tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69192110069659068682024-02-20T02:30:17.781+10:30The Country Witch's CottageThe Country Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475878098670922278noreply@blogger.comBlogger248125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-62488332587122779962023-10-28T14:40:00.001+10:302023-10-28T14:40:09.006+10:30Beltaine Blessings & Upcoming Markets<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUIwwBV7mIXYVwpElNu2acc6u9Sa_fW0N_SR211FaJfpXV2ygk8-8juVpPYkhRyEoPtq2b61LE3_s5aOu4feJQEkDt3jWWsiEN2TQB62nAaBymhkf5CgJYCxIoKRUKrpRsgSsKcIPVkdvQaAX4hhtsJmyD6U1-SlChBtjugzytUtdh5R8A5-KjMTf/s900/photomania-33c07a6fc40d443a0afbd77edc1d0531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="830" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUIwwBV7mIXYVwpElNu2acc6u9Sa_fW0N_SR211FaJfpXV2ygk8-8juVpPYkhRyEoPtq2b61LE3_s5aOu4feJQEkDt3jWWsiEN2TQB62nAaBymhkf5CgJYCxIoKRUKrpRsgSsKcIPVkdvQaAX4hhtsJmyD6U1-SlChBtjugzytUtdh5R8A5-KjMTf/w353-h383/photomania-33c07a6fc40d443a0afbd77edc1d0531.jpg" width="353" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p><p>It is the season of Beltaine; one of the traditional Gaelic Fire Festivals of Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. Our ancestors (if we have from these lands) would often mark this as the first day of Summer, this would be the time when the cattle would be pushed out to the pastures, rituals would be performed to protect crops, livestock and hearth and home – of course here in Australia we are starting our harvest season so for us, Beltane means harvest. It is during this time of year when bees will swarm, summer fruits are growing, the gardens are awash with colour from flowers and everything is coming into it’s own. Depending on where you reside in this land of ours, Beltaine is also the beginning of the dry season, bushfire season and when we have to start watching out for snakes. Before long the land will start turning various shades of yellow and brown where I live and we will see very little green before we move into the harsher heat of summer.</p><p>Beltaine also marks the end of market season for us for the year; although this year we are doing <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1798151320649758" target="_blank">Queen of Wands Copper Coast</a> in December (16/17) because it’s closer to us than the normal <a href="https://www.facebook.com/queenofwandspsychicfair" target="_blank">QoW markets</a> which are generally in our state’s capital city. November 4/5 we are doing the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SAVikingFestival" target="_blank">SA Viking Festival</a> in Victor Harbour which has, in years previous, been the final market of the year for us. We may do a couple of local markets leading up to Christmas in our town but other than that, Viking Festival and QoW Copper Coast will be the last time to see us out and about this year so if you’re interested, please do come along!</p><p>There is no altar this Sabbat, if you have read my previous post, you will know that at the moment I am not actively working with or creating altars and probably won’t be for a little while – it’s not something that I have the capacity for at the moment however I do hold hope that one day I will get back there.</p><p>I hope you all have a wonderful Beltaine!!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWw5y1l0iNyKkssl23uvnMLTKjnmj3fs4_aj5CpkBP9UQupNYvLgHmJPZCB4VNyWdBU_i4ngHiU4VygQl6rB2FSodfpp1kfd3T8lyVfbMaXiLnUEOxYClqQ1zlmTS8ieMASaPJWHWSadIlwhk_ICLIjHMEZXGe4ALTGSS9PfKX1jYSEoBqW882gOr/s1463/Beltane%20Tarot%20Spread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="873" height="589" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWw5y1l0iNyKkssl23uvnMLTKjnmj3fs4_aj5CpkBP9UQupNYvLgHmJPZCB4VNyWdBU_i4ngHiU4VygQl6rB2FSodfpp1kfd3T8lyVfbMaXiLnUEOxYClqQ1zlmTS8ieMASaPJWHWSadIlwhk_ICLIjHMEZXGe4ALTGSS9PfKX1jYSEoBqW882gOr/w351-h589/Beltane%20Tarot%20Spread.jpg" width="351" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div><br /></div>The Country Witch's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556916588972822678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-65507075658187027702023-09-29T15:25:00.001+09:302023-09-29T15:25:03.681+09:30Mental Health & Practicing Witchcraft<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSbBVBppn2DbOWC7ImGGkSNDseU9DIJl4NXz0pNh1JeP11o9qOR88FUcoTWzc9mViJrK6qX1Kpvp9Liv7zYMycwD36k9yF98afrAqQFhixscsE46vvfdD_C08Q6RqzIWQTGKEuqKm3_X1T_W0wPycRZmmXeqFrVMriOr06cnHCxqVS0iwaMlBJpqsd/s900/photomania-e9b4a9a345a4c502e4a3a8cbaf0a4f87.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="900" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSbBVBppn2DbOWC7ImGGkSNDseU9DIJl4NXz0pNh1JeP11o9qOR88FUcoTWzc9mViJrK6qX1Kpvp9Liv7zYMycwD36k9yF98afrAqQFhixscsE46vvfdD_C08Q6RqzIWQTGKEuqKm3_X1T_W0wPycRZmmXeqFrVMriOr06cnHCxqVS0iwaMlBJpqsd/s320/photomania-e9b4a9a345a4c502e4a3a8cbaf0a4f87.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">*<i>I do apologise if this is rambly, I was struggling with a very persistent flu when I wrote it</i>*</span></p><div><br /></div><div>A couple of months ago I packed up my altar and put it away. </div><div><br /></div><div>There I said it out loud, anxiety and imposter syndrome be damned…..</div><div><br /></div><div>Mental health is still such a taboo topic and although we can talk about it more openly now, there is still stigma attached to it. It’s not surprising that a larger number of people are experiencing mental health issues; in Australia it is speculated that it is at least <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/mental-health/overview/mental-illness" target="_blank">1 in 5 people</a> but I imagine that number in truth is probably larger simply because a lot of us tend to under-report or explain away what we’re feeling. Collectively as a society we’ve gone through enough worldwide disasters, epidemics, pandemics, wars and more in such a short space of time than previous generations that we’re all so incredibly tired and the mental/emotional exhaustion is real. It’s only been in the last twelve months that I have proactively taken steps to treat my own mental health issues – clinically diagnosed anxiety and depression (rated severe) with high stress. The causes for it are lifelong, some more impactful than others and there have been recent events in the past few years that have exacerbated my symptoms. While this post is about mental health and witchcraft I must state clearly that I am in no way a medical professional so this is solely my own experience and observations and should not be taken as fact or a substitution for seeking help or diagnosis for your own mental health.</div><div><br /></div><div>I packed away my altar because I felt such a large disconnection from my spiritual self; my thoughts were very internalised and destructive with me experiencing a crisis of faith/belief. I felt as though any ability or gifts I had had completely deserted me. I felt as though any manifestations I tried didn’t come to pass and with that, I was a failure as a witch. Every time I looked at my altar I felt like I was a fraud so in the end I decided to pack it up because I couldn’t keep looking at it without it causing me a lot of anxiety. The ironic thing in all of it though, is that making products for my business or doing readings for other people – no problems, it appears from all feedback that it all works perfectly well for other people. But I internalised my thought process that I was the problem, the issue, the letdown, even when those around me would tell me differently. The thing with anxiety and depression is that each on its own is debilitating but together they are really exhausting. Living in a constant state of overwhelm makes you very tired, executive dysfunction becomes a very real thing and you feel stuck and unable to move or motivate yourself which is then followed by a stress fuelled bender to complete things if you have a deadline. This tends to also affect me on other levels – my physical health is not great (assisted by endometriosis and the random symptoms that can go hand in hand with that) and it leaves me feeling very empty energy wise. I wasn’t able to take anti-depressants to combat the depression because even taking half of the recommended dose left me feeling as though I was unable to function properly (while they didn’t work for me, it is always worth trying them if your doctor recommends them because they can and do work to help combat and manage symptoms but this is a discussion to be had with your mental health provider).</div><div><br /></div><div>When you lose the one thing that was often your light, your path it can become a struggle to find a way back to it. Even though my feelings about it haven’t changed much, I know that prior to spiralling, my practice gave me a lot of comfort and it was a place that I could be creative and expressive. It was a place I felt safe and as though I was being productive and contributing something. I had to restructure my life and my goals to fit with my current mental and emotional health load, I had to sit with myself and realise that right now, I can’t do what I used to do. I had to learn to be okay with having days where I didn’t do much and redirect the thought patterns that often come with it – I would think that if I wasn’t productive the entire time I was awake, I was failing. The idea of taking rest days and not forcing myself to be productive was tantamount to scandal for me, I had to be busy because things had to be done and if they weren’t done then I failed myself and everyone else for that day. I’m starting to learn to be okay with just taking a day and not focusing on tasks that need to be completed; some days consist of me just playing some Xbox, reading, maybe doing mundane household chores and not focusing at all on anything witchcraft or business related. </div><div><br /></div><div>It’s not been an easy path and I still struggle with it most days but within that, I still know that if I feel myself getting into a state of overwhelm, it’s perfectly okay to put it aside for the day and come back to it tomorrow. I still struggle with the internal dialogue that causes me to think that I should be able to do things and not doing them means I’m lazy, or incompetent or I should be able to do it because other people do. It takes effort to quiet that voice and know that I am none of those things because I take time to re-centre myself and work within my energetic capacity. In some ways I think that late stage capitalism (yes, irony is clear considering I run a business) has pushed us to think that we must always be productive, contributing, working otherwise we are not a worthy member of society – it’s a dangerous and debilitating system that we all live in and I just think if some changes could be made to be more supportive that we would find people could find a better way and heal.</div><div><br /></div><div>When it comes to practicing spiritual work while working within a mental health context there are times it can be challenging because self doubt can creep in; as well as feeling time poor, stressed, tired and burned out but I have also come to realise that you can still practice your craft while working with your mental and emotional health. You may not have the energy for big works but there are still small things you can do that are a touchstone, a connection to your spiritual self. And you know what? If some days you really don’t have the energy for it, there is nothing wrong with that. You are not less of a witch because today or tomorrow or even all this week or month you couldn’t find the energy to do witchcraft.</div><div><br /></div><div>With that said, if you feel like you still need to have some sort of touchstone to your practice, what kinds of things that can you do that are low energy but can keep you connected or practicing? Here are a few – these are of course my own opinion and obviously it will be different for everyone.</div><div><br /></div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Light an incense stick and take a few moments to meditate, say a little charm to add a boost and <span> </span>connect with the element of air</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Pull a card a day and focus in on what that could mean for you for that day</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Put a glass of water in your sacred space and invite spirit to partake</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sit or stand outside with your feet on the grass and connect with earth and ground</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Bask in some sunlight (safely of course) and connect with fire energy</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Place your feet in a basin or bucket of water with some salt to purify your energy and connect with water/earth element</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As you stir your morning beverage, say a little charm or chant to add a little magic to it</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When you make your morning breakfast, charm or enchant it with some energy for the day</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Journal one or two things about your practice, your thoughts or even just random things</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>During the full moon simply just gaze at her (you don’t even have to be outdoors)</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Grow a plant or two and water them each day as a connection to the natural world</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Clean or dust down your altar or sacred space</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Charm a piece of jewellery that you wear to give you a little magical boost during the day</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sain or smoke cleanse your house or even just a room to move on stagnant energy</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Grab some oil or infused water and draw a protective symbol over your doors or windows</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Grab a book on witchcraft you’ve been wanting to read and read one chapter</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Write something you wish to achieve on a bay leaf and burn it while thinking on your intention</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If you work with crystals or gemstones, charge one with your intention and carry it on your person for the day</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If you are the one in your household who does the cooking, charm and enchant your cooking herbs as you add them to your dish</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Decorate a page in your grimoire or book of magic – you can do this by printing out interesting <span> </span>articles, pictures that you like, words of wisdom that resonate</div><div><br /></div><div>These are just some small things that you can do (if able) to connect with Spirit and practice without it having to be intense or elaborate. Some mornings all I manage is drinking a cup of tea (English Breakfast is my favourite) and sitting outside on the back step while I give my cat supervised outside time (she’s not an outdoor cat, but I let her out in the sun supervised then she comes back in) and watch her bounce around in the grass, roll around on the cement and just cat. In of itself that can be magical; taking the small moments to simply enjoy what is in that moment rather than the bigger things. In this current world with all the crisis that we face daily, it can sometimes be the simple moments, the simple things that bring us joy and connection; I find that a lot of us just don’t have the energy anymore for the big things and that is okay. I have found myself connecting more with my interests that were witchcraft adjacent but not witchcraft and that helps – I’ve started creating herbal remedies again. A lifetime ago I got certified, the art of putting herbs together to create healing is a passion of mine that while not witchcraft, connects with my love of herbs and using herbs.