tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89416023794959073672024-03-05T21:52:00.508-05:00A Witch At HomeThis is my Wiccan journey through life, discovering nature at every turn.Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-38496583037669261002018-01-14T11:23:00.000-05:002018-01-15T06:40:26.518-05:00Good Wife<div class="Default">
<b>I recently received a copy of a journal written by a distant cousin in 1815. In it he talks about his great-grandfather, described below:-</b></div>
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<b>June 23<sup>rd</sup> 1815</b></div>
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<b>Of Isaac Mills, Son of
Simon ....<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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In his person he was a large, strong man of great courage,
instances of which I have heard my father relate, though not very distinctly,
but I have too confused a recollection to repeat all I remember, is that his
great strength was displayed with vast weights he had used to carry during his
journeys and his courage in repelling attacks of robbers. He died at Isham, Northamptonshire in 1721. After his death his widow lived many years, I
think to about the year 1760. I remember
hearing my father say that she was the midwife, the schoolmistress and doctress
of the village and before she died there was scarce a person living within ten
miles of her house that she had not brought into the world: my father used always to speak of his
grandmother as being very celebrated for her skill in physic and goodness of
heart, one time went down to Isham to see her, he found her just gathering a
swarm of bees that had all settled on her arm.
Seeing her grandson somewhat alarmed, ‘Never fear child,’ said she, ‘they
will not hurt me if I do not hurt them.’
Stroking them gently off her arm into the hive, one of them stung
her. ‘Poor thing!’ said she, ‘I must
have hurt it or it wold not have stung me.’<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Most rural villages had
such a ‘good wife’ who was midwife, comforter of the dying and herbalist. She would have been the nearest that the
ordinary folk of that time got to a doctor and if the village was lucky, she
was probably highly skilled, within the limits of medical knowledge at the
time. It was perhaps less usual for such
a ‘good wife’ to be the schoolmistress.
This role usually fell to the local Vicar, but in this strongly Puritan,
Non-Conformist area of the country, it may have devolved onto the family of the
local preacher, hence Elizabeth Garett Mills’s involvement.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-41941681576663814842017-10-29T07:22:00.001-04:002017-10-29T07:22:29.349-04:00Celebrating Samhainhere is a link you may like to click on. There are some good ideas for celebrating Samhain - the witches New Year.<br />
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<a href="https://www.circlesanctuary.org/index.php/celebrating-the-seasons/celebrating-samhain">https://www.circlesanctuary.org/index.php/celebrating-the-seasons/celebrating-samhain</a>Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-88885745767078123442017-08-10T06:17:00.001-04:002017-08-10T06:17:06.937-04:00The Rainbow Bridge - in memory of my cat, Patch<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_j-CClG1sTCrlEYQ-D879pmBFEWKqHavmp5RDdDDMl23ApJ56gYvR2GC_rdy_TK-mE0MxdgRMttXmAIo0ydaPtjQZphlUuftMHLxUenqlJgR3N6m8HU2iufteSFnvFoCrfypWmO1xMs2/s1600/PB050046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_j-CClG1sTCrlEYQ-D879pmBFEWKqHavmp5RDdDDMl23ApJ56gYvR2GC_rdy_TK-mE0MxdgRMttXmAIo0ydaPtjQZphlUuftMHLxUenqlJgR3N6m8HU2iufteSFnvFoCrfypWmO1xMs2/s640/PB050046.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you have ever owned an animal, you will be well aware of the pain of losing them. Fear not! there is a place for them in the Summerlands, just across the Rainbow Bridge:<br />
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<br />The Rainbow Bridge</h2>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When an animal, that has been especially close to someone
here, dies, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends
so they can run and play together.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is plenty of food, water and sunshine and our friends
are warm and comfortable.<o:p></o:p></div>
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All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to
health and vigour; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong
again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone bu.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The animals are happy and content, except for one small
thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.<o:p></o:p></div>
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They all run and play together, but the day comes when one
suddenly stops and looks into the distance.
His bright eyes are intent; his eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group,
flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.<o:p></o:p></div>
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You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend
finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted
again. The happy kisses rain upon your
face; your hands again caress the beloved head and you look once more into the
trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life, but never absent from
your heart.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>I first saw this in the book 'Casper', the commuting Cat by Susan Finden - It is a lovely book all about her cat Casper who loved to ride the bus!</i></div>
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The book is available from Amazon or leading book-sellers.<br />
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<br />Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-11220900303869948772017-06-19T12:15:00.000-04:002017-06-19T12:15:27.731-04:00The Midsummer Tree<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_RK6fqLIrwEv0nQKHwuEo87pNCF06MlstUNRwt4QpJ47Av9KdURIRzUy4jJqKr2pL7RlvnQtQAv_j-69xhuLIUnt3IhY-InQg__8fXemh8FaDuIrWBS5BGpU9HrpTGld-xkXybu7d-3A2/s1600/Milton+Keynes+Midsummer+Tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="479" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_RK6fqLIrwEv0nQKHwuEo87pNCF06MlstUNRwt4QpJ47Av9KdURIRzUy4jJqKr2pL7RlvnQtQAv_j-69xhuLIUnt3IhY-InQg__8fXemh8FaDuIrWBS5BGpU9HrpTGld-xkXybu7d-3A2/s640/Milton+Keynes+Midsummer+Tree.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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'You might think that the erection of the maypole is a tradition associated exclusively with May Day (Beltane), but you would be wrong. The raising of the Midsummer Tree is an authentic Midsummer custom found in many areas, including Wales, England and Sweden.<br />
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The custom was called 'raising the birch' (Codi'r Fedwen) in south Wales and 'the summer branch' in the north and the dancing around it is 'the dance of the birch'. In Glamorgan the birch was erected on St. John's Eve and was called y fedwen haf, or 'summer birch'. It was decorated with ribbons, flowers and even pictures. A weathercock with gilded feathers surmounted it. The cock or rooster was a sacred bird among the Celts and a bird of the sun. The cry of the cock at sunrise indicated the end of the darkness and the start of the day. Celtic festivals were held from dusk till cock crow of the next morning.<br />
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Sometimes one village would try to steal another village's pole and it was considered very ill fated and a disgrace to lose one in this fashion. The bereft village was not allowed to raise another until they had succeeded in stealing one from elsewhere and the poles were guarded all night by groups of youths and men. In Carmarthenshire the branches of the summer birch were not trimmed off to make a pole, but were decorated with garlands and wreaths of flowers.<br />
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In Sweden and Finland, also, a Midsummer tree of birch was set up and decorated. The villagers danced around it and lit fires and jumped over them. In Russia the summer tree is decked with ribbons.'<i> from 'Magical Celebrations Midsummer of the the Summer Solstice by Anna Franklin.</i><br />
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The picture above is of the Midsummer Tree oak in Milton Keynes, a large new city just north of where I live. The shopping centre was built around the tree, but sadly in 2005 it showed signs of dying and eventually did die. The cause is thought to be bad drainage, but who knows? Perhaps it didn't like being surrounded by shops!<br />
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This year Midsummer falls on 21st June. The days will shorten from then on and the nights will lengthen and the Oak King must give way to the Holly King.<br />
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Meanwhile, as the flowers open, open your own heart and look for the light within. Amidst all the chaos and confusion of our modern world today, walk amongst the trees and breathe in their life-giving spirit.<br />
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Blessed be.<br />
<br />
Star<br />
