Monday, January 31, 2011

A Mystery!

First off, we had a great weekend!  I'm trying now to clean the house, because we did nothing useful the entire time.  We went out for dinner, and we went to see The King's Speech (which was awesome) and we basically goofed off the rest of the time.  Sean played video games, and I made some more art for purposes yet to be disclosed.  Everything went well with Brianna at my parent's house, they even got to sleep!  We went early to pick her up, and we ended up staying there for supper yesterday.  Somehow we got to talking about something.  I have no idea what it was, I can't remember.  But the end product was my Dad showing me what he thought was a Pioneer fork and knife set, from which the knife was missing.  It had been handed down my his Uncle Paul, who had been given it by his parents.  See?


So we were all looking at it, and my Mom noticed lettering on the case!  We thought it said Ann at first, then we realized it was ANNO, year, and there were numbers after it!  So, we know how old the case is at least.  Anyone want to guess what the year on the case was?

No takers?

1773. 

Yeah, seriously.  The leather case was made before America was a country.  Then, we start noticing more letters underneath the ANNO 1773, and then more on the cap of the case, and then more on the other side of the case!  We *think* we've figured out part of it, some reference to a Latin version of the bible that's positively ancient, but we could be wrong.  That side of the family is from Ukraine and Russia, but we are pretty sure the lettering is not Russian, because the R's are facing the right way.  Here is what the case says:

Top Line, First Side:  ANNO 1773
Bottom Line, First Side:  D14 IANV AR

Top Line, Second Side: T V I G D H N
Bottom Line, Second Side: V G

On the Cap:  Top Line:  4
On the Cap:  Bottom Line:  MF

My thought was that the markings on the cap could be the makers mark, but I couldn't find anything online about it.    There are no marks on the fork itself, and we are thinking because of the feel of the tongs it is made out of silver.  There is mother of pearl inlaid in the handle.  So, if anyone knows any language in which these letters make sense, please let me know!  Any help would be great.  So yes, this is our mystery.

Hope everyone else had a great weekend too!

Goddess Bless,

Stacy

Saturday, January 29, 2011

The Weekend Off!

Well, I'm taking the weekend off.  Sean miraculously got the weekend off work, and we are doing a trial run of Brianna staying at my parent's house without us overnight.  Sean and I are going to go out for dinner and see a movie, not sure which one yet.  I'll be back on Monday!

In the meantime, be sure to check out my giveaway!  Included is a great Pentacle tote bag, a cute Celtic key-chain, a gorgeous journal with cover art by Josephine Wall, and a 20 gift certificate to Dragon Moon gifts!  Instructions are on the page on how to enter.

Also, the wonderful Laura DeLuca finally has her book for sale!  It is my personal opinion that everyone needs to read it.  It's great.

So hopefully you all have a great weekend.  I'm hoping I won't have too many issues being away from my baby for the night.  We'll see, we'll see...

Goddess Bless,

Stacy

Thursday, January 27, 2011

We're Finally Here!

 *****Thanks to all who entered!  The Winner can be found here!*****


Yep, that's right.  I've reached the prerequisite number of followers I set for myself.  So here we are.

My first Giveaway!!

What do we have in this giveaway?  You don't have to wonder.  I have pictures!  We have this wonderful Pentacle tote bag.  Isn't it great? 

 We have this seriously cute little Celtic key-chain! 
We also have this BEAUTIFUL journal, 192 lined pages.  Featuring the cover art of the amazingly talented Josephine Wall.  The picture is a detail from "The Spirit of Flight".  
 In addition, there will also be a 20$ e-gift certificate to Dragon Moon gifts! 


To enter, you must follow me on Google friend connect and visit the Dragon Moon website and tell me something you might buy if you win!  For additional entries, you can do any of the following but you have to complete the initial entry first.  Be sure to leave a comment for each entry you complete, because I'll be using Random.org to chose a commenter to win!

Optional Additional Entries - Up your chances!

1 - Become a fan of my Inspired by Life facebook page
2 - Follow me on Twitter
3 - Tweet this giveaway including @Inspired_byLife
4 - Share this post on Facebook!
5 - Become a fan of Dragon Moon gifts on Facebook!
5 - Grab my button and tell me where I can find it!
6 - Blog about this giveaway including a link to this blog (5 entries-leave 5 comments)


This giveaway will end on February 9th at 12pm. Giveaway is open to the U.S.(Except Hawaii, Alaska, Virgin Islands.  Too expensive to ship there, sorry guys) and Canada. Winner will be selected randomly from all comments received using a random number generator.

Hope you all enter, and tell your friends!

Goddess Bless,

Stacy

****Remember to leave one comment for each entry!  One for the original entry, and one for every subsequent entry!*****

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

The Wiccan Novel Destiny

Most of you probably will have read my review of Laura DeLuca's new novel, Destiny.  If you haven't read my review, you probably should.  Go ahead, do it now.  I'll wait for you.  I promise.

Alright, now that you've read it I have something wonderful to share!  Laura's wonderful book is finally for sale.  It's only for sale online right now, so don't rush out to the bookstore.  You can buy it from the relative comfort of your computer chair!

Buy Your Copy of Destiny!

Alright fine, you don't have to.  However, I really suggest it.  Anyone who orders this week is going to get a signed copy!

On Laura's blog, there is also a giveaway for an entire Altar set inspired by the book.  It was made by Etsy seller The Whimsical Pixie, and it is absolutely gorgeous!  See?



The giveaway runs until February 10, and is open to the U.S. and Canada.  Go over there and enter! 

Hope you all get a chance to read this book!

Goddess Bless,

Stacy

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Images

Most of us have a lot of "friends" on Facebook.  I have friends on there that I see on a regular basis.  I'm "friends" with people that I went to school with, in fact most of my graduating class is on my Facebook.  I have a lot of family on there.  I have people that I've never met or even really conversed with, but have on there for more of a networking purpose.  Which is fine, I think.  I don't mind seeing everyone's status updates.