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you feel as though your mental health is preventing you from practicing your path, just take small steps and don’t beat yourself up if you’re not doing the big works, the lunar rituals, the Sabbat celebrations – all of that is not necessary to being a witch and whatever you can manage on that day, in that moment, is as a valid as the person casting massive rituals weekly. Be kind to yourself and know that your practice, your path is always going to be there waiting for you when you are ready to go back to it. You are still a witch or witchcraft practitioner whether you do something daily or not - that will never change because it is a part of who you are and you will find that you can be okay with that. </div><div><br /></div><div>I hope this post has offered some comfort or advice or even just made you feel less lonely; it’s just my own reflections on where my head has been at for the past few years. My love to those, who like me, struggle each day with their mental health and sometimes find this world overwhelming, I see you, I hear you and I think you are brave.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you find you are struggling with your mental health, please seek help where you can; Australia has some great resources such as <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" target="_blank">Beyond Blue</a>, but you can also see your own GP to work out a mental health plan best suited to helping you.</div><div><br /></div>The Country Witch's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556916588972822678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-58699144860530734602023-09-20T16:55:00.005+09:302023-09-20T16:55:30.542+09:30 Ostara Greetings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1ZU3sugl2Cc6HgaxHNqADBMUQdRhveXZk5VF3yq8eif4TNMCkm7EqvmFvrNHL3-ZAkDr41sdtwvPbSwWuF7OHSQsXB9DN5nRwnfCSPcA_XfTSpXsB_oti2CZbZSuAZMuIbhOH-uLuPLgeDfcOct4R9Rwy8RPDfyZSG9DEnTHhJAh5usRSNFpIc3V/s900/photomania-9a7412272094f0ac9b832058d86166a9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="850" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1ZU3sugl2Cc6HgaxHNqADBMUQdRhveXZk5VF3yq8eif4TNMCkm7EqvmFvrNHL3-ZAkDr41sdtwvPbSwWuF7OHSQsXB9DN5nRwnfCSPcA_XfTSpXsB_oti2CZbZSuAZMuIbhOH-uLuPLgeDfcOct4R9Rwy8RPDfyZSG9DEnTHhJAh5usRSNFpIc3V/s320/photomania-9a7412272094f0ac9b832058d86166a9.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><br /></div><br /><p>The Spring Equinox is upon us; everything is starting to hit its rhythm and begin to grow. I know that I have seedlings coming up, the fruit trees (stone fruits) are moving from blossom to leaf and the formation of fruit. It is a fantastic time of year, right before it gets too warm where you can enjoy the slightly warmer weather, the scents, the sounds and for us Aussies – the dreaded Magpie season.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhAwWd3232MK2Ln7GODzEmpg-Vd58WFJWh74UdV_K_ZhB320tkh8fxYIocFT-hQsxvOiNRLGnPGkGXpHFmtiFbBlPmh-g-Lh6dv6sZjgP1nufWpigfJyaLy7U1KokHZFbGOPC__7EgZQI9-WQ3YD0x9z_sz5_jbuUsSSjjeEQuOVFqxEqdNzO71Dl/s900/photomania-5523cd7a84bcc889b2ef8373aa886d56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="849" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhAwWd3232MK2Ln7GODzEmpg-Vd58WFJWh74UdV_K_ZhB320tkh8fxYIocFT-hQsxvOiNRLGnPGkGXpHFmtiFbBlPmh-g-Lh6dv6sZjgP1nufWpigfJyaLy7U1KokHZFbGOPC__7EgZQI9-WQ3YD0x9z_sz5_jbuUsSSjjeEQuOVFqxEqdNzO71Dl/s320/photomania-5523cd7a84bcc889b2ef8373aa886d56.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Ostara (Spring Equinox/Vernal Equinox) is a lesser Sabbat in Neo Pagan tradition; it is celebrated on the 20-23rd of September in the Southern Hemisphere and the 20-23rd of March in the Northern Hemisphere. Ostara has its roots in Anglo Saxon history; it is said that Ostara is attributed to, or in reverence of, the Germanic Goddess Eostre, however there is little archaeological or historical evidence to support this. While Ostara’s true origins and history may be a bit unclear, there is no doubt it has been adopted into modern Neo Pagan practice and widely accepted as a Sabbat. It is a fantastic time to observe the changing of the seasons, the blooms that invite in pollinators, offer growth, new bounty and new beginnings. It is a time to get your seeds in growing, ready for the coming season and decide what you wish to grow, manifest and harvest in the coming months.</p><p>I will be honest; I don't have an Ostara altar yet this year....a lot has been happening and it's just not something that was high on my to-do list. I'm not very good at keeping up with the altar per Sabbat idea but unfortunately life sometimes gets in the way and it doesn't always happen.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKsl49O8844_WprIAyF6N-UZDKdcCq14i6zWNTWtK6rs0Rabk0xDqppcYKqXG1N3zOC-lK5JTpvOzJ_1ib4cZed3pRZtA5GE0nEMOcYAKXaZxr9T7mJSaYAGPU6NCLduyNe3XNdo0bwV8PRBbxPaPdsbF3N0hnRHfrtC61div8JCQ2lHI834pKfJZ/s1599/Ostara%20Tarot%20Spread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1599" data-original-width="944" height="665" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKsl49O8844_WprIAyF6N-UZDKdcCq14i6zWNTWtK6rs0Rabk0xDqppcYKqXG1N3zOC-lK5JTpvOzJ_1ib4cZed3pRZtA5GE0nEMOcYAKXaZxr9T7mJSaYAGPU6NCLduyNe3XNdo0bwV8PRBbxPaPdsbF3N0hnRHfrtC61div8JCQ2lHI834pKfJZ/w403-h665/Ostara%20Tarot%20Spread.jpg" width="403" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><br /><br />The Country Witch's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556916588972822678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-25495339279425252922023-09-07T15:51:00.002+09:302023-09-07T16:29:09.430+09:30I'm Published!! <p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh__tXlLKdUJ7bhW0-xwqahvKcJdulD2jeQm1PuPp6jmxFvpR3VVCB6kg-6FQEfhU2-gJMV2I7uiNjFiZ9uIPEFq9LGV61AuslZO0_O7Y1Xe-Ecb9osJFLH9gRTpHe7Z3e5c-jgthVb-YBVXWe1sUqFxJIs3QriWrdEgl_68x7W6S_YD1GrIeyZIs1/s2700/1800x2700%20Hedge%20Witch.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh__tXlLKdUJ7bhW0-xwqahvKcJdulD2jeQm1PuPp6jmxFvpR3VVCB6kg-6FQEfhU2-gJMV2I7uiNjFiZ9uIPEFq9LGV61AuslZO0_O7Y1Xe-Ecb9osJFLH9gRTpHe7Z3e5c-jgthVb-YBVXWe1sUqFxJIs3QriWrdEgl_68x7W6S_YD1GrIeyZIs1/w275-h414/1800x2700%20Hedge%20Witch.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.asia/d/8panbpZ">Hedge Witchcraft by Lisa Chamberlain <br />and Stacey Carroll</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So a thing happened....I'm now a published author which is just wild to me - something I had never thought I would see happen but here it is, a published book with my name on the cover. It comes in either <a href="https://amzn.asia/d/8panbpZ" target="_blank">paperback</a> or <a href="https://amzn.asia/d/andRF99" target="_blank">kindle</a> on Amazon so if it's something you think you'd be interested in reading, please do check it out!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This was a project that started three years ago, it took some time with Lisa’s other author commitments (as she was editing and publishing as well) for it to finally become available to purchase. If you’ve followed me for any length of time you know that hedge witchcraft is very close to my heart and the path that I have practiced for a long time so it felt natural that the first (and hopefully not the last) book I wrote was on that subject. This book is not a formal tome with obscure references and hard to follow examples, it is a beginner book at its core; it has been written so that anyone curious about hedge witchcraft can come to it and learn easily how to create their own hedgewitch path. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQg6CaTfBtw9dKQ_k0-CIrTCoELJnEch_jH5lqMmXtlR3NRoOnI1kpN6wp4U6v2VBvQLa0vNtkrwgoms5lj7MKdi8foSnLH7JGEnEh_lLd7pqSIIr3i2auXSZ_v5L5UaiHcsIzGALOYxumSBHjFQQIIdcH7QQfpK2mdcq_7Vq6Wh73_8ry9Wai5aIy/s3264/BeFunky-collage%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQg6CaTfBtw9dKQ_k0-CIrTCoELJnEch_jH5lqMmXtlR3NRoOnI1kpN6wp4U6v2VBvQLa0vNtkrwgoms5lj7MKdi8foSnLH7JGEnEh_lLd7pqSIIr3i2auXSZ_v5L5UaiHcsIzGALOYxumSBHjFQQIIdcH7QQfpK2mdcq_7Vq6Wh73_8ry9Wai5aIy/w444-h444/BeFunky-collage%20(1).jpg" width="444" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It is written geared more toward the northern hemisphere in the flora and in cases, fauna, that is mentioned – and yes, I do live in Australia but practically I knew a larger portion of the reading base would be northern hemisphere based (as is Lisa) but in saying that, a lot of the herbs, trees and other things mentioned can be found here in Australia if you look closely at your local surrounds. Australia has a lot of diverse European fauna as well (I grew up in a cottage with a big oak tree, and just outside the same town are rosehips) I believe a lot brought to Australia through our ancestors and our long history of immigration which is why you can find Ash, Elder, Blackthorn, Hawthorn and more in mild climates. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I have tried to cover as many areas of the path that I can in a clear and concise manner making it easily digestible and interesting, I find the easiest way to absorb information is if you are enjoying what you are reading. I would really appreciate any reviews that you would like to share; I’d love to know what you thought and if you found it to be helpful! I’m very excited to bring this book into the world and I hope that if you choose to purchase it, that you enjoy it as it helps guide you on your first steps of the path of the Hedge Witch. </div></div></div><p></p>The Country Witch's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556916588972822678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-28657769955273828132023-07-29T16:25:00.004+09:302023-07-29T16:27:05.831+09:30Imbolc Blessings<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMW8o3HTbKORE6A9lENQnu_aEbdVyEADYBKUaNAnB6CQsd4zTkuKFPUT513yRvo-kIkQWhU7LTqMgzyP4YZQdCzaA8H48R9mgxCotvEMQuVHAP5mU8sNDW3gs7P9TRcV0FjI30PaOm69j2jE2rj6C8IT9m9dCWW1Lc2HnbGTAXccAxxwIDW6SjHUMd/s900/photomania-d401570a514a203f83b34f08ea332cc9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="900" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMW8o3HTbKORE6A9lENQnu_aEbdVyEADYBKUaNAnB6CQsd4zTkuKFPUT513yRvo-kIkQWhU7LTqMgzyP4YZQdCzaA8H48R9mgxCotvEMQuVHAP5mU8sNDW3gs7P9TRcV0FjI30PaOm69j2jE2rj6C8IT9m9dCWW1Lc2HnbGTAXccAxxwIDW6SjHUMd/w393-h274/photomania-d401570a514a203f83b34f08ea332cc9.jpg" width="393" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Imbolc is almost upon us, it is the time when Spring starts to show herself in small bits. Around this time the jonquils are flowering, trees have their buds just waiting to flourish with colourful delight; the weather is not as cold but often also has a final cold snap or two before it settles into the slightly warmer days of August. I’ve spent the past couple of days writing out a list of seeds I will be putting in in early August, most are veg given the rising cost of things, growing your own food – even the smallest amount – helps. The traditional date for Imbolc is August 1st however the astrological date this year is August 8th so if you feel you’re a bit behind – you have some time to start planning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Imbolc is a traditional - and some argue, neolithic Celtic fire festival that marks the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. Traditionally Imbolc was celebrated as the end of winter and the beginning of spring; this time of year ewes would be lambing (Imbolc meaning 'in the belly' thought to refer to pregnant ewes) and the beginning buds of spring would be peeking through. It is also called Candlemas and was incorporated into Christianity and became a day to celebrate Saint Bridget - otherwise known as Brighid, the Celtic Goddess of Smithcraft, Healing and Poetry. So loved was Brighid that Imbolc became a Sabbat dedicated to her; as a Fire Goddess she represented the returning warmth, light and growing season. A traditional tribute to her was creating a Brighid's Cross. Imbolc is a good time to begin rituals of renewal, begin creating your Spring garden, looking to the future and making plans as to how you want the rest of the year to progress.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Here is my altar for Imbolc – the little dolly was made by my best friend and was featured in the Imbolc Sabbat box.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1iuR4yG9kalvKqrJ7U2nOJXJLhYd4t8BkfkeTKKUZaAHcR8kozzjcguWXkMnJ70wMhnhpSxXcQz1z-wLu8DtHGhT2UGfvrjNo2q-mMzWw2OiPnxjXOGRpSWqKxyoWUm8PcJSWFd4b5P_IcLoXFueEyjmL89AMhyvdpnW78qvrxG7Mp83S8Vdc2WHx/s900/photomania-0f399f59a181eb5dd64ea2b822176d8e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="900" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1iuR4yG9kalvKqrJ7U2nOJXJLhYd4t8BkfkeTKKUZaAHcR8kozzjcguWXkMnJ70wMhnhpSxXcQz1z-wLu8DtHGhT2UGfvrjNo2q-mMzWw2OiPnxjXOGRpSWqKxyoWUm8PcJSWFd4b5P_IcLoXFueEyjmL89AMhyvdpnW78qvrxG7Mp83S8Vdc2WHx/s320/photomania-0f399f59a181eb5dd64ea2b822176d8e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This bi-monthly's <a href="https://thecountrywitchscottage.com/collections/subscription-boxes/products/pre-order-practical-witchery-box" target="_blank">Practical Witchery box</a> is also available for sale, the theme is 'Sacred Space'.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_ixEcuwUrKtYRyQfyrx-xkiMWzg9kup66_4SHojEvoLMjc6UDFfLsQN6v3f_WJofah9t4vO7bQbuGfum7mqEC4psy39LmKjBinVl7fsh-n64Vw_gmlvvZlSvV0oauZ46eWuG0ewH8eGeDR6kzxsvi9LcR-ygS2qd4ncZXGft_6nwV1mexLqb8OMJ/s1499/Imbolc%20Tarot%20Spread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1499" data-original-width="932" height="571" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_ixEcuwUrKtYRyQfyrx-xkiMWzg9kup66_4SHojEvoLMjc6UDFfLsQN6v3f_WJofah9t4vO7bQbuGfum7mqEC4psy39LmKjBinVl7fsh-n64Vw_gmlvvZlSvV0oauZ46eWuG0ewH8eGeDR6kzxsvi9LcR-ygS2qd4ncZXGft_6nwV1mexLqb8OMJ/w355-h571/Imbolc%20Tarot%20Spread.jpg" width="355" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div>The Country Witch's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556916588972822678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-70518623146076823662023-06-22T17:06:00.002+09:302023-06-22T17:06:11.937+09:30Winter Solstice Blessings<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagQFoTUb5ctb_ZzZoihnoi874o4ULVvGbKTVwTCDy2E6lqO_LuyTqz1Etk6OOymzyirTAs_i7YnKpEtWmrukmhFlbuVRX21Yj5OmTEF82yF8pcjsPnOr_DF-HZSgyJ9xH3pXtNbEHDYM3879CUmbvnQUAtKVuzI1sk8Rokr1c8Cc4WXyxEUJFlJds/s900/photomania-c3f0d1dbf0b62029b71661712c9a5508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="889" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagQFoTUb5ctb_ZzZoihnoi874o4ULVvGbKTVwTCDy2E6lqO_LuyTqz1Etk6OOymzyirTAs_i7YnKpEtWmrukmhFlbuVRX21Yj5OmTEF82yF8pcjsPnOr_DF-HZSgyJ9xH3pXtNbEHDYM3879CUmbvnQUAtKVuzI1sk8Rokr1c8Cc4WXyxEUJFlJds/s320/photomania-c3f0d1dbf0b62029b71661712c9a5508.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Yule is upon us here in the Southern Hemisphere; the astrological date and traditional date are actually just 24 hours apart which is quite often unusual of any Sabbat. June has been very mild so far in my little corner of the world but yesterday (the 21st) it decided to come in quite hard with rain and wind. Today it has continued to be rainy, windy with a smattering of rolling thunder; the Cailleach has come storming in ready to begin the season. However following the Indigenous calender of this region – <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/iwk/calendars/kaurna.shtml" target="_blank">Kaurna</a> – then we are only just seeing the start of the Kudlila (Winter) season now.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What is Yule? Yule, the Winter Solstice, is the point in the Witches Calendar where it is believed to be the longest night and shortest day of the year before the dark part of the year is over and the light will now begin to emerge. Of course, whether you are in the Southern or Northern Hemisphere, Yule traditionally sits half way through the first month of winter and the light is a little ways off returning yet. Yule is a time of celebration, light, welcoming the year ahead and feasting. It is also a time of rest, relaxation, going inward and reflecting on the year that has gone and what you wish to see in the year ahead. Of course we realise that two weeks into the month of June, we’re not going to suddenly see the days get shorter and have more light; we’ve still got July and August to go of winter, although July is generally the darkest and coldest month of the three. