The Witch of This Place- How I Create Magick

I've got about a dozen or 100 thoughts buzzing in my head, so I'll probably be hopping from subject to subject, and anyway, I haven't posted in a while. I have a lot to say.

I just dropped Kurt off. He is now a security guard at the Cow College. Today is game day. Football is the religion here. People come from thousands of miles away to watch the game. What I think is stupid, are the ones who drive thousands of miles but can't get tickets so they sit outside the stadium in lawn chairs and watch the game on tv. I just cannot, for the life of me, figure out why anyone would want to sit outside in the cold and wind (right chilly today) to watch a game they could get in their home on tv, the radio, or Internet. I am not understanding why it is so much better to be at the place the team is playing when you can't watch them play. Parking starts at $10 and the closer to the stadium, the higher the price. The parking deck cost $30. I saw several men sitting beside their cars with coolers and grills. They weren't even trying to see the game, they were just happy to be at the Cow College.

I could not get anywhere close to Kurt's office. The streets are blocked off. The closest I could get was four blocks. Even with his security uniform they wouldn't let us in. We left extremely early just in case traffic was at a standstill. He had a long walk ahead of him because after walking to the office, he'll have to walk to his post. I have no idea how I will pick him up. He gets off work at 2am but that doesn't mean the streets will be open.

On the way, we passed a mini van blocking the road. There was an elderly couple inside. They had the hazard lights on and they were just sitting in the road with their heads down pretending no one was around. What pissed me off was the fact they decided to block the road in front of a gas station with a virtually empty parking lot. Hello Dumbasses, just park at the Shell Station! I wanted to pull up beside them and start cussin'. Worse, they were blocking one driveway to the gas station. When I came home, they were still there, heads still down, still pretending to be the only people on earth. Fucking idiots.

I am very happy Kurt is at work. It seems like I don't have any more me time anymore. I need alone time so I can think, practice magick, create art, and read Tarot. Kurt somehow manages to involve himself in everything I do, like now he's texting me. Aaarrggghhhh. Go guard something and stop bugging me.

I did say this was a witch of this place post, didn't I? Let's move on:

Changing leaves are everywhere I look. This picture was taken from my truck when I was at Dollar General. Where I got hit on. Creeps are also everywhere I look.

Another from the truck shot, which is why it's a funky angle.

When I got home, I took more pictures:

I've been raking leaves-

but I am not making progress.

After this picture, I got cold. The temps are falling quick. It was cool and pleasant this morning. Now it is uncomfortable. I am thinking of brewing a pot of coffee just because coffee is hot.

All those pictures are from the same section of my yard- the side near my bedroom and sewing room. There is just something about this part of the yard. I don't know why. There's a ley line in the backyard near the gate, but the line doesn't call me. Maybe the maple tree is responding to me. I don't know. What I do know is this area needs a garden.

A few days ago, I took this picture. The ground is sunken because a long time ago, some other kind of garden was here. But the sunken places are funky shaped. It's not a neat square nor does it have a clearly defined area. It's like someone tried a few times before yanking up plants and calling it quits. When I first moved in, I started a compost pile in hopes of filling in the ground. It didn't really compost well so Kevin made it a brush pile. Kurt thought it was too close to the gas tank so he deposed of the whole mess by moving it to the fire pit. Now it's just an ugly bare spot.

I decided the best course of action would be a garden. The first thing I did was sit on the ground with my journal. I listened to what the land wanted. I told the land what ideas I had and I waited for feedback. I made notes. I think the garden should be a certain shape and when I hit upon 8-point star, the land told me to align the points with the four directions and cross quarters.

After making notes, I started a Pinterest board. You can follow it if you like:
http://pinterest.com/fabricafree/8pointgarden/
I already had a garden board, but all the things on it were not right for this garden. The thing I want to try the most is this:

This is just a prism hanging from a disconnected water facet. I was thinking I could keep buckets of water in maybe four points and if I charge each crystal, then the magick will go into the water, thus into the plants. All sun catchers fall under fire magick. Buckets of water are of course, water magick. See the balance? Now I need earth and air. I believe my air magick will be wind chimes.

I have a lot more to write, but I am getting a headache. Plus, the more I think about coffee, the better it sounds. And I still have two dogs outside, they're probably cold. Queen bit a chunk out of Halona's ear. Both Sophie and Queen gang up on her so I have separated them. Halona is getting old and I think she should live her final years harassment free. I'm not sure when my next post will be but it will definitely be about the magick of gourds.

Silent Sunday

Work In Progress

Money Spells

I found this on Pinterest (I know, I know). This is the chant I've been using for several days and it seems to help.

I open the path to wealth without end. The money I need, the Universe will send. Bills will be paid, my coffers overflow. My worries released, my wealth will grow. My own blocks, be they from spirit or mind, no long hamper, no longer bind.

I also use this one a good bit:

Trinka Five, Trinka Five
Ancient Spirits come alive
Money grow and money thrive
Spirits of the Trinka Five

Working Again

I am now have a regular job. I work in a factory, the hours are normal, and whatever position they train me for, that's where I stay. The factory is closer to home, and the pay is decent. I have nothing to complain about.

