This post is part of my Slow Living series. Check out the original post here and related links.
It is early Sunday morning and I have been awake since 5;30 am. It was one of those things where I woke up and had no idea if it was morning or evening. But, I got up, had some coffee, watered my plants. Did a bit of writing. Listened to the birds and am enjoying the cool morning breeze.
And now I’m watching slow living videos for inspiration on how to carry on my day.
In a couple of hours, I’m heading out to play some music for my biweekly volunteering service. I used to volunteer weekly before I moved. It’s too far of a trek when you don’t drive on Sunday mornings. But I enjoy seeing family friends for coffee after.
Later, I think I might go shopping for some needed retail therapy. I found a quilt I really wanted for my bed on Amazon but alas, it’s no longer available. I have some gift cards for The Bay that I need to use up. So, maybe I will hit the mall on the way home. Plus, the mall has ice cream, and AC. It’s gonna be a hot day.
I’d like to spend some money on decorating my room and making it an oasis like the rest of the condo. I spent some time cleaning up my kitchen and freshened up the flower supply with carnations. It’s nice to have a clean table again. I love having plant life around and they are mostly all still alive.
Plant life update
I moved the poor fern outside and it seems to be doing a bit better. The leaves are a bit longer than when I bought it. It’s still struggling. Hopefully the hot humid summer air can spring it back to life.
The potted Dahlias from Home Depot all turned brown. But alas, new buds came in last week and I have new blooms already. I was so proud of myself for this!
I think next summer, I’m not going to buy Petunias. They have been difficult to maintain and do not survive well in the wind. The violas also took a beating this week and have all started drooping.
The pansies are doing okay, though the pot doesn’t seem to drain well. I try and water them every other day. But look at those colors. I planted them myself.
I try and spend some time every morning outside even if it’s just watering plants. There were a few geese outside when I was standing on my balcony. We have a lot of wildlife around here – mostly of bird and feathered variation. There are lots of nature trails and parks, and greenery that I just love. I really love my neighborhood.
Last night, we had the Strawberry Moon here. Unfortunately, there was too much smoke in the sky and I couldn’t get a clear picture. You can check out my post from yesterday though.
That’s about it for updates. I saw my dad finally and he was fairly quiet. I’m single again and that’s a story I don’t want to get into here. Still processing things. Deciding that I want to be on my own for a while and just enjoy being with friends.
My first crafting group meetup is happening next week and I can’t wait to meet new friends. We already have a few outings planned to check out markets and events. It will be nice to be social again.
And strangely enough. I’m the lowest weight I’ve been all year. I don’t know how. But I’ve been working on my book nonstop and first draft will be finished — VERY soon. I’m excited for it.
That’s it for now.
How do you spend your Sunday mornings?
I’m off to play some music, have some coffee with family friends, and maybe comfort myself with another plant or two. Or three. Or four. It’s an addiction now!
It is June already and summer has arrived here early in Alberta. The smoke from the wildfires is mostly gone and we had a few good thunderstorms this past weekend.
Tonight for some of us in the northern hemisphere, we will experience a full moon
A smoky red moon – charmedreflections.com
The Strawberry Moon
From the evening of June 3rd until the morning of June 4th, you may be able to catch a glimpse of this month’s full moon. June’s full moon is more commonly known as the Strawberry Moon. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the local native Americans named the moon for its berry picking season.
In other parts of the world, this full moon is known as Honey and Rose Moon. In terms of spiritual significance, rose and honeysuckle are the flowers for June. So, pick yourself some roses this weekend if you can afford it. I can’t, so I settled on carnations instead.
Spiritual significance
The spiritual significance for this month’s full moon is to focus on new opportunities whether in love or business, renewal of energy, and creating abundance. This coincides with strawberry picking and ripening of other fresh fruits that you may grow in your garden.
With the rising cost of foods, it only makes sense to regrow foods where possible, to stretch your budget longer and also, to be more mindful of waste.
