Showing posts with label Sabbats. Show all posts

I've neglected this blog since getting a full time job outside the home. That's a story for another time. Right now, I want to thank those of you who are still here, checking in on my blog, following me on Twitter, and who "like" my Facebook page.

I have these cute overall treat bags and I think they make the perfect "THANK YOU" for one of my readers. Although the giveaway ends ON Ostara and the winner won't have them in time for this Ostara, whomever wins is getting a nice Ostara gift AND can use them next year or this year for Easter, if you so choose...

SIDENOTE: I'm not big on celebrating Christian Holidays and a quick blog search on the matter will explain my 'why' - so feel free to read those entries if I've piqued your interest.

So anyway...check out these adorable Ostara overall treat bags! The photos don't do them justice.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For the last several years we've always gone to the Faerie Festival at Spoutwood Farm. Last year it was a super expensive day - and I'm all for giving my money to these places/groups/events but it was insane :-[ This year is no different.

The drive from our place is about an hour and a half so we must figure in gas money. Parking is $5 - ok, not bad. Admission for adults is $15 0_o and children are $5. So, before we even do anything there it will cost us $50 plus gas money. Food prices are on the high side and well, and of course we'd all like to buy from different vendors. When all is said and done, this would easily turn out to be a $200 day.

So, this year we've decided to support a local group, the Reading Pagans and Witches by going to their May Faire event. If you happen to be local (Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas of Pennsylvania), this event is at the Berks County 4-H Center 1238 County Welfare Rd, Leesport, PA:

Saturday, May 4, 2013, 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
&
Sunday, May 5, 2013, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

$5.00 ages 10 and up
$1.00 ages 5-9
Ages 4 and under are free
Plenty of free parking!


To support this group, it will cost us $17 and ~maybe~ we'll need to get gas :) and this means we will be inclined to spend more money with the vendors and bring more donation items - they will
be collecting items for local animal shelters.

Here is the vendor list: http://www.readingpagansandwitches.org/pamfvendors.html

 

I usually only have Olivia one weekend a month and I believe this coming weekend is my weekend with her. So, my plan is to make Imbolc Candles with the Witchlets.

I'm excited - I need to get my act together when it comes to practicing/teaching - and this is all part of it. Once we make the candles I'll post pictures and a tutorial )O(

Yule has already come and gone. Heck, the 'end of the world' has already come and gone! Haha :) Olivia got a 3-D art set. It's a butterfly on leaves, it's pretty neat! The boys got these cool cardboard rocket ships CJ and I put together, then they colored them. They're STILL in the process of coloring them...

I got more SkinMedica stuff and Vivite lip plumper (love the stuff) and I also got these sweet Jack Skellington car mats and steering wheel cover :)

Have you started preparing for Yule - not spiritually but mundanely, like decorating and shopping, etc...CJ and I were talking the other night about how we want to decorate more this year, but then we remembered, we won't be home from December 26-Jan. 1 (we're going to WDW again!). So, is it even worth it to go all out with decorations?

What about gifts? Buy or make? I usually get candles from my mom, (Yankee candles are the best) beauty/skin care products from my grandma (like Dermalogica or Jane Iredale - my faves!), and handmade items from the kids (drawings mostly) but nothing from CJ. We just never exchange Yule gifts (or birthday gifts for that matter) but I'm thinking maybe we need to start.

It's life - hectic life. Always working. Always worrying about money - paying bills, saving money fro vacations and fun stuff, saving money for, well, our savings. I think life is going by much too fast. I'm really trying to slow it down.

Well, despite the weather and power outages, our little town still had trick or treat on Samhain night, so CJ and I took the Witchlets. It was a very slow night. I am guessing many people weren't even sure if trick or treat was still on for the evening.

This year Samhain is very different for many of us. My local area, as well as surrounding areas, and areas further away (NJ, NY, MD) are dealing with the natural disaster that Hurricane Sandy created. In the town I live in, most of the area has power and trick or treat is still on for tonight. So, we will take our kids out but I can't help but think how bad some people have it, it breaks my heart.

It is also my one year anniversary and CJ and I had planned on going out to dinner. We are still going but we are taking our Witchlets with us. Tonight is going to be a major time for reflection - and thankfulness.

It's Mabon! My absolute FAVORITE time of year! I LOVE the weather, the scents, the earlier darkness...all of it!

Another Lammas is here! This is such a major Sabbat for me because it signifies the end of summer and the upcoming fall. (I LOVE AUTUMN!)

How interesting is it that the Witchlets and I are trying to commune with a Brownie - during a Sabbat :)

This Celtic harvest festival takes its name from the Irish God Lugh and falls midway between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox. It is a cross-quarter holiday, which is the first in the trilogy of harvest festivals; Lughnasadh, Mabon and finally Samhain.

It is at the time of Lughnasadh when the days suddenly seem to shorten and the nights grow longer. So how are you celebrating Lammas?

When we went to the Faerie Festival at Spoutwood Farm last month I had really wished I would have had a 'real' camera. I have a friend from NC, she is a well known raleigh wedding photographer and my gosh, the camera equipment she has is phenomenal!

Well, I took these two with my cell phone and I think they came out great - with the use of an app of course ;)

I have a ton more photos and even videos I still need to upload here and on my Facebook as well.

The first thing the Witchlets wanted to do when we got to the Faerie Festival, was make wands. I thought for sure the boys would want to make talking sticks, but nope, they wanted wands :)

The wands had all sorts of items glued on to them with a hot glue gun. Gemstones kept falling off, sheesh, maybe they should have used thumb screws instead! Now I have wands to repair already!

Regardless, they enjoyed creating the wands and CJ and I enjoyed carrying the damn things around all day, LOL...

This Sabbat, Imbolc, belongs to belongs to Brigid, (Brighid, Brigit, Bride,) the Celtic goddess who in later times became revered as a Christian saint.

Originally, her festival on February 1st or 2nd, was known as Imbolc or Oimelc, two names which refer to the lactation of the ewes, the flow of milk that heralds the return of the life-giving forces of spring. Later, the Catholic Church replaced this festival with Candlemas Day on February 2, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and features candlelight processions. They got another one of ours! Ha!

Here is a lovely chant I found online while searching for Imbolc music. I really like this one - enjoy!

I am so excited - it is almost Imbolc! You know what this means, don't you? Winter is more than half over! (Can you tell I am not a fan of Winter?) I cannot wait to see the Sun earlier in the mornings and feel warmer temperatures.

I am already planning a yard makeover. We have contemplated a pool because the kids love to swim, but then we need to consider the type of pool we can afford as well as a swimming pool fence and I am not sure I want all that just yet.

Maybe we will start simple with some flowers, herbs, and a mini garden. Landscaping takes lots of time and money!

My mom ad grandma came over on Yule. It was really nice, I am so glad we have all finally come to a compromise. They come over on Yule and give the kids gifts. We go there on Christmas Eve and have dinner.

It has been forever (well it feels like forever) since I had a chance to sit down and blog. CJ and I have been working like crazy - he is still sending out resumes for permanent work; even sent one to rv repair place and of course Coca Cola.

However, amidst all the chaos, we at least got the Yule tree up! Only lights on it for now because the kittens will not leave it alone!

Well, I was just sitting here working (checking out Google results for Spine surgery Houston - might be able to help a client with this term), when I realized I didn't even post pictures of my Samhain altar and that, wow, it is already a week into November! Here is my Samhain altar:

The flowers from my wedding are there and they still look nice! I am so glad I got married on Samhain!