A Flurry of Activity

My life is much busier now that I've gained an instant family. I have less free time, less internet time and less me time than I did before. My workload has grown and I've got more things being asked of me all the time. This mother phase of life is hard, no doubt about it.  I'm still in the process of adjusting and making new routines but it's all good. I'll take extra laundry and homework related arguments over being slowly killed by selfish adults and their drug addictions any day. 

My workload is not the only thing that's been growing. My social life has grown by leaps and bounds and I've been making lots of new friends online and in real life.  And while it does take some work it doesn't stress me like it once did. I also find myself enjoying more and more simple things, like driving. I used to hate driving, but sometimes it's almost enjoyable.  I'm growing by leaps and bounds and enjoying every minute of it.

Once again, my life seems to be keeping pace somehow with the progressing spring.  The leaves are almost completely unfurled and the brilliant and varying shades of green, along with bark browns, fill the country landscape. Everywhere one looks there are small jewel tone flashes of birds; their songs fill the air as does the buzz of bees and the fluttering of thousands of gossamer wings.

The very air is full of delicious scents that seems to be dominated by newly cut grass, sweet wildflowers and just the fresh, green smell that can only be found in a beautiful and largely unspoiled land.  The air is so rich and full of smell that it's nourishing not just to the soul but to the senses.  Sometimes after I've been cooped up for a while I feel hungry for something that food cannot satisfy. At those times I step outside, take a deep breath and instantly feel full and happy. May it be so for you.

Go by Jonsi: The Music of Spring

Is this real paint or Photoshop?

Even if you're not already a fan of Jonsi via Sigur Ros I highly recommend giving at least some of these breathtakingly beautiful songs a listen. Whether it be a fast paced, sometimes frenetic song like Go Do, the breakneck craziness of Animal Arithmetic or a mellow emotional song like Grow Till Tall or Tornado each song seems to almost fly by as the ethereal qualities begin to overwhelm the listener. It's so good and so enjoyable that it makes one want to rush outside and breathe in all the wild growth of spring before it melts into summer.

There have always been naysayers who claim that a solo album from a front man of an already successful band will inevitably be watered down, weaker or only a slightly tweaked version of the original bands' music. And that's a valid critique, but not in this case. Yes, he sings in his haunting falsetto a lot, just like he does with Sigur Ros. And yes, the music is very good. But the similarities really end there. Go features much faster rhythms, heavier synthesizers, a lot more orchestral work,  less guitar and one other glaring difference between Go and the music of Sigur Ros.

Jonsi sings more than a little of the lyrics in English. It's English sung with a heavy, but not overpowering, Icelandic accent, granted. But it's beautiful and can be understood once the listener has gotten over the newness of the album and has learned how to listen to his pronunciations. I don't find it unpleasant at all to not always know exactly what he's singing about. In fact, it adds to the over all aesthetic, to the air of mystery and otherworldly quality. That said, the lyrics are beautiful so it's not a bad idea to look them up.

From Go Do:

Tie strings to clouds
Make your own lake - Let it flow
Throw seeds to sprout
Make your own break - Let them grow

And from Animal Arithmetic:

Every time, everyone, everything's full of life
Everyday, everywhere, people are so alive

I see you in the trees
I see you're colourful
I see you in the breeze
You're spiritful

Personally, I've officially recognized Go as the soundtrack of my springtime. In fact, I've become rather obsessed by it! Never before in my life have I been so eager for the warmth and growth of spring and this album encapsulates all the glory, wonder, beauty and sometimes heady pace of springtime. It's as if the spring flowers and awakening animals and I are racing at a feverish pace and this album is the music we are making.

I wanted to imbed the video for Go Do but YouTubers don't seem to want to share it and the Jonsi site features a huge video player that uglies up my template. So, go here to see the first fascinating video from Go.

Spring: Flowers, Critters and Blog Templates, etc.

Grape Hyacinths

So you may have noticed I've been playing with my template, backgrounds and stuff around here. What can I say? I recently got a nice, fully functioning, big ass monitor (from some great friends!!) and can now enjoy all the colors of the rainbow. Also, Blogger just unrolled their new Template Designer in Blogger in Draft and it is very nice. And fun. And addictive. But, more to the point (and there is one coming, just hold on) it's Spring!

