SECTION III - STORY TIME
Book of Shadows by
~GwinevereRain - reviewed by Midnight Grey Wolfpup
Wicce's Tarot Corner - Rev. Gina M.
Abby - Mystickally
Mystic Moon - ~Rain
Michael and Beth Chronicles - Selene SilverWind
Mewsings from The Ally - Mystickally
Witches Brew for the Soul - Dream Dancer
IamAWitch.Com website - reviewed by Luna Willowsong
Yule Word Search - Isha ArrowHawk
Meagan's Yule - Kathryn Dyer
My Friend The Tree - chapter seven - "T"
A Whisper In The Darkness - Antigone
"Teen Witch Kit" - reviewed by Mystickally
The Mirror of my Soul - Dream Dancer
My Brother Josh - Dedicated to Jeremy Schmaltz - Mary Henthorn
To an old friend reborn - Philip Posehn
Raven's Rants - ~Raven
West Winds - Wendy Wamsley
Book of Shadows
Written by ~GwinevereRain
Review by Midnight Grey Wolfpup
"Learning Wicca is a wonderful experience. Everything is new and interesting! Wicca
also changes your way of thinking and how you perceive things. Record these wonderful
experiences and lessons you've learned. Use your book of shadows to it's fullest
abilities, make it your own, fill it with poetry, drawings, and love!"
Thus starts your very own personalized Book of Shadows. What an amazing creation this
is! It's in binder form so it grows as you grow, and comes filled with sections on
Basic Wicca, Magick, Circle & Ritual Format, and "Witchy Info". :-) The author gives
*all* the basic information you could ever dream of, including; concepts of Wicca, rules
laws and advice, the Deities, Sabbats & Full Moons, Altar & Tools info, and even
information on the importance of meditation and energy work. When to cast, raising
power, and even basics on casting and conjuring are even included! This book is a *must*
for anyone wanting a good start in the Craft. It's a basic view, but also a detailed
view. No pantheon or Path is presented, just the basics to help you to know where and
how to look to learn more. Here is her view on that:
"Your relationship with the Gods: At first, everything may seem confusing in Wicca. To
top that off, you are introduced to a new concept of believing in both a Goddess & God.
Don't worry about having a close relationship with them in the beginning. Your
relationship with your Gods is unique and personal. Like every personal relationship,
time is a major factor. It takes time to build up a meaningful relationship. As you may
notice, this book grazes upon the topic of the Gods simply because your relationship to
them is unique. You need to find out more about them through research, meditation and
your inner spirit."
Included in with your own Book of Shadows are 13 sample spells, Herbal Grimoire, Candle
Magick, writing your own spells, information on dedication & initiation ... even ideas on
working to find your own craft name. All in all, this is a one stop beginning in your
Path. A wonderful beginning that will grow as you grow. Add your thoughts and rituals as
you progress, it also even has forms to help you compile your information and thoughts.
As Editor, Publisher and Owner of Cauldrons and Broomsticks I see many samples of
different products offered, and this one I highly recommend to any and all our readers.
Well worth the money, and a wonderful beginning to your record keeping and knowledge.
You can view the Book of Shadows, along with many other really great offerings, online at
her website at The GothicRain Online Wicca/Occult store (http://www.gothicrain.
spiritualitea.net). A wonderful present for yourself, and a wonderful gift for Yule.
Blessings, warmth and love .....
Midnight Grey Wolfpup
Editor/Publisher/Owner
Cauldrons and Broomsticks Ezine
Wicce's Tarot
Corner
Creating Sacred Space for Tarot Readings
By Rev. Gina M. Pace
I have been doing readings for 13 years now, working professionally both in and out of my
home, and I've learned over the years how important it really is to have a sacred space
to work in when you are performing a reading. While many people actually do their tarot
readings in their homes, I have actually created a tarot *office* where I hold my
readings. Clients come to me and I have a special place (not in my home) where I can
receive them. The reasons for this are three-fold:
A) when there is a specially designated space for tarot readings, the space can be
cleansed on a regular basis, but does not need to be cleansed specifically each time you
are going to do a reading. If you have a place in your house that you do your readings
(like your living room) then other people are trucking through the place all the time,
and you often have interruptions and distractions. It isn't really a good idea to be
doing a reading when you will have the family dog come running through the room tracking
mud on the rug, for example. And you don't have to worry about clearing off the coffee
table so you can make room for your cards. Even if you're just reading for yourself,
it's good to have at the very least a designated corner of a room that is not used much
and off the beaten path, so that you have less chance of being disturbed. My tarot
office is actually not even in my home but rather it is attached to the classroom space
of the new age bookstore which I live over and work in. This way it is close and
convenient, but separate and protected from the energies of the home which can obviously
be quite hectic.
B) the office is separate from any of my living quarters which obviously makes it safer
for me to have clients come in for readings. To be perfectly honest, you don't always
know the people you are going to read for, and it isn't always a good idea to have
strangers come into your home. On a magick level, it's true that you can always smudge
afterwards, but safety is not always just a magickal concern, but a physical one as well.
Not everyone has this option, but there are other ways of making sure your regular
living areas are protected from strangers' energies.
C) the point of having a sacred space where you do your readings (especially a permanent
one) is that once you have consecrated the space and cleansed it and made it yours, you
have a subconscious mental association that the space is *sacred* and *meant for
divination* and thus the simple act of entering and sitting in that space puts you in
the right frame of mind to do readings. You will be able to go into a much deeper
divination if you are in a sacred space than if you are in your kitchen and you're
watching the roast while you read your cards.
Many times, it is the accoutrements of your tarot reading room or corner that make you
feel most like you have made the space sacred for divination. A special table, for
example, which is only used for readings, is a perfect example of what I'm talking
about. Likewise, some people will use only a certain incense when they do readings, and
this helps to put them in that sacred frame of mind for divination that really makes the
difference. Aside from my tarot office having a geographical separation, the following
also marks the distinction between my sacred space and regular living space:
1) my office has two Victorian style antique brass torchieres with cut glass shades that
give indirect soft lighting instead of using the overhead lights. I put 60 watt PINK
bulbs in them. You have to dig around for the pink bulbs, but you can find them, often
in the supermarket. GE Sylvania makes them. They offer softer, warmer light than
regular white bulbs. The torchieres, while they may look expensive and elegant,
actually only cost $15 at Walmart. A very small price to pay in order to make a special
ambience and especially to soften the lighting.
2) I have hung one of those lovely tapestry afghans on the wall, the kind you can buy
everywhere nowadays which have scenic pictures on them. Mine has a beautiful Temperance
Angel on it and is an Amy Zerner original (she's the Zerner half of the Zerner-Farber
Tarot team) but you can use any scene you like. I have found that hanging textiles on
the wall instead of flat pictures softens the room's ambience further, as well as sound
proofing it to some degree. It also makes the room feel warmer..... and makes people
feel more at ease.
3) I use two votive candles, one at each side of the large round table which I have in
my room for readings. I prefer round tables because I often get caught on the corners
walking around a rectangular table; your mileage may vary and there's no reason you
can't use any table you like. I have my table covered with a purple topper over a green
tablecloth. I sit on one side and the client sits opposite me and the two votive
candles are to our left and right. These are used more for atmosphere than anything
else.
4) I use a clay lamp ring in one of the lamps, into which I place several drops of
Rosemary Oil before each reading. Rosemary gives off a strong but healing scent which I
love, but additional properties of Rosemary are that it allows a stronger connection to
past memories which is always helpful in a reading. I like to think that it helps
people access their memories easier and it acts on a subconsious level so they just feel
relaxed and comfortable. Many people have painful memories from their past and I have
noticed that Rosemary eases the pain while allowing the memories to come through more
clearly. An additional benefit is that it helps the person remember their reading later
with more clarity instead of forgetting everything that was said.
5) I have a tape recorder/player in which I always have soft gentle background music
playing. Actually I always use the same tape, which is "The Eternal Om." It's
essentially 60 minutes of monks chanting the OM mantra softly and quietly, yet
powerfully. If you have never heard "The Eternal Om" then you should definitely check
it out, it puts me in the right frame of mind for a reading within 60 seconds. Really
good stuff. And all my clients always comment on it and they all love it. Your local
new age bookseller should have a copy of this cd or tape for sale, or can order it if
they don't have it in stock.
My space gets smudged on a regular basis, approximately once a month during the waning
moon so that any negative energies can be banished. I begin by smudging with white sage
and I go around the room in a widdershins (counterclockwise) manner, befitting the
release of negative energies. White Sage is cleansing and removes any energies which
are not conducive to good workings. I then use a cedar resin incense to purify the
space. Cedar is a sacred wood and burning it produces a very high spiritual energy
which blesses and purifies the space. Lastly, I burn some sweetgrass (I have a braid of
it and just burn as much as I need off the ends) to bring in the positive energies and
spirits of abundance. I move that around the room in a deosil (clockwise) manner to do
this, because moving deosil promotes positive energies. Always make sure your room is
properly ventilated when you do this, or else make sure to take the battery out of the
smoke alarm! The smoke quickly vanishes afterwards, but the energies (and the blessings)
remain.
Well, hopefully I have illustrated the benefits of creating sacred space in whatever
form suits you best, to do your divination and tarot readings…. As always, I am
available to answer whatever questions you may have, simply email me at wicce@wicce.com
and I’ll always be glad to help! And may your holidays, and your tarot readings, be
cool, be safe and be blessed!
Rev. Gina M. Pace
Wicce’s Tarot Collection
http://www.wicce.com
wicce@wicce.com
Abby
By Mystickally
The rain seemed to accent the general mood around campus. People seemed hurried, nervous
and troubled. One afternoon, Abby left the campus and everything seemed normal. The next
morning, it seemed like the world had turned upside down. People seemed frightened of
Abby, whispering something after she had passed by them and running away from her. If
there were people directly in her path, they were hesitant to stay where they were.
Exasperated, Abby stopped dead in her tracks and looked around. She was confused and
wondered what had happened during the 14 hours she was off campus …
)O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O(
…Shaene had just said goodbye to Abby and headed off to the student center. People were
passing by him quickly and bowing their heads, avoiding eye contact with him. Inside the
center was a huge, black tablecloth hanging from the ceiling. An inverted pentagram was
on the cloth, drawn in what looked like blood and painted through with an "X" through
it. "What the heck is going on?" he wondered. Kat saw him and ran over to him, then led
him away.
Breathless, she exclaimed, "You will not believe what's happened!" She and Shaene sat at
a secluded booth, where Kat began to whisper that the Dean of the school had collapsed
during the night and had been rushed to the emergency room. The Dean was said to be in
very critical condition, and the doctors had found a rather large tumor pressing against
her brain stem. The tumor seemed to appear over night, and her annual checkup only a
month before had not shown any signs of anything abnormal. The campus was buzzing with
the wild speculation that the witches on campus were to blame.
