Summer Sea Herbs ~ Magick, Medicine & Musings

Looking for my artwork?

2011-04-18T12:30:00.004-05:00

If you want to see some of Tracy's current artwork, you can head on over to my Flikr...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/summersea/sets/72157626367198195/

thanks for looking!

MAJOR SALE IN AVALON ADORNMENTS ON ETSY!!!!

2009-05-15T08:53:00.007-05:00

I know it's been forever since I posted here, and I apologize!
I took the Winter off from my businesses, and never quite got back to blogging, either.

Allot has happened, and I'll catch you up on that a bit later. I'm planning on moving later this Summer, and the house needs to be painted before it goes on the market. I've had to pack the studio up, so we can get to the walls.
However, today I need to tell you about a huge sale I'm having on the items left in my jewelry and art shop, Avalon Adornments, on Etsy. I don't want to have to pack up all the jewelry and things I have listed in my shop. I've reduced prices, and some items are slashed more than 50%.
check it and get some beautiful jewelry at great prices! Even Tim's hand-forged knives are on sale! he knocked $25.00 off the price of each one!
Thanks for shopping!

Happy New Year 2009!

2009-01-01T11:19:00.002-05:00

I'm wishing you a wonderful, happy, healing, prosperous & abundant New Year! May all your wishes for 2009 come true!
Blessed Be,
tracyw

It's a Winter Wonderland Sale!

2008-12-01T09:17:00.003-05:00

EarthPath Artisans Street Team's 2nd Annual Winter Wonderland Event is happening now! Running from Nov.28 thru Dec.15, EAST member shops are celebrating the season with special sales promotions, and crafting unique new items! Search Etsy using the WWEE tag to find participating items.

This time, even the hand-forged knives from TMark Knives are on sale!
The details for the sale in my Avalon Adornments shop on Etsy are as follows....

♥♥♥SALE!!!! 20% OFF ALL ITEMS EXCEPT KNIVES, KNIVES ARE 10% OFF!!! SALE!!!!♥♥♥
buy what you want, but don't pay yet. I'll email you a revised invoice reflecting your discounted total due.
♥♥♥♥

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T10:47:00.008-05:00

I thought that you might like to see the real WILD turkeys that inspired our holiday here in America. These beautiful birds come to my yard every day. they are funny, huge, and when the sun hits their feathers, they are the most gorgeous colors!
Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you enjoy your day!

Worldwide Happiness

2008-11-17T10:51:00.003-05:00

We hung some new prayer flags up this year on Samhain. I love to look out the kitchen window and see them sending prayers to the winds every day! A gentle reminder of the gifts in my life.

"Maybe we should develop a Crayola bomb as our next secret weapon. A happiness weapon. A beauty bomb. And every time a crisis developed, we would launch one. It would explode high in the air -- explode softly -- and send thousands, millions, of little parachutes into the air. Floating down to earth -- boxes of Crayolas. And we wouldn't go cheap, either -- not little boxes of eight. Boxes of sixty-four, with the sharpener built right in. With silver and gold and copper, magenta and peach and lime, amber and umber and all the rest. And people would smile and get a little funny look on their faces and cover the world with imagination."

-- Robert Fulghum

Democracy is Alive and Well

2008-11-05T08:34:00.001-05:00

I couldn't help but to wake up optimistic this morning, after last night's election results here in the U.S. I'm proud of my country today, even as we face monumental challenges, both personally and as a nation.

From Obama's acceptance speech last night,

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

“It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

“It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled, Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

“We are, and always will be, the United States of America."

Thank you!

2008-10-31T05:19:00.002-05:00

I want to say "Thank you!" to all my EAST team members, and my wonderful customers at Summer Sea Herbs! The past few weeks since I announced my store closing and sale have gone by very quickly. You all have practically cleaned me out of my stock of incense, tea, and flower essences! I really appreciate it. I deleted all the listings, and basically closed the store last night.

I'll still be around Etsy, as my Avalon Adornments shop is still open, and will continue to be. I'm hoping to have some time, this Winter season, to flex my crafty creative muscles. You may see some of those more successful ventures available in this shop.

It's been a great ride for over two years!

EVERYTHING IS ON SALE AT CLEARANCE PRICES!!!!!!!!!!

2008-10-07T07:49:00.006-05:00

I'm going to be taking a much needed rest from the herb business starting November 1st, probably until Spring '09. I'll still be on Etsy though, and my Avalon Adornments shop there will remain open. I've so enjoyed selling on Etsy!
I will miss my friends and customers. I'll still be part of the EarthPath Artisans team.

So, for now I'm putting the whole Summer Sea Herbs shop on sale! Most prices have been reduced by at least 50%! Items are priced as marked. No further discounts will be offered. There are limited supplies available for all items, and when they're gone, that's it!
I'll put updates here and in my shop as the time for closing gets nearer.

Dear Gov. Palin....

2008-10-03T08:18:00.004-05:00

I AM NOT JOE SIX-PACK. I AM NOT A HOCKEY MOM.
I AM NOT JOE SIX-PACK. I AM NOT A HOCKEY MOM.
I AM NOT JOE SIX-PACK. I AM NOT A HOCKEY MOM.
I AM NOT JOE SIX-PACK. I AM NOT A HOCKEY MOM.
I AM NOT JOE SIX-PACK. I AM NOT A HOCKEY MOM.
I AM NOT JOE SIX-PACK. I AM NOT A HOCKEY MOM.

...AND I VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spirited Autumn Event starts on the Equinox!

2008-09-21T08:29:00.005-05:00

The EAST team presents The Spirited Autumn Event, which will begin on September 22nd, 2008 (the Fall Equinox), and run thru October 6, 2008. Search Etsy with the tag, TSAE, and you will find promotions throughout the participating member shops!

All my incense blends are 20% off for the event! To get your discount, make sure to put "TSAE" in the notes to seller section when you make your purchase. I'll send you a revised invoice! These tins make great gifts for Samhain and Yule, too!
You can find all my incense blends and other goodies at my Etsy shop, Summer Sea Herbs.

I'm Having A Sale!!!!

2008-08-22T09:27:00.005-05:00

I'm having a sale in both of my Etsy shops!

Take 10% off everything in AvalonAdornments,

and 20% off everything in SummerSea! Just wait for an adjusted invoice, before you pay.

Thanks for looking!
~tracyw

Hancock Shaker Village Day Trip

2008-08-20T08:52:00.008-05:00

Last weekend, I visited Hancock Shaker Village, in the Berkshire Mountains. It's a museum , but was an actual Shaker Village Homestead until the 1950's when it was sold to a group of trustees for preservation. The most stunning feature of the campus is the round stone barn! It's amazing, inside and out!

I also enjoyed the huge medicinal herb garden and the cut flower garden. The Shakers were very well-known for their herbal knowledge.
I also found out that the Shakers really embraced new technologies. At the village, they kept several cars, and always traded them in every two years or so. This way, they had the latest automotive innovations. They also built a water turbine for their laundry system.

It was a really nice day, spent exploring the village, and learning about this amazing local culture. If you ever get to New England, it's worth a trip!

W is for Witch! ~ new item in my shop

2008-08-01T17:14:00.002-05:00

Most of you know me more from my herb shop, but I do have a more creative side that likes to play with glitter, and silks and paint and glue.
I thought you might like to see my newest creation in my Avalon Adornments shop. It's a mixed media assemblage. You can see more about it here.

New Celestial Magnets in my shop!

2008-07-25T21:04:00.005-05:00

This is not your average magnet set! This would make a great gift! In misty tones of teal, purple, and pinky-red, the celestial symbols of the Sun, Moon, and a Star shine. These jumbo 1.25" glass gems and the metal tin have been hand-colored using alcohol inks, then rubber stamped. The designs for the magnets were rubber stamped on paper and adhered using sparkle glue. the back of the magnet is sealed iwth sparkle adhesive so even that is pretty when turned over. I then sealed everything with several coats of sealer.

The tin is all wrapped up in coordinating fibers, ready for gift giving! This would make the perfect gift for your hostess, a housewarming or birthday!

I left the interior of the tin uncoated so it can be used for any manner of things after you take out the magnets.

The magnets are super strong neodymium, and will hold 6-7 pieces of paper.
You can find this set for sale at my Etsy shop, Avalon Adornments.

Winners of EAST's Gypsy Design Challenge!

2008-07-22T08:59:00.001-05:00

The Gypsy Design challenge voting has ended and we have winners!
Thank you to everyone who voted!

Figgy, of FromtheFigTree won with her beautiful Gypsy skirt

Congratulations!!!

Liz, of LizStaley, came in second place with her adorable Anime plushie

And Dismissie came in third with her Gypsy wagon

Everyone who participated was so creative, I'm just blown away! Thank you so much!

Tonka Beans for Magick and Money Draw

2008-07-20T15:29:00.002-05:00

I now have Tonka Beans for sale in my shop!
Also known as Coumaria Nut and Lucky Bean, Tonka has a long history of use in both the perfume industry, and for it's associations with Luck, Money, and Love.
Tonka beans have a vanilla-like scent when tinctured, and are sometimes used as an ingredient in fragrances.

To use for magickal purposes, they are carried in your pocket, placed in a sachet, or used in spells for to draw money to you. If I'm doing a prosperity spell designed specifically for money, and not just general abundance, I'll always have a few tonka beans on my altar.
It is not recommended to burn tonka beans, which is why I don't include them in my incense formulas.

Sale at Summer Sea Herbs!

2008-07-14T10:56:00.002-05:00

**************I'm having a sale thru July 18th!*************
Take 25% off all items in my herb shop! Just place your order and wait for an adjusted invoice. It's that easy!

EarthPath Artisans Street Team's Gypsy Challenge Begins! Come Vote!

2008-07-05T15:29:00.002-05:00

The EarthPath Artisans Street Team (EAST) is having a Gypsy Design Challenge! Team members have taken their interpretation of what the word "Gypsy" conjures up for them, and created new pieces in a variety of media.

The purpose of this challenge is not to win prizes or compete with each other; rather, it's a way to build team camaraderie and inspire us to explore new themes and stretch our creative muscles. And for the winner, it means a little extra attention from an adoring public! Winners will be posted on the blog and on Etsy.

So stop by the EAST Challenge page on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/groups/earthpathchallenge
To see pictures of the entries, and then go vote at the EAST blog
http://earthpathartisans.blogspot.com
You can also see many of the entries on Etsy by visiting the team shop's favorite items page.
http://earthpathartisans.etsy.com

Voting ends July 21st.
We'll see you there!

Today is my ETSY-versary! Sale in my shop!

2008-06-26T07:44:00.003-05:00

Today is my two year Etsy-versary! Yay!
To celebrate, I'm going to offer 20% off everything in Summer Sea Herbs. If there's anything you want, just wait for an adjusted invoice after you make your purchases, before you pay.

It's been a great two years here, I'm so happy to have found Etsy, and of course, especially happy about our EarthPath Artisans family! You all rock my world!

Have a wonderful day!
Blessed be,
tracyw

Check out the new items in my shop!

Love your Mother!

2008-04-22T09:02:00.003-05:00

Happy Earth Day!
Go organic!
Reduce, Re-use, Recycle as much as you possibly can!

Spring has Sprung! Finally...

2008-03-23T10:25:00.001-05:00

While it seemed that Spring would never get here, the calendar has moved steadily on from Winter and officially become Spring. and not a minute too soon, either. I don't know a single person who hasn't felt just totally beaten down by the weather here so far this year.

So, to celebrate the fact that there are Spring flowers blooming somewhere, I've posted some of my pics from the annual New England Flower Show held in Boston. There's also a few of my other pics here that make me think of Spring.
Enjoy!

Winter Wonderland Challenge ~ Vote & Win!

2007-12-29T10:11:00.000-05:00

The voting for our Winter Wonderland Challenge is still going on, so you STILL have a chance to VOTE and be put in for a FREE chance to WIN a WONDERFUL PRIZE PACK!

Registered Etsy members get FOUR votes each (not each shop). It's so easy to register, you just need an email address!

Each of the 4 top-hearted items have one of their voters chosen randomly to win a FANTASTIC prize pack put together by the members of EAST (which includes soap, earrings, ornaments, and a lot more!),

So get your votes in before the contest ends on January 7th! You can see all 22 of our entries by visiting our Team Shop's favorites: Here's the link to our team Favorites

Just click on the piece you want to vote for and "Add Item to Favorites". See how easy?

And all thru the Blog, not a new thing stirred...

2007-12-25T09:46:00.000-05:00

I'm making amends here, on Christmas day, to you, my poor readers who have had nothing new from me in a very long time. For some reason, blogging has seemed a bit overwhelming lately. There have not been too many personal things that I could share, and business has been quiet. I felt stuck trying to come up with something useful, or funny, to say. I haven't had too many new pretty pictures, either.

