HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Our family wishes you and yours a Happy, fun, safe and blessed Thanksgiving!!! I'm thankful for so many things but one of them is my awesome blogger friends and followers.....Much Love and Light.

My baby girl Lyric with her pilgrim hat she made in school : )

BEST WITCHES THIS SAMHAIN!!!!

FROM MY FAMILY TO YOURS HAVE A FUN AND BLESSED SAMHAIN/HALLOWEEN/ALL HALLOWS EVE & AN AWESOME FULL MOON!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE AND LIGHT.........

Costume Shopping

So Friday night was hours filled with costume shopping and a bunch of shenanigans between the four of us. LOL....the fun happenings of a deranged family, gotta love it.

Wishing everyone a Happy Pre Halloween!!!!!

My hubby and our youngest daughter Lyric.

Myself and my oldest daughter Harmony.

Me and my girls running amok in the store, lol. Good times....

Halloween Fever

Yup this household including the pets are getting anxious for Halloween/Samhain holiday!

Blessed Be my friends!!!!

Persephone

So Octobers Goddess to study is Persephone. When I first pulled this card for this months Goddess I looked at it and thought to myself "Oh I know all about her" but still I carried on my studies of the different stories and beliefs of Persephone. All are basically the same but different names and locations for her and the story etc........

But what got me was the day I pulled her I sat in front of my laptop thinking I wanted to blog about certain Samhain/Halloween traditions I do. So I wanted to blog about what I do with the pomegranate. Then after I posted the blog I realized that pomegranate was a part of Persephone's story on why she has to stay in the underworld. So I just thought, "huh cool".

Next my hubby walks in the house from getting groceries and he turns to me and says " I got you some pomegranates. " And now I think whoa weird! Then I log into my Facebook and one of the pages I follow has the story on pomegranates posted along with three recipes for and how to use pomegranates in daily meals. So what are the odds? What does it mean?

So any who back to the Goddess of October study is Persephone. Card pulled from Goddess Inspiration Oracle Guide by Kris Waldherr.

PERSEPHONE-The Maiden/The Seasons, Sexuality, Innocence
Find ways to use your innocence as a strength.

Persephone, the treasured daughter of the harvest goddess Demeter, was honored by the ancient Greeks as the queen of the underworld. She is also acknowledged as the kore or maiden aspect of the triple goddess.

Persephone's transitional journey from maiden to queen of the underworld was instigated when Pluto, god of death, kidnapped her. The girl's heart was unmoved by the god's declarations of devotion. Instead, she wept for her mother and refused to eat. