Good Bye 2008

Well in a few short hours 2008 will be gone forever, I would like to add good riddance but I won't for I would like to think I have spiritually grown past that, and while it has been emotionally the hardest year I have endured in many, and an incident that happened on Christmas that affected our whole family really put the icing on the cake so to speak, yet I have also been Blessed as well.. so I will list a few of them here and be comforted by the fact that Hecate looks after her own.

My son married his sweetheart and he grew up so much.
I became a Nana for the first time to my wee grandson - Corben James William
My daughter moved home temporarily and I got to spend a wonderful 5 months with her, before we found out we were moving Interstate.
I truly accepted I am a Daughter of the Goddess as I recognised Hestia and Hecate working in my life.
I/we received what we needed, when I stopped struggling and said thank you for what I ALREADY had.
Returning to the country of my birth I realised my ties where no longer there and I was free to move on.
I also learnt that I don't need to feel guilty and keep people in my life who treat me or mine badly.

Before I close this last post for 2008, I would like to share something with you all... It is a story of Cherokee Wisdom which helped me put the last year in perspective.
There was an Indian Chief who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest.., in turn.., to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away. The first son went in the Winter, the second in the Spring, the third in Summer, and the youngest son in the Fall.When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen. The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.The second son said 'no' it was covered with green buds and full of promise.The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful. It was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up. If you give up when it's Winter, you will miss the promise of your Spring, the beauty of your Summer, the fulfillment of your Fall.Moral:
Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come.

As 2008 closes it's doors and 2009 dawns for us all, May the Goddess hold each and everyone of you close and her Blessings be bountiful to, you and yours. May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door.

Unconditional Love

I would have to say, this has been the toughest year for me since I migrated to this country... With my only son getting married in another country and us not being able to attend, followed by my daughter in law developing Postpartum Cardiomyopathy,while delivering our first Grandchild prematurely, I was already on an International flight to get to my son's side, when my little grandson developed such a serious infection that we were told to prepare for the worse, just when it was looking up, his larynx collapsed. Amidst all of this he was suffering serious side effects from the medication his mother was on, thank the Goddess for a very switched on nurse who picked up on it! We had a few months reprieve before my Rheumatoid Arthritis came out of remission and we had to move over here to Western Australia.. So it has been a pretty tough year, topped off by an incident on Christmas Night that has left me feeling pretty disillusioned and somewhat un-trusting..( due to it's nature I am not feeling OK to share it in a blog) so for the last for days I have been feeling a cross between depressed and plain blimmin angry, but you know, kids can be amazing - be it little kids or big kids.. I opened my email a little earlier and found a poem my *big* daughter had sent, written by Roger Pinchers.. it reads like this:

YOU ARE LOVED:
When the road seems too long - When darkness sets in, when everything turns out wrong
And you can't find a friend Remember ~ you are loved
When smiles are hard to come by - And you're feeling down when you spread your wings to fly
And can't get off the ground Remember ~ you are loved.
When time runs out before you're through - And it's over before you begin
when little things get to you and you just can't win Remember ~ you are loved.
When your loved ones are far away and you are on your own
When you don't know what to say, when you're afraid of being alone Remember ~ you are loved.
When your sadness comes to an end, and everything is going right may you think of your family and friends and keep their love in sight a thank-you for being loved.
May you see the love around you in everything you do, and when troubles seem to surround you
May all the love shine through - You are blessed ~ you are loved.

It made me cry, well I am a Mother and we do that stuff.. then I went to my gmail account and found another she posted for me on MySpace..

A MOTHER'S LOVE:
A Mother's love is something that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters even though the heart is breaking . .
It believes beyond believing when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendoured miracle man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence of God's tender guiding hand.
~Helen Steiner Rice~

Sarah my adult daughter is such a Blessing to me, she is a beautiful, smart, funny and thoughtful woman, we do not share the same beliefs but she respects and tries to understand mine, and I hers. I could not want a better daughter and I am so happy that we are able to love each other unconditionally and I am so Blessed she understands..

A work of art

Wow, things have moved up a gear being this close to *Christmas* Yesterday was Summer Solstice for us down here, and I felt so blessed to have been able to take some time to go and give thanks for all that it meant to me.. before rushing off to pick my daughter up from the airport.
So the house has been so busy, I have felt some guilt at not following my normal daily devotion time. However today while checking my email, I found this wonderful wee snippet and I thought to pass it on to you all. As I am entering my Crone years, admittedly at times - with a bit of a struggle, I found this piece of writing to be very truthful and touching.. I hope each of you have had a Blessed Solstice no matter which hemishpere you dwell, and that your holiday season is a safe one.

Sister Mary Gemma Brunke has so beautifully written:
"It is the old apple trees that are decked with the loveliest blossoms. It is the ancient redwoods that rise to majestic heights. It is the old violins that produce the richest tones. It is the aged wine that tastes the sweetest. It is ancient coins, stamps and furniture that people seek. It is the old friends that are loved the best. Thank God for the blessings of age and the wisdom, patience and maturity that go with it. Old is wonderful!"
"Beautiful people are acts of nature," it has been said, "but beautiful old people are works of art."

I hope someday to be a work of art..

Is it really Jolly?