I want to get back to blogging regularly, in the manner to which you have become accustomed. Know that there will be the usual mix of magick and medicine, business and pleasure. There will be, for awhile anyway, probably more business things. I owe ALOT of people posts about their shops for the Etsy 90/90 day challenge. It's now more like the 90/180 day challenge. Sorry about that! If you blogged about Summer Sea Herbs, know that I will blog you back~really.

Speaking of Summer Sea Herbs, I have been very busy getting some new products up in the Etsy shop, new packaging, and tending to EarthPath Artisan Street Team business.
I also tried my hand at a new mixed media piece for a promotion that the EAST team is currently running.

Personally, I wanted to let you know that I'm doing ok. Sometimes lately, Life has been challenging, but I'm hanging in there. I'll try to keep you up to date, and try to get some pics from the past season up here for you.

Tim & I made Chocolate-dipped pretzels for stocking stuffers this year! Yum!

Take care, and I'll be back really soon!
Merry Christmas & Blessed Yule!
~tracyw

4 of 90 Featured Etsy Shops: Liz Staley's Realm of Nerdiness

2007-10-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

I'm a bit of a nerd~ I admit it! Undernearth my hippy,dippy, herbalist exterior is a nerd who loves Star Wars, used to play D&D in college, and watches Adult Swim late at night. I like computer geek stuff, although I'm not very good at it. I no longer game anymore. OK, so I haven't gamed in over 25 years. BUT, I can get my nerd fix just by stopping by Liz Staley's Realm of Nerdiness on Etsy! Liz is one of my favorite people on Etsy, and a member of my EarthPath Artisans Street team.

Currently living in Greenville, NC, Liz makes cool chokers out of PC keyboard keys, crochets fabulous and sexy fingerless gloves, and makes fun buttons! She has also figured out how to make wallets out of keyboard circuitry! Now, you won't find those anywhere else! Liz is not only a Star wars fan, but caters to FireFly/Serenity fans as well. She's got a new line of buttons and magnets with fun quotes from the series.

You can also find Liz blogging about her life here.
Stop by the Realm of Nerdiness to read all the fun buttons, and indulge your inner nerd! She's currently making some new "Geek Paks" for us which will make great stocking stuffers for those geeks or gamers on your list!

Franklin County Fiber Twist Festival

2007-10-29T16:45:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, my Mom and I went to the Franklin County (MA) Fiber Twist. It's a county-wide celebration of all things wool and wool-related. The main vendor halls and the demonstrations were held in Old Deerfield Village in Deerfield, MA. Then various farms had open studio hours where you could visit. After spending most of the day at the vendor halls, we set off for the studio tour.

The weather on Saturday was typical of the worst that New England has to offer in October- cold rain and fog, all day. However, being the intrepid souls that we are, we managed to make it to two of the farms to visit. The farms were located on back roads, well off the beaten path. When we got to Springdelle Farm in Shelburne, they were having a shearing demonstration on the sheep. The farm's studio, Foxfire Fiber & Designs had incredibly soft hand-dyed yarn spun into the most beautiful colors!

Springdelle Sheep

After we left Springdelle, we headed to Moonshine Design at Keldaby. Here the focus is on Angora goats. The mohair from these gentle animals is so lush! We got a tour of the barn, and visited the shop there. I covet the hand-dyed Sport socks made at the farm! They were the thickest, softest and most colorfully dyed socks I have seen!

Back at Old Deerfield, we met vendors from all over the Valley. Each booth was full of wool rovings, batts, finished hand-crafted items or related things. We even went to a demonstration of felting. My new obsession is now making felt (wet felting) and needle felting! I'll be sure to post my first piece I finish.

Here's some of the pictures from the hall, with links if available:
Woollies of Shirkshire Farm, Conway,MA (413.625.3236)

Jaeger Farm Icelandics

Sojourner Designs

Journey Wheels

Day 3 of 90 Featured Etsy Shops: Earmark Invitations

2007-10-28T08:34:00.000-05:00

Are you obsessed with cards and stationary? Can't resist the racks of gorgeous cards and journals, even when you're late to get someplace? Yeah, me too!

If that's the case, Earmark Invitations's shop on Etsy is a place you should see. These custom stationers have great graphics, clean crisp designs, and a sense of humor. I love that they print all of their designs on recycled paper. Bridgette and Mike will also make a custom birthday card or stationary for you at very reasonable prices. If you're near San Diego, stop by and see them at their weekly booth at the Ocean Beach Farmers Market. Tell them you're from Etsy and get a free card! Free cards for the paper obsessed! What could be better than that?

Day 2 of 90 Featured Etsy Shops: Wanderlust & Pixiedust

2007-10-27T07:33:00.000-05:00

I found GLITTER!!!!!!

You all know how much I like pretty, shiny things, right? Today's featured shop in the 90 in 90 Etsy promotion is Wanderlust & Pixiedust. Not only is there have real vintage glass glitter, but also nice supplies for making your own paper arts such as collage. There are pendants and other things ready-made, too. Vintage is her thing, and there's some fun items to choose from!

You can read more about Wanderlust in her blog.

Day 1 of 90 Featured Etsy Shops: Giftbearer

2007-10-26T09:14:00.000-05:00

Cool Contemporary tribal jewelry from Etsy's Giftbearer offers something different!

Pippit Carlington has been creating art ever since she was old enough to pick up a paintbrush.
She works in several mediums;including acrylics, watercolor, drawing, clay sculpture, and jewelry. A multicultural influence is evident in her work reflecting a diverse heritage of Iroquois Indian, Hawaiian, Russian Jewish, and French Canadian. She is strongly influenced by nature, political and social issues, and uses her art to educate the public.

Putting her money where her mouth is, Pippit has mentored artists with mental illness in a psychosocial rehabilitation program she developed called Artvision. Artists in the program received help and guidance in learning all aspects of how to run an art-based business. This prepared them to earn money using a talent they already have.
You can find Pippit's blog here: http://artlifenewsblog.blogspot.com/

EAST Autumn Challenge Winners!!!!

2007-10-18T08:09:00.000-05:00

Yesterday our "Autumn Colors & Falling Leaves Design Challenge" was judged by Etsy Labs! There were 40 wonderful and crafty entries.
The winners are:
Funky Devaz

Ravenshold

RachealAnilyse

Azurefire

I'm amazed at all the creative entries, across many different
mediums. Thanks to everyone who participated! To see all the listings for the Challenge entries , search AutumnEast as a tag, or you can go look at the favorites here in the team account,
http://www.etsy.com/favorite_listings.php

Here's the article that Etsy labs did for the winners and about the event!
http://www.etsy.com/storque/section/spotlight/article/etsy-earthpath-
artisans-design-challenge-winners/431/

Nice job, Everyone!
blessed be,
tracyw, SummerSea

EarthPath Artisans Autumn Challenge Event

2007-10-15T18:16:00.000-05:00

****EarthPath Artisans Autumn Design Challenge****
The EAST team has issued a challenge to all members to create an item that falls in the theme of Autumn Colors & Falling Leaves. Etsy Labs will be judging the winners on Oct.16th!
You can view all the entries here:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/earthpathchallenge/pool
Look for the AutumnEast tags Etsy-wide for member shop challenge entries!
You can also see the original listings for the items entered in our challenge by looking here on Etsy. That will take you to our new shop on Etsy. All the favorite items listed are in the Challenge!Here's my entry:

New Incense and Flower Essences Arrive!

2007-09-20T19:52:00.000-05:00

I have been VERY busy this past week or so, and have finally gotten a few new items listed in my shop. I have FIVE new flower essences available for the first time ever, and two new incenses for your magickal needs!

First, the flower essences: Iris, Lady's Mantle, Echinecea, Mallow,and Valerian.
This is the first time I have offered the essences individually. I will make more of the single flowers and gemstone elixers available soon.

For my current selection and to find out more about flower essences, please click the link.

I'm also offering two new loose 100% Organic herbal incense blends:

Lucky Stars, and Prosperity & Abundance .

These are made to assist with spells and rituals.

Please vist my Etsy shop, Summer Sea Herbs, to see everything I have to offer! I have a full selection of herbal incenses, essences, bulk herbs and magickal items!

Tagged Again! ~ The Name Game

2007-09-19T12:03:00.000-05:00

OK, SweetSpice tagged me back with this new game: the Name Game.

I guess I deserved it, and you know I'm gonna pass it on!

So, here we go:

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)~ Max Corolla

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)~ Phish Food Oreo

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)~ Twil

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)Blue Cat

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)~ Ellen Hackensack

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)~ Wiltr

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)~ The Purple MaiTai

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)~ Joe Sid

9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy)~ Warm Vanilla Kisses

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names )~ Ellen Joseph

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) La Puff Phoenix

12. SPY NAME/BOND GIRL: (your favorite season/holiday, flower)~ Yule Peony

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)~ Cherry Tankie

14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)~ Coffee Birch

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”)~ The Stamping Wind Tour

Tag! You're It!

2007-09-19T06:56:00.000-05:00

So it finally happened! I got tagged!
I was tagged by Xiane.
Tagging means I'll tell you 6 random things about myself, and then in turn, tag 6 others to do the same. Mmmm, so who should I tag?

Completely random things about me, which defy explanation:

1~ I love artificially blue food. The blue raspberry slushy, blue candy, blue tropical drinks, etc.

2~ Fast cars= fun. Pagans for Nascar! Woo-Hoo! If I could drive a race car for a living, I'd do it in a minute. Go, Junior, #8!

3~ I have an impressive collection of stuffed animals.

4~ I can't watch scary movies, because I get too scared and can't sleep. All my friends know this, and will tell me if I can/can't watch a movie. My own in-house ratings system!

5~ I have a cell phone, but have no idea how to use it beyond making calls.

6~ I love to go freshwater fishing. I can catch them, but I can't clean them. I'm too squeamish.

Now, let's see...I'll tag:

North Quabbin Garlic & Arts Festival

2007-09-18T08:39:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, I went to the Garlic festival which takes place about a mile from my home. It's my favorite fall festival, here in the Pioneer Valley. The day is a benefit for Seeds of Solidarity Farm's education programs. It's full of farmers selling organic vegetables, crafts vendors and healing arts providers, as well as demonstrations and music! I see quite a few people I know and it's always a fun time.

Here's some photos from the day:

Cheshire Garden makes the most wonderful preserves, mustards and vinegars! I look forward to stopping by the booth every year.

Tom Ricardi, Wildlife Rehabilitator, was there educating the crowd about the magnificent birds of prey!

And the Winner is...

2007-09-11T19:39:00.001-05:00

Wow! What a successful Wickedly Chic contest! There were over 330 entries to win the Summer Sea Herbs gift box of magickal goodies.The winner is Lisa G. of Auxvasse, MO! Thanks for playing, Lisa, and your gift box will be shipped to you shortly.In case you missed all the action, you can shop for those magickal goodies yourself, at Summer Sea Herbs on Etsy.com!Don't forget to sign up for the Wickedly Chic newsletter to enter more weekly contests!

Win my Gift box on Sunday Night!

2007-09-08T10:50:00.000-05:00

I'm giving away a gift box of Summer Sea Herbs Magickal products to the lucky winner of Wickedly Chic's weekly Sunday Night Giveaway contest. You'll win all the products pictured here! A $40.00 value! The box includes three loose herbal incense blends, two Journey pouches, a bottle of Earth Magnet flower essence, and a roll of Three Kings Charcoal!
To be eligible to win, all you have to do is go to the site, and sign up for the newsletter here:
http://www.wickedlychic.com/index.php?id=6

It's a great site to find Indie craftswomen! There are alot folks from Etsy over there as well! Every week, a different set of shops and products are featured.
Thanks, Liz, for the opportunity to sponsor the Sunday Night Giveaway!

Long May She Roll!

2007-09-05T10:17:00.000-05:00

Well, it finally happened! My little '95 Toyota Corolla rolled over her odometer to 150,000 miles! It was a momentous moment, which I happened to see. I looked down just as the numbers rolled to 150000.
You go, girl!
Long May She Live, and Take Me Where I Need To Go!!!!

Cape Cod Vacation , part 2: Provincetown

2007-08-28T00:09:00.000-05:00

Well, as promised, here's some pics from the day I spent in and around P-town. It really was so much fun. We were there during the day, so we didn't get to see all the lovely queens, but it was a nice different vibe. I always like roaming around that little town!