Until their status updates aren't their own.  Chances are you know what I'm talking about, but just for a few examples here you go:

"WARNING WARNING...DO NOT OPEN DO NOT OPEN..... REMOVE THE feed posts "see who's viewing your profile" its a virus spreading like wild fire....do not click on it just remove it from your walls. Face book has been posting all day for people to stop opening this app PLEASE REPORT THIS APP TO Facebook. PLEASE FOLKS PAY ATTENTION!!!!!!!!!!.."
"There are the normal ( . )( . ), the silicone ( + )( + ), the perfect (o)(o) Some are cold (^)(^) and some belong to grandmothers \./\./ And let’s not forget the very large (o Y o), the very small (.)(.) and the asymmetrical (•)(.)
We love them all!
Post this message on your wall and say ┌П┐(◉_◉)┌П┐ to breast cancer!!"
"I'M A HANDFUL! ..Unfortunately most women won't re-post this. I'm a handful, I'm strong willed, independent, a bit outspoken and I tell it like it is. I make mistakes, I am sometimes out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst then you sure as heck don't deserve me at my best. If you're a handful re-post this.. I dare you. I'll be looking for the ladies who re-post!"
You know, I don't mind seeing one of these every now and then.  Heck, even I've posted maybe three or four of these in the years that I've been on Facebook.  Apparently though, I have a few people on my friends list that post one of these at least once a day, and usually they don't post other things.  If I have you on my friends list, it's because I want to know what YOU are thinking.  Not what a million other people think is "cool".  Not to mention the fact that a status update does nothing to stop breast cancer.  If you really wanted to end breast cancer, you'd donate your money or time.  
Really though, this is about the fact that I don't want people on my friends list who can't think for themselves on a regular basis.  Sure, if you see one of these and think, "Oh, that's nice, I think that too!  Maybe I'll post it." then great!  Post it!  But not everyday.  I don't want to see a bunch of these every time I log into Facebook.  I want to see what is happening with my friends lives, how their families are doing.  I really don't see the point of having people on my friends list who post these constantly, because I'm not finding out what's going on in their life.
In response to seeing about 8 of these yesterday, 3 of which from the same person, I posted this:
"You know, sometimes it's okay to post a status that you thought up yourself. You don't have to copy and paste everybody else's statuses. I'm seriously going to start de-friending people soon, it's freaking annoying! If you're on my friends list, it's because I want to know what's going on with you. I don't think I want mindless sheep for friends."
And you know, maybe I wouldn't go so far as to de-friend someone.  I would change it so they don't show up in my news feed.  I don't really want to do that, though.  I want to be able to see the things that my friends post about their lives, because I have a genuine interest in them.
As annoying as this is, it's more than that.  Facebook is a great tool, if we want to use it as such, to see what we truly think about ourselves, our friends and our lives.  If you post a lot of these statuses, what does this say for your ability to think freely?  If you look back on your statuses, and you can go back quite a ways, what have you most often posted about?  Is it what you think is important in your life, things you want your friends to know?  Or is it often "Hey, look at this YouTube video!".  Which I've posted on occasion too.  In looking at this, maybe we can look at other areas of our lives and see whether we are seen as leaders or followers.  While you shouldn't worry about what the world thinks of you, you do have an image that you portray to the world.  What is your image?  Is it the image you want people to see?  It doesn't matter what is thought about your image, as long as you are the image of who you want to be. 
Goddess Bless,
Stacy 

Sunday, January 23, 2011

How the Bear lost his Tail

Today is another story day!  Yay!  I hope you like this one, I've actually been looking for it for a while.  I vaguely remember hearing it many years ago.  The website that this story is from didn't list a specific First Nation tribe that it belonged to, but I'm fairly sure that it is Seneca (part of the Iroquois) because of the name of the Frost Spirit, Hatho.  I hope you enjoy!

*****

Back in the old days, Bear had a tail which was his proudest possession. It was long and black and glossy and Bear used to wave it around just so that people would look at it. Fox saw this. Fox, as everyone knows, is a trickster and likes nothing better than fooling others. So it was that he decided to play a trick on Bear. It was the time of year when Hatho, the Spirit of Frost, had swept across the land, covering the lakes with ice and pounding on the trees with his big hammer. Fox made a hole in the ice, right near a place where Bear liked to walk. By the time Bear came by, all around Fox, in a big circle, were big trout and fat perch. Just as Bear was about to ask Fox what he was doing, Fox twitched his tail which he had sticking through that hole in the ice and pulled out a huge trout. "Greetings, Brother," said Fox. "How are you this fine day?"
"Greetings," answered Bear, looking at the big circle of fat fish. " I am well, Brother. But what are you doing?"
"I am fishing," answered Fox. "Would you like to try?"
"Oh, yes," said Bear, as he started to lumber over to Fox's fishing hole.
But Fox stopped him. "Wait, Brother," he said, "This place will not be good. As you can see, I have already caught all the fish. Let us make you a new fishing spot where you can catch many big trout."
Bear agreed and so he followed Fox to the new place, a place where, as Fox knew very well, the lake was too shallow to catch the winter fish--which always stay in the deepest water when Hatho has covered their ponds. Bear watched as Fox made the hole in the ice, already tasting the fine fish he would soon catch. "Now," Fox said, "you must do just as I tell you. Clear your mind of all thoughts of fish. Do not even think of a song or the fish will hear you. Turn your back to the hole and place your tail inside it. Soon a fish will come and grab your tail and you can pull him out."
"But how will I know if a fish has grabbed my tail if my back is turned?" asked Bear.
"I will hide over here where the fish cannot see me," said Fox. "When a fish grabs your tail, I will shout. Then you must pull as hard as you can to catch your fish. But you must be very patient. Do not move at all until I tell you."
Bear nodded, "I will do exactly as you say." He sat down next to the hole, placed his long beautiful black tail in the icy water and turned his back.
Fox watched for a time to make sure that Bear was doing as he was told and then, very quietly, sneaked back to his own house and went to bed. The next morning he woke up and thought of Bear. "I wonder if he is still there," Fox said to himself. "I'll just go and check."
So Fox went back to the ice covered pond and what do you think he saw? He saw what looked like a little white hill in the middle of the ice. It had snowed during the night and covered Bear, who had fallen asleep while waiting for Fox to tell him to pull his tail and catch a fish. And Bear was snoring. His snores were so loud that the ice was shaking. It was so funny that Fox rolled with laughter. But when he was through laughing, he decided the time had come to wake up poor Bear. He crept very close to Bear's ear, took a deep breath, and then shouted: "Now, Bear!!!" Bear woke up with a start and pulled his long tail hard as he could. But his tail had been caught in the ice which had frozen over during the night and as he pulled, it broke off -- Whack! -- just like that. Bear turned around to look at the fish he had caught and instead saw his long lovely tail caught in the ice.
"Ohhh," he moaned, "ohhh, Fox. I will get you for this." But Fox, even though he was laughing fit to kill was still faster than Bear and he leaped aside and was gone.
So it is that even to this day Bears have short tails and no love at all for Fox. And if you ever hear a bear moaning, it is probably because he remembers the trick Fox played on him long ago and he is mourning for his lost tail.