"Shaene, every supporter of the campus witches are being blamed, Pagan or not. They say
we all did this out of spite!" Kat added.
Shaene shook his head in disbelief. "This can't get very far. The school doesn't want
anymore negative publicity."
"Maybe not, but take a look at this."
Kat fumbled in her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. She handed Shaene the flyer
and he read:
“We must put a stop to the defamation of our school's prestige by these insolent
magicians! They think that they can control us with their spells and hexes, but we have
to show them that we won't allow them to take over our school and town! Protect our
faculty from these creatures! Fight for our teachers! Fight for our students! Fight the
witches!”
The same person who started the campaign against Greg Stokton created the flyer, and
while all the flyers were taken down by the orders of the President, the damage had
undoubtedly been done.
Kat and Shaene were so lost in their conversation that they hadn't noticed a person who
had walked up to them. The man threw his tray on the floor at their feet, glared at them
and then walked away. After a closer look at the garbage thrown at their feet, Shaene
saw a note with scribbling on it: "Get back on your broomsticks and fly home!"
Kat and Shaene exchanged worried glances.
"This is bad ..."
)O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O(
"Abby!"
Abby turned around and saw Janie Leigh running towards her.
"I figured you could use a get-a-way."
"What?"
"Come with me."
Janie led Abby to her car and they drove off. Janie explained what had happened and said
that she had thought Abby would need to get away.
"I saw you just standing there so I figured you'd need to get some air. That is, if you
haven't sucked it all up from us "normal" folk." she quipped.
Abby smiled and responded, "You and I haven't exactly been close since all this started
..."
"Maybe not, but when it comes down to it, we're part of the same circle of friends.
We look after one another, right? Whether or not we see eye to eye is irrelevant."
They eventually ended up on the beach, where they sat on the sand and gazed out into the
ocean. They talked freely about their differences as well as their similarities. They
talked about Janie, lately she'd had her share of enemies, with people calling her a
snob. Janie was raised as an only child. She had one older sibling who had died as an
infant, her parents rarely spoke of him, so Janie never knew him. Abby found out that
Janie had her heart set on a career in music, despite her pre-med major in college. She
wanted to become a professional violinist, both as a performer as well as a teacher.
The longer they spoke, the more respect Abby had for Janie. She was one of the people
who had thought of Janie as self-centered, deceitful, backstabbing and snobbish. After
their chat, Abby felt more comfortable and understanding.
Janie was playing a solo with the school's orchestra that night. It is customary to
present the soloist with flowers after a performance. It is a sign of respect,
congratulations and praise. Janie was worried about not getting any flowers afterwards.
Janie didn't think that she had too many fans at that moment so she was concerned that
she would look like a fool.
"I'll be happy if I were handed a bouquet of weeds!" Janie exclaimed.
Abby decided to surprise Janie by getting their group to surprise her with a truckload
of flowers. Later, when Abby had gathered all the members of their group together, she
said to them,
"Let's forget, for one night, about all the trouble happening and just enjoy ourselves.
Janie could use a friend right now, and I don't think any of us has been one to her."
That night Abby and Shaene, Caleb and Kat, and Mike sat in the front row of the
auditorium and ignored the stares and hisses. They applauded wildly when Cari-lynn took
to her seat with her oboe, then cheered loudly as Janie took to the center of the stage
and played her solo. When she was finished, they each handed her a bouquet of flowers.
Janie cried and whispered to them that she hadn’t expected to see any of them that
night. Abby handed her a bouquet then pulled out a handful of potpourri. Janie gave her
a confused look, then Abby explained,
"You wanted weeds? Well you got them, AND a bunch of dead flowers."
Janie laughed, gave her a hug and whispered "Thank you".
That night turned out to be a happy one, despite the glares and whispers that they all
experienced. After the performance they all decided to go to the local diner for a
late night dinner. A group of young women from the college were also at the diner when
they arrived. The girls watched the group of friends, and whispered for about an hour
before Cari-lynn suddenly jumped out of her chair and went over to their table.
In her most innocent sounding voice, she asked, "Did you know it's really rude to stare
at people you don't know anything about?"
The girls gasped, rose and briskly walked out of the building. Cari shook her head and
returned to her seat.
"You know, you're only giving them more reason to talk about you behind your back."
Janie warned.
Cari scoffed and answered, "Well, at least they'll keep a reasonable distance from me.
Fear is way too overwhelming for people like them. Besides, if I worried now about what
people thought of me, I'd be in a mental institution."
"So what are we going to do? It's bad enough that people are scared to death of us, but
now Greg is never going to get his job back!" Kat stated.
The group had no idea what the future would bring. The semester had just recessed for
the winter break. Yule and the New Year would be upon them in only a few days, so
whatever happened would not be resolved for at least another month. They had all
resolved to not think about it until the time came.
Abby and Shaene would be staying in town during the holidays while Kat and Cal were
going home to their families. Mike and Cari would also be sticking around, but Janie
wasn't sure what she'd be doing. So since they would all be separated during the
holidays, they decided to stay up all night for some coffee and chitchat. The waitresses
at the diner were happy to have some friendly faces to keep them company. They talked
and laughed for hours! Finally, really tired, they collected their things and had just
started to leave the diner to head home when Greg came stumbling in and fell on the
floor.
"Drunk and stoned again, huh Greg?" Cal spat.
Greg raised his head, looked up at them and they saw his sweaty, bloodstained face.
There was a collective gasp as Kat and Abby tried to help Greg to his feet. After
getting him to sit upright on a chair, they all asked him what had happened.
"It's getting much worse … and I'm not sure we'll be able to make things better."
Mystic Moon
Chapter.. 5
"Egyptian Flowers"
By ~Rain
"Here you go Miss Morgana, dinner." I put down her bowl and she purred . I heard the key
in the door, it was Jane. She looked glowing.
"I have been waiting all day !" Jane said, " Well are you ready c'mon."
"Wow, its 4 already, my how time flies!" I grabbed my coat told missy that we will be
back later and we went on our way.
"Store, food, ritual." Jane said the order of our night. I don't really see her like
this much. Before she started studying she seemed well, depressed. Maybe she was just
lonely too. I just remember that day in the coffee house not to long ago she was angry,
yeah I was late but it seemed more than that. Jane interrupted my thoughts when she
grabbed my wrist. I turned to her.
"Gwen I just, well wanted to thank you. Lately things have just gotten better for me,
and I believe your the reason." she let my wrist go and just kept smiling.
"Hey, don't mention it, I mean what did I do? I let you move in to my ratty old
apartment, to most people its a punishment!" We laughed. We walked down the stairs to
the parking garage. Sal the parking guy said, " Good evening ladies." He is a nice guy,
hard working. The drive to the store was quiet. Maybe I was letting Jane's words sink
in. I could sense Jane was anxious.
"Here we are." I parked the car right near the front. We walked up the side walk. I
heard Jane mumbling something,
"Mystic Moon.... metaphysical....black curtains...."
"After you." I held the door open the wind chimes chattered at our arrival, Jane
cautiously walked in. Immediately the smell came rushing to my nose, like Egyptian
flowers, warm and homely. I watched Jane as she glanced through the room. First she saw
the book case, then she saw the candles and oils. I heard a familiar sound come from the
back of the store.
"I thought I heard someone come in." said the cheerful short woman.
"Mona, how good to see you. How are you? How’s your mother ? I walked towards the back.
Jane quickly followed. I whispered that Mona was Shara's daughter.
"I am fine, mothers fine, she misses you. Introduce me to your friend." Mona looked at
Jane.
"This is my roomy Jane, I am teaching her our ways." Jane looked up and walked next to
me. She look a little disappointed not to see Shara. But she held out her hand to shake
Mona's . Mona walked out from the counter and hugged Jane.
"Jane, as my mother always says hands are for strangers hugs are for friends. You are
always welcome here at Mystic Moon." Mona spoke like Shara, it is very easy to see that
Mona is Shara's daughter.
"Thanks, that's wonderful, Gwen has told me so much about the store and your
mother." Jane said glancing at me.
"Well, is there anything you have come in here for, Tarot maybe, some books,
candles ?" Mona asked us.
"Gwen said that I should try some ritual tools." Jane explained. Mona took Jane to the
correct section and showed her a few things. I went looking on my own, I walked to the
huge book case. Mona came to talk to me.
"Very smart girl you have taken under your wing, good aura too. How long has she been
studying ?" Mona asked.
"Not to long, a month or so." I replied , still memorized by all the books.
"And how did the Dragons Blood work out for you ?" Mona asked remembering my need for
it last time.
"Actually It went well, very well, thanks for the suggestion." I looked at Mona with
appreciation. She then left saying if I needed something, she'd be at the counter. I
picked up a book looked at it and decided I was good for some new reading material. I
heard the wind chimes and before I could turn around to see who it was, I heard a
squeal, and I knew exactly who it was. I turned around immediately and Jane came towards
me, she knew also. Shara with all her love lite up the room, walked to me and gave me
the biggest huge.
"Oh, my little witch ! You look radiant !" She touched my hair and pushed it out of my
eyes like she always doses in that motherly way. She grabbed my hand and twirled me
around. I laughed as usual. Then she stopped, turned to Jane whom was standing right
next to me the whole time, and looked into her eyes. Jane stood completely still, I
believe in shock.
"Hello." Jane whispered trying to shake it off. Then Shara grabbed Jane's hand and
looked at her palm. Shara squinted her eyes and traced with her finger tip the lines on
Jane’s hand.
"Ahhhh I see, you fear many things, and you have a right to because it says here you
have been hurt." Shara put down Jane's hand and touched her shoulders and gave her a
kiss on the cheek, " You are safe now." Shara assured Jane. I didn't know what she
meant, but I could tell by Jane's face that she understood it all, and the shock, fear
and pain went away, and she just smiled.
"Gwen, don't you think Shara and Mona would like to eat dinner with us ?" Jane asked.
"Well , you witches, are you up for some good Chinese?" I asked Mona and Shara.
"Sure can you wait a ½ an hour, we don't want to close up to early." Mona suggested.
"Gwen I found the perfect wand and pendulum. " Jane smiled
"Great I found a book lets buy them" I replied. So Jane brought her tools and I brought
my new book, and we all went out to dinner together. It was so wonderful. I haven't
scene Shara in what seems like forever.
Sandy Ritual
by Selene Silverwind
(Previously in the Michael and Beth Chronicles: Michael and Beth finally made love,
then her ex-boyfriend Kurt called. Gary and Mark decided to be united. They also asked
Kyra to lead a ritual to protect a local beach from development.)
Hoots, hollers, and applause erupted inside the bar as Beth and her band of Celtic
cohorts finished playing their last Irish drinking song. They bounded off the stage
amid cries for an encore, but it was 1:30 A.M. Time to pack it in before last call. A
line of fans waited near Beth's worn guitar case. She smiled and greeted them like old
friends as she packed up her guitar. She slipped a hand into her pocket to add her pick
to her case, but it wasn't there. Maybe it was on stage somewhere.
