March 24th, 2012

Happy birthday to me... Happy birthday to me... Yes folks, Tuesday was my Sweet 16, and it was fantastic! After a long day of school and musical practice, my family took me to dinner at my favorite restaurant. While there, Mom decided to surprise me by inviting Hazelnut to join us, and when she walked in, I'm pretty sure if you had blown on me, I'd have fallen over. She gave me a fantastic birthday/Ostara card, two awesome scented candles, some packages of wildflower seeds, and a Japanese tea set, among other things. When we got back home, mom and dad gave me my first car! Unfortunately, it's only an inch long. Actually, it was pretty hilarious. A few days after my birthday, on the 23rd, one would have found me standing outside in the rain at 6:00 in the morning. Why, you ask? While I certainly like rain, usually I would have stayed inside. However, as I was setting my bags in front of the door to go, I happened to look down. And there, right in front of me, was the largest spider I have ever seen outside of a zoo. IT WAS HUGE. At least an inch in diameter with long, spindly legs, and mandibles so big you could see them standing up. My first instinct was to bend over and pick up a shoe. However, spidey caught the movement and scuttled back into the door frame where I couldn't squish it, but could still see its legs poking out. Therefore, I gathered all my things, walked through the house, out the back door, through the yard and the gate to wait in front of the house in the rain. Now, while I'm generally terrified of spiders, I understand that they have significance in mythology and even in daily life. So I ask: does anyone have an idea what it may mean to see a giant spider in front of the door?

Celtic Tree Month: Alder

Today is the first of the Celtic Tree Month of Alder, known as Fearn by the Celts. The Alder tree, in the birch family, is deciduous, with simple serrated leaves. The tree also flowers, with long male catkins and shorter female catkins on the same plant. The trees are mostly pollinated by wind, but bees also act as pollinators. The Alder is particularly noted for its role in nitrogen fixation, having large nodules in the roots, wherein live small bacterium that absorb nitrogen from the air and greatly improve soil quality. For anyone who passed 9th grade biology, the Alder is a pioneer species, meaning that it spreads to new areas and prepares previously barren area for the species that follow it. The timber has been used historically for building bridges and foundations, as the wood is very water-resistant.
According to Welsh legend, the Alder tree was sacred to Bran the god-giant. Like the tree sacred to him, Bran made his body into a bridge in order to invade Ireland and help his sister, Branwen. Unfortunately, Bran's head was cut off, and was buried under the modern-day Tower of London. Supposedly, the ravens living in the tower and Bran's sacred birds. Interestingly, it is also said that the Alder fairy can fly in the form of a raven.
In magick, the Alder is well known for having divinatory properties, and therefore this month is characterized by prophecy and getting in touch with one's own intuition. If you are musically inclined, consider carving a flute out of an Alder shoot, and using it to call spirits of Air. Similarly, the tree has connection to the Fey, and charms made of Alder can be used to contact them.
While the Alder is not poisonous, it's also not known for being particularly tasty. The catkins of some species are edible, but due to a highly bitter flavor are generally left for a means of survival only. On the other hand, the bark was common among the Blackfoot Native Americans as an infusion to cure tuberculosis and lymphatic disorders. Now, I personally do not recommend that if you have tuberculosis you go out and make tea with Alder bark; indeed, unless you are an expert forester and know without question that bark from a specific tree is safe to ingest, I would highly advise against it. However, the Alder was also used by the Native Americans as an ingredient for smoking mixtures, so if you happen to have an Alder tree nearby, you might consider using fallen branches in your spring bonfires.

March 18th, 2012

Good morning, world! I have some exciting news today; quite a bit, actually! Yesterday was our competition-performance of The NeverEnding Story, and while our cast didn't make it to sectionals, I received a personal medal for my performance, as did my friend Amy. I couldn't be more pleased, and I'm so proud of the entire group; everyone's come a long way the past couple of months! In addition, what with my birthday being this Tuesday, my Grandma Bev and Grandpa Rick sent me a birthday card last week. And funnily enough, the card was about Hummingbirds. Now, perhaps it was simply a strange coincidence (after all, my Grandma does love Hummingbirds), but all the same, it was exactly what I needed at a time when I was a little stressed out over everything. Here is what it said:

"Legends say that Hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy, and celebration. The Hummingbird's delicate grace reminds us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has meaning, and that laughter is life's sweetest creation."

March 13th, 2012

I did end up going out and having a bit of a chat with the local sprites the other day, and had just barely walked out the door when Nick pointed out the tundra swans, which were returning after flying off for the winter. They were too high up to get any good pictures, but were so loud and numerous that I could hear them clear as a bell, making something of a honking coo, if that makes any sense. While outside, I fixed up a fairy house which got somewhat destroyed over winter (I'm wondering if unhappy fairies were contributors to the energy imbalance), and I took pictures of the crocuses which are now blooming.



We were outside today for gym, and it was wonderful. The sun was out, the sky was clear, and it was a balmy 65 degrees or so. What with play practice and all, it was literally the first time I have been outside in daylight (on a school-day) since early February. Pathetic, isn't it?

If anyone has any suggestions on how to correct energy flow, please do let me know. Otherwise, enjoy the lovely weather, and happy-almost-spring!

March 11th, 2012

Whew! I've thought I was busy before, but this last week has literally been a whirlwind! I've had play practice, musical practice, and/or choir practice every day, so I haven't been returning home until 8:40 or so, hence my lack of posting. My mom actually had to have surgery on Friday, so that's been adding to the craziness. However, she's recovering well, and ought to be home tomorrow. Nevertheless, positive thoughts are appreciated. :) Today I actually have some quiet time while Ben is at a birthday party. I'm thinking of putting some bread and honey out at the shrine I built with Hazelnut in the garden. It's tiny, but powerful. The weather has been wonderful recently, so I can visit now without freezing my toes. I really feel it has helped in getting in touch with the local fairies and devas (nature spirits, for those unfamiliar). Things have been gong a little nuts here of late, and I'd like to figure out where the imbalance is. We've had internet, cell phone, computer, washing machine, and tire issues, and for whatever reason, everything I plant keeps growing and then dying on me. I can't decide if the issues are interconnected, or a whole bunch of energy imbalances that require correcting. Additionally, I looked back on all that feng shui stuff I posted last Spetember, and yet, that doesn't quite seem to add up either. Currently, Saturn and Mars are in retrograde which could be potential contributes, but they don't have a major impact on communication with others, and a majority of the appliances we've had fail have had to do with communication. No, it's time to take this one up with the local flora and fauna.

March 8th, 2012

Good morning! It has been simply lovely here the last couple days. The weather is warm, and the wind - the wind is fantastic. It's been blowing, according to weather.com, up to 44 mph. The feeling of standing in it is unmatched. Hair whipping, trench coat soaring. It's like being in a dramatic movie. And the wind picks up all the leaves and spins them in mini cyclones around the school yard. If you haven't gotten outside, you should! The earth is really starting to get itself in gear, and the winds are playing.

March 4th, 2012

Today, I must begin with a personal anecdote. If you have not yet watched the recent movie adaptation of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, shame on you. Go to a movie theatre. Not only was the story great (and has always been my favorite Dr. Seuss book), but the message is extremely touching and important. Essentially, the story depicts the importance of environmental consciousness in an industrialized world. In the words of Dr. Seuss himself:

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."

The planet is our responsibility, and it is about time that we stood up and acknowledged that.

Also today, I took a video of my Ostara altar: