Lunation

I've also been boning up on my HTML...

2012-02-06T00:32:50Z

It's astounding how little I knew before, and it's actually fun learning simple stuff like text formatting and making special characters/symbols. All sorts of ideas are popping into my head about how to redesign my webpage.

Anyone else who's lacking HTML savvy, my favorite tutorial site is: http://www.yourhtmlsource.com

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Been making time to adhere to these lessons and observations

2012-02-06T00:11:13Z

Cultivating a Positive Mindset

"Think in a calm, pacified, and reflective manner instead of being disturbed, agitated, and impulsive in one's reactions.
Put ideas together rationally and arrive at the right judgment even in the absence of obvious evidence or proof.
Decide, plan, and execute a course of action in a patient, persistent, and disciplined manner.
Recognize the changes and be flexible in adapting to them.
Observe and perceive things with a sense of humor instead of outrage, indignation, and anger.
Let go of useless and counterproductive thoughts, desires, and ambitions instead of being preoccupied with them.
Relax and meditate or rest.
Resist temptation and coercion."

- Michael Fekete

Desiderata
By Max Ehrmann, 1952

“Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy. ”

- Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, 1927. Max Ehrmann (1872–1945), a poet and lawyer from Terre Haute, Indiana.

Ten Positive Energy Prescriptions

"1. Awaken intuition and rejuvenate yourself.
2. Find a nurturing spiritual path.
3. Design an energy-aware approach to diet, fitness and health.
4. Generate positive emotional energy to counter negativity.
5. Develop a heart-centered sexuality.
6. Open yourself to the flow of inspiration and creativity.
7. Celebrate the sacredness of laughter, pampering, and the replenishment of retreat.
8. Attract positive people and situations.
9. Protect yourself from energy vampires.
10. Create abundance."

- Judith Orloff, M.D..
Positive Energy, 2004

The Ten Grave Precepts

"1. Affirm life; Do not kill.
2. Be giving; Do not steal.
3. Honor the body; Do not misuse sexuality.
4. Manifest truth; Do not lie.
5. Proceed clearly; Do not cloud the mind.
6. See the perfection; Do not speak of others errors and faults.
7. Realize self and other as one; Do not elevate the self and blame others.
8. Give generously; do not be withholding.
9. Actualize harmony; Do not be angry.
10. Experience the intimacy of things; Do not defile the Eight Treasures."

- John Daido Loori, The Eight Gates of Zen, 2002

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Jan. 21st, 2012: C'est moi, and group shots!

2012-01-27T02:24:07Z

The first one's inadvertently awesome because of Antonio's shirt. It looks like a slavering wolf's behind me!
( Read more... )

I thought these turned out cool. The first is Cartoonized, the second is Color Splashed, and the third is Blueprinted:
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Wearing Shewolf's scarf from Bahrain:
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Various moods:
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Erik, me, Antonio, and Jay (LJ user ndn_2spirit_den, the other half of "the boys"):
( Read more... )

Antonio, Erik, and I feelin' the love:
( Read more... )

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Jan. 21st, 2012: Individual shots of Antonio and Erik

2012-01-27T00:32:02Z

Since all of the shots from last week uploaded out of order, I thought I'd kick this series off with our playful mugs. First off is Antonio (LJ user cyberwolf007) who is half of my oft referred to "the boys". Following him is Erik (LJ user spiritcougar).

Oh, an explanation for the first two: as we set off on our jaunt, I noticed an oddly placed bright orange sticker in a drainage ditch. Antonio hunkered down to investigate, and the result was... what exactly is a Bush Hog Eaton?
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Oh my, you cheeky thing!
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Awww. >:-)
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A few of Antonio pushing me:
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Erik, avid outdoorscougarman!
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Woo hoo! GQ shots!
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Gazing into the Bole of Truth!
( Read more... )

King of the Steppes:
( Read more... )

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Jan. 7th, 2012: distant birds, closing the distance, bald eagle and hawk, colorful grass, seed pods