Well the holiday season is truly upon us, the season to be jolly... families and friends gather to celebrate, share gifts and feast together.. The celebrations are named many things depending on your beliefs and traditions. One holiday tradition I am noticing more as the years pass, is the tradition of irritable parents, frazzled shoppers, rude people, crying children and arguing couples.. and this is all at the local mall!
Saturday morning dawned sunny and bright, so we decided to head off to the local mall nice and early to finish a few last minute errands. Well nice and early turned into mid morning and by the time we got there, the place was rocking.
It all started well for us, but as the morning progressed I started to feel little hot and bothered, a question was asked me and I really felt agitated by it - biting back the need to snap the answer.. then the power went off.. Nooo it wasn't me I had nothing to do with it (least I don't think so) lol.. masses of people filed out of the shops, jamming the walkways - so we decided to leave.. Now I am not claustrophobic but when I got outside, my man turned to me and said, "gee's your sucking in the big ones".. I hadn't noticed to be honest until he mentioned it - Big cleansing breaths.. why? Because I had just walked out of a place filled with a number of people none to jolly.. Have you ever noticed that? Becoming totally smothered by the negative energy of the rushing throngs and the noise of the squabbling and impatience.
It is kind of sad, that so many people bow to the pressure of advertising company's, feeling the need to compete with Joe Blogs gift from last year, or turkey size .. blowing credit card limits and budgets for the sake of appearances all leading to the reasons for the season being left far behind. Don't get me wrong I have so been there myself and ended up not quiet as jolly as I should have been..
As I walk along this Pagan path though, I feel blessed to be learning to get back to basics, to realise that people are more important than things. I am blessed to know that each day is a celebration and is sacred to me. I am learning that the greatest gifts I can give are not material but things of myself.. love, friendship, trust, understanding, hope, knowledge, joy, wisdom.
Do I still buy gifts? of course I do but the pressure to *compete with the relatives* has been replaced and each gift is bought with love and forethought..
Our shopping trip? well we came home, ate a quiet lunch, centered and went back out.. to a mall with power and with my own energy source intact again.
Bright Blessings

Dark Pagan Rede

I have been so busy this weekend, as my daughter Sarah arrives from Melbourne in 13 days (yes I am counting) it has been only seven weeks since I have seen her, but I am missing her to bits.. I really want the house in order before she arrives.. My man and I went out most of the day on one of my least favourite past time, shopping... and then putting in a few more veg and herb plants when I got home..Yesterday my mother in law to be gave me the most beautiful hydrangea, so it is now housed in a pot on the patio.. Y'all need to remind me not to do this moving thing again, as I am feeling like a kid in a candy store going from one thing to another, feeling antsy and unstructured, I feel I have even lost my ability to write almost... What I need is a morning with my Goddess, just being STILL! As it is Monday here tomorrow I may in fact just do that.. But in the mean time, one thing I found today while cleaning out a folder from an ecoven I am a member of is this wonderful piece of poetry that you may or may not have read.. I love it.. So thought to share with you all..

The Dark Pagan Rede
We are Witches, we are ancients those that stand out among shadows. We are weavers, healers and shamans, and warriors, judge and jury and this is our Creed. Do not offend but defend, give your kin a house if they have no home, remember in all forms are we the goddesses children in one way or another. She is the weaver, the threader and the cutter of life no matter what name she is called, she is the great mother, the All, the source. Know the great dance and the Spiral is never ending and your day's walk long and most often someone will try and break your paths but when the wolves tear at your heels, remember only the hardest paths are the paths worth walking.
Life will not be without troubles, fights, hardships and we are not witches too get nor gain for that is but an empty path that leads too greed and the ruin of your soul. We are the witches, singers, shamans, dreamers, weavers, healers and warriors of the wild winds, in the storms and in the fury of the storm and of life. Our knowledge is all knowing, yet we continue too learn things everyday, as is our right. Treat your kin with as much respect as you wish too be treated and you can not be lead astray.
Treasure everyday as it were your last, cherishing the beauty of all life and all things. Protect this rugged earth mother as best you can. Honour her. Even if it is but a rock, know that it to has its own spirit. Life is everywhere, and magick can be breathed in as its purest essence.
Know as the Goddesses child, no matter what you call her she is always there beside you, inside you and with you. Believe this always and you will never be forsaken, even when there is a lesson too be learnt that she must teach you, even if that lesson whips you across the face, it has purpose and reason.
Keep your eyes and your ears open, and listen not only with the physical eye, but the astral ones, for their are signs in all things. In the wind, the rain, the sky and the deep earth. Never look back on your past until you feel you are ready, and remember we have a long way to go. There is strength in the darkness, in shadows and also in the Light, and shadows can not exist without perfect balance of Light and Dark. We are the children of grey Magick, and its power is thine to wield! May the Goddess keep you and bless you in all things, always. Go In strength, love, peace and honour be blessed in unity.

The original poem was written by a witch in the 1960's; this version is what is remembered by a witch by the name of Morrigan Stormraven and she simply asks that she be given credit The Copyrighted Dark pagan's Rede 2.0 sole

Litha - Yule and Christmas

While many of you celebrate Yule, we south of the Equator will be celebrating Summer Solstice - forget about Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping on your nose -down here it is steak on the barbecue and sand between your toes.. While I will be celebrating Summer Solstice on the 22nd, I still have non Pagan family who enjoy traditional Christmas, so I do both. I have an altar dedicated to Litha in the family room and in the lounge room the families’ tree will be up ( no it's not there yet lol)
I am so not prepared this year, nothing much is organised which is so very unlike me.. I have made the Christmas cake and am now totally second guessing myself, as I decided for reasons beyond me to stare away from my tried and true, been using it forever recipe for a new low cholesteral one.. I can feel another baking sessions coming on .. I am planning on doing a bit of work on my other blog The Witches Kitchen over the next few days and tossing in a few Christmas recipes including my best ever - fruit, egg, butter, brandy, girth expanding tried and true Christmas cake!

