Build up and not out I've always advocated. I can't stand suburbia. Suburban sprawl is such a travesty. I believe it is quite a large misconception that for city living one must have a tiny apartment with no yard when I've seen the opposite be the truth in so many cases.

You Are the City

You are chic, sophisticated, and cultured. And you go crazy if you're not around similar people. Living in the suburbs would feel like dying to you. You can't stand the cookie cutter restaurants, casual fashions, and chain restaurants. What you love about the city is all its opportunities. Yes, it's expensive, but in your opinion it's worth it. You may be a bit of a snob, and you're willing to accept that. At least you live well!

A friend of Hubby and I's, also a witch, once told us that there is nothing like the feeling of waking up in the morning, and even though you haven't peered out the window yet, there is this feeling.... this magickal feeling.... you just know. You get up, peer out the window, and everything is covered in a blanket of white. The tree branches, the ground, your porch, the cars, the walkways. There is nothing like it.




Saturday morning that happened for us here in Carrboro. In fact, the whole Triangle got a dose of the white stuff. Here in Carrboro we got about eight inches. It started Friday night around 6:30 and continued on through the night. Somewhere in the middle of the night it switched off to a small amount of freezing rain and a lot of sleet. It snowed for short bursts through Saturday ending about mid-day. It is simply beautiful. We sat on the sofa Saturday morning and watched the birds have a feeding frenzy, entire flocks of Dark-eyed Juncos, a couple Carolina Chickadees, and a few Cardinals at the feeders on our balcony.


(A visitor to the finch sock!)


(Just a couple of the Juncos, feeding off of the balcony under the feeder. Apparently this is a typical M.O. for Juncos according to Hubby's bird guide book.)


Of course, fitting, just a few days off from Imbolg. About this time Mother Nature reminds us that while the light is growing and spring will be along in due time, that we are still very much in winter. I for one am completely okay with that. When you lookout at the winter wonderland, there is no question that She has reached down and lent a bit more of her magickal touch upon us.

Is sending good energy and healing vibes to those in Haiti.

Please do the same if you can.

Blessed be.

Awhile back I did one of these online gizmos that creates a collage of your listed LJ interests. I've done an updated one.





( My Interests Collage! )

I do believe in Santa, I do! I do!

Read about this inspiring Santa on the job for more than two decades in the same location. He remains timeless while also relating to the modern:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/24/nyregion/24santa.html?_r=1&WT.mc_id=fb_nyt998&WT.mc_ev=click

It's a "Green" car, a evergreen tree, and a lot of Yuletide fun. Check it out as we all continue our holiday season:


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1235628/G-Wiz-Man-tows-50ft-Christmas-tree-tiny-electric-car--creates-amazing-optical-illusion.html

Actually, yes we do have a tree ornament on our Yule tree. Eric hand painted it. It's quite pretty!

You Are a Tree

You love every part of the holidays, down to the candy canes and stockings. And you're goofy enough to put a Christmas tree ornament on your tree!

You Can Say "Merry Christmas" in 14 Languages

Ready for Yule yet? You can say "Merry Christmas" in: English Spanish Japanese French Arabic German Italian Swedish Portuguese Greek Hawaiian Dutch Latin Esperanto

Blessed Yuletide Season!

Because Christmas time is really Yule and Santa's Pagan too~!

Enjoy this video as we near closer yet to this wonderful solar celebration!






Don't forget to visit the wonderful folks of Emerald Rose at their website www.emeraldrose.com !

I've been fond of this song for quite sometime. After learning on PaganRadio.net that the artist is Dar Williams, I was able to scour up a You Tube video of her performing the song so I could share it here.

I think it has a great message.

Please enjoy this installment in our count down to the Holidays, whichever one(s) you celebrate!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_Xdk4PujOE (Link provided as embedding was disabled).

I feel the following video is quite poignant and I will let it speak for itself other than to say I think we can all, as the video demonstrates, relate to this...

"Stand by Me" performed by musicians around the world from SKAT on Vimeo.

Eric and I just went for an evening walk. We went out on our usual path which is very very well lit and completed one lap around and then started out on a second. About a quarter of the way through we rounded a bend and saw two teenagers (late teens) standing around about 100 feet ahead of us. Off to the side of them about 25 feet was some sort of small animal standing in the grass. They pressed on, and we pressed on. Increasingly we both got the feeling the teenagers were up to no good and we didn't want to proceed ahead and have them end up behind us. We both mentioned turning around and heading home and at that very moment it began to rain. We took this as a sign and made the sure decision to turn around and head home. We turned around and there was the aforementioned animal about 30 feet in front of us, a black cat with yellow eyes. He ran up directly in front of us (like two feet in front of us), looked us square in the eyes, and turned and started walking forward. He looked back to see if we were following, and when he saw we were he continued to escort us. As we went he would gradually circle us, walking in front, to the side, at points falling ten or twenty feet behind and then catching up, but always keeping tabs on us and escorting us along. Every time we'd get to a street corner he'd get close up next to a transformer box and then peer out ahead, left, then right, and then proceed when he apparently saw that the coast was clear. He stayed right by us, seemingly protecting us and leading us home, despite by this point the rain was now pouring. He followed us, staying at time very very near, until he lead us directly to the front of our apartment building. At this point he darted off into the backwoods. Only after we were safely delivered home.

True story, just happened. There was some kind of bad mojo rising. It was thick in the air. But this cat was a guardian sent to aid us.


Blessed be to all creatures great and small.

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving! We will be having Tofurky, home made cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, and pumpkin pie. My hubby makes a decadent homemade pumpkin pie.

It'll be just the Mister and I at home but we will be with many of our loved ones in spirit. I'll be watching the Macy's parade tomorrow, we'll have our feast, and likely put up the Yule Tree.


I'm thankful for many things (aside from our impending feast!). My husband, that we have an income, wonderful family and friends, a home, and a wonderful spiritual life. The list goes on. Sure, there are many things in life that could be better for many of us right now in current times, however, when we count our blessings we realize maybe things aren't so bad after all.

Whatever is going to be featured on your Thanksgiving feast table, I wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving and may your blessings be many.

Namaste!

Betty Bowers gets to the bottom of things. Enjoy this PSA:

This just seemed like a hilariously weird topic/premise even for a blog quiz. I just had to do it.

You Are Peppermint Flavored Toothpaste

You are even about most things in life, and you've achieved a really nice sense of balance. You have plenty of time in your life for work and play. And you always take time to recharge as well. Brushing your teeth is not your only alone time. You live a good life by keeping things in perspective. You try not to let stress get to you, and you let things that don't matter go. You know how to calm down and be peaceful. People in your life often come to you for advice and wisdom.

"If we cannot end now our differences,
at least we can help make the world safe for diversity."
---John F. Kennedy


"If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place."
--Margaret Mead


"Among those who are satisfactory in this respect it is desirable to have represented as great a diversity of intellectual tradition, social milieu and personal character as possible."
---Talcott Parsons