Kurt has the promise of steady work soon. It will take a while to work out all the wrinkles regarding money, but we are in a much better position to take care of things.

I'm slowly stitching along. Because I just went back to work, I'm going to scale back on sewing. One project at a time. Okay, who am I kidding, I'll get bored. I shall TRY to stick to one project at a time.

I'm caught on on most of the bills now.

Garden is doing good.

Dogs are good.

It's FALL. There is no season more magickal. I feel great.

Silent Sunday

How Things Are Going

I like my new blog. I thought I wouldn't have much to post at first, but everyday I find some project, and then the pattern/source/inspiration for it. I've thinned the paper pile a good bit, but I still have a way to go.

I'm almost done with my bear paws. Kurt damn near RUINED it by telling me my bear paw blocks look like a KKK symbol. He then amended that to saying it looked like a Christian cross, and well, ya know, since I'm Pagan and all, I didn't feel any better. I threw my needlework down and wouldn't touch for days. Then I decided to finish it out of spite. It takes effort to turn off my brain and see bear paws instead of twisted, racist symbolism.

As usual, money is non-existent now but with a promise of a better future. I am tired of riding out this rough patch, waiting for things to get better. I've been trying new things, but nothing seems to be bearing fruit.

Ecology Preserve

Just Found It- GO LOOK

http://www.urbanthreads.com/blog/?p=6915

Why Didn't I Think of That Before?

Yesterday I had an epiphany. It was so simple, so easy, so obvious, that I immediately felt dumb for not figuring this out way back in 2000.

Yesterday I went by the local shop to see if any of my items had sold. I've only sold one bag. Now I haven't been on consignment for very long, but I am anxious to bring in dollars. I decided to make another bag similar to the one that sold.

I have a HUGE collection of designs- things I've made, things I want to make, patterns I use repeatedly, and things I think are cool, but I can't think of a practical application for. I rooted around in the Celtic knot pile until I found a design I could make quickly. It just happened to be one I hadn't used before. Of course, once I finished this project, the design would go in the things-I-made pile. The papers don't really go anywhere, they just shuffle. Then I find more designs. I'm doing good about keeping new things electronic, but I get a lot of stuff from the library. I keep library notes/ideas on paper. Lots of paper.

I think better with paper. I keep journals for years. Sometimes, I take an old journal, summarize it, look for patterns (as in reoccurring themes in life), ask myself questions, and rewrite significant events into a new journal. I have tried several times to do this with a Word file on my computer. I always delete the files. They don't seem important somehow. I'm not sure why I am this way. I guess it's because my high school was just far enough behind the times to be lacking in computers. My aunt told me before she types a letter on the computer, she writes it out in longhand first. I like computers and I was very grateful to have one when I was writing term papers in college, but I have blue line paper notebooks in every room of my house.

As I took my daily walk, I started thinking I needed to organize my mess. I'm doing a fairly good job of keeping everything neat, but I still can't find anything when I need it. I usually make a huge mess looking for something because I can't remember which pile it's in. I started thinking I should go paperless, but what kind of computer database would hold all that? I'd practically need the Internet...

OMG.

It was one of those brilliantly shining ideas that's blinding, it's so right. I need a design blog. I could upload pictures of my work, make notes about why I made it, how long it took to make, what I used, how I did it, and then just TAG it so I could search for Celtic/horses/birthday/commission AND THEN if anyone wanted to see a portfolio, I could give them address. Holy shit, I am a genius!

I haven't started a new blog yet. I've been too busy basking the glow of my fine idea. I will probably set it up under my real name, and I think it will be password protected so nobody can steal my ideas. Did I mention some bitch on Etsy stole a treasury I made? I thought I was looking at my own treasury when I realized one item was different. She made a treasury using every item I did, save for one thing. It pissed me off. I know the odds are slim to none that we just happened to have the same idea and then got almost the exact same things. But it's not worth fighting over because she stole a treasury list, not my actual product. But still. Grow up and stop copying me.

Do You Know When to Do What?

Last night, I had the urge to do magick. No particular reason, just wanted to 'twitch my nose' so to speak. The timing felt right.

And maybe an hour later, the coyotes howled- way early in the evening. A bunch of them, too, more than usual.

So...what does it mean?

First, it means this place has its own rhythms. The time was right, here, for magick. And second, it means I am in touch with my landbase; I felt it.

How do you know when your time is right?

F%&k

The computer is acting ugly today. I don't know how to fix it. 

Silent Sunday

Way Too Much

Yesterday was long. And tiring. I feel like I was the one moving. Actually, I did move most of my furniture to accommodate the new stuff- a cabinet (now my altar, which means ALL the bookcases shifted around), some shirts, two Dyson vacuum cleaners (wow!), and, oh Good Goddess, the floss:

Sorry for the poor light. I just didn't want to set up a photo shoot. I tried to sort it all out, but I got overwhelmed and I have no good way to store it. I thought I was getting one box, but I ended up with three boxes of various crafts. I got cross stitch, crochet, and at the bottom of the biggest box, I found latch hook rugs. I am taking a lot of it to a nursing home and I STILL have more floss than I can use in three lifetimes.