Cape Cod Vacation , part 1

2007-08-26T10:53:00.000-05:00

I went to Truro, MA on Cape Cod last week for quick escape for a few days to recharge my soul batteries. The beach always helps me to unwind. The Cape is one of my favorite places in New England! It takes me about four hours to drive there, but worth it every time! As you know I love to take pictures, and had so much fun prowling around for new ones! The first day there, I went to the Wellfleet Wildlife Sanctuary with some friends. We walked the nature trails, through the pines and out to the shore. We watched the herons and osprey flying over the salt marsh. It was just beautiful! Here's some pics from that little adventure.
Tomorrow ~P-Town !

Different type of World Clock

2007-08-16T20:54:00.000-05:00

This is fascinating and horrible, all at the same time!

I think it's important to share this world clock. Send it to your friends, or have them come here and look at it.

Knowledge is power, and nothing is written in stone. We CAN make changes in this world so that, over time, these stats will be better.

I just wanted you to see this....

http://www.peterrussell.dreamhosters.com/Odds/WorldClock.php

EarthPath Artisans Grows Again!!!!!

2007-08-14T08:25:00.000-05:00

I wanted to let you all know that the "little" Etsy street team I started this past Spring has grown by leaps and bounds! We went from just a few members, to more than 50 shops! Since we have grown so much, I thought you might want to take a look. I have at least ten more shops to add this week, so check back to our team page periodically and see who's new!

You can find a listing of all the members of EarthPath Artisans here,

http://team.etsy.com/profilest/east.shtml

You can also search Etsy with the tag, EAST. That will pull up items by team members, even if they aren't official yet. It takes time to get everyone on the official list, even though I send requests for updating our page twice a month.

Happy shopping, Everyone!

Gemstar Road Trip!

2007-07-29T09:18:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Tim & I went on a little road trip up to Enfield, NH to visit Gemstar Gemstone & Bead shop. It's about 100 miles north of our house. We took all these little back roads to there and back. We were driving thru a region of New Hampshire full of little lakes and small mountains. It was just beautiful!

Gemstar Gemstone is known all throughout New England as THE place to go to get quality beads and findings at rock bottom prices. Years ago, I used to make and sell Pearl and gemstone jewelry, and that was where I would go for most of my beads. Gemstar also sells rocks and crystals. Really big rocks and crystals! Walking thru the yard is an instant attitude adjustment!
Here I am with Amethyst and Citrine cathedrals

I wanted to share some photos of Gemstar. Once I got inside the little shop, I completely forgot to get any pictures of all the beads and stuff. There are bins and strands hanging everywhere! It's so much fun!

Here's Tim with Selenite Logs!

Their website seems to be under construction, but here's the info:
Gemstar Gemstone Company
427 Shaker Blvd
Enfield,NH 03748
603-632-7115

Flowers for My Birthday

2007-07-26T22:45:00.000-05:00

I celebrated my birthday today with a visit to a place in S. Newfane,Vermont called Olallie DayLily Farm. It's the kind of place where the grass has no biting ants, the dirt is cool, and I can actually walk barefoot. This is a big deal to me because I almost never go barefoot anymore. Too many years of issues with my feet have left me uncomfortable exposing my tender toes. Not so at the Daylily farm. I was able to get REALLY grounded and centered, as I walked thru the grassy aisles.

The eye candy here is incredible. The family that runs this farm hybridizes their own lilies. They maintain their own test gardens, too. I signed up to be notified when a beautiful pale lemony stunner will be available~ in 1 or 2 years! i will wait, it's worth it! Oh, and I picked a pint of delicious organic blueberries while I was there. Yum!!!I wanted to share the photos from the farm with you.

After we got done there, we went into Brattleboro for double shot iced lattes at Mocha Joes, then to dinner in Turners Falls at this fabulous Italian ristorante'. I had a four-course meal there to rival any big-city place. The sauteed seasonal veggies on a bed of risotto with Gorgonzola was sublime!Dessert was a gluten-free flourless bittersweet chocolate mousse bomb. A brandy later, and I was feeling very...spoiled!

Lammas Crafts

2007-07-20T10:45:00.000-05:00

Wow! It's almost August 1st! That is the day that the ancient Celts marked the First Harvest of the fields. This day is a sabbat called Lammas, celebrated by Pagans around the world. Of course, the first harvest has been celebrated by the earliest civilizations who planted grains, dating back to the Sumerians.

There are some traditional crafts and offerings that you can make for this sabbat.

~Baking bread is probably the original offering made, as it is one of the oldest skills of civilization. Ancient breads were unleavened, with the addition of yeast to the process coming much later in history, probably in Egypt. The process of harvesting and grinding the grains is representative of the Death of the God, or if corn, the Corn King. It is wise to include some freshly sprouted wheat in the bread recipe. This would be the resurrection of the God. If you bake bread, carve a pentacle in the top before baking with your athame.

~Making a corn dolly is another craft that represents the growth of the grains and the life that they offer thru the hard Winter ahead. The dolly represents the Mother Goddess, or in the Celtic traditions, Bride or Bridget. You just take the corn stalks leaves and weave them into the representation of a woman's shape. Mine see to all look like the traditional woman wearing a dress shape. Well, sometimes they just look like a blob of cornstalks tied together! I then put this on my house altar.

~Weaving onion (and garlic) braids are also good crafts for this sabbat. Onions are multipurpose, in that they store well for Winter food, and they can be charged to help as a charm of protection for your home. If used for this purpose, they can be hung anywhere, although if you do this ,I wouldn't eat them. Onions absorb negativity, including that from illness. The diagram below is from Wheel of the Year, by Pauline Campanelli.

These are just a couple of things you can do to help celebrate Lammas! Of course, all the harvesting you do can be done with a feeling of gratitude and the thanks to the Gods & Goddesses that you follow. I used to have a very large vegetable and herb garden. I know that when I was done with my canning, freezing, and drying, I felt safer in the knowledge that I had food in the pantry to get me thru the Winter. for the sabbat, I used to bake bread with some seeds from the garden plants such as dill, included in it. This helped make the offering more personal, since I didn't grind the flour myself.

Blessed Lammas!

Extraordinary!

2007-07-16T08:22:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to take a minute and say
Thank You
to all my friends!!!
I have an extraordinary community of people surrounding me. Truly! I would never imagined that I could have so many dear friends who love and support me.

I feel that I am very much being held by my community in REAL life, and my virtual community on ETSY.It's a strange thing to feel so cared for by people I have never met. But that's exactly how I feel. In the year that I have been selling on ETSY, I have made some incredible friends. These folks are the real deal. Someday, I will meet some of them face to face, and that will be a sweet day, indeed!

I appreciate all the phone calls and visits from local friends more than you can know! I have been just getting from point A to point B, and the encouragement from you keeps moving me forward.
Mom is doing well, and should be home from the hospital in a couple of days. It's great that she lives so close to me (only ½ mile). Tim is also feeling much better and went back to work last week. Me? Well, I'm hanging in there~with a little help from my friends!
Goddess Bless you all!
Love,
tracyw

Blue Jay

2007-07-09T08:33:00.000-05:00

The other night, my husband was heading to the back yard, when I heard him call me to come look at something. There in the weeds, was a blue jay nestling fluttering across the yard and thru the bushes. It had most of it's feathers and should have been able to fly by this time. Unfortunately, it seems that both it's legs were hurt. It couldn't stand up. The wings worked fine, but it could only rest on it's body, on the ground. It couldn't get enough lift to fly.

We watched it for awhile to see if the parents were going to feed it, but they never showed up. It was getting dark and I knew if it stayed outside, it would become the feature in a "food chain event". I'm usually one to let Nature take it's course, but I wasn't sure, at that point, what was wrong with the bird, so I just couldn't leave it in the yard like that. I wanted to see how badly it was injured, and if it looked like nursing it back to health was an option.

I captured it by tossing a towel over it, then did an examination. The blue jay didn't have any wounds on it, nor did it legs look damaged. The problem was that it's feet were curled up and the toes wouldn't open beyond a grasping position. It couldn't stand up at all. The poor thing had some sort of nerve damage to it's feet.
In light of the fact that this little bird would never stand up or fly, and that it's parents had stopped feeding it, I knew it wasn't long for this world.

I tried to give it some food, and a little water, which mostly consisted of the jay trying to bite me. I kept it overnight in my cat carrier, laying out a old t-shirt for comfort. The jay settled down and seemed to rest. At least this way, it wouldn't have the horror or being stalked and attacked at night. In the morning, it seemed more rested. I tried to feed it again, and then put it in the shade near the garden. The family of jays was very curious about the little one on the ground, but wouldn't go near it. For the next few hours, the young jay fluttered around on the ground, trying to get up into a laurel bush, and then resting, worn out. As the day progressed, the jay got weaker and spent more time lying on it's side. In the early afternoon, I went to check on the jay, and it had passed away. I was sorry to see this happen, but at least it died quietly. I kept a few feathers to remind me of this little determined bird, and buried it under some leaves in the woods behind the house.

So many people think of blue jays as being noisy,nasty, marauding birds. If you have the chance to view one very close up, or with binoculars, you will see how very beautiful they are!

Getting it with the Tarot

2007-07-04T08:55:00.000-05:00

Tarot cards give clues as to how things MAY work out, what to watch for, and what the general direction is for where your life may be heading. They are warnings and indicators, and you can use that information to change how you move thru current situations. I rarely have full readings done by others for me anymore. I like to get them done, but only when there is a pressing need. On Sunday, a friend of mine did a card reading for me. We were taking a break from fishing, and he offered to do a reading. I'd been after him for a few years to do this, but he lives quite far from me, and I don't see him very often.

Kenny reads the traditional Celtic cross spread, which consists of ten cards. he then lays down clarifying cards on those. After that, he did another ten card spread, using my original significator and a couple of other cards as the base.
Generally, my readings are pretty hopeful affairs, with some of the "nicer" major arcana cards, an Ace or two, and usually indicating times of renewal and strength ahead. Not so with this reading. I can't say that I'm too surprised. With all the medical crap happening with me and members of my immediate family, I expected some of the more serious cards to come up. Although, as sometimes happens in readings, the things you think you want to know about aren't what you need to be looking at. for instance, this reading really wasn't about health issues at all.

My reading featured Queen of Cups (my significator card), Pages crossing me (messsengers-I wonder who/what that will be?), a woman- the Queen of Swords that will shake things up, the Tower in my immediate past, and the Nine of Swords(Grief) in my immediate future.

After that, there will be a trip that is borne of necessity, not pleasure. Money will be extremely tight, although I have been told that we won't lose the house (WTF? We pay all our bills every month and aren't behind at all).
One card I never have in a reading is the Chariot. This came up twice, in the same position-the Outcome. This means that depending on which path I choose, I can greatly affect the outcome of the entire situation. The other card that came up in the Outcome position was the Fool. I will have to go forward with my "decision", about my situation (whatever is coming?) and trust that I'm right, even though others may not agree. There were two good cards that came up, both in the Friends and community position. The World and the Three of Cups, both showing incredible support from my friends. I know how lucky I am in that respect. I have amazing friends and community support! Good to know this won't change!

So, what does this mean to me?
~Well, I need to really start walking my talk with my self-care. I'm on the right path treating my Multiple Sclerosis naturally and holistically. I just need to keep on doing it. So many times, I start a protocol only to have it lapse in a few days.

~I also need to TRUST that the Goddess will take me where I need to go in my life. I have a bit of a conditional relationship with the Lady. It's been working so far, but apparently won't be tolerated anymore. I need to stop all pretense, and just give it all up to Her. Can you say FEAR?! Ack!!!! I thought I was doing pretty well with this, but I guess not. Living one day at a time is the way to go. Let go of preconceived notions about what I need/want, and just see where things go. I really suck at that. I need goals and plans, or I just feel like I'm drifting.

and as to what I physically can do?
~I think I'll do a Transformation & Pattern Release Ritual at the fire pit, to let go of those ideas I have about the way things should be. Not that I really want to. Things like my health, our home(and how that will eventually be remodeled), my Priestess work (which needs to be done a whole lot more often), and my place in my little corner of world.
~I can take my vitamins and eat more healthily every day. This has always been so challenging for me.
~I need to get back to my daily/weekly spiritual practices. I haven't been doing this in soooo long! I also need to get back to doing observances of the Moons, and seasonal things a bit more than I currently am.....

I think that's enough for now! I get tired just thinking about it. I'm hoping that these things will sustain me during the tough times ahead. I'm counting on it!
If I play my cards right(literally), I can influence the outcome layed out by the reading. I hope so

Happy silly thoughts

2007-06-27T09:12:00.000-05:00

Things here have been kind of hard lately. I just need some happy, silly thoughts and images to cheer me up. I thought you might enjoy these, too!

Summer is here!

