English, Pagan and in Canada!

Twas the night before...oh well, you'll see!

2011-12-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

There are certain things from my childhood Christmas' I love and the poem 'Twas the Night before Christmas is one of them. This Yule, I want you to hear it not read it.

Firstly, a bit of history:

'Twas the Night Before Christmas is a poem first published anonymously in 1823 and generally attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, although the claim has also been made that it was written by Henry Livingston, Jr. (Source: A Visit from St. Nicholas)

Now I've heard and read this poem several times, however, when one particular person recited it the atmosphere of the poem sprang out at me. And who is this marvel you may ask? My brother. Yup, you read that right. Now let me put this into perspective. My brother is a Broadcaster, he works in television and radio or as it says on his website:

'Andy Marriott is a Broadcaster, Voice-over artist, Radio presenter, TV Announcer, Transmission controller and a Film & video restoration professional, with over 25 years experience in the UK broadcasting industry.'

So as you can imagine he has a certain way of saying things, what I term affectionately as his 'Radio Voice'.

This Yuletide, I wanted to share with you my brother reading 'Twas the Night before Christmas, so sit back, close your eyes and enjoy. (click on the link)

'Twas the Night before Christmas narrated by Andy Marriott

Happy Yuletide to you all! :)

Bovine Malady

2011-12-16T16:51:00.000-05:00

Over the last month and a half, I've discovered that I'm Lactose intolerant. What a pain in the butt, both figuratively and literally.

I had no idea that Lactose intolerance was something that could just start. Not knowing about such things, I thought you either were or weren't intolerant from birth. Boy, how I was wrong!

For several years I've had indigestion and bloating after some meals but never thought twice about, kinda went with the idea that's just life, ya know? But then, about six weeks ago, I had one of my favourite things, an ice cold glass of milk and within the hour I had bad stomach cramps and had to rush to the bathroom several times. (Sorry about the mental images.)

At first, I thought it might be a bug, I didn't even imagine it was the milk. Then, when it happened a couple more times after milk products, I decided to test myself and stopped having any. My digestive problems vanish almost instantly. Just to be sure, I tried milk again and yet again it upset my stomach, as does cheese and butter. So that's cold glasses of milk out and one of my other favourites...a cheese and onion sandwich...sigh.

I then got into research mode and find out what Lactose intolerance is - here comes the technical bit - in milk products there is an chemical called Lactose and it is hard to digest. A human body produces a digestive enzyme called Lactase, which breaks down the Lactose so it can be used by the body. However, for one reason or another, some people have a low amount of Lactase and so when eating anything with Lactose in they become unwell as it can't be digested properly. Got all that?

So all cow's milk products make me ill and painfully so in high quantities. However, a dear friend put me onto Lactaid pills, which are taken immediately before a meal known to contain Lactose, giving the eater a dose of Lactase to combat the incoming Lactose. And presto! I can, very occasionally, have cheese, butter and milk again! Woohoo!

While researching this problem, I came across some information on goat's milk possibly being edible by some people who are lactose intolerant, not all can manage it though. The reason it may be edible is that goat's milk has other digestive chemicals in it naturally, which help to break it down in the stomach and so such a high amount of Lactase is not needed. I haven't tried it yet but I remain hopeful, I don't want to take the Lactaid pills for the rest of my life just so I can have milk, butter and cheese.

One last thing, I've found out that milk solids, hence Lactose, are in so many more products than you can imagine. Needless to say, I now have to do a lot more label watching when I do the grocery shop.

Thank the Gods for Soy and Almond 'milks'!

Remember Me

2011-11-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

Watch this video and remember them all...

Raise a Horn!

2011-10-31T11:27:00.004-04:00

Raise a Horn on this blessed Samhain,

For those that do not remain.

We're only here because of them,

Our Ancestors, our women, our men.

Raise a Horn on this blessed Samhain,

For those whose memory will not wane.

Let the ears of young and old alike ken,

Our Ancestors, our women, our men.

Raise a Horn on this blessed Samhain,

Fill it to the brim with mead again.

Drink and honour for all then,

Our Ancestors, our women, our men.

What are all these Pins?

2011-09-23T10:30:00.000-04:00

As an author, I often get fan mail asking what my favourite things are and what are my other interests. Indeed, I get asked anything from meals to movies, from books to wines. It seems the reading public like to know about the 'behind the scenes' lives of authors.

There are plenty of 'meme' lists floating around in the ether, they occasionally appear on Facebook or blogs under various titles, usually along the lines of 'A Hundred and One Things About Me'. I have to say I find these pretty boring, okay some of the facts are interesting but the format just puts me to sleep.

A while ago, I came across a website that is a bit different, it's called Pinterest. It's simply a place to 'Pin' images of things you like, onto your own pinboards, on your account page. Let's face it how many times have you loved an image on the Internet (for whatever reason) and wished you had bookmarked it? Annoying isn't it?

Pinterest (sign up page) is simple to use, does not infringe any copyright as the image is not copied from anywhere (it's just a directly linked image) and you can interact with other members if you wish or just 'Pin' alone. More importantly, it's FREE and fun especially when you connect with friends and see their 'Pins'.

I have several boards now and for those of you who are interested, please feel free to join me and connect on Pinterest.

I'm looking forward to seeing your boards. :)

Ladies of the Moon.

2011-08-16T12:52:00.001-04:00

This last weekend, I was unplugged and at the Red Spiral Women's Retreat. As one of the organisers, I truly get the most amazing sense of satisfaction and pleasure from this event.

For months before hand we, the staff, meet, discuss and decide the events of the weekend. Our efforts are made while not really knowing how it’ll be received nor if our decisions will work. We try to smoothly blend into each part, making this themed weekend into a gentle stream of events and ideas. Instead of thrashing the attendees roughly from one thing to the next, like water crashing against rocks and tumbling onwards.

This year was our second, and I have to say our best yet. We brought on board a new staff member, Kadri, who was responsible for the catering. We knew she was more than capable as a professional chef and she rocked it, we had truly excellent food.

Attending ladies came from far and wide, not really knowing what to expect. They found sisters who shared, loved, sang, laughed and cried. Women whose strength spread, whose kindness enveloped and whose support lifted each other.

I watched and saw changes in many women’s lives, some were small changes, others were large but all were appreciated and deeply needed. I heard comments like ‘This is the best therapy ever!’ and ‘I wish I had come last year too. I shall be here every year now I know how wonderful it is!’

We, as staff, were thanked and thanked, hugged and kissed, blessed and praised. The months of planning and the hundreds of emails between the staff were worth every moment to see so many happy women and to know our retreat had made a difference in their lives.

I really do think modern society is missing this important and beneficial ingredient in a woman’s life. To feel safe and be able to discover your inner depths, your strengths with other women, to share and work through life’s problems, but most importantly, to be free to dance, sing and laugh. These are things we all need.

There were many special moments for me. There is one that stands out a lot, I was stood under the beautiful full moon and off to my left where silhouettes of the women dancing around the fire and the drums vibrating the air. It was like being back with the Ancestors, a thousand years ago. It just felt so right, deep down in my bones.

Personally, I’ve found that I need to be a part of this every year, to help build it and connect with other women. I need to recharge in this very special and time-honoured way.

I’m truly honoured and privileged to share the Red Spiral Women’s Retreat with so many wonderful women.

Fest Kin and Fest Head

2011-08-03T14:18:00.000-04:00

Hubby and I have just returned from spending ten days unplugging and camping.

We decided, once again, to attend KG (Kaleidoscope Gathering). This year we added on a few days before Fest to chill out and relax, before we began to vend hubby's wares (Herne's Craftes). Several of our friends had the same idea and we ended up creating a space, in the centre of the camp, called the Village Green. This was an excellent place to sit and relax, to talk, laugh and sing. Yes, we did a lot of silly songs and our rendition of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' gained us a round of applause from other campers.

As the evenings became sillier, so did the conversations and we began to build a sentence out of the accidentally created words such as 'poodle noodle' and 'sleepywell'. This became a wonderfully hilarious evening entertainment and a village idiot was crowned each night...in a friendly manner of course.

Throughout the actual Fest, we vended during the day and enjoy the company of friends old and new during the warm summer evenings. There's such a simple pleasure in just sitting around enjoying your Fest Kin or attending workshops, of which there were plenty.

We also battled mosquitoes, porta potty's (T.U.R.D.I.S. lol) and cold showers. We enjoyed raising horns of mead, drinking bottles of wine/beer and cooling swims in the beautiful river.

As usual, at the end of KG, we come away with our hearts full of laughter, good memories and our minds still too relaxed for modern day living...hence the Fest Head.

Now we're back home and the world seems small and lonely, the apartment seems to have too many walls and I miss our village and all our friends.

I simply can't wait to do it all again next year. :)

Weird and weirder...

2011-06-28T12:09:00.000-04:00

The other day I was sat in a local shopping mall waiting to pick up something when an older man walked up to me, placed a piece of paper next to me and quietly walked away. He was around sixty, of medium build with grey hair tied back. He looked clean and respectable from the back, which is all I saw.

Picking up the small piece of paper to examine it, I realised it was in a language I couldn't read...possibly Greek. I stuffed it in my pocket, thinking I'd show hubby when I got home and continued with my day, not giving it a second thought.

Upon showing my hubby it later, I decided to try a friend of mine who might be able to translate it. They told me it wasn't Greek but Russian and they asked a colleague to translate it for me. I expected a crazy ramble or an advert for a restaurant or some such thing, what I didn't expect was this translation...
(A huge thanks goes out to my friend who managed to get it translated.)

Leningrad
psho Wave
branch
city Petrokrepost
red path 2

Ленинградское
пшо “Волна”
Филиал
город петрокрепость
красный тракт 2

It's an address...yup, an address...in RUSSIA! Apparently, it's the street address of the 'Volna Sewing factory in Petrokrepost, Leningrad province, Russia'.

Freaky and definitely not what you expect to be given in a busy mall, on a Monday, in Canada.

Looking around on the internet, a few others have found these on buses or have been handed them by the grey haired man. So what is it? What does it mean? Does it mean anything? Is it simply a disturbed or senile mind thinking it's making sense or is there more to it?

I have no clue and I think it will probably remain a mystery.

What do you think? :)

Pictorial Interval

2011-06-23T11:37:00.000-04:00

I've not posted for a few weeks and rather than give you all a long catch up, I thought I would do it in pictures. Here's what hubby and I have been up to...

Canadian Museum of Civilisation, Quebec.

View of Ottawa, Ontario from the Canadian Museum of Civilisation, Quebec.

The Grand Hall, Canadian Museum of Civilisation, Quebec.

Huge Totem Poles, Canadian Museum of Civilisation, Quebec.

Bark Tipi, Canadian Museum of Civilisation, Quebec.

Metal Lantern, Canadian Museum of Civilisation, Quebec. - love this shot!

I want this as my kitchen! Canadian Museum of Civilisation, Quebec.

Map on a horn - awesome! Canadian Museum of Civilisation, Quebec.

The Summer Solstice Aboriginal Arts Festival, Ottawa, Ontario.

The Stoney Bear Drummers, The Summer Solstice Aboriginal Arts Festival, Ottawa, Ontario.

(All images: copyright Marc & Edain Duguay 2011)

We've also discovered a wonderful pottery in Kazabazua which makes beautiful Stonewear (yes, we bought some) and several beautiful lakes in the surrounding areas.

Loony Luna Day #39

2011-05-30T10:00:00.001-04:00

THE SHREDDER

A young engineer was leaving the office at 5:45pm when he found the CEO standing in front of a shredder with a piece of paper in his hand.

“Listen,” said the CEO, “this is a very sensitive and important document, and my secretary is not here. Can you make this thing work?”

“Certainly.” said the young engineer. He turned on the machine, inserted the paper, and pressed the start button.

“Excellent, excellent!” said the CEO as his paper disappeared inside the machine, “I just need one copy.”

Lesson: Never, never, ever assume that your boss knows what he’s doing.

Weekend Bite?

2011-05-24T10:04:00.004-04:00

Hubby and I just had a wonderful three day weekend (due to it being Victoria Day here in Canada) and, as we've recently acquired a company car from hubby's work, we decided to spend two of the three days out with friends.

Saturday was spent with several others at a cottage owned by some very dear friends. On the way we stopped at the Mississippi Mills, which produce green hydro-power, (see pictures below). We then continued through the countryside to a wonderfully secluded cottage. Our day was filled with laughter, food and relaxation. Hubby made us an excellent supper of Rainbow Trout and vegetables, cooked in foil on the bonfire. :) We all bravely battled the never ending war with the bugs, black fly and mosquitoes to be exact, but it was a fun day. You can see the effect the black flies had on me below.

Sunday, we spent the afternoon and evening at our friends house. We had a lot of fun, good food, relaxation and a crazy (non-pc) game called 'Cards Against Humanity', which is a 'free party game for horrible people' (that's what it says on their website! lol)...oh my, what a hilarious game. However, it's definitely only for adults, you have been warned. ;)

I thought I would share with you a few images from Saturday and the battle scars from the war with the bugs. Also, I've included a video that sums up the fun we had with the black flies.

