We had 4 budgies.
We started with 2 and then added another and then another .... crazy.
Every so often my husband would ask, "Do you want to get another one?"
I would just look at him and say nothing.
My mother used to have several birds.
Budgies, lovebirds, cockatiels, then a parrot. She started with one. I remember how exciting it was and how scared we were when it flew around the house at first. He was the best budgie. So friendly and fun to play with. I know it's because he was the only bird and there were several of us around to entertain and love him.
Eventually mom bought several more birds and started breeding and selling them. What a crazy house - at one time we had 27 free flying birds in the house !!
Like I said to my husband, "Four is plenty."
We also gave our birds free reighn over the house. They pretty much went anywhere they pleased, but usually stuck to the area around their cage. Fred loved to fly to the lamp shade and then to the picture frame behind the dining table. He knew he could get away from us.
Chuck was the 'daddy' and the bigger boy of the four.
Reggie was what we called our 'special child' because we were not sure of where his mind always was. He was quite a flake and a spaz, but very funny and entertaining.
Ty was the little one; the baby. So sweet and cute and quite friendly. He got scared easily, but would sit on your hand as long as you moved slow.
We would take them in the shower at least twice a month. They had their own perch to sit on near the water. It was a fun time. We really enjoyed them.
I do miss them from time to time, but with 2 kids now....it's enough work.
So we settle on fish. 2.5 gallon tank. Easy peasy? well....still work, but quite and less mess.
Feb 6, 2015
Sep 12, 2013
Suburban Jubilee: Waffle Crochet Tutorial - From Blankets to Dishclo...
Suburban Jubilee: Waffle Crochet Tutorial - From Blankets to Dishclo...: You may remember in the Wash Your Washcloths post a dish cloth featured and I said I would show you the stitch.... Here 'tis. ...
Sep 27, 2011
Feb 10, 2011
unususally long and interesting words
Omphaloskepsis
Definition: contemplation of one's navel as an aid to meditation; also: lack of will to move, exert, or change: inertia
About the word: In Greek, omphalos means "navel"; skepsis means "examination."
Less than a century old, omphaloskepsis is usually considered humorous. For example, in his 2005 autobiography, Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh reminisced about his absorption in "the time-honored pursuits of adolescents in any era – school, social life, the opposite sex, omphaloskepsis – ...."
Trichotillomania
Definition: an abnormal desire to pull out one's hair
About the word: Mania means "excessive or unreasonable enthusiasm"; trich means "hair"; tillo (from tillein) means "to pluck or pull."
Trichotillomania, classified as an impulse-control disorder, is estimated to afflict 2-4% of the population.
Myrmecophilous
Definition: fond of, associated with, or benefited by ants
About the word: Myrmeco- means "ant"; philous means "loving" or "having an affinity for."
Scientists use myrmecophilous to describe the positive relationships between ants and such species as butterflies, crickets, beetles, and mites that help ants flourish.
In 2010, Pulitzer Prize-winning entomologist E.O. Wilson published Anthill: A Novel, which includes an absorbing narrative presented from the ants' perspective ... and which reveals that the author himself is myrmecophilous.
Pulchritudinous
Definition: physically beautiful
About the word: If the meaning of this word seems counterintuitive, it's probably because the word's Latin ancestor pulcher ("beautiful") is unfamiliar, and pulchritudinous sounds more disgusting than enchanting.
But Richard Burton used it to describe his first impression of Elizabeth Taylor: "... the most astonishingly self-contained, pulchritudinous, remote, removed, inaccessible woman I had ever seen."
Psychotomimetic
Definition: of, relating to, involving, or inducing psychotic alteration of behavior and personality
About the word: This word – from psychotic + mimetic (meaning "imitative") – first appeared in 1956, as mind-altering drugs began catching on with the public.
The word's unpleasant association with psychosis inspired Dr. Humphry Osmond to coin the synonymous psychedelic. That shifted the emphasis to examining how the agent might help enlarge the vision or explore the mind.
Xenotransplantation
Definition: transplantation of an organ, tissue, or cells between two different species
About the word: The Latin xeno- comes from the Greek word xenos, meaning "stranger" or "guest."
Cross-species transplants were (unsuccessfully) attempted in the 17th century.
In the late 20th century, scientists transplanted primates' hearts, kidneys, and livers into humans with some success. Pigs have replaced primates as the prime candidates for xenotransplantation to humans, but the process remains experimental and controversial.
Polyphiloprogenitive
Definition: extremely prolific; tending to produce offspring, or characterized by love of offspring
About the word: The Duggars, Octomom, and Mother Goose's old woman who lived in a shoe: all were polyphiloprogenitive. Poly means "many"; philo means "loving"; genitive comes from a word that translates literally as "of generation."