All the warm weather critters are returning with the birds coming first. In fact, birds are returning in droves these days. We've had the mourning doves for about a week and their song is only second to the whip-poor-whil. Our local mockingbird returned a couple of days ago and, when he's close enough to a bedroom window, makes for an efficient and enjoyable alarm clock.   Every time I step outside I see more birds and even saw one squirrel which we don't often have around here. Haven't had a snake yet but it won't be long. The pond frogs have been serenading us for a few weeks now and it's truly glorious.

Lilacs and Tulips

There are spring flowers popping up all over in old and new places. We've got all of our expected things putting on a show but we've got a stray lilac or tulip here and there. Looks like our daffodils are done, the lilacs are still going and the tulips are just beginning to show off their rainbow of colors. All kinds of things are popping up: wild violas amongst the grass, gorgeous bright yellow dandelions and the wild rose bushes are putting out lots of growth. I can't wait to float in the pool and smell the gorgeousness of their scent waft over me. Warm weather can't come soon enough for me this year it seems. And I know why.

Now that my family situation is so much more healthy and happy than it was up until last fall I'm just looking so forward to life and living. My family was locked in a deep, dark hole for a long time, myself included. So I'm loving having freedom to have a life and friendships and goals and hopes to actually look toward.  I've been locked up too long. I, more or less voluntarily, did the hermit thing for nearly 30 years and spent the last two or three too scared to hardly ever leave the house. And now I'm done with that.  I'm stepping out of my cage.

I'm making new friends, pagan and non-pagans, left and right and, for the first time in my life, I'm actually enjoying hanging out with people. It's still a rough ride as my social skillz are pretty rusty but I'm having fun. And it's great. I'm drinking up the sun because the better times have arrived! If you have the means I highly recommend enjoying some beautiful weather and time outdoors and just plain 'ol good times with those you love. Enjoy the springtime, my fellow northern hemisphere residents,  for it comes but once a year!

Things Stay the Same

The More They Change, That Is...

You may have noticed my love for spirals and other circle-like symbols. This isn't just an aesthetic attraction. Everything in this life, indeed, everything and everyone on this planet and I suspect the entire universe in all its glory, terror and wonder, really does move in cycles. Energy swirls and wheels and occasionally careens wildly but as it moves back and forth and behind and around it can sometimes come unusually close to its place(s) of origin. We, as mere humans, start at one point, seemingly, and while we gradually move away from our perceived beginnings we always come back to people, interests, feelings, etc., that we once knew and might have once sworn off "for good". And I am no exception.

Long lost friendships reforged, old notions of motherhood that have revisited and decided to stay, signs from the spirits, old familiar longings and dreams. They feel different now. They are different now just as I am. But they are only the matured desires and phases that were planted as seeds years ago. In my youth, when I was a maiden, I didn't fully understand all of the difficulties or the joys of these things. I didn't comprehend the depth and details and the enormity and importance of all these, and many other, things, ideas and people. And while I'm sure I have more to learn I'm glad to say I've gotten past the beginner stage. I am no longer a newbie.

Things that began years ago and have begun again are seemingly synchronized with our slowly but inevitably blossoming springtime. The trees are blooming and attracting the earliest of bees in swarms. Our backyard is truly abuzz with their music. I happened upon a dining hawk and a running bobcat on the road today and was thrilled to see them out and about enjoying the deliciousness of this sunny day. Tomorrow may bring yet another winter storm but for today it is blessedly sunny and warm, bursting with life, energy, sap and all the juices of plant and animal life. And while the next day may be miserable, today I choose to embrace all that comes my way, soak in the warmth and milk it for all it's worth. I encourage you to do the same.

Under Construction Part II

Well, after receiving some great feedback from various readers I came to the conclusion that the worry I'd had from the beginning, about the readability of the text over the awesome background, was well founded. Yeah, the template was gorgeous but I should have stuck with my hard and fast rule against transparent templates. It was great looking but it presented too many problems and really did make reading difficult. So, now I've changed templates again with no transparencies this time! I've yet to add my title image or any of my widgets but I'll keep at it.

You may also notice, or you may not, I dunno, that I've got a lot more posts than I did last time you visited and that my label count looks a lot different and is now topped by "photography". Well, that's cuz I merged Sacred Spiral Creations, my photography (and sometime collage and occasionally textile craft) blog with this blog. It just makes sense to include my creative pursuits, such as they are, with Magic in These Hills which has, over the last year especially, become much more personal. So, if you are so inclined, please check out the new labels and see some of my so-called art. And, as always, feel free to offer some feedback about it! I'm hoping that getting those pictures and such out to more readers will inspire me and get me moving back into a creative mode.

