Photo by Wandering Soul (c)2008
~~I AM A WOODWITCH~~
Photo by Wandering Soul(c)2008
Photo by Wandering Soul (c) 2008
Photo by Wandering Soul (c) 2008
Photo by Wandering Soul (c)
What shall we do with a man who is afraid of the woods, their solitude and darkness? What salvation is there for him? God is silent and mysterious.
-~Henry David Thoreau~-
)O( WANDERING SOUL )O(
What did you find in the fields today,
You who have wandered so far away?
I found a wind-flower, small and frail,
And a crocus cup like a holy grail;
I found a hill that was clad in gorse,
A new-built nest, and a streamlet's source;
I saw a star and a moonlit tree;
I listened...I think Goddess spoke to me.
-~Hilda Rostron~-
The newest addition to my family is Rufus..he was born in my backyard and it was love at first sight.. he is simply a joy to have around!! Here he is sitting in the bathroom sink...one of his favorite spots!
And relaxing on the windowsill..
Thank you to Linda Bergkvist for the use of this beautiful detail from her painting 'Spoiled.'
Since beginning my page here on Myspace a few years ago, I have met some of the most wonderful people...Sweet Starfire Spirit, who has become a sister to me, and who has taught me so much about compassion and integrity of heart...The beautiful and amazing Ellen Dugan...author, teacher and girlfriend extrodinaire...her combination of intelligence and humor make her books impossible to put down!! Beautiful DayDreamer, whose soul is as wide as the Universe itself, and whose magnificent poetry never ceases to move me...Darling Piasa, lovely Mickie,and gentle LorAnge, gifted artists and kind ancient souls..their art is a true reflection of the depths of their souls and I can spend hours lost in their worlds...Precious SageWytch...she has a smile that can light up the world, a heart the size of the Universe, and she never ceases to make me laugh...and my sweet beautiful Elenya, who is as kind and gentle as the ocean is deep...she has become my long distance Sister..I hope to someday travel to Scotland to visit her..we will sit in front of her cozy fireplace and talk into the wee hours....her loving, eloquent messages always touch my heart...
Each and every friend I have made here has touched my soul in some way, and I feel truly blessed to have become part of such an incredible circle of sisters and brothers...
I look forward to making many new friends, but I'm afraid if your profile is set to private, I cannot approve your friend request..I like to know a bit about you before approving a request..Blessed Be!
The beauty of the trees, the softness of the air, the fragrance of the grass speaks to me. The summit of the mountains, the thunder of the sky, the rhythm of the sea speaks to me. The faintness of the stars, the freshness of the morning dewdrop on the flower speaks to me. The strength of fire, the taste of salmon, the trail of the sun, and the life that never goes away, they speak to me, and my heart soars.
~~~Chief Dan George~~~
No house should ever be on a hill or on anything.
It should be of the hill, belonging to it, so hill and
house could live together each the happier for the other.
Frank Lloyd Wright
The Magickal Blue Moon
Photo by Wandering Soul
ARE OUR DREAMS REAL OR IS REALITY ONLY A DREAM....
JUST TO BE IS A BLESSING. JUST TO LIVE IS HOLY.
"SPOILED," A painting by Linda Bergkvist (Enayla) Deviantart.com.
I think I could turn and live with the animals, they're so placid and self-contain'd,
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins,
They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
Not one is dissatisfied, not one is demented with the mania of owning things,
Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that lived thousands of years ago,
Not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.
~~ Walt Whitman ~~
Mystickal Wonders of the Woods and other Wanderings...these are a mix of my favorite photos...all aspects of Nature fill me with wonder and joy...I have become especially fascinated with mushrooms, and have photographed them all year long...if you look very closely, you can spot Faeries and so many other magickal beings! I am most alive during the Autumn months, and many of my photos reflect that...please join me as I Wander...
I call this majestic tree Mother...she proudly watches over the woods and all its creatures...
After I photographed the bittersweet, I thanked Mother Nature for such a beautiful gift, picked a big bunch, and went home and made this beautiful hanging wreath...
All photos by Wandering Soul (C)
The most magickal tree I've ever seen!!
This miracle I'm holding in my hand was truly a gift from the Godess...I'm happy to say she was still alive when I found her on the sand and I returned her to the sea right after I took this photo.
You are singing, little dove, on the branches of the silk-cotton tree.
And there also is the Chickade, and many other little birds.
All are rejoicing, the songbirds of our god, our Lord.
And our goddess has her little birds,
The turtledove, the redbird,
The black and yellow songbird, and the hummingbird.
These are the birds of the beautiful goddess, our Lady.
If there is such happiness among creatures,
Why do our hearts not also rejoice?
At daybreak all is jubilant.
Let only joy, only songs, enter our thoughts.
~~~Song of Dzitbalche~~
This wee one visits my feeders quite often...I finally managed to photograph him...by the way, he has a VERY hearty appetite!!
I tried for weeks and weeks to photograph this gorgeous Redbellied Woodpecker, but he was always a blur..till one day...Magick!!