Waving goodbye to her bandmates as they walked out the back door, she went back on stage
to hunt for the pick. She spotted it under her stool. As she bent down to get it, a
familiar male voice halted her motion. "Great set," he said. It was Kurt. Trying not
to show her surprise, she continued picking up her pick, then straightened and turned to
face him. "Did you get my message?" he asked.
He looked sorry, pitiful almost, but she wasn't ready to forgive him. "I erased it."
She walked away from him. The nerve! Showing up at the bar after the way he'd
disappeared. "Beth, please. I need to talk to you," he said, following after her.
With a sigh, Beth turned around again. She crossed her arms over her chest. "What do
you want?"
"I'm sorry. The way I left was...I was in a bad place. Totally freaked. But I'm over
it. I want you back. I'm ready for what you want now."
"You don't know what I want. You never did. Go away."
"C'mon Beth. Please. Give me another chance."
"You've had three too many already. Goodbye Kurt."
She turned back, picked up her guitar case, and stomped hurried out the back door,
furious with him for even asking for another chance. She wanted nothing more to do with
him. As she got into her car and closed the door, Kurt continued to plead with her to
forgive him. Refusing to even glance at him, she started the engine and roared away.
It was only after she had pulled out of the parking lot that she noticed the tremor in
her hands. Michael would be waiting for her. She needed to calm down before she got
home
Michael's apartment windows were darkened when she reached the top of the stairs and her
shoulders slumped to see that. She really needed to feel his arms around her. In all
the times she'd imagined seeing Kurt again and telling him off, she'd never thought that
it would hit her so hard. She slipped her key in her door lock, twisted it to unlock
the door, then softly toed open the door.
As the door swung wide, the soft glow of candlelight illuminating her apartment
overflowed onto the walkway. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her, leaning
her guitar against the wall next to it. A dozen white roses waited in a cut crystal
vase on the table. Michael was on the couch, his eyes closed. He had fallen asleep
waiting for her.
Smiling tenderly, Beth crossed the room to him and dropped a gentle kiss on his
forehead. His eyes flew open. "Beth."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Beth reached out and took his hand. "Come to bed."
Beth rolled over in bed and looked at Michael. He was still sleeping peacefully beside
her. Smiling to herself, she slipped out of bed and went out to the kitchen. She
opened the fridge and took out a package of cinnamon rolls that she popped into a pan,
then put in her oven.
Michael came out of the bedroom rubbing his eyes and wearing only a pair of boxer shorts
and a sleepy grin. "Morning."
She turned toward him. "Morning. Cinnamon rolls?"
He slid his arms around her waist and kissed her. "You don't have to make me breakfast
every morning."
Beth smiled as she mussed his already mussy hair. "I like making you breakfast."
"Do we have time this morning?"
"Yeah, Raven isn't expecting us till 11. It's only 10."
"Okay. I'm going to go shower then. I'll be back in a few." Michael swatted Beth
lightly on the butt, then dashed out of her apartment to go shower in his own while Beth
went back to cooking.
Kyra waited impatiently in her courtyard for her tenants to emerge from their
apartments. She'd been planning the beach ritual for two weeks and the time was nigh.
The door to Mark's apartment opened and he and Gary stepped out, waving to Kyra.
"We're ready!" Mark called.
Anacati's came out next, followed by Beth and Michael from Beth's apartment. Kyra's own
family rushed out to the courtyard with apologies for the delay. And finally, Angela's
door opened and she pushed her kids through it. James followed behind her as they
dashed down to the courtyard and joined their neighbors.
"Thanks, Angela," Kyra said.
"I couldn't just let the beach be destroyed," Angela said.
"Okay, let's get going then." Kyra pointed toward a large cardboard box by her door.
"Honey, will you get that?"
Adam retrieved it, then followed his neighbors to the carport where they piled into a
three cars for the trek down to the beach.
The tide was high and the surf slapped the shore. A brisk ocean breeze rippled the sand
at the top of the beach. Kyra and her tenants parked their vehicles in the old parking
lot near the new construction area, then walked to the boundary of the construction
zone. They stepped over the low rope marking it off and continued to the center of the
area that would be the new parking lot if the developer's plans succeeded. Adam set the
box down on the sand, then Kyra bent over it and handed everything in it to her
tenants. When it was empty, she flipped it over so the base faced up.
First Kyra draped a colorful Indonesian batik altar cloth over the cardboard, then Beth
handed her a pair of green and blue jar candles that she arranged on the makeshift altar
with her stone athame. As a final touch, she scooped up a handful of sand and poured it
on the altar. Her family and neighbors gathered around her in a circle and waited for
her to begin the ritual.
Kyra picked her athame up from the altar and walked out of the circle to stand behind
Adam, who stood at the North. She faced outward, holding her athame out in front of
her, then turned to her right and walked clockwise around the circle with it, bring them
all into sacred space. She returned back to the North where she had started and turned
to face that direction. Bending down, she traced an invoking pentagram in the sand and
called the earth element to attend the ritual. She continued around to the other three
directions where she traced pentagrams in the sand, inviting them to attend.
When the circle was cast and the quarters had been called, she returned to the center
and set down her athame. She picked up a long lighter and flicked it, dipping the flame
into the green jar candle as she invoked the feminine deities. "Goddesses of the earth,
Ladies of sand and soil, we ask you to join us today as we protect this beach from the
destructive forces of man. Please help us to keep it safe and preserve it as a place
that future generations can enjoy. Blessed be."
The wick of the green candle caught fire and the flame swelled brightly. Kyra moved the
lighter into the blue jar candle, then invoked the male deities. "Gods of the ocean,
Lords of the sea and surf, we ask you to join us today as we protect this beach from the
destructive forces of man. Please help us to keep it safe and preserve it as a place
that future generations can enjoy. Blessed be." The blue candle's flame swelled as
Kyra completed her invocation and a huge wave crashed at the shore. They all turned to
watch as the foam surged halfway up the sand toward them before retreating once again
into the sea. The Gods and Goddesses had arrived.
Kyra turned back to the altar, then bent and plunged her hands into the sand. The
others followed suit. They straightened up in unison, then Kyra stepped back to join
the circle. She reached out and joined hands with Adam and Maria. They took the hands
of Anacati and Gary on either side of them, and so they went around the circle, grasping
hands, sandy palm to sandy palm, creating a chain of protection that would extend to the
entire beach.
Power surged through Kyra and she raised her arms to the sky, pulling down the strength
of the sun and allowing it to fill her. She opened her lips and the tone of
"Maaaa"
escaped through them. The tone strengthened as the others joined in the chant, their
notes merging into one powerful tone, creating a swell of energy that stirred up the air
around them. The waves crashed harder on the sea. The wind gusted around them,
threatening to extinguish the candles on the altar. With a sudden shrill cry they
released the tone. Immediately the crashing waves receded and the wind died. The air
became still.
Kyra took her athame off the altar and walked with it to the North. She bent and placed
the tip in the sand, then dragged it backwards, drawing a line in the sand down to the
southwest. She then dragged it up toward the upper right of the circle, and continued
back across the circle, marking off another line of the giant pentacle she was tracing
in the sand. When she was done, she returned to the center, stepping carefully over the
lines so as not to destroy the symbol.
She picked it up a candle snuffer and held it over the blue candle. "Gods of the sea.
Thank you for joining us today. We will do all we can to preserve your sacred land.
Farewell and blessed be." She moved the snuffer over the green candle. "Goddesses of
the sea. Thank you for joining us today. We will do all we can to preserve your sacred
land. Farewell and blessed be."
Kyra walked to the eastern point and erased the pentagram in the sand to release that
quarter, then repeated it for the three remaining points. Finally she released the
circle and the ritual was complete.
"Thank you, Kyra. That was wonderful," Mark said, "Now Gary and I have an announcement
to make." His neighbors turned to face him. Mark glanced at Gary, who nodded. "Gary
and I have decided to be united. We're planning a May Day ceremony. We'd like all of
you to be part of our celebration."
The announcement was met with cheers. Stepping out of the circle, Gary and Mark
received congratulatory hugs from their friends and neighbors. Anacati was the last to
wish them well. "We have another request for you," Gary said.
"Anything."
"Would you stand up for me?" Mark asked.
Anacati hugged Mark again as she cried, "Of course! I'm honored."
As Gary, Mark, and Anacati plotted and planned the uniting ceremony, Kyra and Adam
packed up the ritual tools. Marisa asked if she could go play in the surf, a request
that was echoed by Andrew and Jennifer. When Angela and James offered to keep an eye on
the three young ones, Kyra gave in. The children raced down the beach. Laughing at
their exuberance, Beth and Michael plunked down on the sand halfway down the beach to
watch the kids.
"That's great news. They seem like a great couple," Beth said, referring to Gary and
Mark.
"Yeah, they are. It's going to be great having Gary in the building."
Down at the shore, Marisa shrieked as a frigid wave hit her legs. Michael leaped to his
feet, grabbed Beth's hand, and tugged her off her butt. Before she could ask what he
was doing, he took off down the beach, pulling her with him. He stopped just short of
the waves, but Beth didn't have time to stop before a wave surged over her feet. She
screamed, then ran around to Michael's back and shoved him further down the beach,
making sure he got soaked up to his thighs.
They spent another half hour jumping in the waves, then Kyra called down for everyone to
come back up to the top. It was time to return to the apartment. As they joined the
kids and Angela and James, Marisa laughed at their condition. Both of them were soaked
up to their waists, their skin was red with the cold, and goose bumps garnished their
flesh while the kids had managed to stay dry.
Only once they were in the car did Michael and Beth realize just how cold their lower
halves were. Upon reaching their building, they raced upstairs to change clothes and
dry off. Mark kissed her by her door and promised to be over in 20 minutes. He wanted
to take a shower to get the blood flowing to his legs again. Beth grinned and nodded,
eager to do the same.
Her answering machine light was blinking when she walked in the door and she glanced at
her watch. She'd missed Janine's usual Sunday afternoon call. Beth pressed the play
button and turned up the volume. The first message started to play as she walked toward
the bedroom. Instead of Janine, it was Kurt, leaving her another message to please see
him. She hurried back to the machine and pressed the erase button. The next message
was also from Kurt. And the one after that.
Sighing and shaking her head, Beth deleted the rest of her messages. Janine would
understand. Then she walked into the bathroom to turn on the shower. Michael had a
key, he'd let himself in. She stripped off her clothes and slipped under the warm
stream just as there was a knock at the door, but the water thundering over her head
drowned out the sound.
Mewsings from the Alley
By Mystickally
Happy Yule everyone! I wanted to take this time to thank everyone for his or her
comments about Catsby. Your comments, and questions are always welcome (about ANYTHING!)
so please keep them coming. I'll be glad to respond to each email (even if my response
is a little late. LOL) I am going to respond to two messages that I received now.