Enjoy! :)

I just love moss and lichen.

24 hours after being bitten. Sexy, huh? lol

What going on?

2011-04-21T10:05:00.002-04:00

April has been ridiculously busy for me this year and, sadly, it's my blogging and writing that's suffered. When there are not enough hours in the day, something has to give. Right?

We've just nine days left in April, all of which are going to be very busy and May is looking like a lovely sunrise of relief in the distance.

What is keeping me so busy in April, you may ask? Well, as you'll know, if you are a regular reader of this blog, I volunteered my skills for the second year to the Red Spiral Women's Retreat and I've finished the main updating of their website. I'm also the Registration Coordinator for the Canadian National Steampunk Exhibition and, being that it's the first year, everything needed setting up.

Also, for the next day or so, I'm involved in the special Earth Day event with my publisher Wyrdwood Publications. They are having trees planted, in deforested areas of the world, for EVERY eBook sold on Earth Day! This is an excellent way of helping Mother Earth and all my eBooks are included in this event.

On Sunday 24th April, my next eBook will be released. Willow the Lonely Witch is the sixth eBook of eight in the series The Witchlets of Witches Brew.

And finally, from the 28th of April until 2nd of May, hubby and I will be in Toronto at the Canadian National Steampunk Exhibition. Of course, we don't do things by half, Sunday 1st May is not only Beltane, but also our 8th wedding anniversary and Monday 2nd is hubby's birthday.

All in all, we've a very busy end of April!

I hope you are all keeping well and I look forward to getting back to writing, and blogging, in May. :)

Tuesday Thought

2011-04-12T09:58:00.002-04:00

Occasionally, on a Tuesday, I'll bring you a thought to ponder.

The thought may be in the form of words or images, it may be amusing or serious. Whatever it is, it'll be something for you to think about.

This is my first Tuesday Thought:

Another Blog post? Already?

2011-03-14T11:57:00.000-04:00

Seriously? Yup, that was me when I ventured over to this blog to add a friends link to my blog roll. I realised I haven't blogged since 14th February with my anti-valentine post. That's a month ago! Wow!

Where did the time go?

I know, I've been very busy with writing, editing and researching my books and also heading up the registration for the Canadian National Steampunk Exhibition and being an organiser and the web designer for the Red Spiral Woman's Retreat, but still, I've not done a post since Valentines Day?

Then, I remembered what I decided when I began this blog in 2009. I would only blog when I had something to say and something I wanted to share. In the blogging world this is known as B.W.O. or 'Blogging Without Obligation'

Blogging Without Obligation:

Because you shouldn’t have to look at your blog like it is a treadmill.

Because its okay to just say what you have to say. If that makes for a long post, fine. Short post, fine. Frequent post, fine. Infrequent post, fine.

Because its okay to not always be enthralled with the sound of your own typing.

Because sometimes less is more.

Because only blogging when you feel truly inspired keeps up the integrity of your blog.

Because they are probably not going to inscribe your stats, link and comment numbers on your tombstone.

Because for most of us blogging is just a hobby. A way to express yourself and connect with others. You should not have to apologize for lapses in posts. Just take a step back and enjoy life, not everything you do has to be “bloggable”.

Because if you blog without obligation you will naturally keep your blog around longer, because it won’t be a chore.

So there you have it, need I say more?

See ya next time. :)

Anti-Valentine

2011-02-14T09:06:00.044-05:00

For many years, when I was younger and naive, I hoped Valentines Day would be a glorious day of romantic gestures by my significant other at the time, my 1st hubby. After a while, and as the marriage deteriorated, it declined into a meaningless card left on a surface. Eventually, even that stopped.

Now, being a woman that enjoys outward shows of love and affection and one that needs to see she is loved as well as know it, you would think I would like to restart, with my 2nd hubby, this tradition of romantic gestures, right?

Wrong!

Firstly, it's a Christian celebration day for a saint, based on the Roman Tradition of Lupercalia and I belong to neither tradition.

Secondly, I find that St. Valentines Day is a great day for the chocolate, gift card, flower companies and restaurants, but really what's the point? It's a heartless reminder of loneliness to those that are without a partner, whether intentionally or not, but if you are a part of a couple, which of the following would you prefer?

A partner, who may feel forced (by peer pressure) to spend their well earned money once a year on chocolate and meals that just get digested, on cards that lurk for a while in draws and in some cases eventually get thrown away or on flowers that just wither and die...

OR...

Would you prefer that you partner spreads their love and romance throughout each and every day of the year, making you feel loved, wanted and desired every day of your life?

Maybe I'm a cynic, but I choose everyday over one guilt ridden outburst...because I deserve more.

Which do you prefer?

Loony Luna Day #38

2011-01-24T09:47:00.000-05:00

At a recent computer expo, Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated,

'If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon..'

In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating:

If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:

1.. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash........Twice a day.

2.. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.

3.. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.

4.. Occasionally, executing a manoeuvre, such as a left turn, would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.

5.. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only five percent of the roads.

6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single 'This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation' warning light.

7.. The airbag system would ask 'Are you sure?' before deploying.

8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.

9. Every time a new car was introduced car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.

10. You'd have to press the 'Start' button to turn the engine off.

11. When all else fails, you could call 'customer service' in some foreign country and be instructed in some foreign language how to fix your car yourself!

A Year of Virtue

2011-01-01T12:24:00.001-05:00

The Nine Noble Virtues

This year, I’ve decided to take up a challenge that a lovely friend of mine, Brynn, has done for the last two years. She takes one of the Nine Noble Virtues of Asatru and applies it to her life for the entire year. This she does through self-examination and an analysis of her everyday life to see where and how she can bring her chosen virtue more fully into her life and relationships.

I think this is a wonderful idea. I have decided to do this and see where the journey leads me each year. Although my friend chooses her virtues, I decided to let the Gods choose mine and, seeing as I’m a fledgling gamer, I rolled a dice. As there are nine virtues, I used a ten-sided dice from my gaming set, a D10, and ignored the zero.

Here is my D10 result: 3

As you can see from the picture at the top of this post, the number three virtue is Honour and so that's the virtue I’ll be working on during this next year.

Here’s the definition of Honour from an article on the ‘A Heathen Blog – Expanding Inwards’ by Bernulf Oswin.

‘Honor: is not about reputation or esteem, because people can have the best of reputations and have very little honor – honor is more about worth and integrity as a human being.’

There is also an additional definition of Honour on the Odins Volk website.

‘Honour is the feeling of inner value and worth from which one knows that one is noble of being, and the desire to show respect for this quality when it is found in the world. Of all the Virtues, this one is often the hardest to define, as each person's interpretation of this is different. It could translate as "self-image", or "self-esteem"…’

Although I consider myself to be an honest and honourable person, I shall endeavour to bring more honour into my life and my dealings with others. I can see how this also applies to me on the self-image or self-esteem level.

At the end of the year, I will let you know what I've learnt from this experience.

Happy new Gregorian Calendar year!

Loony Luna Day #37

2010-12-27T09:41:00.003-05:00

Something funny for the Yuletide!

Please review for incorporation into SBHA policy documentation and SOP's

These can be considered for inclusion in the Yule Directive.

1. Jingle Bells

Dashing through the snow

In a one horse open sleigh

O'er the fields we go

Laughing all the way .

A risk assessment must be submitted before an open sleigh is considered safe for members of the public to travel on. The risk assessment must also consider whether it is appropriate to use only one horse for such a venture, particularly if passengers are of larger proportions. Please note, permission must be gained from landowners before entering their fields. To avoid offending those not participating in celebrations, we would request that laughter is moderate only and not loud enough to be considered a noise nuisance.

2. While Shepherds Watched

While shepherds watched

Their flocks by night

All seated on the ground

The angel of the Lord came down

And glory shone around .

The Shepherds Union has complained that it breaches Health and Safety regulations to insist that shepherds watch their flocks without appropriate seating arrangements being provided, therefore benches, stools and orthopaedic chairs are now available. Shepherds have also requested that, due to the inclement weather conditions at this time of year, they should watch their flocks via CCTV cameras from centrally heated shepherd observation huts.

Please note, the angel of the lord is reminded that before shining his / her glory all around he / she must ascertain that all shepherds have been issued with glasses capable of filtering out the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and Glory.

3. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer

had a very shiny nose.

And if you ever saw him,

you would even say it glows .

You are advised that under the Equal Opportunities act, it is inappropriate for persons to make comment with regard to the ruddiness of any part of Mr. R. Reindeer. Further to this, exclusion of Mr R Reindeer from the Reindeer Games will be considered discriminatory and disciplinary action will be taken against those found guilty of this offence. A full investigation will be implemented and sanctions - including suspension on full pay - will be considered whilst this investigation takes place.

4. We Three Kings

We three Kings of Orient are

Bearing gifts we traverse afar

Field and fountain, moor and mountain

Following yonder star .

Whilst the gift of gold is still considered acceptable - as it may be redeemed at a later date through such organisations as 'cash for gold', etc. - gifts of frankincense and myrrh are not appropriate due to the potential risk of oils and fragrances causing allergic reactions. A suggested gift alternative would be to make a donation to a worthy cause in the recipient's name or perhaps give a gift voucher.

We would not advise that the traversing kings rely on navigation by stars in order to reach their destinations and suggest the use of RAC Routefinder or satellite navigation, which will provide the quickest route and advice regarding fuel consumption. Please note as per the guidelines from the RSPCA for Mr Donkey, the camels carrying the three kings of Orient will require regular food and rest breaks. Face masks for the three kings are also advisable due to the likelihood of dust from the camels' hooves.

5. Away in a Manger

Away in a Manger

No Crib for a bed.

DHS should be immediately contacted as mangers are not suitable places of rest for newborn babies due to unsanitary conditions, sharing with animals, lack of proper ventilation and no access to running fresh water and heating. Therefore under no circumstances should a crib be put in a manger. A risk assessment should also be carried out before allowing animals to occupy said manger - are there tethering facilities, running water, and food receptacles. If not, the manger should not be used and the animals should be removed and housed elsewhere.

You must be fully cognisant of your responsibilities re a full declaration/conflict of interest considerations/Asset register.

Happy Yule!

2010-12-21T09:14:00.008-05:00

Happy Yule to all my readers! :)

Please take the time from your busy lives to relax,
for just a few minutes, and watch this video.

May the newly born sun, light your way through a wonderful year!

Tis the Season...

2010-12-01T09:35:00.001-05:00

Every year, Hubby and I put up our Yule decorations on the 1st December and it's something we love to do together, usually with a glass of Eggnog as part of our Yule traditions.

We don't like the plastic tinsel and Victorian baubles that are usually seen on Yule trees, we prefer items made of natural materials such as wood, pine cones and cinnamon sticks. The only exception are the lights, but we use white lights to represent candle light and they have dark green wire on them, so they're not easily seen.

However you decorate your home for Yule, enjoy the process with the ones you love and create your own traditions, as we do. :)

The Pagan and the Pen #8

2010-11-17T09:16:00.016-05:00

My monthly column The Pagan Heathen, on The Pagan and the Pen, is now available!

This months topic is (click the title to go to the article):

An interview with R. Phillip Prince,

author of 'The Mouse in the Viking's Beard'.

(click on the above cover to buy the eBook)

I hope you enjoy the read! :)

It all happened again and again...

2010-11-11T09:40:00.001-05:00

Raise your horn in a salute to those we have lost.

This video says it all...

Remember, Remember...Again

2010-11-05T09:51:00.000-04:00

I don't usually re-blog any of my posts, but I thought this one deserved it, especially today. Enjoy!

Drawing by Crispin van de Passe the Elder.

'Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
To blow up the King and Parli'ment.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England's overthrow;
By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!'

November 5th is the night known as Bonfire Night, Fireworks Nights and/or Guy Fawkes Night in England. What is this all about? You may wonder.

Basically, in 1605 Guy Fawkes, along with several other Catholic restorationists, created the Gunpowder Plot to blow up King James I of England (James VI of Scotland) when he opened Parliament on November 5th. Although the plot was overseen by Robert Catesby and Guy Fawkes was only the explosives expert, Guy Fawkes is the most remembered of the plotters. He was also the one caught leaving the area of the explosives (under Parliament) just hours before they were due to be ignited.

Several other members of the plot were discovered and so began the torture, trials and executions of those involved.

Guy Fawkes being arrested under the Houses of Parliament.

Since 1605, Guy Fawkes has forever been associated with fires, fireworks and the destruction of Parliament...

His influence can be seen even today from popular hero imagery, to 20th century political posters, from the 'V for Vendetta' movie to 'Fawkes' the Phoenix in Harry Potter.