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<br />Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-90611790375215538732016-05-01T11:47:00.001-04:002016-05-01T11:47:45.709-04:00May Day - Beltane<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We recently had a special St. George's celebration in the town square, aptly named St. George's Square. There were all sorts of things to see and lots of games for the children to play. Here I'm showing you the Maypole dancing because it's so appropriate for today - May Day. The children came from a nearby town and surroundings and they really were very good. Do click on the pictures to enlarge and see the intricate patterns the ribbons make whilst moving down the pole. In the background are the musicians, all dressed beautifully in their special costumes. It was great fun!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0yuRXdSCFEExkJIln7EKQ5Ge_Fn3rdssSJhFiwyEEbYM3cxwhthTNBSXNM-kYEf0RSL9hPISmA-_PHQCGQj5By6RVQ5Lo3ICRqHYUDI6QKTgqW34ozxZPdaIXtHcKNsWCLJPpqo6e0Y/s1600/IMG_2021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0yuRXdSCFEExkJIln7EKQ5Ge_Fn3rdssSJhFiwyEEbYM3cxwhthTNBSXNM-kYEf0RSL9hPISmA-_PHQCGQj5By6RVQ5Lo3ICRqHYUDI6QKTgqW34ozxZPdaIXtHcKNsWCLJPpqo6e0Y/s400/IMG_2021.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Maypole dancing has been around for many years and symbolises the rites of Spring. The maypole is a phallic symbol, which is plunged into the ground to ensure fertility for the coming season. These days we don't rely quite so much on that sort of symbolism, or do we? Perhaps we should because our world is very fragile these days and we do well to respect it.</div>
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I wish you all a wonderful May Day. Will you be dancing round a maypole?</div>
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Star</div>
Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-58743023624017158102016-04-07T04:48:00.000-04:002016-04-07T04:48:27.396-04:00The Wiccan Rede<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">The Wiccan Rede</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">Bide
within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust.<br />
Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">For
tread the Circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out.<br />
To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be said in rhyme.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">Light
of eye and soft of touch, speak you little, listen much.<br />
Honor the Old Ones in deed and name,<br />
let love and light be our guides again.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">Deosil
go by the waxing moon, chanting out the joyful tune.<br />
Widdershins go when the moon doth wane,<br />
and the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">When
the Lady's moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two.<br />
When the moon rides at Her peak then your heart's desire seek.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">Heed
the North winds mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail.<br />
When the Wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">When
the wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth.<br />
When the wind whispers from the West, all hearts will find peace and rest.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">Nine
woods in the Cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow.<br />
Birch in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">Oak in
the forest towers with might, in the fire it brings the God's<br />
insight. Rowan is a tree of power causing life and magick to flower.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">Willows
at the waterside stand ready to help us to the Summerland.<br />
Hawthorn is burned to purify and to draw faerie to your eye.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">Hazel-the
tree of wisdom and learning adds its strength to the bright fire burning.<br />
White are the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">Grapes
grow upon the vine giving us both joy and wine.<br />
Fir does mark the evergreen to represent immortality seen.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">Elder
is the Lady's tree burn it not or cursed you'll be.<br />
Four times the Major Sabbats mark in the light and in the dark.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">As the
old year starts to wane the new begins, it's now Samhain.<br />
When the time for Imbolc shows watch for flowers through the snows.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">When
the wheel begins to turn soon the Beltane fires will burn.<br />
As the wheel turns to Lamas night power is brought to magick rite.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">Four times the Minor Sabbats
fall use the Sun to mark them all.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6633cc;">When the wheel has turned to Yule light the log the Horned One rules.</span></b></div>
</b><o:p></o:p>Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-61649822233311333042015-03-28T12:25:00.000-04:002015-03-28T12:25:48.983-04:00Ostara<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOp4uO6ruO7DGFT_p8QT29RAL4fEZzWkurr8EXISHm_BZovQ11qp0X_CvL2Zaam4dx9VXIrsurIy-Pzn24AaOQ5fn36_8jBDOKz3H4_SvbuuMGnkPXFEDseJ9OAVyUnm0euEKhmfHfpz7/s1600/boxing+hares.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOp4uO6ruO7DGFT_p8QT29RAL4fEZzWkurr8EXISHm_BZovQ11qp0X_CvL2Zaam4dx9VXIrsurIy-Pzn24AaOQ5fn36_8jBDOKz3H4_SvbuuMGnkPXFEDseJ9OAVyUnm0euEKhmfHfpz7/s1600/boxing+hares.jpg" /></a></div>
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I just love all things Easter. From the eggs to the bunnies, it's all wonderful to me. I also love that Easter has two sides, a sad side and a happy side. That's life!</div>
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This year I've been thinking about the hares. Some pagans believe that when we die we become hares and leap about in the summerlands enjoying freedom everlasting. Isn't that a lovely idea. I like to think of that. Hares have long been known as mystical creatures and there are many legends about concerning hares. One of them suggests that a hare brought beautifully coloured eggs to the Goddess Ostara encouraging new life and abundance.</div>
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It would be nice to think that there is a link between the mystical hares and the Easter bunny, but there is no substance in this.</div>
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Ostara is the Teutonic Goddess of fertility and Springtime, who is sometimes called Eostre. The words East and Easter are both named after Ostara because of their reference to the sun rising in the East and the return of Springtime in the Celtic calendar. She is celebrated at the Spring Equinox as the bringer of increased light and the balance between daytime and night-time hours. Here in England we are putting our clocks forward tonight to reflect the increase in light. Call upon Ostara to increase your fruitfulness. fertility or to embark on new ventures.<br />
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What sort of things do you find yourself doing at this time of year? Planting seeds? changing the curtains? My mother always used to change the curtains from deep red velvet to Springtime yellow cotton with linings at this time of year. All these little things help to lift the spirits and create a new way of thinking, taking us away from the darkness of winter.<br />
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To help you feel more energized, try changing your wardrobe: putting away those darker colours and bringing out the sunny ones, yellow and blue and white. If you live anywhere near me though, in England, it might be wise to keep some jumpers handy because winter has a way of coming back, doesn't it.<br />
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Thinking of new projects to start? How about decorating a room? It's surprising how much better you feel when you change the colour in a dull room or put on a new lick of paint.<br />
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If you are Christian, then this is the most important time of the year. It's saddening to realise how little many people know about the Easter story as it relates to Christianity in this ever more secular world. The story of Jesus, crucified on the cross, but rising again three days later, is uplifting and the source of our faith as Christians. I have a foot in both camps. How about you? <br />
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Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-54009770858673781292014-11-28T05:50:00.001-05:002014-11-28T05:50:05.555-05:00The Celtic Tree Month of Elder<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
<a data-mce-href="https://cottagelifeinengland.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/30082010-017.jpg" href="https://cottagelifeinengland.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/30082010-017.jpg"><img alt="30082010 017" class="size-medium wp-image-3880 aligncenter" data-mce-src="https://cottagelifeinengland.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/30082010-017.jpg?w=300" height="300" src="https://cottagelifeinengland.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/30082010-017.jpg?w=300" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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We are just into the Celtic Tree month of Elder, an enchanting small tree...</div>
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'The tree is said to have within itself the 'Elder Mother', called Elle or Hyldemoer in Scandinavian and Danish myth. She is said to work strong earth magic and according to legend, avenged all who harmed her host trees. No forester of old would touch elder, let alone cut it, before asking the Elder Mother's permission three times over and even then he was still in dread of her possible wrath. Likewise, in many country districts of Europe and Britain, wise people will show respect by touching their hats when passing elder trees, in continuance of ancient custom. Certain North American tribes also believe that elder is the Mother of the human race.</div>