*****

Goddess Bless,

Stacy.

Friday, January 21, 2011

This Week In Pictures!

I'm really tired today.  I think I'm getting sick again.  We stayed up late (for us, anyway) to do our Full Moon ritual on the 19th, and it went awesome.  I feel like I've gotten so much older in the past year, going to bed at 10pm.  What's with that?!  I used to be able to stay up until 4, get a couple hours of sleep before work and then do it all over again.  Blarg.  I may have mentioned it previously, but I broke down and bought a new camera.  And by "I broke down and bought a new camera" I really mean that Sean noticed me drooling over it while we were getting pictures developed and badgered me into putting it on the credit card.  "It's only worth one car payment!".  Sigh.  Granted, our car payments were only 200 dollars, and now that the car is payed off we can actually probably sort of afford it.  So here is a picture of my pretty new camera:




Isn't it beautiful?  I love it.  It takes gorgeous pictures. 


Brianna playing with my old camera.  She always wanted it and could never have it, and now that she can have it she doesn't want it.  To those of you without kids, take that as a lesson.  


Here is a new picture of my Sacred Circles magnet set for sale on Etsy.  It looks much better than the old picture.  For comparison's sake, here is the old picture, taken with my video camera after my old camera broke.



Amazing how different it is, isn't it?  I took new pictures of pretty much everything in my Etsy store, and last night I made some new product.  Two new magnet sets and a new children's wand.  The magnet sets are Norse and Egyptian symbols, they just need to a couple of coats of clear varnish first.  The wand is the final one in my Child's Element Wand collection, Earth.  I'll be adding them sometime over the weekend, so we'll see how that goes. 

That's it for today!  I'm going to try and relax so I don't get sick (again) and hopefully finish up some baking I need to do for a party on Saturday.

Hope everyone has a great day!!

Goddess Bless,

S.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

A Family Imbolc Ritual

If you read my Family Yule Ritual post, you know some of the things I'm going to say here already.  Hopefully, I won't repeat myself too much!!  


First, the supplies.  You can use your regular ritual supplies, if you are confident that your child isn't going to accidentally hurt themselves with any of it.  Not to say you don't watch your kids, but hey.  Kids get into things.  For your Altar, you should have a symbol of the season, like a white flower of some sort, and a symbol of the Goddess you are channeling.  We are planning on using Brighid for ours, so we will have a small baked loaf.  You will eat part of the loaf instead of cakes for cakes and ale, but you can also have your regular cakes and ale if you like.  You will also need a white candle to symbolize the returning light and the Sun King, and a green candle to symbolize the Earth and the Maiden. To keep the kids busy but involved, you can have them make Goddess' Eyes, my take on Brighid's Crosses that make them a little easier for tiny hands (and novice crafters).  You can find instructions in a Guest Post I did on Laura De Luca's Blog.  Just have the stick crosses made for them in advance and give them each a small ball of yarn.  While they're making it, tell them the should think of the returning light.  It will keep them busy, and fully involved in the ritual energy.


The white candle should be in the center of the Altar, away from little hands.  The bread and flower should be towards the north side, because they come from the earth.  


Cast your circle, calling the quarters and the Charge of the Goddess and God in your normal way.  Then, light your white candle and say:


The Wheel turns over as in yore,
and the Earth grows warm just as before.
As the Sun King’s rays stronger grow,
The Maid yearns his gift of life to know.

Using the white candle, light your green candle and say:

Behold the Sun King and his Bride
Renewing the Earth with great pride
Once again the Earth is blessed
New life inside joyfully professed
For this is the Promise, the Cycle of Life
That is born of the love They share, man and wife.

You can now do any other spell work or meditation.  Once done, have your cakes and ale and close your circle as per the norm.  
I like to keep the rituals we do with our baby girl short and sweet at the moment.  Older children of course will be able to stand longer rituals and will love calling the quarters.  

Happy Imbolc planning!

Goddess Bless,

S.



Wednesday, January 19, 2011

A lack of posts!

Sorry all for the lack of blogging as of late.  I had every intention of putting up an Imbolc post yesterday, but events conspired against me!

We had come crazy/possibly drunk guy banging on the door at 7 am.  It was crazy angry "I'll break the damn door down!" banging.  Sean had already gone to work, and I'm alone in the house with Brianna, and I`m freaking out, of course.  I went to check out the window after the banging stopped, but the person must have stayed out there longer because the motion sensor light was still on.  So then I really started freaking out, and called Sean, Sean called the cops, the cops came and did their little sweep of the area.

It was crazy and draining.  So I decided that yesterday was a lost cause and didn't do much of anything.

Of course, I didn't finish writing my Imbolc post or prepare something else for today.  So, this is what you get.  Sorry all!  Better stuff coming tomorrow.

Goddess Bless,

S

Monday, January 17, 2011

Pagan Book Review: Destiny by Laura DeLuca

This is one of those posts where I want to start with a, "Good News, Everyone!"

Set for release in the ambiguous time of early February, the book Destiny is called by it's publisher "A Wiccan Love story".  That falls incredibly short of the mark.  This is a fabulous book!  Author Laura DeLuca has graciously agreed to let me review her wonderful book early, and let me tell you, it's awesome.  Maybe my over-use of adjectives in this paragraph isn't putting it into proper perspective for you, dear readers.  I may be jumping the gun as it hasn't been released yet, but I could see this book starting a whole new wave of Twilight/Harry Potter type mass following.

Now that I've shocked you with my gratuitous adjective use, let me tell you a little bit about the book itself.  Laura is a practicing Wiccan herself, and so Wicca is painted in the most flattering of lights in this book.  Published by Free Focus Publishing, the blurb on their website only tells half the story.  Yes, it is a Wiccan Love story, but it is so much more than that as well.  The characters are amazingly developed, I could see them as I was reading.  The journey you go on with these characters is both sad and triumphant.  So well paced that you never feel as though there is too much talking or too much action.  It's a fabulous balance.  The plot twists were extremely well executed.  The love between main characters Gabriella and Darron is strikingly real.