To this very day, the 5th of November is still celebrated. It was originally for the safety of the King, however, today I get the feeling that the attempted act is now celebrated instead. ;)

My memories of Bonfire Night are of me shivering, trying to get warm around the wonderful bonfires both at home and at public gatherings with fireworks, sparklers, mulled wine and cider, hot dog's, hamburgers, jacket potatoes in foil and mushy peas with mint sauce. More importantly, all these things mixed in with friends, family and lots of laughter and excitement.

I have to say it is definitely one of the things I miss about England, few folks here know of it and in this area it is not celebrated at all but I hear some do over on the eastern coast. I know one thing for sure, when we have land we shall be having a good old fashioned Bonfire Night with all the trimmings and will be sharing it with our Canadian friends.

*raises her pot of steaming mushy peas and mint sauce to you all*

Happy Bonfire Night! :)

Loony Luna Day #36

2010-11-01T10:14:00.001-04:00

Marijuana Filled Firewood in Newfoundland...

'Hello, is this the Police Office?'

'Yes. What can I do for you?'

'I'm calling to report 'bout my neighbor Jack Murphy...He's hidin' marijuana inside his firewood! Don't quite know how he gets it inside them logs, but he's hidin' it there..'

'Thank you very much for the call, sir.'

The next day, twelve St Johns Police Officers descend on Jack's house. They search the shed where the firewood is kept.

Using axes, they bust open every piece of wood, but find no marijuana. They sneer at Jack and leave.

Shortly, the phone rings at Jack's house.

'Hey, Jack! This here's Floyd....Did the Police come?'

'Yeah!'

'Did they chop your firewood?'

'Yep!'

'Happy Birthday, buddy!'

(Newfies know how to get'er done)

Enjoy! :)

Raise a Horn to the Ancestors!

2010-10-31T09:21:00.001-04:00

On this sacred day of Samhain,

as we think about those that have passed,

remember to place a stone on the cairn of your ancestors

and raise your horn to hail them!

Happy Samhain!

It's FREE I tell ya, FREE!

2010-10-16T09:30:00.001-04:00

Did you know that today, Saturday the 16th October, is dictionary day? It was created to honour Noah Webster, best known for his creation of the well-known Webster’s Dictionary.

Those invaluable books that sit quietly on desks, side tables or book shelves around the world or those wonderful online dictionaries that we all have bookmarked on our browsers are celebrated today and, in the spirit of that day, I have decided to release my latest eBook, ‘Pagan Words’, for FREE!

This is NOT a special offer just for ONE day,

this new eBook will remain FREE ALWAYS!

About Pagan Words:

Pagan Words ~ A Dictionary of Basic Pagan Terms

Collated by Edain Duguay.

A list of basic words and/or terms with their definitions, all of which relate to Paganism in one form or another. Ideal for a beginner or someone who wants to brush up on their Pagan terminology.

How to get your copy of Pagan Words:

Simply go to my website (www.edainduguay.com) and click on the link to this FREE eBook, follow the instructions and you will be able to download Pagan Words directly to your computer as a PDF file. All my eBooks are created in PDF and as such, you do not need an expensive eBook reader.

Please feel free to spread the word amongst your friends, family and Pagan community. The more copies I can give away, the happier I will be.

Enjoy! :)

Thunderbird and Lightning very, very...easy?

2010-10-10T10:34:00.000-04:00

For some time now, I've wanted an email program that could handle multiple email accounts in one place without having to sign in and out of them AND would handle email addresses from different email clients, such as Hotmail and Gmail etc. Years ago, I used to use Outlook Express but they changed the rules on which email accounts could and couldn't be included, so I had to stop using it.

Recently, I've installed 'Thunderbird' and I'm now able to access all my email addresses in one place very easily, it saves me so much time and works brilliantly.

Hubby and I had also been searching for a good calendar program where we could both add events in one central place and could access it from separate computers. We have tried several calenders like Google and even Yahoo groups calendars, but none did everything we wanted so we kept searching.

Low and behold, 'Thunderbird' had an 'add on' that does just that and it's called 'Lightning'.

Now, either of us can add events, then add the email address of others involved and ping! It automatically invites the people and adds them, once they accept the event. We can also add individual events that only show on our personal calenders, it is exactly what we were looking for. This is similar to the type of program I used whilst working for the government in the UK and to find something similar in the public sector is such a bonus for us, it's so darned useful.

If you are also looking for an easy to use program for multiple email accounts and a great way of maintaining events in a calender, look no further than Thunderbird and Lightning. You won't be disappointed. :)

October, how I love thee...

2010-10-05T10:10:00.002-04:00

I love the seasons and I love being here in Canada where the changing seasons are all beautiful, in there own right. One of my favourite months is October, not only are the leaves the most incredible colours, the air crisp and clean and the sky bright blue but there is also mulled wine and mead, pumpkins, pumpkin pie and Samhain to be considered.

To take the line from the Sound of Music, these are a few of my favourite things...

I hope you will all enjoy October as much as I will. :)

A Discovery!

2010-09-28T09:40:00.001-04:00

As an author, I spend an awful lot of time sat at my desk typing happily away on my laptop or gazing out the window, plotting.

One thing I do need is a comfy, well proportioned, practical and hopefully, beautiful desk.

Recently, I came across some images of recycled wood made into the most glorious desk, can you tell I instantly fell in love?

(All images are used with the kind permission of HD Threshing Floor Furniture)

Isn't it wonderful? If you love this desk, wait until you see what they can do with kitchens! Please do check out the other beautiful creations on their website, you won't regret it.

Now, I have to work out how many books to sell to get a desk like this one. :)

Hobbit Day!

2010-09-22T09:49:00.030-04:00

Yup, you read that right, today (September 22nd) is officially Hobbit Day!

You can spend this fall day celebrating the book and its author, J.R.R. Tolkien. The date was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of hobbits Bilbo and Frodo, and often celebrants mark the day with feasts, going barefoot, and general merriment in true hobbit style. Hobbit Day takes place during Tolkien Week, so you can spend the whole week enjoying the author and his works.

Personally, I love the world he created and I revisit it as often as I can, do you?

Check out the J.R.R. Tolkien Store on Amazon, for all his works.

Collectors Edition DVD and Soundtrack:

Happy Hobbit Day! :)

New eBook released today!

2010-09-18T10:00:00.000-04:00

Today, sees the release of my newest eBook Hazel the Unwise Witch, which is the fourth, out of eight, in the children's Pagan series The Witchlets of Witches Brew.

About Hazel the Unwise Witch:

Hazel is a fun loving girl who doesn’t understand the consequences of rash decisions. She likes doing things without a safety net, such as riding her bike without her helmet and not looking as she crosses the road. Even though Hazel’s parents and friends tell her that she isn’t invincible and that she would one day get hurt, she just thinks they worry too much for no real reason.

A few days before Mabon, which falls on her birthday, Hazel’s whole world is turned upside down and the real consequences of her actions are brought home to her.

Will Hazel begin to understand that her decisions can affect others and that life is fragile? Can Hazel learn the meaning of safety and wise decision-making? Will she find much needed comfort at the village’s celebration of the Autumn Equinox?

'Hazel the Unwise Witch' is the short Pagan tale based on the virtue of Discipline and is set during the Autumn Equinox in the small, modern day, Pagan village of Brew.

Please note that all my eBooks are in PDF format so that you don't need an expensive eBook reader to enjoy them.

If you are a member of my Facebook fan page there is an exclusive special offer being announced during the release of this eBook, so come along and join me to qualify! :)

The Pagan and the Pen #6

2010-09-17T09:30:00.001-04:00

My monthly column, The Pagan Heathen on The Pagan and the Pen, is now available!

This months topic is:

An Interview with a Warrior Poet

An conversation with Robert Allard, author of
'Warrior Poet ~ Musings of an Asatru Warrior'

I hope you enjoy the read! :)

A Brand New Look!

2010-09-15T09:55:00.002-04:00

I decided, some time ago, that I wanted my blog, website and twitter accounts to all blend in with each other with regards to colour schemes and not be such a jar on the eyes when clicking from one to the other.

Both the website and Twitter account are already completed and this blog was the last item to be worked on.

Et Voilà!

Today, I've finally finished the new look for the blog, what do you think?

Getting Horny!

2010-09-13T10:17:00.001-04:00

That made ya look, didn't it? ;)

At long last , hubby and I have our very own drinking horn:

We have wanted one for years but never seemed to have the time to get one and then hubby, being the bright spark that he is, bartered for this one. Lovely, isn't it?

Now we just need to add a carrying strap and maybe some carving on it to make it extra pretty and distinctly ours.

We have not yet drunk from it but seeing as it is freshly waxed, I think we'll do that very soon. :)

Additions and an Award

2010-09-06T10:14:00.018-04:00

Additions...

Those of you who come to visit this blog regularly will have noticed some changes and additions. Firstly, I have tidied up the side columns a tad and secondly, I have created some extra pages on this blog, you can find them (if you haven't already) just under the logo image at the top.

These new pages have helped me to cut down on some of the clutter on the blog and also given me space to tell you about more things. Please do check them out! :)

Award...

A little while ago I was visit by a ~~fairy~~ Witchy Godmother who left me a present, a lovely blog award!
Thank you, Witchy Godmother. :)

Guidelines of the Award:

Put the logo on your blog in your post.

Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.

Link the nominees within your post.

Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blogs.

Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

1. She Who Seeks

2. The Big Red Barn

3. Coffee with the Hermit

4. Backyard Farming

5. Make it from Scratch

6. Closet Cooking

7. Simple Man, Simple Plan

8. Meanderings along Ancestral Pagan Paths

9. Hoydens and Firebrands

10. Empress of Dirt

11. Enchanted Garden Studio

12. Cross Roads

Please do enjoy visiting these other great blogs. :)

It's lovely to have ones work appreciated, thanks again.

For your viewing pleasure...

2010-08-31T09:56:00.000-04:00

Every now and then, I post some great Pagan related DVD choices.

Here are four oldies but goodies:

Enjoy! :)

Yum!

2010-08-26T09:40:00.000-04:00

I realised that I've not blogged on anything foodie for a wee while, time to change all that! ;)

Often our meals are not so much planned, as thrown together out of whatever we have in the house on that particular day. Recently, this was the outcome:

Looks yummy, doesn't it?

This is pork steak with the fat removed, marinated and baked in 'Jack Daniels Original No.7 Recipe Barbecue Sauce'. The rest is a mixture of left over rice, Chinese cabbage, sweetcorn, baby bok choy, garlic and onion. All these were dry fried with a splash of Worcestershire sauce and low salt soy.

It was bloomin' lovely!

Try it and enjoy. :)

An Afternoon's Entertainment.

2010-08-21T12:33:00.000-04:00

On Thursday, hubby and I spent the entire afternoon at the ‘SuperEx’ in Ottawa. This was my first ‘SuperEx’ and for those of you that have no clue what it is, let me explain. The ‘SuperEx’ is a large fair full of rides and games, there is a food hall and many food vendors. However, it’s also a craft, a historical and an agricultural fair.

During the afternoon, we wondered around the many rides and stalls, hubby having a go on one or two of the games. We are not folks that do the rides, we did when we were younger, when we thought of ourselves as invincible, but not now. Never really fancy them anymore…been there, done that.

Anyhoo, whilst we were wandering about we came upon a living history exhibition of the life of the Pioneers. It included a row of Pioneer tents and even a covered wagon, each camp was set up showing all their wonderful tools and accessories.

We absolutely love historical re-enactment and learning about the old fashioned way of living. Needless to say, we spent a long time talking to the reenactors and taking photos of their equipment. At one point we were looking inside the seamstress’s tent (by invitation of the owner) when the clouds burst and rain poured down. Happily, we spent the next half an hour chatting with the lovely owner. Hubby even helped her to plug a whole in her canvas by carving a piece of cork for her, as a temporary fix, to fit in a hole where one of her poles sit when she closes her tent.

We had a wonderful afternoon and because we enjoyed the Pioneer area the most, I thought I would share some of the pictures we took with you. Enjoy! :)

The first picture is showing only the first half of the camp.

Very cool, huh? :)

Thank you for the music...

2010-08-12T09:49:00.003-04:00

Several years ago, due to the small amount of luggage I could bring to Canada, I sadly had to sell my guitar. Although I was still learning the instrument, this became a very sad moment for me and one that has lingered at the back of my mind ever since.

Recently, the need to play the guitar has no longer been happy to just live in my mental depths and it has been pushing its way forward, until I could no longer ignore it. So I had decided to find another guitar to satiate this need and had started to research second hand prices here in Canada.

Then we visited Thornhaven Grove’s celebration of Lughnasagh and, as is usual for such gatherings, during the feast after the ritual Brad (who is also known as Grounds Keeper Willie and is the co-owner of the Thornhaven land) tinkers with his guitar. Now Brad, being the wonderful musician and instrument maker that he is, offered to loan me a guitar to get back into the swing of things and oh, how much happier my life now is.

So here I sit with guitar in hand realizing how much I have remembered and forgotten, researching sheet music and lessons online. Yup, I’m one very happy bunny, albeit with sore finger tips, and tis all because of the kindness of one very loving friend.

