My birthday is coming up. Gonna be the big 2-8. These things aren't becoming as big of a deal as they used to be, probably thanks to Grendal. Birthdays weren't that big a deal in his life and while I want to celebrate his birthday he just seems rather blah about it.
As an odd twist, though, we are celebrating my birthday, along with my father-in-law's, in a nifty way. We're having a Hobbit Breakfast! More like Elevenses, but it's the thought that counts. Grendal and I are bringing the eggs, bacon, and sausage, making coffee and tea, and than his sister is providing scones and clotted cream. Sounds like it's going to be a big thing, something nice for the family. I'm thinking about breaking out my soundtrack for LotR to play in the background!
With the weekend also comes Mabon/Fallfeast. I have become lax on doing much of anything during the warm seasons, but that seems to be what happens. Strangely, I am more active during the fall and winter months, and a little in spring. I'll make it a point to set aside a plate of food and warm bread (will try to make some for the day) for the gods and the wights. Depending on the weather and how Grendal and I feel, I might be able to convince him to spend part of the day at a local state park. We had originally wanted to go camping but, well, life happened. :I
Speaking of life, things are still kinda rocky/hectic for Grendal and I. The deli I work in has been forced to go union thanks to the other stores in the area. That's not bad, they seem to leave us well enough to ourselves, but it's the proposed contract that has everyone nervous. Those that I work with seem to be okay with this version but the Union Reps aren't happy. We vote again early next month and if we decline this contract we strike. Not good. Many of us, myself included, cannot deal with a strike. The amount we make there is just enough for some of us to get by and a strike would effectively cut off our income. A lot of us are pretty nervous. Grendal has been getting more hours at his store, which is good. He's happy but is getting worn down. Hopefully the two days off this weekend will be enough to reboot his system.
We've been trying to save as much as we can for our wedding but things are falling through. Our attempt at mead for the celebration might not happen, which is sad but things just keep cropping up and we have to place our money else where for the time being. He also wants to save up so he can finish off his last college class (no financial aid, sadly) before looking into taking a similar job as my brother-in-law, which is working for Canadian Pacific. He's keen on the idea and my brother-in-law enjoys it. The only downside that we see at the moment is the fact that he'd be gone for days at a time. It's a sacrifice we'd make if it means we can live with a slight bit of comfort.
Other than that, life has be chugging along. Working what we can, saving what we can, and trying to keep sane. With the chill in the air, though, I know I'm gonna come back to life and be a bit more present here. Hopefully. :)
Monday, September 17, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
How Very Hip(pie) of You!
Like the title of my blog denotes, I live in my own world for the most part. The only 'normal' thing that is a must is work. I gotta work to pay bills, to survive, and save. In all honesty, if Grendal and I could I think we would live off the grid and wander the earth. Sadly we're both rather attached to our computer and anything that comes with that. So we try, as best as we can, to better ourselves with the rest of the world.
Recently I took a venture into making my own granola with a huge success. I've been eating the stuff like it's the only way I'll survive. I've already made plans to do something 'seasonal' when autumn rolls around and I get my hands on some nice pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds from a local apple orchard. We also have a garden slowly growing, one that the entire family is working on. Slowly I've been doing more and more research into bettering our diet through simple means. I'm trying to get away from frozen veggies and use the steamer that has been sitting around getting dusty. There has also been just a general influx of healthier and fresher foods creeping into the household.
Grendal and I (more him) have slowly gotten away from drinking cow's milk. He was starting to have an adverse reaction to it and the only thing we could figure was the beginning of an intolerance. My mother is lactose intolerant and I was starting to show signs myself and decided to go along with Grendal on this little venture. While we still eat some cow milk based ice cream, yogurt, and sherbet, neither of us have drank milk in probably a month. He's feeling so much better and I don't know if there's been much of a difference in me, but I haven't really missed it.
Along with the granola making I decided that I could start making my own yogurt. So off I went to the internet to do some searches on how to go about doing so. The recipes I've found are pretty basic and I'll be experimenting rather soon! What struck me as odd was a certain recipe/blog entry from someone who was venturing into yogurt making themselves. They said they were 'doing something very hippie.' That made me stop and wonder how yogurt making was a hippie thing to do. Needless to say I found no answer in my own mind and didn't bother any more with it.
The whole hippie thing, though, has been following me for years. My mother and auntie in Hawai'i have both said that if I was to ever move there they knew that it wouldn't take long before I was part of the hippie community there. I laughed it off and agreed that there was some truth to that. More recently I've had my manager and a worker in another department lovingly call me a hippie. I've talked to them about my bread making, my gardening, and have even gone a little holistic with them(heh). I pointed this out to Grendal and all he did was nod.
"You're a bit of a hippie." And then he went on to compare me to Abby O'Neil from Dharma and Greg(a favorite show of mine in middle school, and my favorite character!!).
Thinking about it I am a Granola Child, minus the vegetarian bit. :) I wouldn't have it any other way and neither would Grendal.
Recently I took a venture into making my own granola with a huge success. I've been eating the stuff like it's the only way I'll survive. I've already made plans to do something 'seasonal' when autumn rolls around and I get my hands on some nice pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds from a local apple orchard. We also have a garden slowly growing, one that the entire family is working on. Slowly I've been doing more and more research into bettering our diet through simple means. I'm trying to get away from frozen veggies and use the steamer that has been sitting around getting dusty. There has also been just a general influx of healthier and fresher foods creeping into the household.
Grendal and I (more him) have slowly gotten away from drinking cow's milk. He was starting to have an adverse reaction to it and the only thing we could figure was the beginning of an intolerance. My mother is lactose intolerant and I was starting to show signs myself and decided to go along with Grendal on this little venture. While we still eat some cow milk based ice cream, yogurt, and sherbet, neither of us have drank milk in probably a month. He's feeling so much better and I don't know if there's been much of a difference in me, but I haven't really missed it.
Along with the granola making I decided that I could start making my own yogurt. So off I went to the internet to do some searches on how to go about doing so. The recipes I've found are pretty basic and I'll be experimenting rather soon! What struck me as odd was a certain recipe/blog entry from someone who was venturing into yogurt making themselves. They said they were 'doing something very hippie.' That made me stop and wonder how yogurt making was a hippie thing to do. Needless to say I found no answer in my own mind and didn't bother any more with it.
The whole hippie thing, though, has been following me for years. My mother and auntie in Hawai'i have both said that if I was to ever move there they knew that it wouldn't take long before I was part of the hippie community there. I laughed it off and agreed that there was some truth to that. More recently I've had my manager and a worker in another department lovingly call me a hippie. I've talked to them about my bread making, my gardening, and have even gone a little holistic with them(heh). I pointed this out to Grendal and all he did was nod.
"You're a bit of a hippie." And then he went on to compare me to Abby O'Neil from Dharma and Greg(a favorite show of mine in middle school, and my favorite character!!).
Thinking about it I am a Granola Child, minus the vegetarian bit. :) I wouldn't have it any other way and neither would Grendal.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Seriously?
Another month gone by without a post. Sadly it's because there hasn't been much to post about in my little corner of the world. Just trying to get by and what not.
Grendal and I recently hit a set back in the way of saving up for our wedding. We had nearly 1000 set aside when we realized that we needed a mower for our 4+ acres of grass. His parents agreed to pay us back and there went our savings. They've made one 'payment' so far but that was about two or three weeks ago and was a vary small portion of it. While it rankles me I can't say much because they're in a financial bind due to bills and little in the realm of a budget and restraint.
The two of us have sat down and looked at what we need/want for the wedding. I think we've come to the conclusion that 15 gallons of mead is a bit much due to how strong our brew is, and how many bottles we'll need. That and we don't have many drinkers in our group. I'm thinking about taking it down to possibly 6. We'll see how Grendal takes that.
We'll be heading to Bristol RenFaire to pick out our wedding jewelry. There is a lovely little stall that sells pendants and this time we'll be springing for silver rather than copper ones. We've also thought about purchasing a drinking horn for our shared cup of our homemade mead. Thought it would be a nice touch. I'm also thinking about looking for a headdress or something else as an accessory. Don't know what just yet, I'll just have to see.
Lately I've had the urge to rearrange my altar. I think it's gotten cluttered and I need to downsize. That and I believe some of my statues need to be put away. While I am not disregarding the deities as I move their representations, I just feel like I've moved on to something else. I always feel horrible when this happens. While I worked with Ba'al and those in that Pantheon, it just feels like something no longer clicks. I was so in to that mind set for some time and with a sudden switch, I'm off reading something else. To others it might seem like just jumping from one group to another just because I can. That's not the case. I've been studying and learning, expanding my views once more. In a way Ba'al was a gateway to another deity and Pantheon, one that seems closer to home than any other. There are times when I can feel him but, for the most part, his time with me has come to an end. A time that was wonderful!
Grendal and I recently hit a set back in the way of saving up for our wedding. We had nearly 1000 set aside when we realized that we needed a mower for our 4+ acres of grass. His parents agreed to pay us back and there went our savings. They've made one 'payment' so far but that was about two or three weeks ago and was a vary small portion of it. While it rankles me I can't say much because they're in a financial bind due to bills and little in the realm of a budget and restraint.
