New year

Happy new year again:)

The new year has started with sunshine, I am hoping that is a start of brighter days with a little less rain

 

As it was so bright we decided to have a little stroll in the local park and feed the birds. The chestnut buds are starting to grow and the fungi as you can see

I love primulas, they bring a welcome glow to the woodlands at this time of year

 We weren't just feeding the birds, the squirrels have to eat as well and they loved the peanuts in shells. They always amuse me as they try to fit several into their mouths at the same time

This tree is so vibrant it lights up the undergrowth

 and so do these

 in all the colours. They have been growing under the trees in the park for many years

I also decided it was time to show you some of the shawls I have finished lately.

This one is a pattern called wingspan and is a fabulously simple design but looks stunning finished as I'm sure you will agree

 This yarn is from the Knitting Goddess and is her same difference yarn in the bumble bee colourway

 This shawl is my favourite pattern Pamuya and the yarn is from a fabulous new dyer Woo sheeps.
I love the colour ways not just for the colour but for the unusual names both of the  yarn bases and the colour ways. This is Dick yarn and the colourway is Stupid Boy. Why stupid boy? The colour way is lavenders, anyone remember Dads Army? Pike (Ian Lavender) was always called stupid boy by the captain:) It is refreshing to see a dyer with a sense of humour as well as a great sense of colour. Other yarn bases up to now are Tom, George, Cyril. I think you get the idea? Go and check them out, you wont be disappointed. I am looking forward to the fibre that they hope to have on sale soon. I particularly like that  there will be repeatable colourways as well as one off colours.

This next shawl is Dragonfly wings pattern and made in Faery wings mohair/silk from Fyberspates. Isn't it lush?

I haven't made any resolutions as such but I do hope to blog more regularly as well as get back to creating fabric and paper art. And you never know maybe even some femmes.

Happy new year

2011 already or is it finally? Seems to have been a very mixed year chez Moggies.
Having to go to the south east  wasn't easy. Not just the fact that the journey took over 8 hours instead of the normal 5.5 but that when we got there we had just 24 hours with Mr Mog's aunt before she passed away. Sadly she didn't regain consciousness throughout it but we didn't stop talking to her all the while just in case she could hear or sense us on some level.
I have known her for 17 years I think and it was always a joy to visit and to speak with her on the phone. She had been housebound for a few years but her phone had always been her method of keeping in touch with family and friends across the world. We spoke several times a week and it was never a chore to ring her.
She was 93 when she died and up to the end had a very active mind and joy in life. She played scrabble and did quizzes when she could. It is only a few years ago that she stopped her summer time swims in the sea.
She died peacefully I'm glad to say. She just stopped breathing and there was no pain at the end for her. A good death as they say, although are any deaths good?  Just before the end both Mr Mog and I saw something leave her and fly towards the ceiling and we both asked each other "did you see that?"

The practicalities of a death at Christmas were soon to try us. When we went back next day for the medical certificate of death all the doctors who had been on duty had of course gone off. We then found out that this certificate can only be signed by one of the medical team attending her. We had to go back next day for it. In the meantime we decided it was feasible to start planning the funeral, after all this all had to be done while we were down there. None of it could be done over the phone. Funeral director was very helpful and provisionally booked for us. Another side issue of it being Christmas, lots of deaths so backed up funerals. It will be 2 weeks to hers. Then off to clear her room, a sad task but needed doing immediately as the home give you just 7 days to clear things before they dispose of it all. And yes again couldn't be done when we return home of course.
Another night in the hotel, our third, and then the following morning collection of medical certificate, registering death. This offered some problems, you now have to book appointments and they were also backed up.
However after explaining our circumstances and long journey home they kindly agreed we could go and sit and they would fit us in. This done back to undertakers to give them release form to collect body and officially arrange funeral. This done it was back up the motorway.

But there were other problems, well there would be wouldn't there?
When I went to pay the hotel account they refused my card. Phone calls later I found out it had been cloned:(
Bank agreed to pay bill and then wanted to stop card immediately. I explained we didn't have any money and needed to travel home so they let me draw some before stopping it.
I will get a new card in 5 to 7 days. They told us a series of cards had been cloned from Internet transactions. As in the last time this happened the main place I've used the card is Amazon. Apart from that just Lush once and M&S once.  I can't prove that it is Amazon of course but what is the betting on it?
So is that it you ask? No there was more.
Mr Mog has travelled this route for around 35 years, I've been travelling with him for past 17. You would assume we knew our way wouldn't you?

We got lost:( We found ourselves heading towards the dreaded sigil of hell, the M25. Neither of us could tell you why we lost our way, maybe aunt didn't want us to go who knows? The weird thing is though that despite the mix up we only took 5.5 hours to return home.

Yesterday was spent with aunt's Christmas cards and 3 address books trying to match up first names with phone numbers to ring and inform people. We are a small family on aunt's side so this was primarily her friends and the nieces of her husband. None of whom we knew. Took over 4 hours but we are hopeful we contacted everyone.
Phew, glad to get it all down on paper while still fresh in my mind.

Happy new year everyone who read this far:)

Of moons of blue and years new.

A new year, a new decade. A new beginning if we chose it as such.
A blue moon and a lunar eclipse last night. Auspicious signs for a new start to the year and the decade.
There were weird floating circles in the sky, they floated a long way and didn't fizz or bang. It was only this morning ,when my daughter said Chinese lanterns were in all the cheap shops and then described them, that I realised what they were:) Despite them being golden disks almost this is what came out on my picture. Reminds me of a zodiac constellation.


Just look at the colour around the moon.
I had an idea for an occasional blog series on the elements and it seemed apt to start with Water, the colour blue.
Blue is the first colour on the cover of this journal Mr Mog gave me for Yule and what with that and the Blue moon last night water seemed most apt.

