August 8th, 2016

The World of Faeries Festival was this weekend! I was so excited to go; after a long, difficult summer of family crises, I was really looking forward to some down time out in the open air with magical people and surroundings. The theme this year was Seasons of the Faeries. Participating children got a calendar, and then could go to each of the twelve month fairies (I was February) to play a game and get a birthstone sticker for the corresponding calendar page.

Me as Amethyst, the February fairy.

Destiny, the Season Changer fairy.

Hazelnut as Corra, the November fairy (she also did a lot of the season changing, as Destiny wasn't feeling the best).

The Blue Rose Mermaid.

One of the vendors' daughters with Natsu, the iguana dragon (check out her mother's work here).

Raincloud made it out with her boyfriend - I haven't seen her in forever!

There were some funny little field mice scurrying around the park.

Kaladin, the stilt walker.

The Statue Lady.

Bubbles...!

A vendor, Sara, working on a fantastic watercolor painting (view and purchase her art here).

Fairy Godmother Rose with her right-hand gal.

The river - we had perfect weather. Warm, but with a steady breeze and some cloud cover.

After the fair closed last night, the cast went out to dinner at a local buffet (photo credit to Hazelnut).

And last but not least, a group photo of a bunch of the cast (photo credit to photographer Mike Smith).

I met some cool new people and got to reconnect with a lot of old friends, which made me happy. I also did lots of shopping, so posts on that are upcoming. I'm very glad I got to go, and I'm already looking forward to next year.

May 1st, 2016

A very happy Beltane to everyone! I have a lot going on today, including practicing some presentations and set strike for the last performance of the season, but I'm also going to spend part of my afternoon at a Beltane ritual! It takes me back to the first public ritual I ever attended, which must have been Beltane of 2011. I went with Hazelnut and Raincloud, and we didn't quite know what to expect, but we had a blast. Today I'll be out with SIPA, and might even get to dance my first maypole.

I hope all your festivities go wonderfully!

August 14th, 2015

On Monday, my good friend Raincloud gave me a packet of hyssop after she had bought quite a bit of it. I always find it both prudent and interesting to research the history and use of magickal tools, so here's a bit of information on this versatile herb.

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Hyssopus officianalis, or hyssop, is an herbaceous plant with antiseptic, cough-suppressing, and sinus-clearing properties. Native to southern Europe and the Middle East, this colorful shrub can grow from one to two feet in height. In the summer, shrubs produce pink, blue, or rarely white flowers. It is drought-resistant, and tolerant of poor soil.

Magickally, hyssop is most commonly used for purification. Part of this may be attributed to one translation of the Bible, from verse 7 of Psalm 51 - "Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean" - though some research indicates that the plant in question may actually be a different herb entirely. That aside, historical use of hyssop as a tool of purification exists elsewhere. In ancient Egypt, hyssop was consumed with bread to purify it and render it suitable for the priests' austere diets. 

Hyssop is commonly used in cooking as an aromatic, although its strong flavor means it is usually used sparingly. More commonly, beekeepers will use it to flavor their honey. 

The medicinal properties of hyssop are many, particularly for those with sinus infections and similar conditions. That being said, caution should be exercised, as a high concentration can trigger epileptic reactions. Oil of hyssop should not be given to children, as even low doses can cause convulsions. 

An herbal infusion is easily made by pouring a boiling cup of water over two tablespoons of the dried herb, and allowing it to sit overnight before straining. Such an infusion could be added to a humidifier, or put in a spray bottle and used in place of incense. 

August 10th, 2015

What a fun afternoon! After I got off work, both Raincloud and Destiny were able to come over for a nice little luncheon. We were hoping Hazelnut would also be able to make it, but regrettably, she didn't have transportation.

Photo by Raincloud
From the left: Destiny, Raincloud, Hummingbird

Raincloud was kind enough to give us both little baggies of Hyssop, an herb which she recently acquired. It's useful both for purification and for protection, so I'm sure it'll get plenty of use. I'm not allowed to burn things at home, but perhaps I can make some sort of infusion and put it in a spray bottle.

We ate, and then we sat on my bed and just talked for several hours. It was so nice to get all caught up and relax with my fellow Pagan friends. While we were talking, I set up a little crystal grid on the blanket, like so:

I set my seven Amethyst points all facing outwards towards us with my Spirit Quartz in the middle. We'd been discussing some pretty heavy stuff, so I felt like we could all use Amethyst's calming, soothing influence, and the Spirit Quartz is great for encouraging harmony between members of a group, which also seemed appropriate. It was my first time working with these stones, and I felt like it was a very powerful grid. I know I could definitely feel the energy radiating off of them. 

It's been so long since I've had a big group of Pagan friends I could sit and just talk with, and it was great to be able to do that again. I know I'm really going to miss them when I leave for school next week, but there's always Facebook and Skype. Maybe we can try to do a group ritual over the internet - that would be interesting. Does anyone have any experience with that sort of thing?

