Thursday, October 1, 2009

I am having technical difficulties :(


I am hopping on super quick to let you all now I will be offline for a few days.I have also been feeling yucky so I couldnt leave the house to get online.So really quick I would like to let the winner of the giveaway know who they are!!!
♪♫♪♫♪ Drumroll ♪♫♪♫♪
Aelwyn From Hedgewitchhollow!!!! Please email me ( addy is on my profile page) with your address and I will get these right out to you.
CONGRATS!!!
And I see that I won the trade over at Merlin's Magical Mistress!!!! Thank Judith!!! I will email you my info :)
I will be back soon, fingers crossed!!! You all are in my thoughts and I miss you all already.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Oh my!!!!

Well I haven't been having the best weekend so far so it was nice to get on here and see all who have stopped by and left comments :) And it seems that I have won a couple awards :D !! I will skip on over to pick them up after I make my tea.Since I don't have anything wicked to drink in the house I will have to settle for that :( I could so go for a glass (or 5) of wine right now, a hot bath and a good book *sigh*
Think it would be the almost the same if I put the tea in a wine glass and faked it ? lol What will probably end up happening is I will go bake brownies and eat half a pan 0_0

And just a reminder to anyone who hasn't joined the giveaway hop on over and join now!! Theres only a couple of days left :) I am going to box them up and get them ready to go tomorrow.Also I am getting a trade together so I will be posting that in the next few days.
Ok I need to go find some stress relief, I am so frazzled I cant even meditate :( I tried it twice today.
Maybe a good nights sleep will help.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Squirrel pic of the day

Are you up for a trade?

Judith over at Merlin's Magickal Mistress posted last night that she wanted to post a trade instead of a giveaway or a sale, cause it makes it more fun :) What she has up for trade is this beautiful Burl wood Mortar and pestle, a copper colored cauldron and 3 magnets.

All you have to do is email her and let her know what you have that you are willing to trade her for.When she gets a response from someone with items that she digs then she will let you know and its a done deal :) I would LOVE to trade for this but I have no idea what I would offer.I am pulling a brain fart.But I wanted to post this here and hopefully one of you will be the one who gets these items!! I am thinking of doing this myself here so if anyone thinks this is something they would be interested in comment here and let me know!
How freakin cool is this idea?!?


Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Missing blog followers?? Possible fix

I had a problem with missing blog followers quite a few times now and it happened again tonight.Something that has worked for me, although not everytime, was to clear my cookies and my cache.It worked tonight.I know some of you are having this issue and I wanted to pass the info on.I hope it works for you all.
GOOD LUCK!!!

Have I missed anyone??

Ok so just so you all know I am probably the most unprepared unorganized person alive.Seriously.
I am the poster child for "I'll do it later". I have emails that I need to read that I got weeks ago :( I just found a email that I got back on aug 2nd! I don't know how I overlook things but I do.I might have adult ADD, no joking around I think I might.My daughter has ADHD so I know they symptoms and signs.I'm just too lazy to do anything about it.I'll do it later :)

Which leads me to the whole point of this post.I love so many blogs here its insane.I do not get to comment on them all but I still think you all kick the finest of ass. I love trading buttons with you because I want others to find out how awesome you all are as well.BUT I think I may have missed a few button exchanges :( So if anyone has my button and I have not posted theirs in kind please comment here and let me know.Or you can email me and let me know, but you know how I am with my email so its probably best to post here lol To be honest I don't care how you contact me as long as you do!
Also I would LOVE to comment to a few people in the giveaway post but I want to leave the comments to actual entries so I haven't. Just know that I ♥ you all and I want to thank all of those people who have blogged about the giveaway and given me general shout outs on their blogs.You have no idea how much I appreciate it and appreciate the vibe and blog love that I have found here.You all really are some amazing people.Thanks so much for sharing your lives and thoughts.I have learned much from you.
(((HUGS))) to you all!
Love & Light!

Monday, September 21, 2009

Ok so I said I would stay out of it but......

The Teabagger Socialist-Free Purity Pledge:

I, ________________________________, do solemnly swear to uphold the principles of a socialism-free society and heretofore pledge my word that I shall strictly adhere to the following:

I will complain about the destruction of 1st Amendment Rights in this country, while I am duly being allowed to exercise my 1st Amendment Rights.

I will complain about the destruction of my 2nd Amendment Rights in this country, while I am duly being allowed to exercise my 2nd Amendment rights by legally but brazenly brandishing unconcealed firearms in public.

I will foreswear the time-honored principles of fairness, decency, and respect by screaming unintelligible platitudes regarding tyranny, Nazi-ism, and socialism at public town halls.

Also, I pledge to eliminate all government intervention in my life. I will abstain from the use of and participation in any socialist goods and services including but not limited to the following:
● Social Security
● Medicare/Medicaid
● State Children’s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP)
● Police, Fire, and Emergency Services
● US Postal Service
● Roads and Highways
● Air Travel (regulated by the socialist FAA)
● The US Railway System
● Public Subways and Metro Systems
● Public Bus and Lightrail Systems
● Rest Areas on Highways
● Sidewalks
● All Government-Funded Local/State Projects (e.g., see Iowa 2009 federal senate
appropriations--http://grassley.senate.gov/issues/upload/Master-Approps-73109.pdf)
● Public Water and Sewer Services (goodbye socialist toilet, shower, dishwasher, kitchen sink, outdoor hose!)
● Public and State Universities and Colleges
● Public Primary and Secondary Schools
● Sesame Street
● Publicly Funded Anti-Drug Use Education for Children
● Public Museums
● Libraries
● Public Parks and Beaches
● State and National Parks
● Public Zoos
● Unemployment Insurance
● Municipal Garbage and Recycling Services
● Treatment at Any Hospital or Clinic That Ever Received Funding From Local, State or Federal Government (pretty much all of them)
● Medical Services and Medications That Were Created or Derived From Any Government Grant or Research Funding (again, pretty much all of them)
● Socialist Byproducts of Government Investment Such as Duct Tape and Velcro (Nazi-NASA Inventions)
● Use of the Internets, email, and networked computers, as the DoD's ARPANET was the basis for subsequent computer networking
● Foodstuffs, Meats, Produce and Crops That Were Grown With, Fed With, Raised With or That Contain Inputs From Crops Grown With Government Subsidies
● Clothing Made from Crops (e.g. cotton) That Were Grown With or That Contain Inputs From Government Subsidies
● If a veteran of the government-run socialist US military, I will forego my VA benefits and insist on paying for my own medical care I will not tour socialist government buildings like the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

I pledge to never take myself, my family, or my children on a tour of the following types of socialist locations, including but not limited to:
● Smithsonian Museums such as the Air and Space Museum or Museum of American History
● The socialist Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson Monuments
● The government-operated Statue of Liberty
● The Grand Canyon
● The socialist World War II and Vietnam Veterans Memorials
● The government-run socialist-propaganda location known as Arlington National Cemetery
● All other public-funded socialist sites, whether it be in my state or in Washington, DC

I will urge my Member of Congress and Senators to forego their government salary and government-provided healthcare.
I will oppose and condemn the government-funded and therefore socialist military of the United States of America.
I will boycott the products of socialist defense contractors such as GE, Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Humana, FedEx, General Motors, Honeywell, and hundreds of others that are paid by our socialist government to produce goods for our socialist army.
I will protest socialist security departments such as the Pentagon, FBI, CIA, Department of Homeland Security, TSA, Department of Justice and their socialist employees.
Upon reaching eligible retirement age, I will tear up my socialist Social Security checks.
Upon reaching age 65, I will forego Medicare and pay for my own private health insurance until I die.

SWORN ON A BIBLE AND SIGNED THIS DAY OF ____________ IN THE YEAR
______________.
___________________________ ___________________________
Signed Printed Name/Town and State
Originally found here
I have SO many people I would love to hand this out to, I might just make sure to carry one with me at all times lol

Happy Mabon!!! How do you celebrate?