Yet the story is more than just about the love between Gabriella and Darron.  It's about the love between mothers and children, between friends, and between cultures and religions.  It's about hatred and greed, and numbing fear.  Let me include for you here a small piece of the novel:
 -------

“Darron?” She squeezed his hand, and fought back tears of fear and frustration.  “Darron, please open your eyes. Please be all right!”
     He squirmed and groaned a little in response. Looking at his contorted features, Gabriella felt incompetent and useless. She didn’t know what to do to help him. The cut must need stitches. The blood was gushing through her fingertips, and she was sure his life was slipping away just as quickly.
     More than anything, Gabriella wanted to help Darron, to end his suffering. Her thoughts, her desperation, caused something deep inside of her to stir. Something that had long been napping was awoken. The power she had fought so hard to deny was forcing its way to the surface. This time she didn’t struggle against that power. Her instinct to hide from it was finally overcome by the thought of losing someone else she cared about.

     Gabriella was pulling strength and warmth from the earth, as though her legs were tree roots
taking nourishment from the element. A tingling sensation began in the tips of her toes and spread slowly though her body as she breathed in the essence of the element of air.  Her blood flowed and grew warm, the element of water, bringing the power to the surface. She was overcome by a vigorous strength as she envisioned her spirit encircled by the element of fire. She felt so powerful that she thought she could stop the world from churning if that was what she wished. Gabriella focused the power, remembering for a moment her mother’s lessons. She looked down at her battered friend. She willed him to open his eyes and look at her. She demanded it of him.
-------

A longer excerpt can be found on Laura's blog.  I really loved this book.  It spoke to me on so many levels, and it is truly one that I will read over and over again.  I personally think that every Wiccan or Pagan household should have a copy, because not only is it fabulous in it's own right but it is a wonderful coming of age story for those children who are having trouble being accepted as who they are, for their spiritual path or otherwise.  For anyone who is interested in buying it, I will be posting the link as soon as it is for sale.  You should also follow Laura DeLuca's blog, she will have many more updates than I will!  She just posted a giveaway yesterday, one of her readers will win a signed copy of her book!  Here is the link to her giveaway, make sure you enter!

All in all, it is a wonderful, well-written book, one that I think will be defining of Wiccan culture to others in the years to come.  For someone who has such an extensive library as we do in our home, it's a small amount of books that I say this about:  It's a must-read.  

Goddess Bless,

S.

***Please note that I received no form of compensation for this post. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way. ***

Sunday, January 16, 2011

How Horses Came Into The World

Story day again!  Hope you all enjoy this one.  It's a Blackfoot story, and it's always been one of my favorites.  It's fairly obvious by the title, but this is a story of how horses came into the world.

---------------------

In the days before horses a poor orphan boy lived among the Blackfoot.  He was troubled because his people were starving. One day he left his camp to find food for his people. He traveled very far, and found no sign of deer nor sign of buffalo. He traveled beyond the Sweetgrass Hills to a large river,and because he had seen no food he sat down and wept for his people.

In that river lived a powerful Water Spirit, a very old man, and he heard the crying of the poor orphan boy. The Water Spirit sent his young son to find the boy and ask why he was crying. The son went to the weeping boy and told him that his father who lived in the lake wished to see him.

"But how can I go to him if he lives under the river?" the poor boy asked.

"Hold on to my shoulders and close your eyes," replied the Water Spirit's son. "Don't look until I tell you to do so."

They started into the water. As they moved along, the Water Spirit's son said to the boy: "My father will offer you your choice of the animals in this river. When he does so, be sure to choose the oldest mallard of the ducks and all its young ones."

As soon as they reached the underwater lodge of the Water Spirit, the son told the boy to open his eyes. He did so, and found himself standing before an old man with long white hair. "Sit beside me," the Water Spirit said, and then asked: "My boy, why do you come to this river crying?"

"I am a poor orphan," the boy replied. "I left my camp to find food for my starving people, and it is for them that I weep."

"Perhaps I can help you," the Water Spirit said. "You have seen all the animals on this river. They are mine to give to whom I wish. What is your choice?"

Remembering the advice of the Water Spirit's son, the boy replied: "I should thank you for the oldest mallard of the ducks and all its young ones."

"Don't take that one," the Water Spirit said, shaking his head. "It is old and of no value."

But the boy insisted. Four times he asked for the mallard, and then the Water Spirit smiled and said: "You are a wise young man. When you leave my lodge my son will take you to the edge of the river. After it is dark he will catch the mallard for you. But when you leave the river don't look back."
The boy did as he was told. The Water Spirit's son gathered some marsh grass from the edge of the river and braided it into a rope. With this rope he caught the old mallard and led it ashore. He placed the rope in the boy's hand and told him to walk on, but not to look back until sunrise. As the boy walked on toward his camp in the darkness, he heard the duck's feathers flapping on the ground. Later he could no longer hear that sound. Instead he heard the sound of heavy feet pounding on the earth behind him, and from time to time the strange cry of an animal. The braided marsh grass turned into a rawhide rope in his hand. But he did not look back until dawn.  At daybreak he turned around and saw a strange animal at the end of the rope, a horse. A voice told him to mount the animal and he did so, using the rawhide rope as a bridle. By the time he reached camp, he saw many other horses following him.  The people of the camp were frightened by these strange animals, but the boy told them to have no fear.

"Do not be afraid," The boy told them. "These animals will hunt with us and pull heavy loads."  The Blackfoot people saw the usefulness of this new animal.  It was better for carrying things than the dogs they had been using.  They could ride these "elk-dogs" to where the buffalo were and hunt more easily.  Horses could even carry people across water.

"They are from the water," The orphan boy explained. "That is why they are at ease in it."  When the boy grew older he was made Chief of the Blackfoot people.  His favorite place to sit and rest was at a tree near the water because from there he could see the horses grazing in the distance.

Goddess Bless,

S.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Fresh Imbolc Foods

Before we get into the post today, I want to remind everyone that my column is running at The Pagan Household today!  Also, I'm not sure when it will be posted, but sometime today I have a guest post going up at the blog of wonderful author Laura DeLuca!  Check it all out!


