Books & More Things

So, I went to see my good friend, Cliff who was at Little Mysteries this past Saturday doing a booksigning for his latest book, An Ogham Wood. This is a story that is going to be told in a trilogy with this being part one. It is a mythical fantasy full of beautiful imagery, dialogue, etc. I just started reading it, so I haven't gotten very far into it, but I love what I am reading so far. It was great seeing Cliff, as the last time he was up, he was busy doing his mundane work in the city & I didn't get a chance to see him. One other time was brief, as he was recording a radio show & his lovely wife, Lady Daphne and myself had a visit, full of girl-talk. Just seeing Cliff & hearing stories of the Hollow made me miss it even more & I am in the process of figuring out what weekend to go for a visit (Yes, it will be very soon).

At his book signing, I got to meet more faces from Facebook that are on my friends list. Krista and her bff, Krissy came along with Krista's 2 children. They made the hour long trip from the Valley to come up to get their copies signed & to bring Cliff a huge bag of Jerusalem artichoke roots for his garden. They were so nice & funny. After the book signing, we all headed down to the Old Triangle ( a local Irish pub) for some lunch. I had my Little Man with me, as well. The conversation over food was great. I learned about a series of books that I must check out, The Dresden Files, as if I don't have enough books on my plate to read and got to share a few laughs with friends. It was a great day, in spite of the piss-poor rain.

Also, while I was at Little mysteries, I managed to pick up a few more treasures, some new patchouli incense, Circle Magazine, the 2011 Llewellyn's Magical Alamanac (which I thought I already had, but didn't) and Fairy Tale Rituals. There were a few other books I wanted but they will have to wait til I have read all the other books. I am also reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman...all I have to say is the I love, love, love this book!! If you haven't read it, do so before it becomes an HBO series next year.

Anyway, that is all for now. I have some reading to do.

~Rowan
)O(

Happy Earth Day!!

Blessings of Mother Gaia this beautiful spring day!! I know that I haven't been posting as often as I was. I have been doing a ton of journeying with my animal totem and have been working on a task that the Great Mother has assigned to me. She has been keeping me busy learning new things to aid me on my journey.

I am also going to be going on a physical journey to a friend's homestead next month to experience 2 types of journeying: Tarbh Feis (pronounced like "tarv fesh") and a Shamanic method using rhythm. I normally don't use any outside "noise" such as drums, music, etc. when I journey, so this will be an interesting experience.

Also, I want to share this beautiful piece of music I found as I was perusing YouTube. I hope you enjoy it, too. It's called, "Salva Nos" by the Medieval Babes.

Big, Huge Apology

Ok, I just want to start off this with a huge apology for not blogging an the last few weeks. I'M SORRY!! I found a new job that has been keeping me busy & I've been exhausted when I get home. Also, if you already know, I'm a HUGE Robert Pattinson fan (Edward Cullen in the Twilight Saga) and I've been working on that blog, as well. I also started a local group here in my city.

I started a Halifax Black Hat Society and was ironing out the kinks to get started. I know a lot off Pagans who were getting annoyed with one of the other Pagan groups in town. Our group is a purely social thing. We meet for coffee, do craft swaps, Mystic movie nights and so on & so forth. There's nothing formal about it, no specific topics to discuss, we don't hold rituals, as there are a few groups who already do. We are just a bunch of like-minded witches who gather for some good times, wearing our Black Hats as we go along. We have a Facebook group if you would like to join, just email me at silverstar.row@gmail.com for an invite if you are in the HRM. Sorry, if you do not live in the city or within a few 100 kms, we can't accept you. Participation is encouraged, but not necessary for all of our activities.

So, yeah, as I mentioned above, I have a new job in a way cool salon. Back on New Year's I did a working on myself to find the right job for me. I wrote down what I was looking for in a job, my expectations of my employer, etc. One night, my mom called to let me know of a tip she had heard about a job at a beauty supply store (they sell only to hairstylists) so the next day I went with my resumes and dropped one off. The lady who was working gave me a tip about a busy salon downtown that was looking. So, I went there, too and dropped off a resume. I had an impromptu interview with the owner/manager and the job was perfect for me, exactly what I had written in my working. I started the job the next week. So, after working with the girls there for just a few weeks, I feel like I was always working there. I fit right in, there is no drama, no stress, just a cool relaxed feeling. I even converted my boss to the Twilight Saga...hee hee!!