Anyway, when I first started this blog I was dead set against including anything relating to my personal life. It was gonna be all business: mythological discussions, pagan issues in the news, witchcraft tools, ideas, ethics, etc. And while I've included all of that, and more, somewhere along the way I began including more and more personal stuff. I guess that was just a function of time as I began to make genuine friends throughout the blogosphere and felt the need to vent about my deteriorating family situation.

So, that's the news, that's the latest scoop. I'm pretty happy with this new layout: it reflects my personality with its firey swirls and spirals. I'd still like to know what you kind folks think of it, but I'm pretty sure I'll be sticking with it. I'd also like to fess up that I've been a terrible reader these last few months. As my urge to write slipped away from me any pleasure I got from reading the blogs of others was also stripped from me. So, for the time being, I'll refrain from adding a huge blog list. It's going to take me some time to (re)acquaint myself with my favorite, and new found, blogs. So, if you used to be in my blog list but aren't just yet, don't fret; I'll get to it! Thanks everyone for all of your kind words and patience over the last year or so. I'm back in the saddle again and it feels good!

Change is Good

I have a confession to make: My name is Livia Indica and I don't like Thanksgiving. In fact, I hate it. I've felt this way for most of my life but only recognized the reasons behind these feelings in the last ten years or so. It's a big frikkin' mess and worry and bother and stress and money spent and family irritations all to celebrate the subjugation and eventual extermination of nearly 20 million American Indians by militant invasion and disease. I know I'm not the only person who feels this way but that doesn't change anything or make the holidays, and all its headaches, any easier to handle.

"But that's not what I came to talk about. I came to talk about the draft."

Uh, I mean, I came to talk about change and how it can be a good, if painful, thing.

You see, I still don't like Thanksgiving Day all that much. It is my very least favorite of all secular or American or religious holidays, be they Christian or pagan or Spaghetti Monster-related, etc. But this Thanksgiving is different. This entire holiday season will be, and already is, different. Why? Well, to be quite blunt about it: there aren't any junkies doing everything they can to ruin it. It's amazing how people who can't accomplish anything useful, or much of anything at all, for years on end can still manage to ruin holidays for everyone around them. All it takes is a few choice words, a few thousand dollars stolen, a lack of consideration or participation and a general discourteous attitude to make everyone involved in the holiday feel like total shit.

And my family doesn't have to face that this year! Yay!

Sure, we're broke as hell. The junkies left us with a ton of drug-induced debt. We're worried about our loved one and what he's done to himself. But we are determined to have a happier holiday season than we've had the last two or three years. And while everything isn't perfect the mere fact that we are junkie-free will guarantee a pretty nice time for us. And I'm honestly excited and looking forward to it. So, here, have some traditional Thanksgiving Day carols.





And to all my American friends out there: Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your pumpkin pie and tryptophan-induced naps!

Welcome to the Mother

I'm really feeling my age this autumn. And it's a good thing, it really is. There has been sadness, rage and tremendous relief. The Samhain season, and all its implications, has been in full force around these hills as of late. My best buddy, of the furry kind, died after more than 14 years of companionship and love. Our parakeet, who lived a long life of ten years, died a few days later. Another part-time indoor kitty disappeared and, presumably, went off to die alone. These deaths weren't exactly unexpected but sad all the same. And there have many other things, situations, trials, attitudes and habits dying as well.

If you've followed my blog for very long you're probably aware of the junkie problem we've been suffering for several years now. Well, that is now over and we are free. I won't bore you with the gory family details but I will say that now that the melodramatic screaming is over and most of the moving is done I, and the rest of family, feel a whole helluva lot better. There are still some serious issues to be dealt with and worried over and eventually - hopefully - worked out. But the energy level and the over all vibe of my home is vastly improved.

It's as if an enormous weight has been removed from my shoulders. It's as if the foot that was driving me, and my family, into the ground is gone and gone forever. And now that we are free of the destructive toxicity of overwhelming greed, endless lies, disloyalty, selfishness and thoughtlessness we are learning to live again. The world looks and feels different to me now that I can stand up straight and see with clear eyes. I know it's really me that's done the changing. It's as if my senses, my creativity and my magical sensibilities are waking up after several years of a depression so deep I didn't think I could ever dig my way out of it.