Dawn the Camera and me

Well as promised I have spent a few minutes organising and resizing a few photos that I shot on the trip from the East coast of Australia to where we are now on the West roughly 3450km away. Surprising as it may seem to some, Australia is actually the size of the American Continent but with about the population of greater LA . Most of the bigger cities and population is over on the East Coast. Here on the West Coast Perth the largest city and the surrounding areas have about 1.5 million people..lol.. not that this has anything to do with photos. Perhaps it was explaining the travel time from East to West..

The usual three days we spread to four, mainly for R & R reasons, well actually I wanted to stop at this little German tourist town called Handorf.. Welllllllllllllllll we stopped for a night, thank the Goddess it was just a night, we pulled in about 4pm, tired and weary after a full days driving, to find Handorf closes at 5pm even on a Friday night, We did manage to find a German pub for a few rather pleasant ales and a traditional German meal.. My mother would have been proud that I tossed up my comfort zone chicken Parma meal for the traditional fare of my youth. German Rouladen .. oh divine- tender beef wrapped around bacon, dill pickles and poached in a dark German stout, served with a generous helping of sauerkraut and boiled baby potatoes. It was the best thing about the visit.. getting back to the motel about 9pm we were then to find bed was broken, so after phoning reception and debating about fixing it with a screw driver, we where issued with a new room! .. bliss I thought, as I filled up the newly acquired spa bath only to find on closer inspection it was filthy dirty.. by this stage I was so over it, I showered, climbed into bed and took a call from my precious daughter.. who said on parting "Mum, I hoped they changed the bed linen".. Bless her.

The trip did get better. Two days later at 5am seen us leaving Midura Pass, an outback roadhouse, where I might add we had an amazing evening with the locals (four of them) and the new owners two weeks into there new life here from Zimbabwe .. I digress.. again.. it was pitch black and after endlessly straining my eyes for Kangaroos, I glanced in the car side mirror to see a miracle un folding... When I got out of the car to take these, my heart was pounding, I felt such an incredible sense of awe and wonder as this beautiful sight, there was a cold soft rain falling and an unseasonmally cool desert wind but it mattered not, the photos do not do this sunrise justice, but I thank the the Goddess for such beauty.
I have kept the photos in sequence...

Sun, Wind and Soil

Well, I have just climbed out of a steamy herbal bath, pulled on my PJ's and made a hot chocolate, a perfect way to end a wonderful if not very busy day. We have whats called the Freemantle Doctor here, a breeze starting around early to mid afternoon blowing in off the Indian Ocean, it is cooling to the skin so people like me who are not used to it, forget that the suns still shining... and end up a tad scorched.. however sun scorched or not today has been truly lovely, it has been one of the more settled and homely days I have had since moving in here 2 weeks ago.

The day dawned bright and clear, with a wonderful blue sky and not a cloud in view. We decided to head off early to a car boot sale, a suitable substitute for the craft markets I am used to back East, however one mans trash is still another mans treasure and a bargain was to be found in the way of plants... I love nothing more than looking for, looking at and bringing home all measure of greenery from stalls an markets and bring home I did.

Our new house has a "new house landscaped garden" don't get me wrong, I am very grateful for the garden and I do enjoy the plants here but they are put in for very practical reasons and often not planted for longevity.. such are the gardens in Navy houses.... so I have often found the best way to make a practical garden is with containers.. This is what I spent most of today doing.. as well as turning over a patch of ground for some vegetables, the soil is pretty sandy being this close to the coast but it is now home to Roma tomatoes, two types of lettuce, Silver Beet (you might know that as Swiss Chard) Zucchinis and Dwarf beans.. In large pots I have put up Rosemary, Mint, Parsley, Thyme and Coriander as well as several Lavenders and Rose Geraniums. Tomorrow I still have to pot red Petunias and white Periwinkles which are perfect for the hot drought conditions we can get here.

I am actually looking forward to tomorrow, my Dh is heading back to work after a months long service leave ( Nooooo that's not what I am looking forward too) so I have plans to *cleanse* the house, soak the fruit for the Christmas cake and fruit mince tarts and maybe make a few batches of shortbread - and work on posting some photos in here.. I have some awesome shots of the Sun rising over the Nulabor.. Blessings

Resolution Of A Witch

I have so many things to put in here... yet I have little time at the minute.. so while I am gathering thoughts, filing photos of the new house, the trip across country, getting my veg garden and herb patch planted, as well as juggling job interviews - I will leave you with this wonderful poem by Rae Beth.. I so love this and wanted to share.. come Monday I shall take some deep breaths, post some piccies and share sometime here with my blog.. Thank you also to those who have sent well wishes to us, they have been graciously received..Blessings to you all.. now to the wonderful words of Rae Beth...

