Friday, September 23, 2011


Fall has arrived and the air has sharpened.  The leaves are changing and the nights are nippy.  With the exception of winter, this is my favorite time of the year.  The colors are beautiful in New England..the animals start to show themselves..things slow down.  For me, it is a time for reflection, for re-evaluation.  Soon the days will shorten and grow colder.  Families become closer in terms of space, this will hopefully lead to getting to know each other in depth. 

Although I can't wait until the snow flies, I will enjoy the season at hand.

Merry Mabon all





Thursday, September 15, 2011

Story of Life


I have to admit that I "borrowed" this from a email sent to me by my Daddy:


Lisa Beamer on Good Morning America - If you remember,
she's the wife of Todd Beamer who said 'Let's Roll!' and
helped take down the plane over Pennsylvania that was
heading for Washington ,   DC back on 9/11.  
   
She said it's the little things that she misses most about
Todd, such as hearing the garage door open as he came
home, and her children running to meet him. She's now
the Mom of a beautiful little girl, Mary.  
 
Lisa recalled this story:  
 
"I had a very special teacher in high school many years
ago whose husband died suddenly of a heart attack. 
About a week after his death, she shared some of her
insight with a classroom of students.  As the late  afternoon 
sunlight came streaming in through the classroom
windows and the class was nearly over, she moved a few
things aside on the edge of her desk and sat down there.  
 
With a gentle look of reflection on her face, she paused
and said, ' Class is over, I would like to share with all of
you, a thought that is unrelated to class, but which I feel
is very important.  Each of us is put here on earth to learn,
share, love, appreciate and give of ourselves.  None of
us knows when this fantastic experience will end.
It can be taken away at any moment.
 
Perhaps this is the power's way of telling us that we
must make the most out of every single day.  Her eyes,
beginning to water, she went on, 'So I would like you all
to make me a promise.  From now on, on your way to school,
or on your way home, find something beautiful to notice.   
 
It doesn't have to be something you see, it could be a
scent, perhaps of freshly baked bread wafting out of
someone's house, or it could be the sound of the
breeze slightly rustling the leaves in the trees, or the
way the morning light catches one autumn leaf as it
falls gently to the ground.  Please look for these things,
and cherish them.  For, although it may sound trite to
some, these things are the "stuff" of life. 
The little things we are put here on earth to enjoy. 
The things we often take for  granted.  
 
The class was completely quiet.  We all picked up our
books and filed out of the room silently.  That afternoon,
I noticed more things on my way home from school than
I had that whole semester.  Every once in a while, I think
of that teacher and remember what an impression she
made on all of us, and I try to appreciate all of those
things that sometimes we all overlook.  
Take notice of something special you see on your lunch
hour today.  Go barefoot.  Or walk on the beach  at sunset. 
Stop off on the way home tonight to get a double dip ice
cream cone.  For as we get older, it is not the things we
did that we often regret, but the things we didn't do.  
  
If you like this, please pass it on to a friend,
if not just delete it and go on with your life! 
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away."   

Saturday, September 10, 2011





This weekend marks the 10th anniversary of a tragedy for all Americans. It marks the beginning of a war that we should never have entered.  I can remember what I was doing on that day, as I am sure most of you can.  I am sure that this is how our parents felt when they learned that Kennedy had been shot or when they saw the first man walking on the moon. 

This one act lead to our country going to “war with terrorism”.  It has lead to over 2700 deaths, of which the United States has received 1762 in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) alone (Operation Enduring Freedom, 2011).  Now, one would think that the deaths are spread fairly even through out that period.  That is not the case: in 2005, the USA total was almost double what it had been in 2004.  2010 was the worst year thus far with 499 citizens killed (Operation Enduring Freedom, 2011).  I do not about you, but I think that the families of those people would have preferred to have more time with them. 

However, this post is not about my feelings about this.  It is a show of support for the troops who put their lives on the line for countries that could care less.  It is in support of those families who live in fear every day of getting the news that their loved one will not be returning to them.  It is in support of those who have already received that news:  the mothers and fathers, the wives, the sons and daughters who have to go on living without the presence of someone who, by rights, should still be at their side.

It is in support of all those who have sacrificed everything for this country and whose leader now is selling this country to the highest bidder.


Reference: 

Operation Enduring Freedom. (2011, September 10). Retrieved September 10, 2011, from iCausualties: http://icasualties.org/oef/


Brightest blessings in the dark.


Thursday, September 8, 2011

From Pagan Blog Prompts-Teaching the children

It's funny that this week's prompt is about teaching the children.  I have three older kids (26, 24, and 20 years old) and then I have the two littles (2 and 4 years old).  I have recently been thinking about how to start teaching the littles about what it is I believe.  I have found quite a few books on Amazon™ for teaching youngsters.  

Our bedtime story books have included ones on Greek myths and gods/goddesses.  The music we listen to in the truck ranges from chants to drumming and other things in between. They already know simple things such as recycling and taking care of nature.  My 4 year old loves the sound and sight of a stream.  But, I have been searching for ways to introduce performing rituals and workings to them. 

One of the most recommended there is :




Another one is :


 

I also have Ashleen O'Gaea's books "Raising Witches" and "Family Wicca".  I'm hoping that between these I can start to open the wonders of nature reverence and the love of the goddess to my littles.

Of course, I am always open to suggestions as well.