Embourgeoisement
Definition: a shift to bourgeois values and practices
About the word: Embourgeoisement almost always refers to a shift by the working class, not the upper class.
The word was coined during the first half of the 20th century, when scholars noticed workers adopting the outlook and behavior of the middle class. For example, the new bourgeois might have a declining interest in class consciousness and an increased interest in seeing gradual, not revolutionary, changes in society.
Tergiversation
Definition: evasion of straightforward action or clear-cut statement : equivocation
About the word: The Latin ancestors of tergiversation (tergum, meaning "back"; vertere, meaning "to turn") together translate roughly as "to turn one's back." Since the 16th century, tergiversation has described the reversal or desertion of a position or cause.
Nowadays, it turns up in diplomatic or political discussions. As the late word maven William Safire explained of the related verb, tergiversate, in 2004, "When engaged in by a politician you oppose, the verb tergiversate, pronounced with a soft g, is a choice favored by pedants, meaning 'to switch sides like an apostate.'"
Consanguineous
Definition: of the same blood or origin; specifically : descended from the same ancestor
About the word: The Latin sanguin- means "blood"; con- means "together."
Consanguineous is sometimes used to describe marriages or intimate relationships, such as when geneticists discuss birth defects in the offspring of consanguineous unions (i.e., unions between close relatives).
Despite the word's origins in sanguin-, nowadays, we understand that ancestral contributions are not transmitted through blood but through genes contained in chromosomes.
from Merriam-Webster.com
Definition: contemplation of one's navel as an aid to meditation; also: lack of will to move, exert, or change: inertia
About the word: In Greek, omphalos means "navel"; skepsis means "examination."
Less than a century old, omphaloskepsis is usually considered humorous. For example, in his 2005 autobiography, Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh reminisced about his absorption in "the time-honored pursuits of adolescents in any era – school, social life, the opposite sex, omphaloskepsis – ...."
Trichotillomania
Definition: an abnormal desire to pull out one's hair
About the word: Mania means "excessive or unreasonable enthusiasm"; trich means "hair"; tillo (from tillein) means "to pluck or pull."
Trichotillomania, classified as an impulse-control disorder, is estimated to afflict 2-4% of the population.
Myrmecophilous
Definition: fond of, associated with, or benefited by ants
About the word: Myrmeco- means "ant"; philous means "loving" or "having an affinity for."
Scientists use myrmecophilous to describe the positive relationships between ants and such species as butterflies, crickets, beetles, and mites that help ants flourish.
In 2010, Pulitzer Prize-winning entomologist E.O. Wilson published Anthill: A Novel, which includes an absorbing narrative presented from the ants' perspective ... and which reveals that the author himself is myrmecophilous.
Pulchritudinous
Definition: physically beautiful
About the word: If the meaning of this word seems counterintuitive, it's probably because the word's Latin ancestor pulcher ("beautiful") is unfamiliar, and pulchritudinous sounds more disgusting than enchanting.
But Richard Burton used it to describe his first impression of Elizabeth Taylor: "... the most astonishingly self-contained, pulchritudinous, remote, removed, inaccessible woman I had ever seen."
Psychotomimetic
Definition: of, relating to, involving, or inducing psychotic alteration of behavior and personality
About the word: This word – from psychotic + mimetic (meaning "imitative") – first appeared in 1956, as mind-altering drugs began catching on with the public.
The word's unpleasant association with psychosis inspired Dr. Humphry Osmond to coin the synonymous psychedelic. That shifted the emphasis to examining how the agent might help enlarge the vision or explore the mind.
Xenotransplantation
Definition: transplantation of an organ, tissue, or cells between two different species
About the word: The Latin xeno- comes from the Greek word xenos, meaning "stranger" or "guest."
Cross-species transplants were (unsuccessfully) attempted in the 17th century.
In the late 20th century, scientists transplanted primates' hearts, kidneys, and livers into humans with some success. Pigs have replaced primates as the prime candidates for xenotransplantation to humans, but the process remains experimental and controversial.
Polyphiloprogenitive
Definition: extremely prolific; tending to produce offspring, or characterized by love of offspring
About the word: The Duggars, Octomom, and Mother Goose's old woman who lived in a shoe: all were polyphiloprogenitive. Poly means "many"; philo means "loving"; genitive comes from a word that translates literally as "of generation."
Embourgeoisement
Definition: a shift to bourgeois values and practices
About the word: Embourgeoisement almost always refers to a shift by the working class, not the upper class.
The word was coined during the first half of the 20th century, when scholars noticed workers adopting the outlook and behavior of the middle class. For example, the new bourgeois might have a declining interest in class consciousness and an increased interest in seeing gradual, not revolutionary, changes in society.