We're selling one Dyson. I tried out both to see which I liked the best. I went crazy because I haven't had a vacuum since I moved into this house. Now that my house is dust-free, I don't know how I lived so long without one. Kurt is finishing the rugs. My new altar looks great. More pictures later. I'm really tired.

Thursday, the 4th & 700th post

That's right, Boys & Girls- I've reached seven hundred posts. If you've been with me that long...why don't you have anything better to do?

Tomorrow is my future mother-in-law's moving day. It promised to be a long day with far too early of a start. I already want to take a nap. But I am getting some furniture and sewing stuff out of the deal.

I'm trying to post every day in October, but tomorrow, well, that might be asking too much. I'll try to get a cool pic up at least.

october 3rd

I didn't sell anything at either local store, but one did take about half the wares I offered on commission. Sigh.

Yesterday was a really long day. I thought today would be too, but it has ground to a halt. My man is sick, and we're both waiting on things- phone calls, paperwork, activities, money, etc. Since nothing is really happening at the moment, I leave you with my bear paws work in progress:

October Second

I am SO LOVING this month! The air has a completely different feel- it's chilly, smoky-scented, brisk, energizing,....and something I can't explain! I can feel energy all around me and I usually do not feel earth energy unless I am connecting to a ley line. It's a wonderful time.

So! Back to being the witch of this place:

I have gourds drying in the store room. A storm blew down the cages supporting the vines. The plants were damaged, thus I was forced into an early harvest. I have no idea if these will dry out properly because they were not mature to begin with. We'll see. I've already got a better plan for next spring. Maybe I'll get more than two gourds!

My little dragons on the window sill. They're so cute!

As promised, the revamped bottle tree. I still haven't gotten the painted bottles right.

Aloes. I've tried this 'flower tower' thing twice and it never comes out exactly right.

We made a 'tent' for the dogs. Eventually, it will be filled with hay. It holds heat surprisingly well. Kurt was sweating has he hung the cloth.

Our home-made fire pit, currently filled with the hateful shrubbery I hacked up on Saturday.

And here's the fence. Yeah. Ugly. I want to clear out the rest of the brush and weeds, paint, have straight fence, and finally, plant rose bushes.

Last but not least, I started this yesterday because the rain kept me in all day. This needlework is based on a quilt block called 'bear paw.' Bear is one of my totems. The finished piece will be framed and kept on my altar.

In other goings on, my neck pain is easing off. I don't need the firm pillow when I sleep, but I have woken up stiff and sore once. I only take pain meds once or twice a day.

Yesterday it rained. And rained and rained and rained with a tornado warning. I had a pile of laundry. Nothing would dry. The dryer ran constantly. Sometimes I don't know how people lived without modern appliances. What a struggle it must have been to wash clothes when there was no dryers and the only heat came from a fire which caused the clothes to stink.

My mother is friends with a local store owner so I hit him up to sell some of my bags. Mom likes to be needed, so I let her handle the deal and I am still waiting to see what he said. Tonight, I have a meeting with another local shop and they may (or may not) buy from me.

Kurt is going through a series of interviews for a job with the sheriff's department. The pay will be pretty good, but it is a long process, and (sigh), the policeman I used to date will be his boss. I told him because I don't want a nasty surprise later, and Kurt says he's cool, but I am still nervous. Awkward!

October First!!!!!

OMG- It's October! :Happy Dance!:

I had a recipe in my inbox for 'witches' brew.' Yeah, it's fall!

I've been feeling down, so over the weekend I decided to spend as much time in my garden as possible. I usually feel more at peace when I'm outside. Plus, there are some astrological powers coming together- not only is the full moon in Aries, but planets are shifting into life-changing positions. I'll get to more on this in a later post.

The full moon official begun on Sunday but I got geared up on Saturday. I believe in waiting for the right time, but I also understand that energies are not like flipping a switch. Elements gather, swirl, and grow. The full moon is a powerful time, but so are the 3 days before and after. Saturday was a great time to get started. And Sunday it started raining and is still raining as I type. If I had waited nothing would have begun.

Months ago, I cleared the irises of weeds. Then I sort of forgot so it was starting to be weedy again.

After weeding, fertilizing, watering, and mulched with the maple leaves that have started falling.

I decided the bottle tree needed an over-haul. I planted seeds, removed a broken bottle, re-organized the other bottles by color, and

I decided to repaint my stars. The circled star was hanging on the fence. I think the bottle tree needs more than one star.

After sanding off rust and painted with a base coat. The stars became gold. I don't have a picture yet but I promise they look very nice on the bottle tree.

The last improvement was to repaint bottles. After washing the purple, I decided it was just fine and hung it back on the tree. I then tried to repaint the other three red using a technique I saw on Pinterest. At first the looked great. I tried a second coat for richer color and since then, the paint will not stick. I'm adjusting the process and if I ever get it right, I'll tell you how to do it, but if not, these bottles are going in the trash.

Some other things I did but do not have photos of: I cleaned the porch, I arranged candles, I moved potted plants around, and I got fed up with the fence. I didn't think, I just went to hacking weeds. Tomorrow (if the rain stops) I'll have pictures and plans.