Windburn in Autumn

Life got busy. I thought it was busy when I spent all my time applying for jobs and writing my book and working part-time as a Life Coach and keeping up with friends and practicing my pagan skills and working on my other projects. But it wasn't.

For the past two weeks (and this is a happy thing), I've worked six days a week. Four at the Farm, and two half-days as a nanny for this huge chunky four-month-old-baby with a lady-killer smile. Next week, I get to focus more on the Farm. (Which, really, is more about the Foundation that is working to preserve the Farm, and a lot about Education, come to that. I may even eventually get to do the job I was originally hired for, and preserve/digitize/catalog something. You never know.)

And it is SUCH a freakin awesome place to work! We have free-range wild ducks that are huge and black with red and blue and white bits here and there-- and they have little fuzzy yellow babies!! We have three grey barn kittens who keep sneaking into the house and onto peoples' laps when they aren't looking, and one old black Tom who lives by the kitchen stove and was totally offended when the kittens arrived. We have apple trees and pear trees and zucchinis the size of small sports cars. Lots of friendly male goats who come when called ("hhheeeeerrrr goat-goat-goat, hhheeeeeerrrr goat-goat-goat!") and really want you to rub behind their ears, and three dappled white Davenport-Arabian horses that all want to make sure they get some of whatever you're handing out.

We have school children learning to make butter and listening to the story of Florinda Geer who traveled the Oregon Trail with her parents when she was eight years old, and then planted a tree on her parents' land-grant farm in 1856 that is still standing and growing on that same farm today. Look, there it is. We have farm-fresh dairy cheese made with a long-lost recipe from very old hillside cave dairy farms in Switzerland. We have an archive with over 165 years of family history, letters, tintype photos, and furniture from that trip over the Oregon Trail in 1846.

What we don't have is money to keep everything going. We're still working on that bit.

Oh, and we offer farm visits and tours.
Check us out at www.geercrestfarm.com.
Can I just TELL you how much I love wearing jeans to work?!

Anyway, four days working like crazy at the farm with long 45-mile drives to get there and back, plus working part time as an Empathic Life Coach, plus writing my book and keeping up with friends and working as the Moderator for Natural Medicine on an online information distribution website called Factoidz, and carving out time to spend with my boyfriend (I seriously never thought I'd date again, but this man is worth it!) and making time to honor the changing seasons and glorious full moons and and and-- Well it's a heck of a lot busier than I was before. And I love everything I'm doing. I just don't get much sleep. And the days are flying by so quickly anymore, I keep checking my face for windburn.

Dating. UPdating.

I just updated my profile on WitchVox. It's kinda scary having a real and very honest profile of me available to the general public. But it was also educational. How do I represent myself to the world today? What do I believe to be true about myself in a general way? What do you need to know about me before you decide you like me? Do I care if you like me?

So, since it's all about the Pagan, I'm including my observations in a Pagan Practice Post, too. Here's what I ended up with:

Your Likes:
Helping people smile and feel appreciated just as they are, petting contented cats, the Pacific Ocean, and probably the usual-- Nature, cat-naps, family meals, reading, walks/hikes, listening to stories-- especially from Old Wise Women and men (I hope to be one someday) -- learning new things, fresh air, tea with friends, laughing, clear communication, the color blue...

Your Dislikes:
Distress, active hatred, lies, politics (depends on what they are, probably) ... Most of the time, I'd rather look around me and find a reason to laugh.

Your Personal Profile:
I'm learning to listen to my inner Guides in new and better ways. It's definitely a process, with lots of opportunities to laugh at myself (and laugh about the world around me) and grow. I'm nearing 30 now, and working hard. Means I rest hard, too. I like that part.

I've always had a penchant for listening to people tell stories about their lives-- especially stories that are important to THEM. Now I'm learning to listen to how those stories inform ME, and my relationship with Ancestor Earth, Mother Moon, the Forest Father, and the Greater Good.

So far, I'm learning to effectively apply herbal healing, EO's, my slight knowledge of the 7 chakras, and healing stones. I've learned that I'm not Wicca, but I do a lot of work in a similar fashion to Green Witches, Kitchen Witches, and Tree-Talkers. I'm practicing my Medicine Woman Tarot, and listening to the magick around me when I go with friends on hikes. Trying not to anger the fairies in my living room, honoring my Guardian, and laughing at the hedgewitch in my head who advises me when I cook. (It tastes better if you don't look at it first. Hey- fresh greens and garlic go in EVERYTHING, right?) I'm laughing a lot more than I used to, too.

I have an old soul, and a new start-- I'm using both gifts to make the best life I can. It's pretty great so far. When I finish my Masters, I'll be hunting for official librarian positions so I can go on helping people find the information they need to be their best selves, too. And believe it or not, most of the librarians I know are NOT boring. They're crazy. You know how it goes-- it's the quiet ones you have to watch.