RESOLUTION OF A WITCH
May I be as the one who weaves the clothIn a forest, deep hidden.
May I sit at the work, uninterrupted. And may I remain an outcast, if that is what it takes.
May I know the seasonal procession in my spirit and in my body, celebrate cross quarters, solstices and equinoxes.
May each Full Moon find me looking upwards, at trees out lined on luminous sky.
May I hold wildflowers.
May I cup them in my hand.
May I then release them, unpicked, to live on in abundance.
May my friends be of the kind who are at ease with silence.
May they and I be innocent of pretension.
May I be capable of gratitude.
May I knowThat I was given joy, like mother's milk.
May I know this as my dog does, in her bones and blood.
May I speak the truth about happiness and painIn songs that sound of the scent of rosemary,as everyday and ancient, kitchen-herb strong.
May I not incline to self-righteousness or self-pity.
May I approach the high earthworks and the stone circles? As fox or moth, and disturb the place no more than that.
May my gaze be direct and my hand steady.
May my door be open to those who dwell outside wealth and fame and privilege.
May those who have never walked barefoot never find the path that leads up to my door.
May they be lost on the labyrinthine journey.
May they turn back, and may I sit beside the fire in winter and see in the glowing logs what is to come,Yet never feel the need to warn or to advise, unasked.
May I sit upon a plain wooden chair, in true contentment.
May the place where I live be as the forest.
May there be track ways where there are caves and pools and trees and flowers, animals and birds, all known to me and revered, loved.
May my existence change the world no more nor less than the gusting of winds, or the proud growth of trees. For this, I go in cast-off clothes.
May I keep faith, always.
May I never find excuses for the expedient.
May I know that I have no choice, and yet still make the choice as the song is made, in joy, and with consideration.
May I make the same choice every day, again.When I fail, may I know forgiveness for myself.
May I dance naked, unafraid to face my own reflection.
By Rae Beth                                              

A place to call home.

I am back - if not feeling a tad like a train wreck presently.. What an emotional journey with a huge learning curve for me it has been - a long whirlwind 3 weeks, looking back almost surreal at times. This shift was almost harder for me, than when I immigrated to this country.. in all honesty I am not sure why I did this so hard.. However we are so close to being finally settled .. In the last 7 days we finally found a brand new house, Thank the Goddess, this house is a beautiful Blessing.. specially after the phone call 3 weeks ago saying the house we originally chose had a serious electrical fault and we couldn't have it, we were 7 hours into a 4 day drive across the country when that call came, I was so gutted.. we were *homeless so to speak* but I have found that with letting go comes some acceptance and blessings.. Getting used to living in suburbs will be a definite different, I do miss the huge Blue Gums, the birds and the bush however I stumbled upon a Pagan store within days off being here, and was welcomed by three beautiful witches.. I hope to get to know them better and get more involved in the pagan community here...
Our new home is in a place called Secret Harbour - it has a garden, a couple of trees that will be beautiful when they have grown some.. the house has far more room then I can possibly think to use.. and the kitchen well it is almost the size of the whole house we had back East.. it is also a very peaceful house, unlike the one we left... There is a wonderful area in the house that beckoned me to it within minutes and will become my sacred space and I can't wait to really make it my own..
We moved in last Friday and have almost got it almost ship shape - the Internet finally got connected this afternoon.... A car transporter arrived last night and dropped off the Land Rover which pleased my wee dog no end, he loves the Landy and he himself has been so unsettled, taken from the only home he knew, flown across and then was then kenneled for 10 days.. so I have been trying to take him most places with me... tomorrow is another busy day, but after that apart from job hunting things should start to feel more balanced.. It is my hope this post hasn't been to hard to follow, I appreciate tiredness has made me a little less able to string coherent sentences together... Over the next week I will post one or two of my favourite photos from the drive across this huge Continent as well as a few of our new house...
Bright Blessings to you all

From East to West

Blows of the dust of the pages and gently brushes aside the cobwebs -
It has been so long since I have posted anything ... No Hedge and Hearth has not become another abandoned journal left to decay in cyberland..
What have I been doing then you ask? Well moving 2165 miles from Melbourne to the other side of Australia and doing it the hard way this time.. this trip with a certain degree frustration and yes lots of tears,. but we are now firmly ensconced in Western Australia, sort of homeless presently but here none the less.. it has been an incredible journey thus far, and at times very trying... will share more later, we are still getting over the drive.. I just wanted to let you know I am still here.. Bright Blessings to you all

Power Place

The other night my beloved asked me to think of some places I might like to visit before we leave Victoria for Western Australia in 15 days (yes I'm counting)
Apart from a trip to Uncle Festers Magickal supplies in a little settlement called Woodsend, I had no idea where I really would want to go... until the wee small hours of this morning... Something disturbed my sleep and I woke to the beautiful silvery glow of the moon shinning through the bedroom window..I usually enjoy these quiet times when no one is awake, it gives me time for quiet contemplation.. whether I think I need it or not..
My thoughts where drawn to the question asked previously and then without warning off my mind pinged to a few lines of a book by Phyllis Curott, one I Had read awhile ago.. The chapter was on finding your own power place. Reading this chapter I felt enthralled by such a place and also slightly envious, for while I had visited places where I felt close to the Goddess I had never found that one place, where I just knew the energy in the area and I connected.. my personal place of power - or so I thought.
It never ceases to amaze me how when I least expect it, I am prompted to recall things tucked away in my sub conscious and this was one of those time. Reminded I was about a place of power. One so strong I could barely stand under the force.. how I had ever forgotten this I do not know, and I remember thinking as I left how I wish it was a place I could go to often.
Tucked away in the Dandenong Ranges is a reserve, not just any reserve but a very special place, unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it, you have to pay to enter, this reserve is now "owned" by the people and run by a trust, without it the place would be lost..