2012-01-26T22:48:42Z

As we pressed on through the softly falling snow, we noticed many Red-tailed Hawks all around us. None of the pictures came out very well due to the multitude of tree branches camouflaging them. The poor camera would focus on the foliage, and not the fowl. D'oh! Farther along, we spied what had to be two enormous birds in a tree in the distance. We moved forward as cautiously as possible to keep from spooking the birds. One did fly off to an adjacent tree--we couldn't tell if it was a Red-tailed or a Cooper's Hawk. The other bird, to our excitement, was a Bald Eagle! We weren't able to get very close to take pictures, as the area was private property and fenced off. Still, it was a neat surprise:
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A jarring patch of color:
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Seed pods:
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We had to photograph the amount of mud that caked my wheels for posterity's sake:
( Read more... )

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Jan. 7th, 2012: drainage ditch, paw print, prairie, beneath the owl bridge, rabbit cache, feathers

2012-01-26T21:52:16Z

These shots of the drainage ditch epitomized the cold of the day to my mind's eye:
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Nearby in the mud lay several prints, smaller than the average dog. Fox, maybe? There are plenty in the area, and not far away was coyote scat:
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Antonio left the path to check out some shrubs before...
( Read more... )

... we reached the owl bridge:
( Read more... )

Something odd in a tree at the base of the overpass pillars made me do a double take. Since the pillars are off the trail in a ditch, the boys investigated the scene. A piece of rabbit was tucked into the branches! Since it was near a white-washed concrete pillar where the owls roost, I'm pretty sure an owl either dropped it there from its perch, or it cached it there for later.
( Read more... )

Nearly every time we've visited the owl bridge we've found at least one owl feather. I assume they're Great Horned Owl feathers, as they're the most common owl in these parts. Some might be Barn Owl; their feathers are difficult to differentiate.
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Close to the owl feather was this severed duck wing, and we found a great mess of duck fluff just outside the bridge where it must have been dispatched in the first place:
( Read more... )

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Trailer for Norwegian film based on traditional folklore, 'Thale':

2012-01-26T19:16:26Z

A few weeks ago bloody-disgusting.com brought news of a Norwegian horror film arriving later in 2012 that will tell the tale of the "huldra". Aleksander Nordaas' Thale follows a creepy chick with a cow's tale that appears normal from the front, but will appear "hollowed out" from behind (like a tree trunk).

Here's what Wiki says about the lore: "In some traditions, the huldra lures men into the forest to have sexual intercourse with her, rewarding those who satisfy her and often killing those who do not. The Norwegian huldra is a lot less bloodthirsty and may simply kidnap a man or lure him into the underworld. She sometimes steals human infants and replaces them with her own ugly huldrebarn (changeling huldre children). In some cases, the intercourse resulted in a child, being presented to the unknowing father. In some cases, she forces him to marry her."

I can't wait to see this!! >:-D

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Jan. 7th, 2012: dogs, paths, root, geese landing in field, pretty prairie

2012-01-26T03:54:16Z

Across Riverdale Road, where we access the path that leads to the owl bridge, are a veritable sled dog team. Here's a good shot of two of them:
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The sky was oppressively stark:
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I spied this uprooted root beside the trail. It appears large in the pictures, but it wasn't much bigger than my hand. Still fascinating to me, though:
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We were excited that someones been landscaping the area, planting all manner of young trees and shrubs along the path. Looking forward to seeing it in the spring and summer!
( Read more... )

Canada geese comin' in for a landing:
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The colors! Divine:
( Read more... )

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YES! Finally, the trailer for 'FDR: American Badass!'

2012-01-25T22:03:03Z

I first mentioned this film here on November 3rd, 2010. Then I received a FEARnet email about the movie today, along with its trailer. This looks freakin' fantastic! >:-D

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Rammstein - "Du riechst so gut '98"

2012-01-04T03:22:30Z

Huh. Pretty cool transformations.

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Werewolves and Titters

2011-12-31T04:36:32Z

Allow me to wax a bit on the recent past, since 2011 is officially winding down.