Alright!  On we go.  What are you having for Imbolc?  We probably won't have as big a feast as at Yule, but we are going to be doing something.  Every tradition and every person has their own symbols for each of the Sabbats, but for me Imbolc is about fresh foods.  Raw cheese like Bocconcini, or some simple goat's cheese.  Seeds and nuts.  Fresh dairy and home baked bread.  Corn and barley.  Spicy food works as well.  I've got my eye on a Jalapeño Cornbread recipe.  Most of us can buy raw cheeses, seeds and nuts, even freshly baked bread. 

Dairy is the most important.  Imbolc literally means "ewe's milk" in Gaelic, because this is the time of year when the ewe's would start lactating.  Most of us don't have access to sheep's milk, and conditioned as we are most of probably wouldn't drink it anyway.  I bet a lot of people have never tried goat's milk, either.  It's earthier than cow's milk, and very different, but worth trying.  We usually have access to cow's milk, but most of us don't have cows anymore either.  So how to get fresh dairy on Imbolc?

Make your own butter, of course!  It's the easiest thing for us to do to get fresh, homemade dairy for Imbolc!  It's not practical to make it for everyday, it would get far too expensive.  For a special occasion though?  Nothing compares.  Here's what you need:

1 Cup Whipping Cream
Pinch of Salt (optional)

There are really two ways to do it.  The first way is to pour the whipping cream in a jar, filling the jar half full, and let your kids shake it until their arms fall off.  If you don't have kids, or simply don't feel like handing your kids a breakable jar full of liquid, you can use a bowl and an electric mixer.

We all know what whipped cream looks like, and that's the first step.  When you get to the whipped cream stage, keep beating!  Or shaking.  When the peaks of the cream become stiff, reduce the speed on your mixer because the butter will form fairly quickly.  First the cream will turn slightly yellow, then little bits of butter and buttermilk.  At this point the butter will quickly separate itself from the buttermilk, and if you haven't reduced the speed on your mixer you are most certainly wearing butter.  And buttermilk.

Drain the buttermilk into a separate container.  It's great for baking, buttermilk really helps baked goods keep a soft crumb.  But I digress.  After draining the buttermilk, add half a cup of cold water to the bowl and beat the butter some more.  This helps to release any remaining buttermilk, which will be poured off with the water.  After pouring the water off, you can mash it with salt to make salted butter, or if you have molds you can make your butter beautiful by putting it into those!  Obviously, store it in the refrigerator.

Happy Butter Making!

Goddess Bless,

S.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Goddess and God Aspects

Inspired by a comment from Little Witch of Little Witch Shadows, I've decided to write about God and Goddess aspects.  Little Witch commented on my Imbolc Goddesses post, and this is what she said: 

Artist's Rendition of Freyja
"I love that you put about the two Goddesses, there are so many who only believe in taking from one source and one source only, you miss out on so much that way!"

It really got me thinking about why we worship the way we do.  Yes, we call on the Goddess and God.  Usually though, we have our own pantheons that we use.  Sean uses Norse gods and goddesses.  I usually use Egyptian, but I have no issues including other goddesses and gods as well.  In fact, I sincerely believe one of the only reasons we got pregnant was because of Sean's pleading to Freyja.  But how many of us get stuck using the same deities over and over because we are comfortable with them?  It's wonderful to have a close personal relationship with your gods, but like Little Witch said, you can miss out on so much that way!

I'll use our fertility problems as an example.  Bes and Isis got me no results at all.  For whatever reason, it just wasn't happening.  When we calculated back later, about a week after Sean started praying to Freyja was when we got pregnant.  So even though Freyja wasn't a goddess I worked with personally, she obviously worked for us.

I have a copy of Pagan Scriptures, written by Charles Baize & Nolan Reichle.  They are a beautiful creation story, and I love reading it over and over.  If you haven't read it, you should.  You can find it at the Green Witch Garden.  In it, it tells of the Light as our Goddess and God, and the first children of the light as all the gods and goddesses of different cultures.  That struck a real cord with me, because so many traditions state that the pantheon they use is separate.  "Isis is Isis, not some crazy offshoot of the Goddess!  They're separate!"  It seems strange to me to have everything disconnected, when we are essentially a spiritual path that celebrates the connection of all.  

When we work with our connected goddesses and gods, we can do it in a myriad of different ways.  If you call a certain goddess in ritual, use a different goddess' symbol.  I'll use love as an example.  Say you are doing a spell to draw love to you.  So you invoke Venus.  On your altar, maybe you would have an eight-pointed star, the symbol of Inanna.  Perhaps a white feather, symbolizing Branwen, whose name means white crow.  

If you don't know which goddesses and gods have similar aspects, it's easy to look up.  Thanks to the internet, we don't have to spend all day (or week, or month) cross-referencing this book and that book with this paper.  The only thing you need to do is find out which aspects call to you.  All are different goddesses, but different aspects of the same Goddess.  By only using one, not only do you miss out on the different feelings a certain goddess aspect could bring out in you, but you are diminishing the effect that your rituals can have.  No two aspects are exactly alike, and using them together can only play on their strengths.  

Goddess Bless,

S. 

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

In which we meet some Disco Pirate Bunnies

Or rather, watch a video of.  I'm working on a great post for tomorrow about different goddesses and gods.  Yesterday though, I was lucky enough to leave the Disney Channel on after Brianna went for her nap.  Bunny town comes on, and it was the Disco Pirate Bunnies episode!  Sean's never seen Disco Pirate Bunnies, and he only believes me that there is such a thing because he loves me.  Whenever it comes on, it makes me giggle like a little freak.  I have no clue why, I just find it incredibly hilarious.  Those of you with kids will just nod and say yeah, we've been there.  For those of you without kids, this is what you will be watching on TV.  No more adult television!  This may in fact be an effective form of birth control. 




So now that I have proof, my life is complete.

Goddess Bless,

S

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

It's Tuesday!!!

So, somehow I totally missed the memo that Sunday was a couple of days ago.  So today I'll be posting a story because I missed it on Sunday.  Also, because I need to finish cleaning before Brianna takes apart my piles of laundry.

This story is taken from a family book about my great-grandparents.  It is taken word for word from the original.  I find history so interesting, and my own more so.  I hope you enjoy!

*****

In the fall of 1897, Gertrude and Katherine set out for Prince Albert, Saskatchewan to look for work.  This city was one of the most northern outposts of the territories at that time.  It had become a "flourishing" trading center as well as a post for the police forces.  The two young women traveled with a caravan of wagons loaded with wheat which was to be ground into flour in the city.  It was a distance of 60 miles and the trip took two days.  The scenery was lovely with the tall evergreen and many poplars on both sides of the trail but it was an uncomfortable trip.  Mosquitoes nearly "ate them up", and made the trip miserable for the travelers as well as the animals.