Blooming of flowers, pruning and gardening
Birth of new projects, ideas or relationships
Practicing pleasure (doing things that bring you joy)
Picking and eating berries you have grown
Ripening both in a physical and spiritual sense
Summer solstice preparations and meditations
Working with sun and moon energy
I’m not going to share ritual ideas this month due to low engagement. However, I did manage to take a few photos last night. So, enjoy. Unfortunately, it was pretty smoky and hazy last night – so they aren’t as clear as usual.
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It’s that time of year for many of us in the Northern Hemisphere for those rainy days to come at us full swing. For Albertans, the rain will be most welcome as we are knee deep in smoke from the wildfires. It’s hard to breathe today as I write this and I’m sad that I can’t spend as much time outside as I want to.
So, I thought I would share some ideas for those green thumb people like me, who want to explore arts and crafts. While my hope is to keep my plants alive as long as possible, should they start to die, then I’ll try and save as many leaves as possible for crafting purposes.
Some of these ideas I cannot take credit for, and will share the videos where I got the inspiration from. While many of these channels are focused on witchcraft, you could take the “magic” out of it, and just make crafts.
Here’s another great video from Indoor World with some relaxing crafts for those rainy or smoky days.
Dried Flower Art
You don’t have to be a witchy person to enjoy working with flowers and life that Mother Earth has given us. There are so many things you can do with wild flowers or flowers that you grow in your own home.
The one thing I do, is pick up a cheap bouquet of whatever happens to be on sale with my regular food orders, and use the leaves when they dry up. Having flowers inside just makes everything seem so much brighter, and learning to use the wilted flowers or leaves – is a great way to recycle and be environment friendly.
Pressed Flower Resin Art
I really want one of these! So pretty
Pressed Flowers & Glass
Pot Pourri
Something I did on the day of Beltane was create my own potpourri with a blessing jar. I used tulip leaves that eventually dried out after two weeks – which is a pretty long time for a bouquet of tulips. I added a mixture of my favorite herbs including chamomile, rose petals, yarrow and thistle. I wrote my intentions on three bay leaves and meditated on them until I felt like I was surrounded by warmth and love. I asked for health, happiness and a boost in creativity, which it really worked, because here I am writing daily.
Next, I added some crystals associated with Beltane, and orange essential oil for that gorgeous scent. Then I sealed it up tight in a glass mason jar. As leaves fall off my plants, like the fern, I also toss them into the jar to dry out. If I collect enough, then eventually I’ll use them for other crafts.
Lastly, I took the piece of parchment paper and taped it onto the outside of the jar with a list of things I asked my spirit guides for. This now sits on my green altar space and I stop and smell the jar as I tend to my plants every morning.
Here’s the video where I got the original inspiration from.
Painted Candles
Taper candles are cheaper candles that you can buy at places like The Dollar Store or Walmart. Painting flowers on candles is a new concept for me and I discovered this through the artists I follow on YouTube.
It was this video from Indoora World that actually gave me the idea for painted candles. And I think this weekend, I might order in some supplies so I can get started on this.
Painted Glass Jars
These jars are a great idea and can be purchased cheaply from most grocery stores or Dollar stores. The rest of the supplies can be picked up from Michaels, Amazon or any local craft store that you have available to you. These jars can be used as candle holders, or as vases for flowers, or vines, or place some fairy lights inside and use as a lantern.
Or make yourself a gorgeous outdoor fairy lantern! I think I’m going to make one of these with my mason jars!
Spring Protection Spells
If you’re a fan of spring and want to harness that seasonal energy of rebirth and renewal, then The Green Witch has some great ideas for protection spells. All you need is a candle and some herbs you can buy at your local market, or grow indoors. Some of my favorite herbs to work with are rose petals, tulip leaves, mint, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks (for luck), sage, chamomile and lavender.
A few years ago, I had to leave my career due to rising and complex health issues that were preventing me from attending work on a regular basis. Like many people, I was working a full-time job, volunteering part-time, and was part of many groups and social activities. The burnout towards the end was extreme and my health took a turn for the worse.