Just before Halloween I came dizzyingly close to a rather expensive impulse buy. Every year before Halloween the boys and I haunt a local year-round party store called FUN Services. It's a huge building built to look like a castle constructed of gray stones. Great fiberglass dragon sculptures grace the rooftops and one perches near the parking lot. This year they were sporting a new Halloween prop for sale, a werewolf dubbed "Heavy Metal Wolf". It stood perhaps 6 ft. tall, and seemed nicely made at first glance: Digitigrade, fur hand applied, glass eyes, lots of attention given to make the muzzle, teeth, feet, and hands appear real. The sunglasses were a cheesy addition, as was the flimsy rubber mat cut into a guitar shape it brandished. It was on sale for $295. If the gut was padded, I might've snapped and picked it up. As it was, though, it was gaunt for lack of pillows to stuff it's torso with. It would have been impressive fully done up; it's a shame the store faculty didn't present it better. If< it's there again next year, I'm going to inspect it closer and ask the workers about it. If I'm satisfied with the structural integrity of the beast, I'll ask if they'll sell it to me without the sunglasses and the chintzy "guitar".

And now for the titters... well, alright, the full-on guffaws. But first, a caveat: I am not a prolific writer, nor do I send submissions to every venue in existence. I try to admire those who are and do regardless of talent or skill, because at least they're pursuing a dream and trying. To sum it up, it's not my place to poo poo a publishing house, or to chuckle at the glaring lack of proof-reading or editorial skills of the contributors in a given anthology from said publishing company. Remember, here I am, pushing 40, disabled as f-ck and living with my parents--I.E., a sad lonely old nerd that hasn't been published in ages. *Laughs*
That said, let me also state that my tittering is actually good-natured, and I mean the publishing house and its contributors no ill will. They serve an audience and seem to be thriving, so good on them.

Ack, 'tis bedtime. Will finish this on Sunday. Yee-hah!

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Ministry and Werewolves

2011-12-31T02:22:05Z

Watched the gratuitously gross and amusing film Hatchet II last week on satellite, and was pleasantly surprised to hear the Ministry song "Just One Fix" at the opening and the closing.

Now, I used to be a huge Ministry fan. The slightly aggressive electro-Industrial album that came out in 1986, Twitch, captivated me. '88 and '89's Land Of Rape and Honey and The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste coincided perfectly with my harsher sensibilities at the time, their new sound a merger of Industrial and hardcore punk. I actually lost track of the band after that, even though I played the three tapes, and later CDs, often for many years.

Then, like I said, I caught Hatchet II last week, and it rekindled my Ministry love. I spent a few days looking up all of their albums on amazon.com and listening to the given samples. My, they've been prolific since 1990. Their music has undergone changes that don't necessarily appeal to me anymore (too thrash-metal for my taste), though I really liked, and downloaded, the single version and the extended remix of "Just One Fix".

For fun I downloaded several other older Ministry songs as well, fiery aggro energizing ditties. Then, the heat and volume beneath my brain-pan cranked up to 11, caffeine from too much coffee and diet cherry Mountain Dew (aptly called Code Red) scorching through my veins, a curious idea morphed into being. A cunning idea. Oh, yes. Indeed.

Now that my LJ and DW readers are whittled down to a manageable few, and any illusory hint of on-line "popularity" has long-since dropped off like a withered vestigial tail, I feel content to disgorge my writing and ideas here. Uh... Woo hoo?

Anyway, the nitty gritty: Set, obviously, to a steady diet of Ministry. Short story or long? Not sure yet. Plot will be about lycanthropy as an addiction. Main character obsessed with werewolves from a young age (gee, sound familiar?), finally manages to find one, begs for a bite, then finds out why there are so few werewolves in the world.

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[2012 HORROR MOVIE PREVIEW] TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX from bloody disgusting dot com

2011-12-26T23:06:46Z

Be sure to clicky da link: http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/27679

Wow, each of these has my curiosity piqued.