I am also learning about both this Witchvox thing and this Pagan thing, and creating a presence for myself within it seemed like a good place to start. So, here we are. I'm creating a presence, making my connection to this wonderful community official, and this is it for now. By the way, if you have found any reliably accurate and easy to use books on herbal lore, kitchen lore, and homeopathic healing, I'm interested!

I wish you well in your travels-- whatever form they take.

...and you know, it's funny... This is me. It IS me. And when I read this, I feel I've managed to communicate these goals and this reality on my blogs. It's a good reality check for my self-image, you know? I mean- yes- I do still get a thrill from a fresh box of crayons... but other than that, I'm a functional adult. And I'm really proud of that. Most of us (including me) have very good reasons in our past that we COULD have become very messed-up adults. And I'm not. Not very. My kitchen-- now THAT is messed up. But I'll clean it tomorrow, so no harm done.

Have a great morning, and a restful afternoon.
Blessings Be to You from Me.

Herbal Blurbal

Did I tell you that I went to a Medicinal Herbs 101 class last weekend? Probably not. Well, I did. And it was so cool! I'm signing up for more. We didn't go into each plant so much-- there are just too many of them-- but we did go over basic terminology, the realities of working with herbs, and the how to of making your own medicinal teas, tinctures, balms, etc. We also got a short recommended references list, and a bunch of online resources. I am SO STOAKED! (wow, that word feels old)

If you are interested in classes, try your local community college, or check out Jo Powell's School of Herbalism and website at www.nwherbs.com. If you can't take it from her, she probably knows someone in your area that you can check with or learn from. I'm taking the Medicinal First Aid with Herbs class in a couple of weeks. I'm sure you'll hear about it.

So anyway, today I finally went to visit my local herb shop, and bought a few ounces of herbs to start playing with-- freshly dried so I know they'll be good for medicinal purposes for a few months here. I've started with a Comfrey Oil, which I'll turn into a balm once it's finished "cooking." And I'm about to try my first sips of my own medicinal echinacia and stinging nettle tea. Which I suspect I may have made incorrectly because if you're using the flowers, leaves, and basically the soft parts of the plant, you don't boil the herb with the water (this is called infusion)... but if you're using the bark, seeds, stems, roots, and basically woody/hard parts of the herb, you DO boil them in the water (called decoction)... And the echinacia I got was surprisingly woody-- (the whole plant is medicinal, and I think this herbalist collects the roots)... but I didn't boil it, as the nettle was a leaf, so...

Anyway, I love the idea of being able to take care of the smaller illnesses and injuries that come my way, without waiting for it to get "bad enough" to see an MD, without paying extra money, without taking a prescription medicine, and without worrying about the next apocalypse. Boy, I know I spelled THAT word incorrectly! Thank goodness for spell-check. And honey. Thank goodness for honey, too. Some of these herbs get kinda bitter. It's really nice to be able to add some honey to the tea and know you are actually doing yourself a favor!

Some Online Resources:
www.nwherbs.com --Jo Powell knows her stuff, and her classes just ROCK!
www.botanical.com --Has a decent Materia Medica (where you learn about the herbs).
www.herbs.org --scientific herbal research.
www.swsbm.com -- The Southwest School of Botanical Medicine by Michale Moore.
www.pacificbotanicals.com -- buy herbs, learn stuff.
www.theherbshoppe.net --The Herb Shoppe is a real store, with a great
and well-educated owner. A great resource person as well as a
great place to buy herbs and bases.
www.mountainroseherbs.com --good for herbs, great for essential oils (EO's).
www.herb-pharm.com --great for tinctures and good info available, too.
www.libertynatural.com --again, great for buying your herbs and other stuff.
www.frontierherb.com --this is the brand carried by most health food stores.

Great Books:
Herbal Healing for Women by Rosemary Gladstar.
From Earth to Herbalist: An Earth-Conscious Guide to Medicinal Plants by Gregory Tilford.
Aromatherapy: A complete Guide to the Healing Art by Kathi Keville & Mindy Green.
A Modern Herbal by Maud Grieve. (also available online at www.botanical.com).
Growing 101 Herbs That Heal by Tammi Hartung.

Anything by Michael Moore or Jack Green is also something Jo might recommend.

Must Be, Maybe, Please??

So I'm in the process of trying to find OTHER PAGANS in my community. I know they're there. I can hear them breathing. I can see their bumper stickers on the freeway. I've visited two of their stores to buy candles. I have a business card for a member of the local Pagan Clergy. And many of them have put a lot of time and effort into posting information about their organizations and events in various websites I've located. They usually even include contact information.

However, when it comes to actually CONTACTING any one of them, I find a depressingly consistent scenario emerging. The vast majority of websites are no longer maintained, and the phone numbers or emails are disconnected and inactive. The few that HAVE actually gone through-- I've left a message after an impersonal beep or sent an email to the address listed-- well, lets just say these must be very busy people. I've gotten two responses. Ever. And I've been doing this (selectively) for a month now. And one of those responses was from PA. Not so helpful to someone located on the West Coast, and searching for local community.