Tergiversation
Definition: evasion of straightforward action or clear-cut statement : equivocation
About the word: The Latin ancestors of tergiversation (tergum, meaning "back"; vertere, meaning "to turn") together translate roughly as "to turn one's back." Since the 16th century, tergiversation has described the reversal or desertion of a position or cause.
Nowadays, it turns up in diplomatic or political discussions. As the late word maven William Safire explained of the related verb, tergiversate, in 2004, "When engaged in by a politician you oppose, the verb tergiversate, pronounced with a soft g, is a choice favored by pedants, meaning 'to switch sides like an apostate.'"
Consanguineous
Definition: of the same blood or origin; specifically : descended from the same ancestor
About the word: The Latin sanguin- means "blood"; con- means "together."
Consanguineous is sometimes used to describe marriages or intimate relationships, such as when geneticists discuss birth defects in the offspring of consanguineous unions (i.e., unions between close relatives).
Despite the word's origins in sanguin-, nowadays, we understand that ancestral contributions are not transmitted through blood but through genes contained in chromosomes.
from Merriam-Webster.com
Dec 21, 2010
Winter Solstice Celebrations for Families and Households
by Selena Fox
Focus of Celebration: consider first your purpose(s) for the celebration, such as:
Strengthen family bonding with each other
Expand upon existing patterns of family celebrations
Attune family to Nature's cycles
Attune family to its membership in the community of all life on planet Earth
Connect with ancestors
Celebrate ethnic/cultural heritage(s)
Educate about ancient and contemporary folkways
Extend the celebration of Christmas, be an alternative, or expand upon it
Deepen understanding about spiritual renewal and love
Have fun
Components of Celebration: select one or more that fits focus, timing, length, and setting
Yule Wreath
purchase a wreath or make a wreath from evergreens collected by family members.
have family members gather around the wreath and consider it as a symbol of cycles of Nature; mention Yule and Jul, names for Winter Solstice time (and Christmas) mean wheel.
have family members each share something they appreciate about Winter
put the wreath in a visible location, such as on the front door, on an inside wall, or in the center of the dining table.
On or after New Year's Day, wreath can be returned to Nature, or kept until Summer Solstice and then burned in a bonfire.
Solstice Feast
Prepare favorite family foods and beverages.
Before beginning the dining experience, do a family prayer of thanksgiving.
End the feast with a cake or pie with a sun image on it.
Birthday candles can be put on this solar dessert. Each family member can light a candle and make a wish for the holiday season or the upcoming calendar year. Once all candles are lit, the family as a whole can blow them out to send wishes on their way. Then call out "Happy Solstice" or "Good Yule" in unison.
Candlelight Circle
Can be done as part of a feast or separately.
Family gathers in a circle around a card table or dining table. There is an unlit new red taper candle in a candleholder for each family member, plus a larger new red taper or pillar candle in a candleholder to represent the family as a whole and the Solstice Sun. Candles are arranged evenly around the central larger candle.
Parent(s) begin the circle by sharing some background about Winter Solstice, such as how it has been celebrated across time and cultures, and how its celebration is reflected in contemporary secular and religious Christmas customs. Then parent(s) describe the focus for this candlelight circle, such as to attune the family members to each other, to the ways of ancestors, and/or to Nature.
Lights are extinguished. Family stands or sits in darkness for a few moments and contemplates the reduction of daylight at this time of year, the importance of the Sun to life on the planet, and the symbology of light as indicators of renewal.
Then, parent(s) light the central candle with a blessing of renewal for the family and the planet and guide a short meditation on light and renewal.
Next, parent(s) invite each member to light her/his personal candle and give a thanksgiving for something in past or present or a blessing for the year to come.
When all the candles are lit, the family joins hands and chants or sings. The song, "We wish you a Merry Christmas" can be adapted to "We wish you a Merry Solstice" and sung to end the circle.
Candles can be left burning if in a safe, attended location, throughout the rest of the Solstice celebration, if there are other component parts.
Candles can be extinguished by everyone doing it simultaneously after one of the family members states that the light of renewal remains in our hearts.
Yule Log
An oak log, plus a fireplace or bonfire area is needed for this form of celebration. The oak log should be very dry so that it will blaze well. It can be decorated with burnable red ribbons of natural fiber and dried holly leaves. In the fireplace or bonfire area, dried kindling should be set to facilitate the burning of the log.
Begin by having parent(s) or some other family member describe the tradition of the Yule log. The tale of the Oak King and Holly King from Celtic mythology can be shared as a story, or can be summarized with a statement that the Oak represents the waxing solar year, Winter Solstice to Summer Solstice, and the Holly represents the waning solar year, Summer Solstice to Winter Solstice.