Reading LJ's post this morning got me thinking.
What do you do for Mabon? What traditions do you have? What rituals do you perform? Do you have any Mabon recipes that you would like to share? Do you have any links about Mabon that you would like to pass along? Along with the spirit of Mabon I am in much need of gathering info and feasting on it lol Since I have no set traditions or rituals I would love to hear all of yours, maybe even adopt one or two ;) Help a newbie out people! LOL

Sunday, September 20, 2009

The Bloggest Loser


My friend Hyla and another brave woman Kris have started a blog site called "The Bloggest Loser".
It is to be a place of support and encouragement for bloggers who would like to lose weight (If anyone is like me they spend more time in front of their PC then they do taking care of themselves).And to top it all off it is a contest as well!! I think its a fantastic idea to get real support from other bloggers just like you.To know that you are not alone and have the same struggles as others.Also you do it at home, at your own pace and so that minimizes pressure.You set your own goals.
I will admit that my participation in the group will probably be limited, I am a fluffy woman but have no real desire to lose weight.HOWEVER I would like to get into a more healthy lifestyle and if I lose weight along the way then that is a bonus for me.I also am the type of person who lacks every sense of motivation there is.I am hoping this will help keep me in a healthy state of mind(Fingers crossed).
I know that one or two of you have already made it over there ;) For the rest of you check it out !

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Im sad today :( --Edited--

Due to transportation issues I will miss out on 2 ( count them 2!) very important things today.
First off my son has a football game that I will not be able to make.I am so down about that because I LOVE to watch him play.I know all parents say that but seriously...I have goosebumps the whole game and I pace, no sitting down for the mom.I alternate between wringing my hands and screaming.I also swear alot so I have learned to catch myself and cover my mouth and swear into my hands....which means I look like a total moron Im sure :D I swear if people didn't know me they would think I have tourette's syndrome. Yeah my behaviour is that bad.

Ok on to the other thing I am going to miss today.Today in my area it is the Pagan Pride festival.I have never gone since to be honest last year I had no idea something like that even existed, I'm a newbie as you all know.I really wanted to go this year and had planned to months ago when I 1st found out about it.But here I am :(


Edited: My son called me and told me that rapper Eminem was dead from a car crash.I searched for it, read it and then went back and the story was gone.Im guessing its not true.If he weren't on a bus going to a football game I would call him and yell at him lol Its kinda hard to yell at yourself but if I could I would yell at myself for being a gullible lil school girl lol

Giveaway Time!!

This is my very 1st giveaway.I wanted to start out small so that way if I mess it all up then there will be minimal damage. I am hoping this runs smoothly.
This isnt a big company giveaway or a product endorsement.This is just a way for me to say thank you to all of you for being so fantastic to me and to let you know that I appreciate you.
The giveaway is for 6 small cork topped bottles and one larger screw topped glass bottle.

They are as I got them and have not been washed or cleansed.But they are not dirty.I am leaving them as is so that you can put your own intent in them when you get them.