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Winter is a good time to take stock of things and see what’s what in your life; especially now with the cost of living and housing crisis escalating. We’re in a troubled times and everything is uncertain so it is a good time to go inward and assess where you’re at and where you want to grow. Yule is a bittersweet time for me, it signifies that winter is truly in swing but it has been almost a year since I lost my beloved Bella, my heart is still broken, my soul is still very sore. I still struggle daily not having her here with us and I don’t think the pain will ever truly lessen. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I don’t have a Yule altar to share, I’m honestly not feeling it at the moment; even though I tried to make the commitment to have an altar for each Sabbat, I think I am going to stick to the four Sabbats I want to observe for now. </span></div></div><p><br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzD2NCvaOqhONAEpmmXi_20U-VoLw5A_P9UdrQEzxh9fjFee1gaTA4Nqr2voeenZHaFApEsRWRIG5JO0lJ5KOw1kUvYjOyuC0vfkS5Gl53iJsoQ19uTZDKD2Ny9QRvYVSXxOZBWnAswTXCybTUBKUK3-FosgRztMpJ8n4_iRbeTL9LYAsrh6r0_Q-L/s1550/Yule%20Tarot%20Spread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="924" height="631" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzD2NCvaOqhONAEpmmXi_20U-VoLw5A_P9UdrQEzxh9fjFee1gaTA4Nqr2voeenZHaFApEsRWRIG5JO0lJ5KOw1kUvYjOyuC0vfkS5Gl53iJsoQ19uTZDKD2Ny9QRvYVSXxOZBWnAswTXCybTUBKUK3-FosgRztMpJ8n4_iRbeTL9LYAsrh6r0_Q-L/w376-h631/Yule%20Tarot%20Spread.jpg" width="376" /></a></div><br /><p></p>The Country Witch's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556916588972822678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-39162700751839281272023-05-01T20:21:00.000+09:302023-05-01T20:21:09.968+09:30Samhain Blessings and Divination<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJjj-CNKcE0v-avzZykTpgFi6H_n51Oa_73aXxiRs824k4cZcE-MeeT7e2KZkRJvAl45UISpzhtBlE0WPAa0OH9ucKQIR80XwYHNQS-0ycZ06zPYS0yh3GF9pCntOuBuQ83_VF4aQLNEAE7iwnpWbNwkIE4TVxKPFndp5RP9do_-wy2zvMVu8_g/s800/Cem10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="800" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJjj-CNKcE0v-avzZykTpgFi6H_n51Oa_73aXxiRs824k4cZcE-MeeT7e2KZkRJvAl45UISpzhtBlE0WPAa0OH9ucKQIR80XwYHNQS-0ycZ06zPYS0yh3GF9pCntOuBuQ83_VF4aQLNEAE7iwnpWbNwkIE4TVxKPFndp5RP9do_-wy2zvMVu8_g/w421-h298/Cem10.jpg" width="421" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">It’s May 1st, the traditional time of the final harvest festival – Samhain. In the Northern Hemisphere this is often referred to as Halloween or All Hallow’s Eve, a time when the veil is thinnest between the worlds and the dead walk amongst us once again. In the Southern Hemisphere we celebrate Samhain April 30/May 1st although the astrological date is early morning hours May 6th…auspiciously the morning after an eclipse (or not, depending on how you view eclipses). This year I am going to be trying to move forward with rebuilding my ancestor altar and looking at how I want my practice to progress because of late I have been somewhat disconnected to it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">There are some changes coming to the shop, the Sabbat boxes are being dialled back to 4 a run of the wheel; if you read the newsletter I explained it all in there but if not, the short version is that they are a lot of work, they take a lot of planning and creating and with my partner working a bit more and my Mum in a different town; it’s just me doing most of it. There are a few different things I want to focus on and achieve this year – or at least start – and the boxes tend to mean I don’t get as much time focus on other aspects of my life. On a spiritual level my background and ancestry is predominantly Gaelic/Brythonic and as I want to start really connecting with my roots there and moving toward a more authentic practice for myself, I realised that the solstices and equinoxes – while I enjoy them – are not in line with that. The Four Fire Festivals are Samhain, Imbolc, Bealtaine and Lughnasadh/Lammas – these were festivals observed by the Irish/Scots/Isle of Man and in similarity, festivals in that vein in England and Wales and I would like to build my practice centered around a modern interpretation of the practices/beliefs that my ancestors would of held.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Samhain is often a time of reflection and letting go to make way for the things that you want to come into your life; it is a time of honouring the Dead (if you have Dead you wish to honour) and reconnecting with our spiritual selves. We are entering the darker part of the year and this gives us time for pause and evaluation, to know what we need to thrive and what we need to part with in order to be able to thrive. This season take a moment to pause and reflect, see what you can let go of, what no longer supports you and how you want the rest of the year to go. It’s not always easy, but when you come off eclipse season, you may find that you are changed whether you want to be or not.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3pp7HYaUBMyYMatmxZfBRtlafTGSZtejS9nt3jkA3JAdH7G5ardM2UEYEq4qOAhDAjmDFRqlSDcDuS2uLtqbbyud-yxoIXL5X1XMMGnUhlNpgj63-FIN6zw-7WNrpnZ79UOV3od0NH5W5WeHPxEuFniM4Vl4n7bG-TW6DLGWPehoCRKCl_ENYg/s900/photomania-173b0766ca50464a9fef36de116e9f4f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="900" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3pp7HYaUBMyYMatmxZfBRtlafTGSZtejS9nt3jkA3JAdH7G5ardM2UEYEq4qOAhDAjmDFRqlSDcDuS2uLtqbbyud-yxoIXL5X1XMMGnUhlNpgj63-FIN6zw-7WNrpnZ79UOV3od0NH5W5WeHPxEuFniM4Vl4n7bG-TW6DLGWPehoCRKCl_ENYg/w377-h271/photomania-173b0766ca50464a9fef36de116e9f4f.jpg" width="377" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Samhain Altar 2023</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">So I did miss Mabon, but here is my Samhain altar, it’s not fancy. I’m still trying to get myself into the routine of creating Sabbat altars more regularly – it’s a work in progress I suppose.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">And continuing on from Lughnasadh, here is a spread to try during Samhain to see what is being revealed to you. I am liking the idea of doing a spread for each Sabbat celebration, it’s an interesting way to connect with the season and any divination that you need to know.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0t19ns7KUAY2z_Zz-QGKde8-F3d3FNPB6xVYQhbFo2qpsS6aLHJdNNjnT0EbSl2y4r7bXmCFfG1UgXKOqlfYuYfT_1Ov2oN5QAz8iKXBfWbU5bXDBVi0rDT3pmLFfuw2ZsTHlNZpSdO159mMAZFufEN-af3H2XikzNur5qffw-ToCReTKc4RS2Q/s1075/Samhain%20Tarot%20Spread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="649" height="659" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0t19ns7KUAY2z_Zz-QGKde8-F3d3FNPB6xVYQhbFo2qpsS6aLHJdNNjnT0EbSl2y4r7bXmCFfG1UgXKOqlfYuYfT_1Ov2oN5QAz8iKXBfWbU5bXDBVi0rDT3pmLFfuw2ZsTHlNZpSdO159mMAZFufEN-af3H2XikzNur5qffw-ToCReTKc4RS2Q/w397-h659/Samhain%20Tarot%20Spread.jpg" width="397" /></a></div><br /></div>The Country Witch's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556916588972822678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-58865767817223835972023-02-02T17:42:00.001+10:302023-02-02T17:42:09.108+10:30Lughnasadh Blessings and a Tarot Reading<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV1natlT8ssWWykZVSsjwOTv91F6O0_N4NVPtEKpm8K4KNRESo2MdJhWaqroPAyNhOQLioPFA7Jw7hfoj3RyS-KJn6hp4Ehbnefr9HeiWbq391jJtateYilAiLZ8Oh_qo24EEbgVSIFvU775Tv6ura3eIBvdFCxC-F8ipMeD806wJGgq1-Qs4Wng/s900/photomania-c5b80c9ced779a9b4aa55695921b0312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="900" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV1natlT8ssWWykZVSsjwOTv91F6O0_N4NVPtEKpm8K4KNRESo2MdJhWaqroPAyNhOQLioPFA7Jw7hfoj3RyS-KJn6hp4Ehbnefr9HeiWbq391jJtateYilAiLZ8Oh_qo24EEbgVSIFvU775Tv6ura3eIBvdFCxC-F8ipMeD806wJGgq1-Qs4Wng/w377-h252/photomania-c5b80c9ced779a9b4aa55695921b0312.jpg" width="377" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Lughnasadh and/or Lammas Blessings to all! Today it is the traditional date of the first Harvest festival of the Neo-Pagan calendar; although here in SA it feels slightly more like winter is coming. It’s a breezy, overcast cool 18C with sporadic rain (which I am loving). I always feel more positive and motivated when February starts even though it is still usually disgustingly hot- because it means we are not far from Autumn and it won’t be long before the cooler months begin. Also, I’m an Aries Baby so of course I will be looking forward to my season.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I’ve been pretty quiet across all socials for a little while now – and if I’m honest I can probably count it in years more so than months but December/January were definitely quieter times for me. Late December and early January was spent reconnecting with family and then I was hit with a pretty bothersome flu that I had for most of January, it wore of in the last week thankfully. I am looking forward to starting to put into motion plans and ideas I have had for some time but life/health/business/mental health tended to set me on a different course. I am hoping that this year is a more positive and engaging one than last year, I would say that 2022 ranked up there with one of the worst years I’ve experienced.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">So in the spirit of trying to get myself spiritually back on track, I created my Lughnasadh altar this year and I am going to attempt (again) to try and do one for the each of the Sabbats even if I don’t necessarily celebrate each of them – or at least the <a href="https://www.connollycove.com/the-4-celtic-festivals/" target="_blank">four main Fire Festivals</a> of my ancestors (I have Gaelic/Celtic roots). I have also created a tarot spread for Lughnasadh/Lammas; it has been a good long while since I have really delved into the arcane art of divination so I thought I would give it a little go, have a play and see what I could come up with. I hope you use it, enjoy it and have a blessed Lughnasadh and/or Lammas! Also a cheekly little self promoting reminder that the <a href="https://thecountrywitchscottage.com/collections/subscription-boxes/products/practical-witchery-sabbat-box" target="_blank">Mabon Practical Witchery Sabbat box</a> and <a href="https://thecountrywitchscottage.com/collections/subscription-boxes/products/pre-order-practical-witchery-box" target="_blank">Practical Witchery Harvest Witchery</a> box are available for sale!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUYsZ8SrSOohRx6LVsn72iE0SnV55ARz-6XIpNICdIbvGFynwdVwF34UyO1roHaOVM3I5ruI6paQDLxd12xKBdGMy1JEnTas1RRJJYrMQBCtqwEMVOT-imeTOpcM3y9YkXHCbptKf9EgJU94Mmnv-KItQX7k38RBlyb6iQ-83vg04fLgZxii9OA/s900/Lugh2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="900" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUYsZ8SrSOohRx6LVsn72iE0SnV55ARz-6XIpNICdIbvGFynwdVwF34UyO1roHaOVM3I5ruI6paQDLxd12xKBdGMy1JEnTas1RRJJYrMQBCtqwEMVOT-imeTOpcM3y9YkXHCbptKf9EgJU94Mmnv-KItQX7k38RBlyb6iQ-83vg04fLgZxii9OA/w423-h314/Lugh2.jpg" width="423" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><i>My Lughnasadh altar</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">And now for the Lughnasadh tarot spread - it's the first time I've ever really made up a spread and shared it but I hope that it gives you some insight to the season and you enjoy using it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDecg2ofVSUyEwy7PxCxcQaChNIt6ZNct6QINDF0ovPMBaitPk8p6HPe4y8P-LqHYPqKLdd6nzPhH-eaf3OMBCbC8DDHZ_DiZ33nRo48ZCTd2_oMB-i2-NQsClAgW4U4k2CBvUTuscjlZ7drN3UfIeaSj0HKlbfKBwipZhgIn53y0zNH3axjhmQ/s1605/Lughnasadh%20Tarot%20Spread2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1605" data-original-width="950" height="835" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDecg2ofVSUyEwy7PxCxcQaChNIt6ZNct6QINDF0ovPMBaitPk8p6HPe4y8P-LqHYPqKLdd6nzPhH-eaf3OMBCbC8DDHZ_DiZ33nRo48ZCTd2_oMB-i2-NQsClAgW4U4k2CBvUTuscjlZ7drN3UfIeaSj0HKlbfKBwipZhgIn53y0zNH3axjhmQ/w525-h835/Lughnasadh%20Tarot%20Spread2.jpg" width="525" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>The Country Witch's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556916588972822678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-86728937533472195582022-11-01T20:45:00.004+10:302022-11-01T20:45:55.613+10:30Illness, Beltaine, Markets…the Final Push<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0CTUlErRHRY-voMuv9Pz7RU-zk1ubDmZX9h3PjYm1go6GUtLALEojoei2tazNvpPQaz88BAKMgJQkmWlz0E62VmzU9Q__8_NC8GdsDOv4DgkppydwHE6408HErMZy1ZboGWndCE0Uqm-2KUgcDKDjwCykS1JQHTgWfSK_s4TCIM2N7G7S1e1JQ/s900/photomania-9d97abecbe4ffc3b7768737ba3b83226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="773" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0CTUlErRHRY-voMuv9Pz7RU-zk1ubDmZX9h3PjYm1go6GUtLALEojoei2tazNvpPQaz88BAKMgJQkmWlz0E62VmzU9Q__8_NC8GdsDOv4DgkppydwHE6408HErMZy1ZboGWndCE0Uqm-2KUgcDKDjwCykS1JQHTgWfSK_s4TCIM2N7G7S1e1JQ/w306-h356/photomania-9d97abecbe4ffc3b7768737ba3b83226.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Today is the traditional day of Beltaine (the astrological date is the 7th of Nov); the sun has come out intermittently after days of rain and winds. The seasons have been very interesting this year, they’ve not been like years before however they (minus the flooding) remind me of what the weather was like when we moved here to SA in 1994. Life has been somewhat quiet which is how I like it, although for the second time in as many months I have been hit hard with the flu which is not fun. Coming up I have the SA Viking Festival in Victor Harbour SA on 5/6th November. I like catching up with everyone and the fellow market stall holders are wonderful people, it’s a real community of folks who have a shared passion. Market prep week is always a bit hectic, I think this week is the first one this year where I’ve not had boxes as well going out the same week. It’s almost a whole new experience for me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">With that, I thought I would share some of the beautiful nature around me at the moment in the garden (both mine and the garden at the cottage). I do love when all the colour is about, it just uplifts the mood and makes everything look so gorgeous.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Have a wonderful Beltaine season!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0rxC-d6QM6k32eleAGekt-Ix75EA_AvvXODHpqRQziF-p1sOYxdzhB7C3x11alD5s6n1i4adkiDRrSoq4FhIyvjy46j4I0T6DkCZnCj8iZIdRQCgHg2sXlUWB9hGzK-eSFNSJ9io9DdeFQACIuQ7HJKLAmBwFFdSQFXdU02gxA57b0FfBfNuDUg/s900/photomania-71d36d1e504bdfc713a6659f077b9b9e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="875" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0rxC-d6QM6k32eleAGekt-Ix75EA_AvvXODHpqRQziF-p1sOYxdzhB7C3x11alD5s6n1i4adkiDRrSoq4FhIyvjy46j4I0T6DkCZnCj8iZIdRQCgHg2sXlUWB9hGzK-eSFNSJ9io9DdeFQACIuQ7HJKLAmBwFFdSQFXdU02gxA57b0FfBfNuDUg/s320/photomania-71d36d1e504bdfc713a6659f077b9b9e.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAG7GcLRd4y8fUsLnzaJ_q5OIGPc_zRZycN7fcVd_kViL95HB69Kgq585UNntD7WgkHJqGPG7K-MFLj_WJlsUpNSXs9cnFJ9DEO7OTM0ZiueK81d2i0P7hyqcTcjMm3uu-9eA-tGhf3ZZBp0ckZNdKjwhSjPvgTI7GK4ZOlqk93uc1hLKa7JJj8w/s900/photomania-7019c18e66b5a448b5551b71558a0914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="875" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAG7GcLRd4y8fUsLnzaJ_q5OIGPc_zRZycN7fcVd_kViL95HB69Kgq585UNntD7WgkHJqGPG7K-MFLj_WJlsUpNSXs9cnFJ9DEO7OTM0ZiueK81d2i0P7hyqcTcjMm3uu-9eA-tGhf3ZZBp0ckZNdKjwhSjPvgTI7GK4ZOlqk93uc1hLKa7JJj8w/s320/photomania-7019c18e66b5a448b5551b71558a0914.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9aQ3knLOVNUJh8jxZRX9E5xfuT7WYPXxT64Nr4xaxw8HvP2Anf_MAmP0Q6ghmMlPQQ-LTLXbcpDirdnvORwfTOcaivodRjU3hLoxlQmPY43T2Vy0jJXcaAK1110vunqKEeMXIFYBptj7BVw_fO9fEO4e9gszMz704EdM811o-X7HJanxWee_R2A/s900/photomania-21f7537733b2851bfbb319ef320c8295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="839" data-original-width="900" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9aQ3knLOVNUJh8jxZRX9E5xfuT7WYPXxT64Nr4xaxw8HvP2Anf_MAmP0Q6ghmMlPQQ-LTLXbcpDirdnvORwfTOcaivodRjU3hLoxlQmPY43T2Vy0jJXcaAK1110vunqKEeMXIFYBptj7BVw_fO9fEO4e9gszMz704EdM811o-X7HJanxWee_R2A/s320/photomania-21f7537733b2851bfbb319ef320c8295.