Happy Spring Equinox!!!!!!!!!!

I hope the season finds you all bright and out soaking up the sunshine!
Enjoy the full moon tonight as well... should hold some surprises.

Today is the Spring Equinox and I am celebrating growth and rebirth, represented by Eostre, goddess of fertility & growth.

Eostre is the Pagan holiday that celebrates the return of spring and the balance between light and dark on, or around, the Spring Equinox. Eostre was the Pagan goddess of dawn, fertility and new beginnings. The Christian celebration of Christ’s rebirth, Easter, is also celebrated around this time and got its name from Eostre.

Her symbols are the egg and the hare (sound familiar?) and I plan to celebrate today by using Selena Fox’s suggestion:

Make a growth charm out of a hard-boiled egg — decorate it with symbols, write on it the quality you would like to manifest more fully within yourself, energize it, and then eat it.

I plan to use the Eihwaz, Algiz, and Mannaz runes to call for a community of trust worthy friends who’ve all got each others backs.


The above was borrowed from a friend... as she said it all and I am running out of time. LOL Love you all!

Blessed be my friends!

Okay.. so I am coming out of the closet.  I am a lurker.  Not in a bad, freakish, ewwwy! way.  Just in a shy.. would rather read and catch up with people.. feel a part of the group.. without actually talking to anyone very much, way.  I wanted to let those who ignore my, ummm.. quirk... and who unfailingly continue to hold up their end of friendship know that I deeply appreciate it.  * Thank you Nightengale!!!! Thank you Putnamwitches!!!!!!  You are awesome beyond the stars and planets! The Brightest of Blessings to you my friends.* 

I hope to someday have time to write my thoughts and cultivate a better online personality.  For that matter.. a person to person one as well.. lol  I am the Hermit Penguin of Humboldt, Iowa.

I very much enjoy reading about your lives and such.   I hope you all are faring well at the end of another winter season.. ready for spring.  My children and I are very very ready for warmer weather... happy that we have survived our first Northern Iowa winter.   *I fervently hope I didn't just jinx us with a ton more snow...*

We have moved twice, added a new member to our number, lost one of our number, in general had many ups and downs, in the last 6 months.  We are all still kind of trying to figure out the maneuvering around each other, and the missing of family members not with us.  I think we are all tiring of wearing kid gloves.. and the emotional roller coaster.  We will all welcome in the Spring.  With its warm breezes and soft rains.  New life abounding around us....   Yes.  Welcome to the Spring.

Blessed Be all.

Dragonfly

Just wanted to wish you all a wonderful week and an Awesome Thanksgiving!  

Blessed Be and Brightest of Blessings to all of you!

For anyone who enjoys Dave Barry.... here is a post for you.    Be well my friends!

Great American turkeys

BY DAVE BARRY
(This classic Dave Barry column was originally published Nov. 17, 1996.)

Thanksgiving is a time of traditions, and there is no tradition more meaningful than the annual U.S. Department of Agriculture warning about fatal food-dwelling bacteria.

This year, I'm pleased to report, the department has outdone itself: For the first time ever, the department has officially advised Americans not to stuff their turkeys. Many alert readers sent in an Associated Press item in which the manager of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Meat and Poultry Hot Line -- whose name is (I am not making this up) Bessie Berry -- is quoted as saying: ``Improperly cooked stuffing can cause serious illness or even death.''

I am frankly wondering if stuffing should be regulated, like assault rifles, to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.

BANK TELLER: May I help you?

ROBBER: Hand over the money!

SECOND BANK TELLER: Do as he says! He's holding improperly cooked stuffing!

But the looming specter of a painful death should in no way dampen the festivity of your Thanksgiving dinner. Just make sure the food is prepared in accordance with federal guidelines (''STEP ONE: Lighting The Blowtorch''). And before you eat, don't forget to bow your head for the traditional prayer of thanks (''We thank Thee for this bountiful meal and ask Thine forgiveness for the fact that we hath ordered pizza'').

Another traditional thing you should do is teach your kids the true meaning of Thanksgiving. I suggest you have them put on the following historical play, ''The Very First Thanksgiving,'' which I wrote myself after several backbreaking minutes of research in the encyclopedia.

THE VERY FIRST THANKSGIVING

(Scene One: Some Pilgrims are standing on the deck of the Mayflower.)

FIRST PILGRIM: Well, here it is, the year 1620.

SECOND PILGRIM: Yes, and we have been on this tiny ship, the Mayflower, for many weeks, fleeing persecution in England because of our religious views.

FOURTH PILGRIM: Also, we wear hats that look like traffic cones.

FIRST PILGRIM: What happened to the Third Pilgrim?

SECOND PILGRIM: He's throwing up.

FOURTH PILGRIM: Hey, look! There's Plymouth Rock! Pull over, captain!

LONG JOHN SILVER: Arrr.

(Scene Two: The Pilgrims are standing on the shore.)

FIRST PILGRIM: Well, this looks like a barren area with poor soil and harsh winters, offering little chance for our survival.

OTHER PILGRIMS: Perfect!

ROBBER: Hand over the money!

FIRST PILGRIM: Hey! You already did your scene in this column!

ROBBER: Whoops.

SECOND PILGRIM: Look! A Native American!

NATIVE AMERICAN: Fortunately, I speak English. My name is Squanto.

FOURTH PILGRIM: ''Squanto''? What kind of name is ``Squanto''?