The two of us have sat down and looked at what we need/want for the wedding. I think we've come to the conclusion that 15 gallons of mead is a bit much due to how strong our brew is, and how many bottles we'll need. That and we don't have many drinkers in our group. I'm thinking about taking it down to possibly 6. We'll see how Grendal takes that.
We'll be heading to Bristol RenFaire to pick out our wedding jewelry. There is a lovely little stall that sells pendants and this time we'll be springing for silver rather than copper ones. We've also thought about purchasing a drinking horn for our shared cup of our homemade mead. Thought it would be a nice touch. I'm also thinking about looking for a headdress or something else as an accessory. Don't know what just yet, I'll just have to see.
Lately I've had the urge to rearrange my altar. I think it's gotten cluttered and I need to downsize. That and I believe some of my statues need to be put away. While I am not disregarding the deities as I move their representations, I just feel like I've moved on to something else. I always feel horrible when this happens. While I worked with Ba'al and those in that Pantheon, it just feels like something no longer clicks. I was so in to that mind set for some time and with a sudden switch, I'm off reading something else. To others it might seem like just jumping from one group to another just because I can. That's not the case. I've been studying and learning, expanding my views once more. In a way Ba'al was a gateway to another deity and Pantheon, one that seems closer to home than any other. There are times when I can feel him but, for the most part, his time with me has come to an end. A time that was wonderful!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Out of Hibernation
I love winter. Simply LOVE it. Which is strange since both my sisters and mother despise northern winters and you'd think, being a Hawai'ian child, I'd hate it too. Seems like I managed to have more of my father's blood in me when it comes to which seasons I enjoy. The snow and the cold nights! Hot drinks and warm hearty meals that really make this house a home. Having to cuddle up with Grendal to keep warm while we sleep. Even Yuko, our odd mix of a pup, loves the snow! Being a short haired breed who came up from Alabama we thought she'd hate the snow. Nope. Whenever a fresh bunch fell she begged to go out and play. Running, digging, eating, and rolling in the snow until it just got too cold. Yuko is a dog after our own hearts.
That and being with my modern day viking of a man, Grendal. I don't like summer that much anymore and it's because of the heat. When it gets to be anything above 80 I tend to melt and not want to do much unless there is a breeze, I'm near water, or in the middle of the woods.
The birds around here have told us that winter is now a memory and Spring is in full swing. While the actual transition is still a few days away, you can't really deny nature and animals. Grendal pointed that out yesterday while we listened to a Robin sing. My little Goldfinches, Chickadees, Mourning Doves, and Cardinals have all strayed from the feeders to find their own food. Kinda sad but I bet they're happy to be out and about.
Its early to mid march up here and it's bordering on 80 degrees. D: Way too early for this heat and the upper part of the house(the part we rent) doesn't vent heat, it holds it in. So we bake, our electronics bake, the animals don't wanna be up here, etc. Despite that I've started walking home from work to take in the sun and see if I can gain some color without actually burning for once(doubt it). Gotta take out the bikes and check the tires so I can ride to and from work.
Grendal and I have started to save up money for our wedding. Its a little over a year away and I'm already paranoid on what to do. I mean what the hell do I do for a wedding? We're having it in the yard and the person doing the ceremony is going to be a family friend. All of it's going to start in the afternoon and give way to a bonfire. We don't even know how many people to invite. :I His family is HUGE compared to mine, even if my mother's side was able to fly out and join us. The only thing we know for sure is where we're getting our wedding jewelery(to pendants from a local RenFair), what I want to do for a dress(still gotta get the pattern and double check that Grendal's mother is willing to help), have my mother make my headdress, and, above all else, brew our Mead! That is the part I'm looking forward to. Our first batch turned out wonderful so we're going to ahead and make about 15 gallons worth for the wedding.
So, since winter is over and spring is in full swing I can no longer hibernate. Time to open the windows, spruce up my altar, and begin life anew! No more winter woes that seem to creep in no matter how much I love the season. While my little corner of the world may not be as I imagined, it's my freakin' corner.
That and being with my modern day viking of a man, Grendal. I don't like summer that much anymore and it's because of the heat. When it gets to be anything above 80 I tend to melt and not want to do much unless there is a breeze, I'm near water, or in the middle of the woods.
The birds around here have told us that winter is now a memory and Spring is in full swing. While the actual transition is still a few days away, you can't really deny nature and animals. Grendal pointed that out yesterday while we listened to a Robin sing. My little Goldfinches, Chickadees, Mourning Doves, and Cardinals have all strayed from the feeders to find their own food. Kinda sad but I bet they're happy to be out and about.
Its early to mid march up here and it's bordering on 80 degrees. D: Way too early for this heat and the upper part of the house(the part we rent) doesn't vent heat, it holds it in. So we bake, our electronics bake, the animals don't wanna be up here, etc. Despite that I've started walking home from work to take in the sun and see if I can gain some color without actually burning for once(doubt it). Gotta take out the bikes and check the tires so I can ride to and from work.
Grendal and I have started to save up money for our wedding. Its a little over a year away and I'm already paranoid on what to do. I mean what the hell do I do for a wedding? We're having it in the yard and the person doing the ceremony is going to be a family friend. All of it's going to start in the afternoon and give way to a bonfire. We don't even know how many people to invite. :I His family is HUGE compared to mine, even if my mother's side was able to fly out and join us. The only thing we know for sure is where we're getting our wedding jewelery(to pendants from a local RenFair), what I want to do for a dress(still gotta get the pattern and double check that Grendal's mother is willing to help), have my mother make my headdress, and, above all else, brew our Mead! That is the part I'm looking forward to. Our first batch turned out wonderful so we're going to ahead and make about 15 gallons worth for the wedding.
So, since winter is over and spring is in full swing I can no longer hibernate. Time to open the windows, spruce up my altar, and begin life anew! No more winter woes that seem to creep in no matter how much I love the season. While my little corner of the world may not be as I imagined, it's my freakin' corner.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
The Reason for the Season
Skyrim is eating up whatever free time I have, so posts I had intended to, uh, post won't be getting here any time soon.
Alrighty, down to business. With the winter holidays coming up quick there is no doubt in the return of the whole 'Put Jesus back in Christmas' issue. I usually ignore it since it doesn't really apply to me. To each their own and what not. I am a firm believer that religion should stay out of public schools and have been for years. Hell, I even wrote two term papers on it in high school. I try and stay out of those conversations because it just brings up so much bad blood and ill will in a lot of cases.
Recently I found out that two pagan friends have 'switched sides'. I know that sounds horrible but that's what popped up in my head when I found out/heard about it. Both women were very devout in their Pagan ways and we talked to each other about all manners of Pagan and witchy stuff. It made me feel happy to have someone to talk face to face about what we do in general practice or to come to each other for advice.
The first friend, and the one I know best, was very much into her beliefs and was part of a small group I was in trying to get a Pagan group started at a local college. We weren't there to start a circle, but to educate people on the Pagan community but that's neither here nor there. She had been a friend in high school so when I found out she was Wiccan I rejoiced. Now, though, she converted to Catholicism due to her marriage. At first I thought it may have been one of those moments where she was like 'sure, whatever' but the more I kept up with her online the more confused I got. She still wishes me and our other Pagan friends happy holidays when they pop up but I noticed she was asking where she could find pins that proclaimed 'Jesus is the reason for the season.' I saw that and I was floored. She is an educated person when it comes to the history of religions and faiths so it bothered me greatly to say that winter holiday is thanks to one person who fits a description of many *coughMithracough*. It usually rubs me the wrong way when people want to be PC but, honestly, when it comes to holidays I want that PC-ness. Don't wish me Merry Christmas, please. Don't tell me Happy Hanukkah or any thing else for that matter. If you do than I will wish you a Happy Yule or Twelfth Night. My point is, is that the assumptions irritates me to the point that I have the urge, during work, to tell those who say 'May God bless you,' 'May Odin All Father bless you.' :| That'll go over well.
While I understand it my friend's right and privilege to follow what ever she wants to follow, it just baffles me that someone so devout in their previous beliefs could suddenly pop up something else. I can blame it on the husband all I want but it makes me question my friend. Was she so devout? Was she just trying something on?
My other friend I don't know so much about. She had been going through a rough patch and, again this is in my head, I think someone may have gotten to her in her weakness. She is now born again and seems to completely ignore her past dealings with Wicca.
I think I'm getting bitter in my age. I'm only 27 and I'm getting cranky with others for odd reasons. Grendal is there to help figure things out when I just sit around and grump, but even he was surprised. We've chosen to let it go but I do have something to ask those who happen to read this: Do or did you know anyone who suddenly went from one religion/faith to another out of seemingly nowhere? What went through your head? :\
Alrighty, down to business. With the winter holidays coming up quick there is no doubt in the return of the whole 'Put Jesus back in Christmas' issue. I usually ignore it since it doesn't really apply to me. To each their own and what not. I am a firm believer that religion should stay out of public schools and have been for years. Hell, I even wrote two term papers on it in high school. I try and stay out of those conversations because it just brings up so much bad blood and ill will in a lot of cases.