August 5th, 2013

Whoo hoo! The World of Faeries Festival was AWESOME!
I went over to Hazelnut’s house on Friday night. We were up Saturday morning at 6:30 to get into costume and buy our lunch for the day at Subway. Since we were volunteering, we had to be at the festival grounds by 8:30; she and I helped set things up and got an early look around at the vendors.

Here's me as a Time Faery named Amser.

And here's Hazelnut as a Fox Faery named Corra.

The grounds were beautiful - we had perfect weather both Saturday and Sunday. It was warm but not hot, and there was always a gentle breeze going.

New this year to the Fest was this gorgeous Andalusian Unicorn. His rider performed a bit of dressage, and all the little fairy girls and boys got to pet his (very soft) nose.

There were a lot of other great costumes, including Nautica, the Water Faery.

There was also the ever-popular "statue lady" and her pet dove, Noah.

Then, completely by surprise, we ran into Raincloud and her recently acquired boyfriend, Fox. It was wonderful to see them again!

In addition to all the wonderful people, the Faery Fest always includes wonderful things to purchase. I spent a boatload of cash, but I haven't even the tiniest of regrets. What all did I get? Let us see...

 

The final count includes:

• Beaded pentacle necklace
• Beaded Goddess necklace
• Tumbled Howlite
• Tumbled Angelite
• Tumbled Celestite
• Tumbled Lapis Lazuli
• Tumbled Lepidolite
• Tumbled Apache Tear
• Tumbled Fairy Cross
• Tumbled Jade
• Tumbled Serpentine, carved with a Goddess figure
• De-Stress medicine pouch including seven additional stones
• Clock and key necklace
• Fairy dust necklace
• Nectarine-Guava lip balm
• Spearmint-Eucalyptus soap
• Mini steampunk top hat (see following picture)
• Celtic cross earrings and matching Snowflake Obsidian necklace (not pictured)

See? It has little elastic bands on the bottom for sliding onto headbands.

My legs will be stiff for a week, but I couldn't have had more fun with my friend. Can't wait for next year!

February 26th, 2012

The 24th - 25th were simply amazing. I picked up Raincloud and her cousin, Lara, after school on Friday, and we then drove to Hazelnut's house. We had pizza and an awesome cake:


And Hazelnut opened presents from her family. I also gave her a little gift; a clay "pencil dragon" I had made.


Then, the four of us headed upstairs and I gave Hazelnut a second, more magickal, present.




I hadn't thought mom would let me buy Hazelnut tarot cards, but she ended up not caring, so I got The Wildwood Tarot from Barnes and Nobel. The illustrations seemed really Pagan and earthy, from what I could tell from the box, and Hazelnut had been hinting that she'd been wanting tarot cards for a while. I suppose I underestimated her in that aspect, she nearly exploded when she pulled off the wrapping paper. :D The four of us hung out all evening, reading everything from Rupert's Tales to various poems. The morning of the 25th, we woke up bright and early (6:00), and took the train to Brookfield Zoo, where we spent the day. Talk about trippy. We had been there hardly an hour when all of a sudden we heard this eerie howling. The wolves were more than out and about; the big alpha male was seated on a rock, calling away for a good 20 minutes, with the others gathered around, listening. They were beautiful creatures; shaggy and grey with pale faces and darker legs and tails. Later, we were searching for the penguins in their exhibit, when we realized that they were literally right in front of us, directly up against the side of the enclosure, and that we'd been looking over their heads the entire time. Indeed, all the animals seemed over-active, as though determined to put on a good display for Hazelnut's birthday. The sea-lions were practically doing flips for us, and an African Wild Dog walked directly up to us and touched the glass with his nose. On the other hand, the Grizzly Bears were most decidedly asleep, curled up in a giant mound of hay so that they looked like great lumps of brown fuzz. We also saw the peacocks; two or three males and at least as many females, being trailed by a horde of guinea fowl. A while back (was it last summer? The summer before?) a peahen adopted a bunch of guinea fowl chicks, so I think the ones we saw must have been the same ones, all grown up. As we were on our way out of the zoo, Hazelnut stopped by a gift shop and got replicas of two amazing instruments: an Andean Flute, and a miniature African drum. Not only will they be great for rituals, they're fantastic looking, and can also be employed for fun, or for meditation. We were passing out the zoo gates, when a most enterprising peacock decided zoo life bored him, and walked right out the gate himself. We were quite panicked at the thought of an escaped peacock, but were assured that the bird was allowed to roam as he pleased, and that he was perfectly all-right. "Escaped" peacock taken care of, we proceeded to return home. I didn't want to leave, but unfortunately, I had church this morning, so I couldn't spend another night with my friend.

Today, I haven't done much besides church and homework, but I just thought I'd mention: the Forget-Me-Nots I planted just started to germinate; I've got one itty-bitty plant! Good thoughts for him, please!

