HAPPY NEW YEAR- Muggle Style

With only one full day left of 2013, I feel changes brewing. Some have already begun.
The biggest change for 2014 will be the absence of my granddaughters. My daughter has accepted an excellent offer for a new job in WA state. This grandma is going to be so lost without her girls here for 8 weeks in the summer and close at hand for quick 'hug trips' to Nashville whenever I feel the urge. But things happen for a reason and with this development in our life, I will move forward with a plan. In the words of Tim Gunn 'Make It Work' - and so I shall.

I'm still on the hunt for a Magickal cabinet. I have found a couple I'm drawn to but they won't fit where they need to go. Hmmmm  There are still 2 tubs of things downstairs I'd love to unpack and organize my supplies more efficiently. Might help in the 'practicing' progress more.

Since the addition of a small camper for storing our project wood, I'm also now on the hunt for a new sacred space. Just when I think I've found 'the' spot, something happens. I've decided I'm going deeper into the timber. As the next full moon approaches I'll be taking night-time timber walks to see where the light seems to be the best.

This is also the year I submit more freelance in a wide variety of areas. I don't think I'm in the realm of submitting to Circle (though several years ago, I was invited to do so) or Witches and Pagans but I am thinking more in lines of the pagan artist community. If you know of areas I might fit, I'd appreciate a note either here or in my email... LdyRainLyte (at) yahoo (dot) com.

How was your 2013? What are your hopes and dreams for 2014? Please share. I really do not like talking to myself here. Hehe

Blessings for 2014!
~ Rain

THE SILJA PROJECT - Part 1

I got my book in the mail last week, just a couple days prior to Samhain. Not a lot of time to look through the pages as hubby was headed home after 3 weeks on the boat and we were heading to Nashville to see the granddaughters on Friday. Then, of course, there was Samhain (which I went to bed early as I was driving the next day) and Nano (which I wrote very little on because I was too buys playing with my girls).

So here we are. I've looked through the book and I don't see any issues with my book being anything like hers. My book is to be more about being a 'prepper' of sorts - being prepared ahead of time for Sabbats, Esbats, rituals, etc. With my theme shelved for the moment, let's take a look at Silja's layout.

I LOVE that the book is hard bound with an encased spiral binding. Makes a nice appearance on the shelf while still offering a 'lay-flat' concept. The graphics almost have a gardener's journal appearance. The contents are broke up into the months and Solstices beginning with December and January - Yule and Winter Solstice. I found this odd since the turn of the wheel begins with Samhain. I would have thought that would be the best starting point. BUT... and this is a major point - this is why we need to educate ourselves from more than one source. Everyone has a different viewpoint. So here's Silja's 'chapters':
December and January - Yule and Winter Solstice
February - Imbolc
March and April - Ostara and the Spring Equinox
May - Beltane
June and July - LItha and Summer Solstice
August - Lughnasa and Lammas
September - Mabon and the Autumn Equinox
October and November - Samhain and Halloween
The Moon Rituals

Each Chapter has a title page containing a spell, basic information and the backside contains a pocket for storing your own notes.
She talks about symbols then the rest of the chapter is a 'dayplanner' layout with approximately 6 lines under each date for making notes

So how do I plan to use Silja's book? I'm going to use the dayplanner to mark when I need to do things in 'preparation' for an upcoming ritual. Silja's book will help me work on my own book's outline. Since our turn of the wheel has begun, I'll start with the October/ November chapter then circle back around to December/ January.

Blessings
~Rain

THE EVE OF A NEW YEAR - A Book

Merry Meet, everyone!
My year has just slipped away. I was getting back on track until my granddaughters visited for 8 weeks. I have to tell you, this grandma is out of practice chasing an 18 month old 24/7. LOL We had fun but I accomplished ZIP business-wise. After they'd gone, I just could not get back in flight pattern. I've only this past week begun blogging on all my blogs regularly. The only one I've kept up to date is my music blog. I've made some great connections in the music business and I could not afford to let them slide.

I also entered a writing competition in March with Boroughs Publishing Grp. Although I've not been looking at being strictly ePub, I have wanted to work with CEO Chris Keesler for over 15 years. So I dove in and entered. After several weeks of various rounds of judging, I made the finals. My novella, Somewhere Down the Line, is now under contract and the long process of making the story sparkle is under way.