Recently I found out that two pagan friends have 'switched sides'. I know that sounds horrible but that's what popped up in my head when I found out/heard about it. Both women were very devout in their Pagan ways and we talked to each other about all manners of Pagan and witchy stuff. It made me feel happy to have someone to talk face to face about what we do in general practice or to come to each other for advice.
The first friend, and the one I know best, was very much into her beliefs and was part of a small group I was in trying to get a Pagan group started at a local college. We weren't there to start a circle, but to educate people on the Pagan community but that's neither here nor there. She had been a friend in high school so when I found out she was Wiccan I rejoiced. Now, though, she converted to Catholicism due to her marriage. At first I thought it may have been one of those moments where she was like 'sure, whatever' but the more I kept up with her online the more confused I got. She still wishes me and our other Pagan friends happy holidays when they pop up but I noticed she was asking where she could find pins that proclaimed 'Jesus is the reason for the season.' I saw that and I was floored. She is an educated person when it comes to the history of religions and faiths so it bothered me greatly to say that winter holiday is thanks to one person who fits a description of many *coughMithracough*. It usually rubs me the wrong way when people want to be PC but, honestly, when it comes to holidays I want that PC-ness. Don't wish me Merry Christmas, please. Don't tell me Happy Hanukkah or any thing else for that matter. If you do than I will wish you a Happy Yule or Twelfth Night. My point is, is that the assumptions irritates me to the point that I have the urge, during work, to tell those who say 'May God bless you,' 'May Odin All Father bless you.' :| That'll go over well.
While I understand it my friend's right and privilege to follow what ever she wants to follow, it just baffles me that someone so devout in their previous beliefs could suddenly pop up something else. I can blame it on the husband all I want but it makes me question my friend. Was she so devout? Was she just trying something on?
My other friend I don't know so much about. She had been going through a rough patch and, again this is in my head, I think someone may have gotten to her in her weakness. She is now born again and seems to completely ignore her past dealings with Wicca.
I think I'm getting bitter in my age. I'm only 27 and I'm getting cranky with others for odd reasons. Grendal is there to help figure things out when I just sit around and grump, but even he was surprised. We've chosen to let it go but I do have something to ask those who happen to read this: Do or did you know anyone who suddenly went from one religion/faith to another out of seemingly nowhere? What went through your head? :\
Sunday, November 13, 2011
A Long, Long Time Ago....
Yeah, I'm still alive. XP Life is kicking me in the butt so haven't been able to make it back to the blogosphere.
Updates in my life:
Grendal and I are the proud parents of a furry baby. We got her from an animal shelter about an hour away. Fuyuko (roughly translated as 'winter child') is a 1 year old mix of, what we think, is Pitbull, Shiba Inu, and possibly German Shepard. She's a hell of a dog and getting along decently with Tinker. We do get a little nervous about Yuko's play with Tinker. Yuko like to mouth and use her paws, plus she's bigger than Tinker so we have to keep an eye on them. Nothing bad has happened so that's a good thing. We've been taking Yuko everywhere with us. We've even had play dates with my older sister's dogs. So far, after two weeks, things couldn't be better.
Grendal has been hired as seasonal help at a local Bergner's store. While normal chances of staying on after the holiday season is low, he's been trained as both a cashier and a dock worker so we're keeping our fingers crossed!
After the previous holiday I decided it was time to dust off my altar and spruce it up a bit. Everything is a little tidier now, which makes me and the altar happier. What's nice is that I've found two crow feathers in lovely condition, both right in my path on my walks home from work. I had them on my altar as well and since Halloween has passed I was able to purchase two crow figures to place on the altar as well. I had my eye on them for a while so when they were still there when the sale started I figured that it was time to snag 'em. Besides, with my recently formed connect with Odin what better way to represent him!
What else.....I can't think of anything new and exciting that has been happening in my life. I've managed to write a little on my novel in progress but still nothing significant. With autumn slowly giving way to winter I've felt that familiar intimacy with the night and the earth. I can't really explain it. While the world is alive in spring and summer all I want to do is nap in the sun like a cat. In the colder months, though, I feel at peace. I want nothing more than to stay inside and make it feel like home through baking and soup making. The nights are blissful despite the eerie silence thanks to the snow. Even with the house being near a busy street it feels like we are far away from the hub bub of the city and in the middle of the countryside. I think I'll wait until the deep parts of winter to make an 'official' connection with the All Father. For some reason it feels right, and that's what matters the most with these types of things.
Updates in my life:
Grendal and I are the proud parents of a furry baby. We got her from an animal shelter about an hour away. Fuyuko (roughly translated as 'winter child') is a 1 year old mix of, what we think, is Pitbull, Shiba Inu, and possibly German Shepard. She's a hell of a dog and getting along decently with Tinker. We do get a little nervous about Yuko's play with Tinker. Yuko like to mouth and use her paws, plus she's bigger than Tinker so we have to keep an eye on them. Nothing bad has happened so that's a good thing. We've been taking Yuko everywhere with us. We've even had play dates with my older sister's dogs. So far, after two weeks, things couldn't be better.
Grendal has been hired as seasonal help at a local Bergner's store. While normal chances of staying on after the holiday season is low, he's been trained as both a cashier and a dock worker so we're keeping our fingers crossed!
After the previous holiday I decided it was time to dust off my altar and spruce it up a bit. Everything is a little tidier now, which makes me and the altar happier. What's nice is that I've found two crow feathers in lovely condition, both right in my path on my walks home from work. I had them on my altar as well and since Halloween has passed I was able to purchase two crow figures to place on the altar as well. I had my eye on them for a while so when they were still there when the sale started I figured that it was time to snag 'em. Besides, with my recently formed connect with Odin what better way to represent him!
What else.....I can't think of anything new and exciting that has been happening in my life. I've managed to write a little on my novel in progress but still nothing significant. With autumn slowly giving way to winter I've felt that familiar intimacy with the night and the earth. I can't really explain it. While the world is alive in spring and summer all I want to do is nap in the sun like a cat. In the colder months, though, I feel at peace. I want nothing more than to stay inside and make it feel like home through baking and soup making. The nights are blissful despite the eerie silence thanks to the snow. Even with the house being near a busy street it feels like we are far away from the hub bub of the city and in the middle of the countryside. I think I'll wait until the deep parts of winter to make an 'official' connection with the All Father. For some reason it feels right, and that's what matters the most with these types of things.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Crafts
First off, hello to those who just found my blog thanks to the Real Witches of Halloween event! Thanks for checking me out and possibly sticking around to hear what I ramble on about.
I've always thought of myself as a crafty person, but not in that unhanded 'oooo I'm gonna get ya' kind of way. I bake, I cook, draw, write, and make jewelry. What has always escaped me, though, was crocheting and knitting. I know many women who do this: my mother, my mother-in-law, my sister-in-law, my sister, aunts, friends and even my grandmother. I look at the end product and want to do that but I'm nothing but thumbs when it comes to attempting. Luckily, though, I may have found an alternative: Nålbinding!
Nålbinding, or Needle Binding, is something that I just kinda stumbled upon. I was looking through sites on Norse history and mythology and the next thing I knew I was looking at this craft. I love working with my hands(making hemp necklaces and the like are my favorite) so it instantly piqued my interest. I looked through many pages of history and how-to videos and picture instructions before I went running to Grendal with the specifics of making a needle. It was a quick make so I found myself sitting in the living room trying my damnedest to make it work. It took me the better part of the day but I know how to do a simple line(the Oslo stitch apparently). The thing doesn't look too pretty but I can do it! My goal is to make a hat for Grendal(I'll be a dork and post pictures of the progress whenever I get it going), one that should keep him warm during the winter. :) He'll be one step closer to being a viking in his own right.
Links(the ones that helped me):
Nålbinding- Viking history
Bernhard's Nålbinding Site
Another nifty thing I've found myself getting into is the idea of working a loom. This, though, I've been fascinated by for some time. Rather than jumping into working a large one I've decided to stick with an inkle loom. I'll be making belts and what not, but I'd rather have something that small and learn that I don't like than get my hands on a large one and figure that out. :\ The loom will take a little longer for me to get and prepare so I can't go into much detail about that.
I've always thought of myself as a crafty person, but not in that unhanded 'oooo I'm gonna get ya' kind of way. I bake, I cook, draw, write, and make jewelry. What has always escaped me, though, was crocheting and knitting. I know many women who do this: my mother, my mother-in-law, my sister-in-law, my sister, aunts, friends and even my grandmother. I look at the end product and want to do that but I'm nothing but thumbs when it comes to attempting. Luckily, though, I may have found an alternative: Nålbinding!
Nålbinding, or Needle Binding, is something that I just kinda stumbled upon. I was looking through sites on Norse history and mythology and the next thing I knew I was looking at this craft. I love working with my hands(making hemp necklaces and the like are my favorite) so it instantly piqued my interest. I looked through many pages of history and how-to videos and picture instructions before I went running to Grendal with the specifics of making a needle. It was a quick make so I found myself sitting in the living room trying my damnedest to make it work. It took me the better part of the day but I know how to do a simple line(the Oslo stitch apparently). The thing doesn't look too pretty but I can do it! My goal is to make a hat for Grendal(I'll be a dork and post pictures of the progress whenever I get it going), one that should keep him warm during the winter. :) He'll be one step closer to being a viking in his own right.