The night spent en route was also a unique experience for the two girls.  The men just rolled up on a blanket under the wagons, but one of the drivers thought the girls would be more comfortable in the wagon.  He unloaded a few bags of grain to make room for them there and gave them some horse blankets.  So they were quite warm and comfortable that night under the stars. 

In the morning the girls were awakened with a call to breakfast.  They had nothing with them for this meal, but the men offered them some of their coffee and bread and so they had a good meal.

The wagons arrived in Prince Albert at noon.  The grain was taken to the mills, but what were the two girls to do?  Where were they to go?

Some of the drivers went to the brewery where the situation of the two girls was related.  A man working at this place had a mother living nearby, and so he took Gertrude and Katherine to his mother's home.  This woman was very friendly to them and gave them a delicious supper.  Later on she gave the girls a bed upstairs and in the morning tried to help them look for jobs.

After breakfast, the two girls set out, going from house to house, asking for a position in the home.  Katherine obtained one fairly soon at the home of a Davis family, a butcher.  Mrs. Davis told them that her sister, who had just had a baby, was in need of help.  Upon going there, they found that they were too late - another girl had just been hired. 

Somewhat discouraged, the returned to the Davis home and were told that a brewer, Mr. Wiedermann, had sent a message that he wanted one of the girls to work for them.  In this way, Gertrude also got a position.  The two sisters worked for almost two years in Prince Albert.

Helen, who up till now was will working at the Davidson home in Duck Lake, now also came up to Prince Albert and obtained a position.  The boys, Uncle Max and Uncle Ernst were at home on the farm and during the slack season did some extra work in the mill in Rosthern.  They would also help other farmers in return for work  on their land.  Uncle John was able to attend school at this time and stayed with a Dyck family.

Later when these three sisters - Helen, Gertrude and Katherine - were on route to Kansas, they stopped off at Gretna and walked out to Nueanlage to see old Mrs. Klaasssen at whose home they had briefly stayed before going to Rosthern.  The son, Diedrich, took them to Halbstadt to visit a cousin, Kate Klaassen from Tiefengrund, who had married Peter Friesen.  A few hours later, the three sisters were on a train to Kansas.

About a month later, grandmother received a letter from Diedrich Klaassen, asking for the hand of Katherine in marriage.  Both said yes and soon thereafter, Diedrich Klaassen came to Kansas.  On January 3, 1901 the two were married in the Elbing Mennonite Zion Church - They were the first couple to be married there.  A reception was held in the home of the Entz Family.

*****

Katherine, often called Katarina, and Diedrich, are my great-grandparents.  Other than being fascinating to me, because of the history it holds for me personally, it's interesting to see how people behaved back then.  If someone came to you and asked you to take two strangers in for the night, would you say yes?  Would you be gracious and help them look for work if they needed it?  The problem with the age of plenty that we have is that we don't have to work for any of it.  We don't have the daily hardships that our grandparents and great-grandparents had, and we don't support each other the same way as a result.  Most people consider the leaps we've made in the last century a gain, but what if we've lost something more precious than all the progress we've made.  When we can no longer count on the kindness of strangers, can we count on ourselves?  We are all strangers to someone.

Goddess Bless,

S

Monday, January 10, 2011

Today's the Day!

Today is the launch of the Pagan Household!

My article, the launch article, is running at www.thepaganhousehold.com.  I'm super excited about it.  My regular column will start this Friday the 14th, and run every other Friday.  This project was started by Patrick over at PaganDad, and it's going to be great!  It will be a wonderful resource not only for families, but for pagan bloggers to contribute and get their name out there.  So check it out, follow or subscribe, and enjoy what comes!  There will be columns on family dynamics, altars, family crafts, minimalism, and rituals.  My own column will be based on hearth witchery!

Other big news for the day?  I'm opening up my Etsy shop!  So go in, take a look, and let me know what you like!  I'll have Sabbat themed washcloths, practice wands for kids, and magnet sets.  All pagan or Wiccan themed, of course!  Pagan products for a Pagan life.

Inspired by Life @ Etsy

So read my article, browse my store!  Check it all out and leave me feed back!  What do all you wonderful readers think?  You guys are the reason I do this, after all!

Goddess Bless,

Stacy

Sunday, January 9, 2011

SNOW day!

For us anyway.  Way out here, the wind pushed all the snow we just got right up against the door and our cars.  Not as bad as what they had on the east coast of the U.S. a couple weeks ago there, but still a lot of snow.




So there is a video of our snow.  I'm going to spend the day doing Etsy-like things!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Imbolc Goddesses

Most of us Wiccans and a lot of Pagans celebrate Imbolc.  How many of us know the Goddesses that go along with it?  And make no mistake, being a festival of new life there are definitely Goddesses representing it.

How many of us have a Hearth like this anymore?
First on our list, that most Wiccans associate with Imbolc, is Brighid.  Also called Bridgit or the Bride, she is the daughter of Dagda and one of the Tuatha Dé Danann.  For those who haven't studied Brighid, Dagda is considered the all-father, and protector of his tribe and people.  The Tuatha Dé Danann are those people, and the Celtic Gods and Goddesses come from them. 

Brighid is a Goddess of creativity, of hearth and home, of healers, childbirth and inspiration, of fire and smithing.  The meaning of the name Brighid is "Exalted One", which tells you something about people view her right away.  There is quite a bit of lore that goes along with Brighid.  For instance, if you leave a silk ribbon tied to your door on Imbolc eve, when Brighid comes by that night she will bless it with healing powers.  Brighid's Crosses and braided bread are more symbols that go along with her.

How many of us know that Norse Goddess Frigga is also a Goddess of Imbolc?  In Norse stories, Frigga is often portrayed as wife and mother, bringing to bear her ruling over hearth and home.  She is a Goddess of married women, and was often called upon in childbirth.  She was responsible for the fertility of crops,  Her name means beloved one.  Not much of a variation from exalted one, is it?

Another thing about Frigga that may surprise you?  Her sacred animal is the goose, and she was the inspiration for the original Mother Goose.

No matter which Goddesses you worship at Imbolc, they all have certain things in common.  They are all a part of the same whole.  Maybe this year honor Frigga as well as Brighid!  Who knows the extra energy your ritual could get from including both?