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According to legend, witches would often turn themselves into elder trees, and one famous witch-tree turned a king and his men to stone, thereby creating the <a data-mce-href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/rollright-stones/" href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/rollright-stones/">Rollright Stones in Oxfordshire</a>, England. This ancient piece of folklore tells of a Danish king, on his way to battle for the English Crown with his warriors, meeting the witch and asking her what his fate would be. </div>
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The witch replied:</div>
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Seven long strides thou shalst take,</div>
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And if Long Compton though canst see</div>
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King of England thou thalst be.'</div>
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<em>Source: 'Tree Wisdom' by Jacqueline Memory Paterson</em></div>
Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-30490479958702748332014-11-23T04:58:00.000-05:002014-11-23T09:31:11.099-05:00Trees and conservation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">When I was living in Tennessee, I noticed lots of things which were different to over here in England. One of those things was the trees. The trees are very different, all of them. They are all beautiful but different, rather like people! I noticed that there were many more trees in America but that they were being mown down to be replaced by buildings of concrete. You can see it clearly from the aeroplanes. When I first went over, I saw the roofs of the shopping malls and I thought they were large car parks, but the sheer expanse of concrete covering the earth is alarming.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Please stop it!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">You don’t need to do so much building. When a shop goes out of business, you don’t need to move on and build more, you just need to revamp what you have. America is such a big country, huge, massive! that it is thought the land is endless but it isn’t. Pretty soon you will lose your trees if you don’t stop the endless building. I saw it at first hand. Living in Knoxville, we were on the west side. The east side came first, I believe and now a large part of that is derelict, just left to decay. Sad, very sad.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">In England we have done the same in years gone by and that is why I say ‘stop it’ to you over there. Keep what you have and appreciate the beauty.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Here is a quote from one of my favourite books:</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">‘Over many centuries, ancient Britain was transformed from a land covered in natural forestation in which clearances were made to a ”land of clearance” with only isolated patches of forest. However, the average person still had the security of working the land. This changed drastically as the peasants were thrown off the land by the institution of the General Enclosures Act of 1845 and while Britain became dangerously deforested by the demands of industrialization, there was a rise in the amount of new species of trees planted as wealthy landowners landscaped their gardens and estates. On the one hand the rough grazing land of the peasants was taken from them, enclosed and cleared of growth for the plough, while on the other, having cleared so much land, landowners had to literally remake copses in order to house the game they kept for sport.</span></strong></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">When timber became the long-term crop of private woodlands, new species of trees were introduced and established. These were mainly fir, larch and spruce, and they were planted alongside our fastest growing softwood, the Scot’s pine. During the twentieth century, great conifer plantations arose as a result of the need for quickly produced timber, especially during the times of world wars, after which they became purely commercial producers.</span></strong></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.forestry.gov.uk/england" style="border: 0px; color: #bb5974; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_parent">The Forestry Commission</a> was founded in 1919, and it advised private landowners to acquire and plant trees on any land unsuitable for agriculture. While the Forestry Commission has been guilty of planting acres of sombre, uniform conifers, it has in fact also been successful in arresting the decline of many of our remaining deciduous forests, specifically the seven National Forest Parks. It is heartening to realise that a new generation of foresters (or woodmen) are now concentrating upon replacing areas of hardwood trees, for deciduous woodland shows the seasonal beauty of Nature in its fullest glory. New forests are being born out of sympathy with nature rather than for monetary gain and the skills and wisdoms of old are once more taking hold.’</span></strong></div>
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<em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">from ‘Tree Wisdom’, by Jacqueline Memory Paterson</em></div>
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Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-40948353553811081342014-09-24T04:13:00.004-04:002014-09-24T04:13:57.452-04:00Celebrate Mabon<div data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: center;">
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I love everything about this time of the year when day and night are brought into balance with the Autumnal Equinox. All our endeavours in the garden have come to fruition (hopefully). Some things have done better than others. This year, in my garden, we have had a bumper crop of runner beans and tomatoes. The tomatoes have been slow to ripen, as usual, because the sun has been hiding but indoors, on the window sill, the tomatoes are happy to turn red and we have been enjoying their fruitful taste for a few weeks now.</div>
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The blackberries are also ripe and tasty.</div>
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The harvest moon is one of the most splendid things we can ever hope to see, isn't it. It hangs in the night sky like a great big heavy ball, full of abundance and ready to pop. Who could not wonder at such a spectacle.</div>
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I think that at this time of the year we all have an overwhelming urge to thank somebody for all this abundance, but who to thank? God is the obvious choice, but are there many Gods? After all, there are many Saints and we can pray to which ever one we choose depending on our circumstances. When I took up Wicca as my main religious interest, I took a deeper look at the Gods of old, of whom there are many.</div>
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Whilst retaining the God I was brought up to worship, I no longer see him/her as the only one. I am drawn to the Goddess Freya, a Norse Goddess who seems to call to me sometimes. Perhaps it is my Viking roots, who knows.</div>
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'Freyja : Sometimes known as Freya or Frea, was the daughter of the sea god Njord in Germanic mythology and sister of Freyr. She was an important fertility goddess and a member of the Vanir, one of the two branches into which the Germanic gods were divided. After a war, the Vanir seem to have been supplanted by the younger Aesir, who were led by odin. When peace was agreed between the two sides, Njord went with Freyr and Freyja to Asgard, where they lived with the Aesir as a token of friendship.'<em> taken from The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology by Arthur Cotterell and Rachel Storm.</em></div>
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I think the most important thing about harvest time is that we must share what we have with others less fortunate than ourselves. We mustn't keep it all but spread it around. Spread the love too. We all need it. Most of us have something in our lives which is giving us trouble. Perhaps if we share the trouble, it will lessen and not be such a burden on our shoulders. I need to take my own advice for even in my idyllic world there is trouble. My eldest son has recently lost his home and finds himself homeless, living on a beach in the south of England and this is giving me a lot of grief. Many times in the past he has returned home to the cottage but it never lasts. He no longer wants to live with his aging parents and we, for our part, need a quieter life now. He cannot find work and he has no proper address. It all seems very hopeless and yet when I look at the fruits of nature, I think that maybe tomorrow or the day after, the fruits of his life will appear and he will be whole again. He has troubles in his mind and these are very hard to cure, if not impossible. The troubles are not visible. If he was missing a leg, people would feel sorry for him, but when there is nothing to see, the help doesn't come. We all turn away because none of us knows how to cope with it. His situation has done untold damage to the family in general and to those other people who love him too.</div>
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So back to Mabon, this time of celebration. A time of stability perhaps and a link to the past when we all lived in smaller communities and it was incumbent on us to help our neighbours. In this day and age many of us don't even know who are neighbours are.</div>
