David Gilmour Sonnet 18

I viewed this when a friend shared this on Facebook. I have been a Pink Floyd, David Gilmour fan for years, never mind how many, and thought this was so beautiful. Enjoy!



Blessings nine!

Can Witches Really Fly?

Here's a little video I thought some would enjoy!

Blessings nine!

Happy September!

Things have been hectic at Toadstool Condo. We are emptying a storage unit and getting rid of stuff we just don't need. It feels both good and sad. I was able to locate some missing books - the expensive two volumes about Sacred Geometry, which seems to have taken hold of me - but that will be another post. I also found some paintings I did from the late 1990s. I thought I'd share a few here.

Seed Mother

(copyright 1997 E A Kaufman)

Sheila-Na-Gig

(copyright 1997 E A Kaufman)

Serpent Lady

(copyright 1997 E A Kaufman)

Crone Crescent

(copyright 1997 E A Kaufman)

Between the needlework, the art work, and the photographs, there is very little wall space! I found this little needlework piece I had started some time ago and lost track of, Wife Into Thy Garden by The Goode Huswife. It is stitched on 36 count linen and the verse is over one thread. I have just added the bricks under the window and half of the third line of the verse. It is a wonderful little piece, I can't imagine why I put it down.

This next piece is from a freebie I found on line, it is called The Leaky Cauldron. No self-respecting witch would have a leaky cauldron so I fixed it up and changed a couple of other things. I am stitching a skeleton key under the witch. Will I go for a verse or some other little related design after that? Time will tell. 

So... now back to the kitchen. Tonight is Rosh Hashanah, and as my darling hubby is Jewish, this is a major event in our home. I made a wonderful brisket last night, brisket is much better when made a day ahead; we only need to slice and heat it. The veggies are just about ready to go, the candlesticks are polished, the challah sits majestically alongside a shiny red apple and some honey. We always have a slice of apple dipped in honey for a sweet New Year. And speaking of sweet, Manischewitz Cream White Concord wine is chilling in the fridge next to some apple cider. Oh, I love that wine.

The apple cider, if I can keep my darling hubby from drinking it all, is for the apple butter I will be making next week. Yes, it is that time again. I've not done much preserving this year, just some plum butter and some bread and butter pickles. The apple butter is the last item on my list for this year. Those preserves will make nice gifts during the winter holidays... and we have quite a few: Chanukah, the Winter Solstice, and Christmas. What can I say? It's good to celebrate everything! 

I am preparing for my Divine Feminine Discussion group next week; we will be learning to draw sacred mandalas taught by Vibrational artist and healer, Gina Orlando of Syner G Crystal Healing, www.sacredheart144.com or find her at her Facebook page, (click here). In addition, there is the Autumn Equinox, and I will be celebrating a version of the Eleusinian Mysteries with my apprentices and some of the gals from our occult studies group. September is a busy month and begins my most favorite time of year. Happy September!!!

Blessings nine!

Our Demeter The Bountiful Ritual

I thought I'd share our Demeter the Bountiful altar since I finally managed to get the photos from one of the gals. We had a beautiful ritual and feast afterwards. There were ten of us and most had never attended a ritual such as this. There was a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm on their parts, which really made me remember how it was for me when I started participating in women's rituals. All of us joining together to honor the goddesses. It was beautiful.

I wrote the ritual based on my standard one for this celebration, and made sure each woman had a task. They all did wonderfully and are looking forward to our next celebration, The Autumn Equinox. I'm pretty excited about it too!

We cast our circle, recited our invocations and blessings, made a little charm, performed a bit of divination, cast our offerings and libation into the garden, then feasted. A wonderful evening celebrated with wonderful women!

Blessings nine!

Witchy Stitches!

I don't call myself the Witch of Stitches for nothing! Earlier today I headed over to my local needlework shop, Cross Stitch Cupboard, in Fort Lauderdale. Karen had called me to let me know that the Halloween Ornament issue of Just Cross Stitch had arrived. I had planned a trip to the grocery store anyway, so I decided to stop at the Cupboard first.

I think this issue is the best they have ever done. There are 51 really great designs, with plenty of witches. I have already chosen 10, YES, YES, 10 designs that I want to stitch. Most of them are smalls so that's not as big a deal as it sounds. So here are my favorite witchy designs from this issue to encourage you to pick up a copy and a needle, LOL!

A little stitching witch holding a sampler. How could I NOT stitch this, fond as I am of samplers! This design is by Gail Bussi and is called "Little Stitching Witch."

Three designs on this page - all smalls. Top left, "Witch" designed by Pamela Byrd Smith of The Prairie Schooler, a favorite designer. Middle right, "Family Portrait" - a silhouette of a witch, another small, quick stitch, designed by Wendy White of Wee Works. Bottom left, "Double, Double" designed by Linda Ebright of Lizzie*Kate - how could I NOT stitch this one? 

"Matilda Hornbuckle" designed by another favorite designer, Lori Brechlin of Notforgotten Farm. I love these primitive designs and this one is delightful!

"The Spells' Store" designed by Isabella Abbiati of The Primitive Hare, yet another favorite designer. This is just too wonderful not to stitch!