A diagnosis of hEDS would seal the deal and now I’m officially, “medically retired” which has left me with mixed feelings about my purpose in life. I was always told, “you’re too young to be in this much pain” and now…
Life has become about – quality now, not quantity. And learning to just well, slow the f**k down. The struggle of keeping myself busy during the day is for real, and I’m adopting some new habits and forming new routines, so I get the most out of those good days. On those bad days, I’m mostly just sleeping in bed and those pain flares can last for a week or two. It’s a very unpredictable medical condition.
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It was only recently, like in the past few months as I got back into spiritual practice, that I learned about “slow life” living and it’s something that I think we can all learn from. Stress and anxiety can impact our health so much, that we take for granted all that life has to offer us. Thanks to channels like this.
This is how I start off my mornings, sipping my coffee, eating my toast and fruit and watching relaxing videos like this.I start off every day now outside, watering my flowers and deadpaning the ones that need some TLC. It’s a great way to start the morning.
Slow Life Origins
The slow living movement started in the 1980’s in Italy. It started with the opening of a McDonald’s restaurant in the capital city of Rome. A man named Carlo Petrini banned together with a group of activists and they formed a movement that they coined, “Slow Food.” This movement was created to defend regional foods to keep long standing traditions alive in Italy.
The overall concept of slow living is where people openly choose to live a slower and more meaningful life. This isn’t always easy to do if you have a lot on your plate like two jobs, or a full-time career, or you are a single parent. Or parents of a large family. Or heck, even the single professional person can struggle with taking too much on. I speak from experience having done this for decades.
In the simplest of terms, slow living means making more time for yourself to “stop and smell the roses” or just practice selfcare more. Or spending more time in nature, with family, or doing things you really love.
While some people may consider this movement, more of a fad, for me, I’m trying to incorporate this into my daily routine. Some people consider slow living to be more of a concept or philosophy – they call it a reflective or mindful approach to everyday life.
If you’re of Scandinavian culture, you may be familiar with the concept of Hygge – in which people adopt more a cozy and comfort sort of aesthetic in their homes and slowing down to enjoy time with family and loved ones. Slow Living is similar in a sense, and I’ll cover what Hygge is in a separate post.
Slow living starts with softness, a desire to move more calmly.
Secret of Slow Life Living
There really is no secret to slowing down life a little bit. The key is to find things that bring you peace and joy, and do those things more often. It’s ensuring you get the proper amount of sleep at night to feel rested. It’s about finding “quiet” time to practice mindfulness, or working with intention setting. It’s about living a life of intention and making those little moments for yourself really count. It’s about self-reflection, journaling or even just spending time out in nature.
Some ways you can slow your life down:
Connection: build on current relationships with friends and loved ones that bring joy into your life. Find time to connect with Mother Nature. Sit out at night and stare up at the moon. Or spend time in your garden. Or tend to flowers and indoor plants. Connect with your natural surroundings and elements. This can help ground your energy as well.
Intentions: start incorporating and working with intentions in your daily life, planning for downtime or time to focus on you.
Slow down: if your schedule is too packed, perhaps learn to let something go that isn’t necessary for you to be involved in. Or if you can, delegate the task to someone else. Plan for at least one day a week (or even per month) where you can do something for just yourself.
Take a pause: take the time to enjoy those precious moments you have to yourself. Meditate or just practice deep breathing exercises and reflect on your day so far. Take your coffee outside and sit in the sun for your morning break. Or go for a walk for some fresh air.
Well-being: practice the art of selfcare and make sure you are getting some time in nature, regular exercise, sleep — sleep is crucial for your overall mental health.
First of all, I’d suggest taking some time to journal and think about what it is that brings you peace. Is it going for a walk? Maybe it’s a certain spot out in nature. Or maybe it’s someone in your life that calms you down. Or maybe it’s as simple as sitting outside with a good book. Whatever it is, jot down ideas and make that effort into bringing mindfulness into your daily routines.
Or maybe your idea of a perfect day is sitting down with friends while working on arts and crafts. Like Indoora World does on her channel and I find it so inspiring.
Resources
Sometimes my YouTube suggestions feed gets it right, and I’m amazed by the creativeness out there from fellow artists and partisans. These are some of my favorite channels to help set your morning off on the right vibe. To learn more about slow life and mindfulness practices, please follow my blog. I post weekly.