William Rickett back in the early 30's bought 4 acres of land and moved on to it.. what he did was pretty amazing.. he bought to 'life' the spirit of the land, of the indigenous people that had dwelt here long before the first settlers came here by convict ships from England.
A gifted sculpture he began to carve into the rock all around this 4 acres of land. Huge carvings of the Earth Mother, The Father, the elders whose Spirit is one with the trees..I'm getting goose bumps as I type.
We walked through this amazing place hand in hand, pointing to pieces, taking a few photos totally fascinated by the work that had been this mans life and dream. Then something stopped me, and drew me to it like a magnet.. I let go of my mans hand and walked off the track maybe 4 metres and stopped dead in my tracks.. My eyes turned skywards and still I could not see all of it, tentatively I put my hand out to touch it, and it and I was literally buzzing. The hair on my arms was standing up, my heart was so totally full of joy I thought I was going to explode, total euphoria and I had a grin from ear to ear that I could not control..I wanted to call to my Dh, come feel this, but it didn't feel right to so, this was *my place*
This huge, ancient tree had called me to it's side.. To this day I do not know how.. nor do I know why, however as I sit and reflect I am as blessed by the memory of it's impact on me as much as I was by physically being in its presence..
To have stayed curled up against this huge ancient trunk would have been no hardship to me. I wrapped my arms around this mighty Divine entirety and pressed my face against it's cool bark and felt total unconditional love.
I feel very drawn to return to this place, so we are going back there next week, I have no doubt I will find this majestic being again and I will leave an offering this time at her base and I will thank the Goddess for the privilege, of being able to share in something so amazing.
I have put in a few photos, the top photo is Earthly Mother, the caption at her base reads "Wholeness of Life - Love all embracing"
The second photo is Earth Father and the last is .. I was going to say my tree, but that would be placing a label on something very special... I think you know what the photo represents - Blessed Be

Was it Retrograde?

Last week went by so fast it was a blur, this week seems to be dragging by again. My Dh starts his 3 weeks long service leave this Friday, so perhaps some of it is the countdown to this. I have a list of things to get done and so far this I week can't get all my nuts in one pile to complete any of it.
Mercury is turning direct on the 15th, after its longest Retrograde this year. Yippee.. Time to take advantage of some very positive cosmic energy.. They say that when Mercury is Retrograde, aside from communication breakdowns and misunderstandings, it can play havoc with most electrical and mechanical things.. while I am still learning about such things, I have to tend to agree. This past Saturday the lawn mower went belly up, or should I say blade up, wow you should hear it now clunk clunk clunk and it blows more smoke than a bellow, then Monday the trailer tray broke and it has a 3.000km journey to start in 16 days! All the simplest things of late have seemed quiet tough to achieve and more often or not I have been wandering around feeling like squirrel bait.
So I am hoping that with Mercury's turn Direct, will come the freedom from trying to discover how to fit 20 square feet of space into 10 without the use of a hammer, while stuck in some sort of crater sized rut.

Dark Pagan Rede

This came through a group I belong too, I loved it and really want to share it with you all.
The original poem was written by a witch in the 1960's; this version is what is remembered by a witch by the name of Morrigan Stormraven and she simply asks that she be given credit.
The Copyrighted Dark pagan's Rede 2.0
soley belongs too Morrigan Stormraven.


We are Witches, We Are Ancients
Those that stand out amoung shadows
We are weavers, healers and shamans, and warriors
Judge and Jury
And This is our Creed.
Do not Offend, But Defend
Give your kin a house if they have no home
Remember in all forms are we the goddesses children in one way or another
She is the weaver, the threader and the cutter of Life
No matter what name she is called, she is the great mother, The All, The Source
Know the Great dance and the Spiral is never ending and your day's walk long, and most often someone will try and break your paths
But when the wolves tear at your heels, remember only the hardest paths are the paths worth Walking.
Life will not be without troubles, fights, hardships
And we are not witches too get nor gain
For that is but an empty path that leads too greed and the ruin of your soul.
We are the witches, singers, shamans, dreamers, weavers, healers and warriors of the wild winds, in the storms and in the fury of the storm and of Life. Our knowledge is all knowing, yet we continue too learn things everyday, as is our right.
treat your kin with as much respect as you wish too be treated and you can not be lead astray.
treasure everyday as it were your last, cherishing the beauty of all life and all things.
Protect this rugged earth mother as best you can. Honor her. Even if it is but a Rock, know that it too has its own spirit. Life is everywhere, and magick can be breathed in as its purest essance.
Know as the Goddesses child, no matter what you call her she is always there beside you, inside you and with you. Believe this always and you will never be forsaken, even when there is a lesson too be learnt that she must teach you, even if that lesson whips you across the face, it has purpose and reason.
Keep your eyes and your ears open, and listen not only with the physical eye, but the astral ones, for their are signs in all things. In the wind, the rain, the sky and the deep earth.
Never look back on your past until you feel you are ready, and remember we have a long way too go.
There is Strength in the Darkness, In Shadows and also in The Light,
And shadows can not exist without Perfect balance of Light and Dark.
We are the Children of Grey Magick, and its Power is Thine too Wield!
May the Goddess keep you
And bless you in all things, Always.
Go In Strength, Love, Peace And Honor
Be Blessed In Unity.

High as an Elephants eye

I have been feeling very melancholy of late, and if I was to be honest with myself, letting go of Willow was a little harder than I thought, even though he has gone to a lovely home..I would also have to say this move we are about to undertake to Western Australia is affecting me a little harder than I care to admit.
This morning I woke feeling quiet down. It is usually with a glad heart I go outdoors in the morning to welcome the day, but this morning I was hard pressed to make it out the door.. Daylight savings started here on Sunday, so my normal time is an hour earlier, I can well do without this man made idea! Although the morning was over cast and dreary due to the hour, I stood with a sad heart, my arms heavy but I gave thanks.
As I turned to the East and breathed in the energy of Air, a breeze stirred and gently touched my face and hair, like little fingers. It was if the Goddess and the Spirits where reminding me, We are here, do not fear. As I stood welcoming each Element into my day, I felt some peace, I felt their collective energy. The moisture on my lips, the breeze upon my face, the cool earth beneath my feet and the suns warmth really struggling to touch me through the clouds.. I felt that I had made the effort to show my heart to them and they in turn cocooned me in their love.
After an email to the E-group I belong to, I felt inspired enough to paint the trailer and to go mow the lawn, minus the hay baler that would have better served the purpose... Gosh it was hard work, it had not been cut for the longest time and with the new spring growth it was almost as high as an Elephants eye!
Heading toward the last few strips, I was rewarded with finding a beautiful wee flower amongst the grass. It was hardly visible, it was one of the last of the spring freesia's, how it got out of the garden and into the middle of the lawn is a mystery to me, but there it stood in all it's glory. It was perfect. It did leave me with a dilemma.. what do I do with it? Do I pick it and put it in a vase, where it would die within days or mow it? After a minute of quiet contemplation I thought both outcomes to be the same.. so I did what any good Witch would do.. I mowed around it.. and left it happily swaying in the breeze under the Apricot Tree.
Blessed be the Goddess, for she is everywhere.. and I thank her for that small miracle, that left me feeling all the more Blessed for finding it.