Please read the giveaway details carefully and good luck to everyone!!


~~~~~~~~~Giveaway details!~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The giveaway will run from today Saturday, Sept 19th, until Tuesday, Sept 29th at Midnight, as a good bye to Mercury's position up there and all the wackiness it has been causing.
Sadly this giveaway will only be available to those in the US.( Im one broke chic and the shipping costs for outside of the states might be a bit high for me.Im sorry to those who will not be able to enter.)

To Enter:

* Official Entry: Be a follower of this blog and comment here.You must be a follower to enter.

* 2nd Entry: Blog about this giveaway and link to this blog. Leave a comment with your blog address ( its a good way to get people to check you out also).

* 1 extra entry: Tweet this giveaway.

*Leave a separate comment for all of your entries.

* You MUST leave me a way to contact you.

* If winner does not respond to the winning email within 72 hours, a new winner will be chosen.

I have one last stipulation.
(ok not really but I wanted it to sound official lol) If you get these bottles I would LOVE it if you could come back and let me know what you used them for.

Friday, September 18, 2009

What music is in you?

Ok on a lighter note...I found this on the net and had a blast playing with it.It was fun to make music and it soothed the savage beast in me :) What kind of music is in you??



It took me a little bit to get the hang of the controls but just play around with it, its so much fun.Enjoy!

I usually stay out of politics here but....

I will still not say much, I will let this say it all for me.

Do you think that a public health insurance option is socialism? Have a issue with that?

Opt out then.

If a public option is offered, just don't use it.

But don't stop there.

If "socialism" scares the bejesus out of you, flee from every government program that hints of socialism.

When it comes time to fill out your tax return, skip that mortgage deduction and notify the county that you'll be relinquishing your homestead exemption. Otherwise non-homeowners will be subsidizing your house.

Write off donations to churches and charities? Don't even think about it. Surely you don't expect the rest of us to help fund, in any way, your religious beliefs.

Pull your kids out of public school. And when they're ready for college, if they choose a state school, pay out-of-state tuition. Skip the applications for any financial aid funded by the government - and say goodbye to Junior's Bright Futures scholarship.

Own a business? Give up any local, state or federal tax breaks, and don't even think about a below-market-rate loan backed by the government.

If you're a working stiff, tell your employer to just say no to those tax breaks and government-back loans because you can't, in good conscience, work for a company that practices socialism.

After you get fired, don't bother applying for unemployment insurance. Or food stamps.

You will cheerfully pay more for food, because you won't want to benefit from farm subsidies. Museums, concerts and sporting events will cost more, too.

Ride the bus? Get a bike.

If you are a veteran, stop going to the VA for medical care. Seniors, just say no to Medicare.

Social Security? When the check arrives, mark the envelope "return to sender" and ship it back.

Stick to your principles.

I guess "socialism" is palatable when it works to our advantage.

If you don't want health insurance reform, debate the merits - talk about the cost, question whether everyone in United States deserves health insurance, focus on government intrusion.

But using "socialism" as just another scare tactic?

I found the original here.

So socialism is good sometimes then?I have been sitting on this for a bit, I wasn't going to post anything political on here because to be quite honest politics piss me off and this is my place of peace.But I felt compelled, so there it is :)

I used the bottles....and I got more!!

I walked down to my local shit shop yesterday ( I call it that because it has all sorts of shit, no disrespect meant) and I bought out all the bottles they had on hand. So I have added 26 more of those little bottles to my collection!! I also found a hideously beautiful bowl that I will use for offerings and I picked up a small silver spoon that I will probably use for my loose incense. I got such an amazing deal on it all that I was giddy all day :) Plus I saw a gazillion squirrels on my walk. It took me twice as long to get home because I had to stop and talk to them all lol
Ok back to the bottles.I had a previous post here about them and I was looking for ideas for their use. I sincerely want to thank you all for giving me ideas! I haven't had time to get to all of them but I will.

I have a very very small alter that is not even set up yet, its just got stuff tossed on it :( But to be honest it doesn't feel like I should set it up yet. I don't feel ready for whatever reason. So I have been going with my gut and not done it. Anyway the lack of space on there got me thinking of how I could represent the elements and then I got a idea :) I made element bottles.Here they are.

The earth one is dirt I got from under my fav squirrel tree outside.The air one has 3 feathers shed from my mothers bird.The fire one has 3 match sticks and the water one is moon water that I got during July's full moon.
I'm still looking for ideas since I have alot of bottles to use here, so keep the ideas coming.
Also there will be giveaway very soon ;) Keep a eye out!!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Squirrel pic of the day



Uggh I ate too much at dinner and I am STILL stuffed.So I kinda feel like this chubby fella here.( actually most of the time I feel like him )
I love his lil feet and piggies :)

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Does anyone have a toothpaste recipe? Edited

Im not very satisfied with my own toothpaste recipe anymore, its a bit lacking IMO. I have just found a new recipe but Im nervous to try it :{
I am wondering if anyone has a tried and true homemade toothpaste recipe they would like to share? One with common ingredients also, cause Im broke lol

Edit: Here is the recipe that I use now :
Baking soda
A few drops of peroxide ( I heard it is bad for daily use so I want to cut that out)
Veg. glycerin
And wintergreen EO ( food grade)
Mixed into a paste


Tuesday, September 15, 2009

What would you do?

Just to tell you all up front I have a bottle fetish.I don't know what it is but I LOVE bottles, jars and containers in general.They don't even have to be cute,I still love them.But I horde them then I don't really use them.I have found a fantastic deal on some little corked bottles and a I have a few larger ones.I am DYING to do something with them.

But I'm not really sure what to use them for.I have a few ideas but I wanted some ideas from all of you :)

As of right now I have 23 of the little corked bottles and I have 7 or 8 of the other ones.I have it set up to go later this week and buy up a whole bunch more :)
Ok so I'm up for any and all suggestions! What would you use them for?

Monday, September 14, 2009

Ok I made it through the week!

I had forgotten what mornings were like getting kids ready for school.School only started last tuesday.This morning was the worse so far and I seriously would give anything to have the summer back.I am not a morning person to begin with, the kids are not either so we all want to chew eachothers faces off.I HATE having it be ugly in the mornings and then have them go off to school.It tears me up to know that the last moments we had with eachother were full of dirty looks and growls.Then I sit here and when I have time to calm down and the anger fades I have to deal with feelings of guilt for being cranky and then I start missing them ugggh.I wish we were morning people and I wish we weren't the most unorganized group of people ever, we always run around like mad people in the mornings.Even if I think I have everything set the night before.I'm kinda a free spirit and just go with the flow of things most often and I was never a person who was prepared.Plus I have the worst memory so my house runs on a chaotic level.I never remember appointments even if I write it down 5 places.I cant remember phone numbers or names.I really think I might have a touch of adult ADD.So add all that on top of the fact that the kids are ....well they are kids.

Ok I'm done whining about it lol For some reason things have been all sorts of wonky and chaotic for like the past 2 weeks.And I have noticed that other people I know have been thrown off recently too.

Anyone know if the cosmos are doing anything up there to cause this? I am wondering if bitch is in the house of whine asses and its all on the cusp of insanity.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

I tried to be slick...

And it didn't work.
I tried to change my blog button graphic to a new one by deleting the last button and naming this graphic the exact same, so that your button links would have the same URL.No such luck it seems.Edited: Ok so I try to delete the pic from photobucket,and I can.But when I try to add the new graphic it loads up the old graphic on there....wth is up with that? I have messed with it so much now I'm wondering if your buttons have a broken link 0_0
If they do I apologize for screwing up everyones page.I have my fingers crossed that it will still work, but I'm not very hopeful.I'm sorry everyone.This is what I get for trying to be slick lol
So if anyone gets the urge to go and change their code I have the new one posted up.
Love & Light
Ugh here it is all for anyone who gets the urge to change their blog button to a more halloweenie one.




Photobucket

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Tonights full moon : Harvest moon

September brings us the Harvest Moon, sometimes referred to as the Wine Moon or the Singing Moon. This is the time of year when the last of the crops are being gathered from the fields and stored for the winter. There's a chill in the air, and the earth is slowly beginning its move towards dormancy as the sun pulls away from us.

Correspondences:

  • Colors: Browns and greens, earth tones
  • Gemstones: Citrine, chrysolite, peridot, bloodstone
  • Trees: Bay, larch, hawthorn
  • Gods: Demeter, Brighid, Freyja, Vesta
  • Herbs: Wheat, valerian, witch hazel, skullcap
  • Element: Earth

This is a month of hearth and home. Spend some time preparing your environment for the upcoming chilly months. If you don't already have one, set up a hearth or kitchen alter for those times when you're cooking, baking and canning. Use this time to clear out clutter -- both physical and emotional -- before you have to spend the long winter days inside.

Also Known As: Wine Moon, Singing Moon

Is anyone planning on doing anything special tonight?

I have been out of it the past few days and I didnt have time to write up a post about this months full moon.I found this info here.I might come back and post something else later.