Christine wrote to me and shared, "Our Tiggy tested positive (these cat virals are so
complex and confusing to me) for a form of feline Herpes … which makes him extremely
susceptible to upper respiratory infections with can turn deadly if left untreated in
Tiggy…"
Ah, Christine, I know all too well about Feline Herpes and upper respiratory infections.
I just lost one of my fosters, Jake, to an unknown ailment. Recently, we had an outbreak
of the herpes virus in the house. Every cat became infected with a severe upper
respiratory infection. Medication, such as Amoxicillin and Clavamox, does not get rid of
the kitty cold. Just like in humans, you kind of just have to wait it out. However, the
antibiotics I mentioned are used to prevent secondary infections. Clavamox, along with
some eye ointment and a simple saline solution for nose drops helped to get us through
the mini crisis. Picard, another one of my fosters, was severely hit and frankly, I did
not believe we would be able to save him. Jake, his littermate, was completely healthy
and so incredibly strong. Suddenly, Jake got sick too - just as Picard started to get
better.
Picard's sneezing and congestion, loss of appetite and lethargy suddenly vanished as
Jake gained all of these symptoms. The only thing is that when Jake got sick, he got
REALLY sick. He started to vomit green bile and completely crashed. We rushed him to the
emergency vet immediately but lost him within an hour. We never got an exact diagnosis,
but I am sure his tiny little body couldn't handle the virus. (On a more personal and
spiritual note, Astartes and I have come to believe that Jake was a part of Catsby's
soul, come back to say hello. He saw that Picard was in bad shape and gave his own life
in order to save his brother's. He transferred all of his energy over to Picard. The
reason we guess this is because Jake immediately got sick at the same time that Picard
got well.)
Now we worry about aggravating the virus. All you can really do is keep a very close eye
on the kitty. One sneeze, one sniffle, and you should probably get him on antibiotics in
order to prevent secondary infections. Keep Tiggy in a stress free environment as much
as possible. The Herpes virus can be triggered by stressful situations, and while these
instances cannot always be prevented, you can just try your best. If it can't be
avoided, a natural way to keep kitty as calm as possible during times of stress is a
flower essence called Dr. Bach's rescue Remedy. Rescuers live by this stuff! ;-)
Good luck with Tiggy! I am sure he'll lead a relatively normal life, and he won't
necessarily be a sick cat all of his life. You could very well go on for 17 years
without having any major crisis! =)
Another message I received came form Autumn Moon. She said, "Several years ago my
parents gave me a seal point Siamese for my birthday. I loved it very much. However
before I could move out of my parents home we had to put it to sleep. (The cat had lived
a full life up till that point.... she was ten when the problems began to occur)
Shortly after the New Year Tabitha, my silly Siamese, began to act strangely... she
could no longer find her litter box.... she all the sudden had no energy and her belly
became swollen and hard. My mother thought that it was for the best to put her to
sleep... the vet however was stumped... other than what I have just described there was
nothing wrong with her....
Have you ever hear of something like this or seen it??"
Well first off, the Vet had absolutely NO ideas as to what was wrong with
Tabitha? I'd
have to question what kind of training this doctor received.
Secondly, I can't really say for sure without having any test results done on her.
Offhand, I would have to guess some kind of tumor was involved. Tabitha may have had
cancer. Sometimes, these things can just appear out of nowhere - it's rare to see
something pop up overnight, but it does happen. Ideally, once a month, you really need
to give your cat an overall check up by feeling around his body. If you feel anything
funny (a lump? A Scab? Dandruff even,) definitely have your vet check it out ASAP. As a
stretch, maybe we're talking a severe case of a Feline Urological Disorder. It’s
definitely a stretch, but if a cat's abdomen feels firm, then chances are that he has
crystals or some kind of obstruction that is preventing him from urinating properly. It
is painful and a condition that could kill your cat within hours.
Again, not knowing what Tabitha's medical records showed, I can't really answer this
dilemma for you. If you'd like to email me with her last record, I can definitely give
it a shot for you.
"Also… to help fill the void in my home and my life I adopted 3 kittens about 2 years
after Keira...
All three of them were female... all three were from different litters... and all three
had a litter of kittens before they turned a year old... right after having the litter
the kittens and the mothers died.... have you encountered this too???
Ever since this I have felt it necessary to get only male cats... as they never seem to
have as many problems...."
Right off the bat, I have to tell you that a cat having kittens at such a young age
(They were under 1 year! That's way too young,) comes with major problems. The younger
they are, there is greater likelihood that the cat or kittens will experience
problems. Stillbirths, birth defects, or problem labors are highly likely. Also, I am
assuming these cats were allowed to roam freely outside of the house. This is VERY
dangerous, especially for a young kitten, and definitely for one that has not been
vaccinated and neutered/or spayed.
Other than birthing problems, I would have to guess that all three kittens were born
with either defects or a health ailment that would cause their deaths. They definitely
were not ready to become mothers. They must have encountered a virus or two and passed
it in vitro to their young. Since these cats were free roamers, my guess is some kind of
infectious disease. FIP would be my first guess. Feline Infectious Peritonitis is a
fatal and VERY contagious. It's probably the most feared disease in cats! There is no
way to test for or even diagnose FIP. There are two versions of the disease. The
symptoms often seen with FIP are anorexia, weight loss, fever, depression, swollen
abdomen, yellowish color (jaundice), kidney/liver disorders, eye disease, breathing
difficulties and central nervous system disorders.
I can't really say for sure what happened to your cats, but these would be my educated
guesses.
As for males being easier to care for then females: THIS IS A MYTH. It really all
depends on each individual cat. Every cat has his or her own personalities and
idiosyncrasies. For the record, if your cat is spayed or neutered, you won't notice a
difference at all! LOL. Intact males will mark their territory by spraying, and females
will do their mating ritual, including high-pitched meowing.
I really promote spaying, neutering, and vaccination, especially if you have a multi-cat
household and/or let your cats roam outside. You NEVER know what they may encounter.
Cats fight, they exchange bodily fluid, and they get into garbage. Be precautious. It's
better to be safe than sorry!
Hope this helps!!!
)O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O( )O(
And now, here's a story that I hope you'll all enjoy! =)
POWER OF LOVE
Most people are quick to say that animals are completely instinctual and have absolutely
no feelings. True animal lovers know better. My name is Lindsey and I'm a Veterinary
Technician. I don't do rescue work but many of my friends are involved in the
painstaking efforts of rescue. Once I had the pleasure of witnessing a friend rescuing
the
prettiest cat I had ever seen.
Keira and I decided to walk down a dirt road. We had been going to the college in that
town for some time now, but had yet to really explore the peaceful countryside. On our
journey, we passed a cemetery. Normally, we wouldn't have stopped, but roaming the
grounds was a beautiful, longhaired tortoiseshell. The little girl kitty had the biggest
green eyes and wandered the grounds like she owned the place. We went over and started
playing with her. She purred, asked for scratches, and sat in our laps. From that day
forward, we walked passed the cemetery everyday at the same time and found her there. We
would bring her food and play with her. Finally one day, Keira decided to take the
kitty, (who we had named Bella,) to have her checked out before finding her a home.
Bella was very happy being carried to a warm home. We got her situated in Keira's
apartment and she was content with her food and water and a warm bed to sleep on. After
a few hours, Bella started to get very antsy. We couldn't figure out why. She would run
to the front door and start scratching at it, meowing and just basically going nuts.
"Oh gawd. This cat has kittens hidden away in that cemetery." Keira said. So she and I
went running to the cemetery to look for kittens. After a searching for three hours we
didn't find any other cats, let alone kittens. So we went back to her apartment to find
Bella sound asleep on the bed again.
Several days passed, and everyday that Bella was kept indoors, she meowed and scratched
at the door wanting to go out - at the same time everyday. It was so heartbreaking.
Keira didn't know what to do about it. Finally, we decided to let Bella out, we would
follow her. She was fully vaccinated and tested for everything, but we didn't want to
take any chances. Surprisingly, Bella led us to the cemetery.
We watched her roam the grounds, rubbing up against everything, until finally she
settled down in front of a tombstone. We happened to see the keeper of the cemetery on
the other side of the grounds, so we walked over to him.
"What's the story with that cat?" I asked.
The Groundskeeper looked over and saw the cat.
"Oh wow, I was wondering what happened to her. I haven't seen her in a few days. That
little cat comes with a sad story, girls. It's heartbreaking, really."
It turned out that little Bella's name was really Sofia. She was 2 years old and her
human had passed away only 6 weeks prior to our finding her. Her owner had no remaining
family. Since the day the body was buried, little Sofia had been visiting her Meowmy
everyday, bringing with her a mouse and spending the night.
"So that's why she refused to leave the house without the little toy mouse I bought
her..." Keira said.
Well, this would indicate that anyone who doesn't believe that animals have feelings is
severely misinformed. I witnessed the proof to that. And with Keira's help, Sofia now
lives with me. Every week she and I visit her previous Meowmy's gravesite.
Witches Brew for the Soul
By Dream Dancer
Well, I've been looking into that Wicca stuff, and reading all the books that I could
get my hands on. Some of it made sense to me, and some actually touched me, but I
couldn't quite figure out that whole witchcraft and magic angle. What exactly was it
that witches did? I kinda know how they believe, but not what they do, they physical
aspects of things. You know, like spells and stuff.
I asked around, to anyone that would stop long enough to listen, but no one
could give me any answers. Tripe about "when the time is right for you, you
will know it" and other ways of sidestepping the issue. I was beginning to
think that it was all make believe, something these folks say to add
mystery to what is a nice, but otherwise run of the mill religion.
I even asked my good friend Trish, and she tried to explain what witches
really do. It sorta made sense I guess, but still, seeing is believing, and
I had yet to see any of that magick with a K stuff or any other *real*
practices.
Once again I asked Trish about this stuff, but this time she made me an
offer. She told me that while many things that witches do are sort of
secret to them as individuals, because it is thru their connection with the
world around them and their deities that they act, but some of it is pretty
standard to everyone.
She offered to let me tag along on Saturday as she collected the
ingredients for her "Witches Brew," a magickal potion I guess she planned
to make. Of course I agreed. I really wanted to see some of the practical
side of things.
Trish told me to meet her early on Saturday, and not at her house, but at
the local park. And early too, before the darn sun even came up. I kind of
wondered if we would be digging in the wooded area for roots or something
for her brew.
We met at the park gate at about a quarter to seven. The gate, of course,
was closed, and I wondered what she planned to do.
"Why, go on in of course. It would be kinda silly to be going to the park,
and not actually go into it, wouldn't it? Now, gentlemen first" as she
bowed me in with a flourish.
Okay, what the heck I thought, we're not doing any harm. I stepped across
the low gate, and then looked back to see if she needed a hand. Oh crud,
there, creeping it's way down the street bordering the park was a cop car.
Just what I needed, to get busted for trespassing. Much to my surprise,
Trish walked out away from the gate and into the light of the street lamp,
where she waited until the cop car slowed and came to a stop.