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9R1bnLHrlWPsPEB_ok8274Gt_YvKjmmYz_RiRC4IGGN_t7gJRhVxAHmyjgmyWTRwtFHzXMW26hULF26C_VxUgjYw3Drcwy8CBym35TuK4mYMsftcc_ckDcQEYXbPDyXisoilsEkLJQM0_is4S0F31DYOUezcVBDCzqn81ilOqC1ThQnM4S337g/s900/photomania-385e45410ae970e67dc82657363f3d78.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="738" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9R1bnLHrlWPsPEB_ok8274Gt_YvKjmmYz_RiRC4IGGN_t7gJRhVxAHmyjgmyWTRwtFHzXMW26hULF26C_VxUgjYw3Drcwy8CBym35TuK4mYMsftcc_ckDcQEYXbPDyXisoilsEkLJQM0_is4S0F31DYOUezcVBDCzqn81ilOqC1ThQnM4S337g/s320/photomania-385e45410ae970e67dc82657363f3d78.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPbzLsR2rUzx3YlpNn9pCL0bcU17_amSm_fBHbq9K1h0n__Ck8fHmWjD4cao1UMwCQ5cVFKgzoWbWuB3tagKBA2FvUljGitJAXeueP-eGn2T3V2mSQW6sRmaP9TX9fPyCSCdxAxNkxmROYMhhGJx1ZLqwD_o6ktKcKOKAhx0Ueb2tMKgt7qbOJ_Q/s900/photomania-09656c030bca973419013edd184ec8b8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="794" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPbzLsR2rUzx3YlpNn9pCL0bcU17_amSm_fBHbq9K1h0n__Ck8fHmWjD4cao1UMwCQ5cVFKgzoWbWuB3tagKBA2FvUljGitJAXeueP-eGn2T3V2mSQW6sRmaP9TX9fPyCSCdxAxNkxmROYMhhGJx1ZLqwD_o6ktKcKOKAhx0Ueb2tMKgt7qbOJ_Q/s320/photomania-09656c030bca973419013edd184ec8b8.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VRL_uuUGFrpgbVJP94ZdR2rh-oZGtkY8gfGmIZypCFvmgGr7Vr31_lpNb_xcjwml__T9xIcKfURayu1--GCJmcPiM7o0buzF8PWtjbqtuz9Skr8DEskNMRr2ADAtwXZHmCgtAkMlb9oYFEgdUuzRm80qh6yAc0wbTTqnFgg5jzkfYYQ0p7TxbA/s900/photomania-369789df6f6b332c9178baf3d9a30c94.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="608" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VRL_uuUGFrpgbVJP94ZdR2rh-oZGtkY8gfGmIZypCFvmgGr7Vr31_lpNb_xcjwml__T9xIcKfURayu1--GCJmcPiM7o0buzF8PWtjbqtuz9Skr8DEskNMRr2ADAtwXZHmCgtAkMlb9oYFEgdUuzRm80qh6yAc0wbTTqnFgg5jzkfYYQ0p7TxbA/s320/photomania-369789df6f6b332c9178baf3d9a30c94.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p>The Country Witch's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556916588972822678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-69083571835579917742022-09-27T17:45:00.002+09:302022-09-27T17:45:49.826+09:30Spring has…..Sprung?<p>Well it’s Spring, the season of delightful colour, warmth and a feast for the senses; except here Spring has not quite fully sprung. Believe me, I am not complaining because I would rather a long, drawn out cooler Spring with a very short summer (I’m a fair skinned redhead…auburn head….so the sun and I have a very unfortunate relationship). The wonderfully interesting thing about Australia is that it is a very diverse land; it’s not an exaggeration to say that we have almost every climate in the world contained here on this continent so the experiences of each of us season to season are very different.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jF1-3CXYDMbuDXa8Lm2_6atQDou3_CrdnhpWsi4GTuStFf7XBcq94kLPLoS5crLBkjt4ltc9rVw3QxfHnBHLb4jXTurxdHAQfz0ElbsXnXgQ8bmqbwtowH9J826vVY96Wr0KmQ1SSoGyjGcNPGdEUDjS7IZVphagfGbSTn57QYsxPUAAqtacjg/s4128/20220902_150007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jF1-3CXYDMbuDXa8Lm2_6atQDou3_CrdnhpWsi4GTuStFf7XBcq94kLPLoS5crLBkjt4ltc9rVw3QxfHnBHLb4jXTurxdHAQfz0ElbsXnXgQ8bmqbwtowH9J826vVY96Wr0KmQ1SSoGyjGcNPGdEUDjS7IZVphagfGbSTn57QYsxPUAAqtacjg/s320/20220902_150007.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>My fabulous friend Sasha (from <a href="https://thepaganhomemaker.com/" target="_blank">The Pagan Homemaker</a>) has been sharing her very ripe Uti fruit (also known as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santalum_acuminatum" target="_blank">Quandong</a>) yet the ones at my Mum’s house are not even close to ripe yet. Sasha lives about 2 hours north from me so even that short of distance – distance being pretty relative in Australia – there is a different climate again. The Mid North of SA comes under the <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/iwk/calendars/kaurna.shtml#kudlila" target="_blank">Indigenous Kaurna calendar</a> which is for the Adelaide Plains, we’re a little more arid and a bit more north where we are, but it mostly fits in with what I experience here. It’s something you come to terms with when you begin working with the Wheel of the Year; you soon realise that it has to be heavily adapted to fit where you live and sometimes the easiest thing to do is just experience the seasons as they happen and build your own traditions around that. </p><p>I’ve slowly started getting back out into the garden and getting my hands into the Earth, this year I have felt very disconnected from my green path and it’s something of a process slowly building that connection again. The wonderful thing is that my garden has chugged along without me giving it more than the bare minimum. My mandrakes are growing really well, I have a fruit again, I did try to cross pollinate them but time and winter got away with me and it didn’t quite happen. However one <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandragora_turcomanica" target="_blank">Mandragora turcomanica</a></i> fruit is good, I got 9 seeds last season so we’ll see how it goes this time. I think though, I’m going to focus more on feeding it harder to see if I can get that fruit a bit bigger.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibj7bZ72St2VxBJkNB8ukbSbo-Ncdzy2toI8sPbWX90BeegOcMFJiqnTA3FxTtynWZVKAuDt8lap1NCqjUY2Il90lQo3q57Sm6hrQRTgUXu2D1T-jgmNmAgeq3FAv0peprbSE3AHPdiLXDPDIcrec0zSSjIpu05YBW-6zC9OIZU6AVNtcp4JnddQ/s4128/20220813_120234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibj7bZ72St2VxBJkNB8ukbSbo-Ncdzy2toI8sPbWX90BeegOcMFJiqnTA3FxTtynWZVKAuDt8lap1NCqjUY2Il90lQo3q57Sm6hrQRTgUXu2D1T-jgmNmAgeq3FAv0peprbSE3AHPdiLXDPDIcrec0zSSjIpu05YBW-6zC9OIZU6AVNtcp4JnddQ/s320/20220813_120234.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>I’ve also embraced growing more vegetables; hopefully I will get some seeds in during the next week. I’m a bit late on the season for getting in seeds but while the weather is as mild as it is, I think it should be fine. I’m going to try and grow some gourds, I might even include them in next year’s Samhain Sabbat box if they grow, ripen and dry off in time. Next year there are going to be some shake ups with the boxes but that’s news for later once I iron out all the details. The Practical Witchery boxes have become a labour of love but my customers seem to really love them which makes it worth it. Next year I am looking at possibly starting a Beginner Practical Witchery box series that helps to build your altar, tools and practice but again, that is an idea that isn’t fully fleshed out yet. </p><p>I am really hoping to be more active here, I have neglected my blog for a long time – once upon a time I was quite the prolific blogger – I have lost touch with my love of writing a bit so here’s hoping the muse strikes and I can offer some quality posts….if all else fails I will fall back to my default which is an erroneous amount of garden photos. Between running my business, health issues, personal issues and markets (my last one was Barossa Medieval Fair, a fun yet mud filled weekend of medieval fantasticness) I’ve definitely let some of my passions fall by the wayside. One thing I would also like to be able to point myself toward is slowly building or rebuilding my herbal business <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thewildwortwyf/">The Wild Wortwyf</a> because I do adore making traditional herbal remedies as well as making witchcraft crafts. My to do list is very long…..very very long. So we’ll see how it goes.</p><p>Here’s to saying hello to Spring and hopefully, a good close out to what has otherwise been a pretty crap year.</p>The Country Witch's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556916588972822678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-41350944819499334182022-08-03T13:14:00.006+09:302022-08-03T13:14:30.187+09:30The Dark Winter<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g58Cz0K0qRR1WnkUPk3FHl-ibxzGlpAJmdkb46YfYmZCeCkktPlb5NnkIg1cozdDoeudeeKF1oGqgaAFMctlvsrpPtpqNr43CkgzXJpurdrxjEOzwpyeWE6hQ5Fvgvc-L3SeAGtOllLKpCBx7VTgoi0JrFG8cNyGI2yoweQWQavjfcUJj9bRUw/s900/photomania-9176607d2f8721dd8ab5d99250a855bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="675" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g58Cz0K0qRR1WnkUPk3FHl-ibxzGlpAJmdkb46YfYmZCeCkktPlb5NnkIg1cozdDoeudeeKF1oGqgaAFMctlvsrpPtpqNr43CkgzXJpurdrxjEOzwpyeWE6hQ5Fvgvc-L3SeAGtOllLKpCBx7VTgoi0JrFG8cNyGI2yoweQWQavjfcUJj9bRUw/w252-h336/photomania-9176607d2f8721dd8ab5d99250a855bc.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As we move past Imbolc; the Cailleach has loosened her cloak somewhat; the days are starting to stay a little bit lighter, the sun is coming out a bit more often and we’ve even been experiencing some warmer weather. I always know when it’s Imbolc or thereabouts, the Jonquils and Daffodils bloom. Much of the world is still asleep and there is green for days as farmers crops begin to grow. We experience our harvest season Oct – March here in Australia. The fruit trees are starting to bud now, the mulberry is already sprouting leaves; the Oak has tiny buds but will soon sprout the lush green that she so often sports. As much as I love winter, I do fall in love with early spring when everything awakes. Fruit trees bloom, bulbs burst forth in bright colours, bees are buzzing in delight – the Earth begins her cycle of renewal, growth and blooming.</div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWT03_fqWFYTh-VPZLj8Rs0KsHsg7tYgUtfTPkXCvncBJjjAOXb2l8npPl275lPbP5kLT35drtOyXd-bbfxeoNJK4FYIMhZQzacHfitrMGbwuXDlArcoEOXxzOyUp5GNVq_BvPvXXEupTwtHpPiQT3ka1Wn1mt0AwKDOIulNQ7iAp-tddK54Mxw/s900/photomania-6f021c604c31d48ba0217229b316a871.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="675" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWT03_fqWFYTh-VPZLj8Rs0KsHsg7tYgUtfTPkXCvncBJjjAOXb2l8npPl275lPbP5kLT35drtOyXd-bbfxeoNJK4FYIMhZQzacHfitrMGbwuXDlArcoEOXxzOyUp5GNVq_BvPvXXEupTwtHpPiQT3ka1Wn1mt0AwKDOIulNQ7iAp-tddK54Mxw/s320/photomania-6f021c604c31d48ba0217229b316a871.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdoeodxW0iIoURQFR5l2SR19zaxGZ2xrcoeNWsnL9BnrO6OZlbr_zQSF--ZWF7Bz06_dCV8TuJXKnffO8NPzXIBgecHaZCEKvP_gdrdLKPD_T4iG4lBrnCySBUWEyTABUK98gx7zekR_kt_CvKUagtRiO190UO6oG8pIwHAN_KrG1Tn0IdGwvsBw/s900/photomania-b2b0dd8700327929f41eb39a0474d761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="675" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdoeodxW0iIoURQFR5l2SR19zaxGZ2xrcoeNWsnL9BnrO6OZlbr_zQSF--ZWF7Bz06_dCV8TuJXKnffO8NPzXIBgecHaZCEKvP_gdrdLKPD_T4iG4lBrnCySBUWEyTABUK98gx7zekR_kt_CvKUagtRiO190UO6oG8pIwHAN_KrG1Tn0IdGwvsBw/s320/photomania-b2b0dd8700327929f41eb39a0474d761.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>However I will say winter this year has been a struggle; it is usually my favourite season but the first half of 2022 has been something of a painful one. Yule 2022 is not one I will remember fondly at all – as some of you may have seen in June I lost my beautiful Bella baby. It was one of the hardest and heartbreaking times in my life. I had for 16 years and she was my light, my love, my heart and each day is so different without her hear (in case you all are wondering, yes I still have the giant white flooferbutt, but her and Bella were not close). Between being made redundant, the return of some health issues and losing my baby girl, the first half of 2022 has been devastating.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYUGjBHyZhDF7dP2xAMRZdc-9EfUqGf-UFYnq4PDkNyTBVbjm2w5Fb_1pprn9_7_Ix4aH8EELxoesEIazX5uLfPAf-ImyAvkHTC4Xxxa86d1Z0tQ1xd6fiolo7xWuWGEyfmOdYJtzC65c5EA7rbThCyGjM3aS-Zh48wo9T73sIl8z0a1gzaxJKg/s960/MyBaby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="486" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYUGjBHyZhDF7dP2xAMRZdc-9EfUqGf-UFYnq4PDkNyTBVbjm2w5Fb_1pprn9_7_Ix4aH8EELxoesEIazX5uLfPAf-ImyAvkHTC4Xxxa86d1Z0tQ1xd6fiolo7xWuWGEyfmOdYJtzC65c5EA7rbThCyGjM3aS-Zh48wo9T73sIl8z0a1gzaxJKg/s320/MyBaby.jpg" width="162" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">With any luck, the second half will be better; wishes made on the Leo New Moon moving toward the August Supermoon, one can only hope that the warmer days bring happier times and joyful tidings. I have hopes and dreams that I would like to see begin blooming with the Spring season; times are hard in the world right now so I am trying to take pleasure in the small things and enjoy them in my life. A bee buzzing, my cat acting like a right goober, growing my own vegetables, harvesting herbs from the garden…simple things in life to make each day uniquely its own. I think that is the lesson of 2022, take happiness in the small things while you work toward the bigger things because right now the world is a mess and if we focus all of our attention on the outward big scary things I think we’ll all go a little mad. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Happy Imbolc all. May the seeds you plant during this season bring you a beautiful harvest in the months to come.</div></div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p></div>The Country Witch's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556916588972822678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-74886694207348360292022-04-30T14:02:00.004+09:302022-04-30T14:02:42.279+09:30So It's 2022<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHMUyk9hJPG-ZXE38pA4vW_Alcmk3XP_n1ffbO-UBm22Pq2PovkzV76kIbsQGJVjjgXyJ7DbPpQIk25BUXeT5cT6ao8IXAXOccgMaCeJirwgtq928R2TcojUK6DHHJMZIPdkHszaP4lDH7FfnWMjQohAoaRDEjJIOVYuSCesiKJdptNcVeGv8IQ/s2816/P1170974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1880" data-original-width="2816" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHMUyk9hJPG-ZXE38pA4vW_Alcmk3XP_n1ffbO-UBm22Pq2PovkzV76kIbsQGJVjjgXyJ7DbPpQIk25BUXeT5cT6ao8IXAXOccgMaCeJirwgtq928R2TcojUK6DHHJMZIPdkHszaP4lDH7FfnWMjQohAoaRDEjJIOVYuSCesiKJdptNcVeGv8IQ/w373-h249/P1170974.JPG" width="373" /></a></div><br /><p>So, it’s been a year since I wrote on this blog. Again. The past three years have not been what I would call gentle for most of us. In fact, while I likened 2021 to 2020’s psychotic cousin, it seems crazy runs in the family because 2022 had everyone hold its beer. My personal life has had its ups and downs with things just becoming too much and I was officially diagnosed with depression, anxiety and stress so it’s been a bit of a year so far. Mental health is no joke and this is the year that I decided to be kind to myself and actually step up and seek help for it. I’ve always been one of those people who do the whole ‘it’s fine, I’m fine’ thing because I don’t want to burden others. Note to self: not the smart thing to do.</p><p> </p><p>I’m not even sure what I want to write about, or even how to ease myself back into blogging. With the plethora of social media options these days is blogging even a thing anymore? I’ve been away from it now for the better part of 3 years with only sporadic posts the 3 years before that. I miss the connection I used to have with other bloggers, we’d comment on each other’s, we’d share. It felt like something of a community but I don’t even know if that is out there anymore since the big socials have become more prevalent in our life. Although to be fair, I rarely post on those either. I’m not social media savvy to be honest; it’s something I am trying to learn.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Practical Witchery and Sabbat boxes are going strong; I’ve had a really great reception to them. The Sabbats have entered their second run so hopefully they will be as loved as the first go round. I’ve made the commitment since Lammas to attempt a full Sabbat run of altars at home. While I don’t necessarily celebrate every single Sabbat, I am trying to observe them as a way to push myself back into my practice more. Some of you who have been here for a long time will remember I used to love doing a good altar for the season but it’s another thing that fell by the wayside. </p><p><br /></p><p>I’ve got some plans moving forward, I am hoping to be more present here on the blog; I won’t promise regular posts, but I am thinking about doing some book reviews, product posts, general witchcraft posts. It’s more of a see when the inspiration strikes type thing. So here’s to trying to get back on the horse again….let’s see how this goes.