Links(the ones that helped me):
Nålbinding- Viking history
Bernhard's Nålbinding Site
Another nifty thing I've found myself getting into is the idea of working a loom. This, though, I've been fascinated by for some time. Rather than jumping into working a large one I've decided to stick with an inkle loom. I'll be making belts and what not, but I'd rather have something that small and learn that I don't like than get my hands on a large one and figure that out. :\ The loom will take a little longer for me to get and prepare so I can't go into much detail about that.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Black Birds
I've always liked Crows and Ravens. I don't really know why but I do. Recently I've began to notice more and more Crows in the area, almost always in duos. What strikes me as odd is the fact their population in the area either increased or became more noticeable(believe me when I say that I keep an eye out for these birds) when I began to study the Norse deities, more importantly Odin. I do know that Crows and Ravens come from the same family but they're different enough. While Odin's birds are Ravens rather than Crows, I don't think Ravens would fly so far from their normal homes just to make a connection. Let me just say that I'm not one to go around and saw everything is a sign from this deity or that one. I don't know why but I study the moment and really look at it from every possible angle(yay for being a Libra). Either it was some sort of 'sign' or it was just a very strange coincidence that the crows have shown up in force.
One thing that I suppose I should note is that this isn't the only time that I've had odd occurrences with these birds. Over 12 years ago, I think I was sophomore in high school, I was sitting on the back porch talking to a friend over the phone. I was really expanding my views and capability with Paganism in general about that time, and I was pretty much alone(no friends were 'into it' and I had to do it in secret for the time being). While my friend and I were chatting two large black birds landed in the yard. When I saw large I mean LARGE, like the height of a Bald Eagle. While that species does appear here randomly, these two were juveniles. These two were pitch black rather than brown. I had made a comment to my friend that these two crows were in the yard. While we chatted I watched them. They moved through the yard and towards the house....i.e. me. I was growing more and more nervous as they kept walking and made sounds at each other. When they reached the halfway point in the yard I hurried inside. I never say birds like that again and I still have no explanation on what they could have been. I've recently looked at images of the birds in the area and nothing matches up.
So while part of me just dismisses it, another part likes to think that Odin had attempted contact before and I'm now able to listen.
One thing that I suppose I should note is that this isn't the only time that I've had odd occurrences with these birds. Over 12 years ago, I think I was sophomore in high school, I was sitting on the back porch talking to a friend over the phone. I was really expanding my views and capability with Paganism in general about that time, and I was pretty much alone(no friends were 'into it' and I had to do it in secret for the time being). While my friend and I were chatting two large black birds landed in the yard. When I saw large I mean LARGE, like the height of a Bald Eagle. While that species does appear here randomly, these two were juveniles. These two were pitch black rather than brown. I had made a comment to my friend that these two crows were in the yard. While we chatted I watched them. They moved through the yard and towards the house....i.e. me. I was growing more and more nervous as they kept walking and made sounds at each other. When they reached the halfway point in the yard I hurried inside. I never say birds like that again and I still have no explanation on what they could have been. I've recently looked at images of the birds in the area and nothing matches up.
So while part of me just dismisses it, another part likes to think that Odin had attempted contact before and I'm now able to listen.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Turning the Wheel
Grendal was nice enough to get our connection to the internet back in working order, plus cleaning out the machine so it runs a bit faster. With that being done I can talk about that book I've been meaning to. Just let it be known that I haven't written a book review or even a book report in years, so it may be disjointed and full of rambling. :P
I don't remember how, exactly, I stumbled across Wheel of the Year: Living the Magical Life but I found it after Yule of last year and bought it for myself. The book doesn't hide what its going to talk about, telling you right up front that you'll be going through the months of the year and seeing the connections of the seasons. It talks about old and more modern traditions for the various holidays and Sabbats. Each chapter starts out with a description of how the month has effected the world around the authors' farmstead, weaving a beautiful image, before jumping into tradition.
The pages are filled with little crafts to do, as well as some simple spells that connect with that month's over all feel. I just re-read October's entry and found myself overly excited for the weeks to come. Don't go into this book in hopes of finding out the history of each Sabbat. That's not what this book is here to do and there are many others out there do that, which is probably why the authors shied away from doing so.
Over all the one down fall to this book is the fact that it seems to be the epitome of picturesque witchy living. Big farm house, nice fireplace, large garden and orchard, etc. While I do live on a nice piece of land and may be able to mirror a few things garden-wise, most others live in large cities and these things are hard to accomplish. I do suppose that this book follows the rules of many other Wiccan books out there when it comes to spells: these descriptions are guide-lines and inspirational notes that should lead you to do what you are capable of doing. (quick example) While I love the idea of doing ocean magic, I'm way too far from an ocean to do anything but I do have reasonable access to rivers that flow there. With a few modifications I could make it work. The same applies to this book: Modifications may be necessary.
All in all this book has rekindled my love of the seasons and my want to tune myself with the ebb and flow of them. I have found myself watching the happenings of the birds and nature in general, and learning new things that seem to herald the changes. This year I learned from Grendal's father that after the cicadas start their songs it'll be around 3 weeks before it starts to get chilly(this is what he was told, by his mother, when he was a child). Me being curious, I kept 'watch' and sure enough 3 weeks later we had a cold snap. :)
The book is worth a flip through if you can manage to find. I didn't have the opportunity to peruse it before purchasing but I don't regret it. This book sits proudly in my bookcase, alongside the other well read books.
I don't remember how, exactly, I stumbled across Wheel of the Year: Living the Magical Life but I found it after Yule of last year and bought it for myself. The book doesn't hide what its going to talk about, telling you right up front that you'll be going through the months of the year and seeing the connections of the seasons. It talks about old and more modern traditions for the various holidays and Sabbats. Each chapter starts out with a description of how the month has effected the world around the authors' farmstead, weaving a beautiful image, before jumping into tradition.
The pages are filled with little crafts to do, as well as some simple spells that connect with that month's over all feel. I just re-read October's entry and found myself overly excited for the weeks to come. Don't go into this book in hopes of finding out the history of each Sabbat. That's not what this book is here to do and there are many others out there do that, which is probably why the authors shied away from doing so.
Over all the one down fall to this book is the fact that it seems to be the epitome of picturesque witchy living. Big farm house, nice fireplace, large garden and orchard, etc. While I do live on a nice piece of land and may be able to mirror a few things garden-wise, most others live in large cities and these things are hard to accomplish. I do suppose that this book follows the rules of many other Wiccan books out there when it comes to spells: these descriptions are guide-lines and inspirational notes that should lead you to do what you are capable of doing. (quick example) While I love the idea of doing ocean magic, I'm way too far from an ocean to do anything but I do have reasonable access to rivers that flow there. With a few modifications I could make it work. The same applies to this book: Modifications may be necessary.
All in all this book has rekindled my love of the seasons and my want to tune myself with the ebb and flow of them. I have found myself watching the happenings of the birds and nature in general, and learning new things that seem to herald the changes. This year I learned from Grendal's father that after the cicadas start their songs it'll be around 3 weeks before it starts to get chilly(this is what he was told, by his mother, when he was a child). Me being curious, I kept 'watch' and sure enough 3 weeks later we had a cold snap. :)
The book is worth a flip through if you can manage to find. I didn't have the opportunity to peruse it before purchasing but I don't regret it. This book sits proudly in my bookcase, alongside the other well read books.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Oh noes! The internets....
Grendal's parents decided to mess around with the router in the house, thus disconnecting our computer from the web while keeping theirs in semi-working order. I was going to post a slight 'review' of a book last night but with a mixture of messed up internet and the fact that I left work an hour and half later messed that up. While the internet is still in the house I either have to blog on the TV in the living, use a dinosaur of a laptop, or just wait it out. The wait might not be too long. Hell, Grendal may have everything fixed by the time I get off of work tonight but I don't know for sure. :\
In other news, I think I may have to search for a new job. I love the people that I work with. Hell, I met a fellow Pagan in my department and we chat whenever we work together but that can't keep me going. The place I work at got bought out by a competitor which is fine and dandy. The not so dandy part is that suddenly the store is implementing seniority. I went from a hard worker with some 34+ hours a week to a hard worker who'll be lucky to get 30 hours a week. Part me understands it but it irks me when four fellow co-workers, all whom live at home with mommy and daddy and don't have any sort of rent or bills to pay, are getting more then their 'allotted' hours. One of them is below part time and is supposed to get anywhere from 16-24 hours a week. This week she's getting 38. :I Annoying to say the least and my Pagan coworker(a 50 some odd year old woman with more than her share of worries) is getting poor hours as well. She told me that I gotta do what I gotta do....besides, she can bother me on facebook.
