Then Mike comes up with an idea for a trip we need to take this summer to Montana; a tent trailer. 

So now I'm derailed a bit, because I kind of had my heart set on my little hobbity tent, but heck, back to a toilet and shower, and a stove and fridge, pretty tempting!!!  Will let you know what happens.  :)

Wordy Wednesday: Hermetic

Hermetic: From Hermes, remember?  He is the Greek herald and messenger of the gods and the God of roads, commerce, invention, cunning, and theft. Pronounced hur-meez.

The adjective hermetic comes from Medieval Latin hermēticus  belonging to Hermes Trismegistus or Hermes the Thrice Majestic , Mythical founder of both alchemy and astrology, and a God of Ancient Greece. Several very important alchemical texts are attributed to him (including the Emerald Tablet), and for some Greeks, he took the place of both the Greek God Hermes and of Thoth, the Egyptian God of writing and science.  Mythical founder of both alchemy and astrology, and a God of Ancient Greece.  Several very important alchemical texts are attributed to him (including the Emerald Tablet), and for some Greeks, he took the place of both the Greek God Hermes and of Thoth, the Egyptian God of writing and science.

Remember The caduceus? It’s the wand of Hermes, and is the traditional symbol of physicians. It has wings at the top and serpents twined about the staff.

–adjective
1. made airtight by fusion or sealing.
2. not affected by outward influence or power; isolated.
3. ( sometimes initial capital letter ) of, pertaining to, or characteristic of occult science, especially alchemy.
 4. ( initial capital letter ) of or pertaining to Hermes Trismegistus or the writings ascribed to him.

Credits for some of this info goes to http://linguisticmystic.com/ and dictionary.com

Blessed Solstice to you all!  Remember to taste some wonderful strawberries while you can!

Wordy Wednesday: Arcane

I noticed several of my friends are employing a device on their blogs called "wordless Wednesday" where they are featuring some lovely pictures to tell a story or share a moment.  I enjoy that but I also love to look up interesting words and see where they have come from and what they mean.
So I am starting a bit called "Wordy Wednesday" to tantalize your mind a little!

Today's word: Arcane
The definition of this word...
known or knowable only to the initiate : secret <arcane rites>; broadly: mysterious, obscure <arcane explanations>    Latin arcanus

First Known Use: 1547 +/-, the date of which leads me to think about the years of the alchemists and ceremonial magicians, who probably needed a word like this to discuss their exciting works. 

The Latin root arcanus apparently means hidden, private and concealed, and is related to the word ark, and earc, which leads to references to the ark of the covenant, large boxes, containers, guarding and places of refuge. 

I like learning these side meanings of old words used in our mystical lingo because it helps round out my knowledge of what exactly I am saying and why I'm saying it. 

Summer Blessings and Connections coming on strong

This summer is shaping up to be pretty eventful!  My parents are here, which of course is daily “event” in itself!  And the blessings from that are many, of course, because we are swimming in the afternoons, playing dominoes in the evening, and sometimes having lunch together.  They’re not letting so-so northwest weather bog down their summer action! 



Detail from a quilt I recently quilted for Carl Cozier school...
 it's a goodbye gift to their recently promoted principal

But the BIG news is, of course, weddings and babies!  Mike’s older sister and her husband are having a baby from China!  They get to go receive her in the next couple months, yahoo!  She looks pretty darn cute from the pics I’ve seen.  Mike’s younger brother and his wife are having a boy, they live in the Santa Ana, CA. area and she is due in August. 

Mike’s younger sister, Sheri, is getting married in July!  I think we are going to attempt to go (it’ll be in Montana), we just have to arrange for a dog sitter.  (My Mom and Dad aren’t up for that!) We and especially I, have been requesting the universe match Sheri with a delightful man for a number of years now.  Because I know she is a VERY wonderful person who wanted to find a mate.  Yay! 