Red Hill and beyond

Home for us is Hastings, a historic fishing town nestled between the Port Phillip and Western Port Bays on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula. It is about 80km(50 miles) S.E of Melbourne City.
Most people are surprised to find H.M.A.S Cerberus, Australia's biggest Navy recruit school here, about 3km down the road and home to about 3.000 people.. Many folks who don't know better, think the peninsula is a rich list playground or just a holiday mecca, a place where those who can afford have elite beach homes with 4x4's that never get mucky. The home of well known racing stables and where some of the regions best wines come from. Most of it is true..lol but to us, it is a quiet country place by the ocean. One where you can always find a Pelican to feed, wonder for miles amongst the gum trees, listen to the Kookaburras, kneel down beside a wild Echinda while it hunts for ants, you may even see a Koala up in Gums or a Kangaroo resting in the shade of the bush.
I have been spoilt and Blessed to have spent three years here and will miss it immensely. Living down here, I found myself also becoming happily addicted to Craft Markets. There are several about and apart from the Mornington Market one of my favourites is the Red Hill Market.
If your a gardener there isn't much you won't find in the way of vegetable seedlings, herbs and a variety of other plants. There is usually an abundance of organic veg's and fruit, beautiful homemade spelt and rye bread, not to mention honey and some wonderful cheeses. It is little wonder that I have gained a few kilos since living here!
Aside from food I found a wonderful stall that I go beck to time after time.. for virgin olive oil soaps. All the herbs, spices, flowers and grains that go into Est soaps are organic, I love the look of them too, as they are all hand rolled. When I got news that we had been posted to Western Australia, one of the things I had on my to do list was stock up on this stuff however I have recently found out I can buy online..ah the Internet is a wonderful invention however I digress..
First Saturday of every month, we make the excursion down the peninsula to Red Hill. If my daughter Sarah isn't already here for the weekend, she will often make a special trip down from the city, so we can go to the market as a family.
This past Saturday was no different, while I was still missing Willow at the end of it, I felt the need for some retail therapy and I also wanted a friend for Myvanwy. So I visited Eryl Barnett, who have a stall at Red Hill. Eryl's and her husband sculpture, and between them they have made some amazing pieces from the world of Faerie lore.
I have bought several of their pieces one of the 'Welsh Knockers' as well as Bram and Nudd the tree protecting elves. This time it was a toss up between their new creation or Genesha. Genesha came home with me, she a very classy Witch that sits on the hearth with Myvanwy.. affectionately known as "The Girls"
You know.. I can feel it in my bones, a trip to the Fae workshop before we head West in a few weeks.. I can hear a wee Dragon that goes by the name of Malanrda calling me.

New home for Willow

I can hardly believe it is Tuesday already, and my first blog entry in days.. this month is flying by, I can hardly keep up. As some of you who read my blog already know, my Dh is in the Navy, so we are a Defence Force family.. with this at times comes separation's and postings to new places - the latter of which we are about to undertake on the 31st of this month, so life for us is a tad stressful at the moment, with sorting out whats going with us and whats staying behind..One of the staying behinds is Willow, apart from Sarah, my daughter who lives here in Melbourne, the hardest thing to leave is my Willow.
Willow is or should I say was my beautiful grey Indian Ringneck parrot. I love him to bits and he is the bright little guy who learnt that if you fed Jalpenos to the dog he will stay out from under the cage and who loved to tip his bath upside down on the floor and run away and hide... I agonised over how to take him with us, I checked bird boarding places, flights for birds, but end of the day Willow had to stay here. There was not much more for me to do but advertise for a new home for him, and being the fussy bird Mummy, not just anyone would do. The night the advertisement went in I had a phone call, within moments I felt, that this person was not the one for Willow. I told her "I am very sorry but I am not sure that Willow would be the right bird for you" I coped an attitude that confirmed it.. 3 days later I was worried no one else would phone, so I lit a candle and asked that the Goddess would send someone honest and kind.. well within the hour the phone rung, when I answered the call, the voice on the other end made all my Witchy bits tingle.. This wonderful woman arrived on my door shortly after, we were just a few streets apart.. It was truly amazing to watch.. Mr *I don't know you so I don't like you* cocked his head to her voice, jabbered away at his new Mum like he had known her for years.. We packed him up and moved him to his new home on Friday afternoon... He won't be lonely that's for sure, he will have 3 other *rescued* parrots for company, nor will he miss his morning toast as Carolyn always has fruit bread on the Parrot bird menu.. I am blessed to have found someone who will love Willow like I did, and you know not one other call came asking about him after that.. The Goddess is good.

