Hi, folks!
Esbat tonight. Herbs Outdoors at 3pm.
It’s pretty warm out, well over 50F already, and it doesn’t seem to be raining, now, but there are tiny water droplets all over things. The sky is a milky white. We’re supposed to be going into a spate of dry weather and that will be nice. I’m ready to harvest some more blooms…and weed the garden… not that anyone is ever *ready* to weed, but you know what I mean.
There’s a chickadee on the feeder and I heard a hawk going off down in the park a while back. That’s what woke me, and looking at the timing, I think he was complaining about the earthquake. I heard an odd grinding sound, but didn’t feel anything. It was enough to get my attention, but it was the hawk’s fussing that actually woke me. (I put the details in below. Anything below 3 usually you can’t feel)
Yesterday’s drive was pretty taxing after the day before. Fawkes had stayed over Monday night, so we got his (loaned, but new to him) car serviced and mine…by Tempus, who has tools… and headed up to his place to drop off his car, since it was used by smokers and he hadn’t had a chance to clean it out.
We had a funny on the way up. Fawkes was in front and I realized to I want to stop at Roots Beads, since they were going to be closed by the time we got back and I need some earring parts for the shop. I waved and flashed the lights at him. I even tried to pass him in Depoe Bay, but someone cut me off. He was enjoying the music from the radio and totally oblivious, so I just shrugged and turned, figuring that either he’d notice, or we’d meet at his place. I ran in grabbed my stuff, paid and put my package in my purse, turned around to go and “oof!” I ran right into him! He was standing there grinning. He had noticed by the other end of Lincoln Beach and used the turnaround and come back.
We dropped his car off and picked up some things that he had thought of, grabbed some lunch at the local Dairy Queen and headed out on 18. It’s a nice drive and watching all the new growth as well as winter damage was interesting.
..and we got all the business taken care of and drove back. I was totally peripheral to all of that, so I ended up talking to various people, giving out business cards, even, and then we did some shopping.
Fawkes needed refills for his pen in a particular office supply place and I found a little packet of sticky notes with a pic of Einstein on the front. They were called, “gluons”, so I got ‘em for Tempus. Perfect! Of all things they had tree ornaments in the shop, of ray guns and spaceships and a long silver bendable doll that had those slanted alien eyes! Those were funny.
That place was right next to a fabric store… (“Danger, Danger, Will Robinson!” ) so I left my purse in the car and prowled through fabrics and trims and patterns for at least an ½ hour. They had some wonderful quilts and I came home with an headful of ideas, particularly for the kitchen valance, which right now it white and gets *filthy* from kitchen smoke and grease. On the white it shows. I’ve been thinking about making a new one and found the perfect set of fabrics yesterday. They’re all different vegetables: sliced zucchini and cucumbers and carrots, beets, turnips, garlic, onions, 3 kinds of potatoes, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, even rutabaga! It occurred to me that seaming together ¼ yards of the fabrics would make an awesome topper for the window. They also had some cute wall quilts that had LED lights in them: a snowman with a snowflake background that twinkled white, a Halloween tree with purple lights that faded in and out and a Christmas tree with multicolored lights and charms… it was almost a sculpture with all that stuff, left the idea of “quilt” *way* behind!
I even came away with ideas for Spoonflower fabrics! I’m thinking about making a pagan letter quilt fabric and a plant one, doing both in blocks and hanging style.
…and I’ve gotten caught up in a phone call from Fawkes, checking in, because he knew I’d be wondering how he’s doing and a Facebook thing about cheese and soap and houses and chickens….
So then Fawkes and I headed back into Lincoln City, talking the whole way, as usual.
…omg…I’m smelling waffles… I love my Sweetie!
We stopped at McMenamins for either an *horribly* late lunch or a really early supper and had a good cheat with the server about the various McMenamins and their bars/cafes/restaurants/concerts. One of these years I want to do a tour of all of the cool ones, spend a night at each and find out all about ‘em….
So, I dropped him off at his house and came home, flopped on the sofa, told Tempus about the day. He made a tasty baked squash and kielbasa dinner. I tried to get a little work done, but bent his ear about all the ideas instead and crashed pretty early.
He got most of the house chores done, yesterday. I’m assuming that he’s going to be catching up on the things he couldn’t do on Monday, today, and I’m going into my usual days-off thing, plus Herbs Outdoors…and we will do that today. If it’s just too soggy we’ll head down into the park and wildcraft. …and then this evening is the Lesser Banishing of the Chocolate Bunny Ritual.