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I refuse to be discouraged in my life and will carry on as if all is well. Perhaps if I do that, I can sow seeds of happiness for the future. In the Wiccan year, we are also coming up to New Year, which starts after Halloween. It is a good time to be thankful and look to the future.</div>
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I wish you all a joyous Mabon.</div>
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Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-23026107905931204482012-09-26T18:06:00.001-04:002014-02-02T11:56:58.613-05:00Autumn Sunshine<br />
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‘Autumn prepares us for the change from warm to cold as we head towards winter. The days are shorter and colder, the colours of the leaves alter and fruits are ripening, but we feel invigorated.</div>
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For many, Autumn is the most vivid and wonderful of the seasons, bearing comparison to a growing personal maturity and a delight in the ripeness of life. Now is the time for completing outdoor tasks and drawing inspiration from nature’s myriad activities.</div>
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We too can plant seeds that will dwell on through the colder months and germinate as projects the following Spring. Let’s make an effort to acknowledge the harvest this year – either at Hallowe’en or Thanksgiving. Let’s note the changes, celebrate them and respond to them. Our senses and energy are heightened by the blend of sunshine and crisp, cool weather. Enjoy it!</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Herbal Therapy</strong></div>
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Try never to miss the magic of a moment. At this time of the year, as the sap of trees and flowers returns to their root systems, we too are preparing to turn inward. Use these last magnificent days to prolong the joy of the harvest. Gather in your late summer herbs and make herb pillows and amulets from the bounty of garden and hedges. Amulets are small pouches stuffed with different herbs chosen for love or success, into which some of your own magic words have been spoken. Cut lavender and rose for love pillows, mint to rid yourself of negativity, majoram and rosemary for protection, lemon balm and basil for success in business. Make simple pillows or bags and give some as gifts. If you haven’t enough of your own grown herbs, buy one or two pots and harvest from them.’</div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">from Titania’s Book of Hours</em></div>
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<a href="http://cottagelifeinengland.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/img_1396.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #ec8500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1215" src="http://cottagelifeinengland.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/img_1396.jpg?w=1024&h=768" height="768" style="border: 4px solid rgb(217, 216, 187); clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0.071em;" title="IMG_1396" width="1024" /></a></div>
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<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="2" style="border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0.5em 2em; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: verdana, geneva, helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Autumn</strong></span></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="2" height="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0.5em 2em; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt=" gif" border="0" src="http://z.about.com/" height="1" style="height: auto; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px; max-width: 100%;" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="2" style="border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0.5em 2em; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: verdana, geneva, helvetica; font-size: x-small; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">John Clare (1821)</strong></span></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="2" style="border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0.5em 2em; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="clr gif" src="http://z.about.com/" height="24" style="height: auto; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px; max-width: 100%;" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="2" style="border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0.5em 2em; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: verdana, geneva, helvetica; font-size: x-small; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />The summer-flower has run to seed,<br />And yellow is the woodland bough;<br />And every leaf of bush and weed<br />Is tipt with autumn’s pencil now.</span></td></tr>
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<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
And I do love the varied hue,<br />
And I do love the browning plain;<br />
And I do love each scene to view,<br />
That’s mark’d with beauties of her reign.</div>
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The woodbine-trees red berries bear,<br />
That clustering hang upon the bower;<br />
While, fondly lingering here and there,<br />
Peeps out a dwindling sickly flower.</div>
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The trees’ gay leaves are turned brown,<br />
By every little wind undress’d;<br />
And as they flap and whistle down,<br />
We see the birds’ deserted nest.</div>
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No thrush or blackbird meets the eye,<br />
Or fills the ear with summer’s strain;<br />
They but dart out for worm and fly,<br />
Then silent seek their rest again.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
Beside the brook, in misty blue,<br />
Bilberries glow on tendrils weak,<br />
Where many a bare-foot splashes through,<br />
The pulpy, juicy prize to seek:</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
For ’tis the rustic boy’s delight,<br />
Now autumn’s sun so warmly gleams,<br />
And these ripe berries tempt his sight,<br />
To dabble in the shallow streams.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
And oft his rambles we may trace,<br />
Delv’d in the mud his printing feet,<br />
And oft we meet a chubby face<br />
All stained with the berries sweet.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
The cowboy oft slives down the brook,<br />
And tracks for hours each winding round,<br />
While pinders, that such chances look,<br />
Drive his rambling cows to pound.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
The woodland bowers, that us’d to be<br />
Lost in their silence and their shade,<br />
Are now a scene of rural glee,<br />
With many a nutting swain and maid.</div>
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The scrambling shepherd with his hook,<br />
’Mong hazel boughs of rusty brown<br />
That overhang some gulphing brook,<br />
Drags the ripen’d clusters down.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
While, on a bank of faded grass,<br />
Some artless maid the prize receives;<br />
And kisses to the sun-tann’d lass,<br />
As well as nuts, the shepherd gives.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
I love the year’s decline, and love<br />
Through rustling yellow shades to range,<br />
O’er stubble land, ’neath willow grove,<br />
To pause upon each varied change:</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
And oft have thought ’twas sweet, to list<br />
The stubbles crackling with the heat,<br />
Just as the sun broke through the mist<br />
And warm’d the herdsman’s rushy seat;</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
And grunting noise of rambling hogs,<br />
Where pattering acorns oddly drop;<br />
And noisy bark of shepherds’ dogs,<br />
The restless routs of sheep to stop;</div>
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While distant thresher’s swingle drops<br />
With sharp and hollow-twanking raps;<br />
And, nigh at hand, the echoing chops<br />
Of hardy hedger stopping gaps;</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
And sportsmen’s trembling whistle-calls<br />
That stay the swift retreating pack;<br />
And cowboy’s whoops, and squawking brawls,<br />
To urge the straggling heifer back.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
Autumn-time, thy scenes and shades<br />
Are pleasing to the tasteful eye;<br />
Though winter, when the thought pervades,<br />
Creates an ague-shivering sigh.</div>
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Grey-bearded rime hangs on the morn,<br />
And what’s to come too true declares;<br />
The ice-drop hardens on the thorn,<br />
And winter’s starving bed prepares.</div>
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No music’s heard the fields among;<br />
Save where the hedge-chats chittering play,<br />
And ploughman drawls his lonely song,<br />
As cutting short the dreary day.</div>
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Now shatter’d shades let me attend,<br />
Reflecting look on their decline,<br />
Where pattering leaves confess their end,<br />
In sighing flutterings hinting mine.</div>
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For every leaf, that twirls the breeze,<br />
May useful hints and lessons give;<br />
The falling leaves and fading trees<br />
Will teach and caution us to live.</div>
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“Wandering clown,” they seem to say,<br />
“In us your coming end review:<br />
Like you we lived, but now decay;<br />
The same sad fate approaches you.”</div>
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Beneath a yellow fading tree,<br />