I used to be a member of the bloody disgusting site. Technically I still am, as ferine. Due to the overwhelmingly juvenile comments from the most frequent posters, I haven't logged in for months. I continue to peruse their newsfeed, however. It often has decent information and links.

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Inspiring Cornell Lab of Ornithology video

2011-12-26T20:04:50Z

Beautiful...

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An oldie but a goodie--Werewolf-themed Christmas Carols

2011-12-24T04:21:21Z

(all lyrics written 1992 by Jacob Williamson)

I'm Dreaming of a White Werewolf
(Sung to the tune of "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas")

The Pack's arriving, the moon is high,
The Alpha male's come to play,
but why do I have to stay
With ebony, tan or grey?
Though many fine wolves are near,
There's but one werewolf I want here...

I'm dreaming of a white werewolf,
Just like the one I used to know--
With fur, soft and pale,
A proud, noble tail,
And eyes with a strange blue glow...

I'm dreaming of a white werewolf,
With every passing full moon night.
Though the pack hierarchy is tight,
May the pelt of the next lone wolf
Be white.

Lobo, The Werewolf
(Sung to the tune of "Frosty, the Snowman")

Lobo, the werewolf, was a rabid soul, of late--
With blood-stained paws, and foam-flecked jaws,
And two eyes that burned with hate.
Lobo, the werewolf, was an old wive's tale, they said--
But the children knew, as did those two
Who would later turn up dead.
Their final hope might have lain in
That silver chain they found...
But those two schmucks put it round his neck,
Then their heads rolled on the ground.
Oh, Lobo, the werewolf, felt a pain of a high grade,
But he couldn't grasp that silver clasp--
It was lodged behind his shoulder blade.
He rampaged through the sleepy town,
Mauling shop after shop, And he only paused a moment to
Dismember a traffic cop.
Oh, Lobo, the werewolf, could have crushed the town that day--
But the townfolk hired a masked guy from
The Lone Ranger one-act play.
Oh, Thump.
(That's it, really. Once the protagonist hits the ground with a thump, you can't go much further, from a poetry point-of-view, can you?)

God Rest ye Merry, Lycanthropes
Sung to the tune of "God rest ye Merry, Gentlemen")

God rest ye merry, lycanthropes
Let nothing bother you--
Remember that the wolvesbane all
Died out in '42.
The werewolf hunter's stuck at home,
Suffering with the flu--

[Refrain]

The world is yours,
When the full moon rises high,
Rises high,
The world's yours when the full moon rises high.

Electrum came in vogue last year--
The silver's almost gone.
The only blessed weapons are on Hock at E-Z Pawn.
In short, there's nothing here to stop
A lycanthropic throng,

[refrain]

Half of mankind is infected--
Werecreatures. One and all.
The rest are used for excercise,
Or mounted to a wall.
It might be fun to sit and watch
Civilization fall

[refrain]

Maybe together humans and
Werewolves could play and run,
Without strife and hostility,
Relating one-on-one.
Living together, happily,
But dammit, that's not fun!

[refrain]

Have Yourself a Slightly Furry Christmas
(Sung to the tune of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas")

Have yourself a slightly furry Christmas,
Let the Moon shine in.
Just make sure you don't
Commit a mortal sin...
Hands extend and turn into paws,
Breaking Nature's laws,
You see

Profound thoughts are revealed quite soon,
Under a full moon,
Running Santa up
A tree...

Chasing off the little
Avon lady
With a rumbling growl.
Joining with your family in a rising howl,
And have Yourself A Slightly furry Christmas,
Now.

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
(Sung to the tune of--what else? "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear")

It came upon a midnight clear,
Form framed against the sky,
With glist'ning teeth and dark grey fur,
Perhaps seven feet high.
All of the shepherds rose to see--
Its howls brough them from sleep.
What could we do but stand and watch?
It left with seven sheep.