2007-06-22T11:12:00.000-05:00

Summer is here, and in our house that means one thing~ Little Miss Midnight gets her annual shave! She is a little, tiny cat (6.2lbs) with allot of long fur. She doesn't groom much and will run at the sight of a brush. Someone, somewhere, hurt her with one before I ever got her from the rescue nine years ago. Anyway, I just thought you'd like to see her new "do".

Just to be fair,I thought that I would share a picture of my other kid, Snowball, my obsessive kitty. If she's not on me at all times, then life just sucks and she'll tell you all about it! She also snores~loudly!

They are two very "special" kitties, but I can't imagine life here without them!

Solstice!

2007-06-21T09:14:00.000-05:00

Solstice blessings to you today!

It's a beautiful, sunny day here at the lake! A perfect day for honoring the Summer Solstice!

One of the ways I like to celebrate the Solstice is to re-do my altar with all manner of gold, red and yellow items. I also try to make a little wreath or paper sun, or some sort of item representing the solar disc to hang. After this is charged, I might take it outside and hang it up in a tree in the woods behind my house. You can even use a Celtic equal-armed cross symbol. Adding real sunflowers to the altar is especially nice!

Some of the natural correspondences for the Summer Solstice are:

Plants~ Roses, jasmine, hibiscus and tropical flowering plants
Animals~ Jaguar, doves, peahens
Minerals~ Malachite, emeralds, sapphires, turquoise, amazonite

This is a wonderful day to do healing work and rituals. This is the longest day of the year, so you may find it easier to bring illumination to those issues you would like to address. If it isn't raining later (forecasted), I think that I will also have a small fire in the firepit in the back yard. I might do some scrying in the fire, my preferred method of scrying. I've never been able to do it with mirrors or water.

Have a wonderful Solstice wherever you are!

Coffee Altar

2007-06-19T06:48:00.000-05:00

Some of you already know this, by my beverage of choice is Coffee!!!!!!!!!!!
My husband is more addicted than I am. We buy whole freshly roasted beans from Dean's Beans, right here in our little town. After almost eight years together, and being the proper Pagans that we are, we've ended up with a Coffee altar on our fridge, dedicated to the Great Good Goddess, Caffeina. It consists of labels from some great coffee we have been gifted with over the years. It's got bumper stickers and and magnets, and all manner of things. It's actually more extensive now than when this pic was taken, but you can get the general idea.

I just thought that I would share this this weird little part of my home with you. :0)

enjoy!

Hussy in the Garden

2007-06-16T12:07:00.000-05:00

I've been waiting all week for my pink peony to bloom. Today, it finally did and it's even more stunning than last year! It's almost fluorescent pink, with bright yellow centers. Here's a few shots I took this morning before my camera batteries died. The close-up is not re-touched in any way. The second photo I played around in Photoshop very briefly. I'm still learning about the different filters and stuff, so bear with me!

Hope you enjoy my flowers!

A Little Unexpected Help

2007-06-15T10:07:00.000-05:00

Yesterday afternoon I decided to go sit down on the dock for awhile. I didn't have an agenda, I didn't take any fishing gear or the phone. I just wanted to BE, and try to sort some things out in my head. I'm still feeling effects from all the MS "stuff" that happened in March, April, and May. I'm trying to figure out how to get back on my feet, and get on with my life.

So, I thought that I would relax down by the water. Well, it was very nice outside when I walked down there. I didn't see anyone else around. I asked the elements to help clue me in on what to do next, and started with some general prayers. The answer I got came in mere moments! I closed my eyes to help clear my head. All of the sudden I felt the dock start rocking a bit more, the wind picked up and waves started coming across the surface of the lake.I opened my eyes and there were small whitecaps running up on the shore. I closed my eyes again and let the whole scene wash over me: sounds of waves, wind and birds calling. Oh, so this is what I'm supposed to be doing~ getting cleansed! This IS what I needed. Duh!

It felt like ritual was starting, so I called in the Goddesses that came to mind, one for each element(I never do this, but it just came to mind): Yemaya~water, Gaia~earth, Bridget~fire, and Diana~air. I have no idea why Diana was representing as the Eastern goddess to me, but I wasn't going to question it too much. As soon as I said Diana's name, the wind got crazy and whipped the lake even more! The dock was rocking around so much, I was afraid to stand up, so I just sat in my chair, arms and legs uncrossed. What a ride!
When I felt like I had what I needed, I thanked the Goddesses. The lake gradually returned to normal, and the wind and waves stopped.

I've done some small rituals down there before, but never had this kind of thing happen. I'm not a weather witch. I leave that to a few friends I know with that talent. But this was pretty cool and really did work. I feel a bit better. I figure that the cleansing will continue to do it's thing, as I go about my life this week.
I feel like I can breathe now. Ahhh...

Meet Stubby!

2007-06-13T12:32:00.000-05:00

Well, it's almost Summer and the signs are everywhere! Like this little sign, propped up on my front porch railing this morning. I haven't seen the robin's nest around, or any babies until today.
I'm calling him Stubby! He (just seems like a little guy) got a little stubby tail, cute little stubby wings and a little stubby call. He's got the cutest tufts of feathers sticking out from his head. Mom robin has been feeding him, and after a couple of hours on the railing, Stubby flew up into the Laurel bush next to the porch. Not the most graceful of maneuvers, to be sure! That's a much safer place for him until he can figure out how to get back to the nest, wherever that is.

Too cute, and I thought that I would share.
What signs of Summer are going on around you?

Gettin' up early

2007-06-12T10:12:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, my household moved towards a new schedule. My husband is now working a 2nd shift schedule. This means staying up later and sleeping in later. Well, while I really like it when Tim works this kind of schedule, it really screws up my fishing time!
So, today I happened to wake up early. I grabbed some coffee, my fishing gear and headed down to the dock to drown some worms. I got to watch the sun come up over the trees, the bald eagle take his morning constitutional flight over the lake, and listen to all manner of birds. Gods! what have I been missing by sleeping until 9am?! I even caught a couple of nice bass! The first one was good size, but I threw him back. The second one I caught was twice the size, so I kept him for lunch! (I apologize to my vegetarian friends) This bass weighed in at about 2 pounds. I caught him on a Gary Yamamoto Worm. My local bait shop owner told me that these are what the tournament fishermen use. They really do work, too! We'll be grillin' this nice big boy up, and serving with rice pilaf and some veggies. MMMMM!!!!
I didn't get any photos from this morning, but here's some from this past Summer.
Got a fish tale to share?
~tracyw

To Make a Witches Ladder

2007-06-04T15:43:00.000-05:00

My yard has been so full of little songbirds lately, that it got me thinking about making a new Witches' Ladder. This fun little crafty item is made to be hung from the tallest point inside your home, and aids in protection of your home and those residing in it.

So, what does this have to do with birds, you might ask? Well, a Witches' Ladder for protection is made of a collection of nine different colored feathers. I have made them with only seven, too. You can also make the charm for a particular purpose such as health, with only three feathers. The feathers need to be different colors. Traditionally, they would come from nine different kinds of birds, as well. However, I know just how difficult it can be to find these feathers. As long as they are all different colors, I don't think it impacts the magick too much. These would be feathers that you find on the ground.

We are coming into the time of year when adult birds will start to molt their feathers, in preparation for the Fall migration. This molting usually occurs after the baby birds have started to fledge. It has taken me many seasons to get enough feathers to make my ladders. I like to use songbird feathers. You can use any feathers that you gather, except from birds of prey. I would not use nine different feathers from these birds together. For one thing, it's illegal to possess feathers from any bird of prey. You are not even supposed to pick up a fallen hawk feather from the ground. Yeah, right, but I have to tell you that anyway. It is the law. (Technically, you are not allowed to collect songbird feathers, either.) Aside from that, using different raptor feathers together is tricky business. If you are not extremely well-versed in working with these spirits, I really suggest you don't try it with this project. I also use parrot feathers that have been gifted to me. You can use feathers that you have bought, but try to find as many wild feathers as you can first.

The actual ladder is made from braiding three cords, yarn or ribbons together. The traditional colors used would represent the triple aspect of the Goddess: white, red, and black. I have used other colors that represent my magickal traditions, such as green, white, and purple. If you are doing a three feather charm for a particular purpose, I would choose a cord color that corresponds to that work. Once you have your feathers and ribbons, you're ready to being assembling the charm.

I like to do this in sacred space, in a cast circle with an altar, during the full moon. You will need about a yard of each color ribbon. Tie one end together and start braiding. Say a chant while you braid to add power to the charm. Repeat this chant over and over until you are done braiding. When you're done, knot the end. At this point, you can start to tie on the feathers, evenly spaced along the ladder. You can continue with the spell as you tie on each feather. For instance, you can call in Health with the red feather, Prosperity with a green feather, Illumination with a yellow feather, Protection with black feathers, etc.

After you tie on all the feathers, tie the ends together to form a circle. Consecrate the ladder by smudging it with incense or sage, and infusing it with purpose. Hang the ladder in the highest part of your house where it won't be readily seen, such as an attic or in the eaves.

So, now that you want to make this charm, you need to go find feathers! You know that you can always find me walking along, staring at the ground, looking for feathers. I've actually walked right into trees because I was so busy looking at the ground!

Let me know how it turns out!

Once in a Blue Moon

2007-05-30T11:31:00.000-05:00

Did you know that this May we will have two full moons? The first one occurred on May 2nd. The next one is on May 31st, tomorrow night! This one is called a "Blue Moon". This is what the second full moon occurring in one month is called. To find out why, you can check out the Farmer's Almanac.
This only occurs about every 3 years or so.

Magickly speaking, using this energy would be wise, especially if you have a problem that you have put off working on for a long time. Think on the things that you need to attend to in your life. The full moon is about balance. It's not necessarily a time to start new things, but instead giving an "oomph" to your existing life. The moon, when full, can light our way on clear nights. Use this ability to illuminate your path when building a ritual. Cleaning out the cobwebs, as it were. Even if you just do a gratitude working, this is a wonderful time to do it! Doing a ritual working or spell under this special moon is sure to bring much emphasis to your task.

Where I live, I can see the Moon rise up over the eastern horizon, and then reflect on the lake as it tracks across the sky. I have tried to capture it's beauty with my camera, but to no avail. I can, however, capture some of it's energy to help me with a spell.
Even if you can't see the Blue Moon due to cloud cover where you are, you can still use it's energies to assist you. I hope you have a wonderful time!

Bright Moonlit Blessings,
tracyw

LilacLand Beauty!

2007-05-25T11:33:00.000-05:00

As is our annual rite of Spring, my friend and I went to LilacLand, a private property in Pelham, MA which the owners graciously open to the public every year. There are hundreds of lilac bushes and trees, as well as wisteria and honeysuckle, and flowering trees such as crabapple and dogwood. It's so incredibly beautiful, and the scent of lilacs and honeysuckle just wafts thru the air!Just for fun, there's in incredibly friendly cat who escorted us around the property!
I thought I would share some of the photos I took on this year's trip!

I'm So Proud!

2007-05-19T14:56:00.000-05:00

I just have to tell you about the work that my husband, Tim, has been doing lately! A few years ago, Tim started teaching himself how to make knives using the stock removal method. We were living in a rented duplex and he set up a tiny workshop in the basement. He made a couple of knives and they came out really well. When we moved out to our house, the first thing that Tim did was to build a forge off the garage. He built it out an old gas grill, which he converted. He has learned how to forge by researching his books, the Internet, his knife forums, and Blade magazine. He has just completed a couple of new knives, and I wanted you to see them. He also sold his first knife a couple of weeks ago! He had bartered some for equipment, but hadn't actually sold one. I'm so proud of him! These truly are beautiful, as well completely functional. You should see the tests he does on every blade! I think he likes testing the blades almost as much as making them. Here's some pics of Tim and his work. I hope you think his blades are as nice as I do!

Herbcraft...A few thoughts

2007-05-14T08:59:00.000-05:00

Someone recently asked me what an herb really is? They were confused because I had talked about the healing properties of the plants in their kitchen garden, as well as those of a nearby tree. I consider them all to have herbal properties. I thought that I would write a bit about herbcraft.

What are herbs? Herbs are plants that provide medicine, therapeutic scents, healing energy and beautify our gardens. Herbs are also plants that can help us initiate healing and positive changes through magickal workings. Since the Industrial age began in the western world, herbs have been relegated to the background by "modern" cultures that are no longer living in harmony with the Earth.

A little history... Herbs have been used for thousands of years. From the first tribes' green witch/shamanic healers to the ancient Babylonians who, in approximately 3000BC, recorded on clay tablets medical treatments and from where their herbs were imported. Every culture on Earth has used herbs, since the earliest Babylonians, to China, Egypt and the Mayans. In written traditions, "herbals" became very popular in 16th century Europe. As science emerged, plants were demystified, dissected and classified. Herbals were no longer being written, in deference to the new age of science. It wasn't until 1931 that A Modern Herbal was written by Mrs. M.Grieve, which drew on both science and traditional information. This started the writing of modern herbals for an industrialized society, and the reintegration of herbs into health care practices in small communities.