…and he made French toast…after giving me an awesome back rub this morning. …and I gotta get on into the day.
The shop is closed Tuesday/Wednesday. Spring hours, 11am-6pm, Thursday through Monday. If we’re supposed to be closed, but it looks like we’re there, try the door. If it’s open, the shop’s open!
Love & Light,
Anja
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Earthquake Details
Magnitude 2.8
• Date-Time Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 15:21:00 UTC
• Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 08:21:00 AM at epicenter
• Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location 44.596°N, 124.384°W
Depth 17.6 km (10.9 miles)
Region OFFSHORE OREGON
• Distances 26 km (16 miles) W (260°) from Newport, OR
• 32 km (20 miles) NW (307°) from Waldport, OR
• 35 km (22 miles) SW (227°) from Depoe Bay, OR
• 113 km (70 miles) WSW (251°) from Salem, OR
• 171 km (106 miles) SW (234°) from Portland, OR
Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 1.3 km (0.8 miles); depth +/- 1.5 km (0.9 miles)
Parameters Nph= 18, Dmin=27 km, Rmss=0.35 sec, Gp=227°,
M-type=local magnitude (ML), Version=1
• Source Pacific Northwest Seismic Network
Event ID uw60410241
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Café Press Products from Ancient Light - http://www.cafepress.com/ancientlight Everything from T-shirts to pillows to coffee mugs to journals with witchy or just fun designs! I’ve added a bunch of products to the Happy Naked Pagan Dance design!
Spoonflower Fabrics - http://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/coastalanja The newest designs are in the Bugs ‘n Slugs Collection. We have designs for sale in the Garden Collection and Mushroom Collection and the Pagan Collection is coming soon.
Our Circle’s site! http://www.ancientlight.info/circle/ Add things by e-mailing me here. mbartlett@harborside.com
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Today
The Moon is a Waning Crescent. Waning Moon Magick - From the Full Moon to the New is a time for study, meditation, and magic designed to banish harmful energies and habits, for ridding oneself of addictions, illness or negativity. Hecate’s Brooch – 3-5 days before New Moon – Best time for Releasing Rituals. It’s the last few days before the new moon, the time of Hecate’s Brooch. This is the time that if you’re going to throw something out, or sweep the floors, or take stuff to Good Will, do it! Rid yourself of negativity and begin the letting go process. Ends on Thursday at 12:19pm
This is the time of year when the dim Little Dipper juts to the right from Polaris (its handle-end) at nightfall. The much brighter Big Dipper curls over high above it, "dumping water" straight down into it.
Venus (magnitude –4.6; in Taurus) is shining the highest and brightest it ever appears in the evening sky during its 8-year cycle of repeating apparitions. Venus comes into easy view high in the west soon after sunset. It doesn't set in the northwest until around 11 or even midnight daylight saving time (depending on where you live). You can see Venus through the clear blue sky of day if your eye lands right on it; look for it 44° (4 or 5 fist-widths at arm's length) to the Sun's celestial east-northeast.
Saturn (magnitude +0.2, in Virgo) is at opposition this week, on April 15th. It rises in twilight and glows highest in the south around 1 a.m. Shining 5° to its right is Spica: fainter, bluer, and twinklier.
Keep careful watch on Saturn and its rings in a telescope. With Saturn at or near near opposition, notice the Seeliger effect: a temporary brightening of the rings with respect to the globe. This happens because the solid particles making up the rings backscatter sunlight (reflect it back in the direction it came from) more effectively than the planet's cloudtops do. Compare how the rings and globe look now with how they look a week or more past opposition.