Me, I just stood there, trying not to run, and trying to control my nerves.
I wasn't doing too good a job of it either. It's kind of common knowledge
that cops don't really like pagan folks too much. they think they're all a
bunch of hippies, druggies and weirdoes.
Trish walked up to the drivers side window and started to talk to the cop
inside. Then, much to my shock, she pointed right at me. Oh geez, was I
being set up or something?
After a minute or so of talking, she laughed and took a step back, then
blew a little kiss that turned into a wave, and the cop car just rolled
right on its way.
Trish came up to the gate, nimbly hopped over it, grabbed me by the arm,
and started walking me along. "We got us an understanding" was all that she
said.
We walked down the pathway for a bit, and then walked away from the lights
into a field. I knew this place, it was the spot that people gathered for
picnic lunches, to toss around a Frisbee, or maybe get into a pickup game
of soccer or touch football.
Trish walked me out into the center of the field, then plopped herself down
to the ground.
"Grab a seat" she said. The show's about to begin."
I sat, and sat, and sat for a bit more, wondering exactly what she'd been
talking about, and wondering when we would start looking for the
ingredients of her witches brew. Trish looked so peaceful sitting there
though, that I really didn't want to bother her by asking, and besides, it
wasn't all that bad sitting in the grass in the peaceful silence.
I must have let my mind wonder and not been paying much attention. I sorta
snapped back to reality as I heard a chorus of birds start to sing. I never
really paid much attention to it before, but their song was really pretty
to listen to.
A gentle breeze started to blow over us, causing the leaves in the trees to
seem to dance and just the first hint of light grew in the West. The bird
seemed to redouble their song.
Slowly I saw the sun peek it's face above the horizon, inching it's way up,
seeming to pause for an instant, and then exploding into view in all its
glory.
You know, I can't remember if I'd ever just sat and watched the sun come
up. I did knew that I'd been missing something very special all these years.
With a kind of warm feeling settling in on me, I glanced over at Trish, and
there she sat, eyes closed now, face lifted to the suns rays, like she was
being nourished by it or something. She looked so peaceful still, that I
again held my tongue.
A while later, the birds let off a bit of their song, only chirping back
and forth from time to time. Trish stretched and stood up, then reached her
hand down to help me to my feet. With a big smile on her face she said."
Mother sure puts on a one of a kind show, doesn't she? My day is just never
the same if I can't join her in her morning song and dance."
From the park, we walked the short distance to her house. Trish said that
she had to pick up a cake that her room mate had made and drop it off at
the bake sale. "I wish I could have made something myself, but I'm a total
mess in the kitchen, I have to just suffice myself with being the bearer of
the goodies."
Into her car we placed, not just the cake, but a couple dozen cookies that
her room mate had found the time to make as well, and off we set.
I didn't ask where the bake sale was, so I was just a bit surprised when we
pulled up in front of the First United Methodist Church. A church? Did I
miss something? I thought that witches and Christians didn't get along.
Trish grabbed the plates of cookies and asked me to get the cake, and then
she ambled on over to the table where a few of the church ladies were
setting things up. I was a bit surprised to see them smile and greet her,
and pass a little small talk around. Didn't these people know what she was?
As I was sitting my burden down on the table, I heard the voice of a man
behind us. "Ah, I see that the nasty heathen has descended upon us. Are you
here to try to bring Satan among us, or have you decided to find Jesus with
us this day?".
Oh crap, here it comes I thought. War has just been declared.
Wasn't I surprised to see a smile on Trish's face as she turned around? It
was a pleasant smile too, not a pre-combat grimace.
"Hey Doug. Good morning. I didn't know that Jesus was lost, but we'll help
you look for him if you'd like. Oh, and Satan said sorry, but he couldn't
make it this morning."
Much to my surprise, the minister just laughed at her, and then he glanced
my way. "Hmm.. I don't think I've had the pleasure."
"Oh, this is Bill. He's thinking about maybe becoming another one of those
evil witch people. I'm taking him around today while I gather the
ingredients for my special Witches Brew."
"Mmmm. Good stuff" replied Doug. "I'm sure you'll like it. I know I can use
a good shot of it from time to time." A minister that liked witches brew?
"Oh, and thanks for your help. We're holding the sale today to help Officer
Bob Trask raise money for his son. Bobby has cancer, and his insurance just
doesn't quite make the cut in paying for the treatment. Now, if you'll
excuse me, I have a bit of a service to attend to."
Officer Trask? Was that the cop from the park?
With a nod to me, Doug gave Trish a quick hug, and turned to walk into his
church. A minister hugging a witch? This was just getting more and more
curious!
As we were getting into the car, I guess Trish could see the look of
confusion on my face.
"These are some great people here" she said. "They may not worship in quite
the same way that I do, but in their own way they are very spiritual, kind,
giving loving and caring people. And Doug, he's just wonderful. I guess he
just sorta forgets that he's not supposed to like me. Love each other as
you would love yourself is, I think, the way he explained it to me once."
Nuff said, I guess?
Our next stop was the McDonald's drive-thru. Not exactly my choice of
places to eat, but what the heck, The morning was getting on, and I was
getting kind of hungry. My treat of course. I'd just gotten paid and
besides, Trish was soon gonna show me what and where she would gather the
ingredients for her Witches Brew.
I ordered a danish and some hashbrowns, but trish surprised me a bit by
ordering not one, but two big breakfasts, complete with pancakes, sausage,
and hashbrowns as well as three little jugs of orange juice. Quite a lot
for a girl her size. I wondered where she was going to put it all.
I soon found out. we drove three blocks down and turned right into the
library parking lot. Rather than parking and eating, Trish drove around
back.
I got a little bit nervous, for sitting in the rear entranceway was a guy,
obviously a member of the homeless, and very scary looking, with a wild
look in his eyes. Please, just drive on, was all I could think.
Trish, of course, had other ideas. She put the car in park, grabbed the bag
of food, hopped right out and headed over to that scary homeless guy.
"Hiya Henry. Look what I got for ya today."
She squatted down next to him, reached into the bag and handed him one of
the breakfasts, along with two of the containers of orange juice.
"Ya knows I don't be taking no handouts Miss Trish, but thanks just the
same" as he started to hand the breakfast back."
"Yes, I know that Henry" she replied. "Those folks at the drive thru gave
me too much again is all, and there's no way I can eat all this. I just
didn't want it to go to waste."
"Well, guess I can help ya out then" he shrugged. "you're right, wasting
food would be a sin. Thank ya much for thinking of me then."
"Be sure to drink all this orange juice my friend. Looks like you might be
just a tad low in the vitamin C department."
"I will Miss Trish. God Bless ya."
As she stood to go, she kissed her finger and placed it on his forehead.
"And, Goddess bless you Henry, I'll be seeing you around," and she came
back to the car.
"That was a very nice gesture" I told her as she put the car in gear.
"I just wish I could do more. He's such a sweet man. He's also a very proud
man. Works when he can find it, which isn't often enough, and he never
makes enough to get a place to stay warm and dry at night. great worker
too, but he looks scary, and it's hard for him to keep up with his personal
hygiene, so folks don't really want him around all that much."
Looking both ways as she pulled out of he library parking lot, she
continued. "Henry's pride won't let him accept a bed at night in the
shelter, and he won't even accept what he calls the handouts at St.Martins
soup kitchen. I do my little ruse whenever I can get away with it, and I
think he knows, but still, it lets him keep his pride intact, and that's
pretty much all that's left to him."
I had nothing I could say to this, but I felt that I was coming to know
Trish as more of a special person than I had thought before.
We pulled up at a roadside stand selling flowers. Trish bought a couple
dozen carnation bouquets, for a really good price I thought. Half of what
the sign said they should cost. I guess the little Spanish lady must have
been getting ready to close up shop soon, and didn't want to have to haul
quite so much inventory back home.
We drove on across to the other side of town, and then on to the outskirts,
finally pulling up at the Shady Village Rest Home. I didn't know that Trish
had any family in there?
I grabbed a dozen of the bouquets while she picked up the rest, and went
inside. Wow, that was a lot of flowers for just one person. must be someone
really special, I thought.
The nurse at the reception desk smiled and waved at us as we went past, and
I followed Trish into a large recreation room, I guess you would call it.
It almost broke my heart to see these old people sitting around, some
reading, some by the radio listening to old show tunes, and a few scattered
listlessly in front of the TV. Not one of them looked to have any life or
happiness to them.
"Hey, are there any old farts in here?" Trish yelled out, and I saw a
sudden transformation come over their faces. It was like a light switch had
been thrown, brightness coming into their eyes, and smiles to their faces.
"Hell No!!!" came the shouted reply, in more than a few voices.
"This is Bill" she introduced me. "He's my flower slave for the day. And
ladies, and this includes you Robert" to a few chuckles,"He's with me, so
hands off."
We went around the room, passing out the little bouquets, and chatting with
the folks. it was amazing, how animated they became. Trish, she was like
their daughter, their girlfriend, making each one feel they were the center
of the universe. I found myself infected by them too, and found myself
flirting with the ladies, and swapping sports tales, or dirty stories with
the guys. And, boy, what stories Robert had to tell!!
You wouldn't believe it, but I even got a pinch on my butt. From a woman
that had to be a great grandmother to someone. She asked me what I thought
about 'older women."
I laughed with her and kissed her cheek." Well, Hun, I already have a
girlfriend, but if things don't work out, you better watch yourself, or I
may just come back here and look you up."
It was a great afternoon, but it went by way too fast. Soon it was time for
the old folks to get ready for their meal, and time for us to go. I was
very impressed, with Trish, and with the old folks, and I felt better than
I had in ages.
When we got back in the car, I saw that Trish had an odd look on her face,
happy and sad at the same time.
"I just love these people and I feel so bad for them. Most of them still
have some family around, but very few ever get visitors here, not after a
while. Seems like they are just too much trouble or something. I can't
understand it. They are some of the nicest folks I've ever met, witty and
funny, and full of knowledge from their lives experiences. And, they always
make me feel so good inside, just to be around them."
I couldn't agree with her more.
We drove back across town to the neighborhood we both lived in. Trish asked
me if I'd like her to drop me off at home, or if I wanted to come by her
place and catch a video or two. She had her copy of "It's a Wonderful
Life," non-colorized of course, that she hadn't seen in ages, but was in a
mood for today.
I hesitated. "But, I thought you said we were going to go out today and
collect the ingredients for your Witches Brew? Did you change your mind?"
And, I was more than just a little disappointed, even though it had been a
marvelous day.
"Silly Billy" she laughed at me. "I told you earlier, I'm a total mess in
the kitchen. If I tried to make up some concoction, I'd probably end up
poisoning someone. and, we DID get the ingredients for my Witches Brew
today. I just make one that's a little different from what you probably
expected. Today, you helped me gather the ingredients for my Witches Brew
for the Soul."