</p>The Country Witch's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556916588972822678noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-70698125435435792982021-04-21T13:16:00.002+09:302021-04-21T13:19:31.808+09:302021.....<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7Ms9RCR54TC1MtMfDErRBw9YNHp6ExU76vzYxmg4DJk188Q9vixBTjWUTuyZJ9AonjBrB8c5EQ2o-zFOkFA_rXCHh5I0PtdqQVbSQ-52wLNOJHBLG10iKMkMFpu40PX2tMJAI-mAXQ/s2048/P1170106.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7Ms9RCR54TC1MtMfDErRBw9YNHp6ExU76vzYxmg4DJk188Q9vixBTjWUTuyZJ9AonjBrB8c5EQ2o-zFOkFA_rXCHh5I0PtdqQVbSQ-52wLNOJHBLG10iKMkMFpu40PX2tMJAI-mAXQ/w398-h266/P1170106.JPG" width="398" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Wow. It has been a whole year and a half since I wrote on this blog and quite sporadically before that. I cleaned up my blog a little while ago and streamlined it (some of the older, shorter posts were removed) but even while doing that, the passion for writing didn’t really come back. I used to be quite the blogger back in the day, I loved to write and once upon a time imagined that I would some day be a famous, published author. Who knows? That still might happen but time is an issue and I need to become a bit better at managing mine. For those who are new here – my name is Stacey a.k.a <a href="https://thecountrywitchscottage.com/">The Country Witch’s Cottage</a>; a good overview of me is <a href="https://thecountrywitchscottage.blogspot.com/2019/10/let-me-re-introduce-myself.html" target="_blank">here</a> or in my about page <a href="https://thecountrywitchscottage.blogspot.com/p/who-is-country-witch.html">here</a>. I welcome you to this space and I hope you can find something of interest to read, learn or engage with (or even just enjoy the garden photos). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So here we are. 2021. The year that was supposed to be an improvement on its psychotic cousin 2020 but it seems crazy runs in the family. Last year was a hell of a year; and life was quite shook up and different. Even on a personal level last year was incredibly full on. I had surgery for my endometriosis (a journey I will one day write more in depth about because it is a really important topic for a lot of women) and there was a lot of emotional weight that came from that. The problem is far from fixed and the surgery, while dealing with a majority of the problem, caused others which, in having as many surgeries as I have for endo, is par for the course. It was not a fun time but I got to the other side of it relatively in one piece.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I no longer work in food; I’ve moved into the exciting world of part-time retail work. It’s less stressful oddly enough than the food industry and it has given me more time to focus on my business. I think if last year taught me anything, it is that I would love for The Country Witch’s Cottage to become my full time job, my career, my passion; I love working with herbs, creating magical items. Last year I started my own <a href="https://thecountrywitchscottage.com/collections/subscription-boxes" target="_blank">subscription boxes</a> called “<a href="https://thecountrywitchscottage.com/collections/subscription-boxes">Practical Witchery</a>”. I chose the name because witchcraft is a practical art and I wanted the boxes to be reflective of that. I wanted to create a box that required witches to get stuck in and create, bringing their own magic to life with their own energy and will. This year I started <a href="https://thecountrywitchscottage.com/collections/kits-boxes/products/practical-witchery-sabbat-box">Sabbat boxes</a>; it is something that I had thought about doing for a long time but never really knew what to do. I thought this year was as good a year to begin that process; the Samhain box is out and on it’s way to my lovely customers so on to the <a href="https://thecountrywitchscottage.com/collections/kits-boxes/products/practical-witchery-sabbat-box">next</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This year I definitely want to branch out more and create. I am planning on making more kyphi, oils, incense blends and candles. I am also looking at diversifying and creating some different kits such as spell kits and ritual kits. I am also going to start selling seeds of plants I love once my currently growing plants go to seed – and yes, my beloved poisons will be among them. I am also considering making ointments again and even selling – in small number – seedlings of herbs. I want to write a couple of small ebooks to sell that compliment products in my shop; and of course, get back to writing on this blog. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What plans do you have for the speedily passing by 2021? What dreams, passions or hopes do you want to see come to life this year? What seeds are you planting moving forward? As we head toward winter, now is a good time to begin planning for the light half of the year again, creating the groundwork for the coming spring and the future that you envision.</span></p>The Country Witch's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556916588972822678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-58663570806472824152019-10-30T17:40:00.003+10:302021-01-09T13:21:50.284+10:30Let Me Re-Introduce Myself<br />
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">It’s been awhile since I’ve blogged
with any sort of regularity so I thought I would re-introduce myself to anyone
new who has found my blog or website. So here we go – this may end up quite
interesting or really rambly, I’m not making any promises.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">My name is Stacey and I hail from
the Mid North Region of SA where I live with my partner and two of my cats; one
is an adorable tabby and the other is a giant floofle (my 3<sup>rd</sup> cat
lives with my parents because she loves the more than me – true story). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also share custody of my parents tuxedo boy
though he lives with them. He’s adorable and I say it because I co-rescued him
and he is just an adorable chonk monkey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">I’m an Aries Sun/Leo
Rising/Capricorn Moon with a hefty dose of Scorpio in my chart (fun times if
you’re me) living with a Libra Sun/Cancer Rising/Capricorn Moon partner (also
fun times having the same natal moon – we both get along and aggravate the crap
out of each other all in one go). I’m a cook by trade but also a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/threecatsteaandtarot/" target="_blank">tarot reader</a>,
writer, witch and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thewildwortwyf/" target="_blank">herbalist</a> although cook is what pays most of my bills – the other
stuff is more for fun and learning. I’ve been a witch for almost 22 years, I
started young – a curious young 13 year old who saw The Craft (okay people,
hold back on the groans, it was THE defining witch movie for my generation) and
decided that she now knew what she was. I was lucky because I had uber
supportive parents who went out and bought me a cute little spellbook called ‘<a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/The_Nice_Girl_s_Book_of_Naughty_Spells.html?id=UdbWljyZwYkC&redir_esc=y" target="_blank">TheNice Girl’s Book of Naughty Spells</a>’ and to this day I still have it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">I run an online business called <a href="https://thecountrywitchscottage.com/" target="_blank">TheCountry Witch’s Cottage</a>; the name is definitely appropriate, I grew up in an
old 100+ year old stone cottage with a big, beautiful oak tree next to it. I’m
sure most of you have seen the pictures of it – she’s a stunner. Although,
whoever built my family’s cottage perhaps didn’t understand how big an oak tree
can get, it’s literally right outside the kitchen window. Although in my region
it is a bit slower growing because of the climate and rainfall issues. I’m a
published author, having had articles published in <a href="https://issuu.com/peterpaddon/docs/crooked_path_journal8_issuu" target="_blank">The Crooked Path Journal</a>,
<a href="http://www.bbimedia.com/store/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&keyword=wp030" target="_blank">Witches and Pagans Magazine #30</a> and <a href="http://www.bbimedia.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37&products_id=832" target="_blank">#37</a>, <i>The Australian Pagan Magazine</i> (now
defunct) and various other places online. I was once a teacher and High
Priestess but now I’m pretty much a solitary witch who does her own thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">My path fits within the traditional
witch framework – my path is one of green witchcraft, hedge witchcraft and
rootwork. If you have followed me for any length of time you will also see that
I have quite the passion for poison plants, especially my beloved Datura. I
find them fascinating, powerful and wise; I also grow healing plants as well,
but my heart does lie with the poison plants of my garden. I’m currently
growing Datura, Brugmansia, three different types of Belladonna, three
different types of Henbane and two different types of Mandrake – my little
witchy heart beats with delight. I also like making candles, at this point in
time my repertoire extends to beeswax pillars and beeswax and soy reversible
candles but I have plants to experiment with more. I’m a candle lover from way
back so anything candle related I love (must be that Aries/Leo combo shining
through).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">I’ve also begun exploring the
connection with my ancestors and the lines that I come from. I have everything from
Spanish to English to Irish to African American in my tree – you wouldn’t know
it from the fact that the sun looks at me and I fry but it has led me to
explore some interesting paths and find new ideas that have expanded my
practice quite a bit. That’s the one thing I love about practicing witchcraft;
it is an ever fluid, ever changing practice and honestly, that is how it should
be, nothing that stagnates ever grows. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">Anyway, enough about me, basically I’m
just a witch, herbalist, mad book lover, cat Mumma, tarot card enthusiast,
writer, garden lover and cook. My life is pretty simple which is the way I like
it, I’m not one for noise or constant stimulation. I like to hang out at home,
make things, sleep in, annoy my partner, hang with my cats and live my life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">So that’s me in a nutshell. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">Hi Everyone, welcome to my blog, I
hope you enjoy looking around and learning something new or even just enjoying
the copious amounts of garden porn on here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Country Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475878098670922278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-15257449354034215512019-06-04T19:10:00.001+09:302021-01-09T13:13:18.077+10:30Love Baby, Love <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Part 1......<br />
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"<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i>You ever put your arms out and spin really, really fast? Well, that’s what love is like. It makes your heart race. It turns the world upside down. But if you’re not careful, if you don’t keep your eyes on something still, you can lose your balance. You can’t see what’s happening to the people around you. You can’t see that you’re about to fall</i>." </span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">- Practical Magic</span></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Practical_Magic" target="_blank">Practical Magic</a> is quite the font of wisdom when it comes to love and love magic. I remember watching this movie back when I was a young little witchlet and loving everything about it. To this day it still is my fuzzy comfy blanket witch movie – I will watch this over and over again and never tire of it (it is a movie adaptation of the book by <a href="https://alicehoffman.com/books/practical-magic/" target="_blank">Alice Hoffman</a>). But this post is not actually a post on Practical Magic but it is a post about magic.<br />
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Love Magic to be precise.<br />
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There seems to be a frightening trend of late in the realm of love magic; every single person out there wants a love spell, has cast a love spell that went haywire, wants to cast on a specific person who has no interest in them, wants all sorts of things from love magic. It is disturbing; not least for the reasons love magic can go horribly wrong. There seems to be a pervasive need within the community to manipulate others using magic designed to target the heart. Whether it is for bringing a specific person into your life, ending a relationship of someone else in order to wreak havoc or get that person for yourself, revenge, and obsession, control…the list is endless. Workings for love can be powerful if done from a place of good intent and they can be just as powerful if done from a place of desperation; now before people get the wrong idea that I’m about to go all happiness and positive rainbows on you – I’m not a love and light person. I will work baneful magic just as easily as I will work non baneful magic. I’m not against it and this is not designed to be a lecture but more of an observation. So without further ado, let’s look at some common scenarios that are rearing their head of late. (And yes, I will be using mostly male pronouns because my experience has been mostly of women talking about this but also because it simplifies things when writing – it can go both ways and apply to both men and women):<br />
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1)<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“<b>He’s cheating on me with other women but I want to tie him to me so he loves me and only me and stays faithful</b>”<br />
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Unless there are children involved, I often wonder at this and feel sadness that a person would think so little of themselves that they are willing to tie themselves to someone who doesn’t deserve them. It speaks louder about the conditioning people face in society when we are willing to put up with a lot of crap in order to not be alone.<br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">“<i>It had made her too helpless, because that's what love did. There was no way around it and no way to fight it. Now if she lost, she lost everything</i>.” </span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">― Alice Hoffman</span></div>
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A man (or woman) who would cheat on you has no real feeling toward you in any depth or meaningful fashion so while the spell will work and tie them to you, make them faithful, the behaviour and lack of emotion will manifest in the relationship in other ways. He may no longer cheat, he may even appear to love you but if it is against his natural inclination; he may also begin to act aggressively, obsessively or carelessly within the relationship. My advice would always be to cut loose the problem person and do the work to find yourself someone who is deserving of your devotion and love.<br />
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2)<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“<b>He has a new woman; I want to break up their relationship and make him come back to me</b>”<br />
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Hell hath no fury and all of that; mean spirited revenge magic to ruin a relationship and get back the offending partner – or in this case, the partner who has moved on and is clearly quite happy with someone else. Love magic forged in bitterness is always going to echo that bitterness within the relationship. I always tend to think that someone who has won the heart of another in this way is eventually going to resent the magically induced person. They will always know on some level that the person doesn’t truly love them and is likely held to them through the spell or working they performed.<br />