Bless you and thank you, Brad. :)

The Great Escape!

2010-07-28T09:31:00.017-04:00

Tis that time of year again! :)

Every year, hubby and I leave behind our small apartment and the online world to spend time with friends old and new at the Kaleidoscope Gathering, otherwise known as KG. Here is what it's all about from their Facebook page and website:

The 2010 Kaleidoscope Gathering will be the twenty-first year of this non-denominational Pagan camping event, and the first to be held at Raven’s Knoll.

When: The Kaleidoscope Gathering will take place from Wednesday July 28 to Monday August 2, 2010.

Where: This is the first year the event will be held at Raven’s Knoll! Raven’s Knoll is a private, Pagan-owned campground and event centre near Eganville, Ontario purchased for the express purpose of putting down roots for our community and growing events like KG. It is situated on 105 acres of beautiful forested land on the Bonnechere River. There are even amenities like comfort stations with showers, flush toilets and, laundry facilities, numerous power and water taps, as well as a group event building and a cabin. Directions

What: The Kaleidoscope Gathering is a camping festival for Pagans, Heathens, Magickal people and other like-minded folks. The theme for this Summer’s festival is “Quickening.” Quickening is the first stirrings of the baby in the womb, the power of the seed as it sprouts, the idea as it reaches your lips. And, remember, it is a term taken from the lore of Celtic Britain … so get sewing that tartan, press those kilts, dust off your bodhráns, and prepare for blustery good cheer!

Why: Come to share friendship and spirituality in celebration of High Summer and the Lammas-tide.

How: To register for this event please visit www.kaleidoscope-gathering.ca.

Who: The motto of the Programming Faeries is “Everyone has something to learn, everyone has something to share,” which means the program is manifested by Festival-goers. It is also the first year Maryanne (MA) and Austin (Auz) take over the role of organizing the festival from Pamela Fletcher, allowing her the time to actually enjoy the festival she built, from her hammock in the trees. A huge staff of dedicated volunteers coordinates shenanigans and goings on.

This year will be our fifith year at this festival and we love it! Hubby works very hard before fest to get together stock so that we can set up the vending tent and relax with everyone. If you're not familiar with his work see his stuff here on Facebook or on his website.

I'm looking forward to seeing this 21st KG at the new location, Raven's Knoll. Trust me, it's lovely and is the same place we held the Red Spiral Women's Retreat a couple of weeks ago.

Anyhoo, we shall be offline from today (28th July) til Monday (2nd August). Take care of yourselves and I will take lots of pictures to share with you all afterwards. :)

View from your window

2010-07-24T10:20:00.000-04:00

Whenever I get some downtime, usually between deadlines, I like to catch up on my favourite blogs (see the list to the right) and, as is so often the case, one blog leads to another and then another until you find one that inspires you. This has just happened to me, again.

Via various blogs, I reach The Drawing Board blog who was running images of 'Views from your window'. It was lovely to see the strange assortment of views from around the world. Apparently this blogging of views originated with Andrew Sullivan, who did several posts on 'Views from your window' on his blog - The Daily Dish.

Anyhoo, all these love images made me lift my eyes to look outside my window and, it being summer here, a surprisingly pretty view greeted my eyes (please ignore the bug screen):

Make sure you take the time out of everyday to appreciate the beauty around you. :)

Heading out...

2010-07-08T10:01:00.001-04:00

Well, folks, I'm heading out first thing in the morning to Raven's Knoll for the Red Spiral Women's Retreat, with the other organizers.

This will be a weekend in the company of some of the most inspiring and lovely women I know, in a wonderful campground full of trees and alongside a river and, more importantly, with absolutely no technology. Yup, I'm withdrawing from the ether and all connections therein, until Monday 12th July!

I'm totally unplugging and spending time on myself. :)

I wish you a wonderful end of week and a great weekend, take care of yourself and those you love.

See you all again next week! :)

Happy Canada Day!

2010-07-01T12:40:00.001-04:00

Happy Canada Day Everyone! :)

For those of you outside Canada, HERE is some info on what Canada Day is all about.

Now for something a tad amusing:

You Know You're Canadian if...

You know Toronto is not a province
You get milk in plastic bags
You don't buy maple syrup at the airport
You go to Niagara Falls and scoff at how pathetic the American Falls are
You've plugged a car in overnight
You design your kid's Hallowe'en costume to fit over a snowsuit
Driving is better in the winter because then the potholes are filled with snow
You can play road hockey on skates
Your municipality buys a Zamboni before it buys a bus
Teenagers can legally drink
You only burn your bra when you're out of wood
You measure distance in hours
You yell "Patio Weather!" when the temperature rises to 0.
You carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend knows how to use them.
There are seven empty cars running in the parking lot of your neighbourhood Tim Horton's at any given time.
Summertime is when you switch your toque for a ballcap (with a Canadian beer logo on it)
You have a bumper sticker that says "If you're Canadian show me your Beaver"
You own an ice auger
You have a "good" parka for formal occassions
The trunk of your car has doubled as a deep freeze
You have more than $20 in Canadian Tire money
You owe more money on your snowmobile than your car
You know which leaves make good toilet paper.
The major parish fund-raiser isn't bingo it's sausage making.
You find -40C a little chilly.
You can play road hockey on skates.
You know 4 seasons: Winter, Still Winter, Almost Winter, and Construction.
You understand the Labatt Blue commercials.

Cold is relative...

The Temperature Conversion Guide (degrees are in Fahrenheit):

50 above - New Yorkers turn on the heat. Canadians plant gardens.
40 above - Californians shiver uncontrollably. Canadians sunbathe.
35 above - Italian cars won't start. Canadians drive with the windows down.
32 above - Distilled water freezes. Canadian water gets thicker.
20 above - Floridians wear coats, gloves & wool hats. Canadians throw on a t-shirt.
15 above - Californians begin to evacuate the state. Canadians go swimming.
Zero - New York landlords finally turn up the heat. Canadians have the last cook-out before it gets cold.
10 below - People in Miami cease to exist. Canadians lick flag poles.
20 below - Californians fly away to Mexico. Canadians throw on a light jacket.
40 below - Hollywood disintegrates. Canadians rent videos.
60 below - Mt. St. Helens freezes. Canadian Girl Scouts begin selling cookies door to door.
80 below - Polar bears begin to evacuate the Arctic. Canadian Boy Scouts postpone "Winter Survival" classes until it gets cold enough.
100 below - Santa Claus abandons the North Pole. Canadians pull down their ear flaps.
173 below - Ethyl alcohol freezes. Canadians get frustrated when they can't thaw their kegs.
297 below - Microbial life survives on dairy products. Canadian cows complain of farmers with cold hands.
460 below - ALL atomic motion stops. Canadians start saying "Cold 'nuff for ya?"
500 below - Hell freezes over. The Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup

Enjoy Canada Day if you're Canadian or have a great Thursday, if you're not! :)

Oh, by the way...

2010-06-24T10:00:00.004-04:00

My new eBook is now available!

Ivy the Stubborn Witch, the third in my children's Pagan eBook series The Witchlets of Witches Brew, has now been released.

Ivy enjoys most of the seasons but her least favourite is summer. She hates it. She hates being hot and sticky, hates having to wear sunscreen and hats, and most of all, hates it because her cousin, Honey, always comes to stay with her family for a whole month.

Today, Ivy stayed at home to greet her cousin but all she really wanted to do was go to the river, a storm was coming and she loved how summer storms made the water look dark and mysterious. Even now, Ivy could hear her mum calling her downstairs to greet Honey. She knew she had no choice but to share her bedroom with her cousin for four long, and very tedious, weeks.

Would Ivy be stubborn and ignore Honey for her entire visit? How would she ever understand the true meaning of hospitality? Would she find balance at the village’s celebration of the Summer Solstice?

'Ivy the Stubborn Witch' is the short Pagan tale based on the virtue of Hospitality and is set at the Summer Solstice in the small, modern day, Pagan village of Brew.

This eBook is the third of eight, in the series The Witchlets of Witches Brew.

All three tales are available from my website (www.edainduguay.com):

Holly the Hasty Witch ~ The Witchlets of Witches Brew #1

Ash the Solitary Witch ~ The Witchlets of Witches Brew #2

Ivy the Stubborn Witch ~ The Witchlets of Witches Brew #3

There will be one more, of this eight part series, released in 2010:

Hazel the Unwise Witch ~ The Witchlets of Witches Brew #4

The last four tales will be released in 2011:

Birch the Selfish Witch ~ The Witchlets of Witches Brew #5

Willow the Lonely Witch ~ The Witchlets of Witches Brew #6

Rowan the Hungry Witch ~ The Witchlets of Witches Brew #7

Yew the Bored Witch ~ The Witchlets of Witches Brew #8

To find out about my other writing projects, including my upcoming novels (pBooks) and a FREE Pagan eBook, join me on my website in the members area or on my Facebook Fan Page to stay updated.

I hope to see some of you there! :)

To all the Fathers...

2010-06-20T10:00:00.003-04:00

Happy Fathers Day!

My Wonderful Dad!

Life Lessons

You may have thought I didn't see,
Or that I hadn't heard,
Life lessons that you taught to me,
But I got every word.Perhaps you thought I missed it all,
And that we'd grow apart,
But Dad, I picked up everything,
It's written on my heart.Without you, Dad, I wouldn't be
The woman I am today;
You built a strong foundation
No one can take away.I've grown up with your values,
And I'm very glad I did;
So here's to you, dear father,
From your forever grateful kid. By Joanna Fuchs

Happy Birthday, Mum!

2010-06-18T10:00:00.002-04:00

It is my mum's 70th Birthday today and I just wanted to send a big message to her, over the vast ocean that is between us.

I Love You, Mum. Happy 70th Birthday!

(Mum and I at Chalice Well Gardens, Glastonbury.)

I wish we could be there on this special day and I hope you have a wonderful birthday.

Steampunk Ottawa Science Fair!

2010-06-11T10:00:00.027-04:00

Map by Edith Chartier (Steampunk Ottawa member)

I know I've mentioned Steampunk on my blog before (see HERE) but I could not let this latest event pass without telling you all about it. So strap on those goggles, tighten those corsets and hold on tight! :)

Information on the Science Fair by Steampunk Ottawa:

You have been cordially invited to Steampunk Ottawa's inaugural Science Fair!

Date:           Saturday, 12 June 2010
Time:           11:00 - 15:00
Location:     Centretown United Church
Street:         507 Bank Street
Town/City: Ottawa, ON

We will be holding the main Science Fair in a huge and lovely hall in the Church's basement (couldn't ask for a better space for mad scientists)! Any exhibits involving liquid or flame will be shown in the Church's private parking lot which is located right next to the entrance to the basement. We will also be permitted to (respectfully) use the Church itself, which is quite a beautiful building, for photos during the Fair.

Centretown United (The church was built in 1906)
http://centretownunited.org/

We will have snacks and drinks for sale.

Please note that this event is FREE to enter and FREE to attend!

Science Fair Categories:

Age Groups:
Spawn to 10 years, 11 to 19 years, 20 years to Reanimated

Divisions:
Mechanical, Electrical, Biological, Fantastical

To sign up for the Fair or to be a vendor please contact me through Facebook or at steampunkottawa@gmail.com

Dress is highly encouraged but not mandatory.

If you are looking for that special steampunk something, look no farther than our wonderful vendors (we may have more by the event):

Gailene Greene
http://www.theveiledeye.com/

Adam Smith
http://www.swordinthestone.ca/

Robin Dostaler
http://shamelessfashion.com/

Heidi Kern
http://www.decypher.ca/home.html

Kelly Orange
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ottawa-ON/BWitch-Originals/118200584862343

Edith Chartier
http://www.silverlotus.ca/

...and last but not least - Daniel Proulx
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CatherinetteRings

Be sure to ask Daniel about showing his work here: http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/steampunk/

I found this wonderful and, some may feel, inspirational quote in "A Steampunk's Guide to the Apocalypse". "....a wonderful variety of Contraptions were growing up all around, although none were intended to alleviate Labor! There was a water-wheel Refrigerator, a hand-crank Lathe, wooden Bicycles, and Hand-gliders. Competitions between Inventors sprung up and were taken quite as seriously as one might take other Sports."

Wonderful, huh? :)

Other events in the Steampunk Ottawa's schedule include:

International Steampunk Day Poker and Movie Night
An evening with the Green Fairy
Steampunk Ottawa Picnic at the Dominion Arboretum
Steampunk Swap Meet and BBQ
Steampunk Ottawa Cocktail Party at KG Festival
Steampunk Ottawa Picnic on Tabaret Lawn
Steampunk Ottawa at CAN-CON
Steampunk Ottawa Picnic -- steam train edition!
Steampunk Ottawa - Murder Mystery - Blood, Sweat & Gears

If you can get to any of these events, please do, they are great fun and I would be delighted to see you there! :)

Red Spiral Women's Retreat!

