On Colorado and Covers

This past week the news gave us all whiplash. The tragic events in Colorado cause me to question our mental health care support systems, relive some personal grieving and ache with the urge to comfort the hurt and the damaged. The best I can do is offer up spiritual support.  In doing so I know that I am doing a lot and that no matter what I do it will not feel like enough.

We can't let that stop us from offering our blessings, though.  To give in to the feeling of being overwhelmed is to spread the damage.  Instead, let us make our offerings, practice supporting others and know that when the damage is nearer, we will be that much more ready to support then.

It is only by giving more than we receive that we know the bounty of our Goddess.

In other news, I read about the campaign to join in and support those women who chose to take the veil.  These are not the women forced to cover by an oppressive society, but women who choose to cover their hair as a symbol of faith or thanks... or for reasons which are their own personal ones. because this link does not work as it did yesterday   http://coveredinlight.org  I include this address http://www.facebook.com/pages/Covered-in-Light-International-Day/444797368874444  to lead you to the Facebook page and see the beautiful group of proud women and their many supporters.

It isn't often that I hear about something so meaningful to me just as it happens, but the background of last week's insults to three different women wearing veils really struck me. As I was feeling helpless to support one group, I found a way to support another. As a woman who covers her hair for certain special events and as a woman in a liberated land, I am delighted to join with my sisters on September 21, 2012 and appear for the entire day wearing a hair cover of my own choice.

I was so proud when I mentioned this event at dinner to a friend on Saturday and without hesitation she replied "I'm in." before I even requested her support.

I am eager to put veils on the street and change the look of the world. I am eager for personal adornment to someday again be personal and not fodder for public judgement.

Blog share: The Secret Life of the American Working Witch: Moonday Musings: 13 Things About Me

What a refreshing post! I just read Moonday Musings at
http://mypaganworld.blogspot.com/2012/07/moonday-musings-13-things-about-me.html
Thoughts that run through my head and splash around on Monday mornings never seemed to be cohesive enough for public consumption. Here, though, Kallan shares just that and it streams right alongside my own! I might have to muse aloud here one day and see what I get!
Not only do I feel enriched, I feel like I'm not the only one with a river of thoughts. Thanks a bunch!

Mid summer herb gathering

Spring is the time for wild cherry
bark, good for throats.

First, the Blackthorn and Hawthorn bloom, and I know its time to get into gear.  Time to begin collecting paper bags, stocking up on oil and visiting my carpenter friends for fine sawdust.  Herb collection season is long but I get a thrill every year and I want to share it with you.

I collect herbs in the sense that I go out and gather or wildcraft them from safe, unsprayed places in my Eastern Pennsylvania area.  Since I travel to camp in the 18th Century style a few times a month I try to keep my eyes peeled for alight differences in plants on the roadsides. sometimes rocky or sweeter soil makes a big difference in what I can find and bring home. I also collect herbs in the other sense of collecting: if I can trade or buy some classic herbs from an area I try to get 4oz. I use all of the herbs for folklore, spiritual and medicinal purposes.

"I need a storage system for these herbs that is beautiful, functional and easy to reference"

I find that after years of practicing, I've got quite a collection of materials for making beauty and healing products as well as healing and food teas, tonics and simples.  In addition to a good collection season this summer is dedicated to finding some kind of organisation  method that is beautiful, functional and easy to reference.

You can follow along with my attempts at developing a system for all of it. So far, I can tell that a few of the things I've begun will not be the best way to keep going.  'Easy to reference' seems to be the biggest hurdle!