Any Witches Here? Part 21

[speakout]

Just settling into the new place, plumping the cushions and opening the windows. Welcome to n everyone, newcomers, old friends, the curious.
Wiccans. or Pagans? Or anyone who is interested in a magical path or feels some magical stirrings.
A place for support, learning, swapping ideas and magical inspiration..

Craftycorvid your training event sounds really interesting- but these things can be very tiring-even if we enjoy them.
It has been raining quite heavily here today too, the rain has brought stillness and calm, but a melancholic edge too. I have lit some candles to cosy up my evening.
Creativity is an amazing outlet isn't it, stems from our shadow and inner child, and can bring great relief to our emotions.
I have had a very creative week, my riverstone painting is full steam ahead, I am creating a set with very deep shades of emerald, rich red, royal purple and gold. The stones represent sovereignty, divinity to me, I have quite a number at various stages.
I have also been making beaded hair clips, with feathers and stones, I don't have pierced ears, but have bout some ear loops that are much more comfortable than normal clip ons.
I was eyeing my jewelry drawer this morning, I have a jumble of stuff I have been collecting for years, some of the beads are so pretty, I want to take some apart and make new items- but that project will have to wait- I have enough on the go right now!
I have also been making lots of bramble honey, and designed some witchy labels, as gifts for my loved ones.

quirkychick I watched the first of the Human series you mentioned-it is so interesting, right up my street!
I have found a new youtuber that has been bringing me a lot of calm this week, Samantha Boyer.
I love the energy she creates, with story telling and chit chat, tea time tales, stories of the fae, whimsical and magical, a lovely soft place for the mind to relax.

s

@Craftycorvid your training event sounds great. I did a writing workshop a few months ago and felt the same as you, I'd forgotten that childlike play with words.

@speakout I'll check out that YouTube channel, calm is always good. I've just started reading Laughing in the Face of Chaos by Rudà Iandê, which talks about the dangers of perfectionism and how it stops us seeing and appreciating the whole spectrum of life. Also the dangers of the Judeo-Christian theology of good and evil and how it creates polarity and destroys empathy and compassion - so interesting.

Edited for typos

I meant to add, I'm glad you're enjoying Human. It reminds me of the Alice Roberts series The Great Human Journey from several years ago.

Afternoon sisters. Been trying to catch up with the backlog of herb drying,chopping and infusing,while yet more grows in our rather soggy garden
Mint,oregano and hyssop picked today..and some spuds. Treasure indeed.

What a beautiful bounty Hedjwitch there is something very special about growing food you have grown, it's magical. I have some raspberry canes that are on the rampage right now, producing more fruit than I can eat. It is providing food for lots of creatures especially ladybirds, I have considered having harder harvesting and freezing some fruit, but the wildlife are enjoying it too. I need to cut it back severely this autumn though, it is invading too much, and threatening other plants and shrubs.
My garden has exploded with growth this year, Gaia has made herself very comfortable here. When I moved into this house the garden was just a small patch of lawn surrounded by borders of red stone. Not a single plant. Now everything has taken off, trees are huge, high, the view from my living room window is incredible, a vista of green, tons of wildlife, gives me so much pleasure.
I hope this new moon brings fresh beginnings, with the aspect of self love, self care. We need to prioritise our own well being, soft energy is wonderful but now is also the time to cut ties and limit access to toxic people in our lives. Self care can be uncomfortable
I have had a quieter few days which have been so good for me. Moving at a slower pace still gets things done, but feels so good, without the rush and hurry.
I had an unexpected and last minute lunch invitation from my DD yesterday, just after I had finished my mornings work, and a little housework so things felt fresh and tidy.
We went to a lovely restaurant overlooking a fast moving river, an old converted paper mill. The food was delicious, and it was so good to talk, relax and laugh with my daughter. It seems only a snap of time since she was a toddler, stuck to my side, loving to be held and carried.
Now a confident and wise woman, so independant, caring and strong- and I love the fact we are so close.
Another soft day here, yoga later this morning, and a little trip to buy some fresh produce.
I have been invited to apply for a grant to allow me free nurturing activities for the coming year. The amount is so much larger than I would normally spend on myself, so a very welcome bonus. I have had such a grant before, and bought beauty treatments, massage, yoga workshops etc, I need to sit down and find out what is available in the coming while close to me so I can submit some costings- sound baths and women's circles will be in there too!
I am off for a spa shower- Jasmine today, before slipping into my soft and comfortable cosy clothes.

Have a magical day sisters.

@Hedjwitch what a marvellous garden crop and what an inspiring message! One of my garden toms is starting to go yellow, so I hope I might get ripe fruit soon. Our apple tree is loaded after a two-year rest; it usually bears fruit every other year but had a big prune two years ago and has only just got its fruiting mojo back.

I’m trying to find my get up and go this morning. Summer was supposed to be a go slow for me but it doesn’t feel particularly slow just yet. Still lots to do. I’ll probably carry on with a furniture renovation project today. I discovered chalk paint with tinted wax over the top and I’m finding it rather good fun. Happy and peaceful Saturdays, all.