Days passed, numbering twenty-eight,
We'd not seen that beast since,
Nothing's poorer than shepherds, but
Those sheep belonged to the prince.
And now, we sleep, the night seems safe,
Four weeks since it last came,
And Joe stands guard over the flock,
Watching the bonfire's flame.

And then, of course, the beast came back,
Perhaps some lamb to take.
The sheep stampeded in a herd,
Leaving Joe in their wake.
Not quite a mastiff, almost man,
Fur pelt from head to toe,
Leaving us without sheep or guard--
The huge thing borrowed Joe.

It's been a month since that beast came,
A month since we lost Joe,
But I heard two things howl last night,
I've no sheep left to go. I think that I'll not stay, although
There's nothing shepherds fear--
The prince has asked for his sheep back--
I hear Rome's nice this year...

Oh, Little Town of Lycanthropes
(Sung to the tune of "Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem")

Oh, little town of lycanthropes,
Peculiar to mine eye,
For it is bright, this Christmas night,
A full moon in the sky.
There are no merchants vending--
Wherever did they hide?
Perhaps, in fright,
They ran from sight,
And now they're stuck inside?

In truth, there are no merchants,
In this small village fair,
When these folks meet,
They're on four feet,
All covered in wolf hair.
Every man and woman,
Each little boy of two,
Would well and soon spend each full moon
Hunting for caribou.

How silently, how silently,
Timber wolves stalk the town,
And santa's deer have much to fear,
The moment they touch down.
Humans turn and run, when
They meet wolves in the wood,
It must be seen--
Werewolves aren't mean,
They're just misunderstood.

Under a mighty pine tree,
The hunted and the few,
Wolves young and old, quite damp and cold,
The elder and the new.
Why would any werewolf
Stand out there in the sod?
Just to give voice,
With howls rejoice,
In the birth of God.

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Hilarious gore ensues when X-mas trees take Treevenge! (video NOT for the young or the squeamish)

2011-12-23T20:14:20Z

For those of you unaware, this 2008 short "details the experiences and horrifying reality of the lives of Christmas trees. Clearly, for trees, Christmas isn't the exciting "peace on earth" that is experienced by most. After being hacked down, and shipped away from their homes, they quickly become strung up, screwed into an upright position for all to see, exposed in a humiliation of garish decorations. But this Christmas will be different, this Christmas the trees have had enough, this Christmas the trees will fight back. 'Treevenge' could be a short film about the end of days for Christmas trees, or perhaps, the end of humanity.
( Read more... )

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Yule is Wednesday (Dec. 21st) at 10:30 PM mountain time.

2011-12-16T21:17:34Z

THE SABBAT OF YULE/WINTER SOLSTICE (December 20 or 21)
© Copyright 2005-2009 Karen Charboneau-Harrison, All Rights Reserved.

Many Christmas customs and much of our Christmas music of any antiquity originated in the Western European Pagan celebrations of Yule. Customs attached to the Yuletide constellation of Saints' Days: Stephen, Basil, Nicholas, Lucia, Barbara, Sylvester and the Epiphany derive almost entirely from Yule. There is a richness of customs concerning food, fires, plants, animals, wild birds, stars, mummers, music, magic, clothing, angels, social roles, gifts, lights, auguries and so on, endlessly. Imagine the figure of baby Dionysos, newborn of Demeter or Persephone (depending on which myths you read), lying swaddled on a bed of straw in a harvest basket on the threshing floor, his head surrounded by a gold nimbus (halo) looking exactly like the Christ-child in the crèche and evoking the same feelings of love and mystery as does the image of the Baby Jesus born in the stables.

The Winter Solstice is the fire-festival of Yule with its Yule-log saved from the previous year's fire to kindle the flames for the new years's celebrations. To the ancient Egyptians it marked the birth of Osiris. To the ancient Persians it celebrated the birth of Mithras, the all-seeing Sun, god of friendship. The Romans knew it as Saturnalia with its feasting and exchanging of roles of masters and slaves. Whatever the name and outward appearance of its festivities, however, Yule's esoteric meaning stayed the same - it noted the shortest day of the year with emphasis on the fact that from this time until the Summer Solstice, the solar forces, both material and spiritual, would be gaining in strength.