Lights are extinguished as much as possible. The family is quiet together in the darkness. Family members quietly contemplate the change in the solar year. Each in her/his own way contemplates the past calendar year, the challenges as well as the good times.
Then the Yule Log fire is lit. As it begins to burn, each family member throws in one or more dried holly sprigs and says farewell to the old calendar year. Farewells can take the form of thanksgiving and appreciation and/or a banishment of old habits or personal pains.
Once the Yule Log itself starts blazing, then the facilitator invites family members to contemplate the year ahead and the power of possibilities. Each member then throws in an oak twig or acorn into the fire to represent the year ahead, and calls out a resolution and/or a hope.
When this process is done, the family sings a song together. The traditional carol, "Deck the Halls," is good because it mentions the Solstice, the change in the solar year, and the Yule log.
Let the Yule Log burn down to a few chunks of charred wood and ashes. Following an ancient tradition, save remnants of the fire and use them to start the Yule Log fire the following year.
Bell Ringing
This can take a simple form of the family ringing bells together at the moment of Solstice, or it can be a circle ceremony in and of itself. It also can be incorporated into other components of the celebration such as the Candlelight Circle or Yule Log Ceremony -- in these cases, bells can be rung after each blessing/sharing is stated.
Each family member chooses a bell to ring. Bells can be of varying sizes and types, but should blend well with each other when rung together. Brass bells and/or jingle bells are commonly available and have long time associations with the season.
For a bell ringing Solstice Circle, the family gathers together in a circle. Each has a bell in hand to ring. Parent(s) or some other family member serves as facilitator(s). She/he begins by saying a few words about the Solstice being the start of the new solar year and how the calendar year used today in many places around the world was structured on the solar year. The facilitator then describes how bells have been rung in connection with many types of celebrations. Bells have been rung at this time of year to ring out the old year and to ring in the new year. Then the facilitator invites the family to celebrate the Solstice with bells.
If the family is used to honoring the directions as part of spiritual practice (Wiccan, Native American, Buddhist, Hermetic, etc.), the family begins by facing each of the compass points (North, East, South, West) and ringing the bells in unison, honoring connections with each sacred direction. Then the family rings bells in the three directions connected with the center: upward, the place of the cosmos; downward, the place of the planet; and center; Divine unity.
In place of or in addition to individual direction honoring, the family rings all their bells together to celebrate their connection with each other as a family; then they ring them in unison again to celebrate their connection with the cycles of Nature; and then they ring them a third time in unison to celebrate their connection with life on planet Earth and all of Nature.
Then from the oldest to the youngest, each family member speaks a vision or wish for the planet for the coming year. After each one speaks, all ring bells together to affirm that vision/wish. After all have shared, the ceremony ends as the family calls out "Happy Solstice" or "Good Yule" three times and rings bells.
Yule Tree
Decorate an evergreen tree as a Yule tree. The tree can be a living tree growing in the yard of the home or in a container indoors to be planted outside in Spring. Or, the tree can be a harvested one purchased or cut yourself from a tree farm.
The Yule Tree can be decorated prior to or on Solstice for the entire holiday season. If decorated prior to Solstice, on Solstice day, family members can each add an ornament. Members may want to speak a blessing on the Solstice celebration as they add their ornaments. Ornaments can be of any type, but those that represent the Sun, such as sun figures or shinny red or golden balls, are very appropriate because of their symbolism. A star, sunburst, or light at the top of the tree is another traditional Solstice symbol.
Electric lights on the tree can also play into the Solstice celebration. They can be first turned on during the Solstice celebration. Or, if the family custom is to have a lit holiday tree for much of December, the lights can be turned off during a celebration as the family focuses on the year passing and the longest nights of the year and then turned on to represent renewal and the new Solar year.
After the holiday season is over, the Yule tree can be burned in a bonfire, chopped up and used as mulch, or placed in the wilds as additional habitat for wild creatures. A branch can be saved and stored away until next year and then burned with the Yule Log to represent the continuity of Nature's cycles.
Winter Nature Communion
Grains and seeds, and the feeding of creatures have been associated with Yuletide holidays for hundred of years in Europe. To continue this tradition, gather some sunflower seeds in a large basket or bowl. Go outside next to the home or to a place frequented by wild birds and other wild creatures.
The family gathers around a bird feeder, a tree stump, a rock ledge, or other spot where the seeds are to be placed. Someone in the family serves as facilitator and guides the family in a Nature attunement meditation. First, the family silently focuses on the experience of being outdoors in the Winter at this Solstice time. Next, the family silently focuses on being part of the fabric of life of Nature. Then the family silently focuses on expressing appreciation for the beauty of Nature and the relationships with other lifeforms. Each family member then takes a handful of seeds and focuses on the seeds as symbols of life and as messengers of goodwill toward other parts of Nature.