I've been trying to figure out some way to decorate and celebrate this season. I wore my 'witchy' socks on the 1st and have been going over some books in my collection but so far nothing much. Autumn and Halloween are my favorite times of year and have been since I was a kid. No kids wander on to our 4+ acre of property for candy(it does look like a spooky place at night) and my relationship with my elder sister is still rocky, so handing out candy at her place probably won't happen. I'm going to start planning something out for the 31st in way of honoring the spirits, but I'm not too sure what.
One way or another a 'review' will be posted on a book that I have and I think I'll explain some nifty crafts that I've been trying to get into, and how I found them! :P
In other news, I think I may have to search for a new job. I love the people that I work with. Hell, I met a fellow Pagan in my department and we chat whenever we work together but that can't keep me going. The place I work at got bought out by a competitor which is fine and dandy. The not so dandy part is that suddenly the store is implementing seniority. I went from a hard worker with some 34+ hours a week to a hard worker who'll be lucky to get 30 hours a week. Part me understands it but it irks me when four fellow co-workers, all whom live at home with mommy and daddy and don't have any sort of rent or bills to pay, are getting more then their 'allotted' hours. One of them is below part time and is supposed to get anywhere from 16-24 hours a week. This week she's getting 38. :I Annoying to say the least and my Pagan coworker(a 50 some odd year old woman with more than her share of worries) is getting poor hours as well. She told me that I gotta do what I gotta do....besides, she can bother me on facebook.
I've been trying to figure out some way to decorate and celebrate this season. I wore my 'witchy' socks on the 1st and have been going over some books in my collection but so far nothing much. Autumn and Halloween are my favorite times of year and have been since I was a kid. No kids wander on to our 4+ acre of property for candy(it does look like a spooky place at night) and my relationship with my elder sister is still rocky, so handing out candy at her place probably won't happen. I'm going to start planning something out for the 31st in way of honoring the spirits, but I'm not too sure what.
One way or another a 'review' will be posted on a book that I have and I think I'll explain some nifty crafts that I've been trying to get into, and how I found them! :P
Monday, October 3, 2011
Quick Recipe of the Season
Besides the colors and the crisp air, another reason why I love autumn is the sudden explosion of pumpkins! Big ones, small ones, all of 'em! My sisters and I would do your traditional pumpkin carvings when we were young, giggling at the gross mess we made with the insides and threatening to chuck it at each other. We'd pick through to get the seeds and my mother would toast them in the oven for us. There is something special about homemade toasted pumpkin seeds that seems to be lacking in the store bought variety.
Looking through my mass of recipes I found a quick one for toasted seeds and thought I'd share.
Looking through my mass of recipes I found a quick one for toasted seeds and thought I'd share.
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
2 cups pumpkin seeds
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Wash pumpkin seed in a colander under running water. Wipe off excess fibers. On a cookie sheet, combine pumpkin seeds with remaining ingredients. Bake approximately 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until seeds are dry and golden.
As with any recipe, add what you'd like to it! My elder sister does her own spicy variety and I add some cayenne pepper to a portion of mine for Grendal. I haven't tried a 'sweet' variety but I do think it could be done. Enjoy!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Be Kind to Your Fine Feathered Friends
From what I've been told I was bitten by a swan when I was a child. It must not have been very traumatic because I don't remember it and I adore most birds. My grandfather had a Martin house set up in the backyard before he and my grandmother moved to their current house. He has a pair of binoculars and a bird book right next to the large windows that overlook their backyard. It's a haven for wildlife, as small as the yard may be, and it's thanks to him that I've taken a liking to feeding the birds and squirrels in our own yard.
The whole 'grandparent feeding the small animals' thing isn't just in my family; apparently Grendal's own grandfather feeds them. What struck me as awesome was the fact that the squirrels and chipmunks would actually run up to him and pretty much ask for some peanuts. For the 6+ years Grendal and I have been together I hadn't seen it happen. One chipmunk had attempted to get to him but was frightened off by the crowd of people at the family get together. This past weekend, though, I actually got to witness it. Grendal found it amusing because I reverted back to a child when the chipmunk ran up to me and grabbed my finger, thinking I had something for him. He loved it even more so when his grandfather handed me some peanuts and I began to feed the little guy. The chipmunk would take three peanuts(one in each cheek and on its mouth) and then bounce off to its home, only to come back for more. Grendal's grandmother said they're usually nervous around other people but it seems like it warmed up to me rather quickly.
While I haven't gotten the squirrels or chipmunks to do that around here, Grendal and I have managed to gather a rather large community of birds:
I find myself sitting next to the cat by the window watching the birds, chipmunks, and squirrels eat. We have Goldfinches, Whitebreasted Nuthatches, Mourning Doves, Cardinals, Sparrows, House Finches, and Blue Jays flying around. My favorite are the Nuthatches right now. I just love how they shimmy down the polls, flip on the horizontal poll, and eat 'upside down.' I do love the Cardinals, especially in winter when their colors pop against the snow, but the male we had this past spring was constantly singing. Grendal said he was just expressing his joy, but it eventually rubbed him the wrong way when the bird decided to sing right outside the bedroom window!
I've seen other bloggers joining little blog parties before and it has piqued my interest many times. I've seen what goes on and I've thought about joining. Me being me, though, I've stopped short many times. Why? Because I'm so nervous and shy. Why should I be, though? This is the internet! Anonymity it supposed to give you courage to be yourself! I think it's more of the whole 'am I pagan/witchy enough' feel. My blog isn't dedicated to my witchy lifestyle but that is more of me still flexing those muscles. I am knowledgeable in my own right! I have no need to fear others looking this over and thinking that I'm not what I should be. I have been following this path for over 10 years! So yeah, I joined something: The Real Witches of Halloween. Hopefully I will meet new people, find new blogs, and expand my view even wider!
The whole 'grandparent feeding the small animals' thing isn't just in my family; apparently Grendal's own grandfather feeds them. What struck me as awesome was the fact that the squirrels and chipmunks would actually run up to him and pretty much ask for some peanuts. For the 6+ years Grendal and I have been together I hadn't seen it happen. One chipmunk had attempted to get to him but was frightened off by the crowd of people at the family get together. This past weekend, though, I actually got to witness it. Grendal found it amusing because I reverted back to a child when the chipmunk ran up to me and grabbed my finger, thinking I had something for him. He loved it even more so when his grandfather handed me some peanuts and I began to feed the little guy. The chipmunk would take three peanuts(one in each cheek and on its mouth) and then bounce off to its home, only to come back for more. Grendal's grandmother said they're usually nervous around other people but it seems like it warmed up to me rather quickly.
While I haven't gotten the squirrels or chipmunks to do that around here, Grendal and I have managed to gather a rather large community of birds:
I find myself sitting next to the cat by the window watching the birds, chipmunks, and squirrels eat. We have Goldfinches, Whitebreasted Nuthatches, Mourning Doves, Cardinals, Sparrows, House Finches, and Blue Jays flying around. My favorite are the Nuthatches right now. I just love how they shimmy down the polls, flip on the horizontal poll, and eat 'upside down.' I do love the Cardinals, especially in winter when their colors pop against the snow, but the male we had this past spring was constantly singing. Grendal said he was just expressing his joy, but it eventually rubbed him the wrong way when the bird decided to sing right outside the bedroom window!
I've seen other bloggers joining little blog parties before and it has piqued my interest many times. I've seen what goes on and I've thought about joining. Me being me, though, I've stopped short many times. Why? Because I'm so nervous and shy. Why should I be, though? This is the internet! Anonymity it supposed to give you courage to be yourself! I think it's more of the whole 'am I pagan/witchy enough' feel. My blog isn't dedicated to my witchy lifestyle but that is more of me still flexing those muscles. I am knowledgeable in my own right! I have no need to fear others looking this over and thinking that I'm not what I should be. I have been following this path for over 10 years! So yeah, I joined something: The Real Witches of Halloween. Hopefully I will meet new people, find new blogs, and expand my view even wider!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Sad times
Yesterday I was going to post something rather happy, along with a couple pictures, but the day went from wonderful to bad with a simple phone text. Turns out the family sheltie, named Pikala, had to be put down. Out of the current dogs at my parents' house she was the one I looked forward to seeing. I always gave he first greeting. Whenever I sat on the porch while everyone was out she would sit right next me and watch everything as well. She was the only dog that would give me a kiss when I would give her one.
In essence she was like a younger sister to me. Grendal loved her dearly as well and was heartbroken by the news. Pika was young for a sheltie but had medical issues and had to be put down. What hurts the most was that it had been 2 weeks since we saw her, and at that time she appeared to be rather healthy. We never got to say goodbye and it hurts to wonder if she had missed seeing us one last time. All we can do is be happy in knowing there is no more pain and that she has gone to a better place.