Celtic Tree Month of Saille Willow Apr 15 - May 12
Goddess Month of Maia runs from 4/18 - 5/15
Runic half-month of Man, April 14-28 A time when the archetypal reality of the human condition should be meditated upon. Nigel Pennick, The Pagan Book of Days, Destiny Books, Rochester, Vermont, USA, 1992, 1992
Sun in Aries
Moon in Pisces enters Aries 8:59am
Saturn retrograde, Juno retrograde, Pluto Retrograde
Color: Yellow
Harvest 4/18-20
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©2012 M. Bartlett, Some parts separately copyright
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Calendar
4/18– Wednesday, 3pm – Herbs Outdoors – (weather permitting)
4/18 – Esbat, Hecate’s Brooch – Lesser Banishing of the Chocolate Bunny
4/19 – Thursday, Sun enters Taurus, 9:12am
3pm, Crones’ Tea
5pm - Wicca 103 – Lesson 5
4/21 – Saturday, New Moon at 12:18am
4/21 – Saturday, 11am - Herb Workshop
1pm – Care and Feeding of a Rock Tumbler
3pm - Sewing Workshop
Planting 4/22-3
4/22 – Sunday, 10am – Wicca 101
Noon - Brea’s Elements (class)
2pm - Practical Craft
4/23 – Monday – 6pm – Wicca 101
Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM - Nature-based Tourism Development Workshop - Crestview Golf Club Restaurant, $5.00
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM - FREE EVENT: Evening for Entrepreneurs - Location: TBD
No fee to participate
Wednesday, April 25, 2012 - 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Creating and Producing High Impact Events Workshop - An event or festival is all about people - people coming together to
Crestview Golf Club Restaurant, $5.00
Planting 4/26-8
http://industry.traveloregon.com/Departments/Tour ism-Development/Oregon-Rural-Tourism-Studio-1.aspx http://industry.traveloregon.com/Departments/Touri sm-Development/Oregon-Rural-Tourism-Studio-1.aspx
4/30 – Monday, Walpurgisnacht
5/1 – Tuesday, Traditional Date, Beltane
5/2 – Wednesday, esbat, Coming up on Full Moon, Beltane Practice
Beltane/Walpurgisnacht Sabbat 5/4, Friday, 7pm at Ancient Light
Planting 5/5-6
May 5-6 – Psychic Fair – Special Guest, Carl Neal
5/5 – Saturday, 11am - Herb Workshop
Noon – ?
1pm – ?
3pm - Sewing Workshop
6pm - Metta Meditation
7pm – Movie Night, showing ?
5/5 – Full Flower Moon at 8:35pm, Healing Scorpion Moon
5/6 – Sunday, 10am – Wicca 101
Noon - Brea’s Elements (class)
1pm – Free showing of ??
3pm – Discussion follows movie
Harvest 5/7-8
Planting 5/9-10
5/10 – Thursday – Waldport Chamber of Commerce meeting, Greenside Restaurant (Crestview Golf Club) – Noon
Waldport City Council Meeting – 2pm
Harvest 5/11-12
Sat. May 12 – Waldport’s Great Garage Sale (We’ll have people the days before and after…)
Planting 5/13-15
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 - 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM - Rural Tourism Marketing on a Shoestring Workshop - Overleaf Events Center at the Overleaf Lodge, $5.00
Harvest 5/16-17
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 - 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Fundraising for Tourism & Developing
Action Teams Workshop - Overleaf Events Center at the Overleaf Lodge, $5.00
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM FREE EVENT: Community Tourism Kickoff, Location: TBD
Planting 5/18-19
Sun enters Gemini, 5/20 8:16am
New Moon, 5/20, 4:47pm
Oregon Coast Pan-Pagan Gathering, Friday – Sunday, September 28-30
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www.wunderground.com
Apr. 18, 2012 Rise Set
Actual Time 6:26 AM PDT 8:05 PM PDT
Civil Twilight 5:55 AM PDT 8:36 PM PDT
Nautical Twilight 5:18 AM PDT 9:13 PM PDT
Astronomical Twilight 4:38 AM PDT 9:53 PM PDT
Moon 4:59 AM PDT 5:58 PM PDT
Length Of Visible Light 14h 40m
Length of Day 13h 39m
Tomorrow will be 2m 53s longer.
Waning Crescent, 6% of the Moon is Illuminated
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Saille Willow Apr 15 - May 12 - The Willow in the Tree alphabet stands for the female and lunar rhythms of life. She is water-seeking, thriving from preference on the damp margins of lakes and streams or across the low-lying water meadows. Water and the tidal movements of the sea are governed by the pull of the moon. The moon in its monthly rhythms is female, contrasting with the male sun's daily and yearly turnings. In several ways, the Celts held women in higher regard than we do today. On the material level, women were property owners, and whoever controlled the property controlled the marriage. Women of all types and ages appeared in the Celtic pantheon, the spiritual strength and life-giving qualities given by both female and male recognized equally. There were colleges of Druidesses - learned women and teachers - respected equally for their gifts of see-ship, often expressed through dreams, or night visions.
Magical Associations: Romantic love, healing, protection, fertility, magic for women.