Now, each family member in turn places the seeds in the feeder or on the stump, ledge, or other spot, and speaks an appreciation of Nature. After all the offerings have been made, the family joins hands and says together several times, "We are part of the Family of Nature!" The ceremony ends as the family in unison calls out "Happy Solstice!" or "Good Yule!"
Solstice Stories
The family can share Solstice related stories with each other. Parents, grandparents, and/or other older relatives can share how they celebrated Yuletide (Solstice, Christmas, New Year's) when they were young. Parents and other relatives also can speak about their ethnic roots and share whatever they know of Yuletide folk customs of their ancestors.
If little or nothing is known within the living extended family itself about ancestral folk ways, prior to Solstice, one or more family members can do some research into customs connected with ancestral nationalities, ethnicities, spiritualities, and other cultural forms. Some places to check for information include bookstores and libraries, gifts shops with ethnic themes, cultural societies, folklore centers, museums, and multicultural centers at universities.
In addition to stories about folk customs connected with Yuletide, myths and legends connected with Winter, the Sun, and/or Renewal can be told.
To facilitate passing this family heritage on to future generations, the family may wish to tape record or videotape the story sharing.
Gift Giving
Across many cultures for at least several thousand years, gifts have been exchanged among family and friends at Solstice time. Even if the family already has a tradition of exchanging gifts at Christmas or Epiphany, some gifts can be exchanged on Solstice as well. Having gift giving occur over a period of time extends the holiday celebration and is a time honored tradition, as commemorated in the song "Twelve Days of Christmas."
The Solstice gift exchange can take a variety of forms. When all family holiday gifts are displayed under the Yule tree for several days, each family member can select one gift with their own name on it to open on Solstice night or morning. In cases in which family members give each other multiple gifts, each member can select a gift to give each other member. Another method of gift distribution is to have family members place their names in a hat or basket, and when this is done, to each draw a name, which indicates the person to whom they will give a Solstice gift.
Still another alternative is to have a gifting experience unique to Solstice. A group of similar, yet distinctive small gifts, individually wrapped can be placed in a large basket or cauldron. There should be one for each family member. At least one extra gift could be included and this could be kept for the family as a whole or later given to a family friend. Some examples of gift groups include an assortment of pieces of tumbled agate or quartz crystals, a collection of animal figurines or exotic sea shells, an array of candles or bells, or a variety of pieces of candy or other food treats. Gift picking can be according to age: oldest to youngest, youngest to oldest; according to birth date in the year; by first name in alphabetical order; by lot; or by some other method. The gift exchange, when involving Nature gifts, can have an educational component. For example, if bird images are the gift form, the family can talk about each type of bird after each figure is unwrapped.
A good way to bring closure to the gift exchange on Solstice night is for the family to join hands together in a circle and spend a few moments focusing together on the sharing of love, a on-going gift that transcends time and physical presents.
Focus on appreciating each other strengthens the family as well as imbues the gift giving and other Solstice celebration experiences with a spiritual context.
Focus of Celebration: consider first your purpose(s) for the celebration, such as:
Strengthen family bonding with each other
Expand upon existing patterns of family celebrations
Attune family to Nature's cycles
Attune family to its membership in the community of all life on planet Earth
Connect with ancestors
Celebrate ethnic/cultural heritage(s)
Educate about ancient and contemporary folkways
Extend the celebration of Christmas, be an alternative, or expand upon it
Deepen understanding about spiritual renewal and love
Have fun
Components of Celebration: select one or more that fits focus, timing, length, and setting
Yule Wreath
purchase a wreath or make a wreath from evergreens collected by family members.
have family members gather around the wreath and consider it as a symbol of cycles of Nature; mention Yule and Jul, names for Winter Solstice time (and Christmas) mean wheel.
have family members each share something they appreciate about Winter
put the wreath in a visible location, such as on the front door, on an inside wall, or in the center of the dining table.
On or after New Year's Day, wreath can be returned to Nature, or kept until Summer Solstice and then burned in a bonfire.
Solstice Feast
Prepare favorite family foods and beverages.
Before beginning the dining experience, do a family prayer of thanksgiving.
End the feast with a cake or pie with a sun image on it.
Birthday candles can be put on this solar dessert. Each family member can light a candle and make a wish for the holiday season or the upcoming calendar year. Once all candles are lit, the family as a whole can blow them out to send wishes on their way. Then call out "Happy Solstice" or "Good Yule" in unison.