Goddess Bless,

S.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Cats.

This inspiration for this post, sadly, is a friend and mentor who lost a cat, a stray they had been feeding and looking after.  And by lost, I unfortunately mean their neighbors found the cat on the road, hit by a car.  It's strange the memories that the experiences of others can bring up for us, and how much we feel them no matter how many years have passed. 

This isn't a picture of Bindy, but this is what he looked like.
I've only had two cats in my life.  Duke was the most recent, and we sadly had to give him away because he was not comfortable around small children.  He'd try to bite them and claw them, and no matter how much I love a cat my baby comes first.  The other cat's name was Bindy.

Bindy was short for Bandit, so named because of the black fur around his eyes.  My parents had gotten him from an aunt before I was born, I think.  In any case, I don't ever remember a time of my young life without him.  He loved to play with yarn, of course, but like all cats I think his favorite thing to do was sleep.  I remember sometimes in the winter when I'd go out to play in the woods behind our house, he would sometimes follow me and step in my boot tracks.  He would always come to me when I was crying, and he always seemed to know when I was sad.  I remember him coming and bumping me with his nose when I was laying on the couch sick.

I also remember a day in the June, 1998.  It was my brother's third birthday.  We had all piled into the van and were on our way to town.  We had just pulled out of the driveway and onto the gravel road.  Mom was in the passenger seat and my Dad was driving.  Mom was looking out the window, and she suddenly let out a gasp.  "Gordie, was that...?", I remember her saying.  My Dad said yes, and not to say anything.  Of course, I wanted to know what was happening, and they wouldn't tell me.  Eventually I forgot about it, going about with the trip to town.  I think we went to McDonald's.

Later, once we had gotten home, I was in my room making a present for my brother.  I remember it was something I had learned how to do in school, making a chain of people.  I had construction paper everywhere.  Then my dad came into my room, and sat down on the floor with me.  And he told me that Bindy was dead.  He told me that Bindy died naturally, laying by a sunlit tree in the neighbor's pasture.  I think I remember him taking me on a walk to see the tree sometime in the following days.

He had brought Bindy back to the house.  Dad dug a hole in front of my tree, a Maple that my parents had planted for me. We wrapped Bindy up in a pillowcase.  It was white with purple flowers on it.  We put him in a box, and we buried him.  The next spring, a single brown-eyed susan grew on top of his grave.

It's strange the memories that the experiences of others can bring up for us, and how much we feel them no matter how many years have passed.  And isn't it strange how clear and concise they are? 

Goddess Bless,

S.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

A bit more news...

Laura DeLuca's new novel
For a little while now, I've been thinking about getting back into writing.  Not writing like this, but book writing.  I started thinking about it again because of a wonderful lady who contacted me, Laura DeLuca.  Laura is the Author of a new novel called Destiny, and it is sounds like it's going to be pretty awesome.  It is a young adult novel, on the publishers website they call it a Wiccan love story.  After reading the short excerpt on her site, I can tell it's going to be pretty awesome.  The way she writes reminds me of "The Vampire Lestat" era of Anne Rice.  It flows like poetry.  I could really see it taking off.  So go check out her site!  Here is a link to the excerpt from her book, but make sure you check out the rest of her site as well!  And make sure to follow it, because on January 14th she is going to be running a guest post by me!  So read her excerpt, and if you like it buy her book off of Amazon when it comes out!  It's only going into book stores if it sells enough off of Amazon, and we all want Pagan and Wiccan authors to succeed!

So because she contacted me, I've been thinking a lot more about writing again.  Did you know I have an almost finished short novel somewhere around here?  All hand hand written, about 300 pages so far.  I started writing it so many years ago, that to continue it would warrant a total re-do.  So I kind of tossed the idea aside, figuring that I did enough writing on the blog and upcoming on The Pagan Household.  Then I saw on Facebook that an e-book publisher, Wyrdwood Publications, was looking for submissions of short stories.  So I'm currently writing not only normal blog posts and articles for The Pagan Household, but now I'm writing a short story to submit to them as well.  It's Pagan themed, based in the 1600's during the original gold rush.

So I've got a lot on my plate at the moment.  I think that from now on, I might start missing a day every now and then.  Just a warning!  I'll still try to post every day when I get the chance.

So be sure to check out Laura's site, and I'll post a link next week for my guest post.  Also, sometime over the weekend I'll be posting a link for The Pagan Household!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Goddess Bless,

S.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Good News, Everyone!

I love that line from Futurama.  It's never good news when the Professor says that.

Today, it is good news though.  Or rather, exciting news!  Finally, I'm going  to give you some links.  Seems rather anti-climactic, doesn't it?  It's not though.  Lately, I've been working on something with a wonderful group of people.  Patrick McCleary of Pagan Dad invited me to a group, containing so many talented people that I'm actually a little nervous being included.  Does this mean I might have to throw out my long held belief that I have no talent?  Perhaps.  Most likely.  Okay, alright, but don't make me face that today.  Back to topic.  This group that Patrick created was made with the intention of something new, a new E-zine.  Or Web magazine, because I'm sure my father will read this and have no idea what an E-zine is.  This E-zine is to be called:  The Pagan Household.  It's going to be about pagan families, no matter what size your family is or who it's comprised of.

This wonderful new E-zine is launching official on Monday, and stop me if I get a little to crazy but my article is going to be the first one!  This is where I stop and squeal.  Seriously, it's creepy.  Sean's heard me squeal once, it freaked him out.  I was watching Twilight, haha.  My regular column is going to be about Hearth Witchery, and it's going to run every other Friday starting the 14th.

After re-reading the above, I thought I would explain my creepy squealing.  When I was younger, maybe Junior High, I always wanted to be a journalist.  I wanted to write for newspapers and magazines, and have people enjoy reading what I wrote.  I dropped that dream a few years later when I thought realistically about the cost, and what could be afforded for school.  So now that it's sort of really happening, it's amazingly exciting to me.  I still expect to wake up one of these days and have it all be a dream!

Alright, back to it.  Here is where the links come in.  There have already been Facebook and Twitter accounts made for The Pagan Household, and here they are!

The Pagan Household on Facebook
                       and
The Pagan Household on Twitter

So check it out, invite your friends, and hopefully you will enjoy it!  Patrick is probably going to be posting an explanation between Friday and Sunday on the actual site, the link to which I'll post when he has posted!  He is also doing a blog post about this sometime today, check him out here!