The word Yule can be traced to the ancient Celtic word 'hioul' which means wheel. It is the celebration of the return or rebirth of the Sun god, the Lord of Life, the Child of Promise. The rites are solemn yet filled with joy for they solve the paradox of Death and Rebirth. This festival represents the redemption of the world from death and darkness and is a celebration of hope and joy amidst the barrenness of Winter.

Reverence for trees is a part of the Western European Pagan heritage. The decorating of a tree with lights and the burning of the Yule log have their birth in this reverence. At one time in our ancient history it was felt that the sacrifice of a great tree to insure than life would go on was necessary. The burning of the great Yule log would bring good luck and the returning of life force. The fire was lit from a piece of the previous year's Yule log that had been tended all year and saved for this purpose.

This is the time of the Winter Solstice when the sun reaches the southernmost point in its journey across the sky and appears to remain motionless before beginning to re-ascend northward bringing with it light and the promise of springtime, life and warmth. This is the time for the death of the old god of the year, followed by the Goddess giving birth to the new Sun God. Yule is the time to end the period of darkness that has prevailed during Winter and has brought us into the gloom of barren trees and shortened days. It is the time to cast aside those inner doubts which have bound us and to welcome the growing light which shows us the ways of new beginnings.

This is the time of hope born anew.

Make some wonderful smelling incense to burn during the holidays this year! Here's a traditional Yule Incense recipe that we're sure you'll enjoy making and burning:

Mix together 2 tablespoons dried Pine Needles 1 tablespoon Red Sandalwood Chips 1 tablespoon Cedar chips; add 20 drops Frankincense oil 10 drops Myrrh oil 5 drops Cinnamon oil 5 drops Allspice oil 5 drops Pine essential oil, stir together and finish off by mixing in 2 tablespoons Frankincense Resin. Let your incense mixture 'cure' for a day or two before you burn.

© Copyright 2005-2009 Karen Charboneau-Harrison, All Rights Reserved.

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Not Barking But Howling: The Christmas Werewolf

2011-12-15T20:51:16Z

Perfect for the holiday season!
#1:

#2:

#3:

#4:

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Not Barking But Howling and The Girl Who Cried Wolf

2011-12-15T20:33:43Z

I'm sure others are familiar with this British web series. It was uploaded three years ago. However, I just discovered it, and it is great!

Watch the following one first; it sets up the whole series:

Then there's 1-6 of The Girl Who Cried Wolf. The following is #1:

#2:

#3:

#4:

#5:

#6:

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Hilarity for anyone who's been at DIA:

2011-12-15T18:53:18Z

This is specifically for Watching, but most of you should appreciate this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr2yW3KuP0Q

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A lovely animated piece from France...

2011-12-11T23:14:22Z

... that omegadog showed us awhile ago. I think you'll like it.

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"They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom." ~attributed to Confucius

2011-12-11T22:19:32Z

"Your distress about life might mean you have been living for the wrong reason, not that you have no reason for living." ~Tom O'Connor

"Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners. ~Laurence Sterne

"That's the way things come clear. All of a sudden. And then you realize how obvious they've been all along." ~Madeleine L'Engle

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Happy Howl-oween!

2011-10-31T20:04:20Z

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It's gettin' witchy 'round here...

2011-10-27T21:01:15Z

THE SABBAT OF SAMHAIN/HALLOWEEN (October 31)
© Copyright 2005-2009 Karen Charboneau-Harrison, All Rights Reserved.

Samhain (Hallowe'en, Hallomas, Sauin, Samhuinn, Nos Galan Gaoef, Nos Kentan'r Bloaz) is the traditional Celtic New Year's Eve. It is the beginning of the dark period of the year which will gradually give birth to a new sun and new life. It is the beginning of the gestation period for the coming year and of the future. As such, the Horned God must leave the seed of life with the Great Mother for the New Year. This is the last opportunity He will have to perform this greatest of all magicks before He must depart the physical world and so sojourn in the land of spirits and waiting souls. His departure at Samhain is very dramatic and powerful as it opens the gates of the entire netherworld for a brief period thus rendering Samhain a period of awe for all who have the senses to feel it.

