Michael and Jaspenelle

Twelfth Night and Stagnation

Michael and I are going to our duchy’s Twelfth Night celebration today, the duke and duchess specifically requested that we attend… Which is a little weird to me, as we have pretty much been inactive for most of 2007. Still it will be fun, I need to make a dessert to bring and I am really not in the mood for that this morning. Unfortunately they did not have Haagen-Daa Reserve Amazon Valley Chocolate ice cream in the Middle Ages. Unfortunately we do not have any in the freezer at the moment either… *sniff*

This is my hearth altar at the moment. I want to change it up, maybe put some Spring flowers there, I just need to find the energy…

The second Temple Free Spirit newsletter will becoming out Monday. We didn’t get as many submission this time and I wonder if this season affects people other than me. Mid-January to February I feel like all my energy is draining away, maybe filling up those persistent clouds outside, or getting lost in the fog. Then in rains down on me and washes what it left into the soil. Maybe the Earth needs it more then me though.

My doctor wants me to talk to the clinic councilor at the end of the month, which I will, though I really don’t think it will help any. I truly believe it is just the weather getting me down. As soon as the sun returns, so will my energy. It has always been this way. I admit this year it is worse then usual and I am sure pregnancy in amplifying it but I am certain I am not going to go antepartum psychotic though. Just give me back the sun. Maybe that is why the snake has been visiting me so often in my dreams lately, he always comes with the sun.

I don’t really know why I am talking about this particular mood right now. I am not sad or happy, I am just kind of… void. Easier to sit by my daylight (a really bright light that emulates sunlight) then do much of anything else, until I am recharged at least. But if anyone else feels like this, you aren’t alone you know? It isn’t your fault the your energy level currently does not match the height of pots and pans in the sink.

Speaking of which, I ought to make some apple pie… and do this dishes.

Temple Free Spirit Solstice Gathering

(These are some of the people who came to our gathering. Including children, we had about 25 people attend, which was a really fantastic turnout, especially with all the snow we had yesterday!)

Temple Free Spirit hosted its first every gathering last night. We celebrate the Winter Solstice! The gathering was held at Shannon and Robb’s home on Spokane’s South Hill and a total success! We held a small ritual, had a potluck and had lots of fun! As with all Temple events, we also had a food drive and received several large bags of food for Second Harvest.

(You can go to the the Temple gallery to see a few more photos.)

The Winter Solstice Gathering was a wonderful chance to get together, build community spirit and celebrate the Earth. Thank you to everyone who helped with preparations and attended.

Festive Spirit

(Pretend that I actually have red or green tapered candles in those silver holders…)

I suppose I should post some kind of update, I’m still alive and kicking. Making lots of candles and pulling out Yuletide decorations. Do you prefer silvers and golds or reds and greens, or all of the above (like me!) I don’t know what it is about this year but I am in the festive mood earlier then usual. It is not even Thanksgiving yet after all. I am putting together a Yuletide newsletter for Temple Free Spirit; reading the contributions and writing my own article (about the history of gift giving) are definitely putting me in the holiday spirit.

Now we just need some snow!

What else… Not to much else that I am willing to publicly talk about it going on other then the usual baby ramblings. I hardly had any morning sickness today. Yay! I am tired a lot. Not so yay! And I am prone to random spells of bubbly excitement interspersed with tears. I also have this nagging feeling that my uterus is slowly but surely absorbing my brain…

Anyhow, back to candles. I am designing some holiday sets, I hope they look as lovely in wax as they do in my head.

Fall Festival Recap

This is my Autumn Equinox “altar”. Since almost everything is packed for next weeks move, this represents pretty much everything that is still left out.

Pumpkins, squash, apples, white wine, huckleberry tea, canning jars, a dehydrator, a pressure canner, a food strainer and an apple peeler corner slicer. It also shows you want I will be doing for the rest of the day, canning and drying apples.

And it shows what I did yesterday, apple picking!

We are making a tradition (currently in it’s second year) of going out as near to the equinox as possible to Beck’s Harvest House with friends and picking apples as well as enjoying the Fall Festival they have out there.

(Some pictures from in the orchard, click the thumbnails for larger pictures of course.)

Apple picking is so fun with a big group of people. Last year I only picked dozen apples, but this year I got two bushels of Red McIntosh and Gold Delicious (for apple sauce) and a few Jonagold (for pie.) Our friends Lily, Mikcos, Nathan, Sal, Rusty, Peter, Stacy and her wife (I can’t remember her name) all came with us and we filled our little cart with apples. The man at the orchard said that we had picked the most apples of anyone that day, hehe. As we picked we shared a big jug of fresh apple cider and good times. I have to say of all the ways to celebrate a sabbat, this is my favorite, with friends and having a great time. Puns did fly! So did a few apples…

I love the Harvest House orchard because they let you taste every apple you are thinking of buying right off the tree. I like Red McIntosh best, as far as just eating an apple off the tree, they are tart and crunchy with a little hint of sweetness. I am using half McIntosh and half Gold Delicious in my apple sauce today.

We also went on a hayride, so I got the opportunity to get good pictures of everyone (except Mikcos, who managed to dodge the camera somehow) and Stacy’s wife, who had to stay behind because they brought their dog, Grace, who wasn’t allowed on the ride.

Some time during the day we ended up in the gift shop and did some wine tasting. I bought a bottle of sweet white wine infused with herbs, as well as a box of huckleberry tea. They also sell a lot of little crafts, preserves, pastas, local honey, baked goods and, of course, fruit. Plums and pears are also in season.

When we all parted ways at the end of the day, I think everyone was in great spirits. I know had a great time. Peter had carpooled with us so he came with us as we dropped by my mother-in-law’s home to borrow her apple peeler corer slicer and food stainer (now I can have a bit of an easier job processing my apples today.) When Michael and I return Kim’s apple peeler gadget and strainer, we might have to stop by Harvest House again and pick up some local honey and more apple fresh cider.

This is my favorite time of the year, nature is tucking in and turning down the lights for the winter to come but she is showing us one last huzzah for the year decked out with all her finery and abundance. I have more photos here and one especially for Autumn Zephyr, who commented on grey skies and smoldering clouds the other day.

Blessed Autumn Equinox!

~~~

Oh and of course no adventure can pass without at least a little mishap. Maybe it was the country roads, or the pothole-ridden streets of Spokane but we managed to knock the muffler off the car. When we stopped to investigate the mysterious dragging sound I found it hanging by one rubber loop, so I pulled it off and we tossed it in the trunk. We will get it put back on when Michael gets off work this afternoon.