I can’t take credit for the title, it’s inspired by a youtube channel that I follow. In fact, most channels I watch on a daily basis, are all focused on slow living, cottage life or fairytale dreamers. Or people like me, who like to do witchy things sometimes.
I’m working on another post that will explain what Slow Living is, but the gist of it, is making more time for yourself and taking time out from the daily grind, to enjoy those little moments. No matter how many little moments you get each day to yourself.
What does that look like? Well, for me – now that spring is in full bloom, it’s become a little easier to do.
Green Space
Every morning, the first thing I do when I wake up, after general hygiene practices, is to wander sleepily into the kitchen and flip on the kettle for my tea or coffee. As I wait for the stainless steel kettle to beep, I check on my green altar space. Now, I call this an altar space but mainly it’s a place where I start my day, and can get centred.
There’s something so calming about inspecting green plants, ensuring they’ve had enough water, pruning off the dead or dry leaves. Though, the frustrating part here is that many of my plants are struggling. It’s really hot and dry here right now for this time of year. I think I need to bite the bullet and purchase some fertilizer to see if this helps.
Balcony garden
A couple of weeks ago for Beltane, a friend and I went to the local Home Depot to take advantage of an early flower basket sale. I picked up as you may remember, some purple petunias, some pink Dahlias, and a large pot of violas which start off white and then turn brilliant shades of violet. I also have a pot of pansies that are really struggling in this crazy wind we’re having. Alberta weather is not friendly for gardening.
Every morning, I will check on the flowers and move them around as needed or take in the cushions if it’s going to be a really windy day. I spend some time out in the sun, listening to the birds. If I’m up early enough, which doesn’t happen often anymore, I’ll sit and watch the sunrise. The world is quiet at 6 am and not many people around. I suppose it’s why I used to love getting up that early. That’s something I need to get back into but my sleep schedule is out of whack again. The heat doesn’t help.
On good days, I will then come back inside, eat my breakfast which usually consists of a combination of fruit, toast, eggs or oatmeal, a hot cup of coffee and drink my first litre of water for the day. I’m trying to drink at least 3 each day and that’s hard for me.
If it’s going to be a hot day, then I make sure all the windows and curtains are drawn by 10 am, and the fans are going to help keep it cool. It didn’t work today, and I’m melting currently. I’m a puddle.
Connection and always learning
Then I spend a bit of time responding to business for the day. Whether it’s personal emails, emails related to my benefits or comments on social media. I try not to spend too much time here, otherwise, you waste a few hours. While sipping my coffee, I’ll enjoy videos like these for inspiration on what I can do during the day.
I’ll spend a bit of time leaving comments on their videos to spread the love, do a bit of reading and maybe get started on a blog article. I have so many half written drafts and just haven’t been in the mood to finish them. Though, I am back to book writing and it’s going well.
Outdoor time
Every day, regardless of how I am feeling, I make the most effort to enjoy the sunshine. A few minutes outside as I wait for my kettle to boil and spend time with the flowers. Then I’ll pop out with my headphones in the afternoon if construction isn’t too noisy. And then I’ll head out again in the evening for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour or more on really warm nights.
If I’m sick, I’m sick. Like this morning I was having some stomach issues so that meant some time in bed. And on the weekend, it was a sinus/migraine thing. On those really bad days, which happen more than you’d think, I can’t even muster up enough energy for a shower. Baths can help but it’s so much work. So, I tend to just sleep and sleep. I slept 20 full hours the other day and it felt good.
But I try at least for 15 minutes to 30 minutes of outdoor time daily because it does help with the mood. I took this one a couple of weeks ago. Edited with clipart to hide location 🙂
Daily mindfulness practices
The rest of the day is spent in the kitchen with meal prepping. Though now that the weather is too hot for the oven, meals are usually salads, sandwiches, fresh fruit or vegetables. Anything I can buy premade from the deli that just gets heated up in the microwave.