I had a quiet Ostara this year, nothing really was done, except I planted some herbs in my new window box and I can see little shoots coming through. I was invited to go to a friend's place for a ritual, but I had my son with me that wknd and didn't know how he would be in a new place with new faces (he has autism) I also started to put out some springy things out onto my patio, whirly-gigs, a garden fairy. I just have to find where I put my patio lights when I brought them in.

Brightest of Blessings to you all
Rowan
)O(

A Year Of Reflection

So, I'm sitting here looking at my calendar and thinking that is was a year ago that I started this blog. In that year, so many wonderful things have happened to me on my journey. I found my focus of where I want to go and I am on my way of getting there. Even my blog has gone through some changes as I do. I'm not just talking about my monthly background changes, either. I started this blog, doing pretty much copying & pasting info I found off the net, it wasn't really personal. Then, slowly, it started changing to reflect what was going on with me. I stared writing about things that were relevant to me, I added 2 extra pages as references. I don't really update my deities page unless I have an amazing encounter I feel I have to share, that is my personal page saved for them. My BOS page is getting there with things I have made, spell workings that are (somewhat) harmless, meditations, chants. This, my main page is me. It is my way of showing you who I am, where I've been, & where I'm going. This is what brings me peace when things get hectic in life. I enjoy adding widgets, slideshows, musings. I also love switching up backgrounds to reflect the seasons.

In the last year, I found out what it is to be Pagan. I learned this the hard way be letting myself be swayed to what another wanted me to be. I learned that you don't deceive people in the Ways of the Goddess, to do workings on those you dislike just for the hell of it or cuz they pissed you off. I learned that the way you have your altar set up is a reflection of your relationship to your Deities, there is no wrong way to set it up, so don't go fix things on my altar. I learned what a real mentor is as oppossed to someone who likes having a power trip over someone who may not know as much.

In this past year, I have met & made connections in my local Pagan community. I have also made some new friendships with some of these connections. I attend public rituals, as a compliment to my own solitary rites at home. I have also just started a Pagan social group that is in its infancy. We have lots of ideas to work out and hopefully things will be good. It is not your traditional type group, this is meant to be a group where we can get together and have a good time, a few laughs, etc. As this group progresses, I'll keep you posted about it. With my new Pagan friends, we go on what we like to call "mini Pagan roadtrips" to different Pagan shops in our area and beyond. We go to the crafts stores to get supplies to decorate our altars, tools for the Sabbats and sometimes we just hang out. This is what gave me the idea of starting my own Pagan group, as well as one of the groups I am involved with in the city always bitching that no one goes to their meetings.

This has been definitely a year of experiences.. From meeting new friends, to letting go of those who weren't in my best interest, to finding love then letting it go when it wasn't becoming conducive to my growth. To being exposed to different Pagan music that I never thought I would listen to. Best of all, is seeing how many people follow my blog. I looked the other night on Facebook, through their blog app, I have 140 followers and through Google I have 54...that's not incl those who follow the other 2 pages I have. That's a total of 194 people following my musings. For that I say "THANK YOU!!" You are what makes me want to blog.

Brightest Blessings to you all,
Rowan
)O(

Oh, The Wheel, It Is A Turnin'

I'm always trying to be aware of the Wheel as we go through the year. I really noticed how much it's turning this winter. Is it me, or is it moving along faster?? I always pick up my son from his after school program at 4:30pm everyday. He used to hate it when I would come and the sky would be dark. This was December til mid-January. I noticed today when I picked him up that it was still daylight, not daylight where the sun will be gone by the time we get home daylight. That was a little over an hour ago and now I see the streetlights starting to come on. Pardon the cliche to my favourite books, but it's now Twilight time. That magical time between day & night when things are slowing down (except rush hour traffic), that shift in the day that I love. This is how I know the Wheel is a turnin'. We may be in the middle of winter, the snow is piled on the ground and we still have 5 more weeks of winter til Ostara.

Yes, I have changed the background of my blog. I chose a cliche Valentine's theme and I made another little Valentine's slideshow in the upper right corner. Included with that are pictures of Cupid/Eros and his mother, Venus/Aphrodite. Something seasonal for you all to enjoy. ♥

I am still addicted to my little game over on Facebook, YoVille. My avatar has a new house, a treehouse, that I have been busy decorating. I recently found out that the mystery bookcase is actually a secret library. I turned that into a Ritual room, complete with a virtual altar, with lots of candles and a bubbling cauldron in the middle of the room. I have plants everywhere in my little virtual house. Hey, if I'm lousy growing plants in RL, YoVille is making me a Queen of Green Thumbs. I even have an indoor garden room, complete with a babbling brook.

