Of Peacocks and Community

Yesterday I woke up at 6 am to screaming below my window. Somewhat frazzled as to who would be screaming outside my window when I live out in the middle of nowhere I peek my head out the window and what do I see?

A peacock.

I later come to find out he was an escaped peacock and was captured and brought back to safety, but still odd thing to see in the California hills.



I don't know what the spiritual and symbolic significants of being woken up with a peacock on your roof is, but surely it has to be something right?

Peacocks aside, yesterday was a day about community. I don't know about other covens and networks but CAYA is a pretty tight knit group of characters. We've been through a lot with each other and continue to go through it. Yesterday I was struck that many of those whom I love in my community are hitting a rough patch, and instead of doing the same ol' same ol' light a candle on my altar, I decided that since I had the time I should do someething bigger.

So I did an impromtu community working, on my kitchen table, around my Sidhe summer altar. I really am blessed in my current situation, to not be working and still be living comfortably it is the very very LEAST I can do, to put that time and my energy to lend to my loved ones that need it. It was peaceful and enjoyable to sit at my kitchen table and attend to my community, to the ones with specific needs & to the general well being. I think I may just have to do this more often.





I really wish that more people around the world would take the time and energy to think about how "family" how "friends" should work, and put the effort in to make it so for all those they care about. If everyone did that, if EVERYONE treated their friends and family as they wanted to be treated and cared for, think about what the world would look like.

In the meantime I will continue my walk, trying to be an example of the ideas and ideals that my family instilled in me, that I have formed myself, and that I want to show exist to the people I love (who may not have been lucky enough to experience it before).

Somewhat of a rambling, non-nonsensical post. But I will leave you with the two wee beasties that also lent their energies and blessings to their cat brethren, and kept me company on the warm summer day.




To all my CAYA family, I love ya'll!

Aes Sidhe Elixir

Good Morning fair people!

I'm very happy to be able to post this blog, it's been burning away in my mind for weeks now, and it's all come together so well which makes it all the more sweet.

About two weeks ago my parents came by with a big ol' bag of fresh cherries from their cherry tree that exploded with fruit while they were preparing to move. I like to think it was the trees going away present for them, as in the 3 years they lived there it has never been as bountiful.

So there I am with a big bag of cherries FAR too many to eat, what is a girl to do?

Brew something magical that's what!


Cherries have always been an odd fruit to me. They come out in the brightness of summer, but they seem anything but jovial to me.
This undercurrent of darkness, definitely not innocent, delicious, often paired with alcohol lend to that more mature complexity. I can't say as a child I ever yearned to sit with e a bowl of cherries the same way I did with Strawberries.

Now usually I may chock this up to me being weird, but lets take a moment to think about the pop culture associations with this fruit. Most of them sexual (poppin' cherries), most of them seductive (knotting cherry stems with ones tongue), and while there isn't any real fairy tale references with them, the scenes in The Witches of Eastwick concerning them leave an imprint on the mind.

So with all this in mind, while I chopped and pitted the blood red buds, it became clear to me that the energy was very Fay, very Sidhe. Playful, seductive, complex, dark and bright. It was around this idea and energy that I brewed this potion.



After chopping them up, I covered them with Everclear, to steep. Some people use vodka, and it does work but generally you want good quality vodka to better get the flavor that your steeping. I like Everclear because it does get a very clear flavor in the end, that and I'm not so hot on vodka lol.

I put the jar on my the Sidhe corner of my altar, made a few offerings, shook it up once a day and honestly forgot about it for a while. Since it was fruit it really didn't HAVE to sit as long as it did to get all the flavor. 3-5 days is usually enough. But as this is a sidhe elixir they had other ideas, and all the pieces didn't come together to make the lovely potion till yesterday, the day after the Solstice. ;)

My good friend, Brenda, came over for the occasion to laugh at my antics and add her own special brand of trixy energy. (Well that and it was her birthday and I was making her dinner and watching movies and such XD )



With some simple syrup and various amounts of delicious liquors, rose water, peppermint and rose petals, an elixir was born.



Aes Sidhe Elixir:
Under the golden beams of the sun, there is the freedom of summer. Memories of childhood days spent in revelry and innocents. The air is heavy with the perfume of summer, fruits ripen on the vine in vibrant colors. It is a time of action, it is a time of life. And yet...out of the corner of your eye, there in the shadow is a shade of something darker. The wind whistle a tune of sweat and seduction, and you know the fay are at hand.

Elixir and potions are great for adding extra "oomph" to spells, as well as special offerings. When left as an offering this elixir will bring more fairy and fay kind to your life & surroundings. Sidhe magic is complex and deep. Excellent for adding steam to love spells, great for charming inspiration to come your way. Not feeling so magical yourself, a sip to bring back the sparkle. Would be an lovely and welcome addition to any Midsummer ritual or spell work.



May everyone fill the magic of the summer sun, and go out and make life happen!

Branwen

Returning Home

This past weekend (extended weekend as it included Thursday and Friday), some of the Amazons including myself, journeyed down to Orange County to visit and priestess at the Goddess Temple of Orange County, an astonishing temple in the middle of business district Irvine. Where Ava and her women create a space of safety and sanctity for ladies of the L.A. area. It really is amazing that such a place exists, and they have put a lot of work into it.

And while the Goddess Temples hospitality was amazing, and the ritual went smashingly, and many adventures were had, after four days of being inside or in a car I was looking forward to home.

So this morning before the sun heated us up to a summer temperature and while the wind was still dancing a cool breeze I ventured out under open blue skies to reconnect with nature and wiggle my toes in the dirt.

There is something about being outside that just makes me feel wholesome. It is my most favorite place to do magic or ritual. The pure unfettered energies swirling around you simply cannot be simulated within walls.


I did the full trek of the property, going down to the creek and lighting incenses under my favorite tree. The creek is a sanctuary of it's own, the trees creating a den by the gently running water. It's down here that I come to do magic, it is very peaceful. In fact come the next new moon, I have to come down here and burn my cauldron of spent spells, but for now I just sat, sang, and enjoyed the fresh air.

It's very rare that the Ranch is empty on mornings like today, usually there are handfuls of people coming and going when the sky is this blue and the weather hasn't turned the morning too hot. It was so nice to be able to walk around and scavenge for turkey and crow feathers, and other treasures without being interrupted by people. Didn't find any crow this morning but came back with a good haul of turkey.



After saying goodbye to the creek, I wandered down the road to the mail box. There are some wild grapes blooming on the way with large bees busily going about their tasks. It really is a lovely walk to my mail box, I'm very lucky even if it is a long way lol.





Now usually that's enough for me and my allergies and I go back inside. But after being cooped up so long (yes we did go to the beach and that was lovely, but doesn't quite cut it for this earth sign ;), and since the weather was so nice I decided to wander up the hill behind the house as well. I'm very glad I did. Up by my favorite oak are the most fantastic crop of Milk Thistle. They are really beautiful with big flowering bulbs just swaying in the wind.



Anyone got some good interesting ideas that involve thistle? I'd love to do something with these beauties just don't know what.

All and all a successful walk, I'm feeling wonderful and am ready to face cleaning the house lol.

But before I get on that, I leave you with images of the bounty of my travels; today and this weekend.




Blessings to all of my sisters, who I got to laugh, eat, and do magic with this weekend. It was such an experience to share with you all, and I am so happy to know you that much more.