As red suns light thee, Autumn-morn,<br />
In wildest rapture let me see<br />
The sweets that most thy charms adorn.</div>
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O while my eye the landscape views,<br />
What countless beauties are display’d;<br />
What varied tints of nameless hues, —<br />
Shades endless melting into shade.</div>
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A russet red the hazels gain,<br />
As suited to their drear decline;<br />
While maples brightest dress retain,<br />
And in the gayest yellows shine.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
The poplar tree hath lost its pride;<br />
Its leaves in wan consumption pine;<br />
They hoary turn on either side,<br />
And life to every gale resign.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
The stubborn oak, with haughty pride<br />
Still in its lingering green, we view;<br />
But vain the strength he shows is tried,<br />
He tinges slow with sickly hue.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
The proudest triumph art conceives,<br />
Or beauties nature’s power can crown,<br />
Grey-bearded time in shatters leaves;<br />
Destruction’s trample treads them down.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
Tis lovely now to turn one’s eye,<br />
The changing face of heaven to mind;<br />
How thin-spun clouds glide swiftly by,<br />
While lurking storms slow move behind.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
Now suns are clear, now clouds pervade,<br />
Each moment chang’d, and chang’d again;<br />
And first a light, and then a shade,<br />
Swift glooms and brightens o’er the plain.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
Poor pussy through the stubble flies,<br />
In vain, o’erpowering foes to shun;<br />
The lurking spaniel points the prize,<br />
And pussy’s harmless race is run.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
The crowing pheasant, in the brakes,<br />
Betrays his lair with awkward squalls;<br />
A certain aim the gunner takes,<br />
He clumsy fluskers up, and falls.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
But hide thee, muse, the woods among,<br />
Nor stain thy artless, rural rhymes;<br />
Go leave the murderer’s wiles unsung,<br />
Nor mark the harden’d gunner’s crimes.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
The fields all clear’d, the labouring mice<br />
To sheltering hedge and wood patrole,<br />
Where hips and haws for food suffice,<br />
That chumbled lie about their hole.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
The squirrel, bobbing from the eye,<br />
Is busy now about his hoard,<br />
And in old nest of crow or pye<br />
His winter-store is oft explor’d.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
The leaves forsake the willow grey,<br />
And down the brook they whirl and wind;<br />
So hopes and pleasures whirl away,<br />
And leave old age and pain behind.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
The thorns and briars, vermilion-hue,<br />
Now full of hips and haws are seen;<br />
If village-prophecies be true,<br />
They prove that winter will be keen.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
Hark! started are some lonely strains:<br />
The robin-bird is urg’d to sing;<br />
Of chilly evening he complains,<br />
And dithering droops his ruffled wing.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.429em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
Slow o’er the wood the puddock sails;<br />
And mournful, as the storms arise,<br />
His feeble note of sorrow wails<br />
To the unpitying frowning skies.</div>
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More coldly blows the autumn-breeze;<br />
Old winter grins a blast between;<br />
The north-winds rise and strip the trees,<br />
And desolation shuts the scene.</div>
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Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-30819502126793197752012-01-02T17:14:00.000-05:002012-01-02T17:14:30.087-05:00Yuletide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MKvtfMox8Js/TwIqJyvf-DI/AAAAAAAAGo8/v2YLtgFzio0/s1600/IMG_1171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MKvtfMox8Js/TwIqJyvf-DI/AAAAAAAAGo8/v2YLtgFzio0/s320/IMG_1171.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yuletide is the time of the 13th moon, the Elder Moon. It is time for us to say 'thank you' and to give back to the spirit of the world. We now arrive full circle at thirteen - the Witches number - corresponding to the elder moon, the moon of completion, covering the period from late November to late December. This brings us to a chapter of many blessings - the finishing touch to all magic, for fullest power.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Much of this magic concerns saying 'thank you' when magic-making has produced good effect. Once your wish has been granted, it is good manners to thank the powers that be for turning your mental strength into material manifestation. The blessings might include the extras in life, such as money superfluous to real requirements, or an extra child, or some other additional bounty. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All things have their time and place and this kind of magic is as important as any other, for example the letting go of hostility.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We must learn to recognize the cycle of death and rebirth: after this, the individual has completed all life's lessons and should practise them for the benefit of all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>From Titania's book of white magic.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So while we are busy with New Year's resolutions and promises to be better people etc., let's take a moment to count our blessings and be thankful for what we do have in our lives and for the better parts of our own personalities.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hope you like looking at my beautiful fairy house. There is a place inside for the fairy to live and she/he is welcome to stay as long as she/he wishes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-78961737628500880422011-12-01T11:17:00.000-05:002011-12-01T11:17:45.473-05:00Celtic month of Elder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfW7hrUQys40WZNfv53OAvFccVup2G9ldm9zrHty6ArKYc0HFXC-tLLrpnP3Y-9Da2_gsZd4VwzolM9-483iCGKsnQyXXU-p8CZECDwETsGT9lD_edUY1KIF4OUkVwgZ5e-DpfFuRa635i/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfW7hrUQys40WZNfv53OAvFccVup2G9ldm9zrHty6ArKYc0HFXC-tLLrpnP3Y-9Da2_gsZd4VwzolM9-483iCGKsnQyXXU-p8CZECDwETsGT9lD_edUY1KIF4OUkVwgZ5e-DpfFuRa635i/s320/024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>We are currently enjoying the Celtic Month of the Elder.<br />
<br />
'The unique personality of the elder was anciently believed to come from the spirit of the 'Elder Mother' who dwelt within the tree. The Elder Mother, called Elle or Hyldemoer in Scandinavian and Danish myth, worked strong earth magic and according to legend, avenged all who harmed her host trees. No forester of old would touch elder, let alone cut it, before asking the Elder Mother's permission three times over and even then he was still in dread of her possible wrath. Likewise, in many country districts of Europe and Britain, wise people still show respect by touching their hats when passing elder trees, in continuance of ancient custom. Certain North American tribes also believe that elder is the Mother of the human race.<br />
<br />
According to legend, witches would often turn themselves into elder trees, and one famous witch-tree turned a king and his men to stone, thereby creating the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollright_Stones">Rollright Stones in Oxfordshire</a>. This ancient piece of folklore tells of a Danish King, on his way to battle for the English Crown with his warriors, meeting the witch and asking her what his fate would be. The witch replied:<br />
<br />
<i>Seven long strides thou shalst take,</i><br />
<i>And if Long Compton thou canst see</i><br />
<i>King of England thou shalst be.</i><br />
<br />
Because he was almost at the crest of a hill, the Dane was confident as he strode forth, but unexpectedly at his seventh stride a long mound rose up before him, blocking his view.<br />
<br />
The witch replied:<br />
<br />
<i>As Long Compton thou canst not see,</i><br />
<i>King of England thou shalst not be.</i><br />
<i>Rise up stick and stand still stone,</i><br />
<i>For King of England thou shalst be none,</i><br />
<i>Thou and they men hoar stones shall be,</i><br />
<i>And I myself an Elder tree.</i><br />
<br />
In an instant the Danish King and his men were turned to stone. Those warriors loyal to the King became the King's Men stones set in a circle; and those who had questioned his authority turned into the Whispering Knights, huddled together and apart from the others. The King himself became the King Stone, standing, still in shocked attitude, apart from all his men. The witch then resumed her guise as the guardian Elder tree.'<br />
<br />
from 'Tree Wisdom' by Jacqueline Memory Paterson.<br />
<br />