Samhain begins the rule of the Lord of Death - the God of change, transformation andthe growth of the soul. He is also the God of rest and sleep.

This is a time to let old habits die and to meditate on who we wish to become. The Winter months are months to muse inward, seeking one's Self. Spend this time in your studies, calm meditations and gentle reverie so that, come spring, you may rise renewed, rejuvenated, fresh and whole.

It is said that on this date, the Celtic God, Saman, judges the souls of those who have left their bodies and decides if they may return to their loved ones for this last evening before making their journey to the Otherworld. Bonfires and solar symbols of all kinds are appropriate for this Sabbat. The carved Jack'o'Lantern pumpkin with its lit candle inside is strongly associated with this season as a solar symbol. The cauldron used as a scrying tool and as a symbol of the regeneration of souls as well as the broom which sweeps away the past are also both appropriate symbols. Pomegranates, nuts, apples and root vegetables are all symbolic of this Sabbat.

Samhain is a time to remember, honor and commune with our ancestors. Their wisdom and lore enriches our lives and gives us clear pathways to follow and emulate. The Dumb Supper is one such tradition which honors them and allows us a brief time to part the veil between worlds to receive information and comfort from those who have made the transition and gone before us. Set a festive table with the favorite foods of those relatives and friends who are no longer in-body. Along with the place settings for the living who will participate in this Dumb Supper, also place plates, silverware and cups for those deceased family members and friends that you are inviting. Name each one and fill their plates with food, their cups with drink. Enjoy a lively conversation full of memories and stories about those people. End by drinking a toast to them and then have a few minutes of silence to receive any information or messages from the other side. At midnight, take their dishes outside under the light of the moon to receive her blessing and scatter the remains of the food the next morning to share with our animal friends.

Divinations are traditional at Samhain to foretell the coming year's energy tides, challenges and gifts. At this time omens and oracles are believed to be the most accurate, as the veil between worlds is so thin. Divining by fire is popular and you can use either a candle flame or a fireplace. If you use a candle, the color purple is a good choice. Light the candle and begin gazing at the flame, quieting your breath and centering your energies and body. Begin playing with the flame mentally, establishing your connection. Make the flame grow taller then flattening it; cause it to wave wildly then quiet it. Once you have your connection, unfocus your eyes slightly, and ask a yes or no question. If the flame grows taller, your answer is yes, if it flattens the answer is no. Using your fireplace allows you to see pictures in the dancing flames that answer you questions. Again quiet your breathing and center yourself. Gaxe into the flames and slightly unfocus your eyes. .Ask your question and watch the flames play with each other as they form pictures and as the embers glow and wink out forms and numbers to give you your answer.

Traditional PUMPKIN BREAD: Mix 1 cup of corn oil, 3 beaten eggs; ¾ cup of water and 2 cups pumpkin (either fresh or canned) until smooth. Add to this liquid 3¾ cups sifted flour; 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons baking soda; 2½ cups sugar and 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and powdered cloves. Fold in 1 cup of chopped walnuts. Bake at 350° in 2 greased and floured loaf pans for 45 minutes to an hour depending on your oven. This keeps very well, but is most delicious fresh out of the oven!

© Copyright 2005-2009 Karen Charboneau-Harrison, All Rights Reserved.

HALLOWEEN AND PAGAN CHILDREN
© Copyright 2007 Karen Charboneau-Harrison, All Rights Reserved.

