~*~*~*~Nestling into November : Pagan Family Thread~*~*~*~

[vydalea]

Oooh, I've never started our thread before!!  Weeee!!

How was everyone's Samhain?

The first canto of Ode to the West Wind by Percy Bysshe Shelley (my Romantics era soulmate) to open the month:: 

O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's being,
Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead
Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing,

Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red,
Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou,
Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed

The wingèd seeds, where they lie cold and low,
Each like a corpse within its grave,until
Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow

Her clarion o'er the dreaming earth, and fill
(Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air)
With living hues and odours plain and hill:

Wild Spirit, which art moving everywhere;
Destroyer and Preserver; hear, O hear!

[greenwitchymama]

Yay! November! It's my birth month, and I was born in the snowy cold winter of Buffalo. I wonder if that has any bearing on my personality and the mysticism that I've always been drawn to...

YULE. Last year I had a half-hearted little celebration, but it's difficult with a two year old and an apathetic husband (if there's a feast, he's very supportive lol). I need lots and lots of ideas. Maybe some Saturnalia stories or whatever I can find of ancient Celtic or Germanic pagan traditions. The only thing is, I live in the desert and I'm not really tied to agriculture. So I'd like to modify things to be more applicable to my surroundings. Hmmmm...

[Maiasaura]

Subbing, YAY! I do so miss the old ones, though, Clay and witchygrrl and all the rest. I'm on FB with some of them, but I don't even remember their MDC names

Originally Posted by vydalea The first canto of Ode to the West Wind by Percy Bysshe Shelley (my Romantics era soulmate) to open the month:: 

O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's being,
Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead
Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing,

Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red,
Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou,
Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed

The wingèd seeds, where they lie cold and low,
Each like a corpse within its grave,until
Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow

Her clarion o'er the dreaming earth, and fill
(Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air)
With living hues and odours plain and hill:

Wild Spirit, which art moving everywhere;
Destroyer and Preserver; hear, O hear!

Oh, love! Thank you so much for posting this. I used to love Shelley, but I'm not much one for poetry anymore. I had to read it slowly aloud to myself for full effect. Lovely!

Originally Posted by greenwitchymama Yay! November! It's my birth month, and I was born in the snowy cold winter of Buffalo. I wonder if that has any bearing on my personality and the mysticism that I've always been drawn to...

YULE. Last year I had a half-hearted little celebration, but it's difficult with a two year old and an apathetic husband (if there's a feast, he's very supportive lol). I need lots and lots of ideas. Maybe some Saturnalia stories or whatever I can find of ancient Celtic or Germanic pagan traditions. The only thing is, I live in the desert and I'm not really tied to agriculture. So I'd like to modify things to be more applicable to my surroundings. Hmmmm...

It's my birth month, too! I'm the 17th. I used to hate that I was born in November. I grew up in NJ and November was always drear and brown and windy and ugly. It's my favorite weather, now, though

Feasts are good! Always can do feasts. If you look up all our old threads, I used to post a lot about what I did with my then-2yo. You can do a ritual with hir. Only it has to be like 5 minutes. Srsly. Quarter calls look like this: "Welcome East!"

Go get a yard of holiday themed material at the store. For like $3, or look on the sale racks. This is your altar cloth, and who cares if it gets yucky from 2yo hands, or spillage, you can throw it right in the wash. It's also your feast tablecloth. A 2yo is good for lighting the altar candles, with help from mama. Let hir help you walk the circle perimeter to cast. Have a candle in each quarter, preferably the right color. Candles for Goddess/God, and a couple things to represent the holy day. Open circle, say like one paragraph about the day, cookie and juice for cake and ale, close circle. Voila! Simple.
One time our "feast" was as simple as canned tomato soup, salad with sunflower seeds, stuff like that-- but we drink out of goblets and have that cloth-- very festive.
Get "Sun Bread" and do that, bake it and throw to the Sun on Yule.