Goddess Bless,

S.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Enjoying the Ride

Lately I've been thinking a lot about maps.  Not the new maps, the ones that no one but a machine can fold back up properly.  The old maps, with crazy misspelled names for things, and pictures of sea monsters on them.  The ones that were originally drawn as they were experienced; a visual journal of an amazing journey.  These maps were so magical, imbibed with the artist's hope and dreams, fear and pain.  Everything that came with journeying into unknown territory for so many months.  Can't you just imagine it?  You've left your home and your family behind.  You are on a a large ship, probably a Fluyt or a Merchantman.  Constantly moving across the plane of the water, the ship creaking back and forth with each peak of a wave.  The coils of rope rustling creaking with the movement of the sail.  That's all you would hear, for months. 

Most of us probably feel that we don't know what an epic journey like this would be like.  We see them in movies, or on television.  We read about them.  And it's true, most of us will never get the chance to go on a voyage to an unknown place.  Unless there is an Astronaut reading this, or something.

What we all need to consider, when we romanticize times like this with movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, or books like Treasure Island, is that we are already on epic journeys.  Our lives are our journeys.  We are all going into unseen territory as we move forward through our lives.  We are all pushing through unknown waters, moving to new experiences like getting married, buying a first home, starting your own business, having children.  No matter how old we get; no matter how experienced we are; we all feel a little thrill in the pit of our stomachs when we embark on a new adventure in our lives.

We need to start treating our lives with the respect that we deserve.  We need to treat our lives like the amazing experiences that they truly are.  Instead of focusing on how much someone has hurt you, or how hard a time you've had, consider where you would be in your life if these things hadn't happened.  If you hadn't been in such a hard spot, would you have had the fortitude to do whatever it takes?  If someone hadn't hurt you, would be a weaker person?  Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves that parts of our lives haven't lived up to our expectations, we have to look at whether or not we lived up to our own expectations while experiencing those times.  Even if we haven't, all of those experiences, the failure as well as the success, has brought us to where we are in our lives at this time.  Each decision we make is a change in direction, and each new direction is a chance for us to grow.

Goddess Bless,

Stacy

Monday, January 3, 2011

Oimealg; or as we know it, Imbolc

Imbolc is fast approaching.  Coming up in, oh, almost exactly a month.  We all know about Imbolc.  What I want to know, is what am I going to cook?  A big part of any Sabbat for me is the food.  Speaking of Sabbat, we discovered something crazy the other day.  Sean's phone can spell Sabbat.  It can't spell "you", it turns "ahhhhhh" into "chicken", and it adds "love yo8" on the end of every sentence (I told you, it can't spell "you") but it can spell Sabbats no problem?  We were confused.  Regardless, Imbolc is a time of creativity and hearth witchery.  It's ruling Goddess, Brighid, is the Goddess of hearth and home among other things.

Imbolc's Christian name is Candlemas
Some symbols I like for Imbolc?  Braided Bread.  I've never made it before, but I'm going to try!  Pretty much anything you make yourself is nice for Imbolc.  Brighid's Crosses, dairy products and seeds.  For me, Imbolc's colors are similar to Yule's, seeing as it is still winter.  Instead of Gold, I use white.  Instead of deep Green and Red, I use light green and pink.  Softer, more gentle versions of the same colors.  We are going to be going through our books, finding a Ritual that can be molded into a more child friendly version.

Being a time of creativity, I'm going to be getting creative!  As in finally re-vamping the blog.  Over the next couple days, there will be some changes around here.  And please, if some button doesn't work or if there are any dead links please let me know, I'm pretty sure I fixed my contact form correctly.

I also want comments!  If you read my blog, and don't normally comment, I want to read what you have to say!  I want to know what you all would like in a giveaway, I need some ideas!  Once I start fiddling with the site, I want to know what you think of the new way it looks!  Give me feedback!

I also should have some exciting news coming this week, so hold on to your hats for that!  It's going to be a crazy week for me.

Goddess Bless,

S.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

The Storyteller

In times long past, people huddled around their fires at winter. We who live in the age of central heating don't realize how lucky we are, to be able to walk around in our houses in just a sweater, instead of wearing sweaters and jackets and blankets to keep warm around the one fire used to heat the whole house. In the times of the pioneers, and before that the First Nations people, winter was a time for stories.

For the pioneers, maybe they cracked open one of the few books they might have been able to carry over the prairies, at that time the bible or perhaps a book of Shakespeare or poetry. Something that they would have considered worthy to pack in the small amount of space that they had. For the first nations people, they would have to tell stories amongst themselves until the Storyteller came. The Storyteller was a person who went from village to village and tribe to tribe, telling stories in exchange for respite from the harsh winter and some food to eat. Usually, they had a bag around their waist, and each thing in their bag reminded them of a story.

Fortunately, we are lucky enough to have books to read, and the internet to keep us distracted from the fact that it's -25ºC. In honour of those times long past, each Sunday until spring I'm going to share a story from days gone by. I have some good pioneer stories to share, and many First Nations stories. Today, I'm going to share an Algonquin story.

How Niagara Falls was Born

Once, long ago, there lived a very old man on the top of a mountain. The mountain was so high that he could see the ocean many days travel away. Because he lived in the clouds, everything was silvery white: his long braided hair, he house of birch bark, and his five beautiful daughters.

All five daughters were very beautiful. Their clothes were made from the foam of the rapids, they sandals were made from the spray of water on rocks, and their wings made from feathers carried in the wind. They flew with the birds around their mountain home, with their long white hair floating behind them.

One day the sisters decided to leave their father's lodge to play on the rocks by the sea. As they flew over the mountains they saw a bare cliff, higher and steeper than anything that they had seen. The youngest, who was always looking for adventure, decided they should all play on the rock. She dove off of the rock like a bird and her sisters followed. It was so much fun that they flew back up and dove down again and again and soon they forgot all about the distant sea. The sun set and the moon came out and still they played.

In the morning, the cliff was no longer bare. Great amounts of water poured over it, rushing, foaming, sparkling in the sun. The five sisters loved the cliff so much they decided to play there forever. And if you go to Niagara Falls, you can still see the sun shine on the foam of their of their dresses, the spray from their sandals and the feathery mist of their wings.

As Put to Paper by C.J. Taylor.

I hope everyone enjoys these stories!!
Goddess Bless,

S.