2010-05-20T10:49:00.003-04:00

Recently, I have had the honour and the pleasure of working with six wonderful women and being involved in the creation of the Red Spiral Women's Retreat.

About the retreat, from the website:

This event was created by women, for women of all backgrounds, 16 years of age and older. If you have ever thought it would be nice to get away from everything, go camping for a weekend and focus on yourself for a change, then come join us.

The Red Spiral Women’s retreat is a short but effective weekend breather from the day-to-day grind, crammed with activities and time to re-connect with your own spirit, with nature and with other women of like mind. It’s also a catered event, so if you want, you can completely let go of your worldly responsibilities and enjoy the freedom of just being. You choose what you want to do, how much you want to participate, how much you want to share.

The theme for this year is “The Path to a Fulfilling Life”. Fulfilment is more meaningful than wealth, more tangible than peace and more permanent than joy. The journey toward fulfilment (of a dream or a goal for instance) can be long and winding, and we sometimes lose track of where we are going, or why. During this retreat, you will have the chance to take part in a number of activities that will help you reflect on your life, and where you want to go, to become more fulfilled. The retreat is designed to work with the three pillars that make up a fulfilled life: the physical, the mental and the spiritual. There are activities planned under each of these categories, with the goal of allowing you to tune into your own body, mind and spirit in a mindful way.

Another part of this weekend is about fulfilling our need to build connections, and find comfort and happiness in the company of other women who, more often than not, share many of the same experiences and feelings you have. Every woman is an expert at being a woman, and we all have our own experiences, thoughts and skills to share with each other. Hopefully, you will feel inspired to share a bit of yourself at the retreat, and contribute to the creation of a strong, passionate and vibrant community of women.

The Red Spiral Women’s Retreat will take place at Raven's Knoll, a campground and event centre located near Eganville, Ontario, Canada. This beautiful, natural 100 acre property is located on the Bonnechere River, near Golden Lake.

One of my responsibilities is the creation and maintenance of the website, which, I'm pleased to say, turned out rather well, even if I do say so myself. ;)

All the details about the retreat can be found on the website or on the Facebook group.

If you are a woman who is free on the weekend of July 9th-11th, 2010 and can get to Ontario, Canada, please do come and join us! :)

Happy Birthday, Melissa!

2010-05-14T09:32:00.000-04:00

A Gary Cake, especially for you! ;)

Happy 22nd Birthday, Melissa!

You have always been, and will remain, the best thing in my life.

I love you more than you can imagine.

I'm very proud of you and I miss you enormously.

Mum

xxx

Loony Luna Day #35

2010-05-03T10:55:00.001-04:00

Shown below, is an actual letter that was sent to a bank by an 86 year old woman. The bank manager thought it amusing enough to have it published in the New York Times.

Dear Sir:

I am writing to thank you for bouncing my check with which I endeavored to pay my plumber last month. By my calculations, three nanoseconds must have elapsed between his presenting the check and the arrival in my account of the funds needed to honor it. I refer, of course, to the automatic monthly deposit of my entire pension, an arrangement which, I admit, has been in place for only eight years. You are to be commended for seizing that brief window of opportunity, and also for debiting my account $30 by way of penalty for the inconvenience caused to your bank.

My thankfulness springs from the manner in which this incident has caused me to rethink my errant financial ways. I noticed that whereas I personally answer your telephone calls and letters, --- when I try to contact you, I am confronted by the impersonal, overcharging, pre-recorded, faceless entity which your bank has become.

From now on, I, like you, choose only to deal with a flesh-and-blood person. My mortgage and loan repayments will therefore and hereafter no longer be automatic, but will arrive at your bank, by check,addressed personally and confidentially to an employee at your bank whom you must nominate. Be aware that it is an offence under the Postal Act for any other person to open such an envelope. Please find attached an Application Contact which I require your chosen employee to complete. I am sorry it runs to eight pages, but in order that I know as much about him or her as your bank knows about me, there is no alternative.

Please note that all copies of his or her medical history must be countersigned by a Notary Public, and the mandatory details of his/her financial situation (income, debts, assets and liabilities) must be accompanied by documented proof.

In due course, at MY convenience, I will issue your employee with a PIN number which he/she must quote in dealings with me. I regret that it cannot be shorter than 28 digits but, again, I have modelled it on the number of button presses required of me to access my account balance on your phone bank service.

As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Let me level the playing field even further. When you call me, press buttons as follows:

IMMEDIATELY AFTER DIALING, PRESS THE STAR (*) BUTTON FOR ENGLISH

#1. To make an appointment to see me.
#2. To query a missing payment.
#3. To transfer the call to my living room in case I am there.
#4 To transfer the call to my bedroom in case I am sleeping.
#5. To transfer the call to my toilet in case I am attending to nature.
#6. To transfer the call to my mobile phone if I am not at home
#7. To leave a message on my computer, a password to access my computer is required. Password will be communicated to you at a later date.
#8. To return to the main menu and to listen to options 1 through 7.
#9. To make a general complaint or inquiry. The contact will then be put on hold, pending the attention of my automated answering service.
#10. This is a second reminder to press for English.

While this may, on occasion, involve a lengthy wait, uplifting music will play for duration of the call.

Regrettably, but again following your example, I must also levy an establishment fee to cover the setting up of this new arrangement.

May I wish you a happy, if ever so slightly less prosperous New Year?

Your Humble Client
(name removed for privacy reasons)

Enjoy! :)

Earth Day 2010

2010-04-22T09:25:00.000-04:00

My small, eco-friendly publishing business, Wyrdwood Publications, is proud to announce that today (April 22nd 2010), EVERY eBook sold will have a tree planted in honour of Earth Day! And yes, you read that right, EVERY eBook, not just the 'Green Leaves' eBooks.

All you have to do is purchase ANY eBook during the 24hrs of the 22nd April, no matter what time zone your in, as long as the Paypal receipt says the 22nd April and a tree will be planted in a deforested area of the world.

Don't miss out on this chance to plant extra trees! Buy ANY eBook today and do your bit for the environment.

This event is in collaboration with Eco-Libris: http://www.ecolibris.net/

Go to Wyrdwood Publications website now, buy an eBook and a tree will be planted! http://www.wyrdwoodpublications.com

Loony Luna Day #34

2010-04-19T09:27:00.000-04:00

'After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her trips to Target. Unfortunately, like most men, I found shopping boring and preferred to get in and get out. Equally unfortunate, my wife is like most women - she loves to browse. Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from the local Target.

Dear Mrs. Samuel,

Over the past six months, your husband has caused quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and have been forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against your husband, Mr. Samuel, are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.

June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in other people's carts when they weren't looking.
July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.
July 7: He made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the women's restroom.
July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, 'Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away'. This caused the employee to leave her assigned station and receive a reprimand from her Supervisor that in turn resulted with a union grievance, causing management to lose time and costing the company money.
August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&Ms on layaway.
August 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.
August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told the children shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department to which twenty children obliged.
August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began crying and screamed, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?' EMTs were called.
September 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it as a mirror while he picked his nose.
September 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.
October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly humming the 'Mission Impossible' theme.
October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his 'Madonna look by using different sizes of funnels.
October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled 'PICK ME! PICK ME!'
October 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed 'OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!'
October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, then yelled very loudly, 'Hey! There's no toilet paper in here.' One of the clerks passed out.'

It seems retired men are more dangerous, when shopping, than their working counterparts!

Enjoy! :)

Steampunk Soiree!

2010-04-10T12:24:00.006-04:00

The party ticket, designed by Edain Duguay.

Tonight is the 1st Anniversary Party for Steampunk Ottawa, t'will be a wonderful Steampunk Soiree!

So what is Steampunk and why am I involved with it? You may ask...or you may not, I will imagine ya did. lol ;)

*Here's what Wikipedia has to say...*

*Once you have grasped the idea behind Steampunk, then you have to see what Steampunk fashion is all about...*

*Oh, and don't forget the gadgets!*

As for me? Well, I was lucky, our good friends began the Steampunk Ottawa group last year and we got on board straight away. Personally, I love dressing up and playing a part, takes me back to when drama and acting classes, along with the local drama group, were a big part of my life. The Steampunk Ottawa group is wonderful, we have lots of events from the upcoming Steampunk Science Fair to picnics in the park, from visits to the Natural History Museum to the Alice in Wonderland premier! It's a great way to socialize and to have a lot of fun.

If you are interested, check around...there may just be a group near you. If you are in Canada there is the Steampunk Canada website with news from groups in many provinces. If there isn't a group near you, why not start one?

There are also thousands of blogs, websites and forums for Steampunks. Just do a search on Google for Steampunk and 2,940,000 sites come up!

Well, I'm off to put the final touches to my costume for the Steampunk Soiree tonight. I will get some pictures of hubby and I all dressed up, just so you can see what we have been upto. :)

If you live in Ottawa and fancy a Steampunk night out here are the details of tonights entertainment:

Steampunk Ottawa 1st Anniversary Celebration.

Have a great weekend! :)

Are we stupid?

2010-03-22T11:09:00.003-04:00

In 1995, Ismail Serageldin, vice president of the World Bank, made a much-quoted prediction about the future of war: "If the wars of this century were fought over oil, the wars of the next century will be fought over water."

A child dies every eight seconds from drinking contaminated water.(Source: Marq de Villiers author of 'Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource.')

More than half of the world's rivers are now so polluted that they pose serious health risks.(Source: Marq de Villiers author of 'Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource.')

One-third of Africa's people already endure conditions of water scarcity, and water supplies are in jeopardy in China, India, Japan, Spain, southern France, Australia, the south western U.S. and many other parts of Asia and Europe. (Source: Marq de Villiers author of 'Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource.')

The human body is composed of approximately 25% solids and 75% water.(Source: Dr. Thomas Stearns Lee)

Brain tissue is said to consist of 85% water. (Source: Dr. Thomas Stearns Lee)

Daily water intake: 1/2 ounce per pound of body weight if you're not active (that's ten eight-ounce glasses if you weigh 160 pounds), and 2/3 ounce per pound if you're athletic (13 to 14 glasses a day, at the same weight).(Source: International Sports Medicine Institute)

About 71 percent of Earth's surface is covered by water. (Source: NASA)

A person will die within 3-4 days without water. (Source: Nutrition in Perspective, Patricia Kreutler)

So why are there an estimated 1.1 billion people relying on unsafe drinking-water sources?

Why are we poisoning one of our vital resources for life?

Are we stupid?

Lets make some changes today!

Conserve water, speak out when it's polluted, don't let governments and big businesses get away with manipulating our natural water sources for profit. Help the world's population have safe, clean drinking water.

Here are some ways to help:

Join any World Water Day event around the world and get the campaign noticed:

World Water Day Events 2010

Educated yourself and your family:

Find a water charity that you can support, for example:

Charity Water

Water for People

TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup

Today, do something useful about creating a clean water supply for all!

My First Sci-Fi

2010-03-10T10:25:00.000-05:00

The first Sci-Fi fantasy book I ever read was, 'Don't Bite the Sun' and it's sequel 'Drinking Sapphire Wine', sold together as 'Biting the Sun' by Tanith Lee.

Here is the story description from Amazon:

In a world dedicated to pleasure, one young rebel sets out on a forbidden quest--.

Published for the first time in a single volume, Tanith Lee's duet of novels set in a hedonistic Utopia are as riveting and revolutionary as they were when they first appeared two decades ago.

It's a perfect existence, a world in which no pleasure is off-limits, no risk is too dangerous, and no responsibilities can cramp your style. Not if you're Jang: a caste of libertine teenagers in the city of Four BEE. But when you're expected to make trouble--when you can kill yourself on a whim and return in another body, when you're encouraged to change genders at will and experience whatever you desire--you've got no reason to rebel...until making love and raising hell, daring death and running wild just leave you cold and empty.

Ravenous for true adventures of the mind and body, desperate to find some meaning, one restless spirit finally bucks the system--and by shattering the rules, strikes at the very heart of a soulless society....

I utterly loved this book and I hope you will enjoy it too! :)

Loony Luna Day #33

2010-03-01T10:59:00.005-05:00

This Loony Luna Day is adult oriented, you have been warned! ;)

Olympic Condoms

A man is out shopping and discovers a new brand of Olympic condoms.
Clearly impressed, he buys a pack. Upon getting home he announces to
his wife the purchase he just made.

"Olympic condoms?" she asks, "What makes them so special?"

"There are three colors," he replies, "Gold, Silver and Bronze."

"What color are you going to wear tonight?" she asks cheekily.

"Gold of course," says the man proudly.

The wife responds, "Really? Why don't you wear Silver, it would be nice
if you came second for a change!"

Enjoy! ;)

Frozen Phones and Ice Mushrooms!

2010-02-22T10:21:00.001-05:00

Every year, here in Ottawa and Hull, QC, winter is celebrated with 'Winterlude' during two weeks in February, this year it was from the 5th to the 21st. There are special events centred around the winter theme and one of my favourites is the ice sculptures. Each year many wonderful sculptures are created and free access is granted to the public. The sculptures are also judged for the yearly competition.

