Winter

The northeast has been overloaded with snow storm after snow storm. I think were all feeling up to our eyeballs in it. I'm trudging along much likes these deer, just trying to keep my head above water and make a little headway. One step forward two steps back. Patience needed in all pursuits these days.

In the bleak midwinter Frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow, Snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter, Long ago.
Christina Rossetti

October Forecast

A warm October,
A cold February.
When leaves fall early,
Fall and Winter will be mild;
When leaves fall late,
Winter will be severe.
Squirrels gathering nuts in a flurry,
Will cause snow to gather in a hurry.
Much rain in October,
Much wind in December.

Full Moon in October without frost,
No frost 'till November's Full Moon.
( weather lore for the month of October)

September

"Well, the sun’s not so hot in the sky today
And you know I can see summertime slipping on away
A few more geese are gone, a few more leaves turning red
But the grass is as soft as a feather in a featherbed
So I’ll be king and you’ll be queen
Our kingdom’s gonna be this little patch of green
Won’t you lie down here right now
In this September grass
Won’t you lie down with me now
September grass."
James Taylor

Summer Comin'

I'm still working through my long year end obligations. I should be finished today which is a relief. It's been a rather long haul and I'm ready to move forward with other things. Once I finish this paper and submit it, my long list will finally be complete. This has recently freed up a little time to begin to slow down and breath. I've begun to reconnect with my practice, and Lola and Bingo and I have been taking longer and longer walks. Strolls in the wood, just meandering, slowing down and reconnecting to life and nature. I pulled out a Christina Pirello vegetarian cookbook and decided to have another go at it this Summer. Tomorrow I'm going to look for tiles for my kitchen floor which delights me to no end and this little project is well past its due date. Wednesday I meet with my advisor to go over my schedule for next year (in reality the next three). It's actually a great relief to be at this point and be know the light at the end is coming if I just keep going. September will bring huge schedule and life style changes and a period of adjustment in terms of time commitment and where time is spent, and how much time is spent, and how funds are allocated and do many other things I must take into consideration. But for now I'm just thrilled to have some time to slow down, breath and relax a little.

April

“April is a promise that May is bound to keep.”
Hal Borland

February

"The flowers of late winter and early spring

occupy places in our hearts

well out of proportion to their size."
Gertrude S. Wister

First Snow

Snow angels

White side walks

untouched by feet

Calling for the waiting children
in all of us

To lay in its perfection
To make tributes to our
every watching guardians

Becoming one with
nature
a feeling of belonging
in a universe full of mysteries

Look at earths creation
meshed with your own
fused
until shovels
scoop
or spring blooms

Snow angels
more than fun
its life

Vincent Armone

New Year

All one's moments gather to a wave

Passing in a rolling swell of tears,

Passions too immense to name or save.

Yet New Year's is a crest on which to sing,

Now poised between the future and the past.

Each awaits what course the fates may bring,

Winds that never touch the things that last.

Years turn and turn with an hypnotic grace

Even as the depths of life lie still.

Although above one cannot silence face,

Remember that below the divers will.

anonymous

Winter

Winter Solstice, is the time the sun reaches the Tropic of Capricorn. It occurs the first day of Winter. On this day (December 21 or 22) in the northern hemisphere the sun is farthest south and the length of time between sunrise and sunset is the shortest of the year. In the pagan tradition the solstice is also know as Yuletide, Alban or the Arthanthis holiday and is celebrated as the rebirth of the Great God who is viewed as the newborn solstice sun. Traditionally one would light a Yule log. It's lighted on the eve of the solstice (it should light on the first try) and must be kept burning for twelve hours, for good luck. It should be made of ash. As time passed the Yule log was replaced by the Yule tree but, instead of burning it, burning candles were placed on it. Evergreen, holly, ivy and the mistletoe were important plants of the season, all symbolizing fertility and everlasting life. Mistletoe was especially venerated by the Celtic Druids, who cut it with a golden sickle on the sixth night of the moon, and believed it to be an aphrodisiac. (Magically -- not medicinally! It's highly toxic!) Other customs of the holiday include weaving 'Brigit's crosses' from straw or wheat to hang around the house for protection, performing rites of spiritual cleansing and purification, making 'Brigit's beds' to ensure fertility of mind and spirit (and body, if desired), and making Crowns of Light (i.e. of candles) for the High Priestess to wear for the Candlemas Circle, similar to those worn on St. Lucy's Day in Scandinavian countries.

Happy Solstice may your Winter be warmth of hearth and spirit.

Peace to all,

Miss. S.

10/31/08

Sunday Peace Prayer

There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on,

and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings,

as now in October.

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Autumn

I have been so drained since I came back from India. This weekend as Summer turned to Fall the last of my energy just slipped through my fingers. Time to settle in, slow down, rest and rejuvenate. Time to find a tranquil space and just watch the leaves turn colors for a while.

Wishing you all peace, love and serenity this season.

Miss. S.

First Sign of Spring

Today is St. Brigid's Day. This Sister really had it going on. A founding feminist, her resume could fill a book, so I'll just hit the highlights. Brigit was one of the great Triple Goddesses of the Celtic people. She is associated with the perpetual, sacred flames at the shrine at Kildare, Ireland, as well as holy wells and healing wells. She is the goddess of all things perceived to be of relatively high dimensions such as high-rising flames, highlands, hill-forts and upland areas; and of activities and states conceived as psychologically lofty and elevated, such as wisdom, excellence, perfection, high intelligence, poetic eloquence, craftsmanship (especially blacksmithing), healing ability, druidic knowledge and skill in warfare. In the living traditions, whether seen as goddess or saint, she is largely associated with the home and hearth.

Her festival is also called Brigit. Brigit (the Goddess and the Festival) represents the stirring of life again after the dead months of the winter, and her special blessings are called forth at this time.

To celebrate her day tidy up the home and hearth a bit in the morning, lay a fire without kindling, then make yourself a "Bed for Brigid" and place it near the hearth. The bed can be a small basket with covers and tiny pillow added as plain or fancy as you like. If you have no hearth, you can use the stove and put the bed behind or near it. Then at sundown light a candle rubbed with rosemary oil and invite Brigit into your home and into her bed. Make your own poem or find a nice one to read aloud. Let the candle burn in a safe place for as long as possible. Perhaps if you like, a few yoga poses to open up the fire within.

Brigit let's us know the'll be daffodills sooner rather than later but until then she'll keep us warm and snug and always has the home fires burning to welcome us back after a long cold day.