Winter....

 We had our first snow fall...or what I call a snowfall...

14-16 inches at the house...  

Everything looked beautiful...& clean... 

 The bird-feeders were buried... 

so they were cleared off first to help out our little friends..

This is the time of year which is harder for animals... 

it can bring out our compassion or our disregard...

It has to do with our awareness... 

You can see the paths of my little porcupine friend who comes at night for his supper...he is like a small snowplow....its pretty amazing the snow he can go through....his meal got buried last night so he got extra goodies tonight...

The spider web of branches on the Camperdown Elm are more pronounced against the Winter whiteness...

One of my favorites trees...

 The garden trellis looks fairy-like with 

its coat of powder...

 I feel so grateful that I can look out every morning on a kitchen garden year round... Right there at the top of my Gratitude list...

 I know that my herbs & flowers are sleeping under neath....this extra blanket of protection & insulation is welcome.... . 

Mamma Earth is resting...

But Mother Nature is doing her dance...

Happy weekend everyone!!

2016 will go down....

 ...as one year that was a horrendous...

especially the last couple of months...

RIP Debbie Reynolds.... your movies were fantastic & fun... 

Thanks for giving us Princess Leia...

Princess Leia....

RIP  in a Galaxy far far away....

The Winter Solstice....

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It is nice to look forward to this Solstice...the last couple of months have created a pall of despair of this nation... Focusing on the return of the light is refreshing ... uplifting...& hopeful... & we really could use some hope...

I found this today & wanted to share it...I love how this was written... soul writing.... I wish I could write like this.....but I am so glad others can for us to enjoy... The more I read this the more profound it became...I hope you enjoy this as well...

" For the light has gone its final day, bringing solitude on mothers earths terrain. Seasons passed with cycled intention, reflecting on this years established direction. For where we head is of our own, no guiding posts, no paths be shown. The solar candles wick now relit, for we are the ones who shall create the new in bliss. Speak your truth and live your resonance, for each a role in whole. Natural balance and called. Unraveling divine so gracious in mind, each day an experience & growth aligned. Enjoy these walkings, these presents, these temporal impermanence- & be as the light in flow, never a moment so still."

                                     The Deep Forest

Time to light a candle & meditate....

Have a Blessed Winter Solstice!  

The Sense In It All....

Did you know it is the unofficial anthem of Thanksgiving...

I love this song but the story behind it took on a whole new meaning especially for this year... This 18 minute rendition tells the story of how Arlo help Alice clean up an old church that had been converted after the feast on Thanksgiving back in 1965... 

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...So Arlo & a friend loaded up a VW bus with scrap & garbage & off they went to the dump...

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which was closed because it was Thanksgiving... So they ended up dumping it on some private property....which they ended up arrested for....

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so now Arlo has a litter bug record.... Arlo shows up to the draft center as required & is told because of his litterbug record he is "morally unfit " to serve in the military.... really!!!  

Hence Alice's Restaurant in born not long after.....Arlo explained in a interview that it was "not a anti-protest song but an anti-stupid song"... because it made no sense what the draft officials said... 

So in a time when common sense seems to have left the building & the future has been made very uncertain, I thought this song made perfect sense...

As the aromas of the holiday fill my home, I intend to enjoy my family & good food ...& I will stay in the present today...

with a touch of nostalgia..."wink"

  

Super Luna

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Time for a full Moon post...I haven't posted one of these in a while... & this one is special....A SuperMoon in Taurus ( my daughter's sign) with the Sun in Scorpio ( my sign) very powerful time indeed  "wink"......!!  you can read more here ..
I am sitting watching it right now...it is a gorgeous moon tho technically it is at the fullest tomorrow morning...It has not been this close to the Earth since 1948 & will not be this close again until 2034...so if you get a chance get out to view her, do so...