Frozen phones and Ice Mushrooms!

Instead of me waffling about them, I thought I would share a few photo's of some of mine and hubby's favourites from this year. Enjoy! :)

...and last but not least...the winner:

St. Valentine's v's Lupercalia

2010-02-15T12:13:00.000-05:00

Pan

Most of you folks know about St. Valentine, the Christian Martyr(s) that the 14th February is named after, but what else do you know?

Below is a, mostly, interesting article. I have edited bits that aren't...well, to me anyhoo...and seeing as today (Feb 15th) is my birthday, I thought it appropriate!

Source (edited): http://www.realtruth.org/articles/090203-003-society.html

‘Valentine’s Day traces its roots to the ancient Roman pagan feast day Lupercalia, which was celebrated on February 15 to honor Lupercus, the god of fertility and husbandry. He was believed to be a mighty hunter who protected the Romans and livestock from wolves.

The day before the festival in Lupercus’ honor, Feb. 14, teen-aged girls would write their names on small pieces of paper called billets, and drop them into a container. Adolescent boys would then randomly choose from it the name of a young girl, and the two would become a couple for the day, engaging in erotic games at parties celebrated throughout Rome. For the rest of the year, they would remain sexual partners.

Also, the Luperci (male priests) would run about Rome, clothed in loincloths made from sacrificed goats and smeared in their blood, striking women with februa, thongs made from skins of the sacrificed goats. The Luperci believed the floggings purified women and guaranteed their fertility and ease of childbirth. February derives from februa or “means of purification.” To the Romans, February was also sacred to Juno Februata, the goddess of febris (“fever”) of love, and of women and marriage.

These customs were observed in the Roman Empire for centuries.

In A.D. 494, Pope Gelasius renamed the festival of Juno Februata as the “Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary.” The date of its observance was later changed from February 14 to February 2, then changed back to the 14. It is also known as Candlemas, the Presentation of the Lord, the Purification of the Blessed Virgin and the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple.

After Emperor Constantine had made the Roman church’s brand of Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire (A.D. 325), church leaders wanted to do away with the pagan festivals. Lupercalia was high on their list, but the Roman citizens thought otherwise.

Powerless to get rid of Lupercalia, Pope Gelasius instead changed it from Feb. 15 to the 14th and called it St. Valentine’s Day.

……

To the Greeks, from whom the Romans had copied most of their mythology, Lupercus was known as Pan, the god of light. The Phoenicians worshipped the same deity as Baal, the sun god. Baal was one of many names or titles for Nimrod, a mighty hunter, especially of wolves. He was also the founder and first lord of Babel (Gen. 10:10-12). Defying God, Nimrod was the originator of the Babylonian Mystery Religion, whose mythologies have been copied by the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans and a multitude of other ancient peoples. Under different names or titles—Pan, Lupercus, Saturn, Osiris—Nimrod is the strong man and hunter-warrior god of the ancients.

But what does this have to do with us today? Why should we be concerned with what happened in the past?

….. is it possible to “whitewash” or “Christianize” pagan practices…

The church at Rome attempted this. Regarding Valentine’s Day, instead of putting the names of girls into a box, both boys and girls drew the names of “saints.” It was then each child’s duty to emulate the life of the saint he or she had drawn. This was Rome’s vain attempt to Christianize a pagan observance …. Though the church had banned the sexual lottery, young men continued practicing a much toned-down version, sending women whom they desired handwritten romantic messages containing St. Valentine’s name.’

I hope you enjoyed the re-run of this history lesson! :)

A Woman Possessed

2010-01-31T10:32:00.004-05:00

Yup, I'm possessed and tis all my hubby's fault...well, I shall blame him anyhoo! ;)

I don't know if you are like me but sometimes I just want to do something completely different. Indeed, sometimes I don't want to be online at all and even--gasp, horror--not on my laptop. Yes, it does happen occasionally! ;)

During these times, and when we are not going out, I like to read or watch movies...usually. Recently though, I have been able to revive something I have not done in years and found it a wonderful escape from the usual daily grind.

What is it? I hear you say.

Games, in fact video games to be more precise.

Not long ago, hubby was clever enough to barter for a games system for us. He got a PS2 and several games. Yes, I know it's not the newest thing but tis new to us and I was most pleased. Years ago, I used to suffer from 'Nintendo Thumb', those who play video games will know what this is. For those that don't, the tip of your thumbs and some other fingers can become sore and calloused from regular use...it's something akin to a guitarist's fingers.

Okay, I admit it...I'm a bit of a geek! :)

Anyhoo, we spent a couple of hours testing the games we got, to see which we prefer. In the end, I remembered I enjoyed running about killing things; monsters, demons, enemy soldiers and the like. Something similar to the Diablo games are the type I like. I find them very stress relieving and absorbing, definitely a distraction from a busy life.

So now, in the evenings when I have spare time, I'm a woman possessed and loving every minute of it.

These are the ones we are playing at the moment:

We also buy second hand games and trade in, too. Recycle, recycle...lol

As to wheather playing these games will promote violence within me and I will go on a murder rampage, well...not today. I have emails to write and edits to work on. ;)

Romin'

2010-01-19T11:29:00.006-05:00

Recently, hubby and I have been re-watching the first series of Rome and loving it, again. The first season was originally aired in 2005 and the second in 2007.

I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the unapologetic and graphic depiction of the Roman belief system and their different moral standards. It's wonderfully intriguing and great entertainment. I advise you to watch it if you haven't seen it or watch it again, if you have. I only wish they had made more than the two seasons.

Here is a trailer for those who have not watched the series:

Buy the two seasons of Rome on DVD:

Enjoy! :)

Houston, we have separation!

2010-01-09T10:01:00.000-05:00

Just thought I would quickly post on the separation of content, formerly thrust together, in this blog. Recently, in December and January, I started two new blogs to enable followers to follow the actual content they are interested in and for me to have places to waffle about specific things...lol

Gramarye ~ The Magical Homestead

Co-authored with my hubby, Marc.

Description: This blog is about our experiences, good and bad, as we research and learn the skills needed to run a homestead. We will also share with you how we find a place that suits our needs, live off the land and, hopefully, become more self-sufficient. Share the roller coaster ride to a simple life with us.

Worlds Of My Own Making

Description: A writing diary revealing a glimpse into the mind and world of an author.

Please feel free to join me on my other blogs but don't worry, you won't be bombarded with lots of posts, generally there will only be one from each blog per week.

This blog, however, will remain being my primary blog for all things Pagan, amusing (inc. Loony Luna Days) and articles. It will also include interesting websites links, some movie info, my opinions on everyday life and anything else that takes my fancy.

Enjoy! :)

The Hankie Restoration

2010-01-06T09:55:00.002-05:00

When I was a child, we didn't use paper tissues, we used proper handkerchiefs.

I remember how soft and comforting they were, I remember mine being smaller and prettier than my brother's or father's, they had larger, plain ones.

Anyhoo, enough of the childhood memories...what occurred to me the other day is that you don't see a handkerchief used that often these days, except on formal occasions.

I would like to reintroduce you to the use of handkerchief's instead of their wasteful paper cousin, the tissue. I know some of you will say it is safer, germ wise, to throw away a tissue but come on folks, just get a clean hankie and wash the old one!

They don't have to be boring, they can be fun and colourful!

Here is some HISTORY for you to, hopefully, learn something new today. :)

I have decided to go back to using a proper hankie and not contribute more to our 'throw away society' by using paper tissues.

What will you use? :)

The First Day!

2010-01-01T14:53:00.004-05:00

Hello and welcome to the first day of January 2010!

Some folks think that the first day is a restart, a renewing of ideas and paths in life. If this is you, make it count. Do the things you have always wanted to, if you can't at least start to work towards them.

Other folks think they can totally reinvent themselves today. If this is you then remember, when the reinventing begins, some of us love ya just as you are.

A few people think that today is no different from any other day, tis just the day we start a new calendar, if this is you...well, I wish you a very good day.

Whatever you think or feel about today, try to do as Mahatma Gandhi said:

'Live as though you will die tomorrow, learn as though you will live forever.'

Enjoy! :)

A Hearty Stew!

2009-12-30T09:20:00.001-05:00

Before cooking begins!

When my family came to visit in September, we bought a bigger slow cooker to feed all of us as ours was very small and I wanted to come home to nice hot meal after a long day out.

Well, since September it has certainly earned a large spot in my heart...lol...I have used it many, many times creating all sorts of dishes. However, now the weather is cold I have been making some warming stews for when hubby gets home because he walks to and from work. Bless him!

Here is today's menu:
(Please note: I don't put the quantities of items as it depends on what you like and how many you're feeding, also I tend to go with what feels right! ;)

Hearty Stew

Stewing beef
Beef heart
Potatoes
Carrots
Onion
Celery
Courgette (Zucchini)
Mushrooms
Leeks
Parsley
Soy sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
BBQ sauce
Orange & green lentils
Mung beans
Barley
Chutney

Throw all ingredients in, mix it up and let it cook for 8 hours.
Serve with garlic bread. Yum!

Enjoy! :)

The Twelve Days of Yule for Writers

2009-12-28T10:00:00.000-05:00

On the first day of Yule, my novel gave to me…a muse in a Yule Tree.

On the second day of Yule, my novel gave to me…two main characters and a muse in a Yule Tree.

On the third day of Yule, my novel gave to me…three personal traits, two main characters and a muse in a Yule Tree.

On the fourth day of Yule, my novel gave to me…four exciting locations, three personal traits, two main characters and a muse in a Yule Tree.

On the fifth day of Yule, my novel gave to me…five interrobangs?! Four exciting locations, three personal traits, two main characters and a muse in a Yule Tree.

On the sixth day of Yule, my novel gave to me…six secondary characters, five interrobangs?! Four exciting locations…three personal traits…two main characters and a muse in a Yule Tree.

On the seventh day of Yule, my novel gave to me…seven antagonist lackies, six secondary characters. Five interrobangs?! Four exciting locations…three personal traits…two main characters and a muse in a Yule Tree.

On the eight day of Yule, my novel gave to me…eight characters fighting, seven antagonist lackies, six secondary characters. Five interrobangs?! Four exciting locations…three personal traits…two main characters and a muse in a Yule Tree.

On the ninth day of Yule, my novel gave to me…nine tricky scenes, eight characters fighting…seven antagonist lackies…six secondary characters. Five interrobangs?! Four exciting locations…three personal traits…two main characters and a muse in a Yule Tree.

On the tenth day of Yule, my novel gave to me…ten plot ends tied, nine tricky scenes, eight characters fighting…seven antagonist lackies…six secondary characters. Five interrobangs?! Four exciting locations…three personal traits…two main characters and a muse in a Yule Tree.

On the eleventh day of Yule, my novel gave to me…eleven edits and revisions, ten plot ends tied, nine tricky scenes…eight characters fighting…seven antagonist lackies…six secondary characters. Five interrobangs?! Four exciting locations…three personal traits…two main characters and a muse in a Yule Tree.

On the twelfth day of Yule, my novel gave to me…twelve completed chapters! Eleven edits and revisions, ten plot ends tied, nine tricky scenes…eight characters fighting…seven antagonist lackies…six secondary characters. Five interrobangs?! Four exciting locations…three personal traits…two main characters and a muse in a Yule Tree.

Enjoy! :)

The Case of the Missing Stuffing

2009-12-24T10:34:00.002-05:00

Now, being English, I am well versed in the merits of English stuffing. I have tried everything from 'Sage and Onion' to 'Sausage Meat' stuffing. I love them all, all flavours and all types!

Imagine my horror when I discovered that not only can you not find these types of stuffing in Canada but the thing known as 'stuffing' here is...well...quite different!

So I decided that this Yule I would test this North American product to see how it fares with my memory of the English version and here are my findings:

(Please note that this research was completed professionally, in a suitable environment with the appropriate equipment...Okay, Okay...the experiment was in my kitchen, whilst well lubricated with red wine. Happy now? lol )

English 'Instant' Version

Product: Paxo ~ Sage and Onion Stuffing
Cost: £1.22 (one pack)
Taste: A pleasant 'herby' taste with a hint of onion. Enough of a change of flavour to allow the taste buds to have fun between mouthfuls of the different dinner foods.
Texture: Crispy on the outside with a soft middle, if cooked in balls or soft, akin to porridge texture, when cooked in a bird. Consists of small pieces of bread crumbs, herbs and onion which stick together.
Score: 8/10

North American 'Instant' Version

Product: Kraft Stove Top ~ Turkey Stuffing
Cost: $3.00 (for two packs)
Taste: Very flavourful, a real depth of flavour but not so strong that it stayed too long in the mouth and ruined your next bite.
Texture: This mixture was very loose, the ingredients did not stick together and it resembled croutons. The texture was firm in the mouth and yet not as firm as croutons.
Score: 8/10

Conclusion

This was a very interesting experiment for me, I expected to not like the 'loose crouton' looking North American version but it was so tasty, it was a surprise! I think the perfect 10/10 stuffing would need to have some texture, not squishy and not be loose, like croutons. Of course, a good flavour is most important!