It was like a light bulb flashed in my mind. I understood exactly what she
meant.
"I think I'll take a pass on the video today" I told her. "Could you drop
me off at my fathers house instead? I need to talk to him about that night
custodial job he has at his place that he can't seem to fill. Doesn't pay
all that much, but it comes with a room and a bath, and I think I know a
certain guy named Henry that just might fit the bill for that job."
Trish dropped me off in front of my dads house, understanding a bit more
now what it might mean to be a witch, and I set forth to dig up some of the
ingredients for my own Witches Brew for the Soul.
DreamDancer
11-3-00
YULE WORD SEARCH
By Isha ArrowHawk
----------------
S G B X K V D B A T F O D X H T K A E F
S V S T Q A X D Q O D H E R I H D E U H
U R W Q T G S I S S L E C N A G R T W P
D Y U L E L O G Y G Q A E A D I W R Y T
U K F D V X A Y S K T R M J N L V A M U
Z H M D D R O L A Y H T B M C F D E D L
L A P L Q H I J I Z G H E C R O T Y M U
I P V R U T G G W K I F R E W D C G O J
A I S I Z R N K I N L I B V L R Y N B C
S B V V X I I K N Q G R V E V O R I Z T
S F V Y U B K H T N N E Q R W L I X U V
A E B O L A K J E V I L J G G E I A V X
W D Q K A S A E R L N Q B R K G Z W U T
H I R W L F O Y K T R I H E Q J A L I T
R T D A M Z T L N B U G X E D P T M I V
M E O A X J F L P R T A C N J Z X I D O
Z L R H B S W O K J E H S O L S T I C E
R U T U M O U H H V R Y I R C P S N F D
A Y E O T E L T S I M X I H A P O F F E
H O L L Y K I N G Z N S D K K J O O L C
BIRTH
DECEMBER
EVERGREEN
HEARTHFIRE
HOLLY
HOLLY KING
IVY
LORD
LORD OF LIGHT
MISTLETOE
OAK KING
RETURNING LIGHT
SOLSTICE
WASSAIL
WAXING YEAR
WINTER
YULE LOG
YULETIDE
Words can be forwards, backwards, or diagonally from either direction.
Enjoy!
MEAGAN'S NEW ROOM
by Kathryn Dyer 1997
Once upon a time there was a little girl named Meagan. She lived with her mommy and
daddy, her big brother Corwin and her beautiful cat named Starweaver. One day Meagan
was sitting eating breakfast at the kitchen table. Her parents had been up earlier but
her mother still had not come to the kitchen. Meagan wondered what was going on. Michael
didn't hear her when she asked for more juice. She sighed and asked him again. "I'm
sorry," said Michael, "Your mother is taking a test this morning and I'm anxious about
what it will say."
Meagan frowned, "What kind of test is she taking Daddy?" Just then Corwin came into the
room. "Who's taking a test?" he asked. Michael smiled, "Your mother is taking a
pregnancy test today. We may be having a new baby." Corwin and Meagan looked at each
other in surprise. "Mom!? Having a baby?!" exclaimed Corwin, "Alright!" Meagan felt
both excited and scared. "Hey!" she said, "That means I'll be a big sister!" Michael
and Corwin laughed. "Well," said Michael, "We don't know yet..."
He stopped and turned as Elizabeth came into the room smiling and holding a small white
stick. She held it out for everyone to see. There were two blue lines on a small square.
"It's positive!" she said. Michael grabbed her and swung her around. Then they hugged
Meagan and Corwin. Meagan looked up at her parents, "When will the new baby be here?"
Corwin laughed. Elizabeth smiled at Meagan, "Well, by my calendar we should have the new
baby in about 9 months." Meagan's eyes got very big, "Why that long?" "Well," said her
father, "It takes 40 weeks for a baby to grow inside their mother."
That day Meagan's mother called up her special doctor for an appointment. She looked a
little disappointed. "What's wrong Mommy?" asked Meagan. "Oh," said Elizabeth, "I had
hoped for you and Corwin and Daddy to be able to come to my appointment but they don't
have anything available at a time you can all come. That's okay though, I'll have to go
see the doctor or midwife every month for the first part of the pregnancy and then more
and more often the closer we get to time to have the baby. There will be plenty of times
for you to come along. In fact, the second visit they'll listen for the baby's heartbeat
and that might be a better time for you all to go anyway."
Later that day Meagan's parents pulled out the videotapes of Meagan and Corwin. It had
been awhile since Meagan had watched them. Because twins ran in Elizabeth's family she
had had ultrasounds while pregnant with Corwin and with Meagan. Meagan like looking at
the videos of Corwin and herself when they were still inside their mother, even if they
weren't in color. She also looked a lot at all the pictures of herself and Corwin when
they were babies.
Sometimes it was hard for Meagan. Her mother didn't always feel like doing the same
things anymore. She was tired and sometimes she ran out of the room when she smelled
food cooking. "Don't worry Meagan," said her father, "It's normal for Mommy to be like
this sometimes. Her body is having to adjust to having a baby inside of it. That's one
of the reasons that she always needs to use the bathroom. But when your mother is about
4 months pregnant she'll start to feel better and that's only six weeks from now. You
can help by running errands for her, like making sure that there are crackers by her
bed." Meagan hugged Michael, "And I can carry things for her and take her a cup of
peppermint tea if it's not too full!" Michael laughed, "That's right, honey. We also
need to start fixing up a room for the baby to sleep in. We're going to make the room
right beside our bedroom into a nursery."
Meagan looked up, "But then where will Mommy do her sewing? And where will the books
go?" Michael looked down at her, "We were thinking about putting them in your room and
then letting you have the room upstairs with the gable window. You're big enough now to
sleep upstairs like your brother if you want. But I guess we could put the sewing room
upstairs." Meagan's eyes shone, "Oh no! I want to have that room! It's not as big as
the one I have now but it's lots neater!! When can I move?!" Michael laughed, "Well,
first we have to move all the stuff out that's stored there. And then we'll have to
paint it and decorate it. You can pick out the paint for the walls."
Meagan was excited about her mother having a baby now. She helped sort out the baby
clothes. She went with her family to a local baby store to write down all the things
that they still needed for the new baby. "It's amazing how many new things there are!"
said Elizabeth as she looked at a nursing pillow, "This looks like it would really help
when I'm nursing the new baby." Meagan remembered seeing pictures of Elizabeth nursing
her when she was a baby. As time went by more and more people brought things for the new
baby to the house. Sometimes Meagan felt left out. Then one day it was time for
Elizabeth to have an ultrasound. "I think the odds are good this time Elizabeth," said
Wendy who was a midwife at the doctor's office, "You're bigger than you were with Corwin
and Meagan at this same stage." Elizabeth had to drink lots and lots of water before the
test. "I feel like a balloon about to pop," she joked but she didn't look too happy
about it. Soon they went into the room with the ultrasound.
The person running the machine made Michael, Corwin and Meagan wait until she had found
the baby before letting them come look at the screen. "Okay," the technician said
grinning, "you can come look now" and she turned the screen so that Elizabeth could see
it too. She put a videotape into the machine. "We'll make a copy of this video for you
to take home. See this? This is your baby's head...do you want to know the sex of the
baby?" Everyone looked at each other. "It's up to Elizabeth," said Michael. "Yes," said
Elizabeth, "If we can tell, I'd like to know now." The technician moved a thing like a
wand over Elizabeth's stomach. It took a long time to find out whether the baby would be
a boy or a girl. The technician had to check out all sorts of things about the baby for
the doctor and midwife. Suddenly she started grinning, "There we go! It looks like your
next baby will be a little....boy! Of course, we can't be positive with just an
ultrasound to go by but usually when it looks like a boy it really is."
Meagan and her family were excited. They had already been thinking of names for the new
baby and now they worked harder on thinking up a good name for a boy. Everyone had
different favorites. Sometimes Meagan got tired of hearing everyone talk about the new
baby. But she liked going places with her mother. And now her mother had started going
to some meetings for women who were nursing their babies. It was called LaLeche League.
Meagan went with her mother. She had seen babies nursed before but never so many in one
room! Their friend Gwennie came to the meetings too and brought her baby Arthur. He was
already crawling around now. Meagan couldn't believe how big he was. She remembered when
he was born and how little he had been. One day a new woman came to the meeting. She was
crying because she had not been able to nurse her older daughter. The women all hugged
her and promised to help. The next time they went to a meeting the lady had had her
baby. Everyone cooed at it. The woman in charge of the meeting spent a lot of time
helping the lady learn to nurse her baby. Elizabeth told Meagan that the Gods had made
women to be able to feed their babies but that women had to learn how to do it. She said
that every baby was different and that it would take her awhile to learn how to feed the
new baby. Just like it had with Corwin and with Meagan. Elizabeth's belly kept getting
bigger and bigger. Sometimes Meagan could put her hand on Elizabeth's stomach and feel
the baby moving. Her Nana came to visit more often to help around the house. Everyone
helped clean up the junk room upstairs for Meagan to move into. They painted the room
while Elizabeth was not there. They didn't want her to have to smell the paint. After
the paint was dry they moved Meagan's furniture upstairs. Her bed fit right under the
window perfectly! And there was a bookcase built into the wall next to her closet. Once
Meagan had moved into her new room they painted her old room. After it was dry some more
friends came over to help move the books and sewing things into it. Then they began
cleaning the old sewing room up to make it a nursery for the new baby. They painted it a
pale blue and their friend Gregory painted clouds at the top of the walls and grass on
the bottom of the walls. They put up stars that glowed in the dark just like Meagan had
in her room. Michael brought down a crib and a chanting table from the attic.
Elizabeth's brother Andrew brought over the family cradle. All of the babies in Nana's
family had slept in the cradle when they were first born.
It was getting closer and closer to time for the baby to be born. Meagan and Corwin
went to a class at the birthing center for children who were going to have new brothers
or sisters. They watched a video of a mommy having a baby. Elizabeth said that they
could be in the room when the new baby was born. Meagan was excited about that. Some of
the coven members had a party called a baby shower for the family. All of their friends
brought presents for the new baby and some for Meagan and Corwin too! Meagan proudly
showed her Nana the new shirt someone had made for her that said "I'm the Big Sister!".
Nana told Meagan that she was old enough to help make the receiving blankets for the new
baby. Every baby in the family had four blankets made by Nana. Corwin had helped make
the blankets for Meagan and now it was Meagan's turn to help make the blankets for the
new baby. They made one that was yellow for air and trimmed it in orange. They made one
that was red for fire and trimmed it in blue. They made one that was blue for water and
trimmed it in purple. They made one that was green for earth and trimmed it in
white.