In essence she was like a younger sister to me. Grendal loved her dearly as well and was heartbroken by the news. Pika was young for a sheltie but had medical issues and had to be put down. What hurts the most was that it had been 2 weeks since we saw her, and at that time she appeared to be rather healthy. We never got to say goodbye and it hurts to wonder if she had missed seeing us one last time. All we can do is be happy in knowing there is no more pain and that she has gone to a better place.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
It's the most Wonderful Time of the Year
It's already September, which means it's close to my birthday and closer to my favorite season: autumn! I never really experienced the color extravaganza that come with season when I lived in California and Georgia. Sure trees changed but it's nothing like what I've seen here in northern Illinois. The first time I saw such a lovely display was actually in the backyard of my grandparents' house(my father now owns it). I'm not too sure what type of tree it is but every autumn, for a few days, the leaves are a beautiful crimson. After a point, though, they turn brown and fall. :P
One of my favorite places is a stretch of road not too far from a community college. Trees create this nice tunnel effect as they loom over the street, and once autumn hits the place looks similar to this, but with more reds:
When the sun begins to set the whole place seems to glow! It always takes my breath away. I love the place so much that it inspired an area in my novel-in-progress. The forest always has autumn colors, which just makes it a dream place in my head.
Grendal's father had gone around the yard last month looking at the oak trees in the yard and decided to figure out what kind we have. From what I've been told we have three different kinds, which makes the whole lot of us happy. I've also taken notice that they're producing a nice amount of acorns and have decided that I'm going to try and harvest some! While it seems too early for me to start feasting on nuts, I can't help but want to harvest them. Acorns, walnuts, chestnuts, and almonds, all in their shells, was something my mother bought me every winter when I was kid. We had a nutcracker that I was able to use to crack 'em open, though I stopped using the poor guy when I noticed his jaw was loose(I also liked watched The Nutcracker, so I I thought mine came to life at night and wouldn't appreciate a wiggly jaw). When we moved up here to Illinois my little winter tradition stopped mainly because I couldn't find that array of nuts together and for a reasonable price. So I'll be keeping an eye out for the right harvesting time and the grocery store whenever they get their own nut harvest.
On the mead front, its drinkable and yummy!! Grendal and I are happy that our first batch came out so well and we plan on not only making another small batch but saving up money so it can be our drink of choice at our joining/handfasting/wedding thing. I think we had agreed on two 15 gallon jugs. The big thing is figuring out flavor. We've thought about spiced mead and even a berry kind but nothing is set in stone yet. I think I'll nab a book on mead making before all of that gets underway.
Other than that not much has happened in my corner of the world. I'm trying desperately to save money but it seems to be harder than I thought, mainly because I've had to empty my account twice to help pay the electric bill. This coming Friday, though, I will be getting that money back since the electric bill isn't really what was agreed upon when it came to me paying for stuff. It also helps that Grendal's father has gotten a job, so there will be a little more money coming into the house! Grendal is still trying to focus on the home business but it doesn't seem to be going anywhere, which frustrates everyone. Grendal has mentioned that there needs to advertisement and his mother shunted that responsibility to him, which probably wasn't the best of things. He's at a loss on what to do and that seems something like his mother would be a bit better at accomplishing.....to some degree. All that really needs to be done is create a flyer with the phone number and the etsy site url, along with a brief description of what they do! Put it up around town and business bulletin boards and there you go. Online advertising, though, might be a little harder.
That's it for now. I'll be back whenever something exciting happens! ;)
One of my favorite places is a stretch of road not too far from a community college. Trees create this nice tunnel effect as they loom over the street, and once autumn hits the place looks similar to this, but with more reds:
Grendal's father had gone around the yard last month looking at the oak trees in the yard and decided to figure out what kind we have. From what I've been told we have three different kinds, which makes the whole lot of us happy. I've also taken notice that they're producing a nice amount of acorns and have decided that I'm going to try and harvest some! While it seems too early for me to start feasting on nuts, I can't help but want to harvest them. Acorns, walnuts, chestnuts, and almonds, all in their shells, was something my mother bought me every winter when I was kid. We had a nutcracker that I was able to use to crack 'em open, though I stopped using the poor guy when I noticed his jaw was loose(I also liked watched The Nutcracker, so I I thought mine came to life at night and wouldn't appreciate a wiggly jaw). When we moved up here to Illinois my little winter tradition stopped mainly because I couldn't find that array of nuts together and for a reasonable price. So I'll be keeping an eye out for the right harvesting time and the grocery store whenever they get their own nut harvest.
On the mead front, its drinkable and yummy!! Grendal and I are happy that our first batch came out so well and we plan on not only making another small batch but saving up money so it can be our drink of choice at our joining/handfasting/wedding thing. I think we had agreed on two 15 gallon jugs. The big thing is figuring out flavor. We've thought about spiced mead and even a berry kind but nothing is set in stone yet. I think I'll nab a book on mead making before all of that gets underway.
Other than that not much has happened in my corner of the world. I'm trying desperately to save money but it seems to be harder than I thought, mainly because I've had to empty my account twice to help pay the electric bill. This coming Friday, though, I will be getting that money back since the electric bill isn't really what was agreed upon when it came to me paying for stuff. It also helps that Grendal's father has gotten a job, so there will be a little more money coming into the house! Grendal is still trying to focus on the home business but it doesn't seem to be going anywhere, which frustrates everyone. Grendal has mentioned that there needs to advertisement and his mother shunted that responsibility to him, which probably wasn't the best of things. He's at a loss on what to do and that seems something like his mother would be a bit better at accomplishing.....to some degree. All that really needs to be done is create a flyer with the phone number and the etsy site url, along with a brief description of what they do! Put it up around town and business bulletin boards and there you go. Online advertising, though, might be a little harder.
That's it for now. I'll be back whenever something exciting happens! ;)
Friday, July 8, 2011
Fire Hot
Fire indeed hot! (woot, for murdered Futurama quotes) Seriously, though, when doing a spell with fire remember that one can be burned in the literal sense. :| Had a nasty flare up and lost some hair on my arm. Slight burn but nothing aloe could take care of. Yeah, made a mental note on how to 'properly' work with fire.
Anywho! Serious life things have been serious. Quick run down: Job going well(coworkers love me!), financial situation of the house is looking slightly better but still bad, my student loans are coming in which means I gotta start paying them off next month(ick), summer is too damn hot, I'm making mead, we have an etsy shop(click the RyallWay image on the side bar to check it out) and Grendal proposed about two weeks ago!!! :D
After nearly 7 years together he proposed. He had been thinking about it for a while, we had talked about it together, and then it just happened. Grendal felt bad that he didn't have a ring but gave me his necklace that has Mjöllnir on one side and a dragon on the other. He was also slightly unhappy with how the proposal went but I think it was memorable. Grendal took me to a local forest preserve and we sat and looked at the lake. Sadly we weren't alone: there was a gentleman fishing a few yards to our left as well as two different groups on other parts of the lake(one being a rowdy group of 20-somethings). There was also one annoying bird, but we were lucky enough to see a crane fly by. We sat together just looking over the lake, enjoying our time. I started getting eaten alive by mosquitoes (I'm rather allergic if I start to scratch them) and the 20-somethings were getting louder(one of 'em shouted 'ITS A TRAP!' which cracked me up). I said we should head out because I needed to get some benadryl. Grendal hugged me and said that this wasn't how the proposal was supposed to go. O^O I was stunned, got teary eyed when I noticed the serious look on his face, and said yes!
There is no set date, though I suggested June 21 2013. It's a Friday as well as midsummer, so it works out. Grendal seem okay with that and we've agreed to make a BIG batch of mead for the celebration. We do know our 'wedding' won't be traditional. Most likely we'll be doing it in his yard. It'll be more like a big party then anything else. Food, music, friends, family, and a bonfire once it gets dark! One of Grendal's cousins said he's legally capable of marrying us, which would be great. I don't know where to find a person who could do a handfasting, let alone how much it would cost(we're goin' the cheap route). :I
So yeah....that's my update for the time being. Haven't been spiritually 'active' in the sense that I had been a while ago. I'm still trying to get used to working and my energy is slowly catching up with me. Plus I'm still doing some soul searching in that department. It seems like once I think I may have found something, something else pops up and get my attention so I MUST investigate. Either way, I'm learning, living, and growing so much!
Anywho! Serious life things have been serious. Quick run down: Job going well(coworkers love me!), financial situation of the house is looking slightly better but still bad, my student loans are coming in which means I gotta start paying them off next month(ick), summer is too damn hot, I'm making mead, we have an etsy shop(click the RyallWay image on the side bar to check it out) and Grendal proposed about two weeks ago!!! :D
After nearly 7 years together he proposed. He had been thinking about it for a while, we had talked about it together, and then it just happened. Grendal felt bad that he didn't have a ring but gave me his necklace that has Mjöllnir on one side and a dragon on the other. He was also slightly unhappy with how the proposal went but I think it was memorable. Grendal took me to a local forest preserve and we sat and looked at the lake. Sadly we weren't alone: there was a gentleman fishing a few yards to our left as well as two different groups on other parts of the lake(one being a rowdy group of 20-somethings). There was also one annoying bird, but we were lucky enough to see a crane fly by. We sat together just looking over the lake, enjoying our time. I started getting eaten alive by mosquitoes (I'm rather allergic if I start to scratch them) and the 20-somethings were getting louder(one of 'em shouted 'ITS A TRAP!' which cracked me up). I said we should head out because I needed to get some benadryl. Grendal hugged me and said that this wasn't how the proposal was supposed to go. O^O I was stunned, got teary eyed when I noticed the serious look on his face, and said yes!