Wisteria by our back pond

And, Hallelujah, I actually sewed on a quilt of my own last night.  Something from scraps I had started during a Christmas/Solstice break a few years ago…just a ton of 2” squares that I cut and sewed when I could.  I think I have it done enough to be a quilt top now….  Thanks to my new, more functional arrangement of the home I had the energy to do this. 

Oh, and I wanted to show you a picture of this pond area in our back yard that has a lovely wisteria climbing all over the structure above and around the pond, surprising me with TONS of blooms this year!  I am impressed, thank you wisteria!  Just a few months ago Elaine, Jill and I sat back there and did a little new moon “releasing” session by the dormant pond.  Now I believe it to have been successful and life is renewing in full force back there.  There is also a white and a purple clematis, and a lovely miniature lilac bush that is strongly scented.

Update on refreshing the house

A while back I mentioned how we were in the midst of a plan to change our house around to accommodate both my parents and giving Mike a "man cave" to enjoy.
Well, my parents have arrived, I've moved my main sewing room out, re-homed a TON of stuff like old clothes and outdated fabric, reorganized what I've kept, and tried to be logical about what I've put where. Marina is in my old sewing room and walk-in closet, Mike has her old room getting set up as the man cave/ nap room for the parents, and I'm somewhat settled in my new areas, just some fine tuning to do and a few more orphan boxes of the harder to let go craft stuff like leather and fur, etc, that I have to find a spot to store.
I have to admit it's been very up and down... I have had times during this process where I've literally frozen and started crying because it has been so overwhelming! And it's hard to see my "precious" crap being boxed up by others.
Conversely, the benefits have been tremendous and I knew all along that if I wanted to struggle out of the pretty deep depression I was in this last winter I HAD to make a change in the house....because it was choking me to have a home so crowded and NOT user friendly. My home business has taken over and I know I've got to get a studio of some sort eventually, but for now it's not in the cards.

We had a really nice paella dinner with my sister and parents Saturday. Before that I got to go to the parade with Mike and Marina and my little nephew who amazed me with his knowledge about everything. See the pic above of Miss Lynden Rodeo! She was great.

It's been a pretty busy and not always easy holiday weekend, but together we made some great progress here on the home front, and reforged some family connections.

The Dancing Maidens in a flower labyrinth at Greenlake

Many of you know I'm a labyrinth nut... Today was world labyrinth day, and many set up "walk one at one" events.
I thought this one especially lovely and their site shows many other pics you might enjoy! It was a special May Day flower temporary Labyrinth.

Royal Handfasting!

I loved this moment when the Archbishop of Canterbury wrapped the blessed cloth around their hands and did his little benediction over their union! I was yelling to Mike "it's a handfasting!" and started bawling my eyes out. It was evident to me that we as modern pagans are working with symbolism, ritual forms, and liturgy that has a definite lineage from the British Royal and religious traditions. Actually it's probably more a shared lineage, they went one direction, i.e., the church still uses forms that are resonant with pagan/folk traditions, and we as modern Wiccans are trying to get to the original practices in order to feel the roots of these practices and connect with the land and each other.

This makes me very happy! I have a family tree going back to English aristocracy and I have always felt these things in a core and primal way when I perform certain ceremonies... it is like coming home. The love and energy I channel is a thrill for me that goes beyond the moment; it's like my ancestors are there looking over my shoulder and sending gladness and feelings of connection.

I also really got excited hearing all the exhortations around ethics, positivity and how to live a good life. It was a great tie in to the classes that we have been teaching locally since we just had a class on ethics and morality. I was glad to see that our beliefs and subscription to certain ethics and morality seemed drawn directly from the things in this ceremony; it all seems so relevant and clear. My hope is that people were listening and actually revisit those issues in their own lives, and thereby draw connecting lines from where they stand to what they want our country and the world to embrace right now.

Beltaine kisses to you!!!

Do song lyrics influence thinking?

Hello, how are you?