This little gal, my wee Wren, visits every day..I named her Penelope..
And a few of Penny's friends..
...and, last but not least, my best bud, 'Wee Pan'...he hangs around all the time, and he never fails to make me laugh!!
And now, back to my beloved woods...
All Photos by Wandering Soul
Full Moon Blessings
And here are a few glorious memories of my precious Colorado...
Believe it or not, I took this photo of the Windstar Conservancy with my cellphone camera!! Love the hazy effect..
Aspen trees and wild flowers..a perfect combination..
Photos by Wandering Soul (c)
Thank you to Linda Bergkvist, for this beautiful detail from her painting Skinflayer. See more of her work at: www.furiae.com.
I still enjoy a lot of the music I grew up on...mostly on the mellow side...John Denver was and still is my all time favorite...he influenced my life in countless wonderful ways...Other favorites are The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkle, early Elton John, Cat Stevens, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Neil Young.
I love New Age too..Enya, Gregorian Chants, Loreena Mckennitt, Native American Flute & Drums, and all sorts of nature/instrumental mixes. On the contemporary side, I enjoy Melissa Ethridge, Sarah Mclachlan, James Blunt, Marc Anthony and Josh Groban. A very dear friend is getting me hooked on Classic/Southern Rock lately too and, last but not least, I'm always ready to listen to Yule carols :-)
Not too much time for TV, so I keep it light...What Not to Wear for fun...An occasional Lifetime movie for a guilty pleasure and The History Channel and PBS for the mind. Last but not least, I am always ready for JETS Football..Go J-E-T-S in '08!!!
I love books on Spirituality, Wicca, world religions, nature and animals; country crafts, art and decorating, nature photography...I also very much enjoy reading about Native American history and culture; psychology and self help books and nutrition and exercise books, too.
As far as authors go some of my favorites are, Ellen Dugan, Scott Cunningham, Laurie Cabot, Doreen Valiente, Phyllis Curott and Raven Grimassi.
Also, David Brower, The Dalhi Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Peter Matthiessen, Tom Crum, Ed McGaa Eagle Man, Stephen King and Dan Brown, just to name a few.
One of my alltime favorites, which I highly recommend:
By the delightful Ellen Dugan
And I can totally get lost in the poetry of Robert Frost.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
by: Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of the easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
From "You Come Too", 1916
Photo by Wandering Soul
Ten Commandments of the Earth
Photo by Wandering Soul
1. Thou shalt love and honor the Earth
for it blesses thy life and governs thy survival.
2. Thou shalt not hold thyself above other living things
nor drive them to extinction.
3. Thou shalt give thanks for thy food
to the creatures and plants that nourish thee.
4. Thou shalt not kill
nor waste Earth's riches upon weapons of war.
5. Thou shalt not pursue profit at the Earth's expense,
but strive to restore and recycle it's majesty.
6. Thou shalt not hide from thyself or others
the consequences of thy actions upon the Earth.
7. Thou shalt not steal from future generations
by impovershing or poisoning the Earth.
08. Thou shalt consume material goods in moderation
so all may share Earth's bounty.
09. Thou shalt honor and respect all living things.
10. Thou shalt respect life.
Photo by Wandering Soul
Go where he will, the wise man is at home,
..His hearth the Earth, his hall the azure dome.
R.W. Emerson
My Heroes..well, I would have to start with all of the men and women serving our country in the armed forces and serving as Police and Firefighters...these are people willing to lay down their lives to protect us, and that to me is the ultimate, loving sacrafice a person can make.
My heart still aches every day for all of the brave rescuers and victims of 911...being a New Yorker and watching the valliant efforts made to find survivors,and later to restore our wounded city, I will be forever grateful to all the heroes and heroines who came to help.
Every person who struggles each day with an illness or a physical disability is also a hero to me. We must never take for granted all of our God given senses and abilities..they could be lost to us in an instant..
On an individual level, I would have to pick my neice Chet...she's an amazing, brilliant young woman, and I'm very proud of her. Another person I would have to say is a hero to me is John Denver...he changed my life and taught me how to be a better human being and a steward for our planet...Last but not least, anyone who makes an effort to love this planet, protect its inhabitants and nurture its resources is the ultimate hero in my book!
There is so much in Nature that can fill us, day and night, through plants, animals and flowers, with the eternal in life.
C.G. Jung
Thank you to Linda Bergkvist for this beautiful rendering
ENGAGE IN ACTS OF RANDOM KINDNESS AND SENSELESS BEAUTY
PATH OF PETALS by Linda Bergkvist Deviantart.com
Thirteen Goals of a WitchI. Know yourself
II. Know your Craft
III. Learn
IV. Apply knowledge with wisdom
V. Achieve balance
VI. Keep your words in good order
VII. Keep your thoughts in good order
VIII. Celebrate life
IX. Attune with the cycles of the Earth
X. Breathe and eat correctly
XI. Exercise the body
XII. Meditate
XIII. Honor the Goddess and God