Herbs today.... Most people now think of herbs as limited to the dozen or so culinary seasonings we grow in our gardens or get at the supermarket. Herbalists have always thought of herbs as any plant that is useful for healing and medicine. This includes familiar herbs such as rosemary and oregano, or other types of plants such as trees, like the white willow and cedar. Although these trees are not technically herbs, they have both magickal and medicinal properties. Herbal supplements are now found in every mass-market drugstore. Unfortunately, consumers do no look to their local herbalist or naturopath for advice and consultations. The major manufacturers of herbal supplements put a health claim on a bottle for consumers to determine their own medication needs. Herbalism is more complicated than that. Herbs aren't just like vitamins, they are medicine. People need to make informed choices. Today there are many herbal books on the market about making medicine, or using herbs in your magickal practice. Your best source of information is a trained herbalist or naturopathic physician.

I have alot of opinions about modern medicine and marketing, but I'll get off my soapbox for today!

A Trip to the Botanic Garden

2007-05-02T08:36:00.000-05:00

To celebrate Beltane, my friend and I decided to go to Tower Hill Botanic Garden in W.Boyleston, MA. It took just over an hour to get there from my house. It's a very large place with beautiful nature trails, formal gardens and lawn, as well as an Orangerie. We had lunch there and then wandered around the grounds for a few hours. Here are some photos from our trip. I'll post more later.
Enjoy!

Blessed Beltane!

2007-05-01T06:42:00.000-05:00

A little milk, a little honey to bless the garden!
A chant & some prayers to Goddess Bridget!
Something shiny for the faeries!
This is what my MayDay is made of!
What will you be doing today?

I wonder who this was?

2007-04-28T09:43:00.000-05:00

On Easter morning, I went out to fill the bird feeder next to the house. I looked down and found these HUGE tracks on the new snow! They came out of the little critter trail out back, went along the side of the house and right next to the deck. We have considered all kinds of critters when trying to figure out who left these at our house. Because the tracks are about 4 inches long, and the stride between them is huge, we really aren't sure. I was really hoping it was a giant cat track, as that would mean we had been visited by the ever elusive, legendary mountain lion!

But after comparing tracks shown in my books and on-line, we've narrowed it down to some kind of canine track. That means that this was an enormous dog!Now, there aren't any dogs like this in the area, at least that we are aware of. We have coyote near here, but they usually aren't so big. There are no wolves here in Massachusetts. Perhaps it was a pet dog that got loose the night before, but I really doubt it. So this remains a mystery. And since I like a mystery, I that I would share it with you.

Earth Day Every Day!

2007-04-22T07:26:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday, Gaia!
Well, at least on the day your modern residents have chosen to celebrate your existence. Some of us celebrate your birthday on the Spring Equinox, but if adding a "special" day to the calendar has more folks paying attention to the issues that plague you, then I can't help but think it's a good thing. You need celebration, and a good polishing! We have let you get tarnished, in the name of our progress. However, there are some folks here who think that enough is enough. There are groups of us all over your great expanse working to make things right, and to try to let you breathe a little easier. Hopefully, alot of people will start to see that a little celebration, every day, is long overdue!
We do love you, Mom, really we do!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here are some links to find out more information on what you can do to lessen your impact on the planet, what others are doing, and what is coming in the future.
Find at least one thing that you can do, every day, to help our Mother.
Reduce/Re-Use/Recycle

Treehugger.com
Visible Earth: Nasa images of our home planet
Sundance Channel's The Green
What is Earth Day?
National Wildlife Federation
The Nature conservancy: Carbon Impact Calculator
World Wildlife Fund: What are you doing for Earth Day?
Plants for a Future:Links
Kyoto Protocol
An Inconvenient Truth
Dean's Beans Coffee: 100% Organic & Fair Trade

Ginger is my friend

2007-04-18T10:34:00.000-05:00

Ginger (Singiber officinalis) has been a lifesaver for me this past week. To be more specific, ginger candy. The IV steroid treatments I'm going thru leave a really bad metallic taste in my mouth after the IV has been running for about 30 minutes. It really tastes like I have been sucking on dirty quarter coins. Blehh! This has generally lasted about 24 hours, or just in time for my next treatment. I have found that citrus flavored things like juice and Starburst brand jelly beans help for a few minutes, but didn't do much for my stomach. Because I've been pretty out of it in general, I asked around a bit if anyone knew what might help. I should've thought of it myself because I use ginger in my tea formulas, but it never occurred to me to use it for this.
My friend, Kate, at TeaNoir, suggested the ginger and she was so right! it really helps the taste and the nausea I've been having immediately after the treatments. I'm sure that these would also help for anyone undergoing chemo treatments.

Kate said that ginger Altoids were really effective. Well, I couldn't find those, but I did get some ginger candy by these folks, GingerPeople. I liked these because they are individually wrapped so I can pop them into my purse. Of course, you could also get some bulk crystallized ginger at your local healthy grocer.

In my Throat & Cough Soother Organic Tea, I use powdered ginger as a circulatory stimulant and expectorant. It's good for cutting chills in the body if eaten in a meal, or taken as a tea when you are sick. Ginger oil or a poultice is also good to use in topical applications for rheumatic aches and pains. When massaged into the body, it brings blood to the area and increases circulation.

I think that I will have to take another look into cooking with fresh ginger root. I'm one of those people who always buy a piece of ginger, and then it sits in the back of my veggie bin in the fridge until it shrivels into nothing.

I haven't been able to think about eating anything fishy since I started the steroids. Once I get done with these treatments, I'm thinking shrimp, ginger and snow peas! I also found a recipe for Ginger and oatmeal muffins. Yum! If you have a good recipe with ginger, I'd love to see it! Post it in the comments!

Witches' Almanac

2007-04-15T09:02:00.000-05:00

What if you could find a book, an almanac, that contained this year's planetary aspects, climatological info and planting times, moon phases, stories and lore about the natural world, and a list of all the special days that a witch might need to be aware of? This might be a real find, right?

Well, now you can!

The Witches' Almanac has been in production since 1971. I have been buying this annually since 1998. The yearly editions span from Spring Equinox to Spring Equinox, and generally become available during the preceding Winter.

Every year there is a different focus or theme. Last year, the focus was on the element of Air. This year, it is about Water.

From the website, http://www.thewitchesalmanac.com/index.html
"The 2007-2008 edition celebrates the element of Water. Its theme embraces the magic of Sacred Wells and Charms for Neptune’s Favors. We explore the water rites of Fiji, the tarot’s Death card, seashell charms, gypsies, freemasonry and much more. This issue also proudly boasts an interview with the late Elizabeth Pepper, founder of the Witches’ Almanac. Arcane symbols and intriguing graphic images are always a part of every issue."

I really like the astrological work in the Almanac. Each sign has an in depth look at when different planets and aspects will enter your sign, and then there are sections for each aspect of your life, including health, finance, spirituality, and love. This covers 2 full pages for each sign. There is also a handy list of the retrograde planetary motions, and what they may mean for you. For example, the next Mercury retrograde cycle is from June 16- July 10th.

Other articles in this year's Almanac include "Wine & Ritual Libation" with a recipe for Witches Sangria! There's a nice meditation on the spirals of a Nautilus, as well as the sacred geometry of a Nautilus shell. There are many other pages of interest relating to magick and lore, both fun and useful.

You can usually find the Witches' Almanac for sale at your local pagan or new Age shop, or you can order it directly from their website, listed above. This is a reference work I keep in my magickal toolbox every year. I find it helpful, and I love the beautiful & unusual graphics in every issue. I think you'll like it, too!

With a Little Luck

2007-04-11T07:13:00.000-05:00

With A Little Luck By Paul McCartney

With A Little Luck, We Can Help It Out.
We Can Make This Whole Damn Thing Work Out.
With A Little Love, We Can Lay It Down.
Can't You Feel The Town Exploding?
There Is No End To What We Can Do Together.
There Is No End, There Is No End. The Willow
Turns His Back On Inclement Weather;
And If He Can Do It, We Can Do It, Just Me And You,

And A Little Luck, We Can Clear It Up.
We Can Bring It In For A Landing,
With A Little Luck, We Can Turn It On.
There Can Be No Misunderstanding.
There Is No End To What We Can Do Together.
There Is No End, There Is No End.
The Willow Turns His Back On Inclement Weather;
We Can Do It, Just Me And You.

With A Little Push, We Could Set It Off.
We Can Send It Rocketing Skywards.
With A Little Love, We Could Shake It Up.
Don't You Feel The Comet Exploding?
With A Little Luck. With A Little Luck.

With A Little Luck, A Little Luck, A Little Luck.
With A Little Luck. With A Little Luck.
With A Little Luck, A Little Luck, A Little Luck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for all your kind words & wishes.

Love,

tracyw

I seem to be a cliche

2007-04-09T06:23:00.000-05:00

The cliches that come to mind are:
"That which doesn't kill us, makes us stronger" and " The Universe only gives us what we can handle", or "Everything happens for a reason".
So if all these things are true, I must be freakin' SuperWoman! Don't you see me standing seven feet tall, with x-ray vision, and able to stop a speeding train?

Back in 2001, I was diagnosed with a couple of chronic, but not life-threatening illnesses. I struggled allot, but have ultimately settled into a lifestyle that allows me to take care of myself, and still get around just fine. I work from home because holding a job out in the real world isn't an option for me. That said, I really like my life. I have learned many lessons about myself, and am a better person and healer because of my illness. I also feel like I have been other peoples' lessons sometimes. If that's what they needed, then I'm happy to help.
Everything's copacetic, right?

Apparently, the Universe has more grand plans for me! I've been feeling pretty crappy for the last few weeks. I went to see my doctor for a slight case of Vertigo and some double vision that wouldn't go away, and ended up with a handful of MRI's, CAT scans and other tests, all in one week. The upshot of the whole mess is that I have been diagnosed with M.S. Oh, wait! I just grew two more feet in height! See, I'm just getting bigger and more powerful with every day that passes!

The Universe has also seen fit to rid me of my severe needle phobia. Gee, thanks for that. Most of the meds for me will be injections. I'll be having IV's at the hospital daily for the next week, and then home-administered injections routinely after that. Now I ask you, How much fun can a gal have?
When I get all done with this stuff, I should be ten feet tall and bulletproof!
So if this is what the Universe needs, another SuperWoman, I guess I will oblige. I did think that my plate was full, and that I had learned my lessons. It seems that I am mistaken in my complacency. But there is an upside- the Universe has also made sure that I have the people around me who can help! I'm very fortunate to have an incredible amount of very good friends, both old and new, to lean on, and they have been wonderful. You know who you are!

So, while I seem to be a living, breathing cliche, my experience has told me that cliches ring true for a reason. We shall see how this whole thing turns out. Meanwhile, anybody out there able to sew me up a new cape? The old one is too short now!

Hoppity Easter to You! Blessed Ostara!

2007-04-08T09:07:00.000-05:00

Etsy's Earthpath Artisans Street Team!

2007-03-31T09:14:00.000-05:00

I'd like to introduce the Earthpath Artisans Street Team of Etsy.com!
We're a group of people who walk similar alternative spiritual paths, focusing our beliefs in the world of Nature. Our team membership encompasses different Goddess-based traditions, as well as Taoism, Buddhism, and similar paths. Our shops reflect who we are as complete person, our talents and interests, not only our spirituality.

We have two dozen(and growing)wonderfully talented artisans on our team. Please take a few minutes to check out their shops on Etsy.com, linked below. Thanks for looking!

Ahna ~ Art Created
ArtisticJen
Dragon's Den
Ellen Shipley Hand Prints
FaerWear
Fools & Jewels
J Westerman, Maker of Things
M. Sotherden Art Glass
Pathworks by Axcelle
Plastic Pumpkin Designs
Silver Frog Designs
Souly Stones Jewelry
Art of Meredith Dillman
Triplelle Designs
Three Ravens ~ Xiane
Nature's Treasures ~ Pat Reeves
Her Royal Majesty Bags
Establish Balance Jewelry
Shakti Studios
Martinsville Emporium
Celtic Goddess Jewelry
Lunachick Designs
Liz Staley's Realm of Nerdiness
Summer Sea Herbs

Paris in the Springtime

2007-03-28T07:57:00.000-05:00

Well, this afternoon I have to take my mother to the airport, as she is off to the "City of Lights", Paris, France. I am sitting here wishing that I could go, but I can't this trip. However, I did go to Paris a few years ago, and I wanted to share some of the photos I took.
Have you traveled out of the US? Let me know where you've been!

