Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh is just around the corner on August 1st. This Sabbatt is especially meaningful for me as it completes a full turn of the wheel in my journey as a Wiccan. I've come so far and learned so much and am looking forward to continuing my journey with the turn of the wheel for the coming year.

Lughnasadh is the first of three harvest festivals. It is a time to celebrate the fertility of the Earth and the abundance she provides. It is a time to honor the Sun God in all his glory as he starts now to make his decline.

I spent a considerable amount of time putting together my altar. As I took down my Midsummer altar and put things away, I gave thanks for all the blessings that have come during this time. I spent time contemplating each item I placed on my Lughnasadh altar making it a spiritual journey into the meaning of Lughnasadh and what it means to me personally. Listening to my intuition yielded some great additions, like the Vanadinite crystal I've been working with.

I enjoyed taking the time to set up my altar for Lughnasadh and I'm looking forward to celebrating the Sabbatt with fires blazing!

Have a Blessed Lughnasadh!

In the Garden . . .

I was in the garden yesterday and to my suprise the rose mallow I just planted this year is blooming. Along with the lilies and other July/August blooming plants my garden is coming alive once again.

I hope you enjoy these images from my garden . . .

Camping

This past weekend I went camping with some friends to Tower Hill State Park. I was anticipating getting away, relaxing in nature, having fun with friends, and coming back home again rejuvenated and ready to go on with the real world.

Carl after putting up his tent.

Okay, so it was a little too in nature for me, not being acclimated to the world of camping in a tent for the last 20 years or so. Not to mention the outhouse with three stalls and a spongy floor and no hot showers to wash it all off with at the end of the day. That resort down the road was starting to look pretty appealing.

Here's my journal entry penciled in at 5:30 in the morning after not sleeping ALL night . . .

"All is finally quiet at six o'clock in the morning. I have only the birds and squirrels to keep me company.

The night was spent trying to sleep amongst partiers two campsights over who insisted on talking loudly over each other with guitar riffing music as a backdrop. The air mattress that Kelly inflated for me was as flat as a pancake when I finally laid my weary head down after midnight.

I am distracted to my left as I hear a very large branch from a tree crack and then fall to the ground through the trees. A metaphor for my experience thus far?

Squirrels are jumping from limb to limb in the trees above me and I marvel at their seeming indifference to the heights they are playing at.

On the way to the outhouse this morning bats were flying about not aware of how close they came to landing in my hair - bats really freak me out! Mosquitos are buzzing around my ears - and finally rest on a tasty tidbit of skin - are enough to drive even the most ardent of campers to hide their body, head to toe, under the covers despite the heat and humidity.

The sun is slowly making its way up in the sky bringing with it the light of a new day . . ."

All that after only one night of camping! The next morning our friend, Patricia, woke up ill and had to be taken to the hospital. We all felt so bad for her and decided that we wouldn't attend the show we had planned for that evening, deciding instead to go later in August when she could attend with us as well.

We had all planned to go tubing and piled into the car anticipating a day floating luxuriously down the Wisconsin River. However, we hadn't made reservations (who knew?) and so tubing was out. Instead we went back to the campsite, filled up the car with snacks and drinks and headed to the beach at the river. We enjoyed the day in the water and had a great time.

From left to right - Eli, Kelly, Carl and me.

Come Saturday night I was sure I would fall asleep once my head hit the pillow, however, a possum outside my tent had other plans. He was really freaking me out! I thought for sure he was going to make it into the tent and proceed to nibble off my toes! Okay, so I have a vivid imagination. And then an owl started whooing, which I didn't mind so much, but I had to laugh at the symphony going on outside my tent and I wondered if I'd ever fall asleep. Two nights without sleep was more than I could bear!

And it didn't help that the partiers down the road were up to their antics again, but to make it even more fun they started throwing firecrackers on their campfire. Then I had to go the bathroom - I was in a quandry - do I go out and face that possum or hold on until morning. No contest - I had to go! So I put on my big girl panties and headed out into the night. Other than meeting a policeman on the road (who had come because of a complaint of firecrackers) my trip to the outhouse was uneventful.

So let's see mosquitos, flies, bats, racoons, a possum, and an owl - I'm sure there's a story in there somewhere . . .

Suffice to say that I did fall asleep at some point and awoke the next morning thankful that I would be heading home soon. All in all I had a really good time and enjoyed being with my friends. We're planning another outing in August so that we can take in that show we missed, but remember that resort I mentioned earlier? Oh ya, I'll be staying there!