I got taken out of my happy place

Theres some cussin here just to warn you.
Ok so yesterday I went with my family to the great New York State Fair.I have some amazing video that I will post in the next few days ( If its not too dark that is).The whole day was wonderful except......for this teenage girl.My 67 yr old mother has terminal lung cancer and needs to be in a wheel chair.That place is PACKED everywhere you go so its hard to move, imagine trying to maneuver a wheelchair.( I think there was almost 80 thousand people there yesterday)Well this teenage girl was with her friend and was blocking entrance to a tent I wanted to get into.I said excuse me twice, she looked back at me but didn't move,so I squeezed by her.She called me a bitch and turned around.Now I was with my family so I decided to let it go, plus its not the 1st, and I doubt the last time, I will be called that.But for the next 10 mins she circled around us and gave me dirty looks the whole time.She stared in my direction no matter where she went, I think she was trying to intimidate me :\ I knew I was being drawn out of my happy place but I couldn't help it.I tried to ignore her and her friend but it was getting hard.She decided to walk past us and leaned over to my mother and said "Get the fuck out of my way grandma" I cut her off as she walked by and said "Excuse me, what did you just say?"( There might have been a f bomb there.....ok Im sure there was)At this point I lost it and the city girl in me came busting out with her head rolling on its shoulders,her fists clenched and her mouth in full force.Her mother had to have been close by because she came running and grabbed her daughter and shoved her away from me, Im guessing to protect her.Her daughter continued to swear and shout things to me and she finally said " Oh Im 15, you cant do anything" To which I let her know that her age was not a shield and that if her mother didn't shut her up I would.Her mother shoved her out of the tent and she stayed out there after that, I meant what I said and maybe she realized that.I hate to admit this because I know its not right but honestly if she had come back over there running her mouth it would have gotten very very ugly.But she stayed outside and just continued to yell to the other girl with her.I went to her mother and asked her if she would like to know what happened and I told her everything, she apologized and went out with her kid and I went on about my business.I looked at the women whos shop we were standing in front of and apologized because I felt so bad and she told me "Don't be sorry!!You didn't start it." Then gave me a high 5 and said "Good for you for protecting your mother, you don't mess with a woman's family" :)
I still feel horrid that I let her get to me and I know I should have let it go.I would have but when she leaned over my mother like that I lost it.Thankfully my mothers hearing isn't the best and she was looking at items on a table so she had no idea what was going on till she heard my big ol mouth lol
I hate to admit this but she was EXTREMELY close to getting her ass handed to her, I don't think she has any idea.I think she thought, like most kids, that they can do as they please and nothing bad is going to happen to them.I know 15 is a child, my son is 16, but honestly if my son EVER said anything like that to someone and he got his ass whooped for it then he deserved it.
I just hate that I got to the point of even wanting to hit her.I was very scrappy as a teenager and even up into my early 20's.I wasn't in a emotionally or spiritually healthy place back then.And as a teenager I led a very wild life.So it seems that I can jump back to the mind set very quickly :( I really thought that I had evolved and grew as a person.But there I was, a grown adult arguing with a pissy 15 yr old girl.... who was just like I was.
I honestly hadn't been that angry in a very long time.I still am a bit angry about it and am hoping that typing all of this out will help vent some of it.I hate to admit any of this because I know it sounds terrible on my part, and I wont argue with that. Healthy adults do not argue with mouthy teenagers.Healthy adults see it for what it is and move on.I chose to stand there and argue about it.I chose to stoop to that level and let her take me out of my happy place and I allowed it to fill me with anger.And since Im being honest here,if I saw that girl today I would still want to punch her face out the back of her head.I feel bad for her mother who seemed to be horrified by the whole thing.Im going to guess from her reaction that it was not the 1st time she has had to deal with something like that, its just a hunch.
Ok so there is my tale in all its ugliness.I should probably delete all of this because now Im going to fret about people looking at me in a different light.But I don't know what light you guys looked at me in to even begin with, so Im going to leave it lol It is what it is and its a honest post so Im leaving it.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

ZOINKS!!

Ok just for the heck of it I went and checked out what my background ( yup I'm still talking about it lol) Anyway I went on Internet Explorer to see what my new background looked like using that since I use firefox. It looked like crap there!! Why such the difference? On Internet Explorer its stretched out and half of the graphics are cut off :( I cant believe how different the two are.I know there are other operating systems that people use ( like safari) and I'm wondering if there is a different on those systems also.I just thought it was weird is all and I have had WAYYYY too much coffee today so its making me super chatty.I'm going to put all the energy to good use and clean house. ( that's my way of saying that I wont harass you all with another pointless blog post anytime soon lol you all can breathe a sigh of relief)
Wish me luck, its a jungle in here!

LMAO I love life and how easily it laughs at me and makes me feel dumb :)

Ok so I swear it was not 45 seconds after I posted my last blog post that I went and saw something hinky that I didn't notice before.I deleted it and that took care of the issue.I have ZERO idea why it was where it was and why I failed to see it the million times I was in that section. But I'm just happy to have gotten rid of it and I feel all sorts of better now.

Ok so this is the background that I tweaked today and its close to what I had last night.I like this one much better though.I'm sure in a day I will hate it and want to change it but hopefully I will not have nearly as many issues as I had today.All of this really makes me wish I had never even wanted to change it.But as my mother has told me a million times I can never leave well enough alone :\

I do feel a bit foolish since I made like 3 blog posts about the background.Its gotten more attention from me that anything else I have posted here lol I'm such a dork.

UGGGGGHHHH!!

Please tell me there is someone out there with a bit of knowledge on blogger layouts and maybe even a bit of HTML know how!! I can not for the life of me get the layout I have now to take a hike and my new layout to move in.I have tried EVERYTHING! Now if I revert to the classic layout it shows, but I lose all of my widgets AND I cant get into my page elements.I went back and looked at the HTML to remove the code for the background I have now ( I know where I put it, its not there that I can see, its gone ghost on me).I add the code for the new layout where Im supposed to and it doesn't change a thing.Does anyone know what I might be doing wrong or what I need to do to get this to work? Its driving me bat shit crazy.Any help at all would be fantastic.

My eyes are about to pop out

I have been thinking about Halloween/Samhain alot lately.I want to get started as soon as possible.Halloween has a bit of a special meaning to me and I might share that on another post.Also my friend got married on Halloween which is beyond kickass.Well tonight I was in the spirit and I erroneously thought to myself 'Hey I think I will see if I can make up a blog background/header, it shouldn't take too long'
0_0
ummm I have been at it for hours! The program I use for digital editing is free so its a bit limited.I try to stretch its possibilities as far as I can, but to do the simplest things it takes so much time.I tried Photoshop once and I couldn't figure it out.I think that I will have to unlearn everything I already know about my program and then try to relearn photoshop.I just don't have it in me to do that so I use what I'm familiar with.
So anyway... here I was, it was about 1am, I just got done watching a old episode of American Gladiator ( You have no idea how ashamed I am to admit that) and I thought to myself that it was chilly tonight and it reminded me of fall and then I got Halloween on the brain.So I decided to mess around with a Halloween idea for this here blog.
Now my eyes are rebelling, my back hates me and I feel like a loser for not being able to quite pull off what I wanted to.So Lucky for you all I thought I would come on here and whine about it lol All I know is I could totally use one (or 3) of those candy corn cocktails Mrs.B was talking about.
I will probably end up switching my layout tomorrow sometime.I hate that I put this much time into it so I have to use it.I'm so scared it wont work and I did all that for nothing.


Maybe it wont look so gloomy in the morning, right?? :)

Sunday, August 30, 2009

My Poo life

Being 'poo' free is the shit( what a cheesy play on words huh? lol) But its true.I NEVER have to run to the store to get shampoo or conditioner cause I always have the stuff on hand.I can make the shampoo/conditioner to fit my hair style and personal needs.Its all natural and almost everything I use you can eat.I do not like to put things on my body that I would not put in it.So if I wont eat it chances are I wont use it.BUT the recipes I use for my 'shampoo' and 'conditioner' have essential oils in them.MOST that I use are safe for consumption ( however tea tree and neem oil should not be ingested).But other than that everything I use is right there in the kitchen.What I use to wash my hair I make up everytime I need it.The conditioner I make ahead of time and let sit.I have used the conditioner mix right after mixing and its ok but letting it marinate for a while makes it so you get all the goodness out of the herbs.I like to let mine sit in a cool dark place, for atleast 2 weeks, giving it a good shake everyday.
Hair is not as dirty as people think.Unless your rolling around in the mud ( ohh fun!) or something equally as messy, then you hair isn't all that 'dirty'.From what I have read, heard from others and dealt with personally I can tell you that if your hair is extra oily, then its your hairs way of rebelling against the product you are using on it.It feels the need to kick out oils to protect whats being done with it.Like someone who commented in my last post I used to have unbelievably oily hair at the root but it was dry as a bone on the ends.What I was using was stripping my hair of its all natural oils and so it was producing tons to replace it and I never gave it a chance to right itself.