Another little primitive style design, "Ghoul Tidings", designed by Paulette Stewart of Plum Street Samplers. I love her designs too. This little witch is another favorite and I have to stitch her.

"Fire Burn & Cauldron Bubble" designed by Traci Horner of Ink Circles. This is not my usual style, but anything with a cauldron...

"Goody Trask 1692" designed by Tanya Marie Willis Anderson, AKA The Sampler Girl. A cute little primitive design. Tanya has wonderful Jane Austen designs too.

"Starry Witch" designed by Elizabeth Toledo of Dames of the Needle. This is actually the first one I want to stitch. I have some wonderful linen, color Cognac, that will be just perfect. Can't wait to start this!

Right in the middle of the page, another one that caught my eye, a hardanger design by Lucy Lyons Willis, The Sampler Girl's mom. I love her work as well. I don't do a lot of hardanger, rarely in fact, but this piece has inspired me so...

Well, that's nine designs, but if you look at the magazine cover, there is a little owl in the bottom right corner - that little one makes 10 designs!

Now I wonder if these designs have inspired any of you who don't stitch to take up a needle and give it a try. Those of you who do stitch, well, which are you going to stitch? We'll see how many I actually get done as I have three designs I am currently working on, one is actually a silhouette of a witch at her cauldron! I can't resist a witchy design! In addition, I now have three apprentices and two monthly classes I am teaching. I wonder if I can stitch while I lecture??? ; )

All this stitching is really part of my devotional work. Most of what I stitch is dedicated to the goddesses I am devoted to. Stitching, threads, scissors, needles, all play a part in my magickal work as well. It is art as ritual. In 1997 I had an article, "The Ritual of Stitching", published in The Beltane Papers, unfortunately no longer in print. I was going through some papers and found the article which I will post here soon. It includes a design for a home blessing sampler and I will see if I can post that too - not really sure how to do it. I will have to re-chart the design with my MacStitch program. The design was originally charted by hand. So... stay tuned!

Blessings nine!

Summer Solstice Blessings

Summer Solstice Blessings to all.

May Magick and Mystery touch you, 

May all that is Fruitful fill your life.

Blessings Nine!!!

An Old Charm Found in Cornwall

A spell to repel one's enemies, dated around 1700, was found in Cornwall, UK. Here is a link to the story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cornwall/4388248.stm

Urine, salt, and three new nail, points down, all put in a jar - sounds interesting!!


Blessings nine!

Feast of Epona

Epona, Goddess

Epona, the Great Mare, is a Gaulish goddess of horses. Adopted by Roman soldiers, they spread Her cult throughout the world. However, She is also a fertility goddess, a goddess of the moon, a goddess of abundance and prosperity. She is sometimes shown holding bread or other foods of the harvest. She also may be depicted wearing keys, a possible connection to the Underworld, dreams and nightmares. For myself, She assists in crossing into the Otherworlds, Her white horse the vehicle.

Make offerings of seasonal fruits, such as berries, and bread; honeyed milk has always seemed a perfect libation to me. A white candle,  statues of horses, and the offerings, make a fine altar for Her.

Epona, Divine White Mare,

Open the way for me,

Bestow dreams and visions

As I ride along with You

Through the long night and

Into the places of Mystery.

Hail Epona!

Blessings nine!

   

The Vestalia

June comes in with the heat of summer and the time of the Vestalia is upon us, celebrated from the 7th to the 15th. I follow my daily devotions, including some special purification rites and keeping Vesta's flame lit as much as I am able. Life has been very busy, but a friend and I did manage to join together for a formal devotional rite; washing Vesta's statue with scented water, processing with the statue, then placing it on the altar. We made our invocations, lit candles to be used during the year, and let ourselves be overcome with the love and devotion we have for this goddess.

Afterwards, a late dinner, then good conversation, discussion, and the sharing of books, all into the wee hours of the morning. I arrived home and after my evening ablutions, I fell into bed at 5:30 AM! Needless to say, today has been a lazy day, but I have tended my flame and am preparing to make my evening devotions.

Daily devotions are centering for me, they keep things together, heal the mind, open the avenues of communion with the goddesses I am devoted to. Some days, it takes some doing to set aside the time to make my devotions, but, as a priestess, it is what I do; and that doing is a stabilizing force, the foundation of my life. All stays where it needs to be, even the tough lessons, when I am centered in my spiritual life. A good reason, certainly, to keep doing it, but that isn't why I do it, not at all. I do it because my goddesses are deserving of it and expect it of me; I came to that realization after some reading, it just really hit home, why I do what I do spiritually, how ingrained it is in my life. I expect it of myself, and there is no option for not doing it. I have said this many times, to many people, if I can't give of myself and my time to the goddess, why would they continue to commune with me? It is up to each of us how far we wish to take our spiritual practice, but it won't go anywhere if we don't give of ourselves by maintaining that practice.

I will not tell anyone how they should conduct themselves in their spiritual practice, that is up to each of us. I can say, with the utmost certainty, that making the time for these devotions, the giving of one's self to deity, brings a very special and deeply satisfying life.

Blessings nine!