Panther medicine is the medicine of silence. Panther can stalk its prey in absolute silence—one of the reasons native tribes associate him with the spirit world—particularly the night. Panther can show you how to face the Shadow within and bring it out into the Light. Panther is powerful medicine—and the fact that you choose him says much about your willingness to face the unknown
Bear represents a time of reflection and stillness—a time of entering the inner cave of Self to contemplate life’s challenges. Bear often appears during times of confusion and unrest—those unsettling moments when you turn to everyone you know for answers—everyone except yourself. Go within, ask the hard questions—then listen.
Glorious Thursday Morning, my loves! I hope you are having a fairly good day today. Grab yourself a cup of hot cocoa, curl up on the couch, make yourself at home. Want to sing a few Yule carols with me? Don’t know any I can certain
White Solstice
(Tune: White Christmas)
by Lady Bridget
I used to dream of a white Solstice
Just like the ones I knew up North.
But in sunny south Florida
It ain’t gonna happen
Unless dreaming brings it forth.
Now I dream about a green Solstice
Ripe fruit is on my citrus trees.
May your Holidays be healthy and wealthy,
And may all your Solstices be green.
SHARE THE LIGHT
(The First Noel)
CHORUS:
Share the light, share the light!
Share the light, share the Light!
All paths are one on this holy night!
On this Winter holiday, let us stop and recall
That this season is holy to one and to all.
Unto some a Son is born, unto us comes a Sun,
And we know, if they don’t, that all paths are one.
Be it Chanukah or Yule,
Christmas time or Solstice night,
All celebrate the eternal light.
Lighted tree or burning log,
Or eight candle flames.
All gods are one god, whatever their names
.
OH HOLY NIGHT
filled by Lady Bridget
Oh Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the Sun King’s rebirth.
Long lay the world in winter’s darkness pining
‘Till he appeared to bring warmth to the earth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!<
Call out your needs, Oh hear the Goddess singing
Oh night divine, oh night the sun’s reborn.
Oh night divine, Oh night, Oh Holy Night
Hello World! How ya’ doing this morning? It’s Friday, almost Mabon, you have got to be doing great! Made any plans for this weekend? I think I am leaving town, lol! Suppose to have company from Florida. They want to spend a few days with me. I really don’t do “come and never leave” company too good. I like the company that comes, stays a few hours then leaves. That is good company. I guess since the kids have left home and married, I have got selfish with my time. I love “me” time. It is totally underrated. Let me tell you it is fabulous. You can do a spell or ritual anytime you like. You can run around the house skyclad (as long as the blinds are shut). You can do anything you want. My kids made a joke about me not having the empty nest syndrome. Everything worked out just like I planned. I had children young enough that when they got grown, I would still be young enough to enjoy life. Now, if the body would cooperate, I would be thrilled to death, lol!
Oops! I just looked at the clock and didn’t realize it was that late. I had a lot more to say but I figure you might want to read your horoscopes or your Tarot. Besides I am always running late and most of the time it is because I have wrote a book or two.
I am going to run for now. But I would like to remind you that we are still asking for donations for the wildlife refuge. We have received some and I would like to thank those that have opened their hearts to these lovely creatures and us. But as always, we can always use more donations because there are more animals coming in every day. No matter what amount you feel you can give, we can put to good use I guarantee you. Thank you for your love and support.
Well I am off for now. Have a super fantastic Friday! And I will see you tomorrow on Mabon.
Luv & Hugs,
Lady A
Newest addition to the refuge. Yes, we have people drop kittens and puppies off at our doorsteps also.
Ahhhhh! I hope you are having a great day. I sure am. I am the only one here today. The peace and quiet is great. I have been into everything I can get into. Did a little of this and a little of that, casted this and casted that, lol! You know typical mischievous Witch stuff! I ain’t been that bad. But you know when everyone else is here and you are the boss, you have to have some dignity about you. It is just nice to have days were you can kick back and do what you want too.
I slept late this morning. When I got up I felt like a new person. My body was so relaxed and I didn’t have a pain anywhere. Oh, it felt so good! I went to the kitchen and made some coffee. I was looking at the window. It had been raining and gloomy as heck. Everything at the house was done. So I decided sitting there would be boring. I got Razzy (“baby” bobcat), put her on her leash and harness and we started out the door. We headed toward the barn. I got the four-wheeler out, picked up the 35 pound baby and put her on the back and started it up. I secure Razzy with her leash and she loves to go 4 wheeling. We took off and came down to the office. It is probably about 4 or 5 miles from my house. So it is a good, enjoyable ride. I get tickled, everyone takes a double take when they look at us. I guess they can’t believe their eyes. But I think everyone around here knows I have a pet bobcat. At least one good thing, that has cut back on the hunters shooting bobcats. Like I would let Razzy run free, yeah, right!
So we got to the office and no one was here! That was the way it was suppose to be, I have the keys. I would hate to have pulled up and there stood two or three of them waiting to get in. I wanted peace and quiet, I would probably have turned around and went back home, lol! I unlocked the door and Razzy took her usual stop, up on top of the file cabinet. Me, well, I sit down at my computer and just had a terrific time. Heck, I am still having a terrific time. Hubby wanted to go to the Parade but I didn’t want to be around the crowds today. I just wanted to let my mind unwind. You ever get in moods like this? Just say the heck with the world, you need some peace and quiet. I need the peace and quiet, to clear my mind and refresh my spirit. I think people just get too much on them these days. It is good to take a day off and say, “Phooey!”