I wrote the rough draft of Somewhere Down the Line in 18 days during NanoWriMo last year. So with a new Nano on the horizon, I've mapped out another story I'd like to submit to Boroughs and am hoping for great progress, though I'm not entertaining the idea of writing the rough as quick as last year's.

In the past I've talked about a book I want to write about being a more organized witch. I've purchased a copy of The Green Wiccan Year: Celebrations, Rituals, Herbal Magic and Kitchen Witchery by Silja. I ordered the book for two reasons. One, I want to see her perspective and hope her process helps get me back on track. Second, I want to make sure that what I have planned for my book does not duplicate what she has done. Really, who can duplicate what Silja does?

I'm hoping as I follow her master plan, I can blog about the process and find my way back on the path.

Blessings!
~ Rain

APRIL FOOLS! - It's a good day!

Okay, the 'good' depends on your perspective. Mother blessed us with a beautiful day despite the forecast. My Great Pyreneese, Bear, came in the house voluntarily for the first time. That usually only happens if there is lightening and thunder. Said Bear dog was intimidated by my familiar, Spirit. Spirit trapped Bear in the bedroom and wouldn't let him out. LOL Too funny. After a second round of intimidation at my feet in the dining room, Bear decided he'd go back outside.

Events following this included locking myself out of the house. The result, breaking into the bathroom window. The ONLY window in the house NOT a replacement window. Thankfully that meant the glass would break. Unfortunately, it also means my dear adorable husband has an actual honey do list... and replacing window panes rank right up there with painting walls/ trim. So blessed he loves me LOL

All of this is followed by Spirit presenting me an example of the size animal he would permit in the house in the form of a brown mouse.

With this final act I decided it was time to run away from home for the day. So here I sit in my favorite coffee bar, HEROES COFFEE in West Plains enjoying a fluffy and getting caught up on work without any distractions.

All of this on the heels of what was a magickal numeric day yesterday. Of course I realized the date too late in the day to hop on here. 3/31/13. Of all the coincidental numerations we've had this year, this one attached itself to me for some reason. The numbers will not leave my head. Care to share your thoughts as to why? I'd love to hear them!

Many Blessings
~ Rain

BLESSED SPRING!

A day of RENEWAL seemed like the perfect time to try and get back into here. I've not meant to stay away, I've just not figured out what to journal here. I guess I need to take my own advice and make a list of LABELS and go from there. So that is my plan beginning next week.

For now, I have to get through the Texas Music Awards this weekend. I've spent the past few weeks spotlight artists nominated for various awards. As time consuming as the spotlighting/ promoting is I know my task is nothing compared to my dear friends, Lucky and Jinelle Boyde, who coordinate the actual Awards as well as running the Texas Music Triangle 24/7.  I send them tons of love and thank the Goddess every day for bringing them into my life. Their friendship has kick-started my foray back into the music business... an area of freelance I gave up almost twenty-five years ago to raise my daughter.

Today, when I would like to have been revamping my Altar to welcome spring, I was stuck on finding one particular item I wanted to complete the layout in my mind.

You know how you get an idea in your head and nothing else seems to work? That's where I am.

When my Altar is set up for the Autumn, I have 4 ceramic, maple leaf-shaped candle plates for my votives at the 4 quarters. For Ostara I wanted something similar. I would be content with round, solid-white plates (only about 3" across at the most) but would be tickled to pieces if I could find ones shaped like 5-petal flowers or tulips. Nope, Nada, not to be found.

I know it's silly but I guess it's the OCD in me that won't let my mind open up to anything else. My step-mom would have called me stubborn :-) Boy do I miss her. Grammy (my 'step' Mom) crossed over in early April of 1996. Doesn't seem possible she's been gone so long but I feel her presence every day.

So to welcome Ostara I had the opportunity to interview a Country Music Legend then take a long nap after a very stressful yesterday. Yes, it is a new beginning.

May the God and Goddess Bless you on this turn of the wheel.
Many Blessings!
Rain

THE LOSS OF A FRIEND

No, not a living, breathing thing but an object. Thankfully, not one of my own. But it is with sadness I inform you that Deborah Blake's book - Circle, Coven and Grove is going out of print. I can't imagine enough people do not see the value in this book to warrant another print run.

Amazon says they have 4 left - but more on the way. Well, unless something has changed since Friday, that is not true. HERE is the link.

But wouldn't it be cool if enough people wanted it that Llwellyn changed their mind?

If you would like to try winning a copy, fly on over to Miss Deborah's blog for you chance.

I'm off to see if I can win one for a friend.

Blessings
Rain