My old tendency to self-pity is mostly gone now. It's a time and energy wasting activity that accomplishes nothing worthwhile. The sweet, sensitive girl is long, long gone. In place of the Maiden is a much harder bitch goddess. The trials of the last few years, as painful and frustrating as they were, have toughened me up quite a lot. I don't even take much medication anymore. It's as if I really have gone through the fire and come out stronger for it. Horrible cliche that, but it's true.

I've been noticing a few white hairs lately and am slowly moving into the Alpha female position in my family. It's strange and yet completely expected and, in a weird way, fascinating. I've become firmly ensconced in the ranks of adulthood and am enjoying my membership in the club. I don't have actual children of my own. But I am the caregiver of my family. I'm the one who runs the household and makes sure everyone eats and has clean clothes, clean beds, etc. I said farewell to the Maiden some time ago, I know. Now I think I'm ready for the next step. Welcome to the Mother.

The Internet: Then and Now

Or, How My Longest Lasting Addiction Has Changed Over the Years

Way, way, way back in the fall of 1995 I moved into a dorm that just happened to have a tiny computer lab on its ground floor. Now, when I say "tiny" I mean damn near minuscule. If my memory serves me, and there's no guarantee it does, I believe there were three or four computers crammed into a glorified closet. One thing I do clearly remember is that there was a two hour time limit for computer usage that was tallied on a sign up sheet. I must have signed that thing a thousand times before the internet got the better of me.

Before I moved away from my little hick town, in which I now live in again, I knew about the internet. I knew it existed at any rate. But I didn't really know what it could mean to me personally or what dangerous fun it could be. But that all changed soon after I discovered a little thing called ISCA. I don't remember what it stood for exactly but I know it was a service out of an Iowa university and it allowed users to talk in real time with anyone else who happened to be connected to ISCA. It was a chat room before they were called chat rooms.

It was such a rinky dinky thing compared to what we have now. There were no smilies, no wallpapers, no graphics, no pretty at all. There weren't even fonts; it was in MS-DOS style for shits sake! It was cuneiform compared to the high falutin' chat rooms around these days. But it was great; it was amazing! I remember for weeks tallying up how far away my chat buddies lived. Here's one from Florida! This guy is from England! Holy shit, this one is from Australia! It was mind blowing, it was awe inspiring and it was fun as hell. But it was also addicting.

Those last few weeks when it got really bad I lived my life in two hour periods. I'd be online for two hours then go eat, shower and perhaps sleep a little for two hours then right back to the internet for two hours. And I did this round the clock for days and days and days. I was hooked. I walked, talked, thought and breathed the internet as I knew it. I was addicted. Obviously, I didn't go to class, wasn't doing schoolwork and barely managed to keep my part time job at Burger King. It got so bad that I had no choice but to withdraw from classes before I had a GPA full of Fs.

That experience taught me a valuable lesson. Or, at least, it forever burned away my immense desire to chat online. I can count on one hand the times I've entered a chat room since then and I don't miss it a bit. In fact, I don't know how I ever enjoyed it. When I look back I think it must have been the fascination and wonder and glory of it all that really hooked me, as opposed to talking with strangers about usually mindless teenage crap. I'm such an anti-social hermit with no tolerance for small talk, i.e. bullshit, that I can't imagine having anything in common with that girl of eighteen.

And, just as I typed the above I realized that was nearly half a lifetime ago. My life can be divided between pre-internet and addiction to internet. After I went back to school later that school year I learned that the internet was much more than chatting. There was this wonderful thing called Netscape and it was wonderful! It was better than ISCA! I could find anything about anything! There was news from all over the world; there were trivia games; there was porn! I remember I was working in the English Department as an office assistant and on my mail slot someone had put a sticker that included my name in the form of a web address. I was a junkie discovering a new, updated and much more highly nuanced form of my preferred drug.

Coming soon: How the Internet Ballooned the Pagan Community, including discussions of techno-pagans, millions of cheesy pagan graphics, fluffy bunnies talking out their asses, the anti-fluffy bunnies talking out their asses and other fun and fascinating bits.

Green Growth

Since bringing my plants out a couple months back I've learned a valuable lesson: I should have been placing my small San Pedro cactus out in the full sun from the very start. Since it was brought out this spring, and placed out in the yard away from the trees, I swear it's grown at least an inch and a half! And the new growth is thicker and colored a deeper, richer green than the rest. I'm so pleased with it. It's the only perennial I've managed to get started and keep going! I have much, much more experience with annuals and am so happy to know that it is possible for me to nurture a perennial. Now if only I could figure out how the hell to get herbs to not only sprout from seed but stay alive for longer than a few weeks I'd be feeling like a supergreenwitch!