I might listen to music while writing, or while outside and this helps me get in a calm headspace, especially for writing. Sometimes I’m listening to pop or pop rock music, sometimes acoustic folk and sometimes, some really deep meditative music to help me “zone out” for a little while.
I check in with my partner daily and while we don’t get much time for each other, we send morning messages, chat over lunch, and then again in the evenings. I check in on friends (when I remember to), and can be bad for not reaching out. Not because I don’t care, just because I’m used to being on my own. So sorry, if you haven’t heard from me.
I need to get back into doing readings, if not daily, at least a couple of times a week. If you’d like a reading done, let me know. This too, is a great way to decide what to focus on that day. You pull one card with your morning tea or coffee, meditate on it, and that will be your focus for either that day, or week. It’s up to you.
Writing and journaling
And lastly, I will spend time writing a little each day. Whether it’s a draft entry here, in my private journal, or to share with friends on social media. Or like now, as I try and work on my books on those good days. I can get lost for hours if not careful. Sometimes I have to set timed reminders to take breaks for water and food. It helps to have good people check in on you too.
Note: I pulled all my books from Smashwords in hopes of rewriting and reformatting since I’m constantly getting notices to do so.If you’re an editor and you’ve made it this far, let’s connect. I’ll need an open minded one soon!
How do you incorporate mindfulness in your daily life? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.
This weekend came and went by super fast and it’s late Sunday night, or early Monday morning depending on where you are in the world. Which means, Beltane is officially here. Plans changed this weekend last minute, and I wound up celebrating a little early and a lot differently than I had originally planned.
If you’d like to know what Beltane is and learn about the 8 Sabbats in more depth, please visit my page called Spiritual Practices. In short, Beltane marks the halfway point between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice (post coming soon). It is a time for creation, fertility, and prosperity.
Beltane Activities
Unfortunately, the weather has been really dry and warm for this time of year, which means that it’s perfect conditions for wildfires. As I was writing this, a notification came in for immediate evacuation of a town about 40 minutes away – so – things are getting a little hairy out there. That means, that the Beltane “Fire Festivals” will likely be canceled as there will be fire bans – that’s the breaks living out here in the prairies. We don’t get nearly as much rain as we used to in April.
On Saturday, a good friend called me up and invited me out for lunch. She also let me know there was a flower sale at Home Depot. So, I was eager to get out after having been home for a couple of weeks. We had a great lunch date, and hit the garden centre.
I came away with just a few additions for my balcony, though if I had the space – I could easily have purchased a lot more. But that wind today – I’m worried the flowers may not last long this summer if this heat and wind keeps up.
After shopping, we went back to her place and sat in the backyard and enjoyed the warmth of the sun, drank some rum, and just chatted. It was really nice and I hope to do it again soon. But next time – I’ll wear summer clothes. It got hot in black! This time of year, it’s hard to know what to wear. I also seem to tire out easily after a few hours so, I need to get back into daily exercises and walks.
The moment I got home – I watered the flowers and set up my balcony and spent some time out that evening reading. It wasn’t the way I originally planned on celebrating Beltane – but honestly? It was way better. I may have even had another rum or two before bed.
Green Witching
This morning when I woke up (Sunday), I decided to spend some time with my plants. I find this is a great start to the day as I wait for my morning coffee. The ferns unfortunately were looking wilted and starting to turn brown. So, later in the afternoon, I got out my old humidifier and cleaned it out. Cranked it up for a few hours and the ferns perked right up.
This is kind of a nuisance. Ferns are supposed to be low maintenance plans. But. I think my condo is too dry and the nights are too chilly outside for ferns right now. Another month and I can put them on the balcony. So, for the next few weeks, I’ll just have to keep misting them, watering occasionally, and use the humidifier. It’s also good for my sinuses too, supposedly.
The calathea on the bottom right was wilted a bit this morning. I moved the pot into the kitchen window sill and by night time, it had perked right up again. Some of the leaves are turning brown. So I may just have to shift plants around to make sure they get the right amount of sun. It’s a bit of a trial and error kind of thing.
Having plants around really brightens things up, and it gives me something to start my day on a positive note.