I shouldn't even say that I wash my hair because that's not very accurate.What I wash is my scalp.My hair gets washed in the process but I don't 'wash' it.And I only 'wash' my hair about 2 times a week, the rest of the time I only use the 'conditioner'.On the off days I just rinse my hair as if there was shampoo in it.Its called water washing it.Its not healthy to cleanse your hair everyday.I was weary of this in the beginning and of my hair not getting clean enough, so if anyone is reading this and sitting there thinking ewwww, just know I was in your shoes before I switched also.I couldnt get my mind to switch from a bottle telling to 'wash, rinse and repeat'... to no bottle, no lather and more rinsing than washing.The lack of lather was what took me the longest to get used to.I used to think lather was what cleaned my hair.I'm glad I know better now.
At the end of this I'm going to post what herbs work best for what hair type and hair issue, so you all can personalize your mixes.Here is what I use and how I use it.Just a heads up I have hair to the middle of my back, you might need more or less mix for yourself.

For my 'shampoo' I mix:
  • About 4 cups of very warm water ( Not too hot that you burn your scalp)
  • About 2 TBSP of baking soda
  • About 1/4 cup of my homemade Orange Oil Cleaner
  • Sometimes I add a drop or two of Tea tree and Neem oils
That's it.I mix the orange oil and baking soda together ( cause I like to watch it bubble and fizz lol) then I add the water.The baking soda and orange oil cleans the hair like you would not believe! You dont have to use the orange oil cleaner, but its super easy to make and does work better.Baking soda and water will work as well.But I love how the orange oil cleans and plus I love the orange smell :) The white vinegar in the orange oil cleaner practically dissolves dandruff and keeps it at bay.Its amazing! I mix this up, take it to the shower and scrub my scalp while I pour it on.I grab my hair and squish it through my hair like I'm milking it.Then I let it sit for a minute or two and then rinse.Now, for me anyway, when its in my hair my hair feels very matted and I was scared the 1st time I used it.I don't know why this happens but its something I had to get used to.I just wanted to give you a heads up in case it happens to anyone who tries this, don't freak out.It goes away :) Ok so after its sets I rinse, scrubbing while the water runs through it.You have to rinse very thoroughly with this.If you leave any left on you will be able to tell.Next step is to condition.Now this recipe is for MANY conditioning treatments and this is what I let sit for atleast 2 weeks.You can use right away too if you wish.

For my 'conditioner' I mix:
  • 1 bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Whatever herb suits your needs, I'll post some of them later.
I add rosemary,sage,chamomile,catnip,lavender and the essential oils Neem and peppermint to mine.I use more of some than of others but its usually a big handful of each per large jug of Apple Cider Vinegar.I really pack them in there.I'll post the properties of the different herbs at the end of this.I have, in a pinch, just used apple cider vinegar alone.
I apply the conditioner by using a old condiment bottle.I strain the vinegar mix into the bottle about 1/4 to 1/2 way up the bottle and then fill the rest with water.I use about 1/4 to 1/2 of the bottle each time I use it.I coat my hair with the mix and scrub it into my scalp same as I do with the shampoo.And I milk it just like the shampoo.Then I let this sit for atleast 3 minutes.Since I have curly hair I pick my hair out with the conditioner in it to help detangle it and make sure it worked its way through.To keep my curls intact I NEVER pick my hair out any other time then that.Not after I get out of the shower or when its dry.I will finger pick it if I need to, but pulling on curls takes the spring out of them.So after the conditioner has sat a few minutes I rinse but this time I don't rinse as thoroughly as I do with the shampoo.I want some of this to stay in.Just to warn you there IS a vinegar smell, I have come to like it and it does not bother me in the least.Don't be scared of this.It goes away completely once your hair is dry.I went to one of my sons track meets last year with my hair still wet.One of the boys on his team asked me if I had been eating Salt and Vinegar chips lol The same day people there were having a terrible time because of gnats or some little bug flying up in their faces.They must not like the smell of my hair cause I didn't have one bother me :)
If anyone has any questions please let me know.I will answer them as best I can and if I dont know the answer I will get it for you.Now there were some people who left comments in my other poo post ( lol that sounds funny ) who were concerned about ethnic hair.When I started out researching this MOST of the info I got was from sites for natural ethnic hair care.My children are multi racial, my sons hair is very thick but my daughters hair is thinner than mine.So my family's hair goes from thick to thin.This works on us all.I have also seen women with bone straight baby fine hair who have a very similar hair care regime.You just need to find out what works for you, and tweak your recipes accordingly.Some might need less baking soda or more to cleanse their hair.You will just know and it wont take long to figure it out.There also was another comment about dandruff.Seriously if you do not wish to go all out and go this natural just use a treatment of white vinegar.Mix 1/2 vinegar with 1/2 water and let it sit in your hair for a few mins, scrub then rinse.You will see the difference right away.I told you in my other post that I tried many recipes in the beginning of my natural hair journey that did not work for me.I was going to post those here but I can see how long this post is getting so Im going to pass for now.If anyone wants to know those just leave me a comment and I will put up a post with those recipes.
Ok here's a list of herbs and their properties.Some research on your own will pull up more but this will start you out.

  • Burdock: root helps prevent dandruff
  • Catmint/Catnip: leaves encourage hair growth and soothes scalp irritations
  • Chamomile: flowers soften and lighten hair
  • Lavender: antiseptic, antibiotic, stimulates hair growth, and degreases hair loss
  • Parsley: enriches hair color and gives a nice luster
  • Rosemary: tonic and conditioner, one of the best herbs to use, gives luster and body, also slightly darkens the hair
  • Sage: tonic and conditioning, darkens the hair
  • Stinging Nettle: tonic and conditioning and helps prevent dandruff
There are tons more but this is a good list to start out with.I was going to post pics with this but I think its long enough as it is.I will post one pic at the end because Hyla requested it :) Its the Aloe Vera that we use as our only styling product.Ok that's not true, sometimes I use coconut oil too.But not all that often.If anyone tries this out PLEASE come back and let me know how it worked for you.If you have decided to try this out please realize that it IS a process and like I talked about in the other post, there is a transition you have to go through but it is TOTALLY worth it.Unless your lucky like my daughter and switched over without a hitch, that lucky duck.Alright enough rambling from me, here's your pic Hyla.Just so you know its on the back wall of our walmart before you get to the pet dept.Its on the bottom row.( Hyla and I are neighbors so we go to the same wally world :D )

Merry Mixing!!!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

I am Poo free! (almost)

I am poo free!! Not that kind of poo, I'm still full of it ;)The 'poo' I'm talking about is shampoo. I said almost in the title cause I'm a big fat cheater and I have given in a few times.
I decided to go poo free about 2 yrs ago.I was chicken for almost a year.Then I decided to let my daughter be my guinea pig.My daughter transitioned about a yr ago and her transition went smoother than expected.Well she had ZERO transition actually.My daughter is multi racial and has very fine curly hair.I'm not sure if this is what helped her switch over so easily or not.She co washes...which means washes her hair with conditioner.I have yet to find a homemade conditioner that works for her and she refuses to use the conditioner I use.So I still buy hers,But she is 'poo' free.I am taking baby steps to get her totally off any store bought hair care products, even ones marked natural.But for now I worry less about all those chemicals in the shampoo.Like methylisothiazolinone(eeek).Or any number of these: sodium laureth, sodium lauryl sulfate, diethanolamine, momothanolamine, triethanolamine...I can go on.Check this place out, it breaks it all down for you.And these just name a few.They are tons of little evil chemical compounds in every little drop of shampoo.
Since I have made my own transition I have MUCH healthier hair.I have loose curly hair that loved to frizz up, not a issue anymore.And it grows much faster.My transition was ugly and lasted far longer than it should have because I'm a cheater.You hair goes through a bit of a rebellious stage when you switch over.It did not help that I tried many different home made shampoos that I HATED.If I had used in the beginning what I use now I would not have had so many issues.Ahh live and learn.So since I have switched over, about 7 months ago, I have used a store bought(but all natural) shampoo maybe 4/5 times.Most of those times were in the beginning weeks and I used a homemade shampoo what was horrid for my hair type.I had to fix the damage :\ But I'm getting in the swing of things now and think I'm in the clear.I have a bit of psoriasis and things are MUCH better now that I stopped using shampoo.When I was still using shampoo I would have to switch every few months because I would get flakes, or it would stop working well on my hair or the fragrance would end up making me itch like crazy or my psoriasis would act up.I haven't had to worry about any of those things in the past few months.My hair doesn't stink or smell dirty, it just smells like clean hair.If I want my hair to smell fresh and purty I have a spray bottle with water and essential oils in it and if I want to freshen up I can give it a spritz.I never feel the need to though, ok its cause I'm lazy and never think of it.
I have also cut out all styling products for myself and my daughter.Now her hair is unruly.It takes me 20 mins ( at least) in the morning to just pick it all out.But to style it and keep it in line what we both use is all natural Aloe Vera.It's fantastic!! We use the clear kind, not the green kind with all the extra stuff in it.I buy mine from Walmart.I use it when I braid her hair also and it holds great.If you have curly hair give it a try, I swear you will not be disappointed.But on the up side if you are disappointed you can still use it. Aloe has a million uses.