Saille - WIllow Ogam letter correspondences
Month: February
Color: listed only as bright
Class: Peasant
Letter: S
Meaning: Gaining balance in your life
to study this month - Ohn - Furze Ogam letter correspondences
Month: None
Color: Yellow Gold
Class: Chieftain
Letter: O
Meaning: Information that could change your life
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Tides for Alsea Bay
Day High Tide Height Sunrise Moon Time % Moon
/Low Time Feet Sunset Visible
W 18 Low 5:48 AM 0.8 6:26 AM Rise 4:59 AM 10
18 High 11:49 AM 6.5 8:05 PM Set 5:58 PM
18 Low 5:48 PM 1.4
18 High 11:53 PM 7.5
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Affirmation/Thought for the Day – A conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of thinking.
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Journal Prompt – What do you think? - Do you think it is necessary to have alcohol at a party in order to have a good time?
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Quotes
Let go of your fear and seize the process of change, and it will work for you. - Kerr Cuhulain
Life always gives us lemons. A fool remains bitter & grows more lemons. A wise man borrows sugar & makes lemon meringue pie. - David Roppo
Life is a banquet and most poor sons of bitches are starving to death. - Rosalind Russell as Aunty Mame
Logic is a system whereby one may go wrong with confidence. - Charles K. Kettering
Samhain
I am a twist of black paper
Dancing in a wind-eddy.
Blown three times round the gatepost,
Wrapped briefly round the lamppost
Hanging by wingtip from a branch
Plié into a puddle on the pavement.
I am a shout that bells around the corner
Ricochets diminished from the bushes,
Whistles down a chimney,
Chuckles in the porch-eaves,
Murmurs blending into the wind.
I am a shape-changing shadow
I whisk along behind a loping cat,
I solidify in corners, melt in streetlights,
Flit across the round-faced moon,
Fingering the rime round the moon,
Whispering a rhyme round the moon.
I am a figment of the night’s imagination,
A clown-face suspended in midair
To exorcise your ghosts,
To invite your dear departed to Dumb Supper,
To remember the sweet departed on this night,
And howl off hooting into the tunnel of night. - © Dame Niamh )O( Gealach High Priestess, Sisters of the Burning Branch Sisters of the Silver Star, Circle of the Silver Hive
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Magick – Beltane
Beltaine Our May Morn - http://paganwiccan.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.ht m?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=paganwiccan&cdn=religion&tm=5&gps =45_5_784_599&f=11&tt=14&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//ww w.witchvox.com/holidays/xbeltaine.html
Author: M Macha Nightmare [a WitchVox Sponsor]
Posted: May 5th. 2002
Times Viewed: 6,625
Beltaine - Our May Morn by M. Macha NightMare, ©2002
My partner Corby and I (long-time committed, but not exclusive, relationship with a person of the male persuasion - I was born female and always liked that fact) arise in the dark to drive over from our home in Marin County, California across the Bay to Berkeley to sing up the Sun with the Berkeley Morris Dancers at Inspiration Point in Tilden Park.
We gather at a vista parking lot that faces East towards the hills of Contra Costa County. I've been doing this for close to 20 years, and the Berkeley Morris Dancers have been doing it longer. The death a few years ago of the dance master Terry O'Neill engendered great sadness, but his legacy lives on with the dancers.
Although as I understand it, Morris dancers in England are male, this troupe has dancers of both genders who dance all the dances together. There are no men's dances and women's dances that I can see. They are dressed in white shirts and pants, with red vests, and wear multicolored streamers and bells around their legs just below the knee. A fiddler and other musicians accompany them. One of the dancers is a little blond boy of about five. There's also a bear -- a "Cal bear"? -- and a clown/fool dressed in harlequinish black-and-white striped leggings and black-and-white geometrical-patterned clothing.
The sweetest thing this year is a baby -- boy or girl I could not tell -- sitting on a blanket with hir parents at the edge of the circle. She or he is a round-faced, rosy-cheeked tyke dressed in a white fuzzy overall garment, like a sleeper only with a hood with ears. S/he looks like a bunny rabbit. S/he keeps being drawn to the dancers, crawling off the blanket towards the music and the action. Eventually the dance master takes hir in his arms for a turn or two with the other dancers.
Morris dancers dance in sets, often making patterns and rhythms with sticks, and sometimes even with swords. They're loud and festive, encouraged by the appreciative crowd of Pagans encircling them.
There is one dance that everyone is invited to participate in, a large circle dance, very sprightly and enthusiastic, if a bit confused. Corby and I laugh and dance in the triple circle we have to arrange ourselves in because there are so many of us.
During the dancing, a member of the troupe passes through the assembled crowd offering bites of a tasty poppyseed May cake. Another passes the hat for cash donations.