And @speakout here’s to some much needed care for body and soul.

Has anyone any experience of Moldavite?
I have ordered a piece as I keep seeing it on my feeds and just can't get it out of my head. I reckon if it's trying to get my attention I should listen.

@Hedjwitch no personal experience of Moldavite but I listen to The Bell Witch Poscast and I am pretty sure Swailes talked about her experience with it. I seem to recall it being very powerful.

Moldavite is a very special type of stone. Like Obsidian it is a type of glass rather than a crystal, formed in the white searing plasma formed by a meteor impact many millions of years ago. A fusion of star energy and earth.
A stone of transformation, change, growth and spiritual awakening. It is so beautiful.

One of my cats started to limp yesterday, his front paw seemed to be giving him pain. He is a pretty skittish boy but I managed to swaddle him and hold him between my knees long enough to examine his paw- he was most indignant ! I couldn't see anything wrong, and today he was still limping so I again subdued him in swaddle to have a look. I could see just the tip of something woody sticking out between his pads. I grabbed the thorn firmly and gave a sharp yank .My cat gave such a yelp- it must have been painful. It came out cleanly, but was quite long and deeply embedded. He is still limping, but to be expected I think, until things heal up. I am a little concerned about infection, but vet is so £££ especially on a Sunday. He is eating OK and seems well otherwise. I will keep an eye on him, but feel that nature and time will heal.

I know some of us like watching youtube videos, I have come across a channel by a Nordic witch called Freiya. It is quite dark in content, a bit Gothic and slightly siniste, lots of ravens and bones. She is compelling to watch and I haven't yet decided if I enjoy her videos. If anyone else has watched her I would love to hear your views.

https://www.youtube.com/@FreyiaTV

Try plantain on his paw.If you don't have any salve,pick a couple of leaves,chew them and rub on his paw. It should help.

Thanks Hedjwitch.

My cat seems a bit better this morning, ready for his breakfast. He still has a bit of a limp, but much better than yesterday, even when the splinter was removed. He is still giving me bad looks though!

It's been a bit quiet in the Coven recently so am opening up the Crones' Cauldron tea shop to all visitors. Chairs, yoga mats and beanbags are out on the grass in the sunshine. Today's teas are:
Chamomile
Lemon Balm
Lemon Mint
Chocolate Mint
Ginger and honey
Self Heal
Plantain
Strawberry.

Feel free to ask for any blends of the above.

For those needing a health boost for summer coughs and sniffles, try our medicinal teas and blends including:
Hyssop
Thyme
Sage
Rosemary
Nettle
Mullein
Feverfew.

All home grown and organic.
Teas are free if you bring cake!

Oooo! how lovely- a tea menu! Thanks Hedjwitch, I can see it all in my mind's eye.
Wouldn't it be lovely if we all lived near each other and could do this in reality.
We would brew up a storm!

Wouldn't it be lovely? No takers today do hoping everyone well and happy.

Evening all! Mine’s a peppermint tea.

Lammas blessings to one and all. 🌻 How have you all been marking the turn of the year? A friend paid me a surprise visit yesterday with a rosemary plant in a pot. My garden matriarch was lost some months ago when we had some work done. It’s a lovely side effect of developing an interest in gardening that people bring cuttings and plants as gifts.

Hedjwitch
Lovelycafe, I'm not able to visit yet but I will.

Moldavite, there are 2 types, both are formed in the same way.
There are very few stones which are this sparky.

It's a tektite, usually they are black and come in several shapes. I am on the lookout for a button tektite, not seen one around yet. The meteor actually hits the earth, which fuses with it, then the molten combination of earth and meteor flies high into the sky until gravity takes over and they return to earth, often shaped as teardrops, often with bubbles on the surface and inside.

Moldavite is only found from an impact in Moldova, it's sometimes very textured and that type is termed Besednice. I have some and love it. Because it's rare, and expensive, be very careful of people selling fakes.

Another coloured tektite is Desert Glass, formed from meteor strikes in the desert, usually in very remote locations. Mine's a soft lemon yellow almost pyramid shape.
The colour is determined by the sand the meteor strikes. Again, beware of fakes.

Enjoy your new sparky 🧡

Black tektite, teardrop shape, larger than a lot! Have a look at the textured surface.

Ah,lovely to have customers!

Craftycorvid what a lovely gift. Rosemary is one of my favourites- I always think it has ancient energy, with its knotty wooden stems. I have been harvesting some to dry, I use it for smudging, spell work and simmer pots. I also tuck a few sprigs into sheets and towels in my laundry cupboard.

Blanktimes how amazing- you are always so full of information and inspiration.These are such precious stones, and amazing to think part of them is not of this world!

I have had a relaxing day, DD has just dropped her cat off for me to look after- she flies to London for a training course tomorrow. He is such a cute little thing- but very adventurous.