Tomorrow I am going to post my hair care routine and the recipes I use/have used. Some didn't work for me but they might work for someone else :)
Love & Light

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Product review: Jade & Pearl Sea Sponge Tampons

To start out this review ( just to warn you this is my first) I am going to let you know how I came across this company and their product.This is going to be a bit long I think :) Also there might be TMI moments.I will warn you ahead of time on those.

Ok here we go....










Like I said in another post I was looking for natural/eco friendly alternatives to feminine products.I had already used cloth pads but I was looking for something that might be a bit more leak proof, discreet when wearing and a way for me to collect my moon flow.To be honest I am not sure how I 1st came across the Jade & Pearl web site, probably google although I'm not sure what I was looking for.I had no idea what a sea sponge tampon even was, so it was pure luck.And I do indeed feel lucky to have found them.I emailed them and got a reply from them within hours! They were so helpful and open to work with me that I could not believe it.Their customer service is amazing and they are personable and answered any questions I had.
I got the product in the mail within days.The kit I got had 2 sponges and a cloth bag to store them in.I also got a few brochures.Their items are printed on recycled paper using soy ink and packaged in biodegradable cellophane.How sweet is that?!? The brochures were very informative and the directions could not have been any clearer, it was all pretty straight forward stuff.How to clean it, insert and remove ( which I was the most nervous about) and how to store it.I could not wait till my next moon cycle to try it all out! I was able to fight my excitement and wait a few days to open the packaging so I could take pics and all.Now I will admit that at this point I was NERVOUS.I felt the sponges and they were hard.I looked at it and thought there is no way....... But I'm a trooper and I was going to try it out no matter what.But before I get to the review and let you know how it worked for me I will give you some info about sea sponges.

Sea sponges have the ability to regenerate from even the tiniest fragments, and as it is harvested millions of eggs and sperm cells are released into the surrounding water.Making sea sponges a renewable resource that provides a ecologically sound product for menstrual use.Women through out the ages have used rags,sponges, grass,cattail,moss,seaweed and other absorbent materials to collect their menses.
Think of this, the average woman uses nearly 17,000 disposable pads and tampons throughout their menstrual years.In North America alone an estimated 20 BILLION bleached pads and tampons end up in the landfills and sewage systems each year!! And that does not even take into account the applicators and packaging that goes along with these products.
There are many risks with conventional tampons besides the dreaded TSS ( Toxic shock syndrome).One hazard with conventional tampons is Dioxin, a by-product of the tampon fiber bleaching process.Risks associated diseases related to Dioxin exposure and synthetic fibers are endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease to name a few.
I have had issues with wearing tampons for many years.I was nervous to try these to be honest because of my past tampon use.So like I said after I opened the package and felt them I was even more apprehensive.But I took a deep breath and got them ready for their first bath.The minute they hit the water they turned so soft I was amazed.I could not believe the change just a bit of moisture made and then I realized that inserting these things would be a breeze and I was almost certain that I would have zero issues with them.I chose the baking soda wash to clean them, since I know that baking soda is a softener.All the other ways to wash them are all natural too which I just love.I rinsed them and squeezed all of the water out and got one ready to insert.(Now you can wear more than one if you have extra heavy flows,they also have a teen size which I thought was nifty.)Ok so I sat there, took a deep breath and popped it in.No resistance, it forms to your own personal shape and curve so it fits where it needs to.I sat there.And I sat there a bit longer.To be honest I was a bit nervous to stand up and have the thing fall out.It was a irrational thought I knew but I was still nervous.Finally I got up, nothing.I wiggled, nothing.I bounced, nothing.I squatted, nothing.
TMI alert.... I was worried about the mess involved with manually inserting the sponge.But with the sponge being moist when you insert it kinda clears a path for you and there was extremely little mess.No more so that with any other product.
I wore it for 3 hours before I took it out.I wore a cloth pad with it since I was nervous of leaks.Again I was nervous for nothing.
I will say this, I felt it inside me.Now I had not worn a tampon in almost 16 yrs.I remember that last time I wore one and it was agony.This was nothing even near that.All that I felt was a slight fullness.Not even what I would call pressure.I just knew it was there.I honestly was amazed at the comfort of it.But like I said it was so very soft when I wet it that I knew it would form to my shape.There is no way tampons could ever do that or come close.
Removal of the sea sponge brought on more unnecessary anxiety.Does anyone know what its like to remove a tampon that's dry? Its horrid.I didn't know how absorbent the sponges would be so I had that in the back of my mind.I was also scared of ripping it.I felt for it, pinched it gently and it slipped right out.I gave it a look over and realized that I could have flowed 3xs the amount I did and still been in the clear.Those little things sure can hold a lot.At this point you could rinse and reinsert.I rinsed it out.....ok I harvest it, if anyone wants to know how that went just ask and I will fill you in.So anyway,after I harvested what I could I rinsed.It rinsed out SUPER fast and easy.I'm used to having to squeeze and flush out my cloth pads but this was much easier.I squeezed it under the water a few times then the water ran clear.That was it.From beginning to end ( if you take out my neurotics) the experience was a smooth, comfortable and earthy experience.I knew the whole time that I had nature/sea sponges in me, at one point I made myself giggle cause in my head I was singing ♪♫♪♫♪'Shes got the whole ocean, in her womb'♪♫♪♫♪ to the tune 'Hes got the whole world in his hands' LOL
I happen to love this product and will use it again.The sponges have to be replaced every few months but the price is ridiculously low so it shouldn't be a issue for anyone.Check out Jade & Pearl, they have moon time kits for girls just starting out, lunar calendars and cyclebeads to chart your cycle,cloth paniliners,and other all natural items.You can tell they take pride in their wares and the have a respect for the environment.Its a quality company.
If anyone has any questions at all please just ask either here or contact me ( from my profile page).Don't be scared to ask a personal question if its something you want to know.I had a hard time not adding tons of TMI here, so believe me when I tell you I have no problem discussing anything.

Ok people, let the Sponge Bob Square Pants jokes begin :P

Natural solutions to your monthly cycle

I have been using a natural product for my moon cycle (menstrual cycle) for over the past 6 months.I decided to switch over from store bought for many many reasons.I didnt like the chemicals used in either tampons or pads, I didnt like the HUGE waste it produces and I like to save money.I couldnt see buying something that just gets wasted every month and thrown into the waste pile.I havent used tampons for years because after I had my son they were no longer comfortable for me.So I went out on a search for a more eco friendly alternative.I found cloth pads and I LOVE them.I have had no issues with them other than there is more work involved with them since you have to wash them and all.I hand wash mine because I dont want them in the washer with everything else and I want to make sure they are extra clean.I do not mind hand washing them and for me there was no yuck factor.Mine are handmade and I have bought mine from a few women on Etsy.
But then I began to view my moon cycle in a spiritual light.I already blogged about that and I will again, just to warn ya'll. I had read up on uses of menstrual blood and its significance in cultures.Since my moon time came to mean a time of power for me I thought it was wasteful to just throw it away.Some women collect their menstrual blood every month and mix it with water and feed their plants.They claim that they grow faster and fuller,which I believe to be true.Some women collect theirs every month for magickal purposes.I thought of using mine for both.....since its a sustainable resource and all lol I doubt I will run out any time soon.
So in my quest to find ways to collect my moon flow AND be gentle on the earth I came across two products.One you may have heard of but the other thats not so often spoke of.I contacted a few companies and asked them if I could do a product review on their product and 2 said yes.
I will be posting a review of one of the products tomorrow...or later tonight since Im so excited lol I have tons of pics ( of the product, nothing yucky lol) and just to give a warning I will be VERY open in my review.So if your squeamish you may want to use caution.
Does anyone have any natural or alternative solutions to their moon cycle that they would like to share?
Love & Light

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

UMMM HOLY WEIRDNESS!!

OK So this might seem really odd (typical for me).And believe me when I tell you that no, I am not a blogger stalker.You all know that I had a issue leaving a comment on LJ's blog, and I felt the need to post about it here. Ok so heres the weird part.(If she ever comes to read this shes probably going to run run as fast as she can lol) Sunday night I had a super vivid dream that I had what the kids call 'cooties'.I shit you not,I woke up all sorts of itchy.I told my kids about the dream and they picked on me a bit saying things like 'hey whats that in your hair?!?' har har har.ANYWAY here comes the weirdness, I went to LJ's blog today and you will not believe what her post is about, posted for the day after my dream mind you.Its about how she was battling lice all weekend.This might seem like either a) bullshit or b) no big deal to some.Believe me when I tell you that its not bullshit.Maybe its not big deal though.Maybe its just a coincidence.But for some reason I have this weird pull in her direction and Im not sure why.I swear Im not a stalker, but it does seem odd right? What do you think it means? Why did I have such a urge to open a line of communication with her, and so much so that I blogged here about my inability to do so? And why am I dreaming of things that are going on in her life? Am I reading into it too much? Does anyone have any thoughts on this type of thing or has anything like this happened to them? Funky right??