Not a normal start to the elements but that isn't set in stone.

So, water, emotions, feeling and West on our compass.
Words associated with Water:-
Blue, feeling blue, blue mood, water,seas, oceans, rivers. Tears, emotive, release, letting go.
When creating a spell water is the release point. Where you send it off into the ether to happen or not.
Ether, mist, water, also clouds. All tied in together.

At Viking funerals they burned the warriors ship, a release of the earthly body and letting the spirit travel on.

I took a lot of pictures of the moon last night, the ones on here and last nights post are but a small selection.
She drew me out in to the frosty night to try and take a picture of her passage or journey across the night skies.
Why are we drawn to the moon? Why are the waters of this earth drawn to her and by her, causing the tides to ebb and flow?

Why is it thought better not to show emotion, stiff upper lip and all that?
Is it because by showing emotion we also show a part of our inner self, our vulnerable part?
Is it fear or commonsense to do what we do?

Is it better or worse to have our feelings on show?
Sometimes it is good to show your true self but it can be manipulated by unscrupulous people.

I think what I am trying to say is that we maybe always need some barrier or distance to protect us. Even if it is a thought within us that keeps a circle around when we are in a vulnerable or open position.
When we do magic in any form we are told it is important to shield, ground and centre ourselves prior to working.
A base to work from?

I was told in my very early days to visualise a circle of silvery blue mirrored light around me. To deflect negativity or harm. The Moon again?

All to the good but how does the work we do then go forward?
Some of (most of) what we are told is a starting point,
a beginning for us to explore from and then find what works for us.
Yes in some circumstances we need shields, but not all the time. Otherwise we aren't open to the good in the world and the love.
We have to find the right degree of shielding for us, OUR selves.
What works, or worked , for others isn't necessarily for us.
Through out my life I've had people ask what am I, what do I believe, what path do I follow. I tell them that I follow my own path, harming none to the best of my ability, including myself. I take parts of the old knowledge that I need at a specific time and add my own twist, my own magic if you will.


My feelings and emotions show the way if I listen carefully and am guided by them and of course the Lady of the Moon guides and protects me.

So a ramble through water:)

Now onto more mundane things.
I've two pairs of socks to show you. Both have been on the needles for a very long time, languishing in the sock bag.
This past few days I decided it was time to finish them before going on to new knitting.


What do you think? Please note both have blue within them:) I wonder if that was why I had the urge to complete them?
There has been spinning. I have some woodland Falkland fibre spun up and awaiting pictures and indeed plying, but more on that another time.
For now I give you the wondrous moon nights that Mr Mog gave me for Yule. From the very talented Laal Bear's dye pot and hands:)
This is part of the first batt resting over Tillie Traveller.

This is the rest of it spun up.

You can't really see the sheen and sparkle on the bobbin but I can assure you it does shine , a moon night indeed.

Blue Moon Eve

It is the eve of the Blue moon, a special moon and especially so this year as it falls on the Eve of new year also.

A great post on it here

Wikipedia has this to say on the subject

A trine really and I like threes:) Full blue moon, new year and new decade all starting.

A very special time to tune into the Lady Moon and all her energies. A time to think about where you are and where you choose to be in the future. Indeed what you choose to be.
A chance to offer something back, as you meditate or muse on the energies of the moon ask yourself what you can offer.
My nan always called this a giving night ,when the moon reaches its fullness for the second time in a month. She used to say that it is all too easy to ask for something and not as easy to give.
I will take the time to think how I can help, not in a large showy way but something simple. It is the art of giving not the amount.
On the eve of this special blue moon I wish you all a happy , healthy,creative and loving new year.

Roll on new year

Not long been out of bed and I feel terrible.
Yesterday we went to Ikea in Warrington to meet a blogger friend, then into Preston for some last minute shopping by Mr Mog.
Ikea was extremely frighteningly quiet, apparently it is at this time of year. All to the good you might say and indeed it was. I managed to get around without being jostled or people tripping over the crutches and then giving me the look as if it was my fault they were so clumsy. We got what we went for, more tealights for us and friends, rugs and lamp for my son who has just moved into his first proper home. Trouble is that to get the tealights entailed going in to the candle department. The smell of the artificial fragrances was overpowering. Could be that the lack of people concentrated the smell there, who knows. But for me a nightmare, it sets off my asthma, gives me headaches and downright knocks me for six.
Then after a bite to eat off to Preston. Our friend has a delightful new age/gift shop on the outskirts of the city and I love visiting her, we are very close. Trouble is that she also sells candles and smellies. After an hour we left to go into town and I was even more low.
Still the thought of Mr Mog just having to go into Lush helped. I knew i didn't need to . I decided to check out Primark, what a mistake. I left Mr Mog at the door arranging to meet him soon as he had shopped. What I hadn't realised was - there were 2 doors. I was pushed around and overwhelmed by the smells and frankly the negative desperation I felt from those around. Consumerism gone crazy. I wished I hadn't gone in. I couldn't find Mr Mog and for the first time in many a while I started with a panic attack. Finally I found a second door and he was waiting there for me. I can't tell you how happy I was.
Now normally i keep barriers up when I go into crowded places it is second nature to keep away the psychic vampires ( as my nanny was wont to say).
For some reason I had apparently let them slip and all this negativity and christmas shoppers hit home. I just about got home and then felt as if I was having a very bad flu attack. Shivery sick and not at all well. Early bed still feeling sick.
This morning I got up very late and had dry toast with a little honey together with fennel tea.
I'm much better now but steamrollered. No more crowds and shops for this moggie til after new year.
Some relaxation amongst the woods and I'll recover my equilibrium.