Following picture from Wikipaedia: The Rollright Stones of Oxfordshire.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpLjITdYhIMLVzdfufr0av0ziu5vJSTKnVvtakWLAOl92jazabjGjKP14G6_S2GVIfKxM8n1jqIHJRvwtkv4xV2cSIig-F1oZdSEBBjgHWJdXTAuo6hCldRlzGCLR2mkBsJgM8kpyron3/s1600/300px-Rollright_Stones_Oxfordshire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpLjITdYhIMLVzdfufr0av0ziu5vJSTKnVvtakWLAOl92jazabjGjKP14G6_S2GVIfKxM8n1jqIHJRvwtkv4xV2cSIig-F1oZdSEBBjgHWJdXTAuo6hCldRlzGCLR2mkBsJgM8kpyron3/s1600/300px-Rollright_Stones_Oxfordshire.jpg" /></a></div>Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-19772205030723290532011-11-13T21:56:00.000-05:002011-11-13T21:56:24.474-05:00A Pillow of Leaves<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">Chasing leaves, like thoughts, I feel</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">Autumn closing in on me.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">As I lie beneath the chestnut tree</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">Blue skies appear between the leaves.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">As leaves drop, larger skies appear</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">Like a huge blue duvet over me.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">The leaves become my comfy bed,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">A crumply pillow for my head.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">A place to keep my hopeful thoughts</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">A place to sleep, my wishes caught.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">Caught amongst the rustle, rustle,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">A time to rest away from bustle.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">A place to think, a time to learn and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">A chance to wait for new life to return...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">I am a conker, rich and brown</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;">Fat and shiny, I snuggle down.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial;"> </span>Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-486459722949972652011-08-31T15:31:00.000-04:002011-08-31T15:31:40.030-04:00The end of the summer.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggj4vCt0Mxi5VbnfpxrXDLuvntHg1CL6oOCo0Cs7YWCHnTrDqOx1AkF6ZpPx9AXp9hWWIZi7aNUlI7HsYITlk6xFpX7eTVGJ7w46C1MWXJF0vZ4-ALkbJs5PGRGIQkpZ-Pk4NAA1mw_ddo/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggj4vCt0Mxi5VbnfpxrXDLuvntHg1CL6oOCo0Cs7YWCHnTrDqOx1AkF6ZpPx9AXp9hWWIZi7aNUlI7HsYITlk6xFpX7eTVGJ7w46C1MWXJF0vZ4-ALkbJs5PGRGIQkpZ-Pk4NAA1mw_ddo/s320/013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"August, the traditional holiday month for most people, is a busy time for the farmer as he works long hours to bring in his harvest. You can hear the muffled roar of combines in the cornfields and the incessant thump of balers on the farm. The burning of straw in the stubble fields leaves them charred and blackened and if this is done without proper care, it can seriously scorch and damage the surrounding hedges.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Dog-days, the first two weeks in August, often bring sultry, hot weather. They are named after the bright Dog-star Sirius, which during this time rises and sets with the sun. Settled weather on St. Bartholomew Day, the twenty-fourth, promises a fine autumn: there is a country saying that:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If St. Bartholomew Day be bright and clear</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then a prosperous autumn comes that year."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>from "Discovering Hedgerows' by David Streeter and Rosamond Richardson</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So here we are at the very end of August 2011. The summer has gone by very quickly for me and already there are many signs of Autumn. Our weather here in England has been very disappointing with little sunshine this month and lots of cloud, but it could have been much, much worse. Last night we saw a bat flitting past the window of the house and I was aware that the nights are really drawing in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><br />
Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-5033543221867246602011-06-17T08:04:00.000-04:002011-06-17T08:04:16.219-04:00Midsummer's Day<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKSt85XuQuLtQDKdVD1MEYsE9nYhdDCdmTcHwbh8TlY_3D4gB38pF-BfBGS-l4uvSkhy8JUmpa8Ii3BSD_PHxGlwo6E65Oq5cdK0xidPowugxEyP53ypr_dChjwXrWh1l4VDRedLZTaAv/s1600/024.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKSt85XuQuLtQDKdVD1MEYsE9nYhdDCdmTcHwbh8TlY_3D4gB38pF-BfBGS-l4uvSkhy8JUmpa8Ii3BSD_PHxGlwo6E65Oq5cdK0xidPowugxEyP53ypr_dChjwXrWh1l4VDRedLZTaAv/s400/024.JPG" /></a> <br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">High Summer always mean 'red' to me and the flower that epitomizes red is definitely the poppy. My picture today is of one of my 'Guardsman' poppies in full colour. They don't flower for long and fade to a wishy-washy pink so whilst they are flowering, I need to make the most of them. Just like summer really, over too soon!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Next week on 21st June we will enjoy the longest day of the year in this area. There will be celebrations at Stonehenge. <a href="http://awitchabroad.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html">I wrote about that here</a>.<br />
<br />
'The period - early June to early July - is ruled by the Oak Moon and the certainty of a good crop comes under the aegis of this moon. The earth is pregnant, but the safe delivery of a healthy and bountiful harvest has to be worked on.'<br />
<i>From: 'Enchanted' - Titania's Book of White Magic</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
Certainly, this year we have had troubles with drought in the east of England. Virtually no rain fell during the months of April and May and so now, despite irrigation, the farmers are expecting the crops to be less than they hoped for. However, we have had a bumper crop of delicious strawberries and raspberries. No doubt we will catch up with the rain at some time this year. We always have before and nobody has mentioned a hose-pipe ban in my area YET! but a few wishes won't go amiss.<br />
<br />
I hope your Midsummer's Eve is all you wish it to be.<br />
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Blessings, Star<br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i><br />
</i></div></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: CENTER;"></div>Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-91425017587828839442011-05-18T05:24:00.000-04:002011-05-18T05:24:57.313-04:00Elder flowers<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8cApnxhdhQxBMO4XwLy__RSVzPt9HGPpMiMI6709JsfpdAMR9j6NXY7-JoqqGwSnIV-JJl28ZWbxjR23v82MpGuPrcn-_YHHpUdtugnJW0bEAvLROOB_TZoJpRqbSHdC10rL38liRDyy/s1600/018.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8cApnxhdhQxBMO4XwLy__RSVzPt9HGPpMiMI6709JsfpdAMR9j6NXY7-JoqqGwSnIV-JJl28ZWbxjR23v82MpGuPrcn-_YHHpUdtugnJW0bEAvLROOB_TZoJpRqbSHdC10rL38liRDyy/s400/018.JPG" /></a> <br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">The elder flowers are beautiful just now.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">'Both the berries and flowers make excellent wines, jams and jellies and can be added to the cooking of meat, vegetable and sweet dishes. In addition, elderflower water makes an excellent facial rinse, which cleanses and brightens and if cotton pads soaked in it are placed over the eyes, they will feel brighter and refreshed.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Elderflower tea can be taken as a painkiller and is useful in the treatment of colds. Elderflower tea cleanses the blood and is slightly diuretic so it can also speed recovery the morning after the night before! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Elder leaves can be made into an infusion and rubbed onto the skin to deter flies and other insects. Elder leaves boiled until soft are useful for dressing bruises, strains etc. However, I would not recommend using them on an open wound as, under some circumstances, they can be toxic.'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>From: 'The Real Witches' Garden' by Kate West</i></div></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: CENTER;"></div>Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-43330260858462392312011-03-15T09:46:00.000-04:002011-03-15T09:46:28.683-04:00The Spring Solstice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4KKjhZLzqmddlZzbi6hgitejmoMtb8XEKOKXTqRTcn9mHTi2fTPUzFiXV2DEKBv1wm_C6pFeFgZgiFVYiOLmQe3VxD4jhxVaJ2iHw1Zx63i9OHXK6-qgXm_1Q5lndkfy_OWRwfCZ1zpYJ/s1600/snowdrops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4KKjhZLzqmddlZzbi6hgitejmoMtb8XEKOKXTqRTcn9mHTi2fTPUzFiXV2DEKBv1wm_C6pFeFgZgiFVYiOLmQe3VxD4jhxVaJ2iHw1Zx63i9OHXK6-qgXm_1Q5lndkfy_OWRwfCZ1zpYJ/s1600/snowdrops.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
'The Spring solstice falls on 21st March. At this moment, the equinox, the earth is in perfect balance and day and night are of equal length. This was a powerful festival in times gone by.<br />
<br />
The sun - which was considered male - was in perfect harmony with the moon - which was female; the solstice is a divine symbol for the female receptivity of the earth preparing to take the (male) seed and blossom forth. The first signs of spring flowers bursting with life are evidence that all is right in the divine world and that the earth is blessed.'<br />
<i>From: Titania's Book of White Magic' - Enchantment</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>+++</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
"It is common for many of us to become caught up in emotional reactions to the circumstances of our lives. Even if we do not outwardly express our emotional reactions to things, we still feel them. Many of us live without awareness of how our reactions stir us into un-empowered action. An imbalance in emotions causes us to act out, to speak in harmful ways and it causes us to dip right back into the thinking mode. Reliance on thinking and emotional reactions go hand in hand. If you've noticed an imbalance in one of these areas, it is best to explore possible imbalances in the other. When we emote and react to each circumstance, we start an internal monologue of complaints. "I don't like the way she makes me feel." 'He's stingy.' 'Why does she always criticize me?' Meanwhile, we miss out on what is actually happening. We miss the sound of the wind, the sensations of our bodies, the taste of our food, the things we see and feel. We miss out on the world, which is the realm of Deity or power.<br />