What's that other story we read....it's kind of long. Silver berries and something-or-other. Where Santa has this magic wife, it's really cool. I'll have to dig it out for you.
 

[DaughterOfKali]

So good to have reliable internet access again!  The hurricane knocked out cable in my area (i have internet through cable).  Even now that it is up and running, it's still not 100%.

The siding blew off my house and part of our fence came down.  Branches/limbs still litter my yard.  My laundry is piled high.  LOL.  I think I'm going to be doing laundry daily for an entire week!

But, we certainly were lucky in my area.

Days are growing colder and it's time to break out the crock pot.  Time for soup/stews!

Hope everyone is doing well.  I'll go back and try to see what I've missed.

Hugs to all.

[DaughterOfKali]

Siddal:  Congratuations on your beautiful babies!!  Do you have a blog?  Would love to see more photo's and read your birth story, etc. 

[greenwitchymama]

Maiasaura--thanks!! What a bunch of great and inexpensive ideas. I definitely need to get some fabric for a tablecloth to dress things up a bit. I have one for Lughnasadh, but I didn't even remember to use it this year lol

DaughterofKali--I'm glad you came through okay and have your internet back. I swear, the internet is pretty much my entire social life sometimes and losing that hurts more than people realize.

[Maiasaura]

Originally Posted by DaughterOfKali Days are growing colder and it's time to break out the crock pot.  Time for soup/stews!

OMG, I have had my crock pot out for weeks I guess I was looking fwd to the time for needing it, but I LOVE my crock pot. I made a beef stew in there yesterday. Paleo version, of course. Turnips make a wonderful sub for potatoes, in the crock. Same consistency and no turnippy flavor. Though I love turnips anyway.

Originally Posted by greenwitchymama Maiasaura--thanks!! What a bunch of great and inexpensive ideas. I definitely need to get some fabric for a tablecloth to dress things up a bit. I have one for Lughnasadh, but I didn't even remember to use it this year lol

You're welcome! Oh, and don't even bother finishing off the edges for the cloth. I really am all about simplicity I have a ton of rituals and things written out for kids. Mine's too old to be into it anymore. He identifies as Pagan but he's Christian-curious, and we go to the UU, so he's learning about other faith systems, too.

So...what day is your birthday?

[greenwitchymama]

My birthday is the 30th :D

Trust me, I was not planning on finishing any edges hahaha. 

I'm excited as DS gets older and more able to understand things. I can't wait to teach him all the things I was never taught. And then give him complete freedom of choice over his religious beliefs with as little cultural pressure as I can manage. When I think of the years I wasted... sigh... 

[DaughterOfKali]

Originally Posted by Maiasaura 

 Turnips make a wonderful sub for potatoes, in the crock.

I love turnips!!  Yummy! 

[Kaydove]

Bad news on Samhain - my DH got laid off. He only got one month severance but he's eligible for unemployment. We probably have to move again unfortunately. He's taking it pretty hard. He started calling colleagues at different companies on the day of and got several leads. He made a kickass resume though and applied to 4-5 jobs from the leads but no leads for jobs here in San Diego.

Our Samhain was more subdued but very nice. I thought we had wood for a fire but apparently we only had a starter log so it was the lamest fire ever, lol. I made the most delicious chicken I've ever tasted! We skyped with step daughter and DDs little baby mind was blown! She was so excited to see her but couldn't figure out how stepd got in the lightup book (laptop)! So cute!


Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

[vydalea]

Maiasaura: I always love your ideas on holy days.  I really, really need to go get the holiday fabric.  I have been meaning to for a year now.  Whatever did happen to clay?  I am not friends with anyone on FB.  A lot of folks seemed to exit in the months following my arrival (uh oh, was it me? lol, i'm kidding).  hmm...

Love love love crockpot time.  Also, it's soup time for me which I don't tend to make in the crock because the recipes I have take 30 minutes tops on the stove.  Tonight is potato soup with spinach and corn.  MMMmmmm.  Tomorrow night: Sweet Potato with Leek and Ginger soup. mmmm..  I"m hungry already!!!