This is the time for releasing...I love the Full & New Moon times...I can step away from the chaos of the world... a mini retreat of quiet ...this is a beautiful way of taking care of yourself...I like to do something special on the three days of a Full Moon.... burning pine resin, charging my crystals, taking a moon bath with Himalayan Salt with LOTS of candle light, lots of meditation & yoga..one of my must-dos is the Full Moon Release:

I also have added some things to these rituals over time that I have come across from others...

Making a Sacred Space spray of moon infused water with crystals...I use a direct method of placing moonstone & amethyst in the water letting it sit in the moonlight overnight, outside of not really cold,  then with adding the essential oils after..  Lavender is my favorite...   if you are making moon water to drink, do not place the crystals in the water as many can be toxic...use the indirect method with a barrier... 

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I don't know about you but when things go off kilter during the month these sacred times can bring  a center for a more positive outlook that can get pushed back during times of stress...especially now ...so I take it as a sign that this special Supermoon comes at the end of such a tragic week to give us a sense of hope & to NEVER give up..
...so on that note... 

Many Supermoon Blessings to you !

To our Veterans....

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A Heart-felt thanks.....especially to my two Veterans...

my Hubby & Son....

What have you done America????

Remember this scene from Game of Thrones???? that last visual of the season says it all....the people in the room look terrified as they look at Cerise & the cretins around her...... there is a sense of utter doom...of hopelessness......That is how I feel today.... I still cannot wrap my head around what has happened.... here is something to think about..... The last time the Republicans held the Presidency, House & Senate was in 1928....in 1929 the stock market crash.... that would be the tip of the iceberg for us today....

Today was the 15th wedding anniversary for the Hubby & I....neither of us felt like celebrating.....we were just too upset....sick to our stomachs.... I do not think people in this country understand what they have done....For those who think I am overreacting....Well, it won't take long to see the consequences of their choices... Hang on!!! we are going back 100 years....

DIY Friday- The Cupboard

This is one of my projects this summer....a cupboard from an old window...it is made from some of the boards we got from the chicken shed... 

The Hubby cut the boards to length....I cleaned up the window & repainted it as well as re-chalked the window panes...

The only expense was the tissue paper I bought at Zazzle to decoupage the back of the cupboard....everything else we had on hand...

The bottles (yard sale finds) are still in process of being filled...

The hinges came from an old door that was given to us...Aren't they gorgeous...& free ...

Makes for a nice addition to the bath...

& compliments the lace curtain I made from doilies...... its my one white room in the house where I indulge the shabby chic-ness...It looks so amazing in candlelight but I can't get a good pic of it...so you'll have to use your imagination till I get my camera...maybe Santa will take pity on me this year...(wink)  

Have a great weekend everyone...

Linda  

The Return!!!

Hello Everyone!! Well this has been a busy summer...I decided to take the time off from the blog & Facebook back in the spring...in fact I am thinking of giving up the Facebook page all together...I want to focus back on just the blog again... spending less time on line was good except for Pinterest...gotta have my Pinterest!! Anyway back in the spring the Hubby was given a Chicken house/shed to tear down which he took for the wood...we figured that the place had to be at least over 75 yrs old...this was a pretty good sized shed, so over a 3 month period he slowly took it down, salvaged all the boards, the beams & trusses... the boards he brought back washed down removed nails then they took a sunbath for a few days to make sure there were no ants hiding in there... then he cut the boards to length... Then they were ready to be put down in the house... Now my turn... I laid the boards down, nailed them, sanded them with a floor sander & put down the poly... no stain was added at all, this is just the natural age of the wood......it was very tiring but worth it.....we got three rooms of beautiful wood floors ...

Now to get the rooms back in order... a bit chaotic right now.... Now this isn't the only thing to come from this salvage...we made a few more things which Ill be posting over the next few weeks...some are still in progress... I can't wait to show you.... Also we had a couple new additions to our family.... We have a new granddaughter...Emmiline (Emmy) Isn't she adorable <3

& our little Bella Bee

It's been a good summer...but its good to be back here!!!I am looking forward to slowing down for the winter... Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Happy Indigenous Peoples Day!!!