There is no set date, though I suggested June 21 2013. It's a Friday as well as midsummer, so it works out. Grendal seem okay with that and we've agreed to make a BIG batch of mead for the celebration. We do know our 'wedding' won't be traditional. Most likely we'll be doing it in his yard. It'll be more like a big party then anything else. Food, music, friends, family, and a bonfire once it gets dark! One of Grendal's cousins said he's legally capable of marrying us, which would be great. I don't know where to find a person who could do a handfasting, let alone how much it would cost(we're goin' the cheap route). :I
So yeah....that's my update for the time being. Haven't been spiritually 'active' in the sense that I had been a while ago. I'm still trying to get used to working and my energy is slowly catching up with me. Plus I'm still doing some soul searching in that department. It seems like once I think I may have found something, something else pops up and get my attention so I MUST investigate. Either way, I'm learning, living, and growing so much!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Chopping off my Feet
Haven't posted in a while but I have good reason: I'm employed! I finally got a job at a grocery store about a block from the house. Not the most ritzy thing(I work in the deli) but I'm getting money which is something that is in demand. I've been working for the past week, putting in about 30 some odd hours. Turns out I need new shoes, too. The ones I have are bad on slippery floors and my feet kill me at the end of the day. :I Not good. So, after taking my cat to the vet and seeing if there is anything I MUST do first, shoes will be bought!
Renny is moving on Monday. He'll be about a 2-3 hour drive away now. I'll miss him but for the past week Grendal and I have been rather irked by the boy. Grendal has is reasons and I have mine(warning, slight rant ahead). My problem is two part. Renny has been writing a memoir/journal of sorts about his time here in the Rockford area. Sounded interesting enough. I've been reading it and it's nothing new. Then the comments started popping up from his other buddies. They were complimenting him on his writing and saying how he has a writer in him. This floored me. Being an aspiring author for the past, oh, 17+ years, writing mountains worth of stories, and attempting to go through the process of being an English teacher, I had to disagree though I didn't 'say' anything. The writing is on par with SMeyer of Twilight infamy, something Grendal pointed out to me. He also said that Renny had been a big fan of the series and it also appeared that many of his friends were in the same boat. It made me feel a little better, though a little worse. I've been working on my novel for nearly 2 years and can't get a person to read it and tell me what they think.
The other part of my agitation with his writing is the fact that Renny has MAJORLY down played his relationship and interaction with his gaming group. We've spent Friday afternoons for the past 2-3 years geeking it out video game style, followed by Sunday night Dungeons and Dragons for much more than that. He glanced over the bit where he played D&D with us and has yet to mention our Friday endeavors. I feel slighted. Talking to Grendal about it he feels the same way. If his next two updates don't bring any of this in, I'll suggest a better title to him and tell him, in the nicest way possible so he doesn't shut down, that I feel rather insulted and upset about it. I don't care if he wants to go on about the 3 years he spent pining after a girl he dated for 1, and the hell he put himself through because of it. End of rant.
That being said, everything is looking better in my world. Let's hope it stays that way!
Renny is moving on Monday. He'll be about a 2-3 hour drive away now. I'll miss him but for the past week Grendal and I have been rather irked by the boy. Grendal has is reasons and I have mine(warning, slight rant ahead). My problem is two part. Renny has been writing a memoir/journal of sorts about his time here in the Rockford area. Sounded interesting enough. I've been reading it and it's nothing new. Then the comments started popping up from his other buddies. They were complimenting him on his writing and saying how he has a writer in him. This floored me. Being an aspiring author for the past, oh, 17+ years, writing mountains worth of stories, and attempting to go through the process of being an English teacher, I had to disagree though I didn't 'say' anything. The writing is on par with SMeyer of Twilight infamy, something Grendal pointed out to me. He also said that Renny had been a big fan of the series and it also appeared that many of his friends were in the same boat. It made me feel a little better, though a little worse. I've been working on my novel for nearly 2 years and can't get a person to read it and tell me what they think.
The other part of my agitation with his writing is the fact that Renny has MAJORLY down played his relationship and interaction with his gaming group. We've spent Friday afternoons for the past 2-3 years geeking it out video game style, followed by Sunday night Dungeons and Dragons for much more than that. He glanced over the bit where he played D&D with us and has yet to mention our Friday endeavors. I feel slighted. Talking to Grendal about it he feels the same way. If his next two updates don't bring any of this in, I'll suggest a better title to him and tell him, in the nicest way possible so he doesn't shut down, that I feel rather insulted and upset about it. I don't care if he wants to go on about the 3 years he spent pining after a girl he dated for 1, and the hell he put himself through because of it. End of rant.
That being said, everything is looking better in my world. Let's hope it stays that way!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Lots to Do!
Some pretty good things have been happening as of late! I had an interview at a local grocery store and, if my friend Renny is correct(he works for the same company), I got the job! I know there is a chance that I don't but I want to feel good about something. :P Grendal's father also has a possible job lined up, which is wonderful! The group of us are also going to be having a craft booth at a local cruise night. Grendal's parents are buddy/buddy with the owner and the guy was apparently more than happy to let us have a small booth. This means the guys need to make some awesome wood items and I have to work on some jewelry by the 26th of next month. That means I need to work on my macrame and beading some more. Plus Grendal's father is going to fashion some nifty wooden items so I can make earrings. :D
I mentioned my whole gardening thing before and I'm still working on that. Grendal tore out some old stumps so there is even more room! I need him to take out a few roots(too big for me to handle without hurting myself) and another stump looking thing. There are two plants growing, one is a thorny thing and another already has yellow blossoms. More than likely I'll keep the flowering plant since I believe that was something Grendal's mother had planted a while back. That and flowers are always nice to have! With the possibility of a job I can make sure I get some good seeds as well as some starter plants to increase the likelihood of have a good harvest. We're thinking about adding some sunflowers to attract even more birds and squirrels, which is awesome! We have a cardinal and his mate who have made a nest near by, and the male is constantly chirping/singing/talking/whatever. So much so that I now can pick out the sound of a cardinal where ever I go. We also have some Blue jays nesting in the yard somewhere. They show up randomly, more specifically to confuse the poor squirrels so they can have the peanuts I toss out.
Grendal and I have taken up a new hobby. We're in the process of joining a local 'chapter' of the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism)! I stumbled across the group when I decided to look up Medieval Reenactment groups for Grendal. He's been into the idea of reenactments but doesn't like the whole World War and Civil War type stuff. So when I found this group and that there was one in town we quickly made it a point to contact the group and make sure they're still together and that we can just show up. Last week was our second time going. Grendal was going to try out the heavy weapons fighting but had hurt himself removing stumps, so he couldn't. Renny was with us and ended up trying his hand at fencing(he loved it). Grendal, Renny, and one of the fencers are trying to get me to try it out too, but I'm not sure. I'm way too shy for my own good, so it'll take me a while before I can get the courage to do it. XP What I do want to do is more of the Arts and Sciences that the SCA have. Stuff like bardic arts, beadworking, brewing, dyeing, and herbcraft. The idea of being a bard, though, is awesome. I could tell some awesome stories!
Another awesome thing is that Grendal and I get to pick personas. Its really no surprise that we're both going Norse. He jumped at the idea of being a viking and, well, since we've been together for nearly 7 years and I've been getting into Norse history I thought 'why the hell not.' I've done more research now, getting ideas for names and costumes and what we can do. This'll be awesome!
That's it for now! I get to take it easy thanks to the threat of rain.
I mentioned my whole gardening thing before and I'm still working on that. Grendal tore out some old stumps so there is even more room! I need him to take out a few roots(too big for me to handle without hurting myself) and another stump looking thing. There are two plants growing, one is a thorny thing and another already has yellow blossoms. More than likely I'll keep the flowering plant since I believe that was something Grendal's mother had planted a while back. That and flowers are always nice to have! With the possibility of a job I can make sure I get some good seeds as well as some starter plants to increase the likelihood of have a good harvest. We're thinking about adding some sunflowers to attract even more birds and squirrels, which is awesome! We have a cardinal and his mate who have made a nest near by, and the male is constantly chirping/singing/talking/whatever. So much so that I now can pick out the sound of a cardinal where ever I go. We also have some Blue jays nesting in the yard somewhere. They show up randomly, more specifically to confuse the poor squirrels so they can have the peanuts I toss out.
Grendal and I have taken up a new hobby. We're in the process of joining a local 'chapter' of the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism)! I stumbled across the group when I decided to look up Medieval Reenactment groups for Grendal. He's been into the idea of reenactments but doesn't like the whole World War and Civil War type stuff. So when I found this group and that there was one in town we quickly made it a point to contact the group and make sure they're still together and that we can just show up. Last week was our second time going. Grendal was going to try out the heavy weapons fighting but had hurt himself removing stumps, so he couldn't. Renny was with us and ended up trying his hand at fencing(he loved it). Grendal, Renny, and one of the fencers are trying to get me to try it out too, but I'm not sure. I'm way too shy for my own good, so it'll take me a while before I can get the courage to do it. XP What I do want to do is more of the Arts and Sciences that the SCA have. Stuff like bardic arts, beadworking, brewing, dyeing, and herbcraft. The idea of being a bard, though, is awesome. I could tell some awesome stories!
