January « 2010 « Blooming Where I'm Planted!

Archive for January, 2010

Gnome Fantasies & Garden Dreams

January 7th, 2010

I spent my morning, Wednesday, volunteering with my shorty’s second grade class. They’re such a cute bunch of kids. I’ve been volunteering with Eddie’s class since he was in kindergarten, so many of these kids I’ve known for a few years, and I’ve watched them grow up right along side my own.

I was leaving the house at my usual 9:50 to be there by 10:00, but I found a layer of ice so thick on my windshield that I couldn’t scrape it away with my snow brush scraper! It was a lost cause. I got inside and waited with the defrost on until the ice started to look a little… different… and THEN got out and hit it with the scraper and it came off in sheeeeeets. The roads were completely ice covered with a nice, thick layer of slush on top.

I stood at the door a moment ago and listened to the crackling of the landscape in the breeze. It’s only 25 degrees out, but still the rain continues to fall periodically. I’m going to call the school in a few minutes here and put my kids on the “pick-up” list. In any kind of hazardous driving weather, I just can’t allow them to ride the bus. Thank Goddess, I am blessed to have the option :)

As I’ve been here in my chair, watching this blizzard rage for the last 3-4 days, my mind has been entertaining ideas of spring. I know it might seem like January 3, 4, 5 might be a touch early to be entertaining gardening fantasies, but I disagree! Ever since 2008′s winter solstice, I feel differently about this time of year. Yes, everything is completely buried under FEET of snow and ice right now, and will stay that way for 3-4 months.

HOWEVER!!!

I feel almost charged with electricity this time of year! We’ve passed the darkest day and now the light is building. It’s the upswing. Even in the snow and cold, the earth below is renewing itself and resting. As the light builds slowly, so does the temperature until one morning VERY soon, I will look out into my back yard and see the tiny green chutes of life poking through the leftover snow where my daffodils will soon stand tall. It’s…. thrilling… magical.

Ah Magic! The word that brings me here to this post.

In looking forward to constructing a garden this spring, I had a sudden thought. Gardening. Growing vegetables, herbs, fruits…even flowers. THAT takes a little magic. That takes some know-how and some research and some reading and some trial and error (mostly error for me thus far! LOL). Gardening and all things related is DEFINITELY something that belongs in the Book of Light that’s used by a wife, mom, homemaker &/or solitary witch.

Hey! That’s me!!
And so it shall be done. I need a catchy name for it…. OH! All things grown… That would be Earth Magic :)

I’m very excited now! I know that the reason I’ve had garden flop for the last 2 years is because I was REALLY half-assing it. This year, the whole ass goes in baby! Wait. Oh never mind.

I’m looking forward to spending the next few months gathering information on the plants I want to grow and learning about what I need to do to make THIS year’s harvest a total success! I foresee the “Earth Magic” section of my book filling up quickly!

Be Blessed* )

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The Book of Light

January 6th, 2010

This is what I’ve decided to construct. Not a Book of Shadows. I know that the name of that book is part of the witches tradition, but that is the beauty of being a Solitary and making your own traditions in my humble opinion.

I thought about constructing a Book of Shadows and was giving thought to what I’d want to include and the more I thought about it, the more I thought of things I would include. Then the more things I listed to include, the more the similarity of the nature of those things seemed.

The nature of all of the things I would include in my Book of Shadows are things related to energy and healing and life and creation and joy and love. Those are not things of shadow. Those are things of light.

I also believe that working around some of the seemingly darker aspects of “witchcraft” will help me to reach a broader audience and be more readily accepted if not understood. And it’s not that I’m seeking anyone’s acceptance, but more that I believe that if I can bridge the gap between myself and someone else simply by altering my language, why shouldn’t I?

Besides, I find the idea of a Book of Light so much more appealing.
I know witches are said to/to have kept information regarding their magic in their Book of Shadows, but I see it like this.

My LIFE is my magic! Everything in my life, I have created… manifested. Everything I am interested in and am pursuing is under my spell and part of my magic. And my LIFE and my interests and pursuits center specifically around my home and family and health and Spiritual growth.

Maybe it’s… non-traditional, but I went and got myself a 3 ring binder. If I read something online I want to include in my personal book, I print it, punch it and include it. I’m free to use my trusty highlighter and make notes in every margin to my heart’s content! I even have section separators and folders. It organized so many things for me. I had information floating all over about all kinds of things and now I have a single location for all of it!

This translates over to everyone! You don’t have to be a witch to have your own book. Especially for the homemaker or mother. There’s so much we do and are responsible for. It really is wonderful to have a place to put it and a place to find it later! I even include a journal, calendar and my own personal “Tame the House” cleaning schedule/routine that helps me to conquer the chaos of life with boys!

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Conscious Creation, Law of Attraction, Manifestation, Self Love

Happy Back to School Day!!!!

January 5th, 2010

At last it is here!! It’s still snowing like mad outside, but the plows seem to have caught up enough that school was open. I walked to the end of the driveway with the boys this morning to wait for the bus, but after 10 minutes we decided to drive. I drove my kids to school this morning with bed hair smashed down under a hood, in my purple fuzzy jammie pants with white stars all over them and sporting big rubber, knee high mud boots.

When we headed down the driveway, Michael (10 now!) says, “God Mom, you’re as embarrassing as Dad…”
Dad normally goes with them in the morning, but he was called out to tow at 7 this morning and didn’t make it back in time.

Just for the record, I’d intended to step into the bus hut down there when the bus arrived so no one would see me! Had the van broke down on our ride…. I imagine people would understand. I know that if a frazzled looking mother in her jammies with 2 kids showed up at MY door at 9 am on the first day back to school after SEVENTEEN DAYS… I would not only understand, but probably make her blessed soul some coffee!!

I have a silly household tip for you today. Someone recently commented on it at my house and asked me why and was delighted with the answer, so I thought I might share it even further.

** I keep my bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths all together in a cabinet in my bathroom. I stack all the bar soap in between the stacks of linens. The soap keeps the whole cabinet smelling nice, and it of course smells delightful on the towels. **

I hope you’re all having a wonderful morning so far.
Be Blessed on this beautifully snowy Tuesday :)

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