My Big Fat Gypsy Obsession

I rejoiced the day TLC began airing "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding". I have always been very interested in the mysterious culture of Gypsies. I have a few books about Roma Gypsies, and have included some of their magick into my own magickal practice, especially my Divination. I must say, I have learned more about Roma Gypsies and Irish Travellers from this show than I did in the books I have read. 

It is fascinating, and I can't look away.

I am at once in awe of the outrageous spectacle of the Gypsy and Traveller weddings and especially the 1st communions, and surprised at the cultural shortcomings.. It was hysterical to see the little Catholic girls in their lovely white Communion gowns, then Gypsy girl rolls up in a limo with a replica of the wedding gown from "Coming to America". 

Then, on another episode a group of Travellers went to play paintball for a girls 16th birthday and only 1 teenager out of 17 could read and write. The girls are raised to be sheltered housewives and mothers, and the boys are let to run wild. Yet there is a strong and rich culture which is anchored on family. They allow even the youngest of girls dress in ridiculously revealing and sexy outfits, yet have, as a community, a strict moral code of conduct between women and men.

I have watched every episode, some a few times, so far and can't wait to see more. Check out the show site to learn more from Gypsy 101 and if you haven't seen it...enjoy!

Monday Message 6/20/11

The Master Maker

UnDressing of a Salad

Epona's Wild Daughter

We have skills, and the power of invention lives within us all. Do you know what we have to do in order to achieve the impossible? We only have to focus our mighty talents on a single goal, and we can make the fantastic into reality. 

So why don't we? The inner shadows, the nightmares which cling to us after waking, and putting too much stock in whispered doubts until it is a shouting in our heads that we will fail.

Look up. Look out. Look around. reach for the stars, and if you leave those dark shadows at your feet, they will fall away as you lift up to the next level.

Brightest Blessings

H.W.

Witch, please

Dry Erase Crayons FTW!

We are still on 'Summer Vacation' but when I bought supplies a few weeks ago we got some Dry Erase crayons. I had never seen them before, and they were kind of an impulse.

We do a lot of Ladybugs schoolwork on Dry Erase boards. We have the 'workbook' type ones, blank ones, and ones with lines for writing. I even found a cool one that's clear with a removable back so I can put workbook pages in it and reuse them. Dry Erase boards are my friends, Dry Erase markers are not. They get left out without caps and dry up. Mojo likes to draw on the furniture with them. they don't work as well on a vertical surface, like the peel and stick board on the fridge. 

The crayons (the kind we got are Crayola) are smooth, bright, and erase easily. They have the same issue as the markers in that if you wait a while they get harder to erase, but just color over the old writing and then erase.

I'm really glad I bought them, not just because I think we will use the hell out of them, but because when I went on the Crayola site to find out more about them for this post I saw that Crayola has lesson plans on their site. So not only do I have new awesome stuff, I have new awesome resource for home school lesson plans!! The projects I looked at were really cute. Ladybug really likes creative, visual projects, so I think this will be a good match for out schoolwork. There was one for a diorama of Amish quilters that we will probably be making after our next trip to Northern Indiana.

Rule 32

When the Hubs and I moved back to Indiana we wanted very much to have one of us home full time and do home school instead of sending them to public school. We have worked hard and sacrificed to make that happen, even going so far as to flip roles and last year the Hubs was a stay at home Dad and I worked 4 days out of the house and 3 days here in my grooming salon. We have flipped it back now, and I am here everyday with our girls. I have my salon open 6 days, although I strictly limit the number of dogs I take in a day, and do direct sales jewelry shows. I have also decided to become active on Keen again, although I only have an hour or two in the evening for this and it has been a slow start. It sounds more hectic than it is, but not by much. 

One of the things that makes things hard for me, personally, is my kitchen. It's microscopic, seriously.I had a studio apartment in my early 20's with about the same size kitchen, and this is a 3 bedroom house. There is limited cabinet space, so way too much stuff is crammed on the tiny counters and on the too-big kitchen table. (We gave up the dining room when we made it the grooming salon, and although we traded tables with my oldest sister to downsize it's still too big) What does this all mean? It means that if more than 4 dishes are dirty it looks like I haven't cleaned in a week. In addition, being home all the time, and relatively poor since we are a 1 1/2 income household means I cook or prepare maybe 80%-90% of what we eat and that makes dishes for 3 meals a day plus snacks and drinks. This leaves me 2 choices, deal with it because I know I just cleaned the kitchen and it's clean under those dishes or do dishes a minimum of 3 times a day. This is on top of the fact the heating element for my dryer is STILL on backorder after 9 weeks and I have laundry hanging everywhere, but that's another story.

The sink is ancient stainless steel, scarred by limescale and hard water deposits that a jackhammer wouldn't break off. Above it is an ugly metal window that looks out onto our carport and our neighbors boat parked between the houses. I would hate to calculate how many hours a week I am standing in this spot. So I have tried to make this little corner as nice as possible for myself.

I have a spider plant instead of curtains to let in light. (it looks sad in the pic, but I just swapped it out for one that was too full and was poking me in the eye when I did dishes) I have a wind chime there because that window is usually open, even if it's raining, because it's covered by the carport and I like the sound. I have a few utensils hanging on the sides of the cabinets as both decor and a storage option. On the right you can see my little Raggedy Anne boxes, my kitchen is decorated with all my Raggedy Anne stuff from my college sorority days. (Go Alpha Sigma Alpha!) The main thing I want to show you is the left hand corner of the sink.