Hi DoK!  How are you, mama??

Originally Posted by Kaydove 

Bad news on Samhain - my DH got laid off. He only got one month severance but he's eligible for unemployment. We probably have to move again unfortunately. He's taking it pretty hard. He started calling colleagues at different companies on the day of and got several leads. He made a kickass resume though and applied to 4-5 jobs from the leads but no leads for jobs here in San Diego.
Our Samhain was more subdued but very nice. I thought we had wood for a fire but apparently we only had a starter log so it was the lamest fire ever, lol. I made the most delicious chicken I've ever tasted! We skyped with step daughter and DDs little baby mind was blown! She was so excited to see her but couldn't figure out how stepd got in the lightup book (laptop)! So cute!
Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

Kaydove: I am sorry to hear of your bad news.  I hope it turns out to be good news in the end.... I'll be sending you lots of good energy.

I'm currently getting our count down to Yule ready.  I purchased a bunch of stockings after the holidays last year for cheap.  I'm putting a fun "to-do" item in each one counting down to Yule.  Lots of things to get ready or celebrate but not many that include "gifts" (we do, however, do the old German tradition of finding the pickle in the tree and then getting an ornament of your own). That's my big project for now.  I have SUN BREAD making in the mix and a suncake for celebrating the birth of the sun!!   

[revolting]

My Samhain was great. I went to a public ritual, and I found so much healing from it, mamas.

Originally Posted by DaughterOfKali 

So good to have reliable internet access again!  The hurricane knocked out cable in my area (i have internet through cable).  Even now that it is up and running, it's still not 100%.

The siding blew off my house and part of our fence came down.  Branches/limbs still litter my yard.  My laundry is piled high.  LOL.  I think I'm going to be doing laundry daily for an entire week!

But, we certainly were lucky in my area.

Days are growing colder and it's time to break out the crock pot.  Time for soup/stews!

Hope everyone is doing well.  I'll go back and try to see what I've missed.

Hugs to all.

I'm glad you and your family are safe and nice to see you back online!

Originally Posted by Maiasaura 

OMG, I have had my crock pot out for weeks I guess I was looking fwd to the time for needing it, but I LOVE my crock pot. I made a beef stew in there yesterday. Paleo version, of course. Turnips make a wonderful sub for potatoes, in the crock. Same consistency and no turnippy flavor. Though I love turnips anyway.

You're welcome! Oh, and don't even bother finishing off the edges for the cloth. I really am all about simplicity I have a ton of rituals and things written out for kids. Mine's too old to be into it anymore. He identifies as Pagan but he's Christian-curious, and we go to the UU, so he's learning about other faith systems, too.

So...what day is your birthday?

Yeah, crockpot is kind of a yearlong thing here. I think in the past I've used it more in the summer just to avoid heating my apartment with the stove top, but with my eldest starting school this week, I want to try to use it more to free up the evening to spend with her. I will have to try turnips in soup. I get them in my CSA box, but no one's been a big fan of turnips, here.

Originally Posted by Kaydove 

Bad news on Samhain - my DH got laid off. He only got one month severance but he's eligible for unemployment. We probably have to move again unfortunately. He's taking it pretty hard. He started calling colleagues at different companies on the day of and got several leads. He made a kickass resume though and applied to 4-5 jobs from the leads but no leads for jobs here in San Diego.
Our Samhain was more subdued but very nice. I thought we had wood for a fire but apparently we only had a starter log so it was the lamest fire ever, lol. I made the most delicious chicken I've ever tasted! We skyped with step daughter and DDs little baby mind was blown! She was so excited to see her but couldn't figure out how stepd got in the lightup book (laptop)! So cute!
Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 Oh no! Moving is such a pain. I feel like I'll never catch up from moving and then just the general mess with kids.