Ok, too much talk of my game, but I am in a club called, the Goddess Sanctuary. We get together and have discussions, swap items and share our witchy ways with each other. It is fun to be a part of an online community that doesn't attack you if they don't agree with what you have to say or ask. I find that with a number of fb groups (P&W). Anyway, I digress again.

I had a quiet Imbolg last week. I did a very small ritual and made a petition to Bridghid in my quest for a job. I had a job interview that day and I am waiting to hear back from them. 2 months of unemployment is driving me crazy. I am lucky to have been able to do a few haircuts at home for some friends (thanks, Lisa & Karen) but I miss working in a salon with others, sharing some laughs, helping each other with things and clients. I hope I get this job. My fingers are starting to cramp from all this finger-crossing I've been doing.

Well, this is what's been going on with me. I am going to try to be more diligent with blogging, but there are times when I don't feel inspired to blog. I hope you can all understand...maybe it is the winter. I'm going tomorrow to get some tanning sessions, anything to ward off SAD, which this year, I am again unaffected. No depression for me this year (YAY!!) but I am a little tired of looking at my pastiness. A good base for this summer, cause, if I'm going to be working, I won't be outside.

Blessings to you all,
Rowan
)O(

My Solstice Day

Well, I went on a Pagan mini-roadtrip with my 3 new friends, Lisa, Heddy & Julia. We packed into Lisa's car & headed off on out little adventure to some cute little Pagan shops that I never knew existed. First, we went to a cute little shop called Sarah's Spiritual Treasures. It's about 15 minutes outside Halifax in a community called Lower Sackville. It is a small shop, but filled with wonderful goodies!! I was happy that finally found my fav. vanilla incense. I've been looking for it since last Ostara & no one was carrying it. Lisa found a cute little treasure, incense matches. She bought Frankincense, as there was no Sage. She had an idea to smudge her car with it. It smelled so yummy!! I found a good size chunk of clear quartz, it's about 2" big and it was only $8.00. I'm going to use it a my want topper after I charge it.

After departing Sarah's, we headed onto the highway for another 20 minute drive outside the city to Whimsical Cottage Soaps (not to be confused with the Etsy shop, The Whimsical Cottage). It was another small shop, located in the house of a very nice lady, Lori. She makes handmade soaps, lotions, etc. Her shop was filled to the ceiling with alot of awesomeness!! She has so many crystals, books, etc. She's also a Shaman, so there was a lot of native Mi' qmaq (pronounced Mig maw) drums, dream catchers, rattles. She treated us all to some chocolate, she must've sensed that we were getting hungry, as we didn't start our trip til after lunch. She had the cutest little salt & pepper shakers, they were cast iron cauldrons!! I fell in love with this store. I didn't get anything here, as much as I would have love to, but being jobless, my funds are tight for the time being. I will be back to this little gem of a shop. There were a few Faery necklaces that I loved, soaps I want, ok, I want the whole shop...lol!!

We headed back on the road to the city. It was time to eat so we headed to a cute little diner for some grub, before going to Into the Mystic. They were doing tea leaves until 4pm. By the time we ate, it was after 4 and getting darker. We decided that we will go there another day...yay, another road trip!!! We dropped Heddy off at her place then I came home with Julia, as I lived near her bus stop to get her home in the "Darkside".

She hung out with me for a few hours. We talked about everything, from Paganism, to guys, stuff. It was really nice. Time flew by so fast & before we knew it, it was close to 10pm & she had to bid me & my 2 kitties farewell. All in all, it was a great day. We shared some laughs, chocolate and camaraderie. It was nice to be in the company of other Pagans who are genuine with their friendship, not deceitful, as others I have met were with me. I am glad to have my foot in the door to the local Pagan community here in Halifax. I'm meeting so many wonderful people who share a common spirituality with me. I feel the Goddess is blessing me in so many ways recently. I thank Her with my whole mortal heart.

So, I'm going now to welcome the sun, as it will be rising soon over the horizon. Have a Blessed Solstice/Yule. May the Goddess be with you in your journey.

Love & Light!! )☼(
Rowan