The petunias and other things I planted some weeks back are doing well for the most part, especially considering most were planted much later than I would have liked since our spring took so damn long to get sprung. The eucalyptus plants are doing quite well as are the sage plants. The two basils aren't looking as good as I'd like but I'm experimenting with placement hoping they'll improve. Just this morning the first bloom of the year popped out on the red hibiscus and it's a stunning sight and a joy to behold.

This year our vegetable garden is only a shadow of its former self since we didn't have the funds to repair our tiller, much less buy a new one. So, we've only got fifteen or so tomato plants that we'll start harvesting in the next week or so. When they're ripe we'll have tons of wonderful red juiciness to enjoy. And the dozen or so pepper plants are growing nicely as well but not producing yet. We've harvested and enjoyed quite a bit of lettuce by now and look to have some more pretty soon. We've been lucky enough to get some good corn at the local farmer's markets as well as have some gifted to us.

The fence that we used to have around the compost pile, and that the tornado ripped out, now serves as a great trellis for the cucumber plants. They're nearly chest high and just beginning to set on; we picked the first just today. We've also enjoyed a few sackfuls of homegrown cucumbers gifted to us from friends which has been awesome. They're so good peeled, sliced and soaked in apple cider vinegar with a little salt and pepper. It's super yummy and the vinegar helps the human body better absorb minerals from food. In fact, now that I think of it, cucumbers, as well as tomatoes, are the flavor of summertime. I'd probably include watermelon too. I love homegrown vegetables fresh from the garden! Sure, they can be bought in grocery stores year round these days but nothing beats homegrown veggies. Hothouse vegetables, aside from usually being chemically treated, picked too early and spending days in transit, just don't taste as good. Even if homegrown veggies aren't quite as tender, because of exposure to the hot summer sun, their flavor is unbeatable. Yay for summer food!

How are the green growing things doing around your neck of the woods?

Green Air and White Nights

I think it's a line from the first book of The Lord of the Rings in which Tom Bombadil mentions the healing and rejuvenating power of "the green smell" and the wonder and joy to be found in nature. The feeling around here these days is a perfect example of that. We had a blessedly comfortable Fourth of July with the air full of smoke and the scent of green growth. We had the nearly full moon on the left of our viewing area and a gathering storm on our right. The brightness of the moon, the lightning of the thunderhead and fireworks everywhere in between coupled with the surprising not-scorching heat made for a very pleasant and visually stimulating holiday. It's indicative of the recent weather and lush greenness of life in these hills lately. While my health has been less-than-perfect, to say the least, lately every time I step outside I feel myself immediately wrapped in a cocoon of green healing energy. The very air seems green and full of potential and while that doesn't solve any of my problems it gives me hope.

It never ceases to amaze me, this phenomena of trees and flowers and the wide open sky instantly lifting my spirits and inspiring me. I can be deep in an unpleasant, unhappy funk and one brief sighting of a crane flying past a brilliant sunset can put the silliest grin on my face. My spirits can be down in the dumps and just a few minutes of owl or whip-poor-will song has me smiling like an idiot. When I get so frantic and jittery that I can't sit still all it takes is a half-hour walk around our immense back yard with the dogs to calm me down and help me find my center. And if I ever find myself wondering why I don't feel as good as I should I just have to remember that, for some reason or another, I haven't communed with the moon for a while.

I hate the time of the new moon. I hate it when I can't speak with Luna. Don't get me wrong, I totally understand the phases of the moon and why we have to have three moonless nights a month. I'm not hating on the nature of the solar system. And I also recognize, with gusto, the significance and power of the moon in all her phases. I recognize and revere Hecate, and her magic, just as much as any other self-respecting witch. But I miss the moon so much when I can't see her. I hate cloudy nights and I hate new moon time for the same reason: I can't see her and I can't feel her anywhere near as keenly as I do when I can see her. Intellectually, I know that even though I cannot see her with my puny human eyes that she is still there. I know she is there during the day but the sun is too bright and won't allow me to see her. I know she is there when nighttime clouds obscure her. And I know she is there during her new phase. I know this. But it doesn't make it any easier.