Gearing up!

2007-03-25T09:42:00.000-05:00

With the new Spring energy in the air, I seem to finally be shaking off the Winter's doldrums. I've been having a hard time getting myself organized, and moving forward with ideas. sigh. But I seem to have gotten some wind in my sails, and am feeling refreshed! I'm hopeful now about getting some things done, both personal and professional, that have been sitting on the back burner for quite awhile.

I have been working on some new products to bring to market, and the end is in sight. I have a couple of new teas, some nice herbal pillows, a lot more flower essences, and some bath products. Of course, making all of these things is something I love to do! However, it's all the administrative stuff that goes with putting a new product out there that always seems to slow me down! Each new product has to have the proper packaging, the labels designed and printed, decent photos taken and edited, and the descriptions written. Decisions, decisions, decisions! Wish I could just wave my magic wand over the lot of it and have it be done! LOL!

I'm also going to be finally getting back to doing some crafting again.
I'm looking forward to playing with polymer clay for the first time, and also stretching my wings a bit with some more multi-media collage art projects.
I'll post some things here as I get them done.

So, what has Spring sprung free in you?

Spring! Spring! Spring! Spring!

2007-03-20T07:28:00.000-05:00

I can't tell you how relieved I am that Spring has finally sprung! The vernal equinox is here! Not only does this day have equal hours of light and dark, but the moon is waxing again, having gone dark on the 18th. A fine day for crafting new hopes and setting things in motion!

Some of the more traditional things to do today would be to bless seeds that you will be planting later, and to color eggs. Even if you can't plant anything outside for awhile yet, blessing the seeds today will help the growth cycle to begin. You add potential to those seeds, and by doing so will have a stronger bond with the plants. We just got a foot of snow, and will probably get more in the next few weeks, but I will still be blessing plants and seeds today. Not only does it help my garden, it really helps me feel better! I'm so ready to Winter to be over, and doing these little rituals helps me focus ahead, and get out of the doldrums.

Dyeing eggs is an ancient tradition, practiced long before there were "Easter" eggs.Here are some natural dyes you can use to get beautiful colors. Just boil the material, to desired color strength, with your eggs:

Orange~ Onion skins, one for a soft shade, many for a rusty color
Pink~ Beet juice and vinegar, or pickled beet juice
Light Blue~ vinegar and the outer leaves of red cabbage, then let cool overnight.
Yellow~ Add tumeric to color the eggs a bright yellow

I also like to use this time of year to make a collage of hopes & dreams, for prosperity & abundance, or for anything that you want to see grow! Magickal collage-making is one of my favorite forms of ritual. Here's a link to a post I did about making a magickal collage, in case you missed it: http://summerseaherbs.blogspot.com/2007/01/making-collage-for-abundance.html

Well, I need to get outside in the sun now! Let me know what you will be doing to mark today's Equinox?

Blessings, tracyw

Spring is almost here!

2007-03-19T10:49:00.001-05:00

OK, take two: I tried to post this earlier, but it all went away when I hit "publish". sigh. There are days that technology and I don't get along!

I have been laying low due to some bug that I came down with over the weekend. I spent most of the weekend in my recliner or in bed. This thing feels like having a hangover, but without having had any of the fun. Not fair! I missed my best friends' annual Irish celebration, too. I did get to watch Harry potter again, but I would rather be feeling well.
Since I was supposed to go to the N.E.flower show in Boston today, but can't, I thought that I would post some more of my spring flower photos for you.
I'll be going on Wed instead, when I'm feeling better. I didn't think I could deal with the drive or the crowds today.
I hope you enjoy the photos!

It's a good day to be Green!

2007-03-17T08:12:00.000-05:00

Happy St.Patty's Day to You!

Ah, to be sure, it's a good day to be Green!

Even if you're only Irish on one day a year, you can do a lot to be Green! We all know about recycling, and how that helps the environment. Have you thought about how what you buy affects the planet?

You know that I'm going to say that buying organically-grown/ low-impact products is a great way to help the planet and keep yourself healthier.

Organic and green is not only about your food, but your homes, paper products and your home heating choices.

Recycling is the easiest thing for us to do to help reduce the waste we put on the planet. I learned that San Francisco leads the country's cities in recycling ~ a whopping 63% of all it's waste is recycled! That's amazing! Now what if we personally tried to do that? Here are some ideas to help reduce your personal environmnetal impact.

One way to make recycling easier is to buy grocery products with less packaging around them. Buying bulk from your local food co-op helps, as does buying fresh food from an organic farm stand during the vegetable growing season. Use reusable containers to put things into smaller packages, instead of buying multipacked products, such as fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese or pudding. Even if you have a small household, buying family pak sizes of meats will save on packaging waste. You can then freeze the items into serving size portions that fit your needs. I wash and re-use ziplock baggies, as well. Use dish towels and cloth napkins whenever you can. I usually only use paper towels for the cat messes. Buy unbleached paper products whenever possible.

If you live in a place where you can do it, then try composting your food waste. You can put everything except meat products into the compost pile. Composted coffee grounds and egg shells are really good for your garden, along with vegetable matter.

When it comes to your homes, there are so many "Eco-" products out there now, from carpets and flooring, to paint, glass and siding. Many of these products have come to be to serve the markets of health-conscious consumers, not just Eco-friendly. With asthma prevalent in our children these days, there is a new awareness of what our environmnets can contribute to wellness or illness. There are magazines and books dedicated to the subject. Just do an internet search and you will find a wealth of information. Flooring options have really boomed in recent years! Hardwood is beautiful, but unless it's sustainably managed, it's not always a "Green" choice. Bamboo flooring is good alternative, as bamboo is very fast growing, sustainable, and makes a very durable surface. Cotton/wool/silk/hemp carpets and rugs are available, as well. You can even buy carpets and pads that contain no chemicals. Particularly in the area of home renovation and building, being environmentally concious can have a big impact on your health and that of the planet. There are so many chemicals in building materials and products, it's scary.

Tim and I got a pellet stove to help heat our home this year, and it's a choice I can feel good about. The pellets are made from sawdust waste material. It helps us cut down on our propane usage, too. We are looking into ways to make our own pellets someday in the future.

Reduce~Reuse~Recycle! If we do it more, then we have less trash! I don't know about you, but we have to pay for the town trash bags we take to the dump. Is there something you can do, today, to help reduce your trash, even just a little bit?

Springtime allergies?

2007-03-15T09:25:00.000-05:00

Ahh, Spring! The birds returning, the plants starting to peek through the soil, and the trees all in bloom! Ack, Wait a minute~did she say the trees are all in bloom? Uh oh!

Yes, I'm an herbalist with hay fever. The Goddess truly has a sense of humor!

Well, with Spring officially starting in a few days, I thought I would write about something that I know many people struggle with~Springtime allergies. I know, first hand, how horrible a beautiful breezy spring day can make you feel! That sounds odd, but when you figure in all the allergy symptoms of itchy eyes, draining or packed sinuses, sneezing and headache, you may wish for a Winter's day again!

While there are some days that even I break out the OTC allergy pills, most of the time I can deal with my allergies using herbs (of course!). There are two herbs that I find to be the most helpful for dealing with allergies. These are Nettles and Eyebright. A blend of both of these herbs, together in tincture form, is a great way to help you thru the season and to feel better. The key to doing this is to start NOW! It takes a few weeks for the full benefit of the herbs to work.

Eyebright, while mainly associated with optical health, is a great decongestant herb for sinusitis and other congestion.Here's Eyebright in flower:

Nettles is good for clearing mucous out of the body, specifically the respiratory system. You can find this blend, ready-made, by several herbal companies. I like the blend by HerbPharm (you can find this at many health food co-ops), and also the blend from Mountain Rose Herbs (scroll down their page to see the Nettle-Eyebright blend).

Here's what Nettle looks like in flower:

The other thing that is handy to have around for congestion is Peppermint or Eucalyptus essential oil. You can rub a drop of this onto your temples and under your nose to help break up sinus congestion, and clear your nasal passages.

I hope this helps you get ready to face this year's upcoming bloom.

Blessings,

tracyw

You never know!

2007-03-12T07:50:00.000-05:00

It's funny, but I just never know what my customers will do with the herbs they buy from me. I always think that they will make a little tea or something. A little while ago, I sold some organic Red clover to a nice man in PA name Christian. Well, it turns out that he's an avid baker! He made some very yummy sounding biscuits with my clover and I wanted to share the recipe with you! There are also some other delectable recipes on his website, so please browse around while you are there.
http://www.biscuitbaker.com/clover_biscuits.html

I'm not much of a baker anymore, but I think that I may just have to try making these biscuits! I know that I will make them again once the fresh clover is up this Summer! MMMMMM!!
Have a great day,
tracyw

Creatures in the Night

2007-03-10T08:14:00.000-05:00

For most of this past week, the motion detector flood light has come several times each night. Usually, it's the neighborhood cats. However, the other night we had a raccoon come and visit here. While they are very common critters here, it's the first time we've seen one since we moved here in 2005.

I put several bird feeders out back and this tends to draw all manner of animals. Mostly squirrels and mice. The weird thing about this raccoon is that it didn't even look under the bird feeders. It just walked across the yard and climbed the Oak tree right outside the kitchen window. It was about zero degrees outside that night, and there's no holes big enough in that tree to hide in. We watched for awhile, as he went up and up. We never saw him (seemed like a him) come down, and we haven't seen him since. I felt bad that a creature had to be out in such freezing weather. Last night the flood light came on about 5 times, and whatever it tripped the sensor was gone by the time I got to the window. Very odd. Makes me wonder what else is creeping around outside there while I'm nice and cozy inside.

We had installed that light after several rounds of finding the Police in our yard with dogs looking for someone. We live in a very rural and safe neighborhood, but there are allot of summer houses here, and they get broken into. Last Summer we had the electrician put sensor lights around the house. I feel much better here when I can see outside. Besides, I love to watch it snow at night.

Anyway, I've been thinking about what is walking around here at night, unseen. Just out there doing their animal things, surviving. what kind of critters do you have at night near your home?

Chicago trip : Part Three~ Art Institute of Chicago

2007-03-09T11:08:00.000-05:00

On our last day in Chicago, we visited the world renowned Art Institute. I love Impressionist art, and the collection there is fabulous! There was an exhibit going on featuring the collection amassed by Vollard, an art dealer in Paris. We weren't allowed to take pictures of those paintings, but the collection brought back together from all over the world, was stunning. There were also beautiful collections of decorative art, and Asian artifacts.
Here's some photos from the things that caught my eye, including my favorite Renoir painting the Two Sisters. Some of these views are details of the art.

Hope you enjoy this little view into the Institute
~tracyw

Chicago trip : Part Two~ Field Museum of Natural History

2007-03-08T10:15:00.000-05:00

Well, on Day two, Mom and I went to the field Museum to see all manner of interesting things! From dinosaurs to ceramic goddesses to crystals, it was fabulous! The Quart crystal pictured is about 350 pounds!
This is also the home of Sue, the only full complete Tyrannisaurus(sp) Rex skeleton in any musuem. Unbelievably, scary-huge! There was also a wonderful tibetan exhibit, and loads of native peoples stuff. Made for a really nice day!
Here's a few photos for you!
More on the trip tomorrow,
~tracyw

Chicago trip : Part One~ Shedd Aquarium

2007-03-06T11:53:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! It's good to be home!
After taking a couple of days to actually get to Chicago, we finally made it! Getting out of Bradley airport in Hartford, Ct took extra time due to the bad weather.

On our first day in Chicago, we beelined over to the Shedd Aquarium. My family has a soft spot for all things animal, so it's the first place we wanted to go. Besides, what else should one do on a cold and nasty Midwestern afternoon? At the aquarium, they had so many cool exhibits, both temporary and permanent. I've posted a few pics from this part of my trip.The white Beluga whale is named Niya. She would just float around, propped up by her tail, and watch the people watching her. It was too funny!

I'll post more photos of the rest of the trip tomorrow! I just have to edit a bunch of photos that I took. I had a terrible time with my camera most of the trip ;0(
Well, enjoy the photos!
blessings,
tracyw

Vacation Time for Me! Feb.25-March 1st

2007-02-24T15:27:00.000-05:00

Well, Mom & I heading to Chicago for a few days of sight-seeing! Yes, great places like the Field museum and the Shedd Aquarium are calling my name! Of course, I wish that they weren't calling it in February. Just a tad chilly there this time of year! But, hey, who would want to be indoors in nice weather anyway! I'm really looking forward to seeing the Contemporary Art museum, as well as finding that superb slice of Chicago deep-dish pizza! (packed my Lactaid already!)

