Shades of green

Autumn rushes ever nearer. Today has been freezing and it's a real shock to the system after last weeks heat.

 My tarot cards have been a mixed bunch this week. Lots of air cards. Almost as though the old ones are urging new ideas upon me. Look, listen as we speak. I do have thoughts of new things to make, new things to try in my femmes. New ideas for journal pages. A need to use some of the ephemera that sits in the IKEA boxes.

But I procrastinate, something catches my attention and I follow . A butterfly landing on the nasturtiums outside the front door, then rises to kiss my cheek before flying away.

The goldfinches on next doors tree, shouting as they fly amongst the branches.

The dawn light so different at this time of the year.

But I have started my "all about me " journal and that inspires also. A need to write my life as I remember each bit. Starting at around 4 years of age as that was the time I was happiest as a child. Despite the operations and hospital stays it was a happy time with my grandparents, away from home.

So from that time I write, although snippets of earlier days have crept in already.

The pictures are from a recent visit to the Galloway forest park. I hope you like.

My poem for Brighid 8th annual poetry slam

8th annual poetry for Brighid event.

My offering (without the music) is from Rush and is their battle of the trees. One of my favourite tracks.

There is unrest in the forest,
There is trouble with the trees,
For the maples want more sunlight
And the oaks ignore their pleas.

The trouble with the maples,
(And they're quite convinced they're right)
They say the oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light.
But the oaks can't help their feelings
If they like the way they're made.
And they wonder why the maples
Can't be happy in their shade.

There is trouble in the forest,
And the creatures all have fled,
As the maples scream "Oppression!"
And the oaks just shake their heads

So the maples formed a union
And demanded equal rights.
"The oaks are just too greedy;
We will make them give us light."
Now there's no more oak oppression,
For they passed a noble law,
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet, axe, and saw.

Thoughts on an Autumn morning

The rituals of the day play out before our eyes.
Of some we are a part, of some merely an observer.

The sun will rise without our aid. We all believe it will and like a well oiled machine it appears above the horizon each day.

Some rituals we lead. The getting out of bed, the daily ablutions. Do we do them consciously or on automatic pilot?
 
We take part in a lot of the day as mere automatons.
Do we remember the first breath of the day?
The first view of morning.
Do we practice mindfulness as we go about our daily life?

Or do we just exist in these moments?


I find myself stopping, taking time to be in the moment.
To smell the faint aroma of Winter's arrival.
It wasn't too many days ago that the first breath of the day was warm. It smelt and tasted of a hot Summer.

Granted not many of those this year. But still, where did it go?
How come Autumn arrived so fast this year? How did the wheel change as it did?

The world looks different now. From the greens and yellows of Spring we now have golds and ambers and firey reds, turning before our eyes to brown.

Fruit on the hedgerows begging to be made into jams and pies or cordials.
My apple tree has proper fruit this year. The first since we moved in almost five years ago. I don't know its age but this years fruit is mature and lush. Not many but a crop none the less.

I will make a pie of them and give thanks to the Goddess for her harvest gifts.

The shawl I've just finished. I named it pumpkin field as it reminded me of the fields of pumpkins around this time. The yarn is Zauberball and crazy Zauberball.

We are ok chez Moggie, trying to enjoy each day to the full and not think of things we can not change. Not always easy but we try.
And you?

Banks of flowers

Today we had a little meander to a newt pond. We haven't been there since  very early this year and it has now been fenced off.Sadly dog owners were letting their dogs loose and they were trashing the pond as they went in and out. All the bank and marginal plants were destroyed.

The good news is that the fencing seems to be helping. while we walked around I took a few pictures. I love this walk as the paths are wide and wheelchair,pram and crutches friendly.

The crab apples are swelling nicely

 It almost looked like an old cornfield

 The Rosa Rugosa hips are massive, I wonder if they are any good for rosehip syrup?

 Lots of varieties of cranesbills

 and other flowers I don't know?

 We saw lots of water snails in the newt pond but couldn't see any newts.

 The colours were stunning and we virtually had the place to ourselves

 The seed heads are just as beautiful as the flowers

 Can you see one of my totems watching from the tree?

maybe here?

 I like this walk because there is such a variety of plants to be seen. It is close to a power station and the company take care of the site.

 Blackberries will soon be ready for collection and I can't wait. My freezer stock is almost gone.

I know convolvulus or bindweed is a pest but pictures like this remind me that there is beauty in everything.

 Isn't it gorgeous?

 Can you see the lizard in the above picture?

 A lushness everywhere I looked

 A man made stone circle

paths to who knows where?
Another post to follow as there are many pictures

Samhain approaches

 I hate this new Blogger editor and its way of putting pictures on the blog

Guess what these will be being used for?

These words came into my morning pages today;_

They wrapped midnight around them and made it theirs.

The shadows and the twilight also they wore as if it were made for them.


Colours were visible within the velvet black  but overlaid by the shimmer of the night skies.

The dark enhanced their otherworldlyness. It made of it an eerie yet beautiful sense of dreams.


It is a dark time here but with hope.