February 23rd, 2012

Well, I simply cannot state how excited I am for tomorrow! It is Hazelnut's birthday, and Raincloud, Raincloud's cousin, and I are all going to Hazelnut's for a serious party. :) I've been itching to post a picture of what I got her, but I'd hate to spoil the surprise for her, so that shall have to wait. As it is, I want to share some intriguing information from a book I checked out at the library last weekend. The Book of Chakras, by Ambika Wauters, gives a really in-depth look at all seven major chakras, as well as various ways to heal said chakras. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to share some of what I have learned.

The Root Chakra is located at the very base of the spine. As the name suggests, this chakra is a vortex of energy within the body directly related to a feeling of being rooted, stable. When this energy is out of whack, one can feel too tied to the past, or, on the other hand, very insecure. When the energy is balanced, one can draw on the strength of the past while remaining fully in the present and stabilized in one's life and what one is doing.
Generally speaking, this chakra is fully developed by age 7; however, if one had a difficult early life, the chakra may require additional work to get it on-par. It is associated with the color red, and, if one is musically inclined, the note C. It can be opened through through tribal music, particularly drumming, and is also strongly associated with Native American reserves, and the great wilderness. Mythologically, this chakra is commonly paired with the great Indian elephant Ganesh, a white creature with seven tusks. If one wants to get more in touch with the Root Chakra, try saying the following affirmation before getting up and/or before going to sleep:

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I live from my integrity.
I love from my heart. I am connected to life in all its glory.
I know who I am and make choices based on what I know to be right for me.
I affirm my right to the life I choose.
I confirm my right to belong and be a part of something greater than myself.
I know I am truly good.
I live from the depths of my soul longing to express itself in the world.
I stand for justice, truth, and love.
I am supported in life through all my choices to do good and share the light of love.
My body supports me in living a happy and creative life.
I am open to the spirit of life, which carries me beyond my original limits to a higher, more creative space.
I am thankful for all the opportunities for growth and development that have come my way.
I am grateful for the challenges that have taught me who I truly am.
I love life.

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If you enjoy working with crystals, gems such as Ruby, Hematite, and Bloodstone can all do wonders for the Root Chakra. Hold them in the appropriate place and visualize the healing energy of the stone sucking up all the negativity and replacing it with positive energy. Just be sure to wash your stone in running water afterwards!

January 22nd, 2012

Rather like my sudden realization a few weeks back that I had yet to post how I came to the Craft, it has just occurred to me that I have never shared why I go by the name "Hummingbird". The first thing that comes to mind is this: Raincloud, Hazelnut, and I were sitting around a table last spring, laughing and joking as friends often do together. We had determined that Hazelnut looks like a squirrel (and believe me, she does), when she looked at me and said "You're a hummingbird!". I had never thought much about it before then, but I suppose I do. After all, green is my favorite color, and the only hummingbird species that live around here are green. Wikianswers says that Pagans hold the birds in high esteem for their "tireless energy and anxiety", and I am nothing if not eternally busy, and therefore, eternally anxious and stressed over something. Further, the Native Americans revered the birds, seeing them as being representative of the natural cycles of balance, as well as of love and happiness. My earliest memories of them certainly evoke feelings of love - of curling up on my grandmother's lap watching them flit and sip from her nectar feeders. A similarly powerful memory comes to mind, from many summers ago, when Nick and I went out west to Montana, both to sight-see and to visit relatives. One day, we stopped at the home of my grandfather's sister. It was a relatively small place, made of dark wood and standing in the middle of a forest. Her garden was lush and well-cultivated, and a creek ran through her backyard, with a hammock hanging over it. Nick and I sat outside, near a nectar feeder hanging from a tree, when all of a sudden, a charm of hummingbirds flew down from their tiny nests and flocked to the feeder; at least a dozen of them. Nick stood slowly, and held out his hand. The tiny creatures hovered above it, fearless and confident. I should like to be as the hummingbird: knowing my abilities without becoming immodest, and feeling brave in such self-knowledge. I can only hope to be worthy of using their name.

December 20th, 2011

So much excitement! :D Today I got to see my best Pagan buddies Hazelnut and Raincloud, and we had a little Yule get-together. First, we exchanged gifts. Here's all the presents...


Hazelnut and Raincloud...


Raincloud and her gift from me (a CD of tons of Pagan music):


Hazelnut and the winter gloves and hat from me (I also gave her a CD):


Hazelnut gave Raincloud a fairy door necklace, as her parents aren't cool with the whole Pagan thing, so she can wear it and be subtle.


And since my parents don't care all that much, she gave me two pentacle necklaces.


After presents, we had some cookies, crackers, dip, and hot cocoa for a snack.


HOT COCOA!


Then we listened to the aforementioned music and danced, sang some Yule carols, and generally chilled the rest of the afternoon. Now they're gone, and I miss them already.