I don't think I can explain rationally with facts and figures; it's entirely subjective. When it comes to the natural world I truly am a Missourian: I want you to show me! Or at least, when it comes to bird song, let me hear it for myself. I must smell it, feel it, experience it for myself or its meaningless. Okay, it's not meaningless. But without personal firsthand sensory experience I receive no direct and immediate benefit from it. When I can't see the moon, or be outside and smell the green smell, just knowing it's out there doesn't really mean much. It's like reading a nature magazine. It can be fascinating, it can be very educational and it can spurn me into action. It can broaden my horizons and lead me to new pursuits and new interests, but it doesn't heal my soul or my spirit. It doesn't lift me out of a foul mood and it doesn't inspire me. I guess what I'm saying is that learning about nature teaches my brain and that's all well and good. But being outside and experiencing nature through my own senses teaches my soul. And, for that, I will be eternally in awe.

Clash of the Song Titans

Last night as the sun was going down, but well before it was actually dark, our friendly neighborhood mockingbird made it abundantly clear that he had returned to said neighborhood. In fact, he was belting out the tunes and putting on quite a show at the edge of the garden. I happened to be within 40 feet of him, as I was taking pictures of the sunset, and got an earful. I love mockingbirds. I understand that some people don't care for them and all I can say about that is that there's no accounting for taste. Mockingbirds are the radio stations of the bird world. If you don't care for a certain song just wait a minute and a different song will start up. They are excellent indicators of which birds are in a particular area and they're just plain funny and entertaining. I was so glad to hear him singing.

While I was enjoying the sunset and mockingbird show suddenly a lone coyote started belting out the usual high, piercing, woman-screaming-with-a-knife-in-her-back call. What was unusual was the timing. Our local coyotes have never, to my knowledge, made such calls during the daytime. Granted, I did see an apparently pregnant female cross the highway just a couple hours after dawn the other day so maybe that's related. But it was still weird to hear a coyote call at that time of day. Usually I don't hear them until well after dark, sometimes not until well after midnight.

At any rate, the mockingbird and the coyote seemed to be aware of each other and gradually became even louder and more insistent. I'm not sure if the coyote could actually hear the mockingbird as it was likely too far away. But it was obvious the mockingbird could hear the coyote. And, wow, was the mockingbird miffed that his song was being interrupted. His singing got louder and even more energetic and I basked in the joy of the moment.

I've had other joyful bird sightings and hearings lately. Yesterday I saw a pair of scarlet tanagers which are a beautiful, brilliant red. They were flitting around the back yard and around the garden and, while the sighting was brief, I got a kick out of it. Our local bat has been sighted, but not yet by me, so I'm still looking forward to it. Some sparrows are building a nest in one of our birdhouse hanging from the garage and gradually all of our bird friends are returning. And, joy of joys, I heard a whip-poor-will yesterday just before dawn.

At our old house we had one who spent all night moving around our house. It was heavenly hearing him sing all night, every night all through the spring and summer months. We've only very occasionally heard a whip-poor-will around here and I've missed it terribly. I've been known to express pity for those who have never heard the song of the whip-poor-will and I had a thought about it while cruising YouTube. So, here ya go!

Here's hoping our local whip-poor-will sticks around! And here's hoping we all have a happy spring! (Or a happy autumn for those down under!)

Finally Spring!

I saw my first hummingbird of the year the day before yesterday. I saw my first indigo bunting of the year today! It's finally warm enough that I've actually felt genuinely hot while busy working. The colors of spring are bursting forth all around us: pink and white dogwoods, the whites of cherry trees, the soft purple of lilac and the muted yet brilliant purple-pink of the little redbud trees along the driveway. According to Riverwolf all the bright colors of spring prove that April is the gayest month and I think he might be right. When else do we see such brilliant hues from the Earth Mothers palette?

The spring air is simply luscious! The scent of fresh cut grass and the spring flowering plants fill the air. Here on Windy Hill we always get a heavy dose of the perfume of spring and I'm really appreciating it. Our winter was so long I think I'd forgotten the wonders of the fresh green smell! There's nothing finer for me than walking the dogs in the yard and soaking up all the green. I let my hair fall down and the wind does its best to carry it away and I just love it! For an interesting and insightful wind-related blogging check out Aquila ka Hecate's Trees Genuflect Before the Wind.

While we've got a lot more gardening yet to do this spring I am happy to report that our radishes (above) and lettuce (below) are sprouting up nicely.