Pretty soon Meagan's parents told her that the baby would come anytime. She still felt
funny sometimes about having a new baby in the house. But she liked the idea of being
the big sister. And sometimes she still felt funny sleeping in her new room. One day she
and Corwin helped her mother by putting up the baby clothes in the new nursery while
Elizabeth sat in the gliding rocking chair. It was getting harder and harder for
Elizabeth to get up and down. Meagan couldn't believe how big her mother's belly was
getting. When it was time for bed Elizabeth gave Meagan her hugs and kisses downstairs.
She was too tired to climb the stairs to Meagan's room. It made Meagan a little sad but
her father carried her up the stairs to her room and tucked her in. She felt alone after
he left because she couldn't hear people talking like she could in her old room. But she
had her Goddess chant tape on and that made her feel better. Soon Starweaver came in and
settled at the foot of her bed. Meagan felt proud for having helped her mother and she
hoped the baby would be born soon. She fell asleep and dreamed of holding the new baby.
It had been a good day.
My Friend The Tree chapter
eight
By "T"
Mabon and Samhain have come and gone. The first snow of the new year fell the
first day of New Year, a thicker blanket for the colored rain of leaves on
the ground. The busy season at work has been the busiest I have ever seen it.
Twenty-eight sixteen hour shifts in a row. There is now a slight breather
before all the Christmas stuff starts coming in. I caught up on my sleep with
a few of days of only twelve hour shifts, and decided I would go visit my
friend to see how it was coping with the season change. I also wanted to do
some screaming at the people I work for, without them hearing about it.
There was another light snowfall while I was at work. As I got away from the
city the road was white and hard to follow because there was no easy way to
determine where the side of the road ended and the shoulder began. Dayen took
me where I wanted without any problems (she's a good boy). As I drove further
away from the city the snow banks left by the plows got progressively higher,
and the road easier to follow. By the time I had reached my usual parking
spot the banks were easily a meter high. I could see some old tire tracks
under the new snow as I locked Dayen and walked around to the hill. This time
I remembered my gloves and boots. The snow on the road near my friend was
pristine. I was the first to travel there since the snowfall. It was strange.
The "where no human has gone before" feeling. It must be a new moon behind the glowing
overcast. I was a little giddy. Can I blame the time of year? Can I? Please?
The vale of my friend the tree was covered in snow. The glow from the clouds
gave me plenty of light to see the small animal tracks crisscrossing the
area. The wind had died down for a while and my friend was asleep. I greeted
my friend with my usual "Hello my friend, may I enter your space?" It woke
up! This was certainly a first. I don't remember it ever waking up for me
before. The sense of welcome was as aware and um, alive as I have ever known.
I walked directly to my friend and thanked it for waking up, and for just
being there for me.
I left my traveling bag and waterproof beside my friend and walked the
circle. I could feel the remnants of the ward I had set so long ago. I
debated whether or not I should renew the barrier. I asked my friend if it
wanted the ward reinforced. I got the impression of snow and cold from my
friend so I decided to leave the circle as it was.
I sat on my waterproof in my favorite spot, listening to my friend. The
shorter days and colder air seemed to make it sluggish, sleepy. Normally it
would be asleep at this time of year but the pain from the wound was a thorn
in it's side, keeping it from a deep sleep. I hoped the cold wouldn't
penetrate to the heart wood.
It was very relaxing, sitting there, listening to my friend. My problems
seemed to lose their immediacy. So what if I had to turn down another
promotion, I didn't really want the extra money did I? The layoff list that
came out just before new year's couldn't affect my peace while I was in
contact with my friend.
My thoughts turned to the kids that had been here on Beltane-eve. I wondered
what happened to them. I hadn't heard or read anything about them. There was
a new 'No Trespassing' sign on the driveway around the corner from where I
had parked Dayen. I had checked with a real estate agent about buying the
parcel of land. She found out the land was owned by a series of companies
which were owned by a bank. The land was not for sale and I couldn't afford
the ten thousand dollar per hectare assessment even if it was for sale (a
hectare is about 2.5 acres (If I converted correctly :-) )).
A large gray squirrel started chattering at me from the edge of the woods so
I searched my pockets and traveling bag for something to give it. I usually
carry some nuts with me when I come up here because there used to be a small
black squirrel that nested in my friend the tree about five years ago. I
found half a dozen peanuts in a zip-lock bag and offered them to the
squirrel. I tossed the first one about half way between us and waited. It
came nervously to the nut and sat back on it's haunches with the nut in it's
paws. It devoured the nut in about thirty seconds. I held the rest in my palm
and waited without moving. The brave little thing came right up to me and circled around behind me. I could hear it's claws on the bark of my friend. It made a chucking noise and walked out from behind the tree directly to my hand. It took a nut in it's mouth and scurried off about three meters. After eating the nut, the squirrel came straight to my hand, took another nut and raced off into the wall of trees. It made the return trip for more nuts until my hand was empty, then it
scolded me for not bringing more nuts. I started to apologize but it took off
into the trees at the first sound of my voice.
My friend had fallen asleep while I was preoccupied with the squirrel so I
decided to go home. My knees complained when I stood up, they've been getting
worse lately. My knees are one reason I really regretted not being able to
take the promotion. A desk job might give them time to heal. I had to laugh
at myself. Would anyone in their right mind turn down a promotion just to
avoid going to Christmas parties? I did, and the party was one of the
reasons. Am I insane or devout?
I walked though the stand of trees, slipped and slid down the hill to Dayen,
soaking my pants and gloves. My knees complained even louder. Dayen's
engine was still warm and the heater warmed me up quite well as I drove home.
I still hadn't screamed at the people at work. Funny. I didn't really want
to, anymore.
T
Nov 2000 Gregorian
A Whisper In The Darkness
By Antigone
Brynn watched helplessly as her young daughter sat silently in their
living room, staring out of the window and dreaming of a happiness
that she felt she would never know about. Young Arianne could not - or
would not - communicate with anyone. She hadn't spoken since she was
a toddler. Her first word was 'stars', and she said it as she gazed
out at the night's sky. Then after that, she never uttered another
word. Brynn would never have the joy of her child's first "I love
you" or "Hi Mommy!" Once a child is traumatized, there is no turning
back. Arianne had the unfortunate experience of witnessing her
father's death. She was way too young, but she knew her Daddy was
gone, killed by a man for a lousy 40 dollars in cash and a gold
watch. She watched a total stranger come into their house and shoot
her Daddy 17 times. She saw her big, strong father die in her
mother's arms. She cried once, then never again.
Nothing could comfort Arianne; Not even the doctors or the toys she
got from friends and relatives. Now Arianne is a mute 6 year old.
Brynn often watched her daughter for hours on end without moving or
saying a word. The silence became a comfort for them both. Every once
in awhile, Arianne would glance at her mother and her lips would
change shape. Brynn guessed that this was her attempt at a smile.
Brynn had no clue what she could do to help her little girl.
One day, she heard a stir in the living room. Brynn went running
from the kitchen to the living room, where she was surprised to see
Arianne standing at another window, watching something in the yard. A
closer look revealed a scrawny kitten. The kitty was sniffing around
the trees and grass, and Arianne was completely infatuated with the
little creature. When the kitty ran across the yard, Arianne ran to
the other side of the room and followed him. Brynn was ecstatic! She
had never seen Arianne so enthusiastic about anything since she was a
baby.
Brynn quickly gathered their coats and coaxed her daughter into
following her outside. Together, they ran towards the young cat. He
was timid and he froze in front of them, his fur standing on edge.
Arianne inched towards him and managed to touch his nose with her tiny
finger. For a split second, the little kitten relaxed a little and
stared at his new friend. Suddenly, he took off running and
disappeared behind the bushes.
Arianne sank to the ground and reached out for the kitten. Distraught
but still silent, she sat there and glared at the last spot the
kitten was seen at. Brynn could not pry her away for several hours.
Once it started to get darker, Brynn carried her daughter into the
house. Arianne immediately ran back to her spot on the chair in front
of the window. Sighing loudly, Brynn sat at the foot of the stairs
and watched her silent daughter. "So close and yet so far", she
thought. "Well, at least she has something to be excited about now.
Maybe this cat is the answer to my prayers. Maybe all Arianne needs is
a friend. Maybe this cat will give me my daughter back… " So for now,
things returned to normal, but at the same time, Brynn knew things
would never be the same.
=^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^=
It would be two and a half weeks before Arianne and Brynn would see the amazing little
kitten again. Everyday for those two weeks, Arianne sat under a tree in the backyard and
gazed out, looking for at least one glimpse of her little friend. Brynn thought about
taking her baby to the local shelter, but every time she mentioned it to Arianne, she'd
furiously shake her head no.
During a trip to the local supermarket, Arianne and Brynn passed by a young boy with a
box of tiny kittens. Arianne was not even fazed by them! Rather than dwelling on her
daughter's unhappiness, Brynn decided to start planning for the Yuletide season.
Thanksgiving had just gone by uncelebrated, so Brynn was determined to provide Arianne a
joyous Yule celebration.
Arianne watched her mother as she decorated the house with lights and all kinds of
holiday decorations. All the while, she sat up against the tree and searched for the
cat. Every once in a while, Brynn would even get a glimpse of the kitty but would fail
to catch her even after a chase. She never dared to tell Arianne this; she didn't want
to get Arianne's hopes up, and she especially didn't want her to think that her mother
had failed. It had started snowing and Brynn could tell that Arianne was worried about
her furry friend being out in the cold. She refused to come indoors one day, so Brynn
bundled her up and watched her form the kitchen window. All she did was just sit there
and stare at her gloved hands.
Brynn was just about ready to run out and grab Arianne, but stopped dead in her tracks
when she noticed the cat cautiously approaching her daughter, who happened to be
crawling on her hands and knees towards the cat with her hand outstretched. They both
inched towards one another, cautiously at first, and then suddenly the kitty jumped into
Arianne's arms. For the first time since she was 4, Arianne smiled, then giggled. Tears
welled up in Brynn’s eyes as she quietly tiptoed back into the house to watch them from
the living room window.
Arianne cuddled and giggled with the cat for about a half an hour. Smiling from ear to
ear, Brynn watched as her baby girl ran around the yard with the cat chasing after her,
then the other way around. Finally, Arianne came running into the house with the cat in
her arms. She had tears in her eyes and was smiling broadly. She looked down at the cat,
then at her mother, then back at the cat. "Well of course she can stay." Brynn
responded. Arianne giggled, then carefully put the cat down on the floor and ran up the
stairs, the cat running behind her.
Brynn crumbled to the floor, sobs just flowing out of her. She was so happy to see her
daughter so full of life! She hadn't seen her act so happily since the last time her
father ever held her in his arms.
After a few moments, she collected herself and walked over to the hall closet. She
pulled out the litterbox she knew she would need one day. She bought it the day after
Arianne first saw the cat. She filled it then placed it in the bathroom right next to
Arianne's bedroom. She peeked in at her daughter’s room and saw her snuggling up with
the cat in her bed, with the covers covering them. Brynn smiled then went back down the
stairs to finish her holiday decorating.