SECOND PILGRIM: It sounds nasty! It sounds like, ``Mom! The dog made Squanto on the linoleum!''

FIRST PILGRIM: What's ``linoleum''?

SECOND PILGRIM: I have no idea.

SQUANTO: I'm going to show you how to plant maize and beans using alewives, shad or menhaden as fertilizer.

FOURTH PILGRIM: ``Alewives''?

SQUANTO: That's what it says in the encyclopedia.

(Scene Three: One year later.)

FIRST PILGRIM: Well, here it is, one year later.

SECOND PILGRIM: That was a pretty harsh winter.

FOURTH PILGRIM: That was definitely the last winter I plan to spend in a small confined space with people eating a diet of maize and beans.

FIRST PILGRIM: Also, as you will recall, we had a lot of starvation and disease, the result being that half of us are dead.

SECOND PILGRIM: Time for a celebration!

(Scene Four: The Pilgrims and Squanto are seated at a banquet table.)

FIRST PILGRIM: So here we are, at the (burp) first Thanksgiving.

SECOND PILGRIM: I definitely want the recipe for this alewife dip.

FOURTH PILGRIM: Hey Squanto, what are those drums saying?

SQUANTO (after listening for a moment): Lions 14, Bears 7.

FIRST PILGRIM: You know, Squanto, without your help, we never would have survived this winter. So we've decided to take over all of North America and pretty much obliterate your culture.

SQUANTO: Sure.

FIRST PILGRIM: Really? You don't mind?

SQUANTO: No, not at all.

FIRST PILGRIM: Great!

SQUANTO: Try this stuffing.

 

 

Well Hello Hello!

Happy Happy Mabon!   Feast well my fellow Pagans!  Enjoy the delights of the Season, and dance around a bonfire!

Okay.. so I am a huge slacker. That and been kinda crazy in the past few months. No excuses. I have kept you all in my heart and thoughts. I have been trying to check up on you all, every now and again. Reading blogs.. not a big commenter.. but I have been keeping tabs.

Spiraled into Hermit mode. Really haven't been talking to anyone, even the people in my house. lol

As you know, we moved to Iowa this past summer. Its been kind of a hard transition. But we are, knock on wood, getting smoothed out now.

My two oldest, Lauren and David, both stayed in Colorado to go to school. I am missing them both something awful.

Lauren is in her senior year, and keeping really busy with school and working full time. It is so exciting to see her at this jump-off point in her life. I have total faith that she will survive it all.. and come out, not just on top, but above us all. I have to stifle the urge to reach through the phone, and just pluck her out of some of the stuff she is going through. The momma bear instinct is particularly hard to push away. But I know that she has to do things her own way. And that she is learning some important life lessons. Doesn't make my heart hurt any less. Or relieve the anger at some of it. But I will continue to try to zip my lip and not stomp the crap out of anyone who hurts her. *Evil Grin*

David has started junior high. He is in football, and loving it. He is a Defensive Tackle. He is having a really good time with his Dad, as well. I am glad they are getting the chance to spend this year together.

Riley and Connor are here with me. They both miss their big brother and sister, but we talk a lot on the phone. And have been back to see them a few times already.

Riley is loving school. He is a very social little creature, so this does not surprise me. lol He loves being able to spend time with his step siblings. He loves being able to ride his bike all around town.. and go to the park. The whole independent thing.. that he couldn't do in Colorado Springs.

Connor loves all the attention he gets from his step-family as well. He loves being babied by his big sisters, and Cameron and Riley are the middle of his world. He gets so sad when we drop them all off at school in the mornings.

Both of them have asthma, and are doing so much better here, than in Colorado too. The humidity helps, I think, as well as the much lower altitude.

We are all missing Colorado though. We heard that the peak got a few inches of snow last week.. and all just kind of sighed. LOL We are hoping to get back in October to see the Aspen change. However, I have the feeling no one is going to have a long Fall this year. So we may not have the chance, before the serious snows hit. We generally get at least one blizzard towards the end of October... but they have come as early as August before. Not often... but it has happened.

They are expecting a hard winter here in Iowa. Something about black caterpillars and cicadas. I am personally looking forward to it. I LOVE snow. I love the Fall too though.. its really pretty out here... and the air is soft.

So... there's an update. I will try to keep up with blogging and stuff.

I hope this finds you all well and happy! Brightest of Blessings my Friends!

Wow!  I am such a slacker!   LOL  It has been almost a month since my last rant... SLACKER!   Alright... really.. it's that I am trying to get ready to move to another state.   In about 20 days now.   AHHHHHHH!   Not even close to being ready.    LOL   I have pretty much moved every two years from the time I was 10....    And I seem to collect more stuff as I go along.. instead of the proper way.. of getting rid of some of it.  lol   My most recent collection includes my 1 year old.. and all of his stuff... so, I guess I can forgive myself on that one... but Holy Cow!!!!!!!!     My other children are tired of moving and are in mutany.   Not that I blame them.. but there is not much I can do about this one... too many factors involved.    I think that is making this move the worse out of all of them.   We are all torn in half about it.   Kinda takes the motivation away.  Oh well.. every thing happens for a reason.   I just wish I had a little more help, and a little less attitude from everyone... including myself.   LOL 

In any case... I will be off for a bit dealing with all of this, and the aftermath.    Brightest of Blessings to y'all!!!!!   Take care, be well, and enjoy the season!!!!!!!!   

Slainte!!!!

Dragonfly