Halloween can sometimes be problematic for Pagans with children. For us, it is one of our most sacred and important holidays, yet we are surrounded by green-faced, cardboard 'witches' hanging over candy displays, plus offensive greeting cards. Story hour at school often involves a scary tale with a 'witch' as a villain and our children receive coloring handouts at school that depict at least one flying, warty 'witch'. It is inappropriate to expect your child to challenge these misrepresentations at school or for you to arrive fuming to confront the teacher or principal. Tempting though it may be to forego public confrontations, the proper response is to deal with these inconsistencies in the privacy of your own home. Tell your children that these images are produced by people who do not really know anything about real Witches and that no hurt or insult is intended. You can also explain how current North American Halloween customs developed in order to show them how other people do celebrate an important holiday with us.

The way I explained it to my daughter is:
Samhain begins the Celtic New Year, the time when 'the veil between the worlds is thin' and we are more sensitive to our inner selves and our psychic senses. Our ancestors who no longer have bodies often return to visit their homes and families at this time and we can communicate with them to help them pass on through to their next life and body, we can learn lessons from them and we can simply enjoy their company. Seasonal celebrations focus on the beginning of the rule of the God, the Lord of the Underworld, and Keeper of the Gates of Death. Our ancestors finished preserving their winter storehouse of food at this time and began the slaughter of animals that would feed them throughout the winter. The types of magick done at this time are for the preservation of our families and friends through the harsh winter months. We also send out energy to protect the wild animals, our winter stores of food and to strengthen the Sun for his rebirth at Yule.

The rest of the United States is celebrating Halloween with costumes and candy - both of which are fun for children. This custom comes from older traditions of our ancestors and is a wholesome way to let your children be a part of the larger community as it celebrates, perhaps unknown to them, a Pagan festival. In addition, here are some suggestions for Samhain celebrations that can include children:

Perform simple divinations for the coming year using the pendulum, scrying or candle flame gazing.
Talk about relatives, pets or friends who have passed on and what we learned from them or enjoyed about them.
Tell stories about ghosts, using the stories to illustrate how children might deal with fears.
Talk about the origin of Halloween customs. Trick or treating goes back to the beginning of the Iron Age when farm dwellers left offerings of milk, cheese or other treats to discourage the forest dwellers from pilfering. Leave some treats outside or in the hearth for the elves and fairy folk in your home. Costume parties developed during the Middle Ages so that on Halloween ('hallow' or holy evening) active ghosts and goblins could not recognize the people inside their homes celebrating the new year and therefore could not bother them. Jack-o'-lanterns developed from the custom of carving out turnips and placing candles in them to prevent the wind from blowing out the flame when people traveled at night using the hollowed out turnip as a lantern.
Make dream pillows for dreams of the coming year: Take a piece of cloth about 6 inches square. Make a mixture of any or all of these herbs/essential oils: Lavender, anise, mugwort, jasmine, white sandalwood, lily of the valley, lilac, chamomile, hops, skullcap and poppy. To prepare the herb/oil mixture, mix 1/4th cup of each of the herbs desired, then begin adding your chosen oils to the center of the dry herbs a few drops at a time. Knead the oils in gently with a spoon until the scent is as strong as you like. If you wish to sew your pillow, fold the cloth in half and sew the long side and one of the short ones. Turn it inside out so that your seams are inside. Stuff the pillow with the herb mixture then finish it off with a slip stitch on the remaining opening. If you prefer not to sew, lay the cloth flat and place the herb mixture in the center. Take two opposing corners and bring them together. Do the same with the remaining two corners. Packing the herbs tightly in the middle, twist the corners up together and bind them with a ribbon. Dream pillows can help children remember dreams, sleep more deeply or ease dreams in the case of children with nightmares.
Maybe it's just because it's my birthday, but to me Halloween/Samhain is one of the most fun holidays of the year. It's serious but fun and rich in lore and practices. Take advantage of all of the fascinating Halloween customs to introduce your children to your spiritual world view and share the magick with them!

© Copyright 2007 Karen Charboneau-Harrison, All Rights Reserved.

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Night of the Pumpkin (NOT for those under 18)

2011-10-27T20:26:03Z

Craptastic hilarity within... not for the kiddies though--adult language, over the top violence, a detached wee wee, and blood up the yinyang. Great fun!

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