I'm also hoping that the hotel room, which has a little kitchen in it, also has a good-sized bathtub!Our tub at home is really shallow, and I just can't get a good soak in there. I'm bringing all my bath fizzies and stuff, just in case!

I don't know if I'll be able to post when I'm there. The hotel supposedly has a business suite , but I don't know what's available. If not, I'll just see you here when I get back!

Have a great week, and don't forget to visit the new featured Etsy sellers for this week!

I wish

2007-02-23T10:38:00.000-05:00

I wish that I could look outside and see my garden in full flower, and my yard full of GREEN!!!!

I thought that if you were in New England, you might want that too!

Just in case, here's some photos I've taken, in the past, to brighten up your day.

All these flowers are the first to bloom here!

~Lilacs, Pansies, Lupine, Azalea, and Laurel~

Flower Essences

2007-02-20T10:13:00.000-05:00

One of the turning points in my life, as an herbalist, came the day I made my first flower essence. It was in the Summer and the Lady's Mantle was in full flower. I was at one of my herbal apprenticeship class weekends. Keep in mind that this was over a decade ago! I was having my heart and mind opened with all kinds of new ideas about the ways of healing spirits.

Making that essence awakened within me a link to my intuitive side, as a healer.

And that is what flower essences are~ imbibing water with the healing spirit of a plant. This can be done using both solar and lunar influences. For making flower essences, I prefer using the Sun, but for making gem elixirs, I like to use the Moonlight (but that is another post altogether).

I have made dozens of individual flower essences with flowers from my garden, and those from other gardens around Massachusetts. I have formulated blends for various problems. you can find all of my currently available blends on my website, in the Flower Essence section.

The solarized essence contains the vibrational patterns of flowers. These patterns help to heal imbalances in your body's energy systems on emotional, physical, mental and spiritual levels. Essences are catalysts for healing, helping you to be able to experience shifts in patterns of behavior, the way you view yourself and your place in the world, as well as very real physical changes. Most essences engage the healing process in subtle, yet ultimately profound ways. Some essences are formulated for very quick action, such as dealing with an emergency or panic.

To use an essence, you just take two or three drops under the tongue, in a beverage, directly on your skin, or in a bath. While a couple of drops may not seem like much, keep in mind that the vibrational patterns of the flowers and crystals will spread out as on a grid, to fill any container including your body! Essences may be used in conjunction with other healing modalities. There are no side effects or contra-indications, nor can they be neutralized by other substances. It is not possible to over-dose on an essence. Usually, an essence is taken for at least one month, then the healing process is assessed and adjustments in the formula are made, if necessary. Store your essences out of the light, and away from essential or fragrance oils.

Private consultations for flower essence and gem elixir blends are available in person, by phone or email. We would talk about the healing work that you want to do, and then I will make a custom essence for you. Most consultations take about an hour or less. If you are interested in a custom blend, just send me an email!

For alcohol-sensitive people: Although flower essence blends are preserved in brandy and spring water, the essence is used in a diluted state. Dilution of two to four drops in a large glass or water or water bottle, will yield a physiologically insignificant amount of alcohol, about 1:4,800 parts in 8 ounces.

Bright, Sunny Calendula

2007-02-17T08:36:00.000-05:00

Calendula flowers (Calendula Officinalis), otherwise known as yellow Marigolds, are among my favorite blossoms! These bright denizens of the garden always make me smile! It's hard NOT to notice Calendula flowers blooming in the landscape, even on the dreariest of days.

I love to use Calendula flower petals in many of my formulas, both for medicine and magickal uses. As medicine, the petals are a very effective wound and skin healer. It's soothing, yet antiseptic properties are wonderful in lotions and ointments, or in your bathtub. Calendula is also a strong anti-fungal for foot and yeast conditions, such as Athlete's foot or Candida. It can be used both externally and internally. I like to include it in health formulas to help soothe gastric problems, and tone the stomach. Calendula flowers can also help to regulate delayed menstrual periods. For this reason, you shouldn't take alot of it during pregnancy! the flowers can be used whole, infused into oils, or ground into powder for use in external formulas. I have added Calendula flowers to a couple of my favorite tea blends, Blossom Mint and Daily Support Organic Herbal Teas.

Magickally, Calendula is aligned with the element of Fire, due to it's sunny color and it's anti-septic properties. Among other things, Calendula is used in workings for protection, and also for legal issues. It's helpful to put some petals in your pocket, or on your altar, if you're headed to court. I have put petals into homemade candles burned for protection spells. You can add the flowers to a pouch for protection or court. I use Calendula flowers in my Flower Power Smokeless Smudge formula.
Whenever I get done mixing up a batch of this blend, I always toss a handful on the front steps of my house for blessing and protection. As with most kinds of magick, having the actual herb is better, but you can also use an image of the flowers.

What do think of when you see Calendula?

New Stones Listed today!

2007-02-15T11:52:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to let you know about two new stones I just listed in my Etsy shop!

The first one is a beautiful piece of Labradorite, cut to show the brilliant blue flash of iridescence! Labradorite is a feldspar, it's flashy patches of blue color, when held in the light, is known as "Labradorescence". This was sooooo hard to photograph, I can't tell you! I needed about four hands to get it right. My photos really don't do it justice.

The other stone I listed today is a Rose Quartz Egg! It's got a nice and gentle feeling about it! Of course, Rose Quartz is used in all kinds of healing applications where the heart is concerned. Particularly, for healing the emotional heart issues, such as anything having to do with loving or being loved. The egg shape also symbolizes fertility and growth.

For further information on either of these stones, please check out my full listings in the shop.

With Love, From Me To You!

2007-02-14T10:18:00.000-05:00

I've learned that all a person has in life is family and friends. If you lose those, you have nothing, so friends are to be treasured more than anything else in the world.

~Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park, Prehistoric Ice Man, 1999

Happy Valentine's Day

to you, my family and friends!

New items!!!

2007-02-12T08:44:00.000-05:00

Wow! It's Monday already? How did that happen?

Well, I've been busy getting my new tea ready for sale. The formulation and testing always take longer than I think, but being a bit of perfectionist when it comes to my products, I guess I shouldn't be surprised!

Drifting Away 100% Organic Herbal Loose Tea Blend is a relaxing blend of herbs to help you relax at the end of your busy day! If you're like me, once you lay your head on the pillow, you start thinking about your day: what happened, what you should/could/must do about EVERYTHING! Well, this gentle tea blend can help quiet that inner chatter! The key word here is Gentle! This won't zonk you out, just help you relax. It's also a good choice if you are taking a homeopathic sleep aid, as I formulated this blend without mint so it won't antidote your remedy. You might also like this tea when you get home from work, in the event of a very stressful day!

The other item I listed yesterday is this lovely Calcite Geode! It's unusual in it's formation due to a calcite crystal growing on the edge. This formation is referred to as a "diamond".It's a pretty little stone and I hope you like it!

Yesterday, I spent most of the day working. I took a bunch more photos of the crystals I have yet to list in my shop! Have you ever tried to photograph Labradorite? You know that beautiful blue flash you can see in it when you turn the stone to the light? Well, just try to capture that with a camera! Sheesh! I just about drove myself nuts with that! Anyway, once I get those photos edited to size and correct the color, I'll let you know.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Talking Turkey

2007-02-10T10:14:00.000-05:00

Here a photo of the guys that visit my feeders for corn several times a week.

They are part of a flock of turkeys that congregate together in our neighborhood every winter.

We haven't seen too much of the birds so far this year. Until we had our recent snow, they stayed mostly in the woods, where they were still able to find acorns and other foods. This year has been very mild, without much snow at all here. Usually, by February, I have about 25-30 turkeys at my feeders for corn every day. When the snow is very deep, they can't scratch down thru it to get to their food.

There are many cultural references to turkeys that are less than flattering. However, if you really examine the wild turkey, as opposed to the overbred domesticated birds, you'll find a wiley bird with beautiful plumage. They actually can fly for short distances, and it always startles me to see them roosting in trees. Turkeys can also run really fast, although it does look slightly silly. They are native to North America.

Turkey, as a being, has been respected in many earth traditions, and are part of the mythological stories of the Native Americans, Aztecs and Mayans. Turkey is signified by the aspect of shared blessings and the harvest. Hen turkeys will share a nest in which they lay their eggs. They take turns sitting, ensuring a larger,more successful brood. turkeys frind strength in numbers. The turkey is also associated with wisdom and growth. This is because of the mainstay of their forest diet, acorns. Acorns are symbols of new growth and hidden wisdom.

If a turkey (or a turkey feather) turns up in your life, you may want to look at the blessings in your life that are shared with others. You should be aware of opportunities for new growth that will come your way!
If you ever see a turkey fanning his feathers in the sun, you will be amazed by brilliant red, green and brown colors! Beauty in the most ungainly of creatures!

Element of Fire

2007-02-07T10:25:00.000-05:00

When I got up this morning, the outside temp was a balmy 10 degrees. The inside temp was about 58. Both have since increased slightly. I found myself looking at the calendar, trying to figure out how long it will be until I can go lay on the dock, and bake in the sun. It's going to be a long time. I just haven't been able to get warm for the last two days, no matter how many sweaters I have on. I think this is a function of having Fibromyalgia and CFS. The winter season has gone from being a time of joy for me, to one of just wanting it to be over. But, I digress.

Since I have been so cold, I choose to focus on the element of Fire, and it's corresponding direction, South. While we all know that the Sun is hottest in a south-facing window, there are some surprising correlations of this element. While the power of a full-fledged fire can be devastating, fire can also be healing when it's managed. Scrying into a campfire, or even a candle flame is one of my favorite form of short meditations. I am a complete nut when it comes to campfires and bonfires. Not that I would ever have a fire outside of a proper container-not that kind of nut! I just find it so beautiful, and useful. I like the freedom I feel when I toss old writings and spells, such as from my Spirit jar, onto the flames. It's cleansing and a completion of the work that I had done. One of the reasons I like to go camping so much is because I get to play with fire all weekend. I have a knickname for these excursions: Woman who F%$*s with Fire. Cute, huh? I just can't help myself.

Other realms of Fire are sex, love, and transformation.

Here are some correspondences for the element of Fire:

Magickal tool: knife/athame
Herbs: chilies, thistle, nettles(thorny things), coffee, dragon's blood, hot spices
Stones: Carnelian, lava rock, jaspers, clear quartz
Animals: salamander, snake, scorpions, lady bugs, shark
Zodiac: Aries, Sagittarius, Leo (that's me!)
Oils: Basil, copal, neroli, pettigrain, peppermint

There are so many aspects of Fire in the natural world. This list is by no means complete. One of my favorite kinds of spellwork is candle magick. I find it so effective! Stay tuned for more on that subject!

New Stuff!

2007-02-05T12:46:00.000-05:00

I was delayed posting today due to another round of frozen pipes at my house this morning! This time the water main pressure switch was frozen, or so the plumber said. We had water when I got home from Vermont this morning, but only for an hour or so. Called the local plumbers and they were out here in about an hour! Love those guys! So, they got us going again, and now I can relax and regroup, not worry about possible broken pipes. Whew!

I want to tell you about a few new things in my shop! I have posted a couple more crystals, such as Lepidolite and a lovely enhydro Herkimer Diamond. I also have a new organic herbal loose tea sampler available. This pack has four of my most popular teas in it, so you can try them before you commit to a larger bag of any one kind of tea. Each packet makes about ten cups of tea. In a few days, I will be listing my new Drifting Away tea! This is my evening/bedtime relaxation blend. Of course, it's 100% organic, like everything else I make!

You're going to love it!

Finally!

2007-02-03T09:44:00.000-05:00

It Finally Snowed!

I never thought that I would be excited to see it snow. I was watching the storm last night, just like a little kid anticipating a school day tomorrow! At our house, we got 4.25 inches of snow. it's the first time all winter that we have had more than one inch of snow at a time.
While it has been nice, in terms of lack of shoveling and bad driving, it's just wrong!

The man that plows our driveway got here at 5:00 this morning. Our bedroom is just feet off the driveway. It feels like he's coming thru the wall when he goes by!

Here's a picture of my little gargoyle guy on the deck this morning.

Since it's snowed, I need to go out and make sure the bird feeders are full, and put some cracked corn out for the wild turkeys. They'll probably show up later for a free lunch. It's a beautiful sunny day out there, although the wind is really blowing!

I hope it's nice where you are!