I think I shall attempt to make my own next year, just to see if I get create a mix of both the English and North American versions. :)

How is your stuffing? ;)

Winter Solstice

2009-12-21T12:47:00.000-05:00

Happy Yule to all my readers! :)

Please take the time from your busy lives to relax,
for just a few minutes and watch this video.

May the newly born Sun light your way through a wonderful year!

Yo Bro!

2009-12-19T05:47:00.001-05:00

Well folks, today is a very special day...tis my brother's birthday! :)

Now, because I live in Canada and he lives in the UK, I don't get much of a chance to annoy...ahem...I mean, buy him a pint or treat him to a meal so I thought I would post about him here today.

Here are some things I love about my brother...

He always manages to make me laugh.
He is generous even when broke.
He has this weird but very cool professional voice.
He is a bit of an eccentric.
He lives on a narrow boat (awesome or what?).
He is comfortable in his skin and is not afraid to be himself.
He seems like he is from another time, somewhere in the past.

...and best of all? He is MY brother.

Okay...enough of that sloppiness, lets get back to the typical brother/sister thing with this vid...Mawhahaha!

Happy Birthday Bro! ;)

New Blog on the Block!

2009-12-17T12:04:00.002-05:00

I mentioned, a little while ago, that I would be announcing new blogs, well, today is inaugural post of the first new one! :)

I would like to invite you all to visit 'Gramarye - The Magical Homestead', it is the new blog that hubby and I have created. Here is the description:

This blog is about our experiences, good and bad, as we research and learn the skills needed to run a homestead.

We will also share with you how we find a place that suits our needs, live off the land and, hopefully, become more self-sufficient.

Share the roller coaster ride to a simple life with us.

At first, this blog will have the occasional posts but this will build as we get nearer our goals. The blog itself has links to useful books and equipment for homesteaders old and new.

There will be occasional posts from our friends who are also homesteaders, either urban or country, who will be sharing their knowledge and advice with you. If you would like to have a Homesteading related post put on our blog please email me: edainduguay @ hotmail.com (remove the spaces).

Hopefully, together we can relearn the skills that our ancestors used and be able to live a more self-sufficient lifestyle in harmony with Nature.

Enjoy! :)

Loony Luna Day #32

2009-12-14T10:39:00.003-05:00

Seeing as it is getting chilly out, I thought today's Loony Luna Day post should make you a little warm under the collar...

Why I Had to Change Hotels Last Week
(Author unknown)

Last week, I checked into the Four Seasons in Palm Beach and was a bit lonely. I thought, "I'll call one of those men you see advertised in phone books for escorts and sensual massages."

I looked through the phone book, found a full page ad for a guy calling himself Tender Tony -a very handsome man with assorted physical skills flexing in the photo. He had all the right muscles in all the right places, thick wavy hair, long powerful legs, dazzling smile, six pack abs and I felt quite certain I could bounce a quarter off his well oiled butt.... you get the picture. I figured, what the heck, I'll give him a call.

"Hello, ma'am, how may I help you?" . . . Oh my, he sounded sooo sexy! Afraid I would lose my nerve if I hesitated I rushed right in, "Hi, I hear you give a great massage, I'd like you to come to my room and give me one. No, wait, I should be straight with you. I'm in town all alone and what I really want is sex. I want it hard, I want it hot, and I want it now. Bring implements, toys, rubber, leather, whips, everything you've got in your bag of tricks. We'll go hot and heavy all night -tie me up, cover me in chocolate syrup and whipped cream, anything and everything baby. Now how does that sound?"

He says, "Oh my God... that sounds absolutely fantastic, but you need to press 9 for an outside line."

Enjoy! :)

For Your Little Grey Cells...

2009-12-12T09:56:00.003-05:00

In reading historical novels, one may come across the mention of an Astrolabe. Have you ever wondered what it looks like or indeed what it is and how it works?

Tom Wujec demos the 13th-century Astrolabe.

Enjoy! :)

Something for the Holidays...

2009-12-09T10:08:00.000-05:00

If you are anything like me, the Yuletide Season begins and ends with eggnog...love the stuff!

So image how much I squealed when I spotted this recipe...

Eggnog French Toast
(Original source: Lehman's Country Life)

4 cups purchased eggnog
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 country white bread loaf – (14.5 oz) — halved horizontally, half cut crosswise 8 slices — (do not use ends)
1/4 cup unsalted butter – (1/2 stick) — melted
Powdered sugar

1. Whisk first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Place bread slices in single
layer in two 13- by 9- by 2-inch glass baking dishes. Pour mixture over bread, dividing equally. Cover dishes and refrigerate at least 6 hours or
overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Butter 2 large rimmed baking sheets with
some melted butter.
3. Using spatula, transfer bread slices to prepared baking sheets. Brush
bread with remaining melted butter. Bake 10 minutes. Turn over bread slices and bake until golden brown and crisp on the outside but soft on the inside, about 6 minutes longer.
4. Place 2 French toast slices on each of 8 plates. Dust generously with
powdered sugar.

Serves 4-8, depending on your appetite

Enjoy! :)

Some Changes

2009-12-06T16:26:00.004-05:00

I just thought I would take a moment to tell you a little about some exciting news, well, tis exciting to me (lol) and about a few changes on this blog. Firstly, I have been tinkering with the style of the blog, converting it from two columns to three. This enables me to spread things out a bit and not have everything listed down the right hand side. It also makes it much easier for you follks to find things.

I will, over the next day or two, be adding the covers of my eBooks on the upper left hand column and links to them, should anyone be interested in purchasing one, two or three...lol!

The added excitement, I mentioned earlier, comes from an additional blog that I have been creating, it will specialize in one of the subjects that I talk about in this blog. The information I have been gathering for it has grown to the point that it would swamp this blog and so it deserves one of it's own. More details will be released in the next week or so.

In 2010, I will also be conducting a blog experiment, which I hope you will all join in with...but more on that next year! ;)

Anyhoo, for now, please enjoy the new layout of this blog and if anything doesn't work please let me know. :)

Holly...

2009-12-03T11:34:00.004-05:00

I am pleased to announce that my newest eBook is now available to buy online!

Holly the Hasty Witch
~The Witchlets of Witches Brew ~

By Edain Duguay.

Holly is the kind of child that is always in a rush, never stopping to complete a task and often forgetting to fulfil her promises. She is not a selfish child, just one that needs more hours in the day for her daydreaming and her many plans.

That is until Yule, when the biggest promise in the history of mankind is not fulfilled and Holly begins to see why, when she gives her word, it must mean something.

'Holly the Hasty Witch', is the short Pagan tale based on the virtue of integrity and is set at Yule in a small, modern day Pagan village.

This eBook is the first in a series of eight and is suitable for ages 8 years and upwards. Available via my website and/or Wyrdwood Publications.

I am also delighted to see that the first customer testimonial has just come in:

'...my "inner child" loved it!'

'...it was an excellent story for your target age group on taking responsibility and following through. That being said, I think it was also a great reminder for the rest of us to remember our responsibility too, doing what we say and taking care of what takes care of us!
~ RJ McDermott, Canada

The next eBook in this series is Ash the Solitary Witch, which will be released in March 2010.

Enjoy! :)

Loony Luna Day #31

2009-11-30T10:24:00.001-05:00

Cup of Tea
(Author Unknown)

One day my mother was out, and my dad was in charge of me. I was maybe 21/2 years old. Someone had given me a little 'tea set' as a gift, and it was one of my favorite toys.

Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news when I brought Daddy a little cup of 'tea', which was just water. After several cups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy tea, my Mom came home.

My Dad made her wait in the living room to watch me bring him a cup of tea, because it was 'just the cutest thing!' My Mom waited, and sure enough, here I came down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy; and she watched him drink it up.

Then she said, (as only a mother would know), "Did it ever occur to you that the only place she can reach to get water is the toilet?"

Enjoy! :)

Blog Rock 'n' Roll...

2009-11-28T10:25:00.000-05:00

Recently, I have changed 'The Blogs I like' listings (my blog roll) and removed those that don't post often and/or no longer hold my interest and added new ones that have caught my eye.

Why not check them out?

There is something for most folks: homesteading, preppers, writing, Pagan, movies and friends blogs.

You will find my blog roll on the right of this post and further down, under the heading 'The Blogs I like'. Now, obviously, there are many more that I like and this is just a selection.

Enjoy! :)

Still Alive!

2009-11-25T12:32:00.003-05:00

I am pleased to report that I'm now back online full-time after a very nasty bout of the flu and would like to send a big thank you out to everyone who sent me emails and messages wishing me a speedy recovery. It was very kind of you all and it is very flattering to be missed so.

During my convalescence, it was very difficult to find something to stop me from going stir crazy. Indeed, in the beginning I couldn't even concentrate enough to read!

Instead, I turned to movies to stop my mind from committing some form of 'hara-kiri'. I began with a couple of normal action type things but then rekindled my love for all things historic and here is a selection of some of the movies I watched...

Enjoy! :)

Lest We Forget - Day Four

2009-11-11T10:00:00.005-05:00

No matter what their age, honour and remember their sacrifice.

Please watch this last video.

Lest We Forget - Day Three

2009-11-10T10:31:00.002-05:00

No matter what colour the flags are, honour and remember their sacrifice.

Please watch this video.
There will be one each day until the last on Wednesday 11th November.

Lest We Forget - Day Two

2009-11-09T10:30:00.002-05:00

No matter what colour the flags are, honour and remember their sacrifice.

Please watch this video.
There will be one each day until the last on Wednesday 11th November.

Lest We Forget - Day One

2009-11-08T10:27:00.002-05:00

No matter what colour the flags are, honour and remember their sacrifice.

Please watch this video.
There will be one each day until the last on Wednesday 11th November.

Remember, Remember...

2009-11-05T10:19:00.001-05:00

Drawing by Crispin van de Passe the Elder.

November 5th is the night known as Bonfire Night, Fireworks Nights and/or Guy Fawkes Night in England. What is this all about? You may wonder.

Basically, in 1605 Guy Fawkes along with several other Catholic restorationists created the Gunpowder Plot to blow up King James I of England (James VI of Scotland) when he opened Parliament on November 5th. Although the plot was overseen by Robert Catesby and Guy Fawkes was only the explosives expert, Guy Fawkes is the most remembered of the plotters. He was also the one caught leaving the area of the explosives (under Parliament) just hours before they were due to be ignited.

Several other members of the plot were discovered and so began the torture, trials and executions of those involved.

Guy Fawkes being arrested under the Houses of Parliament.

Since 1605, Guy Fawkes has forever been associated with fires, fireworks and the destruction of Parliament...

His influence can be seen even today from popular hero imagery, to 20th century political posters, from the 'V for Vendetta' movie to 'Fawkes' the Phoenix in Harry Potter.

To this very day, the 5th of November is still celebrated. It was originally for the safety of the King, however, today I get the feeling that the attempted act is now celebrated instead. ;)

My memories of Bonfire Night are of me shivering, trying to get warm around the wonderful bonfires both at home and at public gatherings, fireworks, sparklers, mulled wine and cider, hot dog's, hamburgers, jacket potatoes in foil and mushy peas with mint sauce. More importantly, all these things mixed in with friends, family and lots of laughter and excitement.

I have to say it is definitely one of the things I miss about England, few folks here know of it and in this area it is not celebrated at all but I hear some do over on the eastern coast. I know one thing for sure, when we have land we shall be having a good old fashioned Bonfire Night with all the trimmings and will be sharing it with our Canadian friends.

*raises her pot of steaming mushy peas and mint sauce to you all*

Happy Bonfire Night! :)

Mischief...

2009-11-04T10:12:00.000-05:00

The Visitor by Arthur Hopkins.

Today is the 4th November, Mischief Night! I have many memories from this night during my childhood in England...

Mischief Night, in England, is the night before Bonfire Night when children and teenagers get up to 'no good'. Around the rest of the world this night has migrated to the night of Hallowe'en or even the night before, but in England it remains on the forth.

The light hearted rampage of activities range from knocking on people's doors and running away, to putting honey on doorknobs and even removing gates. I have personally seen, in my misspent youth, confetti sprinkled on peoples lawns, throwing 'flour bombs' (flour in a plastic bag), door handles tied together on terraced houses and then both doors knocked on. I also remember everyone thinking it was the only night of the year that we could get away with being 'Mischievous'!

Now remember, these are light hearted playful pranks and anything that is not...is vandalism and not in the spirit of Mischief Night.

From Wikipedia:

Traditionally, Mischief Night was celebrated on 4th November. This was due to Guy Fawkes' mischief and part of the mischief was to light bonfires early.

There will be a lot more about Bonfire Night tomorrow, so remember to come back for the read!