But look at all that green!
Beltane Crafts
For rituals, I really didn’t have anything planned. But as I looked at the pile of dried tulip leaves – I thought, why not make some potpourri and do a Tarot reading.
I had watched a few videos on YouTube on how to make potpourri with flowers, but I’m missing a few key ingredients like cinnamon sticks, peels and pinecones. Though really, you can use just about anything. The one thing I do need to find is orris root powder…this is proving to be challenging. It isn’t cheap and I have already overextended my monthly budget.
So, my bottle ot potpourri is a work in progress and I will share pictures as the work continues. I like changing up my green space every few days. Gives the plants a new lighting situation and well, it just looks pretty.
Beltane Readings
Next, it was time to perform a meditative ritual and pull some Tarot cards. I haven’t done this in a while and when I closed the office door, I felt this intense heat and energy already with me. That feeling gives me incentive and the desire to meditate more often. It’s also pretty great for anxiety and moods overall.
Before the ritual, I spent some time out in the balcony. The wind was insane today, but I got a bit of sun and my arms are getting some color. I spent a lot of time outside this weekend and it really felt good.
For reading details, click on the images below using the arrow buttons. The overall message was to work on spiritual practices, healing, ask for support when needed, and letting go of trauma. All messages I needed to hear.
The Wombat card tells us that we should be our authentic selves so that others can love our “true” selves. It was a message that hit close to home.
I also wrote on 3 Bay leaves, health, home and heart, and asked my spirit guides to bless my home, heal my heart, and help me to focus on health – for the better. I used the parchment paper and taped it to the glass bottle for the potpourri. If interested, I’ll share the recipe in a separate post. I crumpled up the bay leaves into pieces and placed them in the bowl as well. Then I just closed my eyes, while mixing the other ingredients together.
And lastly, I asked the spirit guides to help boost my creativity for writing and ideas for books. Writing really is my passion, and I need to do more of it.
Then I thanked the elements and spirit guides for their support, blew out the candles and cleaned up the altar. It’s always good to “close” your space before cleaning things up.
This is my working altar – I really need to get a cloth to hide the scratch marks. The desk belonged to my mother, and her father before I took it home.I wanted to show the names of the herbs so I could note the ingredients for later. I also use sweet orange oil.
In Summary
And that was pretty much it for Beltane celebrations for 2023. Tomorrow is Monday (today, it’s like 1:30 am), and it’s going to be a mundane day of regular household chores and grocery shopping. And possibly a visit with my father.
But all in all – the weekend was fairly relaxing and I’m pleased with the work I did. Even if my body can’t keep up with all the plans I make in my head, at least I accomplished something I can be proud of.
Let’s Connect!
Are you a fellow witchy or spiritual person? If so, how do you celebrate Beltane? Do you celebrate the Sabbats? Please let me know in the comments!
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It’s hard to believe it’s already mid-April and the month will soon be over. Today is a dreary day and the bright orb in the sky is hidden behind grey murky clouds that are threatening rain, or possibly snow. In April, it could be either or. Unfortunately, after a warm spring day yesterday, the change in weather has brought on a pain flare and suits my mood too.
Balcony decorating project
Yesterday, I spent a good chunk of the day out on the balcony cleaning things up for summer. I got a good deal of the rug cleaned up and think I got a handle on the snow melt stains. I got out all the cushions which need a good cleaning and spent some time sweeping the area rug, fixing the fence, and dusting the balcony itself. I even cleaned the railings. Next up, I need to work on the windows and space behind the sofa.
Dust piles up fast and it’s even worse with the current demolition of our parkade, parking lot AND walkways. It’s been an absolute nightmare. But to accommodate the workers schedule and avoid as much vibrational noise as I can – I’m determined to spend as much time as I can on the balcony. Even on chilly days. Because even with the mall across the street, I love my view of the night sky. The trees provide a lot of privacy too when in full bloom. The buds already budding.
I’m still shopping around online for flowers and herbs. Unfortunately, the garden centres don’t open until early May here. The nights are still cold in the Northern Hemisphere and makes for frosty nights and early mornings. I just came in from the balcony for a peak, and oof. The cool air woke me up for sure.