=^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^=
December was always a time of great sadness for Brynn. The 23rd day of the month marked
the day that her dear husband was killed. It was the 27th day of the month that brought
forth a greater confusion: Arianne's birthday. They buried her husband on Arianne's
birthday. But this year marked a year of hope, as Arianne was one step closer to
speaking!
Maybe she was being too hopeful, but hope was all Brynn had left. This mysterious cat
that insisted on sleeping under the artificial tree in the living room seemed to serve
as an olive branch for Brynn and her little girl. She couldn't get through to Aria, but
the cat could. Brynn continually asked Aria what the kitty's name was, but she would
never respond. Aria didn't speak to the cat either, but at least she could get a smile
and a giggle out of her. All Brynn got back were blank stares. "Somewhere along the
line, she's got to budge." Brynn thought. Arianne spent all of her time with this cat,
and they seemed to have a way of communicating with one another, knowing exactly what
the other was thinking without having to say a word. Brynn couldn't believe she was
actually jealous of a cat!
Somehow, Brynn got Arianne to help with the holiday decorating around the house. They
decorated the tree, hung an assortment of trinkets around the house, and Brynn even
managed to get a kiss as they hung the mistletoe over the entranceway. She ignored the
fact that the little cat was two steps away from them at all times though. Brynn knew
this was the only reason Aria acted so happy around her.
That night, Brynn dimmed the lights and got some holiday music lightly playing. She
turned on the candlelights on the windowsills and started to burn some pine-scented
incense on the mantle. She started to dress the Yule Log in the fireplace when Aria ran
in with the cat. Brynn stopped what she was doing to watch Aria and the cat snoop
through the wrapped packages sitting under the tree. Aria flashed her best puppy-dog
expression at her mother then pouted when she was told to wait. She continued to sift
through the boxes as Brynn mumbled some blessings under her breath as she sprinkled some
kind of oil on the Yule Log. Finally, she lit the log then sat up against the couch,
gazing into the flame.
Brynn took the time to sit and reflect on life since all the tragedy and drama entered
their lives. When her husband died, all she had left in the world was her daughter. In
one instant, she not only lost her soul mate, but also that last important element to
her life. Arianne lost her heart and her spirit when her Daddy died. Somehow the killer
murdered the only childhood this little girl would ever have, and Brynn wondered if he
had taken away any sense of happiness for her too. How would her daughter survive once
she became a teenager? Would she be "normal" again before adulthood? No doctor in the
world could help her. In fact, she only acted out when she was seeing the doctors. All
the toys in the world couldn't comfort her. No material things, no human being -
NOTHING! - Except this cat. What was it about this cat that made this little girl perk
up?
Brynn was so lost in thought that she didn't realize Arianne was standing next to her,
trying to get her attention. Arianne started tapping her mother on her shoulder. Brynn
jumped a little before realizing Aria was standing in front of her. She smiled and the
little girl smiled back. Suddenly a small, scratchy sound came out of her beautiful
little girl. "Whisper" she said. Brynn looked confused and hesitated. "W-what?" Arianne
smiled, looked down at the cat and pointed. "Oh! T-that's her name?" Arianne nodded her
head yes. Brynn stared at her smiling daughter and together they laughed.
That was the only thing Arianne would say that night, but it was a beautiful sound that
Brynn would never forget.
"Teen Witch Kit" by Silver RavenWolf
Review by Mystickally
I think most of us "Nay sayers" argue with Silver Ravenwolf's "Teen Witch
Kit" because of concern. It's not a personal vendetta against her and it
certainly isn't an attempt at thwarting the success of another, especially
a pagan! We are worried about the possible outcome of having a "magick in a
box" product on the market. Most folks do not fully understand why so many
of us are against it. I thought this would be a good opportunity to hear
the opinion of one person -- a 22 year old pagan -- whose studies are far
beyond the "newbie" stage but not above the experiences of a "seasoned"
practitioner (that is, one who has practiced his or her craft for over 20
or so years).
In all fairness, I will start off with my high praise of Silver Ravenwolf's
style of teaching. I have never claimed her to be a bad teacher. On the
contrary, I believe Ms. Ravenwolf is excellent in being able to communicate
with those that know nothing about witchcraft and Wicca, as many people
practice it today. Her words flow very eloquently and for the most* part,
she doesn't talk down to her readers. (* By "most part," I am referring to
her earlier works "To Ride A Silver Broomstick" as well as "To Stir A
Magick Cauldron." After speaking to several younger folks, I have learned
that many are insulted by some of her later books, stating that they feel
she is insulting them by talking to them as if they are uneducated and
infantile.) She makes it a point to mention that this is a Wiccan-based
(white) form of magick. Ravenwolf takes great care in explaining the
"Principles of Wiccan Belief," as well as "the basics" such as grounding
and centering. On page 26 of the book included with the kit, she says "Part
of any magickal application is learning how to train mind, body, and spirit
to work together in order to reach your desires." I just LOVE that quote!
:-)
Later, Ms. Ravenwolf does explain that spells and rituals are meant only as
a helpful tool, that magick will not make your life easier. You have to
actively work to get what you need and want. Unfortunately, I think she
delivers this VERY important message too little and too late. I disagree
with the statement being said in the middle or the end of her given spells.
Something like this should be emphasized before, during AND after. I do not&
believe Ms. Ravenwolf has acted very responsibly with her opportunity to
teach the public. At least she warns us about the fire hazard involved with
lit candles and burning incense being placed on the cheap, cardboard box
that the kit came in (and which, by the way, is marketed as a handy,
portable, makeshift altar!)
Ravenwolf gives the impression that Witchcraft is all about casting magic
spells and having fun. She briefly mentions all the research and work that
is involved. She barely touches on the responsibilities that come with
practicing witchcraft. Ravenwolf emphasized that magick will help
positively enhance a teens life. How? With prosperity spells and cheap
trinkets being passed off as an altar, a pendant and other "necessary
ritual items"? There is nothing wrong with her grounding and centering
exercises, her instructions on how to create sacred space, casting a
circle, calling the quarters or even her spells on communication, success
and those spells to help you feel better about yourself. For a product
geared towards newbies, particularly teens, she sure is thrusting
spellcasting at them pretty quickly. These are relatively harmless spells
right? Well, it depends on how you look at it. A wonderful way to "get your
foot in the door" is to just try it, practice, and learn from the good and
the bad. However, research is integral to this process, and an immediate
lesson on spells in certainly NOT what I call research. I realize patience
is not a strong suit of society as a whole nowadays, but to knowingly
release this "educational" tool in the format that it is in is
irresponsible.
I found several contradictory statements throughout the book. One that
really got to me was during her all too brief description of Wicca, Ms.
Ravenwolf states the one thing that every practitioner knows: whatever you
do will come back to you (i.e., the Threefold Law "what thou givest returns
to thee"). Then, Ms. Ravenwolf turns around and says that if you mess up a
spell, no biggie! We all make mistakes and practice makes perfect. Her
statements completely contradict each other. I know what she means, and
maybe a lot of others realize she meant that practicing is the only way to
really learn, and that you have to be really careful what you do with your
magickal acts because it could seriously affect you or anyone else, whether
it be good or bad. Again, she does not emphasize the importance of research
and serious study. However, to someone who knows nothing about Wicca or
Witchcraft (which, by the way, IS her target audience in this case,) these
two statements will confuse them or leave them with a lot more questions
than they have answers. I have to wonder if her all she is thinking about
here is scaring off potential customers by stating the truth (you HAVE TO
study, you HAVE TO practice, you HAVE TO make sure that you know what you
are getting yourself into! Have I emphasized that enough, maybe to make up
for the lack of it in Silver's book?)
I found one statement that made me laugh. She says "We do not teach our
mysteries to fools, and we will exclude people who we feel are either
self-destructive or who we feel have the potential, or a history, of
hurting others." How does one expect to exclude the "fools" when one
markets a "magick-in-a-box"?
This product is a toy. Silver Ravenwolf tries to pass it off as an
educational tool. I may even have believed her had she not herself
mentioned the word "fun" in the book. Ms. Ravenwolf, your intentions may
have been good. I do not believe you are deliberately attempting to send
out the wrong message. However, my opinion is being voiced as only one of
the many people who have some major concerns about what you are trying to
do with this "Teen Witch Kit." The last thing I or anyone else wants to do
is slander your work, but please understand our concerns. How can you
possibly teach the how before you teach the what? How can you teach the
magick before you teach the history or the technique?
My Brother Josh
Dedicated to Jeremy Schmaltz
By Mary Henthorn
I reached past him, and as my arm got near.
Words were spoken, that my ears could not hear.
With a 200 year old necklace, laying upon my chest.
Causing a state of confusion, that it could be a test.
But I wasn't afraid, since I knew that feeling well.
Yet why I was having it now, I just couldn't tell.
Where's Joshua? I can feel his presence.
Where's Joshua? I can hear his voice.
Joshua past away two full lifetimes ago.
So is this real, or did my mind just blow?
There's Jeremy, but how can that be.
There's Jeremy, having this effect on me.
I came to understand, that they were one in the same.
My brother from a past life, is here with another name.
And regardless to logic, I know they are one in the same.
So much of my dear Joshua, now answers to Jeremy's name.
Jeremy has no idea, and may think that I'm crazy.
So do I tell him, or should I dismiss it as being hazy.
In the back of my mind, I keep thinking oh my gosh.
This perfect stranger, is actually my brother Josh.
Copyright ©2000 Mary Henthorn
Raven's Rants
By ~Raven
Christmas vs. Yule
My husband is at work the other night and calls me to tell me he had been in
a "debate" of sorts with a fellow worker. My hubby is very "out of the broom
closet" and they know it and tend to tease him about being a witch.Well,the
other night they asked if he had a Christmas tree up and when he replied yes
they told him he was a hypocrite. He told them that we simply use the tree
and lights for the children to enjoy Yule more. Our children are raised
knowing they are witches and are told to be proud of it. We have been lucky
thus far and had no major problems with anyone because of it. Our children
say grace to the Goddess at meals and pray to her at bedtime. They are also
told about the God and Goddess and what Yule means. Yes, we do the "Santa
Claus" thing but again we do it to make the holiday more enjoyable for our
young children. We are not so stuffy that we desire to take fun away for the
sake of learning. When my husband explained this the argumentative person
simply rolled his eyes and walked away. I told my husband that people are not
born with the closed mind that some express but that it is closed by how they
are raised as a child.
My children are raised to be loving and accepting of all races and religions
-- even those that are not their own. They will be raised to read books on
all religions (Just as I chose to do as a child) so that they can make an
educated and informed decision on if they wish to remain witches. I want my
children to be educated in every way. That way if they run across someone
like that (and they will) they can tell them why they are what they are and
why they didn't choose another path. I don't want them to simply say "Because
my parents are."
So as Yule approaches I sit with my children and continue to educate them and
wait for the next holiday that my husbands coworkers give him grief about so
I can hear how he put them in their place!