I've been serenaded lately by my daughter's Android phone playing Katie Perry's hit ET. I have felt yucky hearing it because the lyrics (excerpted below) have been standing out to me as the type, when taken in snippets or when absorbed by those without alert filters, that sneak negative messages into the brains of our girls and young folks who are being shaped by the pop culture that they love so much.
I know, I sound like "the establishment" from the 1950's or '60's where a new, cutting edge or risque craze freaked out the Old people!
But I remember when I wasn't as sure of who I was, and in my explorations into relationships I definitely dabbled in the dark areas of victimhood and self destructive behavior. I listened to music that reflected and encouraged my explorations. And I know how important music is to younger people; it's how they express themselves (as all ages do) and it's the way they shape their identities. That info doesn't surprise you, I am sure.

There is something about these and some of the current rap lyrics that has been bothering me for awhile now, and I believe it reflects a trend in the current culture here that rubs me wrong. I see misogyny in this stuff and I see the glamorization of becoming a powerless victim. I know these sorts of observations make me sound like rabid feminist, which I'm not, as many of you who know me realize...but I did work at a domestic violence shelter (womencare) and at the crisis line where I have had contact with victims. Those experiences have of course led me to wonder why the heck women get themselves into these situations, and I casually observe pop culture for clues as to how it influences people. I must say Katy is pretty fabulous here...I'd love to be that cute and burlesque-ish!

I hope my daughter has a clearer sense of self than I did, and that she can filter this stuff enough to know it's a scenario, a drama, and not one to take on the role of in real relationships.

What do you think?

Blessings to you! ...Betsy

Excerpt from ET by Katy Perry:

You're so hypnotizing
Could you be the devil
Could you be an angel
Your touch, magnetizing
Feels like I am floating
Leaves my body glowing
They say
Be afraid
You're not like the others
Futuristic lover
Different DNA
They don't understand you
You're from a whole 'nother world
A different dimension
You open my eyes
And I'm ready to go
Lead me into the light
Kiss me, ki-ki-kiss me
Infect me with your love and
Fill me with your poison
Take me, ta-ta-take me
Wanna be your victim
Ready for abduction

Reef Triggerfish Are So Busy!

Otherwise known as Hunuhununukunukuali'aa, the Hawaiian state fish is a Reef Triggerfish, above.
It's really fun to see these guys and their pals the Black Triggerfish in the reef.

They're always running around as if on errands, and the black ones come to see what you are up to.

Another cool fish I've seen several times is the Cornet Fish, who is pretty odd as it is a long thin and translucent type.

I saw one change from translucent to mild stripes while we were staring at each other. Very interesting! And they have a fantastic, needle like protrusion coming from their tail, all in all a very sinuous fish.

We've seen four green sea turtles, a white mouth moray eel, a small octopus, and various other delightful sea creatures. Sigh.... I love it.

I have gotten better at flowing with the ocean, too...if you do that you can get where you want to go much easier! Just kick towards shore when the waves are flowing inward, and zoom you go in very quickly! Then rest and hold your own while they flow out, and go again when the next wave comes.

If any of you come here, I recommend Kihei and this condo as a reasonable and very comfortable spot!

See you soon, Love Betsy

In Memoriam

I just found out that my sweet friend Paul Bingman died today of pancreatic cancer after finding out 5 weeks ago that he had it. 
I had just called him this week on impulse to see if I could come visit him later in the year.  I had no idea he was sick... I didn't get a call back and wondered what was going on.  I am bereft because Paul was a presence in my life for over 20 years and I loved sharing time with him at festivals, his crazy puns and witty repartee being some of the things I loved about him. 

Live in our hearts, dear friend, we miss you already.

Mellowness and Love

I had a busy weekend but on the urging of two priestess pals we took the time for a new moon “cleanse” where we shed the baggage we needed/wanted to leave us.   Then we opened the doors for the directions we need/want to put our energy, and have the life changes we wish to see coming in loud and clear…and it was a really lovely time together!  (And here’s hoping we can do it again soon!) Our ritual was very mellow and we took our time to shape our words and wishes, and looked at this sort of like a “spring cleaning” of things we’ve let creep up on us and steer us into emotional places we really don’t want to be.  So BEGONE, complacency!  And WELCOME spring and renewal! 