It has strengthened my resolve to not only CHECK that MY list of links is current on a regular basis, but to CONTINUE BLOGGING here for as long as possible. It isn't likely that too many folks will stumble onto this thing, and it's not always the most helpful information for others anyway... but it's NOT GOING AWAY. And at least with a blog, you can see when the last publication was from the author. You know if nobody's bothered with it for a couple of years. The websites... not so much. They tend to use words like "MONTHLY MEETINGS AT..." or "I just started this thing, and..." ...and they don't realize that 4 years later, when they've stopped that thing back in 2002... uhh... how did I know that? Well, I tried the email link and it's dead. But websites don't really die. They just go on broadcasting the same old information... and that information gets older, and older... and older...

WitchVox actually posts a warning and suggestion on their website-- in the history of the publication, they've only had about two groups TELL them when the group disbands or changes it's contact information. Thus-- they highly recommend that you call or contact any store you plan to visit, or group event you'd like to attend, to make sure it's STILL THERE. Wise advice. Saved me a lot of insecure and uncomfortable moments. And a lot of car gas.

So... even though I may not have a lot of insightful, deep, or important info to impart, I'm committed to continuing to blog even during those times. It means there is something that won't go away.

And... I got an email back from someone local this morning. Someone who actually does still put on monthly full moon ceremonies. Someone who invited me to call her and ask questions. Someone who might actually be able to show me the "local community" aisle of the Pagan Supermarket Highway. I'm hopeful. I'm calling.

Books

Well, I started my research online, because the internet is the tool I'm most familiar with. I learned that as much information as there IS on the web about the neopagan community, and about the many different branches of the Wiccan Faith, the best and most helpful information just at first, was what I found in books.

Now that I have a basic understanding, I am forever searching for some arcane bit of knowledge or a website that offers just the right information about ordering food-safe cauldrons or who to contact about participating in the next big holyday or what THIS representation of the Goddess is known for.

So-- a few places to start. I'm giving you the websites first, because you're probably as impatient as I am, and the library or the local bookstore might be closed.

*Celtic Wicca Index of Information (and store)
*Z.Budapest's Website
*The Witche's Voice Newsletter

Now, having learned just enough to know I needed to learn more before I could really get started with anything, I found a couple of VERY useful books-- for me. You may find that locating the "Pagan Religions" section of your local bookstore or library is the best way to figure out what you are interested in learning about. You may relate strongly to some non-Wiccan pagan religion, and therefore need to read a book I haven't really noticed.

*Drawing Down The Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshipers and Other Pagans in America; by Margot Adler
This woman did wonderful original research on existing Pagan communities in America. She was allowed to participate in some of their Sacred Circles, and she has read most of the literature that is or was out there about each facet of Pagan Religion to date. This book is a GREAT way to really understand all the different forms of Pagan worship out there, what they are called, what they believe, how they worship, and the meaning behind the words we all use.

Now, being a scholar, I read all the prefaces and introductions before I got around to reading chapter one. They are dry in places, and a bit repetitive. But they definitely helped me understand the way in which she wrote the rest of the book, and gave me great insight into WHY she wrote the book. Basically, Drawing Down The Moon was originally written in 1979, based on a survey Margot Adler did at the time. You want a copy of the revised edition-- published sometime after 2005. She has done another survey and a complete re-researching of Pagan religions in America TODAY-- and has included both her original observations (take it as historical background on your potential religion), her new research, and her comments on the difference between the two. And there are tons of resources in the back of the book.

*Simple Wicca; by Michele Morgan
This book really does lay out the holydays, the meaning of words, the most common tools and symbols and rituals of the religion, and gives you some sense of the way magick is practiced. As I was first starting out, I found it unbelievably helpful to have someone tell me WHAT THEY DO, and WHY! And not just give spells and throw terminology around and assume you understand what a mixed-gender Dianic Wiccan would and would not believe (for example). However, this is just one person, and just one way of being Wiccan. There are all kinds of Wiccans, styles, beliefs, spells, and guidelines, and she only presents the ones SHE uses. They may not all be right for you. Take what resonates, and keep searching for more.

*The Chalice & The Blade; by Riane Eisler
This book looks at the archaeological records of what existed before Jewish and Christian Faiths were born-- before Christ was born, before the year 1 A.D. And it talks about how life, learning, and worship may have been. You see, Goddess-worship has existed for many thousands of years in many different parts of the world. In fact, considering that written historical records have been found in archaeological digs and anthropological studies up to and more than 8,000 before the coming of Christ, it's rather ironic that we call everything before the year 1 in our calendar (based on the coming of Christ-- A.D. stands for more or less "After Death) "PRE HISTORY." That the most meaningful way our whole society can date such events is "B.C"-- basically, "Before Christ." Many Pagans today use C.E. and B.C.E. (before common era) for this very reason. Their histories are not ruled by a god that has only been in existence for 2,000 years.

Well, that's a lot to get through all at once. I'll sign off and get some other work done while I still have hours left in the day. May the falling rain cleanse your skin, nourish your body, and inspire your soul.
Blessed Be.