Enjoy and stay within the bounds of light hearted pranks! :)

Eyeballs and Death!

2009-10-31T14:20:00.010-04:00

Eyeballs in a Jar!

Last night we attended our friends annual 'Hallowe'en Open House and Rude Food Party' and, as usual, it was a blast! The house was decorated with all the nasty, creepy, crawly, shiver making decorations. The food was excellent and well thought out, it covered a whole range of yakky things from savoury brain dip to cheesy eyeballs, from meatloaf man and woman to bats wings. There were floating hands in the punch and eyeballs in a jar, which was our contribution to the party food.

Eyeballs in a Jar:

These are simply lychee's stuffed with red or green grapes, put into a spaghetti jar and topped up with the syrupy juice from the lychee's! They were very effective and you could only get them out by using a kebab stick which glided through the flesh of the lychee and nicely popped the grape, just like an eyeball. The two tastes worked really well together! :)

As for the costumes, well there was some really good ones...this is 'Death and his wife Mrs De'ath'! Or should I say hubby and I...lol ;)

If you are friends with me on Facebook, I will shortly be putting up a new album of this years party, come on over and take a peek!

No matter how you spend this special day, either at a Hallowe'en party or raising a horn to the ancestors at a Samhain ritual, I wish you and yours a wonderful time.

Enjoy! :)

Loony Luna Day #30

2009-10-26T09:39:00.002-04:00

Headline Fail!
Author unknown.

Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter
This one I caught in the SGV Tribune the other day and called the Editorial Room and asked who wrote this. It took two or three readings before the editor realized that what he was reading was impossible!!! They put in a correction the next day.

Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
No crap, really? Ya think?

Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
Now that's taking things a bit far!

Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
What a guy!

Miners Refuse to Work after Death
No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-so's!

Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
See if that works any better than a fair trial!

War Dims Hope for Peace
I can see where it might have that effect!

If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile
Ya think?!

Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
Who would have thought!

Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide
They may be on to something!

Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?

Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge
He probably IS the battery charge!

New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
Weren't they fat enough?!

Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
That's what he gets for eating those beans!

Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
Do they taste like chicken?

Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
Chainsaw Massacre all over again!

Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
Boy, are they tall!

And the winner is....

Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
Did I read that right?

Enjoy! :)

Can it!

2009-10-22T14:37:00.003-04:00

Just found out something disturbing and worrying about canning over at my friends' blog:

The Big Red Barn

If you are canning your own produce or use tinned goods you need to read this!

*shakes her head in disgust*

Filming History

2009-10-17T09:57:00.001-04:00

During my time as the department head of the Reprographics Section, at an archives in England, I was fortunate enough to microfilm, via a archival camera, many rare and fascinating works from six miles of shelving. (I also scanned glass negatives but that is a whole different story.)

I filmed everything from church scrolls to illuminated manuscripts, from Victorian newspapers to very rare books in a Cathedral Library. Can you tell I loved this aspect of the job?

Just for you history buffs out there, here is a sample of the rare items I filmed...

Church Visitations 1347

Honeywell's notebook (approx 1600)

William Bryd’s compositions (approx 1550-162o)

Tyrconnels bibliographical catalogue 1670

Henry Bond “The Longitude Found” 1673

Francis Hall “Explicatio Horologii” 1676

Pope Nicolas II tax book 1293

Ms 15 Randulfus Niger De Re Militari 1200

Useful Books For Homesteading #3

2009-10-14T13:20:00.002-04:00

A few more books for those of you who, like me, are interested in self-sufficiency...

Enjoy! :)

The Tenth Month

2009-10-08T09:47:00.005-04:00

This is my favourite month of the year, all the others have their importance and meaning but to me, October is the best.

Why? You may ask.

October is the month of the final harvest, agriculturally and spiritually. It is a time of reaping the seeds you have sewn, of hoping you have sewn them deep enough to bear what you required from the planting.

For me, this time of year means a warmth of colours in the beautiful trees (if you don't know about the leaf changes in eastern Canada, think New England) and the wealth of vegetables like the picture above. The fresh market stalls are covered with the vivid colours of pumpkins, squashes, courgettes and root vegetables. The streets are littered with natures fallen beauty, with leaves, berries and apples. The days are bright blue and sunny, with a hint of crispness in the air.

If I were in England now there would be a galleons of golden homemade cider, some clear and some cloudy, being sold in farm shops.

The build up to Samhain or Hallow'een (depending on your point of view) is always magical to me. It is the only time, every year, that many people openly acknowledge the magical and the spiritual, whether in jest or sincerity. Really, there is nothing like October for a sense of dramatic excitement and wonder.

I ask that you all enjoy this month for it's gifts, colours, tastes, smells and the huge change in the life force of the growing seasons.

I raise a glass of cider to you all! :)

Loony Luna Day #29

2009-10-05T09:33:00.000-04:00

Dear Dad (author unknown)

A father passing by his son’s bedroom was astonished to see the bed was nicely made, and everything was picked up.

Then, he saw an envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow.

It was addressed, ‘Dad.’

With the worst premonition, he opened the envelope and, with trembling hands, read the letter…

‘Dear Dad,
It is with great regret and sorrow that I’m writing you.
I had to elope with my new girlfriend, because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mum and you.
I’ve been finding real passion with Stacy, and she is so nice, but I knew you would not approve of her, because of all her piercings, tattoos, her tight Motorcycle clothes, and because she is so much older than I am.
But it’s not only the passion, Dad. She’s pregnant.
Stacy said that we will be very happy.
She owns a trailer in the woods, and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter.
We share a dream of having many more children.
Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn’t really hurt anyone.
We’ll be growing it for ourselves, and trading it with the other people in the commune for all the cocaine and ecstasy we want.
In the meantime, we’ll pray that science will find a cure for AIDS, so Stacy can get better. She sure deserves it!
Don’t worry Dad, I’m 15, and I know how to take care of myself.
Someday, I’m sure we’ll be back to visit, so you can get to know your many grandchildren.

Love, your son, Joshua

PS. Dad, none of the above is true. I’m over at Jason’s house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than the school report that’s on the kitchen table. Call me when it is safe for me to come home.

Enjoy! :)

S.O.S.

2009-10-03T09:39:00.005-04:00

If you have been with me online over the years, whether on this blog or on Facebook or wherever, you will know about my love for tree's.

You will know that my favourite character in Lord of the Rings is Treebeard the Ent, you will know that where ever we live I have to see at least one tree out of my window, you will know that when writing, I gaze into that tree as I collect my thoughts. You will also know that I love being in woods, that my eBook publishing house (Wyrdwood Publications) plants trees in deforested areas and, yes, it's true...I have hugged several trees. :)

Why am I telling you all this?

Simple. A short while ago I came across The Prince's Rainforests Project, I joined up and started spreading the word on some of the social networking sites I belong too and I thought it was time I posted something on it here.

Please watch the video below, visit the website, join up and send your own S.O.S. message to the world!

Back on Track!

2009-10-01T09:22:00.000-04:00

Hull - Wakefield Steam Train

Well, it has been an interesting and fun filled couple of weeks with my family but now they have returned safely to the UK and I am back online full time and writing again.

Over the next couple of days I will be catching up with emails, tweets, followers and new requests for friendship and numerous other things. If you are about on Facebook, MySpace or Twitter pop in and say 'hello' and tell me how your last two weeks have been without me...quiet I suspect! lol

Anyhoo, I am back in the saddle and would love to hear from all you lovely folks! :)

Family

2009-09-16T08:32:00.007-04:00

Hi folks,

I know I have been rather busy lately, only posting periodically, and for the next two weeks I will be even more quiet. However, I do have an excellent reason, my family (parents and brother) are arriving today from the UK for a visit.

Needless to say I am very much looking forward to it, I've not seen them for a year and three months!

Anyhoo, have fun with your family and friends and I will see you on the other side.

Enjoy! :)

Copper Age!

2009-09-11T10:02:00.008-04:00

Some very talented friends of mine, an artist and a writer, have come together to launch a new webcomic: Copper Age.

Please check out their website, investigate their comic and, of course, become addicted to their awesomeness! :)

About Copper Age:

Copper Age is a creative enterprise focused on comics but also producing art, stories, music, video, and pretty much anything else that seems like a good idea at the time. The Copper Age, historically speaking, came before the Iron Age we now live in. Copper is not as good a metal for killing people as iron, but you can make nice body decorations out of it. So that’s Copper Age - Awen touched, tree hugging, in love with folklore and mythology, and far too fond of tentacles to be healthy.

www.itisacircle.com launches with The Blind Fisherman – a tale which started life as a series of pictures and later had words attached to it. It’s a small story arc, and not quite traditional comic form. There are sea monsters, demented occultists, and other strangeness. After this comes Personal Demons – which is more like a conventional comic and begins with the witch Annamarie Nightshade visiting a gothic house, and finding something entirely unexpected.

Enjoy! :)

Quiet, huh?

2009-09-10T09:33:00.005-04:00

Hello again folks,

I know it seems like I've been quiet of late, especially here on Blogger. Seems is the right word, I have actually been very busy behind the scenes on my various projects, this is what I have been up to:

Revising 'Chameleon' (bk1 of The Chameleon Sagas) with some of the suggestions and notes from my editor.

Writing 'Castrum Lucis' (bk2 of The Chameleon Sagas). It got particularly tricky on chapter five, so I have had to split the chapter and move part of the plot further into the book.

I finished writing the second short story in my series for Pagan Children: ''The Witchlets of Witches Brew - Ash the Solitary Witch'.

I have written most of the third short story in my series for Pagan Children: 'The Witchlets of Witches Brew - Birch the Selfish Witch'.

Preparing eBook covers for 'The Witchlets of Witches Brew'.

Created a presence on My Space. This social networking website actually has a few extras regarding The Chameleon Sagas including a 'Chameleon Petroglyph' which is the symbol of the Chameleons and an ever growing play list of music to go with the book.

Helping an avid fan and beta reader to create a fan site for The Chameleon Sagas, along with images and profiles of characters! More on that later.

Created a new profile background on Twitter to advertise my novel 'Chameleon'.

Created a Fan Page for Wyrdwood Publications on Facebook, this page will eventually replace the group as it is easier for members to get real time updates, rather than having to remember to check out the group.

Reading submissions for possible publication via Wyrdwood Publications.

Add in to that hubby, family, friends and home...you can see why I haven't been around much! Rest assured, I am not going anywhere and I will hopefully be posting more again soon.

Enjoy your day! :)

Writing to Music #1

2009-09-05T11:18:00.007-04:00

Cappella Giulia Chansonnier
Florence - Fifteenth century

For those of you that write, how many of you write to music?

I enjoy it immensely and find that it makes writing certain scenes easier. For instance a dramatic action scene can be helped, greatly, by dramatic music or a love scene by sexy music. Sometimes, a mixture of both can help, of course it all depends on what you are writing. It's really about putting you in the mood to write the mood, if you know what I mean.

So for your delight and pleasure (I hope), I have included a few of my favourite CD's to write to...

Love:

Action:

I will post more another day, enjoy! :)

Loony Luna Day #28

2009-08-31T10:00:00.001-04:00

You have to be old enough to remember Abbott and Costello, and too old to REALLY understand computers, to fully appreciate this. For those of us who sometimes get flustered by our computers, please read on...

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, 'Who's on First?' might have turned out something like this (author unknown):

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: Thanks I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.

ABBOTT: Your computer?

COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.

ABBOTT: What about Windows?

COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?

ABBOTT: Wallpaper.

COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT: Software for Windows?

COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

ABBOTT: I just did.

COSTELLO: You just did what?

ABBOTT: Recommend something.

COSTELLO: You recommended something?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: For my office?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.

COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

ABBOTT: Word.

COSTELLO: What word?

ABBOTT: Word in Office.

COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?

ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue 'W'.

COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue 'w' if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.

COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

ABBOTT: One copy.

COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT: Click on 'START'.............

Useful Books For Homesteading #3

2009-08-27T10:10:00.002-04:00

Some more useful books for those that are interested in a more self-sufficient lifestyle!

Enjoy! :)

6 Words.

2009-08-21T10:17:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine recently had this on her blog, I thought it was very interesting and a tad difficult.

What’s Your 6-Word Personal Growth Story?
(original site, not my friends blog.)

This is very hard, I mean...how on earth do you sum up your life in just 6 words?

My friend made several attemps, but the one I liked most was:

She who dances comes alive completely.

My 6 words are:
Lives with eyes of a child.

That about sums up my life seeing as I have an inner adult…lol

What would your 6 words be?

TPA #3

2009-08-19T10:22:00.001-04:00

More information from the files of The Pagan Activist:

Pagan Awareness Booklets

These items are in PDF format and will open in a new window.

If you do not have an PDF reader you can get one here for free.

Pagans at Work

Paganism

Pagans in Schools

ACAS (UK ONLY) - Religion or Belief and the Workplace, A guide for Employers and Employees.

I hope this information is useful! :)