Stay tuned for a shocking update at the end. I may have purchased flowers and plants before finishing this post…..Yes, I have a problem!
The other night, I was determined not to let the weather get to me. I bundled up in a fleece jacket, grabbed my Kindle, and a blanket. And this was the scene that laid out before me. However, it did not last long. That spring wind can drop the temperature about 5 degrees.
I was looking for clipart as a way to block out the stores across the street for privacy reasons. And lo and behold, I think I just came up with a look that I want for the space. We aren’t allowed to hang items on the actual railing, but maybe hanging real ivy on my own FENCE could be bypassing the bylaws. I think ferns might be a nice way to provide extra privacy and added greenery. Just need to find some other plants & real flowers for the other planters. There’s no where to hang baskets, but perhaps a floor basket.
The other issue is summer storms. The wind can get pretty wild here, so I’ll need to make sure everything is heavy and bolted down, enough that the wind won’t pick it up. I’m also limited on funds. I’d like to get a small statue – either fairy or gnomes, even though they are known to be mischievous creatures. But it’s all part of the magical fun.
Witchy News
Beltane is coming up at the end of the month and that will be my next magical related post. It has happened now that every month I’ve planned to celebrate and honor a Pagan Sabbat, that my health takes a nose dive on that day, or the weather hasn’t panned out. So, I’ve started stretching celebrations over a week long or three day grace period. Many of the Sabbats are often celebrated over a 2 or 3 day span anyway. I’m looking for and will be sharing ideas for both outdoor and indoor climates.
My witchy ways have slipped recently. Especially on the weekend after I wound up in the emergency room for 7 hours for an xray. Don’t ask. I’m okay. Just bruised and sore. But slowly on the mend, and looking to get back into cooking, baking, crafting up recipes, and organizing my crafting supplies.
I’m dying to make some raisin muffins and loaves. And have been experimenting with new dishes. The other night, I made a delicious honey and apple glazed pork dish with a side bean salad. It was delicious and so healthy.
Plants and flowers
I just spent more money than I have on potting flowers and plants from a local company that delivers. I got a few ferns, some Danish ivy, two selections of pansies (lavender and multi color), some snake plants, and of course, some tulips for my kitchen. That was just an added bonus. Now of course I have to buy some fresh potting soil and maybe an additional planter – but we’ll see. Pansies are small.
I’m excited. The summer I moved in here it was 40C and too hot for my indoor plants without air conditioning. I’m hoping for a milder summer and will just have to learn about plant keeping. Still shopping around for seeds for herbs, but I can grow those year round. It will be my first snake plant and I’m excited.
Australian fern x1
Snake plant moonshine x1
Pansies x 12
Moss x2
Tulips x10
Calathea
Danish Ivy
Astrid Peperomia
Worth getting in trouble for. My partner told me no more squishmallows or stuffies – that I buy for myself. I figured plants were a way to skirt around the rule and good way to use up my carbon tax rebate. Plus it’s good for the environment and will make my balcony look homey. Right?
That’s the excuse I’m going with. The dude purchased a clicker to keep track of my “infractions” and I just earned 17 of them lol…don’t ask. It’s consentual. I don’t think Six stuffies/squishmallows are all that bad to be honest. There could be a lot more.
Gardening I find is therapeutic and having plants around is always a mood booster. Tulips are just pretty. So my argument is this is for my mental health.
Other life updates
That’s about it in a nutshell. Still focusing on eating healthy, trying new dishes and working intentions and spiritual practices into my daily routine. It’s harder than you’d think. I’ll look at doing things differently for the summer months.
Spending as much time as I can outside. I was doing good for walks until I hurt my foot on the weekend. Once I can walk without pain and get a shoe on, I’ll continue that. The building is blocked off like a fortress and it makes getting out difficult. I’m really hoping they are done by September.
That’s all for now. I’ll be back next week with a post for Beltane plans, a Good Reads recommendation and possibly to share some recipes. We’ll see.
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