What visitors see when they come to my gate...

We spent a couple hours outside and even though my yard can be noisy with dogs barking and airplanes taking off nearby, we were very blessed to be visited by hummingbirds and robins and assorted other nature sounds around us.  I’ve seen the crows with sticks in their mouths and my resident roof-birds seem pretty busy setting up their nurseries (purple house finches live year round in a spot they’ve made where two parts of the roof join to create a little cave).  The wetlands behind my house have plenty of bird activity to pique my interest.  I LOVE hearing their sounds!  Better than music any day.

Mickey looking longingly in to a

part of the yard he wants to check out,

and the primrose Jill gave me brightening the view!

On all my trips in and out of the neighborhood lately I have seen the local mallards doing their usual spring mating chases, often 2 drakes to one hen… they stop by the side of the road, in the road, in the ditch and even in my pool while negotiating “who gets the girl” in their own duckish way.  I also saw some of the local crows picking around in the ditch grass and stream, I think getting worms after this recent hard rainy time.  I feel good about my neighborhood… we are peppered with wetlands and I think it’s conducive to the wildlife that hangs out around here, giving me a little elbow in the ribs every day… Betsy… you share this with us… remember!  And I enjoy that very much! 

Spring Clean Out.... Big Time

I’m in a tightly choreographed plan to rearrange and clean out my home so that we can create a dedicated “man cave/TV/napping room” which I am hoping will end up being a very good thing to lighten up my overly crowded dwelling.

So after a winter of hibernating in a haze I came up with this great idea (smiling ruefully here) and worked with my engineer/project managing husband to come up with a plan….without which we would not be doing this!  He would have dug in his heels.  Hard.  Mom and Dad, who plan to use that same room to have time away from each other while staying in their RV here, arrive in June and we are sort of lazy, so we really have to push ourselves to do a little every weekend!  Luckily we planned for that...

But even though we are not that into the nitty gritty work of it, once we start I get really excited and very proud of us both for getting going on this major project.  And the rewards will be very good!  I want my parents to come here and stay with us, as they are starting to slow down a bit and I have felt quite disconnected to them the last few years while they have pursued a “snowbird” lifestyle.  It's been a hard time adjusting to the transitions of my family from being anchored by my mother and father (and the social setting they have provided in the past for all of us to gather) to a family with a long distance matriarch who just isn’t up to steering this ship any longer.  And what scares me is the possibility that the rest of us will just drift apart.  I’m not denying that change from the old model was probably a good idea, but finding the new way, a way where I can still find connection with my three sisters and their families, has been quite a process for me.  It brings up all the questions of when do you finally stop being a kid and start being a leader in the family, and how will the rest of the family take that?  Especially a family with four headstrong sisters!!!   We are not doing too badly on that front, though I miss seeing my sister Tia because she works too hard.  But Dana and Drew and I have been working on it, and it feels good.  

So I’ll leave you with that for now, with wishes and hopes that you are able to find the connections and blessings that you want and need to be happy!  Blessed be.

What's motivating us to share?

Well, I've finally gotten myself a blog... I know a few of my friends are doing this and I've gone back and forth about wanting to share myself in this way, but what finally got me going on it were a couple main motivations.
The first was stemming from the fact that I am alone a lot during the day, trying to get work done on customer quilts and embroidery projects and consequently feeling lonely and disconnected. The second is The current condition of our country and planet, which worries me and has contributed to my feeling pretty hopeless in the last year.
In my long discussions with my dear friends Lee and Elaine (www.bohemianthreads.net) about how to deal with these sorts of feelings, it has become apparent that we all value our community --which includes our friends, our pagan/Wiccan circle and of course our families-- above most other stuff in our lives.
So sharing in this type of forum seems like a way to continue the mission that my life has seemed to be shaped by; finding ways to connect, support, bless and grow with my circle of friends and family.
So, thank you for being a part of my circle, and may yours be ever expanding and satisfying!

Welcome to the circle!