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Having them come back doesn’t magically fix the issues that broke you apart in the first place; and those issues will happen again. Think of it like this; you have basically restrained the other person, and while they might believe they love you, there is going to be a part of them that will eventually struggle against that restraint. Unless the work is done on a mundane level to fix the issues that broke the relationship; there will be a repeat down the line. It might not be for months or years but they will come back around again, you can be sure of that.<br />
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3)<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“<b>I cast a love spell; got what I wanted but now I don’t want it anymore. How do I break the spell?</b>”<br />
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Be careful for what you witch for dears because quite often, once you have what you thought you wanted, you might discover you don’t want it anymore. It might be all sunshine and roses to begin with. He (or she) seems so incredibly perfect. You begin building a life; you begin to make future plans but something just feels off. On paper it’s all perfect; it’s what you asked for. You love the person, you have your dream person, the other half of yourself, the person who ticked all the boxes but for some reason those boxes aren’t lighting your fire anymore.<br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">“<i>Love is the hardest habit to break and the most difficult to satisfy</i>”</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">-Drew Barrymore</span></div>
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Chemistry is an important part of love; actual, real love. You can specify in your spell or working that you will have amazing chemistry with your checklist….oops I mean perfect match but the funny thing about the heart - it wants what it wants and no manner of intellectualising or rationalising will change that. Your checklist might seem like your soulmate until you realise that your heart is desiring something else completely. Love is a tricky emotion for a reason and it is so nuanced and layered that it is impossible to quantify in any true measure. You may find that your perfect match is actually someone who you would never have thought of in the first place; someone who didn’t fit a checklist but makes your heart sing and soul catch fire. The person you want could be someone who you can sit there with in comfortable silence and know that it doesn’t mean you have nothing to say to one another but that you don’t need to say anything to know that you love one another.<br />
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Reversing the spell is easy enough; cut chords, undo the feelings but make sure you learn your lesson from it.<br />
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4)<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“<b>I want (insert name) here to become obsessed with me, think only of me and want to be with me</b>” followed later on by “<b>Help. He’s become obsessive and controlling</b>”<br />
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Welcome to serial killer hell people. You opened the door to the crazy and now you’re dealing with someone who is very obsessed with you. The problem with obsession is that it will eventually become unhealthy. You are going to be dealing with a person who thinks only of you, wants to be with you only, whose sole purpose of living is to be all about you. Sounds romantic to begin with until that person is swiping your phone to check for messages, follows you to work because they can’t bear to have you out of their sight, wants to be friends with all of your friends or doesn’t want you to have any friends because that means you have affection and attention focused elsewhere. You’ve now obtained yourself a second skin, congratulations.<br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"<i>Oh. Sarah, I can't stop thinking about you. I can't eat, I can't sleep. I think I love you. I've never loved anyone before... well, except for my mom and this puppy I had when I was little</i>..." Chris - The Craft</span></div>
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This person will begin to control you, will begin to dictate to you how you can live, who you can hang out with, what you can do, what to think, how to behave…..not so romantic now is it? This is the worst case scenario of what can happen when you perform obsessive person specific love workings. This person could be a rapist, killer, wife beater, aggressive or abusive. Less so is that they simply have no life outside of you; you will be their everything and without you they have no reason to exist or think or be independent or motivated. You could literally be living with a full grown adult child who expects you to spend every waking moment with them, who can’t bear to be apart from you and will expect you to feel the same way.<br />
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See that hot new guy at work might seem like a bit of a catch but you don’t know him. You don’t know his story. He could be the biggest asshole in the world, he could be the type that expects you wait on him hand and foot, could expect all sorts of nasty shit from you because he’s that way inclined. He could have seven bodies buried in his backyard, an ex hiding from him because he’s violent, he could be slovenly and disgusting once he gets home. You. Just. Don’t. Know. This kind of spell is much harder to undo because there are going to be several layers to it. Unbinding, hot footing, separation, protection……lots of work.<br />
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“<i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">A woman could want a man so much she might vomit in the kitchen sink or cry so fiercly blood would form in the corners of her eyes. She put her hand to her throat as though someone were strangling her, but really she was choking on all that love she thought she’d needed so badly</span></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">.” Practical Magic</span></div>
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5)<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“<b>My partner is cheating on me and I want to curse the woman he’s sleeping with</b>”<br />
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Oh dear. No. Just no. If she knew he was married and set out to ruin your marriage, okay she’s kind of fair game I’ll grant you but I never have never quite understood the inclination to bypass the partner and go straight to the other woman/man. Ultimately the blame lies with your husband/partner/significant other. Any person can throw themselves at your other half like a cat on heat but it is completely your partner’s responsibility and choice to say no. If they say yes, then sorry love, but they own most of the blame and ire in this situation. If the other woman knows you are married, is your sister, your best friend or known to you and knows what she is doing – it makes her a shitty person but still, your other half has the choice to walk away. So I would say, you want to go hell bent with revenge, at least be fair on how you portion the blame.<br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">“<i>Love is more powerful than reason</i>” – Tyrion Lannister</span></div>
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You ultimately have to look deep within yourself and understand your needs and desires before you begin looking to make manifest that one person that will complement you in love. When I wanted to call love into my life I meditated on what I wanted and how I wanted to feel with this person. I could have written a very specific and somewhat epic checklist of what I thought I wanted but I think I would have missed out on what I have. My fiancé and I have our moments; don’t get me wrong, our relationship can be far from perfect on the occasion but we complement each other even though there are big parts of our individual personalities that are completely opposite. But it works. For whatever reason, it works.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Decks: <a href="http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/wildwood/" target="_blank">The Wildwood Tarot</a> and the <a href="http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/sexual-magic/cards.shtml" target="_blank">Tarot of Sexual Magic</a></i></span>The Country Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475878098670922278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-90458160616949084172019-05-14T23:45:00.000+09:302019-05-14T23:45:54.135+09:30Being Back in Business<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I’m not sure I’ve ever shared this before but
my day to day job is as a cook in a semi-take away place; it’s not the most
exciting job or the most challenging but it pays the bills and it makes life a
little bit easier. I’ve always loved cooking; my preferred medium is baking to
be honest, I prefer the complexity of cakes, biscuits and breads. I’m a good
cook, a decent cook and I do love doing it but I’m beginning to realise that
although I love to cook my life and the current job I am in, is quite unfulfilling.
I’ve always been a firm believer that you should do what you love, if that
isn’t possible then you should at least be doing something that you like. I
liked my job to start with; I looked forward to going to work and my shifts
would go quickly. But lately the days are dragging and I don’t have the same
enjoyment from it that I used to. In part workplace politics and understaffing
issues causing stress and anxiety play into it and although I like most of the
people I work with, I just don’t enjoy my job as much anymore. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I think over the past few months I’ve come to
realise that my heart lies in a different direction. And although I will always
cook and always love cooking, there is something tugging at my soul and it just
won’t let go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My Craft, my spirituality, my practice is
where I am most happy. It is where I feel alive, fulfilled and creative. My
path as a Witch, Rootworker, Diviner and Herbalist has always been something
that I could never quite put 100% of myself into because I was afraid of failure.
Fear has held me back at making a proper go of it and building the business
that I really want. By no means will I be quitting my job any time soon – bills
still need to be paid but it has lit a fire under me to try and focus my time,
energy and abilities into creating a business that is fulfilling, powerful and
creative.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s been a long time since I have been
particularly involved in the e-commerce side of my business. I’ve kept up with
posting on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/thecountrywitchscottage/shop/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank">Facebook</a> – selling bits here and there, sharing things on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecountrywitchscottage/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>
but with mundane work, health issues and just the day to day struggle of living
my life, my path had wavered. I’ve always been passionate about herbs and the
different applications of herbs and how they can be used in magic and medicine
and that has not changed in the slightest (as is evidenced by my constant
garden pictures on Instagram). But the passion for crafting had waned somewhat,
I’ll admit so I hadn’t particularly done anything with it for quite some time.
Depression and anxiety has a way of depleting your strength and leaving you
tired. Add into that my endo – it was a recipe for just managing the energy for
my day job and not much else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I realised it takes small steps to rediscover
that passion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I decided to make some kyphi a little while
ago. I love it, it is honestly the most fun incense to make – don’t get me
wrong; it’s definitely a labour of love. It takes time, patience and a
willingness to put your fingers into a sticky mess before it comes out as
something resembling incense but it is a very tactile, hands on art.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And I forgot how much I loved making things
with my hands. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It has rekindled the passion within me; I want
to throw myself back into making herbal delights but also exploring other
areas. I used to love making candles; there was something so therapeutic about
tuning out the outside world and noise and just focusing on the task at hand.
I’m an Aries; we inherently love the fire so candles and incense are a huge
part of my practice. When all else fails, anointing a candle, lighting a
corresponding incense stick (or burning loose incense) and incanting my wishes
always brings about a deep sense of excitement and peace in my soul.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To that end, I’m focusing more on making new
things, revisiting old things that I have loved to make in the past. There are
going to be more incenses – some kyphi, some loose, herbal smokes, balms and
salves (some made from my own plants), herbal oils, maybe even spellcrafting
and more. I’m even going to be making some fixed and dressed intention pillar
and jar candles and dipped dressed candles. I’ll even be listing readings once
again. But this is all going to take time and effort which is always a bit hard
when you have to fit it around your mundane life; as is grasping the
complexities of web design. I’m designing a Wix store but it’s pretty basic, I
want to put together something that has everything in it – that way I can have
a central hub with my blog, store and other bits and pieces. I had thought
about Shopify but right now I’m not sure I can justify the expense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I’m also going to try and blog some more
informational posts. This area of my life has also been very quiet. I haven’t
had a lot to say, there has been more introspection and personal growth on my
journey more so than anything else. I’m ready to begin building the business
and the life I have always wanted to have; I want to be able to create
powerful, gorgeous magical wares and share them with you all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In the life I want to build I imagine my days
with me waking up in the morning; a nice cup of hot tea with the Spirits before
going out into the garden spending time with the plants before coming inside
and beginning my witch work. I see myself spending my days creating incenses,
oils, candles, balms and more (and also baking lots of yummy things because I
do love to bake). I see my garden thriving and providing me with a lot of what
I need. I see packages of organic herbs coming to create some things with. I
see oils impregnating with the properties of the herbs that are steeping in
them; slowly infusing into potent items of magic. I see candles hanging up
curing; many colours, many kinds. I see jar candles, dressed and fixed with
intent ready to be used to manifest magic within the lives of those who the
candles are destined for. I see my hands deep in creating beautiful incense
blends, kyphi and all manner of wondrous things. I can see my cats sitting
there watching me – either because they love their Witch Mummy or they are
waiting for food (could go either way) and I can even see my partner,
exasperated with all of the craziness of crafting around the house but loving
in his support of what I do (which is how he is now). I can see all of this and
more because this is the life that will fulfil me, that will give me passion,
purpose and free reign to create.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s not a dream. I refuse to let it remain
just a dream. I am intent on manifesting this as my actual real life because
this is the life that I want for myself and for my partner and cats. I believe
it can happen and I will make it happen. The Country Witch’s Cottage is going
to be more than a Facebook page; it is going to become more than just an idea.