Candlelight Circle
Can be done as part of a feast or separately.
Family gathers in a circle around a card table or dining table. There is an unlit new red taper candle in a candleholder for each family member, plus a larger new red taper or pillar candle in a candleholder to represent the family as a whole and the Solstice Sun. Candles are arranged evenly around the central larger candle.
Parent(s) begin the circle by sharing some background about Winter Solstice, such as how it has been celebrated across time and cultures, and how its celebration is reflected in contemporary secular and religious Christmas customs. Then parent(s) describe the focus for this candlelight circle, such as to attune the family members to each other, to the ways of ancestors, and/or to Nature.
Lights are extinguished. Family stands or sits in darkness for a few moments and contemplates the reduction of daylight at this time of year, the importance of the Sun to life on the planet, and the symbology of light as indicators of renewal.
Then, parent(s) light the central candle with a blessing of renewal for the family and the planet and guide a short meditation on light and renewal.
Next, parent(s) invite each member to light her/his personal candle and give a thanksgiving for something in past or present or a blessing for the year to come.
When all the candles are lit, the family joins hands and chants or sings. The song, "We wish you a Merry Christmas" can be adapted to "We wish you a Merry Solstice" and sung to end the circle.
Candles can be left burning if in a safe, attended location, throughout the rest of the Solstice celebration, if there are other component parts.
Candles can be extinguished by everyone doing it simultaneously after one of the family members states that the light of renewal remains in our hearts.
Yule Log
An oak log, plus a fireplace or bonfire area is needed for this form of celebration. The oak log should be very dry so that it will blaze well. It can be decorated with burnable red ribbons of natural fiber and dried holly leaves. In the fireplace or bonfire area, dried kindling should be set to facilitate the burning of the log.
Begin by having parent(s) or some other family member describe the tradition of the Yule log. The tale of the Oak King and Holly King from Celtic mythology can be shared as a story, or can be summarized with a statement that the Oak represents the waxing solar year, Winter Solstice to Summer Solstice, and the Holly represents the waning solar year, Summer Solstice to Winter Solstice.
Lights are extinguished as much as possible. The family is quiet together in the darkness. Family members quietly contemplate the change in the solar year. Each in her/his own way contemplates the past calendar year, the challenges as well as the good times.
Then the Yule Log fire is lit. As it begins to burn, each family member throws in one or more dried holly sprigs and says farewell to the old calendar year. Farewells can take the form of thanksgiving and appreciation and/or a banishment of old habits or personal pains.
Once the Yule Log itself starts blazing, then the facilitator invites family members to contemplate the year ahead and the power of possibilities. Each member then throws in an oak twig or acorn into the fire to represent the year ahead, and calls out a resolution and/or a hope.
When this process is done, the family sings a song together. The traditional carol, "Deck the Halls," is good because it mentions the Solstice, the change in the solar year, and the Yule log.
Let the Yule Log burn down to a few chunks of charred wood and ashes. Following an ancient tradition, save remnants of the fire and use them to start the Yule Log fire the following year.
Bell Ringing
This can take a simple form of the family ringing bells together at the moment of Solstice, or it can be a circle ceremony in and of itself. It also can be incorporated into other components of the celebration such as the Candlelight Circle or Yule Log Ceremony -- in these cases, bells can be rung after each blessing/sharing is stated.
Each family member chooses a bell to ring. Bells can be of varying sizes and types, but should blend well with each other when rung together. Brass bells and/or jingle bells are commonly available and have long time associations with the season.
For a bell ringing Solstice Circle, the family gathers together in a circle. Each has a bell in hand to ring. Parent(s) or some other family member serves as facilitator(s). She/he begins by saying a few words about the Solstice being the start of the new solar year and how the calendar year used today in many places around the world was structured on the solar year. The facilitator then describes how bells have been rung in connection with many types of celebrations. Bells have been rung at this time of year to ring out the old year and to ring in the new year. Then the facilitator invites the family to celebrate the Solstice with bells.
If the family is used to honoring the directions as part of spiritual practice (Wiccan, Native American, Buddhist, Hermetic, etc.), the family begins by facing each of the compass points (North, East, South, West) and ringing the bells in unison, honoring connections with each sacred direction. Then the family rings bells in the three directions connected with the center: upward, the place of the cosmos; downward, the place of the planet; and center; Divine unity.
In place of or in addition to individual direction honoring, the family rings all their bells together to celebrate their connection with each other as a family; then they ring them in unison again to celebrate their connection with the cycles of Nature; and then they ring them a third time in unison to celebrate their connection with life on planet Earth and all of Nature.