Originally Posted by vydalea 

I'm currently getting our count down to Yule ready.  I purchased a bunch of stockings after the holidays last year for cheap.  I'm putting a fun "to-do" item in each one counting down to Yule.  Lots of things to get ready or celebrate but not many that include "gifts" (we do, however, do the old German tradition of finding the pickle in the tree and then getting an ornament of your own). That's my big project for now.  I have SUN BREAD making in the mix and a suncake for celebrating the birth of the sun!!   

Buying stockings last year after the holidays was a great idea. I'd love to see what's on your list of activities for this year.

Last year, I made a spiral out of candles and we lit progressively more candles each year. I got a little overwhelmed towards the end with all those candles to light every day, so this year I think I will do this:

http://maymomvt.blogspot.com/2008/11/spiraling-in.html

I like the idea of a daily activity, but in the past it's kind of stressed me out to be that organized...so we do more of an inspiration list: I'm going to write up a list to put on the fridge of 21 things we want to do to get ready for Yule this year (and that I have the stuff for), and hopefully we'll do most of the list, one day at a time.

We also do a super laid-back Yule celebration and just watch the sunrise. Before we moved, we went to the lake. Now, I need to scout out a place, since living in the woods makes it hard to watch the sun rise. This year, we will have our own backyard and a fire place, so I'm definitely hoping to make a scared cave as described in Celebrating the Great Mother (basically, an outdoor altar that celebrates the rebirth of the sun child) and lighting a fire. I've really found that having a bunch of little projects rather than one big ritual really works better for our family to focus on the meaning of the year.

[DaughterOfKali]

It's so very cold today.  I feel for those still without electricity/heat in NY, New Jersey, CT.

We were out doing errands and the chill goes right through you.  When we got home, the heat felt so good that I'm all sleepy now.

I have to go out of state tomorrow to finally get the Evaluation Report from my son's Neuropsych.  She'll be sitting down with me to go over the results.  The school district wants to do their own 3 yr eval on Thursday.  Then we have an IEP meeting on Friday.  The thing is, they are doing academic testing/eval.  My son's issue isn't academic!  Arrgh!

So I'm sure they'll just say something like "He's on target with academics so we think our school is fine for him."  At which point my head will explode.

[Maiasaura]

Originally Posted by Kaydove Bad news on Samhain - my DH got laid off.

Aww, man I hope he finds something, soon. M is still unemployed, too.

Originally Posted by vydalea Maiasaura: I always love your ideas on holy days.  I really, really need to go get the holiday fabric.  I have been meaning to for a year now.  Whatever did happen to clay?  I am not friends with anyone on FB.  A lot of folks seemed to exit in the months following my arrival (uh oh, was it me? lol, i'm kidding).  hmm...

Love love love crockpot time.  Also, it's soup time for me which I don't tend to make in the crock because the recipes I have take 30 minutes tops on the stove. 

I'm currently getting our count down to Yule ready.  I purchased a bunch of stockings after the holidays last year for cheap.  I'm putting a fun "to-do" item in each one counting down to Yule.  Lots of things to get ready or celebrate but not many that include "gifts" (we do, however, do the old German tradition of finding the pickle in the tree and then getting an ornament of your own). That's my big project for now.  I have SUN BREAD making in the mix and a suncake for celebrating the birth of the sun!!   

Thank you! How sweet. Mostly any ideas I had were about expediency-- I have a very high need child with a very short attention span. At two, he was even worse, of course

Clay is around. I'm on FB with her. Her beloved father died and her mother is being WAY wacked insane. She's keeping her head above water. Bluets, Aubergine, wichygrrl, me, gun, CariOfOz, a couple of others whose MDC names I have forgotten, we keep in touch that way. I wish they'd come back here. I am only FB friends with a couple of them, otherwise there is a FB mama group of us that I'm a part of. I don't tend to friend people individually if I am on a group with them. Too much clutter in my feed. I'm so about decluttering now, on every level.