Totally Toxic

Many years ago, I knew a woman who quoted "Beauty knows no pain" and in my youth and not so youthful days, I tended to agree with this statement.. Then I learnt that with all the alternatives on the market today, we can do all those frilly bits without killing ourselves slowly in the process. My biggest vice was for beautiful nails. For the longest time I wore acrylic nails, long and painted, but then one day it was like, I wonder what I am in fact absorbing and ingesting in the process of having these plastic fantastics.. I had no idea, so I removed them and waited for my nails to grow on there own. It has taken a long time for them to even out all the dents, to stop peeling and breaking. Today they are healthier than they have been for years.. while they never got infected and that is more good luck than good management, they are still fighting the effects of years of chemical abuse. Where am I going with this?
Well the other night on TV there was a current affairs programme advertised about these artificial nails and of course it perked my interest, but through one thing and another I missed it, today my daughter, bless her, found it and I have posted it here.. it is worth watching, especially if you are a nail fanatic like I was, after seeing this, I have no doubt in my mind I made a good call in my choice to go back to my natural nails.

Just spray and hose!

Today I have felt like I have wasted a lot of time.. I woke this morning with the best of intentions.. scrub the newly acquired but more than a little grimy barbecue, mow the lawn and sort out the accumulated *stuff* that had collected in the lounge buffet.. but with one thing and another, more the other than anything.. 1pm came around and I thought it might be a good time to at least complete one *must do* task I had set myself.. silly me picked the barbecue - I had to relent and invest in a not so organic cleaner.. perhaps the penance for this, was my fool hardly belief in the label.. spray on a warm surface, leave for 15 to 30 minutes then hose.. uh huh.. hose with what? a Karcher or the local fire brigades hire pressure fire hoses? because two pairs of protective gloves, one container of Baking soda, one metal scrapper, a jumbo scrubbing brush, a wire wool ball, 4 scoops of laundry powder, several buckets of boiling water and 3 hours later, with penance duly paid, it now resembles something I would possibly think about cooking on! Tomorrow the lawn.. although with all the spring growth, I wonder where I can get a combine harvester from.
Blessings

Blessed Be The Butt

We live in a 70 year old cottage.. there is old and there is 'Just Old' we full into the latter..Once upon a time it used to be an old shop with the living quarters at the back, the shop front is now a huge storage unit and very cluttered with the owners things.. very hard at times to keep the energy nice with that clutter attached to your living area however.I digress though. This wee cottage is small... wee small..very small. Two bedrooms, with the lounge, dining and kitchen area all in one room, the kitchen is closed off by a half wall, so when your creating in the kitchen you can still be part of the family in the other area. We took it sight unseen as we had no desire to live on the Navy Base, and we were and are very Blessed to have been offered it..
However, due to it's smallness finding an area to set up my Sacred space and working Altar was a bit of a challenge, our bedroom was not practical, the little room we use as a computer room wasn't either, so with a little rearranging I commandeered an area beside the hearth, it felt perfect.. I can sit before my Altar feeling the warmth of the fire, and look out the window and watch the clouds, I can see the wind running her fingers through the leaves of the huge gum trees, watch the birds. Myvanwy (my beautiful ceramic witch)and the dragon sit perfectly under the window and my besom sits snugly between Altar and hearth.. everyone knows it is not somewhere you put your coffee mug, you don't mess with the broom, or fiddle with anything you find on the Altar top, it is a respected place .. There is a good 6 feet from "our" chairs and this little area.. so now the scene is set..
Have there ever been times in your life when you have watched a scenario unfold in what seems to be slow motion? Well I have had a few and last night was one of those times.. It had been a busy sort of day, we had gone to a huge hardware place and Sarah bought a cute little outdoor table and chairs for her balcony, I had potted up some house plants for Sarah to take home, during the week I pre pack and freeze a few meals for her to take home 'Mums Red Cross parcels' she calls them, so they needed to be put in a cooler bag for the trip, so once this was all done we packed up the car and drove her back to the city, it is about a 3 hour round trip depending on traffic, and after the AFL final on Saturday afternoon, most of the fans where driving home on the Sunday afternoon.. my man was getting a little frazzled on the journey home and it rubbed off.. so when we got home, I decided to have a glass of wine and him a beer.. and just sit for awhile and unwind.. 30 minutes later I went off to the kitchen to my pots and pans.. Now, mind I did say a glass.. one, uno, singular.. 4.5% alcohol.. not much! So what transpired next was certainly not expected.. I watched dumb struck, as my well read, smart, intelligent, handsome, loving and usually co ordinated man tripped over his shadow and half toppled the 6 feet from his chair into my Sacred space, tried to stop himself falling completely, put out his arm got tangled up in my Besoms bristles, at this point I wanted to close my eyes as I envisioned him getting swept out the closed window on the broom.. there was a crash and tinkling as my chalice hit Myvanwy on the head and broke, next thing there is my beloved sitting in the middle of my Altar looking very sheepish!
I was speechless, I scrapped by jaw up of the kitchen floor and went over to him, once having ascertained he was in fact alright, the first thing out of my mouth was " what on earth are you doing" at this point one would find it hard to believe I was in fact an empath.. I picked up my broken, un-fixable chalice and put it on the kitchen bench, and not a lot more was said.. I was still speechless and couldn't absorb the pantomime that had just unfolded..
My Dh had apologised a hundred times and said he felt a little stupid.. In the middle of dinner, a wave of mirth bubbled up as I played the scenario through my head again, I looked at him across the table and said.." You know it is a media myth that Witches sacrifice men on their Altars" I laughed till tears where streaming down my face as he smiled that smile that always melts my heart and said.. " I know, but Blessed Be the Butt"