Recommended reading?


Since I am a solitary and new to my path I have been trying to read everything I can get my hands on.The library is my BFF.There are a few books that I have read and put down almost as soon as I picked it up.And then there are a few that I LOVE and keep renewing from the library ( Im going to have to give in and just buy them).But does anyone have any books that they can recommend? Any book that spoke to you the minute you cracked the cover? I would greatly appreciate the input.Here are a few books I have already read, and maybe re-read :
  • Paganism : an introduction to earth-centered religions - Joyce Higginbotham
  • The complete idiots guide to Paganism - Carl McColeman
  • Paganism : A beginners guide - Teresa Morrey
  • The craft: A witch's book of shadows - Dorothy Morrison
  • Grimoire for the green witch - Aoumiel
  • Natural witchery - Ellen Dougan
  • Solitary witch: The ultimate book of shadows - Silver Ravenwolf
  • Crafting wiccan traditions :creating a foundation for your spiritual beliefs - Raven Grimassi
  • Wicca : A guide to the solitary practitioner - Scott Cunningham
I have read many other books but these are a few to give you the idea.Do you have any opinions on any of these? And PLEASE share with me any books that you have found helpful in your own life.I know all paths are different but I think there is much to be learned by ALL spiritual paths.Besides I think you need to know what you believe as much as what you dont.If that makes any sense :) Thanks in advance for the input!
Love & Light


Friday, August 21, 2009

LJ at "A Racing Mind"

Ok well I subscribe to this blog and I LOVE it.I went there and read 2 posts today that for some reason I can not post a comment on.And I cant figure out why :( If anyone else subscribes to her and is having the same issue could you please let me know Im not alone.I looked to see if there was a way to contact her but I didnt find any on her blog ( but I might have just missed it) Is it just me who has this issue?

My new avatar pic

Ok I just had to show this here cause its super small in my profile....and I ADORE IT! I found it somewhere, I cant seem to remember.It was a site for free wallpapers so Im sure its ok if I use it.Ok well here it is in all its badassness!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

What is my culture?

This was originally written with another blog entry.I kind of went off with this and it didnt really have anything to do with the original post, so I cut it out and am reposting it here.
Ok well here it is:

I am only 1/4 Native Mohawk.My family is very very small and no one ever discusses this.They know nothing of their own culture so I was not passed anything in regard to that.This does not change the fact that I have ALWAYS felt that a HUGE part of myself was lost and still missing.I feel a great connection to that aspect of myself but sadly I feel like it is out of reach to me.I am clueless when it comes to my family line and my native culture.My grandmother was born and grew up on a reservation not very far from my house.However she died when my mother was a very small child.And as a single parent ( my grandfather died of a heart attack) the children, all 9 of them, were sent to different orphanages and separated.So my mother knows VERY VERY little of that side of her family.She has never really felt the urge to try and find out I guess.However when I was a child my mother put me into something called "Indian Class" ( no kidding thats what our school called it) We had a very high population of native children at my school and so every friday for a hour we left regular class and went to a room by the cafeteria and elders from a local tribe would come in and teach us our culture.I LOVED my time with them and still remember a bit of what was taught.I still have a leather bag and a leather beaded book mark that I made in that class.I remember how to count to 19, for some reason I cant remember 20.I used to know how to sing "Old McDonald" but I have lost it along the way.I am registered in Washington DC as a native, my mother had to fill out the paperwork and she seems to have lost whatever paperwork she got back.If anyone out there knows how/who to contact in regards to this I would really appreciate any info at all.
Love & Light!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

A womans 'Moon Time'


Just recently my moon time ( menstrual time) has come to have a very spiritual meaning to me.I have always thought it to be a beautiful time in a womans life (Woman= Womb of Man) and I think its pretty significant that almost 1/4 of every month during our childbearing years is spent dedicated to it.My moon time has become very sacred to me.During your moon time you have both life and death in your body going on at the same time.The death being the releasing of the old uterus lining and the unfertilized egg , the life aspect is the renewal and the fresh lining.And during this time you have those dueling energies occurring so a womans personal energy and power is greatly amplified.In most if not all Native American cultures it was a time of great respect from both men and women.Tribes had 'Moon Lodges' and a woman would go into and stay in the lodge until her moon time has passed.(Other cultures called theirs 'red tents' or many other terms, but all kinda along the same lines) During her time in the moon lodge the elder women would teach her medicine, herbs, ceremonies, rites, prayers and on.Teachings were handed down to her.The women , at this time, were expected to rest and not perform any chores and she was taken care of by the elder women of the tribe.No cooking,cleaning or lifting.This was a time for the woman to learn and nurture herself and to also embrace her womanhood.A womens moon time was never looked down upon, there was no negativity put on it.( There were no jokes about PMS, lucky for them).The men respected and revered her.The men also cooked and took care of the children at this time which was a wonderful time of bonding between a father and their children.Its was a time of love and respect.Women are the ones who nurture life and carry it, and on top of this, women are the only sex that can carry two souls/spirits in her body at the same time, being her own and her unborn child's.( just imagine multiple births, twins and so forth!!)

Now this part might freak some out so if your faint of heart go check out one of my squirrel pics.................Ok dont say I didnt warn you.

Menstrual blood was thought to carry extreme power and many women harvested their own menstrual blood.It was the most natural and powerful element that could be harvested from a person and it was the same as holding life/death itself in your hands.It is still used today, although I believe not to the same extent as it was in times ago.There is also use of the placenta after child birth ( a topic for another day).

Ok you can peek again :)

Getting back on track, the native view of moon time for me is very deep.I have another post to come after this one branching off of this topic and even after that I have 2 ( count them 2!!!) product reviews on their way....again along the same lines as this.Just thought I would give you a heads up.Im not sure who else is interested in this topic but I know I am so if anyone reading this has ANY info at all, or has any views on a womans moon time PLEASE share it with me.I would love to hear it.Also if anyone would like to see a post with more indepth folklore on this topic let me know and I would be happy to post it.
Love and Light!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

1000 arms dance


I sat here ready to eat a fly when I watched this cause my mouth was wide open the whole time! That was amazing!! You know if I got together with all the other personalities I have in my head I bet we could pull off something as cool as this....you wouldnt be able to see it but just take my word for it, we would ROCK!

Monday, August 3, 2009

Ok so I need to blog more

My friend has pointed out that if I don't blog more often then anyone who comes here ( I think they must be lost to end up here).. but anyone who comes wont come back unless they know this is a active blog.Makes perfect sense.My problem is that I think of things to blog at the WORST times.Two minutes before I fall asleep, when I'm "reading in the quiet room" or when I'm making dinner.And my head floats from one thing to the next, so as fast as the ideas come they are gone and replaced.Usually by a song I haven't heard since 7th grade and that has decided to move my into minds playlist.....stuck on repeat.I thought to myself when I started this lil blog that I would try my hardest to get on here as often as I could and keep it up.I even had a back up plan of posting random squirrel pics just to have something to post.Lame? Sure, but I am CRAZY about squirrels ( surprised? lol) and I like to look at those pics.So it was self serving also.This post it seems is really like a Seinfeld episode and basically a post about nothing.Sorry.I was going to post about Lammas (Lughnasadh) but I am still in the learning stage so I would probably not have much to say about it.Then I thought of making a post about my all natural bug spray that I make ( both for the body and to repel flying insects).But I am going to have to use my cam for those and I'm in a lazy mood and not up to it right now.Plus I will need my kitchen table and it looks like a craft store threw up on it.I'm letting paint dry and I just finished my herb cabinet whoo hoo.I will probably post pics and do a post about that as well because I got it for a steal and I was really excited about it.I just wish I had thought to take before pics so you could have seen the horror.
Ok
well now I'm rambling, if its not one extreme its another with me. It adds to my charm :} I have no idea where I am going with this since I am , as I type, thinking of making some loose incense and not sure what kind I want to make with what I have on hand.I honestly think I have a form of ADD.If you made it this far you might have a touch of it yourself lol I will be back tomorrow with a post, promise.AND with visuals of some form depending on how much motivation I have.Till then.......
Love and light!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Squirrel pic of the day, and some words