I hope that you will all join me for the ride as I begin to walk this new path
and embrace this new direction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Country Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475878098670922278noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-22974613946291528082019-04-04T20:57:00.000+10:302019-04-04T20:57:08.649+10:30New Roads, Old Paths<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbzZpb9kPdjDzN7BlgmZEJ3kVrr8ML-XOAzGU-Gw7r0z6Mkzck3mSqZckpa2zt_YMx1EVwVy7hOX5_P9JIZfBRq352EVV6nkadjlWXCM7E9X8lMFlp-Jph7XcpqgKZHmH8HPhQga5wt4/s1600/P1150888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbzZpb9kPdjDzN7BlgmZEJ3kVrr8ML-XOAzGU-Gw7r0z6Mkzck3mSqZckpa2zt_YMx1EVwVy7hOX5_P9JIZfBRq352EVV6nkadjlWXCM7E9X8lMFlp-Jph7XcpqgKZHmH8HPhQga5wt4/s400/P1150888.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It starts with a whisper….a tease on the edge
of the mind. Subtle strings that tug on your soul demanding attention,
demanding release; they are forming and want to be unleashed on the world.
Invasion in sleep as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Those Who Claim You</i>
remind you gently of your obligations, of your path. They summon to them your
Spirit so that they can read your soul and see if you are ready for that next
path, that next road, the journey that lies ahead. It’s never easy; Spirit
never makes it easy. Spirit asks that you do the work; find the clues, put them
together and begin to understand the bigger picture. And when you do, the
Others begin to appear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">She dances in the flame with her fire and her
roses pulling your soul into dance with Her; She is a shadow at the moment but
she waits for me to move into the flame and dance with Her. It requires an
owning of my soul in a way that I have never done before and it scares me. Hers
is a path that could be demanding, soul baring, stripping away of all pretenses
and embracing the power within. Another comes from the heavens to call you to
action and His strength is fiery while those who have watched you for a long
time come through as you fall into that liminal space between waking and
sleeping. He stands there in his black suit with his face painted like a skull,
surrounded by the mist that he has come through. With Him his other stands, She
looks right through you as her gaze pierces the very essence of your soul. ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Go on girl, time to get to work</i>’ but you
don’t because <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you don’t know</i>. You
don’t know <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what the work is</i>. You
don’t know what the next step is. You are too exhausted to even try and
understand what they possibly mean. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Even when you approach He who stands at the
Crossroads, the Gatekeeper, you don’t know what lies beyond. The team of
Spirits, of Beings who call to you wait no more. They begin to expect you to
stand up and be counted, to know what the work is and begin to do it. Old Woman
and Horned Spirit wait as does Panther – those who have been with me for a long
time (one since childhood) know that I shall come back in my own time but
nevertheless they too begin to push at my boundaries, reminding me that I serve
as well as practice with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My motley crew of Spirits, Guides and
Keepers have no more patience and they let me know now that if I don’t do the
work, I don’t see results. I do the work, I see results. It is what it is;
anyone who works with Spirits (I refer to Deity, Angels, Guides, actual Spirits
and all manner of beings in between as Spirits because it simplifies things)
know that when they no longer have patience for your lack of commitment or
movement they will come whack you upside the head and demand your attention. I
don’t know what to do when They stand there with expectation because I have
lived a long time without faith in myself. I have to find the way now because
They expect no less than full immersion from me now. I’ve long wandered off the
Path and it is no longer acceptable, I must step back onto that path and begin
walking it again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">They are revealing new roads as I
begin to immerse myself in my path again. My Craft has always been witchcraft;
the traditional path without artifice or fanciness but grounded in simplicity. But
the path of rootwork and hoodoo has slowly crept into my life. I was always hesitant
to step onto that path even though it has been an interest and study of mine
for a long time; I felt perhaps I was going to be practicing where I ought not
to or appropriating where I shouldn’t be but Ancestors are funny things, Spirit
is funnier still and they will push you where they think you need to go. So I
began to learn and I began to practice; although I have gathered knowledge on
hoodoo for quite a number of years; the actual proper practice of it is still
rather new to me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Over the past six months I have
learned from a gentle teacher what it is to serve, to work with Spirits and to
begin building a relationship that is mutually beneficial and grounded in
respect. He was the first Spirit I built a proper altar to; the first one I
have really practiced giving offerings and connecting with. When you commit to
Spirit; when you approach them and begin to understand them, it shifts your
perspective. Spirits, Deities, Angels even, they are all sentient beings with personalities
of their own, expectations and gifts of their own and they might not always be
what you expect or what you imagine. It’s been a learning process to actually
build a relationship, to make offerings, to sit and talk with your Spirits and
let them know what is going on in your life. It was something that was very new
to me and something I am still working on to this day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Autumn Equinox is an interesting
time for me. It is definitely when I feel most connected to my path. It might
be because I am an Autumn baby, the crispness in the night air, the slowly
cooling days, I don’t know. Something about this season flips a switch in me; I
feel more in tune, more creative, more connected than any other time of the
year. It’s shown me that it is time to get back into my work; the herbs, the
oils, the candles, the Craft. It is time to begin to practice ritual again,
craft spellwork again, dive deeper into my divination practices, making the
tools of my Craft again. It is time to embrace the path of Witch again; living
and breathing my Craft each and every day. Spirit demands no less.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Country Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475878098670922278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-37252183287592389172019-02-05T18:14:00.000+10:302019-02-09T19:13:07.220+10:30Oh, There is a World Out There<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNYSm4bblLMYh0ifZL-_Q1jnORO-7f7Fxz7yvBOP6_rb2fWTNIxCPyrC6SMVP1YQQnUaWsapbkPgzO9frlQJ6Tuu9d9P5Fdv7rTmmHKFGEPirmYV2rdRn_KDy-8kbB8qqvKd1wxW7wW0/s1600/IMG_20180610_181316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1522" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNYSm4bblLMYh0ifZL-_Q1jnORO-7f7Fxz7yvBOP6_rb2fWTNIxCPyrC6SMVP1YQQnUaWsapbkPgzO9frlQJ6Tuu9d9P5Fdv7rTmmHKFGEPirmYV2rdRn_KDy-8kbB8qqvKd1wxW7wW0/s320/IMG_20180610_181316.jpg" width="304" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
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Well it’s
been awhile since my confession about my <a href="https://thecountrywitchscottage.blogspot.com/2018/08/why-i-disappeared.html" target="_blank">mental health issues</a>; I haven’t
written another blog post for The Country Witch’s Cottage since. The past 6
months have been a bit hectic, a bit stressful – work has been fairly full on
and having to be the main financial support in the house hasn’t been easy (but
now my Love has a job yay!!) so I basically existed in a work, eat, sleep,
repeat mode. Who knew adulting could be so exhausting!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
My life has
been pretty insular. I’m not extravagantly social or particularly outgoing. My
idea of a social outing is to buy groceries and that is about enough people
action for me. I think this has been intensified due to the fact that I work in
customer service – you pretty much get your fill of people when you have to
deal with them day in, day out. When the day is over, all I want to do is sit
on my couch and veg. I also dislike summer with an intensity that borders on
pathological.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I mean can
we talk about the heat over here in SA this summer? It has been like sun
decided to come down closer for a holiday and forgetting to dim the heat
switch. It has been out of control. There were days upon days over 40C. My poor
Love had to work up in the northern-ish part of our state in weather that hit
about 50C. Air conditioners basically turned into humidifiers and made the
rooms wet rather than cool and my poor garden hung on for grim death, barely
surviving. I tell you, the summer of 2018/2019 was borne to mock the heat of
hell and laugh at it.</div>
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<br /></div>
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People, don’t
come to SA in the summer unless you want to be hot, tired and OVER IT.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Bring on the
autumn, we need it.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So my witchy
life has been on something of a hiatus. I had done bits and pieces here and
there. Wrote lists of things that I want to do, wrote down some recipes but
mostly, I’ve not been practicing a whole lot. Think I lost a bit of faith in my
ability to witch well. That being said, those that have a claim on me still
stand present somewhere behind me, waiting for me to finally get my shit
together and begin being more involved with my Craft again.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So watch
this space in the near future. I’m crafting new oils, incenses, ointments,
making another batch of my famous and well loved kyphi incense and I’m even
thinking of branching out into dressing candles. Back when I was a baby witch,
candles were my one of my most favourite magical tools. I’d roll them in herbs,
inscribe them and set them alight to work their magic. I’ve never fully let go
of my candle obsession and I thought, why not combine two of the things I love
most? Herbal magic and candle magic. Dressing candles is not anything new I’ll
grant you, but it is a lot of fun.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Anyway, more
blog posts will come soon on what I’m doing, what I’m crafting and generally
what I’m up to. But that is all for now folks….</div>
<br />The Country Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475878098670922278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-86530116615388865642018-08-23T14:44:00.000+09:302018-08-23T14:44:11.262+09:30Why I Disappeared.....<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
(Or ‘<i>How
to run a business when you can’t even get out of bed in the morning</i>’)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4VLptN8w0iWzyUGj8585cjhxkCbUjHtNJla_9cMotZBptNFNPD_5fNIrb8t_A4bESczqYIP1urhnkP8hhuzs6GnpisuCuUy0_pMprcelLtSB_75cd0qhZh9-C8bie8j-UwKkZ7rkyIYo/s1600/IMG_20180731_171248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1503" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4VLptN8w0iWzyUGj8585cjhxkCbUjHtNJla_9cMotZBptNFNPD_5fNIrb8t_A4bESczqYIP1urhnkP8hhuzs6GnpisuCuUy0_pMprcelLtSB_75cd0qhZh9-C8bie8j-UwKkZ7rkyIYo/s320/IMG_20180731_171248.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-AU">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wake me up inside<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Wake me up inside<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Call my name and save me
from the dark<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Bid my blood to run<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Before I come undone<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Save me from the nothing
I've become</span></i><span lang="EN-AU">"</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Bring Me To Life 'Evancescence'</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">I always thought I needed someone else to wake me up so I could
actually feel again; it turned out the only person who could honestly do that
was me. Feeling empty, like your life force has drained away is a hell of a
feeling – or lack of feeling as it were. The last year has been so incredibly
difficult for me that I can’t even begin to explain it in a way that makes
sense so forgive the epic level of rambling that is about to commence.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">My life has been a series of downs, of pain and anger and upset, of
feeling like I’m constantly crying, emotionally broken and like a failure. It
only takes one thing to begin a snowball of events that begin to make you feel
like your life is falling apart. Happiness can go from the brightest moment in
the sun to the darkest corner of the soul in barely a minute. I met someone, it
didn’t work out, things fell apart, my computer was hacked, it crashed –
several times, my car kept having problems, I met someone new and fell in love,
my mother had surgery (an intense, emotional experience for me), I moved out of
home, bought an investment property, got a job and then found my own health
issues, masked by my IUD, had come back in a way that is going to require some
specialist surgery at a later date but meanwhile is still causing me a lot of
aggravation. All of that in that order in the span of 18 months (more or less)
is something of a trial that I broke under.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">I lost my passion for anything – if you follow any of work (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Three-Cats-Tea-Tarot-501093413431737/?ref=bookmarks" target="_blank">tarot</a>,
<a href="https://thecountrywitchscottage.weebly.com/" target="_blank">witchcraft</a> or <a href="http://thewildwortwyf.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">herbal</a>) you’ll notice there was a marked lack of work on any of
those platforms in the past 12 or so months. I had no energy or care to even go
there and try. I wasn’t interested in life, my work, my passion or even being
present in any moment. So much emotional bullshit had taken its toll and I
wasn’t even interested in existing. Here I was, in what should of been the
happiest time of my life, moving out of home to live with guy I love, a whole
new experience and yet, I spent more time crying than I ever had in my life
because the year had been so freakin’ hard to deal with. Moving away from my parents, my home, my beloved gardens –
it was like ripping out a part of my soul and shredding it into tiny little
pieces. I was happy to be moving in with my love, don’t get me wrong, yet I was
so conflicted because leaving the comfort, familiarity and easiness of living
at home was painful. I was happy and devastated all at the same time. It took a
long time for me to think of where I live now as home, such as it is being a
rental, even now I still refer to my parents home as “home”. My partner has
given up on correcting me, I think he knows he is my home but where I grew up,
that is such a huge part of my soul that it is always going to be home as well.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">I was in a situation where everything was new. Living with another
person, being responsible for that person’s emotional wellbeing and having to
consider someone other than myself all of the time became such a struggle. I
wasn’t used to it, nearly 12 months later I’m still not used to it. I’m moody,
emotional, loving, funny, kind and cold all at the same time. I know my partner
finds me hard to live with on occasion (to be fair, he’s sometimes hard to live
with too) but he also brought about some form of healing for me. When I was in
the darkest moment believing that the world was a place I didn’t want to be in
anymore, his love, his quiet being there for me without truly needing to
understand why I was being the way I was; it gave me moments where I could be
this horrible person trying to work through stuff and not worry that he was
going to leave me. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Before all of the moving out home thing though, my mother had to
have surgery – a knee replacement and it was one of the emotionally hardest
things for me to deal with. I looked after her and was happy to do so, she’s my
Mum. But seeing her in that level of pain, the slightest movement bringing her
to tears, the weight of it all, and know you can’t do anything is hard. There
is nothing more that you will make you feel profoundly useless than seeing
someone you love in pain, a pain that you can’t fix, comfort or take away
because only time can do that. I was trying to manage a life that involved
looking after my mother, running the household because she couldn’t, finding
time for a boyfriend, having other things constantly go wrong to the point that
you are absolutely convinced the universe is out to get you and ruin your life.
I more or less had a breakdown because the weight of it all became too much.