Our main garden still needs tilling as our 5 year old tiller has quit on us. We're hoping to borrow or rent a tiller without breaking the already stretched thin bank. My witch hazels along the back fence are gaining height which pleases me immensely. As per our custom we'll wait another 2 weeks before bringing out the plants that over wintered under the grow lights in the extra back bedroom. About that time we'll also purchase and plant our favorite potted plants like impatiens, petunias and marigolds. I'm so looking forward to it. This winter held on with a tight grip and I am very relieved to see it leave. I'm looking forward to dirt under my nails and fresh produce from the garden.

May your spring be blessed and portend a glorious summer!

Nerdy Joygasm

Gillian Anderson, the X-Files star, is being lined up to appear in a forthcoming episode of Dr Who, it has been reported.

The 40-year-old, best known for her role as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the sci-fi drama, is expected to be cast opposite the new Doctor Matt Smith.

Doctor Who's makers want the London-based actress to appear in a one-off special episode as a deadly enemy of the Time Lord

Telegraph.

You can't see me but, trust me, ever since I first read this article I've been doing an inner, and sometimes outer, happy dance. I LOVE Gillian Anderson. I think I was fated to love The X-Files and nearly everything about it. I mean, really, how many people share their first name with an X-Files episode title? (50 points if you're geeky and lucky enough to guess it. Real life friends, all three of you, don't get to play.) I even love Anderson in The House of Mirth and not just because I like the book; she's just a great Lily Bart. And as much as I love Doctor Who I've been less than enthusiastic about the new doctor since he's so incredibly young. I imagine many in the Whoniverse are wondering if this twenty-something can pull off portraying a dark god of over 900 years. But Anderson's inclusion in the series, even if it is only one episode, is enough to convince me to keep my hopes up about the new series.


This is mostly clips from the first movie with "Exit Music (For a Film)" by Radiohead, which is on OK Computer. Video made by YouTuber ilx2002.

A Winter Miracle

I want to share a little story with you, dear readers. This happened a few nights ago when the temperature dipped to 8 degrees with -3 wind chill. See, we live just down the road from a small, thriving Amish community. FYI, Amish are a particular brand of Christian who don't use much, if any, electricity, don't fight in wars and generally shun those not of their faith and families. They are, however, nice folks who are always free with a smile and a wave as they pass by in their buggies. They're so nice that people don't even seem to mind the occasional horse dropping on the roads. There are quite a few Amish homes down the way and a school, of course, as the Amish don't usually send their kids to public schools. If you'd like to learn more about the Amish, or plain folks, visit Wikipedia. Now, on to the story.

The other night, at about 10 p.m., a young Amish father had just placed his two-year-old daughter, Hannah, in their buggy with the intention of hopping inside himself when something spooked the horse and off it ran, buggy and all. With the two-year-old inside it! The father attempted to run it down but, as anyone who has ever seen a horse run knows, no man could have caught up in time. This is not a usual occurrence as Amish horses are not easily spooked. In our town they can often be seen trotting alongside half a dozen fully loaded 18-wheelers (as this is a popular stop for truckers) and they don't bat an eyelash. They tolerate honking horns, blaring stereos and who knows how many coyotes and other wild creatures. But whatever the reason, something must have spooked this horse because the buggy in question quickly disappeared into the night and was nowhere to be seen or found. The family and rescue workers searched and all they found was one of the child's shoes along the roadside. The family went the entire night not knowing what had happened to their young daughter.

Eventually, at about 7:15 a.m. a passing motorist saw the child huddled by the roadside and immediately gathered her up and took her to the rescue command post. After her nightlong ordeal Hannah was examined and found to be suffering from hypothermia and skinned knees from being thrown from the buggy. She was treated and released from the hospital after only a few hours. And that's it. Doctors will keep an eye on her for a while, especially the foot that lost its shoe, but she is basically fine.

How's that for a bona fide miracle? I know, I know, I can hear some people saying that she was already a tough kid for living without electricity. But it's not like the Amish go cold all the time, they have wood heat just like we have in our home and we stay warm enough. And many Amish use kerosene for various things too. The Amish way of life is not about suffering or penance, it is about simplicity. Yeah, Amish kids work harder than other kids and are therefore tougher. But I think there's more to it than this. I think somebody of the godly persuasion was looking out for her.

I say: 'Tis the season to praise your personal god(s)! Any miracles happening around your neck of the woods??

P.S. I would include a link to the actual news story but it includes photos of the family and as Amish dislike having their photographs taken I've opted not to link to the story.

Comedy Central Bit ROFLMAO

I just saw this a couple hours ago and laughed until it hurt. There's no clip of it yet on YouTube (and I don't know how to do that). But it went like this.