This is my little Rule 32 corner of the house. If you've seen Zombieland, you know what I mean. If not, rule 32 is 'Enjoy the little things'. I have to stand there and do like a million little loads of dishes everyday, do I have made myself a pretty little view. I have a stained glass angel that was my Mother in Laws, a plant I am saving from death in an earthenware pitcher that has been hanging around the house since I was a kid, the Hubs and my engagement picture in a little plastic frame, and a little poodle figurine my Mom got me the year I was a grooming apprentice.

Today, before 1pm I was washing the 3rd sink full of dishes, and I noticed the little jar left from the strawberries I used last week for strawberry-banana bread on the windowsill. I went outside and clipped some flowers for it and set them on the breadbox/charging station next to my little doggie. Did it make me hate doing dishes any less? No, not really, because I really, really, REALLY hate dishes, but it made me smile, and I know it will make me smile tonight when I do yet another sink of dishes after supper. I am enjoying that little thing, and a hundred other little things in my life. I may have to look hard from them, but that's ok too, because it doesn't leave me much time for bitching and feeling sorry for myself. Don't get me wrong, a little wine and whine is good for the soul, but for the moment I would rather do dishes and look at my strawberry jar full of flowers.

H.W.

Last Night

I spent a quiet Strawberry Moon in Sagittarius last night. I spent it with my Faery Oracle cards. About 8pm last night the Hubs took over the Witchlings and I locked myself back in our bedroom, which luckily for us is oddly soundproof , and took out my deck. I cleansed it, charged it with positive energy, and then snuggled in to have a chat with my Faery Guides. 

Let me just say to start, I have a real problem with negative self-talk. It is something you would not guess if you know me. because I am a "fake it till you feel it" kind of person and tend to just power through. I have been a Reader since shortly after I began my Path, about 1998 by my calculations. I have Read Tarot in various forms, Gypsy Witch cards (which were given to me as a joke and I ended up LOVING them) and then about 4 years ago a dear friend gave me the Faery Oracle cards. Reading has always been a part of my Faith and Craft, and I have always read for friends. My "professional" Reading career has been hit or miss, because I talk myself out of it. This is, admittedly, kinda stupid. I have always had great, positive experiences at Psychic fairs, and later on Keen. I enjoy it immensely both the Reading itself, and the connection to the people I Read for. I like the work, and I like to help people find their answers.

 Then life steps in, I get too busy to do Readings, and time passes. This somehow unravels all the positive, and doubt in myself as a Reader creeps in. Believe me, I'm working on it. So last night I centered myself, got a pen, shuffled the deck, and took a moment with each card. 

I turned each card over, took a moment with it, and made a little note along the border about what it means to me. Just keywords, really, but just a little something to assure my neurotic self that I would not "blank out" on the card if it came up in a Reading, which has never happened, and I don't know why I get so worked up over it, but there it is. I don't know if this is a common thing, but I got the idea from a 3rd hand Tarot deck a friend gave me long ago that a Reader had given her to learn Tarot with. (You might notice I get a lot of decks as gifts, I'm a lucky girl!)

Anyway, I happily played, talked, and reconnected with the deck, and when the Hubs came back to go to bed, I thought maybe 15-30 minutes had passed. It was after 10pm. I had a some cards left, but I will finish up with them later today. I thanked my Guides for a wonderful time, tucked the 'finished' ones in their pouch, and the ones yet to be done into the book for later.  I grounded myself, and snuggled in with the Hubs to sleep.

All in all, it was a great night. Once again, there does not need to be High Ritual to make Magick. It's about your connection to the Magick all around you. 

Brightest Blessings!

H.W.

Monon Bob

This makes me SMILE!!!! Happy Thursday!

SOURCE: WTHR.com

INDIANAPOLIS - It's not everyday you see a birthday party on the Monon, but it's not everyday Monon Bob turns ninety.

Friends of Robert E. Lee, better known as Monon Bob, threw a surprise party for him Saturday. Bob is a fixture on the trail. He's been walking it every morning since the trail opened 10 years ago.

During that time he has made hundreds of friends, their names written in little notebooks he carries.

"He's turned this into a community. Everyone knows Bob and when you get to know Bob, you get to know each other," said another trail user.

Bob often stops for hellos and hugs.

"We expect to see him. He always has a great attitude and he's our inspiration," said one person on the trail.

His message for his friends:

"Just thanks for being my friend, that's the best thing I can think of, but the other thing is I'm a hugger. I get to steal hugs from all the pretty girls, so that's a highlight," he said.

Bob says seeing friends on the trail also keeps him going.

"I lost my wife five-and-a-half years ago and they've just fulfilled what I needed, I guess. I would give up if it wasn't for the Monon and my family," he said.

Bob's daughter, Diane Scott, says he isn't always aware of the impact he has on the community.

"He doesn't realize what he does. What he knows is what people do for him," she said. "He just has an aura of goodness. There's no one more trustworthy, honest or hard working than dad and people recognize that."

Besides his smile, Bob always wears a special bracelet, which pretty much sums it up.

"It says my daughter's phone number and the last part is 'Luckiest Guy in the World,' one of them, anyway," he said.