There were days when I would just cry and cry and cry because I didn’t know
what else to do.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Having only touched on it, it’s hard to explain all the ins and outs of everything that happened. When my computer was hacked, it had a
virus put on it and there was some horribleness that happened with that – it
all becomes too much when it’s an avalanche in a small space of time. I also found out that my endometriosis is back with a vengeance. I have an IUD
so it masks it – not my umbilical endometriosis (a nice rare kind that affects
1% of women with endo) that got worse again, to the point that my belly button
bleeds quite regularly now and often turns into a giant swollen purple
haematoma (yay life). My uterus and ovaries are fused, I have a large cyst on
one of my ovaries and all of this is going to require surgery by a specialist –
a level 6 laparoscopy I believe my doctor said. And it never gets easier,
especially knowing that with the level of surgery that is going to be needed to
be done, the recovery is going to take some time. It’s not my first go-round
with endo surgery, but it’s yet another experience, another trauma that impacts
when you already feel emotionally fragile.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">I disappeared from my own life, checked out of my own existence. Who
I was before 2017, I don’t even remember her. She was a strong girl with a lot
of opinions who did her own thing and didn’t really care what people thought of
her. She was still complicated but she tended to be a lot happier and open. Who
am I now? I don’t know. </span>I still find myself crying a lot - my health issues aren't going away any time soon, and my beautiful Bella girl (my 12 year old rescue cat) has her own health issues so that has thrown me; it's am emotional experience for me because she has to be away for over a week and I'm just not prepared for that at all. But I’ve had to come to a place where I feel comfortable
with my emotional state yet there are days when the simplest things still upset
me, when I don’t want to get out of bed but I try to. I’m still emotional, raw
and a harsh word will have me breaking down into a sobbing mess because I don’t
have the strength to deal with it. I’m like an open wound that continues to
bleed, to hurt and to not really heal but whoever I am now, she’s a mess, but
somewhere in all of that, she’s a beautiful mess discovering a new strength, a
new way to exist. </div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">I am trying to live back in my life in the best way that I can. I’m
slowly coming home to the things that I love. Thankfully all of this hasn’t
affected my ability to read cards – it seems to have honed it somewhat (benefit
of being an empath I guess), my witchcraft - I’m finally finding my path again
(or those who were part of my practice before are slowly finding me again –
Spirit will have its way), I’m beginning to love working with my herbs again
and learning who I am again. It’s not easy, it’s a struggle each day, sometimes
it’s hard to find the motivation to do anything yet there is so much I want to
do and slowly it’s all coming back to me. Ultimately I have come to a place
where I am okay with being broken, being fragile, because somewhere within that
brokenness, that fragility, who I am has begun to emerge and from there is
where the healing road to wholeness begins. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><o:p> (Also published on <a href="http://hedgewylde.blogspot.com/2018/05/why-i-disappeared.html" target="_blank">Hedge Wylde</a>)</o:p></span></div>
<br />The Country Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475878098670922278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-76445143377674262092016-11-20T13:55:00.001+10:302016-11-20T13:55:27.825+10:30The Spring Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />The Country Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475878098670922278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-38675706059859500952016-07-15T17:38:00.001+09:302016-11-20T13:16:16.730+10:30The Cailleach’s Cloak<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Outside the temperature is dropping, winter is definitely here and She is drawing her cloak over my part of the world. The Oak’s leaves are slowly falling to the ground, their colour a gorgeous shade of umber drifting to the ground creating a carpet of ready to protect and mulch the tender ground. But even has the Oak joins the Maple, Elm, Blackthorn and Ash in losing leaves and slowly descending into their winter slumber, a great time of fertility and greening is abounds. The lilies have begun to rise, as has the jonquils and dutch irises. The nettles reach for the sky, seeking light. The grass begins to grow anew as the weather brings dew, frost and rain. Nature is coming to life even as some of her begins to disappear.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Winter is the time we look forward to here. Tanks get refilled, gardens get a much needed soaking and the vast pastoral tract I live in begins to parade the various shades of green as crops begin to grow. For a time often spoken of in hushed tones, winter here is celebrated. It gets cold here, don’t mistake me on that, sometimes even to below 0, but there is so much to see, to revel in, to experience. The sun provides some warmth so greenhouses become hives of activity as tender seedlings slowly unfurl and greet the day. It is a time to organise the garden, to begin building new ones and work on the old ones. It is a time for quiet and contemplation, for the days are shorter, the nights longer. As the dark begins to close in earlier and earlier, you appreciate the daylight hours and realise the nights are for books, hot tea and warmth.</span></span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As I curl up with a good book, hearing the howling outside, I am reminded of the wholeness of the world outside, the vastness of what lies before us. As the wind tears leaves from trees and wrests away wayward branches, I am reminded of the sheer awesome power that flows and ebbs, of my place as Keeper and Steward of my land and the Spirits who inhabit it. I hear the horses whinny outside, the fox call during the night, the sheep who bleat, the owls reminding us that they own the night and the small creatures who scurry about, little nails on the roof, and those that dig to hide beneath the surface. They all seek to hide, thrive or survive the coming winter. As I sit I can feel the great Cailleach drawing her cloak over me, embracing me within her earthen mass. I hear her most often now, although she is never truly quiet at any time of the year. Old Woman wants her offerings and thanks for the season ahead and I oblige her for I am grateful that winter has come.</span></span></div>
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<br />The Country Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475878098670922278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-11921114839367489632016-04-16T12:53:00.000+09:302016-04-16T12:53:50.606+09:30Lazy Sunday Wildcrafting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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“<i>Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better</i>.”</div>
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Albert Einstein</div>
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I had been dreaming of wildcrafted blackthorn and hawthorn for the longest time, I wanted to find them and bring them home with me, invite them in, experience them, meet them in person and see the majesty of who they are. I know Oak, I know Yew but I was only acquainted with the dry materials of the hedges of my ancestors. My small blackthorn trees are yet to mature, they grow slowly but comfortably in my garden but I did not know their wildness. So one Sunday I grabbed my fellow enthusiast gardener (also known as Mum) and we headed to a plant show about an hour away. To my delight, after the plant show (yes I came home with a boot load of plants), with careful exploration, I discover the fruit-laden, wild growing hawthorn and blackthorn, interspersed with wild plum and rosehip and a great discovery of the bright orange firethorn. My heart beat, and as I ask for permission, I could feel them reach out to me, curious yet open </div>
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There is a sense of quiet as I walk among the trees, these ancient-minded hedges carrying the DNA of their ancestors from across the pond. I can feel their energy, they whisper quietly in the late afternoon sun and I wonder at their majesty, the secrets they must hold; and then I sadly wonder at the knowledge, the lost medicine the hedges hold. We are no longer in touch with nature, we no longer hear her cry or understand that we are nature, we are part of the whole; I see the hedges laden with hips, berries and haws and see that we no longer understand the ancient language of the trees. We no longer know the medicine and the knowledge that kept our ancestors alive, kept them healthy, is lost to so many. I see it as I wildcraft, that if we remembered what the hawthorn, the rosehip and the blackthorn could do, the hedges before me wouldn’t be laden, they would be almost bare because we would be embracing the medicine and magic and healing ourselves once again in the way of our ancestors.</div>
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So I bring home my afternoon harvest and begin to divide it, sloes in brandy – some dried for magical use, hawthorns to be dried for medicinal use, plums set aside for a small jam and as I process my efforts I thank the land for the bounty it provides. It is almost the secret that only a few share, we know the land, we know what can be found and what can be shared. Somehow, in amongst the craziness of life, there is still the beating heart of the land, waiting for us to once again beat with Her.</div>
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<br />The Country Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475878098670922278noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-47474006974876773742016-01-14T12:16:00.000+10:302016-01-14T12:16:32.015+10:30The Moonflower Bounty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The Moonflowers are blooming, their perfumery filling the air, their beauty abounds, showing grace and power. I love Datura, it is my spirit plant, my wise ally and powerful friend.</div>
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The beautiful, mystical <i><a href="http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/48977/#b" target="_blank">Datura metel var fastuosa</a>, </i></div>
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(I love this photo, I couldn't believe how it turned out)</div>
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The stunning <i><a href="http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/48970/#b" target="_blank">Datura stramonium var tatula</a></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58cRM0DuCHILA2FPjYsvqooL_EjpCt_Ls7kCl-PV13A2hRXVbwMh0z03_145jZLy5kOyKlpP-ICJ-C5DICs0Eddhj-KimFbhqyw81vtEyvn4AEl4wM3deL1z2ycq6NpFJAsrTsBZBGec/s1600/P1090728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58cRM0DuCHILA2FPjYsvqooL_EjpCt_Ls7kCl-PV13A2hRXVbwMh0z03_145jZLy5kOyKlpP-ICJ-C5DICs0Eddhj-KimFbhqyw81vtEyvn4AEl4wM3deL1z2ycq6NpFJAsrTsBZBGec/s400/P1090728.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The lovely <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datura_stramonium" target="_blank">Datura stramonium</a></i></div>
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One gorgeous <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datura_inoxia" target="_blank">Datura inoxia</a></i></div>
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Another beautiful <i>Datura inoxia</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVD5oteF_CQ7mzD-unrZgDXJqyYX3imotnmDnXuqOA2YKs5ikzIsY6iOVdOpdSU21dXqjnItXgz-91gxmrrnxo6x_baBuTISClVDviUtLOW-8oOR9KRl-eQHJ000a0p37mVswz7mJtujA/s1600/P1090425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVD5oteF_CQ7mzD-unrZgDXJqyYX3imotnmDnXuqOA2YKs5ikzIsY6iOVdOpdSU21dXqjnItXgz-91gxmrrnxo6x_baBuTISClVDviUtLOW-8oOR9KRl-eQHJ000a0p37mVswz7mJtujA/s400/P1090425.JPG" width="380" /></a></div>
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And the stunningly magical <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datura_metel" target="_blank">Datura metel</a> var fastuosa</i> continues to bloom</div>
<br />The Country Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475878098670922278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-60556760416149859952016-01-04T14:12:00.000+10:302016-01-04T14:12:03.862+10:30Gladioli Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7vgsf3sWg-RNseFdTq-03q8C9xbzZMb9xm5hPG_yG88mM2pT0PEVHdOmXUhu1D4R8NpEfRc3ppcC1rDDdPdBEOIGRQo0Sc-y1S3uCLD5ZMW5vOKc_rVeg74Xa8BzGM1XUxNaG1oqmdg/s1600/P1090302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7vgsf3sWg-RNseFdTq-03q8C9xbzZMb9xm5hPG_yG88mM2pT0PEVHdOmXUhu1D4R8NpEfRc3ppcC1rDDdPdBEOIGRQo0Sc-y1S3uCLD5ZMW5vOKc_rVeg74Xa8BzGM1XUxNaG1oqmdg/s400/P1090302.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />The Country Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475878098670922278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919211006965906868.post-57977004785571099242015-12-05T16:41:00.000+10:302015-12-05T16:41:33.888+10:30The Turning Wheel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">This is a post that had been percolating on my computer for a month or so, gathering dust, being re-written and edited several times - I just wasn't sure I had put everything into words that I was thinking. But for better or worse, here it is</span></i>.</div>
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Life can throw you an interesting turn on occasion. Sometimes you find yourself starting out on a path not knowing what lies ahead - before you get to far down the path you realise shit just got real and there is more going on than you know. You look all around you and there are things waiting for you, demanding, asking, cajoling - wanting. It really becomes a question of whether or not you can keep walking that road; can you accept what lies down that road? Can you look to what is waiting and keep moving forward without fear? Can you accept that you are no longer a completely autonomous being, that others are making a claim on you? Can you walk the path of mystic and witch, knowing that if you accept what has happened and what is to come, life will change? Can you accept that your entire path may change – or if it doesn’t change – grow in ways that you had not anticipated nor expected? Can you get past the terrifying idea that you can no longer be so half assed and lackadaisical about practicing your Craft because those who have become known to you and claimed you will not allow it? Can you walk in this world and the next and not lose who you are?</div>
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These are questions I have found myself asking lately because there has been a rather dramatic shift in my path. Things have been happening that were – are – unexpected and have me questioning everything. The door has been thrown wide open and what is on the other side is no longer content to wait for me to make up my mind and take that last step. They’re now seeking my attention, they are now expecting things of me, I don’t know what those things are yet – and I’m not ashamed to say I am a little bit afraid of what lies ahead. It’s no secret I’ve always been a bit lazy about my Craft, I’ve written about it often enough but there’s been a shift this year for me, a slow build that has now kicked itself into overdrive. I have found myself the beacon of interest for two very interesting Others – and they are not polite, fluffy sorts. They are primal, ancient and as yet unnamed. They are very different from one another, they exist in different spaces and they each have made a claim on me. I am running scared because I now realise that what has passed for my being a witch up until now is no longer acceptable and I am going to have to wear the mantle of <a href="http://thecountrywitchscottage.blogspot.com.au/p/the-green.html" target="_blank">Green</a>, truly walk the path I spoke of because they will have it no other way. In this world I was once a simple witch with a simple heart and a lazy attitude but from here that kind of attitude will not be acceptable.</div>
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From this I understand that I am required to make more effort, to actually put more into my Craft, my practice and learn, grow, change. I am standing on a precipice and all it would take is one shove – I can feel the fingers on my back already, an insistent nudge from those who require something of me. I imagine soon it will become a proper shove. I never quite realised when I started on this path, working with my wonderful <a href="http://www.witchvox.com/lx/dt_lx.html?a=usor&id=42242" target="_blank">mentors</a>, that I would find myself challenged, changed, confronted and consequently choosing to walk roads that had often been too hard. I have learned that when those who choose to claim you, choose you as their student and initiate, hard becomes a very real part of your life; because of who they are they require absolute attention from you when they reach out to you. I promise one day I shall speak of them, but right now the relationship is new, I do not know them well nor they me however I have the feeling they see deeper into me than I do myself. Within me they have chosen to see something that is full of potential. It’s humbling if not somewhat terrifying. </div>
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Because of this, I have found myself leaning toward a more introspective path right now, taking time to explore what it all means and how it is going to impact what I do long term. I feel as though there is one final step before the parts of the whole are revealed and I need to be able to focus on taking that final step otherwise I shall never do it. And if I don’t I feel that I will miss out on something incredible. So as such, there has also been a downturn business-wise.</div>
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I have deleted my items for sale from my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thecountrywitchscottage" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page and left only the readings and <a href="https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/257243046/wormwood-speciality-box?ref=shop_home_active_1" target="_blank">Wormwood kit</a> in my <a href="https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/CountryWitchsCottage?ref=l2-shop-info-name" target="_blank">Etsy store</a> – it is all part of the changes I am feeling right now. I want to craft for the love of it, to do it when the mood moves me to and let my inner creativity forge something with hand or herb that is beautiful, powerful and honest. I haven’t been all that inspired lately, there have been some flashes of ideas, but for the most part I’ve not created anything new in months and it is because there is a plug somewhere that is blocking it all – whether that is my latest run of ill health or lack of motivation I don’t know. I am seeking inspiration again and as always, I look to my garden and the world around me – it’s speaking to me and sharing its ideas and spirit with me. I will still sell artisan handcrafted items – they’ll be listed as and when I make them.</div>
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I want to write more too. I have so many ideas for articles and blog posts but I never find the time to sit and write and this needs to change. I love writing, I’ve always been intensely passionate about it – the reason for originally starting this blog was as an outlet for the crazy ideas running around my mind. If you looked at the first couple of years of posting to now, you’d see there was a dramatic downshift in the amount of posts I was posting. I didn’t feel I had anything to say or anything to contribute to the wider world. I almost hamstrung myself because I had embraced that silent enemy of all writers – self doubt. Now I find that I want to write again – fiction, non fiction, blog posts – all of it. Perhaps this new journey, this new road will open up new possibilities, new ideas, new experiences to be written about.</div>
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Come the New Year, I think the Country Witch’s Cottage will have some big changes happening – what those are yet, I’m not entirely sure but I have a feeling it will begin unfolding soon and a better, brighter future awaits.</div>
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<br />The Country Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475878098670922278noreply@blogger.com0