Opera in the Park

This past Saturday I attended the Madison Opera in the Park. I was invited by my friend Carl, and along with some of Carl's other friends and acquaintances we enjoyed a feast of cheeses (provided by Ken of Fromagination), bread, crackers, salad, fruit, wine and other assorted goodies. My tummy was well satisfied.

Carl and me.

A nice slection of cheeses courtesy Ken from Fromagination.

It was a lovely evening and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. There were several soloists but I have to say my favorite was 'Some Enchanted Evening' sung by Scott Ramsey. He has a voice that would make any woman swoon under his spell. Not only was the song incredible, but the moon was rising through and up over some trees. It was truly magickal!

It was a wonderful evening of good company, culinary delights and enchanting music . . .

Labyrinth Walk

The other day I was in a crystal shop chatting with the owner who was showing me around the store and pointing out all the new and interesting crystals she had gotten in recently. During my time there she handed me a crystal sphere which was supposed to be black tourmaline, but alas, it was only glass. To be sure though, we pulled out some pendulums and worked with them awhile . . . yes, definitely glass.

Entering the labyrinth.

Walking the labyrinth.

Anyway, during our conversation she mentioned a labyrinth that was built by a lady out towards a small town about an hour's drive away. When I got home I opened up my computer and went to her website 'Peace - Labyrinth'. I was amazed and in awe of what this woman had accomplished in a relatively short period of time.

Because last night was a full moon, I thought it would be wonderful to go out and walk the labyrinth. It was a cloudy evening, but I had hoped it would clear off. Unfortunately it didn't and it even proceeded to rain lightly. 'No matter', I thought, 'since we drove all the way out here, I'll walk the labyrinth anyway'.

Well, it wasn't the experience I'd hoped for, but it was interesting and fun just the same. I plan on going out again on a Sunday for a quieter and more contemplative walk and am going to take in the next full moon festivities which will include drumming.

Crystal Skull.

I'm inspired and will make this a frequent part of my spiritual practice. If you have access to a labyrinth perhaps you'd like to check it out . . .

Vegetarian Breakfast Idea

I'm into day three of being vegetarian and despite a few drawbacks (I had two hotdogs yesterday) things are going pretty well. This morning though I was looking for something different for breakfast and decided to google vegetarian breakfast ideas. There were quite a few to choose from, but ultimately I went for the 'Sweet Morning Potato'.

1 cooked sweet potato
1/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt (use soy yogurt if you're off dairy)
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

I have to say it's a twist having a potato for breakfast (other than hashbrowns) but the combination of vanilla yogurt, maple syrup and nuts was a treat for my pallette and my tummy is very satisfied. Quick, easy and yummy! What more is there?

Now about those hotdogs - this week is about organizing and using up what's in the freezer. Since there's just the two of us, we don't usually buy too much other than what we need for the week so there's not much meat that we actually have to get through, which I'm very glad of because once I make up my mind I want to get it on!

Becoming Vegetarian . . .

I've been giving it a great deal of thought over the last few months about becoming a vegetarian. This is not a decision to be made lightly as it involves quite a lifestyle change, but one that I feel at this juncture in my life I'm ready for.

This change comes about as part of my spirituality which involves Wicca and Reiki and also because my body is telling me that it's time to make a change. I've never really been a big fan of meat, especially red meat, although truth be told I have enjoyed a few good steaks in my time. But I always pay the price in the way my body reacts to red meat. It's not pretty.

In doing research about vegetarianism, I've come across some very eye-opening information regarding the meat, dairy and poultry industries. It's maddening on so many levels and just plain sad on others. I won't go into details as it's something that I believe everyone must come to in their own time - this is my time.

Part of my research involved reading a book called 'The Kind Diet' by Alicia Silverstone. Her down-to-earth approach made this book an easy read and I'm looking forward to delving into some of the suggested recipes.

So today is the first day of the rest of my life - so to speak. I'm giving up red meat, chicken, turkey, fish - if it's meat it's gone. Instead I'll be fueling up on grains, beans, and vegetables. Gone too are the processed foods and sugar.

I'll be posting here and there about my journey, the ups, the downs and the inbetweens. It's going to be an interesting ride . . .

Hot and Humid . . .

It was a hot, humid day today with a temperature of 97 and the humidity at 68%. Even with the wind blowing earlier this afternoon it was hot . . . all the wind did was push the hot air around.

Brian and I were sitting in the sunroom this morning (with the air conditioning going) talking about how awful it was going to be for the birds outside today. I had to go out later in the morning for a few appointments and when I got home this is what I saw out on the patio . . .

I thanked him for being so caring and he told me he also filled up the bird bath several times with cold water . . . I think I'm starting to wear off on him . . .