<br />
The opposite energy of emoting is blocking emotions. Most of us have experienced painful situations as a simple matter of living life. As a result, some of us choose a strategy to block out the pain of our circumstances. We make ourselves tough; we ignore our hurts. We work at developing our insensitivity, hoping that this is the answer to a life where pain is a natural part of the process. But this doesn't work. It only results in numbing ourselves from the whole of life, so we miss out on both the pleasure and the pain.<br />
<br />
In reviewing your emotions, do you find that you are out of balance?<br />
<br />
In which direction do you tip the scales? In over-emotionality or in emotional blocking?"<br />
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<i>Taken from 'Wicca - a year and a day' by Timothy Roderick"</i>Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-66093478644020645102011-02-01T10:22:00.000-05:002011-02-01T10:22:58.049-05:00A light in the darkness.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1jZlRWkij2PFGr0_PfjOHNV2lCv7KYOEH1xsYa1phxyDl0MNvGbNR6lQrB-SMEGvIg4eoJpp2ncy4eV8AIs8Io4jn4nTLEacACQVwrxLE-Q8zLZ5bCam48-YKXO_ECwtrQeoTN1AtLvO/s1600/IMG_0337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1jZlRWkij2PFGr0_PfjOHNV2lCv7KYOEH1xsYa1phxyDl0MNvGbNR6lQrB-SMEGvIg4eoJpp2ncy4eV8AIs8Io4jn4nTLEacACQVwrxLE-Q8zLZ5bCam48-YKXO_ECwtrQeoTN1AtLvO/s320/IMG_0337.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
No matter how dark the night, the dawn will always come - eventually. All we need is a little glimmer of hope, like the flickering glow of a candle flame.<br />
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Persephone, goddess of death, spent each winter in the underworld, returning every spring to live with her mother, Demeter, the goddess of corn.<br />
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During the winter, you could say we 'go to ground.' We hunker down, preferring our warm firesides to the cold winds outdoors. However, this dark time of the year is important to our psyche. It allows us to rest, to 'recharge our batteries' to think deeply about the new season, which is coming. For however dark our world appears, there is always a candle waiting to be lit, a new song waiting to be written, new people to meet.<br />
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According to the Greeks, Persephone's father, Zeus, promised his beautiful daughter to Hades, the Greek God of the underworld, without consulting her mother. When Hades rose from the underworld and took his bride by force, Demeter was beside herself with grief. Winter had come into her life and all of nature reflected her sadness. The land was no longer fertile, plants wilted, animals bore no offspring and death stalked the land. Eventually Zeus was obliged to intervene and ruled that Persephone should spend time each year with both her husband and her mother. Persephone could never return entirely to the living world because she had eaten in Hades's realm.<br />
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As we wait for spring to come, let's not waste our time. We can sit usefully in front of the hearth, planning what we shall do when the weather improves. We can look into seed catalogues, plan a new area of the garden to cultivate. Maybe we could join a new club or society.<br />
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Whatever we plan on doing, it will soon be time to get out the trusty broom and sweep the house clean, won't it?<br />
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Are you planning any changes in your life in the springtime?<br />
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+++<br />
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<i>Source of information: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology by Arthur </i><br />
<i>Cottrell and Rachel Storm</i>Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-28456227477466593422011-01-18T09:36:00.000-05:002013-02-02T15:43:27.051-05:00Imbolg -Candlemas<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">
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For me the worst months of the year are November and February because they are dark and cold and the days are long - but in February Wicca brings us Candlemas.</div>
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The joy of lighting candles is a pleasure at all times of the year, but especially in the winter. I light candles to bring light into my world and also to practise magic. Candles are a wonderful way to focus my thoughts and light the path into that other world where the sun is always shining and only happy clouds hang in the sky.</div>
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February 2nd is Candlemas, also known as Imbolg. It is a time when new life is quickening.</div>
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In the northern hemisphere, where I live and in the Celtic lands in particular, this time of the year belongs to Brigit, the triple goddess of inspiration and poetry, smith craft and healing.</div>
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Winter is slowing changing into Spring - in Wicca the crone face of the goddess is becoming the maiden again. Age is giving way to youth.</div>
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In your own life it is a wonderful time to buy a new outfit. Buy it for the person you are now, not the person you were ten years ago.</div>
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Look in your garden for signs of new life. You may be able to see snowdrops popping up and the tips of daffodil bulbs breaking through the soil.</div>
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Light candles in your home, choosing spring colours of green, white and yellow and enjoy the new scents they bring. They will make you feel good and bring light and refreshment to your home.</div>
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I wish you a wonderful Candlemas, bursting with new life, inspirations and ideas.</div>
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Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-64483530496013796902010-12-17T16:25:00.000-05:002010-12-17T16:25:30.174-05:00Hearth and Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUF2YNfNPodsLJ78JpRwuB2QrZY8agKoezaLh8OrJIpuy0RyE3T-FjQInEtJT2jr2vTerySGA9TmlCly5eSsyQWVnhx-369Z8qJ_8aaPtGvFaectfcLndqvViacZ_5DsSGlD8jrPJ3ZzKw/s1600/16-12-2010+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUF2YNfNPodsLJ78JpRwuB2QrZY8agKoezaLh8OrJIpuy0RyE3T-FjQInEtJT2jr2vTerySGA9TmlCly5eSsyQWVnhx-369Z8qJ_8aaPtGvFaectfcLndqvViacZ_5DsSGlD8jrPJ3ZzKw/s320/16-12-2010+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>When frost is hanging cobwebs with pearls and diamonds, we seek out a warm fire within.<br />
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'Fire may have been the first magic that our ancestors discovered. Down through the ages it has become a focal point of our lives and culture. In ancient times the hearth formed the center of the home, where people cooked food, washed clothes and gathered to socialize. Today, many homes still have a fireplace or a woodstove and the hearth remains an important part of our magical and spiritual practices.'<br />
Elizabeth Barrette<br />
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The 21st December is Yule, the midwinter solstice and the night of the Long Nights Moon, a magical time indeed.<br />
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How will you be celebrating?<br />
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It is a good time to look back on the year and all the things you have done with your life. Could you improve yourself for when the wheel moves around?<br />
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Although the flowers and bulbs are sleeping, there is still plenty of greenery with which to decorate your home. Holly and ivy, laurel and dogwood stems - all very colourful and sweet smelling.<br />
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I love candles and will be dotting them around my home to bring light into dark corners. As I watch them burn down, I shall reflect on how I can bring light into the dark corners of someone else's life.<br />