Parents bring their little babies all bundled up in the cold. (Relative, of course. This is, after all, California). Toddlers, children, tweens, teens, young adults, mature adults, oldsters in chairs or walking with staffs - about 200-300 Pagans in the predawn air. Some of the younger folks have been awakened in the dark and driven to this annual rite every year of their lives. These events will be in their memories of their childhoods. Now there are third generation babies coming with their parents and grandparents.
By 7:00 a.m. or so it's all over. The Sun has risen, we've cheered its return. We've sung a few May carols together. Those of us who must work day jobs on this sabbat can leave in time to get to work. Some may join others at a restaurant for breakfast before going to work. Many years that's what I did. This year, however, Corby and I have taken the day off.
Most years we've taken over one or more restaurants, where we continue to sing May carols now and then, and generally party up the place. Some restaurant staff stress over this, but most enjoy it, especially when we leave generous tips for all the bother we've put them to.
This year, however, Vicki, who regularly attends with her three daughters, decides to offer her own solution to the restaurant dilemmas - dealing with morning rush-hour traffic, looking for parking, pushing tables together, keeping the coffee brewing, overwhelming the kitchen and wait staff. She lives with her family in a huge house in the Oakland hills. So she invites us to a huge buffet breakfast of crepes, fresh red strawberries, sausage, coffee and other tasty comestibles she'd prepared ahead of time and which is all ready and waiting for us as we drift in from our outing in the hills.
All the downstairs rooms fill with Pagans. Teens seem to congregate in the breakfast room. Crones like me balance our food on our laps while we gab about all manner of topics in the sunken living room. It's just great fun all round.
Last April 30 I had a hysterectomy (fibroids) so wasn't up on the hill. That makes this year's pilgrimage all the sweeter. Beltane is a year and a day since my surgery. Corby and I, having taken the day off work, spend much of the afternoon in traditional celebration, Not in the furrowed fields, not in the orchards, rather in our own cozy bed.
Although this year it's too dry to find much May Morn dew to wash our faces, and I'm too sleepy to gather fresh mugwort to put in our pillows to facilitate dreams and visions like we usually do on Beltane, we share a most joyous turning of the Wheel. We hope you did, too.
Macha
ABOUT...
M Macha Nightmare
Location: San Rafael, California
Website: http://www.machanightmare.com
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Energy list
4/16/12 – For someone who has found a dream job and wants some extra oomph to help him get it.
4/13/12 – “I am still very sick and have been for a month now - really need help kicking this on the spiritual plane - depression makes you sick and I am having a hard time climbing out of this hole. I now have bronchitis as well as the ongoing infection - see Dr again on Monday - This is probably the only request for help/healing I have ever made - but I just can't seem to kick this on my own. Whatever you think will help - I feel like I am dying a very slow and painful death.”
4/8/12 – For an older father with various health issues that gave us all a scare a while back. He’s much better, but still needs help to get back to health.
4/7/12 - 9-year-old boy with an inoperable brain tumor. Starting radiation. Family and friends asking help for him and for the children that know him. Update 4/7 He’s doing pretty well and back in school despite the treatments.
3/28/12 – For a man who is terrified he’s going to lose his small daughter to her mother’s new boyfriend. The guy seems to be intent on leaving with her, even if he has no legal right.
3/19/12 – For a high-schooler, crazy for basketball and volleyball, who went down with a concussion early in the season. They’re telling her none of her favorite sports for a year, minimum, we’re asking for healing and the strength to deal with not being able to do what she loves for the moment.
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Silliness – GCF: Retirement Quiz
Ready to retire?
Take this quiz to find out.
Question: How many days in a week? Answer: 6 Saturdays, 1 Sunday
Question: When is a retiree's bedtime? Answer: Three hours after he falls asleep on the couch.
Question: How many retirees does it take to change a light bulb? Answer: Only one, but it might take all day.
Question: What's the biggest gripe of retirees? Answer: There is not enough time to get everything done.
Question: Why don't retirees mind being called Seniors? Answer: The term comes with a 10% discount.
Question: Among retirees what is considered formal attire?
Answer: Tied shoes.
Question: Why do retirees count pennies? Answer: They are the only ones who have the time.
Question: Why are retirees so slow to clean out the basement, attic or garage? Answer: They know that as soon as they do, one of their adult kids will want to store stuff there.
Question: What is the best way to describe retirement? Answers: The never ending Coffee Break.
Question: What's the biggest advantage of going back to school as a retiree? Answer: If you cut classes, no one calls your parents.
Question: Why does a retiree often say he doesn't miss work, but misses the people he used to work with? Answer: He is too polite to tell the whole truth.
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