Sun Bread! Yes! I think this year I have to find yet another recipe. I don't like the one on the back of the book at all. It gets stale overnight. I don't eat bread at all, and ds isn't enamored of it, so we'll have to find something he'll keep eating after the holiday.

We don't do the pickle, but I have two glass birds with the fiberglass tails that belonged to my brother and me as children. My brother and I used to take each other's bird and hide it in the tree, for the other to find. No prize or anything-- it was the hunt that was fun. DS and I continue the tradition. We just have my bird, so we take turns hiding it for each other.

Crock: I don't care if something is supposed to take 30m on the stove. I use the crock anyway, that's how much I love it! That's 30m less I spend over the stove. Next I am going to make Thai lemongrass soup, but I have to go to the Asian store for the lemongrass. That place cracks me up-- it's run by white people

No activities here. DS is way over it. I loved doing things with him when he was little. I miss that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by revolting I will have to try turnips in soup. I get them in my CSA box, but no one's been a big fan of turnips, here.

OOPS, how did I mess up that quoting?
Anyway. Dice up the turnips. I make them just slightly bigger than those square carrots you find in mixed vegetables. Maybe twice as big. They come out very potato-ey!

[Maiasaura]

 

[amlikam]

Trying to catch up on all the posts. Welcome to November.

[greenwitchymama]

Well, that was a good Tuesday I think. :D

*goes to look up Sun bread*

[Maiasaura]

Originally Posted by greenwitchymama 

Well, that was a good Tuesday I think. :D

*goes to look up Sun bread*

http://www.amazon.com/Sun-Bread-Elisa-Kleven/dp/0142400734/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1352293971&sr=1-1&keywords=sun+bread

[revolting]

Today my eldest starts kindergarten. They sprung on me yesterday that actually, she had to do full-day kindergarten. It upset me, but she so happily boarded the bus this morning that I want to just let it go (though if she decided she wanted to homeschool, I'd kind of be thrilled). I can't wait to hear her experiences from her first day, though I expect the early morning we had will make her crash early. I wonder if they take naps there. Still, I think I want to encourage the early waking: I really enjoyed cooking her a huge, healthy breakfast, reading books at the table, and going for a walk in the forest to look for mushrooms before we arrived at the bus stop with time to spare.
 

Oh, and a poem I love:

November

By Elizabeth Coastworth

November comes

And November goes,

With the last red berries

And the first white snows.

With night coming early

And dawn coming late,

And ice in the bucket

And frost by the gate.

The fires burn

And the kettles sing,

And the earth sinks to rest

Until next spring.

Blessings, mamas!

[vydalea]

Originally Posted by revolting 

Yeah, crockpot is kind of a yearlong thing here. I think in the past I've used it more in the summer just to avoid heating my apartment with the stove top, but with my eldest starting school this week, I want to try to use it more to free up the evening to spend with her. I will have to try turnips in soup. I get them in my CSA box, but no one's been a big fan of turnips, here.

Buying stockings last year after the holidays was a great idea. I'd love to see what's on your list of activities for this year.

Last year, I made a spiral out of candles and we lit progressively more candles each year. I got a little overwhelmed towards the end with all those candles to light every day, so this year I think I will do this:

http://maymomvt.blogspot.com/2008/11/spiraling-in.html

I like the idea of a daily activity, but in the past it's kind of stressed me out to be that organized...so we do more of an inspiration list: I'm going to write up a list to put on the fridge of 21 things we want to do to get ready for Yule this year (and that I have the stuff for), and hopefully we'll do most of the list, one day at a time.

We also do a super laid-back Yule celebration and just watch the sunrise. Before we moved, we went to the lake. Now, I need to scout out a place, since living in the woods makes it hard to watch the sun rise. This year, we will have our own backyard and a fire place, so I'm definitely hoping to make a scared cave as described in Celebrating the Great Mother (basically, an outdoor altar that celebrates the rebirth of the sun child) and lighting a fire. I've really found that having a bunch of little projects rather than one big ritual really works better for our family to focus on the meaning of the year.