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A very happy Yule to you all. Blessed be.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhltXYtSMYuHyNhZE8jtWJFFVPXmZsm6JTa3Wt7zZTOoMlC_xSXS_oeNn08SC52wtv7VghlqxuLdVwzGvmOkaEewHXiUk1S7RJWYKjeTEc7Xd_-29wrRrCYOxfwK6vLcuWjqPk3XePSXhYN/s1600/07-12-2010a+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhltXYtSMYuHyNhZE8jtWJFFVPXmZsm6JTa3Wt7zZTOoMlC_xSXS_oeNn08SC52wtv7VghlqxuLdVwzGvmOkaEewHXiUk1S7RJWYKjeTEc7Xd_-29wrRrCYOxfwK6vLcuWjqPk3XePSXhYN/s320/07-12-2010a+024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-10270254474591577012010-12-03T05:36:00.000-05:002010-12-03T05:36:26.191-05:00The Crystal Ball<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIdZLsgtBd7lvCuVD5qmRGba2xCgI8vlvimTswIySs-HK_T6OgAaLiRjZALLXXFeNmicoQIPferSHe_yb9SJ6Lg_C8rT5W9raumOYXixrjg2p8Dv5_8gj4zlp8METo3X-q12AEEVyxJ8H/s1600/IMG_0381.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIdZLsgtBd7lvCuVD5qmRGba2xCgI8vlvimTswIySs-HK_T6OgAaLiRjZALLXXFeNmicoQIPferSHe_yb9SJ6Lg_C8rT5W9raumOYXixrjg2p8Dv5_8gj4zlp8METo3X-q12AEEVyxJ8H/s400/IMG_0381.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: CENTER;"><div style="text-align: left;">'I believe,' says Mr. Andrew Lang, in his introduction to Mr. Northcote W. Thomas's "History and Practice of Crystal Gazing", 'that some crystal gazers are, somehow, enabled to 'see' things which are actual, but of which - crystal gazing apart - they have, and can have, no knowledge. I have no conjecture as to 'how it is done,' but, if it is done, it upsets some extant popular philosophies.'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">All lands and all ages have their stories of crystal gazing, though the majority seem to be concerned more with personal visions of the past, the present, and the future than with the detection of crime, with which it is chiefly the purpose of this article to deal.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Of the usual class of crystal vision there are few more interesting examples than that recorded by the late Mr. F. W. H. Myers in the series of papers on the subliminal consciousness. In this case, Sir Joseph Barnby was the chief witness. He was attending a wedding at Longford Castle, having left Lady Barnby at Eastbourne. Whilst he was there a lady known as Miss A... looked in her crystal and described what she saw - a bedroom, and a lady in the room drying her hands on a towel.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The lady who was seen in this vision was tall, dark, slightly foreign in appearance, with rather 'an air' about her.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">'This described with such astonishing accuracy my wife and the room she was then occupying,' Sir Joseph wrote in his account of the case, 'that I was impelled to ask for particulars of the dress she was wearing.'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Looking again into the crystal, Miss A... saw that the dress was of serge, with a good deal of braid on the bodice and a strip of braid down one side of the skirt.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This description threw Sir Joseph off the scent, as his wife expressed regret, before he left for Longford, that she had not a serge dress with her. His astonishment, therefore, was great, on returning to Eastbourne, to find her wearing a serge dress exactly answering to the description, and to learn that, as a surprise, having received it very much earlier than she expected from the costumer, she had arranged to meet him in it. His wife also recalled the incident that was seen in the crystal, of washing her hands, 'Thinking I was late for meeting the train,' she said, 'I opened the door to call the maid to tell me the time as I washed my hands, standing at the washstand in a line with the door. I do not suppose I have ever done such a thing at an hotel before.'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Sixteen months later Sir Joseph and Lady Barnby were at Prince's Hall, Piccadilly, when Lady Radnor and Miss A... entered the room. During the greetings that followed Miss A... called Sir Joseph's attention to a standing figure saying, 'You will remember my seeing a lady in her bedroom while I was looking in my crystal? That is the lady I saw.' Sir Joseph adds that this lady was his wife, and that Miss A... had never seen her before.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>From: 'Crime and the Crystal - has crystal-gazing a scientific basis? by F. A. H. Eyles</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">A few years ago I was looking in my crystal when I noticed therein a young man beside a bonfire. He seemed distressed and unable to make his way away from it. I could think of no connection at that time, so returned the crystal to its place on the shelf in my study.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Later that summer, my son went to a rock festival in Reading. The festival was set to last for two or three days, but on the last day we received an urgent telephone from him to say that he was unable to drive himself home and could we possibly come and fetch him? Naturally we did so, even though it was a long way away and a great inconvenience.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">On arriving at the festival ground, we found that everyone had gone home, leaving him to fend for himself. To this day I don't know why he was in the state he was in, but I do have my suspicions. His father drove his car home for him and I drove our car home. As he got into it, looking rather dazed and confused, I noticed an overpowering smell of bonfires emanating from his person and his clothes...</div></div>Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-68131387823882004202010-11-24T08:14:00.000-05:002010-11-24T08:14:16.189-05:00The Aurora BorealisJust to look and wonder! We are so lucky to live on this beautiful planet.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/16917950" width="400"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/16917950">Aurora Borealis timelapse HD - Tromsø 2010</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/tittentem">Tor Even Mathisen</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-24348109982679600392010-11-17T17:16:00.000-05:002010-11-17T17:16:07.060-05:00Home and Hearth<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvvb8JoysYHgZHl3PUKpI30xcPP2hp49cla4tGnapZB8C_ecG4bCU9af04-6oEArT-YzbNDr8bARgDgNJZsbys35eICuX9JKI-k1Z4ndnZdu3_l7DzNTdf7OVeWfrV4he9-7cVvzZG20CG/s1600/P6210108.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvvb8JoysYHgZHl3PUKpI30xcPP2hp49cla4tGnapZB8C_ecG4bCU9af04-6oEArT-YzbNDr8bARgDgNJZsbys35eICuX9JKI-k1Z4ndnZdu3_l7DzNTdf7OVeWfrV4he9-7cVvzZG20CG/s400/P6210108.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: CENTER;"><div style="text-align: left;">At this time of the year we are aware that we have entered the winter season. The winds are blowing strongly and most of the leaves have fallen away from the trees, leaving them bare and lifeless looking. It is a time to close in, shut the curtains and stoke up the fire.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">When I was small we had an open coal fire. By now my mother would have the coal bunker filled with lumps of black shiny coal. She bought what she could afford, sometimes a luxury brand of coal, sometimes coke and sometimes a mixture of both. I used to watch her light the fire in the morning. First she would rake out the ashes from the day before. These would go into the garden. Next she would put a layer of newspaper and small sticks in the grate and on top of that a layer of the coal. She lit the newspaper with a small flare and that would light the wood. The wood, once it got going, would set light to the coal and then the trick was to keep it going and not let it go out. For that you needed a draft up the chimney. That was provided by a large sheet of newspaper held against the fireplace space. A fast draft was sent up the chimney, often accompanied by a loud roar, which I found very frightening. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">That usually did the trick and within half an hour the room was warmer. Of course we had to keep the fire fed with coal all day but it provided a very comfortable warmth which I remember vividly to this day.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I always try to have some sort of small fire in the house on a cold night. Even the humble candle can give out the effect of warmth - so important to our well being.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div></div>Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941602379495907367.post-6781199779062213572010-11-05T05:35:00.000-04:002010-11-05T05:35:39.196-04:00Samhain<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUBs1W5tbtSt8UA2CZb15emA9Eop3e3wOXqsVqTv6EaJyMdbunu_NPv7yrXw8pkbqQs-vzM1m7NrOJvsjnVqVoZd8X7AconUlh-tnmaOFsNB7bvMA-gIRkbRMCBsmhiFWfE9TJ2QlH5xu/s1600/IMG_0584c.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUBs1W5tbtSt8UA2CZb15emA9Eop3e3wOXqsVqTv6EaJyMdbunu_NPv7yrXw8pkbqQs-vzM1m7NrOJvsjnVqVoZd8X7AconUlh-tnmaOFsNB7bvMA-gIRkbRMCBsmhiFWfE9TJ2QlH5xu/s400/IMG_0584c.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: CENTER;"><div style="text-align: left;">It is a week nearly, after Halloween or Samhain as it used to be called. At this time of the year we need to be on guard because forces from the other world are at large and liable to come and visit us.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">It is the time of the Wild Hunt when the Sidhe are abroad, collecting up the souls of the dead to take back to the land of the dead. There is not much to separate us from the other world at this time and we need to be on our guard and listen for the approach of thundering horses hooves and a loud trumpet call.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">You might like to read about the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Sleepy_Hollow">Legend of Sleepy Hollow here.</a> There are many interpretations of this time of misrule.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">'Possibly the best known Wild Hunter is the Germanic god Odin and his Furious Host. Usually lame, attended by horses and dogs, he runs through the night collecting the souls of the dead - specifically the dead that were evil-doers in life. Sometimes, instead, Odin is thought to hunt a boar or a wild horse, or even a woman. But Odin was far from the only leader of the hunt. Depending on the country or region, King Arthur, Sir Francis Drake, Gwydion, and even demons were claimed as leaders of the hunt. - <i>Diana Rajche</i>l'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So if you feel you are not alone some dark night soon while you are out walking, it might be best to go indoors and shut your door and turn out your lights... </div></div>Stella Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.com0