But I am not going to “Phooey” too much. I am going to do some posting and enjoying doing it. Blogging helps me escape the world. I forget all my troubles and truly enjoy it. Especially when I am by myself. Otherwise, I would have someone running in going, “Hey, I just got this in, want to add it to today’s blog?” Never fails. When I am off in my little world, someone runs in. Well today, it ain’t going to happen and I am going to enjoy this to no end.
I hope you are able to get away and clear your mind and refresh your spirit today.
Have a super, great Labor Day!
Luv & Hugs,
Lady A
More Drama Comments
Aloe vera, Aloe spp.
MEDICINAL: The gel of the inner part of an aloe leaf is used to treat burns, skin rashes, and insect bites, as well as chafed nipples from breastfeeding, when applied to the affected area externally. Internally it can be used to keep the bowels functioning smoothly, or when there is an impaction, although it can cause intestinal cramping when taken internally, and there are other herbs that do this job better. It aids in healing wounds by drawing out infection, and preventing infection from starting. The fresh gel is best to use, rather than “stabilized” gels found in the stores. The fresh gel was used by Cleopatra to keep her skin soft and young.
RELIGIOUS: Growing an aloe vera plant in the kitchen will help prevent burns and mishaps while cooking. It will also prevent household accidents, and guard against evil. It is reported that aloe was used to embalm the body of Christ.
GROWING: Best grown indoors in pots. Those living in the deep South, as in southern Texas or southern Florida, can grow aloe outdoors. Remember that Aloe is a succulent, not a cactus, so it needs water to keep the leaves fleshy and juicy.
By Will Oremus
Ever wonder if Facebook is reading your posts? Well, it is—or, its computers are, at least. And if you say the wrong thing, you could be locked up.
That’s the takeaway from a recent Reuters article, which recounted a case in which Facebook’s software detected a man in his thirties allegedly trying to set up a meeting with a 13-year-old Florida girl for sex. From Reuters:
Facebook’s extensive but little-discussed technology for scanning postings and chats for criminal activity automatically flagged the conversation for employees, who read it and quickly called police.
Officers took control of the teenager’s computer and arrested the man the next day, said Special Agent Supervisor Jeffrey Duncan of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The alleged predator has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of soliciting a minor.
Facebook’s chief security officer told Reuters that the company’s monitoring software uses actual chats that led to sexual assaults to predict when another might occur. This is eerily similar to the hypothetical software I discussed in an article last month on whether police could arrest people based on suspicious-looking Google searches. I noted in the piece that while the idea might sound far-fetched, the technology already exists, and it might even be legal.
In Facebook’s case, the scanning hasn’t stirred outrage—probably because it seems to be focused on catching sexual predators. There are two reasons why online predators make sense as an initial target for automatic-monitoring algorithms. First, soliciting sex with a minor on the Internet is a crime in itself, not just a prelude to a crime (like, say, searching Google for ways to murder someone in their sleep). And second, sexual predators are unlikely to elicit much sympathy, so the public is more likely to tolerate intrusive means of nabbing them. Facebook is fighting creepy with creepy.
The key to the technology’s success—from a public-opinion standpoint, and possibly from a legal standpoint—is avoiding false positives. Arresting an innocent person based on a Facebook chat would surely cause controversy. So according to the Reuters piece, Facebook dials down the algorithm’s sensitivity, to minimize the chances of this happening.
It seems clear that this technology has the potential to do some good. But that shouldn’t blind us to the fact that it represents a further erosion of our online privacy, one more serious than selling our personal information to advertisers.
Calendar of the Moon
25 Saille/Mounukhion
Day of Eros
Color: Pink
Element: Air
Altar: Upon a cloth of pink set a bow and arrows, two pink candles, incense of roses and violets, a pitcher of fruit juice, and a plate of pink cakes.
Offerings: Give affection to someone. Try to help a couple who are struggling with romantic problems, although this must be done with no agenda as to their fate together.
Daily Meal: Sweet things. Fruit.
Invocation to Eros
Hail, winged one, Lord of Love!
We do not always welcome you
Into our busy lives as we should,
For you have no regard for
Our convenience, our rules,
But simply see each of us
As another target for love.
Sometimes, when you come, we rejoice.
Sometimes, when you come, we weep.
Yet even when your arrows
Are painful and agonizing,
Even when we lie awake at night
Aching from the wounds you have dealt us,
We must remember that all love
Is truly a blessing, no matter
Where it starts or ends,
No matter what its path or means,
No matter whether it must live unsung
And die unborn in our hearts
Or whether it can run freely
Hand in hand with the love of another.
Bless us with your wounds, winged one,
As you have endured love,
And made mistakes, so you will
Have patience with us as we
Fumble our way through your maze.
Chant: Love is a river,
Flowing from my heart, flowing from my heart.
(Each steps forward and touches an arrow point to their heart, saying, “I am open to love.” The fruit juice and cakes are passed around, and the remainder is offered as a libation for Eros.)
If you would like to make a donation, any and all amounts are gladly appreciated and accepted. Thank you.
What’s The WOTC Talkin’ Bout?