Yes, the crockpot is on all year here, too for the exact same reason.  I love the crock!!!  

So wonderful to hear that the Samhain ritual was healing for you, revolting!!   

Yeah I am totally a post holiday discount shopper.  The stockings were like ten cents a piece marked down from $1.  I mean, some of them are in less than perfect shape and they don't all match but that is our family's way anyway!! ha.  So, the things I have on the list are pretty simple.  Things like read this book or that book, Paint a big paper green on one day and the next cut it out the shape of a pine tree and decorate with stickers - so I have a lot of "multi day" activities.  Also I am adding things we already do like decorate the tree, hang our reindeer, go on a ride to look at all the lights, light our yule log, etc.  My list is upstairs and I am feeling too lazy to go retrieve it.  I am going to type it out and print it so when I do I will send you a PM with them. :)  We'll see how it all goes... 

I love the idea of moving the apple through the spiral!  I am TOTALLY doing that!! *hopefully* *if i can find time*

Sending lots of blessings and love to your little kindergardener.  I hope she enjoys herself and it fits her well.  It's so cool that you are open for whatever she needs.  What a great mama! I also love thinking of you guys meandering to the bus stop!!  I think our school mornings go best when we have lots of time to spare and be together.  I guess all mornings do!

Thanks for that beautiful poem.  So fitting.  I'm trying to just embrace the cold.  Also, Z and I are working on putting the garden to bed as we call it.  We clean her up and then cover her with a blanket of leaves for the winter.  Then in the spring we get out the bells and wake up the garden!  It's so fun. I realize that my garden is like one big living altar!  I love it!  But then, you know that.  

Originally Posted by DaughterOfKali 

I have to go out of state tomorrow to finally get the Evaluation Report from my son's Neuropsych.  She'll be sitting down with me to go over the results.  The school district wants to do their own 3 yr eval on Thursday.  Then we have an IEP meeting on Friday.  The thing is, they are doing academic testing/eval.  My son's issue isn't academic!  Arrgh!

So I'm sure they'll just say something like "He's on target with academics so we think our school is fine for him."  At which point my head will explode.

How did it all go for you?  I hope you had safe travels and that you can move forward with your son!  

Originally Posted by Maiasaura 

Thank you! How sweet. Mostly any ideas I had were about expediency-- I have a very high need child with a very short attention span. At two, he was even worse, of course

Clay is around. I'm on FB with her. Her beloved father died and her mother is being WAY wacked insane. She's keeping her head above water. Bluets, Aubergine, wichygrrl, me, gun, CariOfOz, a couple of others whose MDC names I have forgotten, we keep in touch that way. I wish they'd come back here. I am only FB friends with a couple of them, otherwise there is a FB mama group of us that I'm a part of. I don't tend to friend people individually if I am on a group with them. Too much clutter in my feed. I'm so about decluttering now, on every level.

Sun Bread! Yes! I think this year I have to find yet another recipe. I don't like the one on the back of the book at all. It gets stale overnight. I don't eat bread at all, and ds isn't enamored of it, so we'll have to find something he'll keep eating after the holiday.

Love the expediency of it, Maia!  It's great for the 2 year old in the family here!  haha!  I think my DH loved throwing the bread more than any of us.  Every time there is a holiday he's like "is this the one where we throw bread at the sun?"   Needless to say, we don't have any extra bread at the end of the bread tossing.  ha!  I think he also suggested last year that we sing "Here Comes the Sun"  love that!  I have sunflowers from our garden this year that I roasted I'll use.  

I'm glad the old gang is doing well and I'm glad you stuck around!!!  

Quote:

Originally Posted by amlikam 

Trying to catch up on all the posts. Welcome to November.

Hi, amlikam!  How are ya?

greenwitchymama!  Did you order the book?