Another awesome thing is that Grendal and I get to pick personas. Its really no surprise that we're both going Norse. He jumped at the idea of being a viking and, well, since we've been together for nearly 7 years and I've been getting into Norse history I thought 'why the hell not.' I've done more research now, getting ideas for names and costumes and what we can do. This'll be awesome!
That's it for now! I get to take it easy thanks to the threat of rain.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Gardeing....Ain't my thing
I have a black thumb, I swear. My mother told me banzai plants were hearty and they were hard to kill. I got myself one, pruned and watered it, even kept it in a nice spot. Sure enough it died. D:
For years I've wanted a garden, one that thrives with all the veggies and herbs I could want! They always die off. One time I asked Ba'al to aid in the fertility of my plot. Turns out I should've been a bit more specific because EVERYTHING went nuts. The weeds couldn't be controlled and then the prairie plants sprung up well over my head. To make matters worse, my parents' garden thrived like no one's business. :I
So, once again I'm setting out to garden. There is a nice bit of soil that is black compared tot he sandy dirt in the rest of the yard. I believe it was to thanks to the fact that no one touched it and the weeds and prairie plants grew. So I've been pulling up the dead stuff, getting rid of the small weeds and what not. Hopefully the seeds I've found are still viable, because we're still in a bit of a financial bind and every bit helps. Growing our own veggies, while not an immediate saving will help.
The big thing will be keeping the animals away, people(mainly children) from tromping through, and making sure no one takes my harvest without asking ME first. I have no problem sharing with Grendal's sister and her family, but I find it rather rude that they assume they can just take it. I've been debating about doing a ward or something, and the big reason is because of the financial situation. Who knows. That will all depend on if I can make something grow.
For years I've wanted a garden, one that thrives with all the veggies and herbs I could want! They always die off. One time I asked Ba'al to aid in the fertility of my plot. Turns out I should've been a bit more specific because EVERYTHING went nuts. The weeds couldn't be controlled and then the prairie plants sprung up well over my head. To make matters worse, my parents' garden thrived like no one's business. :I
So, once again I'm setting out to garden. There is a nice bit of soil that is black compared tot he sandy dirt in the rest of the yard. I believe it was to thanks to the fact that no one touched it and the weeds and prairie plants grew. So I've been pulling up the dead stuff, getting rid of the small weeds and what not. Hopefully the seeds I've found are still viable, because we're still in a bit of a financial bind and every bit helps. Growing our own veggies, while not an immediate saving will help.
The big thing will be keeping the animals away, people(mainly children) from tromping through, and making sure no one takes my harvest without asking ME first. I have no problem sharing with Grendal's sister and her family, but I find it rather rude that they assume they can just take it. I've been debating about doing a ward or something, and the big reason is because of the financial situation. Who knows. That will all depend on if I can make something grow.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Odd Occurrence
Usually I don't let my train of thoughts get too out of hand. The random thoughts that pop in my head aren't too random and I know where they come from.
Today Grendal and I were milling about our room when we both heard a bird outside. I stop to listen and Grendal has an odd smile on his face. I tell him I've never heard that particular call before. He informs me we have a hawk in the yard. He hurries downstairs while I grad a light jacket and some sandals so we can sneak a peek at our guest. By the time we get out the hawk is gone and the little birds are tweeting and the squirrels are back searching for food.
Grendal is, of course, a little disappointed that we didn't get to see it so we start heading back in. My mind, for some reason, jumps to crows and I think 'I always see two.' Now, this just causes me to halt all form of thought in my little head. Where did that come from? Yes, I do see crows often and they always seem to come about when something is upsetting me or if I need some eye candy in the trees(odd I know). Crows have always been comforting for some reason and I just love watching them.
I know it isn't too far fetched to think of Odin and his two birds(I know they're ravens rather then crows), Huginn and Muninn, especially since I've been going on a bit of a Norse binge. Yet, that couldn't be right. If my brain is bringing up some recent stuff I've been reading I should be having random thoughts about hobbits and the Illuminati/Free Masons(Dan Brown's stuff can be entertaining). So where did this thought about crows come from? Grendal and I have talked about them either.
As hard as is it for me to mention it(don't ask why), I think someone may have been trying to reach out to me. Well, just gotta keep an open mind, yes?
Today Grendal and I were milling about our room when we both heard a bird outside. I stop to listen and Grendal has an odd smile on his face. I tell him I've never heard that particular call before. He informs me we have a hawk in the yard. He hurries downstairs while I grad a light jacket and some sandals so we can sneak a peek at our guest. By the time we get out the hawk is gone and the little birds are tweeting and the squirrels are back searching for food.
Grendal is, of course, a little disappointed that we didn't get to see it so we start heading back in. My mind, for some reason, jumps to crows and I think 'I always see two.' Now, this just causes me to halt all form of thought in my little head. Where did that come from? Yes, I do see crows often and they always seem to come about when something is upsetting me or if I need some eye candy in the trees(odd I know). Crows have always been comforting for some reason and I just love watching them.
I know it isn't too far fetched to think of Odin and his two birds(I know they're ravens rather then crows), Huginn and Muninn, especially since I've been going on a bit of a Norse binge. Yet, that couldn't be right. If my brain is bringing up some recent stuff I've been reading I should be having random thoughts about hobbits and the Illuminati/Free Masons(Dan Brown's stuff can be entertaining). So where did this thought about crows come from? Grendal and I have talked about them either.
As hard as is it for me to mention it(don't ask why), I think someone may have been trying to reach out to me. Well, just gotta keep an open mind, yes?
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Here Comes the Rain Again
While I do love winter and the blankets of snow and chilly weather, the two good things about spring and summer are the flowers and the storms. On Ostara there was a lovely storm and right now there is another one! Some of my fondest memories are of storms. Yes, I used to get scared when they got bad and still do(major fear of tornadoes!) but for the most part they're calming. The thrumming of heavy rain, the wind, and, most of all, the thunder and lightening.
Georgia has some of the best storms in my memory. We lived on an Air Force base and it was actually rather dull where we were. The best thing there was the wooded area behind the house, which was a conglomeration of backyards of a large block of houses. This place had a dried up stream that would fill up with a heavy rain and enough trees to play hide-and-seek when need be. We lived at the top of Hill Street which was obviously a hill. There were a few times the rain got bad and there was flooding but we were lucky enough not to be in danger.
During the thunder storms I would sit under the carport with my father and just watch the lightening. I don't remember the conversations we had but I believe they had to do with science and nature, which was appropriate. A few summer storms my sisters and I actually ran into the down pour and played around. Bare feet and sundresses that quickly got way too heavy. The only bad thing about playing in a summer storm is going into a house that has the A/C going. Talk about chilly!
Well this storm tonight has been special. Some cases of heavy falls and big gusts of wind. I told Grendal I had the urge to run around outside but I wasn't. He asked me why and I told him I'd get cold, plus I didn't want my inner child to win. Grendal told me to go ahead, we have towels and its rather cozy inside. That was enough for me. I slipped on my sandals and hurried outside. Yeah, cold rain isn't as fun as the rain from the middle of summer but I still enjoyed it.
An odd thing happened and it my just be a coincidence but it was thrilling to me. I stood there, eyes closed and face turned skyward, and enjoyed the rain. All I could think was that this was so rejuvenating. The moment those thoughts were, well, thought there was a huge flash of lightening(the kind that makes it seem like its noon) and a deep roll of thunder. I kind of took that as a 'your welcome' from my storm God of a patron. :)
Georgia has some of the best storms in my memory. We lived on an Air Force base and it was actually rather dull where we were. The best thing there was the wooded area behind the house, which was a conglomeration of backyards of a large block of houses. This place had a dried up stream that would fill up with a heavy rain and enough trees to play hide-and-seek when need be. We lived at the top of Hill Street which was obviously a hill. There were a few times the rain got bad and there was flooding but we were lucky enough not to be in danger.
During the thunder storms I would sit under the carport with my father and just watch the lightening. I don't remember the conversations we had but I believe they had to do with science and nature, which was appropriate. A few summer storms my sisters and I actually ran into the down pour and played around. Bare feet and sundresses that quickly got way too heavy. The only bad thing about playing in a summer storm is going into a house that has the A/C going. Talk about chilly!
Well this storm tonight has been special. Some cases of heavy falls and big gusts of wind. I told Grendal I had the urge to run around outside but I wasn't. He asked me why and I told him I'd get cold, plus I didn't want my inner child to win. Grendal told me to go ahead, we have towels and its rather cozy inside. That was enough for me. I slipped on my sandals and hurried outside. Yeah, cold rain isn't as fun as the rain from the middle of summer but I still enjoyed it.
An odd thing happened and it my just be a coincidence but it was thrilling to me. I stood there, eyes closed and face turned skyward, and enjoyed the rain. All I could think was that this was so rejuvenating. The moment those thoughts were, well, thought there was a huge flash of lightening(the kind that makes it seem like its noon) and a deep roll of thunder. I kind of took that as a 'your welcome' from my storm God of a patron. :)
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