Camping With Fire, Water, and Tree

I went away for several days; off to where Lake Ontario spoons the shores of Upstate New York. The beachline stretched beyond my sight, past buoys marked for ‘swim at your own risk,’ private residences, and wildlife management areas. Fresh water, sometimes smooth as a reflecting pool, other times choppy and reminiscent of ocean surf,Continue reading “Camping With Fire, Water, and Tree”

Three Things Thursday: Luis, These Witches Don’t Burn, and an Introverted Conference

Each week, I share three little things. This week, I’m contemplating luis, I’ve got a short book review for you, and I reflect on a writing conference I attended on Zoom. I recently started an in-depth reflection of the ogham with a friend and fellow polytheist. Each week, we focus on one symbol, or fid,Continue reading “Three Things Thursday: Luis, These Witches Don’t Burn, and an Introverted Conference”

Incense of the Land

At the end of March, I discovered an eastern hemlock tree in our yard was weeping resin. This is quite common in the spring, especially if trees have a wound. I found smaller globs on the white pine in front of our house, but the hemlock must have lost a branch or something. I collectedContinue reading “Incense of the Land”

Three Things Thursday: Low-Key Full Moon, Plush Tree Spirit, and a New Excerpt

Once more, three mini posts inside a big one! Trying to remain positive in light of a lot of anxiety at the moment. A Low-Key Full Moon I had plans for the full moon, and they collapsed, much as I did into bed, that night. The impact of losing an hour is amazing (on top ofContinue reading “Three Things Thursday: Low-Key Full Moon, Plush Tree Spirit, and a New Excerpt”

Working with the Land: My First Wattle Fence

There are several tree stumps  in my back yard. At one point, there was a grove of trees in the back corner. Last year, our first full summer at our new home, I decided to observe everything growing there in order to decide how to proceed our approach to that area. Given that we onlyContinue reading “Working with the Land: My First Wattle Fence”

Getting Festive

Despite how sick I was feeling last week, I decided we ought to decorate our tree. We bought a potted tree this year, with the intent to keep her around. My husband brought our box of decorations out, and we hung all our memories. This is the first year that my daughter was visibly excited andContinue reading “Getting Festive”

Autumn in Upstate NY Means Apples

Upstate New York is known for its delicious apples. Each autumn, orchards roll out their red, yellow, and green goodness, cider presses offer their ambrosial best, and folks everywhere delight at the numerous confections produced in kitchens across the land.  When fresh apples appear in mounds at farmers’ markets and grocery stores, when the cider pressesContinue reading “Autumn in Upstate NY Means Apples”