This is how I have been feeling a bit lately.I have been busy with a kids birthday ( I feel so old) and with the kids being home for the summer. They are getting restless already.My daughter wants to go back to school now and my son says theres nothing to do in our area and hes bored out of his mind.I remember when I was younger, and that wasn't all the long ago, that I was just happy to hang out with friends.But not my kids, they want a damn itinerary handed out to them.They are moping around and spending more time complaining than anything else.So I guess my whole house is looking like this furry guy here.He just makes it look better than we do.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Homemade: Green Tea Facial


Let me start by saying I am a firm believer that you shouldn't put anything on your body that you wont put in it.The skin absorbs EVERYTHING.All of these recipes are made from things you can eat and are more than likely in your kitchen cupboards.Just think,within minutes you could be treating your skin to a gourmet facial!
Green tea has such beneficial qualities that its a shame to only drink it.It not only works as a detox for your body it can detox your face as well.And if you happen to have any left over in your mug theres no longer need to waste it by pouring it down the drain! Green tea is chock full of antioxidants and many crucial elements that we need, if you sweeten up your tea with sugar or honey all the better.(But more on that later)Green tea is cheap and readily available.If you use a bag to cleanse your face you wont miss it out of the box.It can also be used as a daily toner and as a soother for sunburn.There are many simple recipes that are easy to alter to suit your needs.I have a few basic ones that you can have fun with.
*Please take care to avoid the eye area with all of these recipes.

Basic tea cleaner
  • 1-2 bags of green tea
  • 1/3-3/4 cup boiling water
That's it.This is the base for all the other recipes.Let the tea bags steep in the water for 10-15 mins.Much longer then if you are going to drink it but you want all the goodness extracted from the tea and your skin wont mind the bitterness.Let the tea cool, to speed it up put it in the fridge.Then use it to wash your face.Or instead of cooling it use this as a steam to open and cleanse the pores.
If your looking for a exfoliant try this out.


Green tea Sugar exfoliant
  • 1-2 tbsp of the basic tea cleaner
  • 3 tbsp sugar of your choice ( white, brown or a mix)
With tea at lukewarm temp mix with 2 tbsp sugar.( Don't use hot tea, it will melt the sugar)Add the rest of the sugar till it is at the texture you want.Apply using your fingers to your face and GENTLY massage into the skin for 1-2 mins.Then rinse well with warm water and pat dry.If you notice any redness to your skin after exfoliating this is normal and should subside within minutes.Exfoliating is great for the skin because it removes dead skin cells and opens pores for a thorough cleaning.It helps in circulation of the area and promotes the repair of stressed skin.

Next if you chose to you can apply the green tea as a toner.This will further help detox the skin and sooth it.Simply take some of the left over basic tea cleanser and apply it to your skin and let dry.

There are countless things you can add to the basic cleaner tomake this fit your skins needs
.
Here are a few to start you off:

Honey: Helps sooth sensitive skin and moisturizes.

Lemon: Works as a deep cleaner and is good for oily skin.

Yogurt: Is for sensitive skin and soothes problem skin.

Olive oil: Works great as a deep moisturizer for dry skin.


Green Tea Mask:
  • 1/4 cup of the basic tea cleaner
Add one or many of the following.

Rice or Oatmeal flour:Easy enough to make if you have a food processor.Soother, moisturizes and makes skin super smooth.

Powdered milk:Will moisturize your skin and make it smoother than you have felt in years.

*Herbs: Since there are too many to cover and some people should avoid certain ones due to health issues or pregnancy I wont list any.Do your research.

So give these a try.They are cheap and you have nothing to lose.All of these recipes are safe to use on children (research thoroughly the herbs if you chose to use).So why not pamper yourself and have a fun spa day right there in your kitchen?
Merry Mixing!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Squirrel Pic of the day


My friend just sent this to me and I have fallen in love with this lil guy.
[link]

Thursday, July 9, 2009

What the squirrels and I are listening to


This is on the top 5 of my all time fav songs.The person who has this video posted has had some issues with youtube taking the video down so this time I hope it stays up.Sorry about the size...but then again its Bob,he can take up as much room as he wants :)

Monday, July 6, 2009

July Full Moon - Blessing Moon

July's Full Moon falls on Tuesday, July 7th and is known several names - Blessing Moon, Thunder Moon and Meadow Moon, just to name a few.

The July 2009 Full Moon distinguishes itself from other 2009 Full Moons, because it’s the smallest, farthest full moon of the year.

Farthest and closest full moons recur in regular cycles. The closest full moon comes 7 lunar months – full moons – after the farthest full moon. And the farthest full moon comes 7 lunar months – full moons – after the closest full moon.

For the next 7 lunar months, the full moon will come progressively closer to Earth. Seven full moons after tomorrow’s July full moon, the closest full moon of the cycle will fall on January 30, 2010. On that date, the full moon will be closer than 222,000 miles. Then 7 full moons after the January 30, 2010 full moon, it’ll be the farthest full moon again on August 24, 2010!

Correspondences:

* Colors: Green, silver, blue-gray
* Gemstones: Moonstone, white agate, opals or pearls
* Trees: Ash and oak
* Gods: Juno, Venus, Cerridwen, Athena, Nephthys, Lugh
* Herbs: Mugwort, hyssop, lemon balm
* Element: Water

This is a great time to do divination and dreamwork. Find a way to incorporate the watery energy of the Blessing Moon into your spell crafting and ritual.

This article was written and used with permission by Witchy Mama.Check her blog out, it's AMAZING!

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Amazing video!



This is an amazing artist and the history she tells in this story is so moving.It's totally worth the time to watch.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

10 Things YOU can do to curb global warming

1) Replace your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). Look closely at labels when buying light bulbs. Those marked as CFLs last 10 times longer and use 66 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs while delivering the same light levels. CFLs also reduce the release of greenhouse gas emissions and are safer because they burn at a lower temperature (160° F or less) than incandescent and halogen lights, which can burn at temperatures up to 500° F.

2) Turn down the thermostat just three degrees in the winter and up three degrees in the summer. You can prevent the emission of nearly 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.

3) Inflate your car tires. When walking or biking isn't feasible, you can do something to better protect the Earth while driving. Take a step in the right direction by inflating your car tires. Pumping them up can improve your gas mileage by about 3.3 percent -- a savings of about 7 cents per gallon. It's the right thing to do for your wallet and the right thing to do for the Earth.

4) Turn down the hot water heater. Set your water heater to 130° F. While you're at it, turn down your house thermostat during the winter to 55° F when you go to bed or leave home. These simple actions can have enormous positive consequences, preventing the emission of more than 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide over the course of the year, while cutting your energy bill by more than 10 percent. And that's just from you! Get your friends on board, and the benefits will multiply.

5) Choose your seafood wisely. The world's seafood will be entirely depleted by 2048, according to a report in the journal Science. That means the moment to do something about this is now. By buying and eating certain types of seafood, you can discourage harmful fishing practices and avoid the more depleted or threatened species. Take a look at Seafood Choices Alliance or Seafood Watch to make smart choices.

6) Purchase EnergyStar-labeled appliances. EnergyStar products are among the top 25 percent most efficient and can provide a 30 percent return or better through lower utility bills.

7) Wash and rinse in cold water. If everyone in the United States alone switched to cold water with their washing machines, we could save about 30 million tons of carbon dioxide each year -- and more than $3 billion in energy costs, collectively. And what's more? Cold water cleans your laundry just as well as hot water.

8) Buy locally produced meats and produce. Sounds like a good idea, but you don't know where to start? Just type in your zip code on Local Harvest's website to see a list of farms and farmers' markets close to home, as well as nearby restaurants committed to supporting their neighbors. Buying locally produced food cuts out the middlemen and the vast amounts of energy required to get your products onto store shelves. Most produce in U.S. supermarkets travels an average 1,500 miles before it is sold!

9) Drink more water from reusable glassware. It's great for your bank account, your health, and your planet.Water does the body good. The average American consumed more than 400 beverage bottles and cans in 2006, leaving behind wasted glass, plastic, steel, and aluminum. That adds up to excessive amounts of fossil fuels and hydropower for mining, processing, refining, shaping, shipping, storing, refrigerating, and disposing of those materials. Of course, changing your drinking habits both at home and at work is applicable to just about every other habit, as well. You've heard it before and you'll hear it again: Reduce, reuse, and recycle.

10) Walk, bike, and carpool. In the United States, the car represents one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. You can significantly reduce your emissions by commuting to work. Try combining trips to minimize emissions, which are greatest at the beginning of a journey before the engine has reached optimum temperature and efficiency. When purchasing your next car, make it a fuel-efficient one. Hybrid cars can get twice the fuel efficiency of the average new car, cut greenhouse gas emissions by half or more, and reduce urban air pollutants. Carpooling saves energy, cuts on additional pollution, and allows you to take a turn as a passenger instead of driving everyday. Car-sharing (not pooling) is available in numerous U.S. cities. Car-sharing enables you to rent a car just when you need it. Each car-share vehicle displaces four to eight privately held cars, requiring less parking area and creating less road congestion.(My brother has gotten rid of his car and does this.He LOVES it.) If you live within an hour's bicycle ride to the office (~10 miles), consider biking to work one or more days a week.

One little change can make a great impact.