Ebay Orphan

We have had another eBay Saturday today.. So my daughter who has been coming home from the city on the weekends to spend as much time with me as she can before I leave, has become what is affectionately known as the eBay orphan.. although we do try to go early while she is still sleeping.. it's funny she hits the outter limits of the city and her snooze button kicks in..Bless her, I shall miss her so much.
As some of you may or may not know, we are moving to another house, in another state nearly 3.000km away from Melbourne, in what is now just a short few weeks away.... with no furniture except a lounge suite, a TV and a new mattress, 3 book cases and my altar and several boxes of kitchen stuff..oh and the computer..lol..
You see we have been house sitting.. and we have not really needed anything.. I have always been of the opinion people are more important than *things* and have walked away from all material items in my life a couple of times, and have never bothered to get new stuff.. when I migrated to this country from New Zealand, I arrived with a suitcase, $2.800 and no job..not the usual sort of thing you do at 40, it was a little hard but quiet liberating.. however it did not solve the dilemma of ridding a house of an echo, the kind that only comes when it is empty... we did not have resources to go wild and buy new, and really why would I want to? Pay thousands of dollars for furniture made out of wood from forests that were best left to house the indigenous species that dwelt there.. and to make others rich exploiting workers who should be treated far better... Years ago it would not have mattered to me, but how things change when you see things through blessed Pagan eyes..
So we turned to pre loved treasures.. oh I love second hand goodies.. shabby Chic..
So with a few weeks of haggling and swapping on Ebay and Freecyclers I have furnished a whole house for $305, I'm talking 3 beds, fridge, dining table and 6 chairs, 2 beautiful old 'curl up and read in me chairs', Buffet/hutch and a TV cabinet..
I also managed to re home through Freecyclers, all my outdoor container plants as the house owners don't want them, they are not gardners and I can't take them across the border due to Quarantine regulations so it was nice to see them go to someone who was over the moon to have them.. I even managed to find a home for the gold fish.
Blessings.

Finding the Divine

During the course of my life, I have never really been to far away from those people who walked the path of the Ancient Ones, although for the most I never fully realised it. My best friend back in New Zealand, my mothers family, who due to geographical distance I never met, but they to had practised the Craft, perhaps this is the reason why I to have finally chosen this path - the Teutonic blood of my ancestors running through my veins..
While I was drawn to this path, I was also apprehensive at first as much of the information I found was quiet seriously influenced by Gardnerian Wicca I did not feel comfortable with some of it, and in some way it did not feel right to me, also because of my previous religious leaning's. Really I had no choice but to keep looking for different ideas and approaches to things through books and numerous websites.
It is a life choice. I didn't one morning wake up and go.. "Oh today I think I will be a Witch" it is an on going lesson of life - not all hocus-pocus and abracadabra as so many people misguidedly think. For me being a Witch is not just about casting spells and 'doing' Magick, it is a very personal journey about finding the Divine within me and with out. It took a long time to learn this lesson, for without having a relationship with the Goddess, my Craft would be empty.
I used to think that anything Divine was something found in a Patriarchal church.. something or someone I could not touch, whose rules had to be obeyed.. I was so excited when I finally started to get it.. that the Divine was everything, was everywhere, was in everything, within me even. I could go on for ages about this, but my train of thought has come back full circle (no pun intended) to the reason I wanted to post on this topic..
About a week ago, a friend and fellow tagger/stationary maker, made me a wonderful present. It was a beautiful tag with a quote on it by Frank Lloyd Wright it said simply "She put the N in nature and called it her Church" this simple quote so moved me - as did the gesture of the tag.. when I asked her about it, she said that quote Was you, Is you. You see Nature is my Divine, is my "church" Nearly every morning I get up and I go outdoors.. I thank and welcome the Spirits and Guardians of the East, North, West and South into my day. I take in several deep breaths of the fresh morning air. Every sense of my beinging tingles as I breath in the Divine and exhale the Sacred.. This to me - is Magick.

Good Bye Winter

Our lives turn as the earth turns.. We tend to mark the changes in our personal lives with the flow of the seasons. The wonderful cold solitude of winter that then gives way to the birth of the first buds of spring, and on to the sun filled days of summer, before the final harvest and wonderful colours of autumn. For my friends in the Northern Hemisphere it excites me to know that you are feeling the fingers of Autumn, the quietness and rest it will soon bring, The Crone .... Where I am in the Southern Hemisphere we are celebrating Oestra, yes spring is here - as is the new beginnings she brings.. the bee's I heard for the first time this season, as they swarmed in the blossoms of the plum tree, the Daffodil bulbs that I have been watching have finally this week opened dazzling us all with the yellow of creamy butter.... and for the new beginnings in my own life.. and in a funny little way I am sad because of it - The Goddess knows I am ready for this change in my life, she has been grooming me for this, in the quietness I have felt this winter, and I know in my heart it will all be fine, but there are still tiny fingers of fear.. Fear of the unknown, the acronym of fear.. False Evidence Appearing Real.. it is slightly ironic how the cycle of the rebirth of the land coincides with a huge personal change happening in my life over the next several weeks..I want to hang onto the winter in my heart, to the Crone.. to all that I am learning.. however it is time to put some of my new spiritual growth into practice.. How do I know it is all so right? After the days were arranged to move, I checked the lunar calender, even if this witch put the cart before the horse!.... Our house is packed up on the day of the new moon, the removals come and take our stuff to our new home 3.000km away on the first day of the waxing moon.. we leave to follow on the second day.. as the moon grows so to does our new future get closer.. There are busy days ahead..Blessed Be..