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It is time to end Columbus Day....To read  more on the truth of what really happened when Columbus landed on Native American soil, please click here

Midsummer Peace....

Summer Solstice

The last time there was a Strawberry Full Moon on the Midsummer Solstice was in 1967... it won't happen again for another 46 years so enjoy the Luna energy tonight!! It is a beautiful night here in Maine...I know that is not the case for many across the country... there is so much turmoil in Nature & within our country...so much is disappointing, disheartening & tragic...On nights like this I feel there is an opportunity to get away from that & commune in a quiet place to find your center & focus agian...I hope you all have that chance...Midsummer blessings everyone...

Happy 75th Birthday Dylan!!!

 Happy Birthday  to the best folk artist ever....

A Full Day.....

The Full Moon in Scorpio...my favorite (wink)...a time when secrets can come to light...so be careful....Its Mother Earth Day...& its my Aunt's 81st birthday.... The most amazing woman I am blessed to have in my life... A Full day for three favorite ladies....!! 

Scorpio Full Moon

 Go to Mysticmamma to read some wonderful uplifting articles for today!  Enjoy the weekend & the Luna light...

Dryad Incense

Dryad Incense

I love incense...so when I find some that I really like I have to spread the word....these sticks are amazing!!  I got the 19" sticks...they burn for over three hours!!!  & the fragrance is absolutely amazing.... 

 Some incense I have burned leaves a heavy smoke in the air...I have had to open a window to disperse some of it....this is light & leave a beautiful scent to the room....

 You know Patchouli was a definite  on my list...& I also got Treehugger that is wonderful too...plus she sent me a few sticks of Sandalwood to try.... They come in 11" & 19" in different package size.... I plan on getting  some Ylang Ylang next.... I highly recommend these...they really are nice incense... Just click on the name under her picture at the top & it will take you to her store.... You won't be disappointed...

DIY Friday- ( on Saturday)- Lily's Doll Cradle

This is our granddaughter's doll cradle the Hubby & I made for her...It was a creation of love & we loved every minute of it... We based the design on an antique cradle I saw on Pinterest... The Hubby built it & added the wavy design on the sides which I loved.... Then brought it to me....

  I craved four flowers on the sides, headboard & foot-board... Then it was time to paint....

I wanted it to look as though it had been around or years...I added crackle glaze then a couple of coats of home made chalk paint...very easy...just add 1/2 cup baking soda to 1 cup paint.... I added just a bit more baking soda on the second coat to add more texture... its hard to see in these pictures....

I painted the flowers the usual solid colors...BORING!!  so I painted on a few more colors...let it dry then wiped it off gently with a wet rag...it left a real wild look to the flowers that I loved...it looked fantastically aged...so I repeated the process a couple of more times until I was satisfied.... Then I applied some home made beeswax....now on to the sewing...

 I made a french mattress out of linen for the cradle...Baby dolls have to be comfortable after all....

 The quilt I hand-stitched in 1987  & stored away in my trunk...it was my first doll quilt & I made it specifically with a future granddaughter in mind...so it was really nice to add this piece to the bedding...

 another view of the mattress & pillow.....

 The pillow & pillow case I made from my crib sheets when I was a baby...(ignore the red tinge on the pillow...that's is my camera acting up)...the sheets were hand-embroidered by my Step Grandmother....I still have some of the sheet left so I am making some bibs & PJs for a couple of baby dolls...

Now I got a Brother's sewing machine for my birthday last year & it has all these amazing stitches on it...so I had to get fancy for the top sheet....some more linen & lavender thread later....

The final result......

Life just doesn't get better than this...I would say it was a hit.... three babies now are resting comfortably in it with their attentive little mother feeding them... We are so blessed to have such a beautiful little girl in our lives...& to be able to pass on these sentimental family items is a real treat....

This is Love.....

Happy weekend everyone!!