My usual body balance is not running for a few weeks, so I took myself off to the gym for some work with weights and machines. It is a council run gym, but huge and very well equipped. A good vibe, and very diverse, the heavy grunters, the young, the old, so although I didn't know how to use all of the machines I didn't feel conspicuous.!
One wall of the gym is glass, and faces the most incredible vista of hills, beaitiful views.
I had also forgotten how meditative weight training can be. The counting of reps and sets, the breathwork, I found myself in a place of soul flow, which happens to me when I do yoga at home- it is magical.
I am heading to bed for a very early night with my herbal tea

Such a beautiful morning here, damp, raining lightly the trees are starting to have the smallest burnish of burnt sienna, to remind us that autumn is on the way. I love this time of year- all seasons have something to offer, but late summer is so full of bounty, fresh produce and magic.

I am not big on gratitude- or wholesale forgiveness as it is spouted on many internet platforms. Despite the fact I love self care and personal rituals there is so much toxic positivity around that is actually unhelpful.
We need a large spoonful of discernment when looking at the life of other - magical- people online. They seem to waft through live in a cloud of incense while wearing floaty dresses, drinking home blended tea. What they don't show is the dirty cat litter tray, peanut butter marks on the door or children having tantrums. It is too easy to imagine we have messy lives compared to them. We don't! I do enjoy watching them, but I remind myself that this is the best small window into the life of someone else and not the whole picture.

I have been thinking about the idea of altars. Do you use one? For decades I have used only a pop up altar for spellwork, which is then removed afterwards. I am interested in how others create a sacred or inspirational space.

Now that my mother has moved out there will be no more church friends visiting, so I have the space to spread my wings.
I bought a large wall hanging a couple of years ago from a junk shop, needs a little tlc, but I want to incorporate it into an altar for downstairs.

Which got me thinking about altars more generally. My yoga mat is definitely an altar, but can I have a whole room as an altar? A garden space? I love the idea of little shrines throughout the house, just a few objects on the corner of a shelf or window ledge, focal points for sacred energy throughout the house. I have very few visitors to my home- by choice, so lots of room for imagination and play.
I would love to hear - or see- what others have done in the way of altar or saced space.
This is similar to my Balinese wooden wall hanging, it's quite large, maybe 3 feet square.

In my favourite standing spot in the kitchen, old house, thick walls, there's the work surface and then a very deep windowsill.
For years, I've used that windowsill to display things personal to me, changing them at will. Currently there are 2 moongazing hares, a very large Quartz cluster, a very large smoky Quartz, a crystal ball, pendulum, a few polished stones. The only non natural things are tiny battery lights and 3 cut glass spheres that are in the right place to bounce rainbows into the kitchen and beyond.

Is it an altar? No idea, but it's my favourite place in the kitchen where I can just be. 😊

I am gradually converting our box room into my place. My herbs are drying in there and I have moved all my books in. It feels quite peaceful.

How beautiful BlankTimes your window sill sounds like an altar to me.
It's amazing to know that rainbow spectrum is hiding in plain sight.

Converting your boxroom into a creative space sounds very exciting Hedjwitch. let us know how it goes.
I have been thinking about a house rearrangement too. We were 5, of us, then 4 and now 3. So I a thinking through my options. I work in the living room right now- on the floor usually. But this means there is always work stuff lying about and it can get messy. I am thinking about a dedicated work room, so at the end of the day I can close the door and relax back into a tidy living room. I may swap my bedroom over too for a l bigger space. My daughter's room is large, but such a jumble of stuff, she dumps things there as she has a very small flat. Mmy mother has spread out over two rooms, when she recently moved out she left behind tons of stuff- old photos, knitting projects, winter clothes, financial documents, toiletries, ornaments etc. It is hard for me to go through these things as I don't know what is important to her. So I have two bedrooms full of clutter and clothes, a clear out needs to happen before I can claim these as space for myself.
I can hear the wind blowing against my windows, thankfully the storm wasn't as bad as feared.
I am having a super chill relaxing evening, life is so hectic I grab any chance to relax.
Tomorrow I will be attending a family funeral with my OH, a family member on his side- I need to protect myself from negative energy.
My OHs family can be difficult, lots of historical grudges are held there, it will be a 30 minute service- a humanist ceremony, then all piling back to have drinks; The combination of grudges and alcohol invariably lead to arguments, I have witnessed it several times. OH can do as he likes, but I am taking my own car, I plan to leave straight after the service and hugs, and head home.
I will be happy when tomorrow is over!

Greetings all! I have followed these threads and participated on them under another username in the past, but disappeared due to life hitting some rough track, and subsequently neglecting myself and my craft. I have picked it up again in the last month or so, simplifying a lot and being more intuitive and direct. Tonight's full moon will see me releasing all that no longer serves me, recharging myself with her gentle glow and moving forward with power, purpose and peace.
I'd like to share with you a picture of a wreath I crafted last night and hung on my front to to announce to anyone in the sisterhood who happens to pass by I am reclaiming my power, and to let anything or anyone with ill intent know I'm not an easy target anymore! Peace and blessings to you all