Then from the oldest to the youngest, each family member speaks a vision or wish for the planet for the coming year. After each one speaks, all ring bells together to affirm that vision/wish. After all have shared, the ceremony ends as the family calls out "Happy Solstice" or "Good Yule" three times and rings bells.
Yule Tree
Decorate an evergreen tree as a Yule tree. The tree can be a living tree growing in the yard of the home or in a container indoors to be planted outside in Spring. Or, the tree can be a harvested one purchased or cut yourself from a tree farm.
The Yule Tree can be decorated prior to or on Solstice for the entire holiday season. If decorated prior to Solstice, on Solstice day, family members can each add an ornament. Members may want to speak a blessing on the Solstice celebration as they add their ornaments. Ornaments can be of any type, but those that represent the Sun, such as sun figures or shinny red or golden balls, are very appropriate because of their symbolism. A star, sunburst, or light at the top of the tree is another traditional Solstice symbol.
Electric lights on the tree can also play into the Solstice celebration. They can be first turned on during the Solstice celebration. Or, if the family custom is to have a lit holiday tree for much of December, the lights can be turned off during a celebration as the family focuses on the year passing and the longest nights of the year and then turned on to represent renewal and the new Solar year.
After the holiday season is over, the Yule tree can be burned in a bonfire, chopped up and used as mulch, or placed in the wilds as additional habitat for wild creatures. A branch can be saved and stored away until next year and then burned with the Yule Log to represent the continuity of Nature's cycles.
Winter Nature Communion
Grains and seeds, and the feeding of creatures have been associated with Yuletide holidays for hundred of years in Europe. To continue this tradition, gather some sunflower seeds in a large basket or bowl. Go outside next to the home or to a place frequented by wild birds and other wild creatures.
The family gathers around a bird feeder, a tree stump, a rock ledge, or other spot where the seeds are to be placed. Someone in the family serves as facilitator and guides the family in a Nature attunement meditation. First, the family silently focuses on the experience of being outdoors in the Winter at this Solstice time. Next, the family silently focuses on being part of the fabric of life of Nature. Then the family silently focuses on expressing appreciation for the beauty of Nature and the relationships with other lifeforms. Each family member then takes a handful of seeds and focuses on the seeds as symbols of life and as messengers of goodwill toward other parts of Nature.
Now, each family member in turn places the seeds in the feeder or on the stump, ledge, or other spot, and speaks an appreciation of Nature. After all the offerings have been made, the family joins hands and says together several times, "We are part of the Family of Nature!" The ceremony ends as the family in unison calls out "Happy Solstice!" or "Good Yule!"
Solstice Stories
The family can share Solstice related stories with each other. Parents, grandparents, and/or other older relatives can share how they celebrated Yuletide (Solstice, Christmas, New Year's) when they were young. Parents and other relatives also can speak about their ethnic roots and share whatever they know of Yuletide folk customs of their ancestors.
If little or nothing is known within the living extended family itself about ancestral folk ways, prior to Solstice, one or more family members can do some research into customs connected with ancestral nationalities, ethnicities, spiritualities, and other cultural forms. Some places to check for information include bookstores and libraries, gifts shops with ethnic themes, cultural societies, folklore centers, museums, and multicultural centers at universities.
In addition to stories about folk customs connected with Yuletide, myths and legends connected with Winter, the Sun, and/or Renewal can be told.
To facilitate passing this family heritage on to future generations, the family may wish to tape record or videotape the story sharing.
Gift Giving
Across many cultures for at least several thousand years, gifts have been exchanged among family and friends at Solstice time. Even if the family already has a tradition of exchanging gifts at Christmas or Epiphany, some gifts can be exchanged on Solstice as well. Having gift giving occur over a period of time extends the holiday celebration and is a time honored tradition, as commemorated in the song "Twelve Days of Christmas."
The Solstice gift exchange can take a variety of forms. When all family holiday gifts are displayed under the Yule tree for several days, each family member can select one gift with their own name on it to open on Solstice night or morning. In cases in which family members give each other multiple gifts, each member can select a gift to give each other member. Another method of gift distribution is to have family members place their names in a hat or basket, and when this is done, to each draw a name, which indicates the person to whom they will give a Solstice gift.
Still another alternative is to have a gifting experience unique to Solstice. A group of similar, yet distinctive small gifts, individually wrapped can be placed in a large basket or cauldron. There should be one for each family member. At least one extra gift could be included and this could be kept for the family as a whole or later given to a family friend. Some examples of gift groups include an assortment of pieces of tumbled agate or quartz crystals, a collection of animal figurines or exotic sea shells, an array of candles or bells, or a variety of pieces of candy or other food treats. Gift picking can be according to age: oldest to youngest, youngest to oldest; according to birth date in the year; by first name in alphabetical order; by lot; or by some other method. The gift exchange, when involving Nature gifts, can have an educational component. For example, if bird images are the gift form, the family can talk about each type of bird after each figure is unwrapped.