In big letters on a holiday-ish screen text ran reading: "Happy Solstice".

And then there's a pause.

And then it reads: "There you go Pagans, happy now?"

I'm still laughing.

Another bit ran: "Nogarita: Egg nog and a margarita. You'll puke but it's totally worth it."

Brilliant 2002 Sunset

This photo is from so long ago that I'm not exactly sure if I took it. But it's so beautiful I couldn't resist sharing it. So, hat tip to my sister who may have snapped this image.

Sunlit Walnut Tree

Me and My Bat Friends

Years ago, when I attended my first pagan camping festival (for Beltaine) I was lucky enough to visit a now-defunct place called Woodhaven in Pineville, Missouri. And it was a gorgeous, magical place with a river, woods, bald eagle nest, a waterfall and a fascinating cave system. I was lucky enough to befriend a local who took me for the grand tour of the caves. And while the caves themselves were amazing, what with shelves where the Indians once placed certain items, the most magical event occurred after I left the caves. I walked out and marveled at the stupidity of the archaeologists who had driven spikes into the trees for their lights circa 1920 and slowly made my way back to the campground, following my guide as it was a big, wild place. The trip back to the campground must have taken over 10 minutes and as my new friend lifted up a barbwire fence for me to duck under he said "Hey, there's a bat on your back!" Can you believe it? I couldn't at the time. I was wearing a rather thick and heavy shirt and didn't even feel the tiny thing clinging to my shirt just below my right shoulder. And it was holding on for dear life and kept holding on until we got up to the slope and met up with our fellow camping pagans. Luckily, one of the revelers knew a little about bats and knew the right way to pick it up. After that, the adorable youngster flew straight back to the caves. I guess I must have brushed up against it when I squeezed through the tighter spots. It was an amazing feeling and an inspirational experience.

I think about that day often and even more so now that our local bat has returned to our pole light for the summer. I love watching our bat fly around our house and dive after bugs. When the bat wheels against the stars I lose sight of it but then it rapidly reappears around the light and I smile like an idiot. And on two different nights lately my bat has had a buddy, perhaps a mate? I wonder. And I also wonder where my local bats spend their days and winters. Bats can live in tree holes but they also, obviously, live in caves. So, Missouri being The Cave State, there could very well be a cave around here that I don't know about. Either way, I just love my bat and would be delighted if the mate sticks around. It would be so awesome to see a baby bat, a pup, around my pole light.

American Indian peoples consider bats to be trickster figures. Ah, tricksters, those wonderful, sneaky, wise and wicked beings that take away and teach at the same time. I'm not sure what lessons the bats in my life have been trying to teach me. Perhaps they are just there to inspire or make me feel special. I know that when I spend time in the wee hours watching my bat wheel and dive around the light and through the stars I feel serene as I never do during the daylight hours. My local bat is my nighttime guide, my companion in my star watching and moongazing. Perhaps it is my spirit guide. Above all, my bat is my friend.

Bat image from beekeeping.com.

Colliding Galaxies Brought to You by Hubble

I am a huge Hubble Telescope fan. I even have Hubble images for my personal wallpaper. I don't have much to say about these new Hubble images other than "wow" and "WOW". Even if you don't care much about the science of space the galaxy collisions are beautiful eye candy. There's a whole new series of images, twenty in all, of these fantastic events. To see all of them, visit
Space.com. Click on the images for larger versions.

Spring Has Finally Sprung

I think it may be for real this time. I think we are finally done warming up and then cooling way down again. The hummingbirds have arrived and everyday more spring flowers have bloomed. Speaking of flowers I'm looking forward to May with great anticipation as we've had tons of rain lately (tee hee). The warm spring air is delicious. To paraphrase Treebeard: I could stand a week just breathing. The sunshine is glorious and the trees are covered with little bright green leaves. I can feel the juices flowing through all things when I step outside. It seems the grass is racing with the other plant life as fast the birds are returning. The last two days I've had a great time birdwatching, especially since my most favorite bird, the Indigo Bunting (pictured above), has been hanging around. The air is full of birdsong and it's fun to try and distinguish different calls. Yesterday we had two geese fly overhead, their honking calls made me think of peacock song. Good news on the gardening front: most of the peppers have sprouted as well as the pennyroyal. I'm considering a new location for my herb garden as the current spot gets way too much rainwater and it pools and drowns everything. So, I've got some planning to do and then comes the work. But I'm ready for it as spring has finally sprung!
Photo from www.learnbirdsong.com