Making a Spirit Box

2007-02-01T09:09:00.000-05:00

Making a Spirit box or jar is a great way to have some fun and make a useful magickal item. A Spirit box is a place for you to put your problems and fears, to give them up to the Goddess, God, Universe, or however you refer to your higher power. If you have a problem that you can't solve or a fear that is holding you back, write it out on paper, fold it or tear it up, and put it into the jar, and put the lid back on. You are giving this problem to your higher power to deal with, for the best possible outcome. For this to work, you really have to trust your higher power. Do you?Really? I have found that putting my problems into the Spirit jar to be quite freeing. It also serves to help me keep the faith, as it were. The photo is of my own Spirit jar.

This really doesn't take a long time to do! This is a fun craft to do with a friend.

To make a Spirit box, get any box with a separate lid. It can be as large or as small as you like. You just need to make sure that it can hold several pieces of torn or folded paper at a time.You can also do this with a jar. You should decorate the box, but feel free to use any/all materials you wish. It can be simple or quite elaborate. If I'm using a paper box, I decorate both the inside and the outside. To do a jar, I just do the outside. I use paint, rubber stamps, glitter (always glitter!), cut out pictures from magazines, printed tissue papers (especially for the jars). I might glue on beads, ribbons, feathers, shells, and/or acorns. There are no rules or right way to do this! The goal is to have fun, and not stress out about the results!

For adhesive, I recommend using Mod Podge. You can also use white Elmer's glue, thinned out a little. Mod Podge is nice because you can seal your work when you are done by brushing on a coat all over the box. It also comes in a sparkle version. If you want to pile on beads or other attachments, Golden Regular Gel Medium is good. You can press the beads into it and it will harden nicely. There are lots of different craft glues on the market, so you can just use your favorite. Let the whole thing dry overnight, keeping the lid separate until it's dry.

So, you've just made a Spirit box! To use, just write out your problem on paper, read it out loud, and ask your higher power for help in solving it. Put the paper in the box and put the lid back on, and forget about it! I keep my Spirit jar on my altar. It's good to occasionally clean out the box. Don't go back thru and read everything! Just dump it! I burn the contents of mine outside in the fire pit. I hope you have fun making your Spirit box! I'd love to see photos of yours when you get done!

Caring & Sharing

2007-01-31T10:23:00.000-05:00

Every time I get complacent, the Universe cuffs me 'upside the head. Last night I had one of those reminders. I had an unpleasant experience on the Etsy forums last night. Someone took exception to some things I had listed, and the reasons why I listed them. It was very upsetting for me. It felt like a personal attack, and those of you who know me know that I don't do very well with things like that. But that isn't why I'm writing about this. I'm writing because of what I feel came out of the whole thing for me.

I have always said that I am so incredibly lucky because I have a FANTASTIC close community of friends, and friends that are like family. You know who you are!!::insert your picture here::

It's a rare thing- this community of mine! It's hard to express just what it means to me.

I have been a member of Etsy for the past six months. I have started to build community there with some of the buyers and sellers that frequent my shop, the Treasury and the Forums. I always try to keep my head above the fray in the forums, give as much information to those who ask me questions about my products, and give encouragement to those who seem to need it at any given time, in the forums, and directly thru email. I do this because it seems like it's the right thing to do. I'm big on doing the right thing for others (I'm still learning to do it for myself).

Well, I got a reminder last night that there are others like myself out there on Etsy. I received emails of support from several people after the flaming forum posting went up, and they helped me so much! This new community in my life is such an unexpected joy, a bonus of joining Etsy!

So, many thanks to those of you who sent your support! It means so much and really did help me feel better again about what I'm doing on Etsy.

Tomorrow night is the full Moon! I think that I will use this opportunity to do a little ritual. Being that the moon is full, it seems like a good time to acknowledge all this good energy in my life. I'll light a candle for my friends, sending positive energy out to them and the Universe.

Goddess knows, we all need it!

Brightest blessings to you all!

~tracyw

Walking on Water

2007-01-29T10:59:00.000-05:00

Now, isn't that quite the trick for a witch? We are supposed to sink, aren't we? I suppose that I should clarify;
I've been walking on ICE Water! :0)

Lake Mattawa is finally frozen. Yesterday was a bright, sunny, and even sort of a warm day, so I went walking out on the lake. Not to worry, there's about 7 inches of ice on it! The ice fishermen were out in force, but only a few fish were to be had. I saw one man who had caught a small salmon, at about 2.5 pounds. Other than that there wasn't much going on out there. Sure, everyone was having fun, but not with the fish!

The element of water corresponds to the Western direction. Water rules our emotions, and is the element most closely related to LOVE. And how important is that? Well, everything is based on Love ~ all that we do, and all that is magick, or Universal. Water is purifying and healing. We are made out of mostly water. I don't know anyone who doesn't like to listen to the tides rolling in, or a babbling brook. These are so soothing to us, because we are a part of it. The gateway of the West is also where we turn to honor those who passed from this life. Learning to trust our intuition is to learn to work with this element. The following lists just a few of the many correspondences to element of Water and the direction of West:

Color ~ Blue
Astrological signs ~ Pisces, Scorpio, Cancer
Metals ~ Silver, Copper
Herbs ~ most flowers such as Roses (love), waterlilies, horsetail
Planetary ~ Moon
Animals ~ Bear, Raven, Dolphin, Whale, Heron, Frog
Tree ~ Willow

There are so many associations with the element of water. Too many to list them all here. There are a couple of books that are really good for learning about the elements and directions. Scott Cunningham's Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Amber Wolfe's In the Shadow of the Shaman. Both are good to have on hand for reference, but also have nice exercises and rituals, as well.

Tuning In With Incense

2007-01-27T10:50:00.000-05:00

I spent the better part of yesterday afternoon blending up a new loose herbal incense blend. This blend is a formula that I have been making for years, and have decided to make it available for purchase. It's called "Honor the Ancestors", and is suited for rituals involving ancestor work and past-life regression. I blend loose organic herbal incense to use for ritual and magickal work. These incenses need to be burned on charcoal. I always have a charcoal burner ready to go on my altar, filled with sand and I keep a roll of charcoal disks in my altar drawer.

I love to use incense, and burn some every time I prepare to do magickal work. Whenever I craft a new blend or make a new batch of tea in my workshop, I burn incense. I also like to burn scented incense sticks and cones just because they smell nice and they are easy to use! I have certain scents that I use for particular reasons. Some of my favorites include Amber (working around my altar), green tea(anytime at all), jasmine or other floral(doing herbal research) and Pinon Pine/cedar(to freshen my space and energize me). Of course, I don't limit myself to just these scents, but I seem to have developed my favorites. I have a drawer filled with incense, and I'm not ashamed to say that I'm always on the lookout for new scents. My newest favorite is called "Pagan's Brew", made by my friends at Scarborough Cottage.

Scent is a great way to orient yourself to a particular task. Incense makes that easy to do. It's a common practice to use incense before meditation. If you light the same scent of incense every time before you start, you will begin to find that you will achieve a meditative, contemplative head space faster than without it. We tend associate certain scents with certain things. You can train your brain to associate a scent with a particular activity, such as meditation. Wouldn't it be nice to get into that space more quickly so that you can get more out of the limited time you have?

Hmmm, I think I should find a scent to help me when preparing to write in my blog! What are some of your favorite scents?

You Gotta Love It....

2007-01-26T08:20:00.000-05:00

...or NOT! Living in New England during the Winter has it's challenges. Living in New England, in a 35 yr. old mobile home, has even more challenges! Just how much fun can two people have? Well, let me tell you.

Here's the scenario for you: Tim gets up and goes to the kitchen for coffee at 6:30am. Checking the outdoor thermometer, he sees it reads 0 (yes, that's zero) degrees. Then, turning on the hot water to heat up his coffee mug,...nothing happened! And in New England, in January, that only means one thing ~ frozen pipes! So begins the standard drill: turn on all faucets to drip, toss in a load of laundry (warm/warm cycle), and get out space heaters. We narrowed down the frozen section to be someplace between the washer and the kitchen. The bathroom seems fine, which is good because that's what froze up last Winter. Tim cleared out under the sink, and put our smallest space heater under there. We had never noticed that there's quite a hole in the floor under there around where the pipes go under the house. There had been stuff stored under there and had covered it up. Well, Tim got under the cabinet (no small feat!)and found that there's no insulation around the pipes under the floor. Wonderful- it's just the way of things with this trailer. Anyway, once the dryer got turned on, the pipe finally unfroze and we have hot water in the kitchen. In the winter, we vent the dryer under the trailer to help with heating.

As I write this, Tim is under the trailer trying to get to the kitchen pipes to see how much pipe insulation to buy. There have been additions built on over the years that are making it very difficult.

We bought this place in Aug.'05. We bought it for the view of the lake. We have a dock and a backyard fire pit, and we love it here. It was also the cheapest house in Franklin county at the time. There were some very good reasons for that. Someday, we will build a nice house here. However, in the last year and a half, we have spent allot of time and money insulating everything. You would think that after 30+ years, the previous owners would have gotten that done, but Nooooooo... We thought that we had insulated all the pipes, but apparently we missed one. So, live and learn!

In the grand scheme of things, I know that Tim and I are very lucky. We have a safe, warm, place to live. It just happens to be a run-down trailer right now, complete with single-pane crank out windows, and there's not a lot on it that wasn't trashed when we bought it. The additions that were done of a living room make it livable, in terms of having enough space. Although, when they built it, they never installed any heating system in it. Go figure? Fortunately, there's only the two of us. There's also a lot more living space since I moved my herbal workshop to another place. We have reclaimed the office/hallway area for our own.

Well, I need to go make more coffee. Tim is still working under the trailer. It's warmed up to a balmy 2 degrees out there! I also need to do another load of laundry to keep the dryer going, so that we continue to have running water.

I love New England! What are some of the challenges where you live?

How do you know?

2007-01-24T12:22:00.000-05:00

Posting in this blog has led to some unforseen consequences. Because I really want to make this blog informative, as well as fun to read, I have been revisiting much of my reference library.

I have been on the the Internet checking facts and things, as well. I love this part of writing this blog! I do love to teach and this gives me the opportunity to do so, even if it's "virtually".What has happened due to all of this activity has been quite interesting!

Summer Sea Herbs has been very busy all week. Not just with orders, but with communication among customers and other Etsy sellers, too. I have been taking time to learn some new business techniques, and do some other things to move my business forward.

Since things seem to be going well, and Abundance is becoming apparent, that leads to my question:

How do you know when you're doing the "right" work?

Every time that I have tried to walk away from my path as an herbalist, the Universe directs me back, in NO uncertain terms! However, when I have been "walking my walk, and talking my talk", I am rewarded with abundance in all areas of my life. So, that's how I know I'm doing the right thing, for me.

How do YOU know that you're doing what you're "supposed" to be doing? What signs does the Universe give you?

Books about Working with Crystals & Stones

2007-01-23T09:29:00.000-05:00

Since yesterday, I have had my head in my reference books about the metaphysical properties of crystals and stones. I thought that I would share with you some of the books that I use regularly. This is by no means a complete list for you, but I like these particular books and thought you might want to check them out!

Love is in the Earth by Melody. Actually, any book by Melody is worth having in your collection. This book is considered the bible on the metaphysics of stones. There are two supplements to this volume that are also available. Her other book, The Laying on of Stones is also indispensable.
Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic by Scott Cunningham. This is my favorite book on the subject! At 250 pages, there's so much information. There are chapters on cleansing stones, and using them for divination, spellwork, and healing. There are six tables, including ones about planetary and elemental correspondences, as well as a handy substitution chart. This is not a technical book and doesn't have information about every type of stone, or how individual stones are structured. It does, however, cover over 100 stones and metals.
The Book of Stones & Metals by Maya Heath. This is an interesting volume that covers most aspects of the metaphysics of working with stones and metals. It's very in-depth, and a good read if you have some practical experience already. There are very interesting chapters on making talismans, jewelry and other objects. there is some very good information on the individual stones and the families of stones, broken down by colors. I turn to this book often, but have adapted some of her information to align with my own beliefs more comfortably.
Sacred Stones of the Goddess by Galen Gillotte. This book was a most pleasant surprise! I first saw this when I working in a pagan shop a few years ago. it had just come out and we ordered it to see what it was like. I was prepared to not be impressed. Well, I ate my words! Published in 2003, this has 35 Goddess-based spells, as well as chapters on preparation, meditation, Elemental work, invocations and working with beads. Each spell is like it's own little chapter. For each one, there are paragraphs that list the materials, the purpose, which goddess, the stone, an affirmation and meditation, a spell, the timing, the incense, candles, and some of the practical steps. The rituals are really nice and complete! I think that you will get something out of this book, no matter if you are just starting on the path, or if you are a seasoned practitioner.

These are a few books from my collection that I think will make a nice addition to any library. Do you have a favorite book on the subject?