A good way to bring closure to the gift exchange on Solstice night is for the family to join hands together in a circle and spend a few moments focusing together on the sharing of love, a on-going gift that transcends time and physical presents.
Focus on appreciating each other strengthens the family as well as imbues the gift giving and other Solstice celebration experiences with a spiritual context.
Nov 18, 2010
Jul 21, 2010
feeling great
I actually worked out this morning.
My husband and I commute so I drop him off at work for 7 am.
I don't have to work until 8:30, so I have an hour before my shift to do what I please.
I finally got an access card for the gym in my office building so I wanted to use it.
We have a beautiful little pond on the property, so I walked around the loop twice and climbed the stairs in between. Then off to the gym and worked the stationary bike for 15 minutes. Then stretching afterwards.
Overall I worked cardio for 30 mins and then cool down for 15.
I feel great !
I'm sure to have a wonderful energy day and a good sleep tonight.
I hope I can keep up with this routine.
My husband and I commute so I drop him off at work for 7 am.
I don't have to work until 8:30, so I have an hour before my shift to do what I please.
I finally got an access card for the gym in my office building so I wanted to use it.
We have a beautiful little pond on the property, so I walked around the loop twice and climbed the stairs in between. Then off to the gym and worked the stationary bike for 15 minutes. Then stretching afterwards.
Overall I worked cardio for 30 mins and then cool down for 15.
I feel great !
I'm sure to have a wonderful energy day and a good sleep tonight.
I hope I can keep up with this routine.
Jul 16, 2010
Missing Family
I can't wait for September !!!
I am so lonley for my family.
My Daddikins.
My sissers.
My bro.
And the whole rest of the clan - Stevenson's and Browne's and extras!!!
I must say that I have the best family in the/my world.
How else can I feel?
I've been away from my home town since October 2008.
Don't get me wrong, I love my new life and my new job and my new town and my husband more than anything.
But my family has been there for a long time and we are all very close and have been through so very much together and apart. There's bonds that will never be broken no matter how far apart we are.
My poor husband is afraid he'll be left out when we go visit. I wish he wouldn't worry. He just doesn't understand the need for reconnecting to my roots and family. The love that swirls around. I hope he can feel part of it and enjoy it as much as we all do.
I am so lonley for my family.
My Daddikins.
My sissers.
My bro.
And the whole rest of the clan - Stevenson's and Browne's and extras!!!
I must say that I have the best family in the/my world.
How else can I feel?
I've been away from my home town since October 2008.
Don't get me wrong, I love my new life and my new job and my new town and my husband more than anything.
But my family has been there for a long time and we are all very close and have been through so very much together and apart. There's bonds that will never be broken no matter how far apart we are.
My poor husband is afraid he'll be left out when we go visit. I wish he wouldn't worry. He just doesn't understand the need for reconnecting to my roots and family. The love that swirls around. I hope he can feel part of it and enjoy it as much as we all do.
Jul 9, 2010
POEM: The Garglefish
The Garglefish,
As everyone knows,
Is a fish of the Grand River that grows
Till it's meters long from tail to nose;
It's quite a sight to see one.
But Garglefish,
As everyone fears,
Are very hungry and rather queer,
They'll jump from the water and snap off your ear;
It's really hard to flee one.
And worst of all,
Around here they say
That Garglefish in light of day
Look like people and seem ok!
They live by the river and seek their prey;
You never know who'll be one.
So very nice families like Gergoviches
May in fact be Garglefishes!
Look out when you see one.
As everyone knows,
Is a fish of the Grand River that grows
Till it's meters long from tail to nose;
It's quite a sight to see one.
But Garglefish,
As everyone fears,
Are very hungry and rather queer,
They'll jump from the water and snap off your ear;
It's really hard to flee one.
And worst of all,
Around here they say
That Garglefish in light of day
Look like people and seem ok!
They live by the river and seek their prey;
You never know who'll be one.
So very nice families like Gergoviches
May in fact be Garglefishes!
Look out when you see one.
Robert Munsch
Jul 1, 2010
Happy Canada Day !
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/canada/history.htm
Canada day recipes;
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/canada/index.htm
Canada means so much to me. Especially since I no longer reside there. All of my family still lives there. I grew up in a small town in Ontario. It is one of the most beautiful areas of the country that I have been to.
I have driven across Canada; from Ontario to British Columbia. It is an amazing wonder to behold.
There are so many areas that I would still love to visit and hope to one day.
Happy Canada Day to all of my family and friends and fellow bloggers !
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