Add your vote to draw Z Budapest to speak at UC Berkeley. It doesn't matter if you live 1000 miles away (I live nearly 3k away) but I know the impact she had on me personally. Her books, her vision, the fabulous Goddess 2000 festival she sponsors ... she is a pioneer for women witches and Goddess lovers everywhere!
It's been a long time since I posted pics of my dreads. Well, here they are. Wild and a bit crazy white girl dreads at their finest! I love them most days but like any hair style, I often tell myself (to myself) it's the scissors! I keep them up though and am looking forward to seeing how they do come summer.
I'm not certain which Goddess or aspect I am channeling by sporting a head full of dreads. I've often felt a wildness creep back into me like I haven't noticed in decades, literally. Ancient wall paintings of Egyptians look as if dreadlocks were worn. I could easily picture a Huntress in the wood with a mane so wild.
I love them, I really do. It'd be great if I could hide a personal web cam on my person sometimes though. I get the oddest looks every now and then!
Thanks for dropping by!
Monday ... which also just so happened to be Imbolc, was the day I began my first knitting project. Brigit the Goddess of fire, poetry, smithcraft and healing gave way to a warm day in contrast to what we've been experiencing recently. Hopefully, that means winter will hang around for a good while longer. I am looking forward to snow days indoors, hanging out in comfy clothes with my 19 month old, and paying my own form of homage to The Lady who inspires and aims her fiery arrow deep into the heart of imagination.
So far, the scarf that will ultimately be 80 inches, is about 30. Below are a few shots of my work in progress. Enjoy, and bendithion!
Somewhere, Godzilla and the Invisible Man are crying in their beer. Late night monster movie host, Bob Wilkins, passed away on Wednesday from Alzheimer's complications. He is mostly remembered as the host of Creature Features, a television show which broadcast classic horror movies ... a huge favorite of mine growing up. He satiated my thirst every Friday night with a double feature of black and white spooky movies that to this day, I remember with a big smile. My Netflix queue would make him happy.
Rest well, Bob.
Recently a family from California went on a hike through the hills of Mount Tamalpais State Park. That's all well and good but, they decided to pick some mushrooms ...
Ok so, you know the next part of this story already, I bet. The mushrooms they picked happened to be "death cap" mushrooms. The shrooms were taken home and cooked up in a soup. Two children, 11, and their 72 year old grandma were treated for their symptoms at a local hospital. Only after 2 days of testing did they finally figure out the family had been poisoned.
See the article here in the Contra Costa Times for more info. And never, ever, ever, EVER assume you know all there is to know about berries, mushrooms and other plants in the wilderness. About two decades ago, I remember a few local bay area pagans did the same thing, only they picked berries... the 3 of them were not so lucky and died within a day of eating the toxic fruit.
Be safe and know your surroundings, especially if you are venturing in the wild to do your ritual or nature walk. Always take water and snacks with you and don't set out to rely on Mother Nature to sustain you if you get hungry. If you do pick anything, use gloves, and don't consume them or breathe in the smoke if burned.
Now, go out and dance naked around a fire or something ...
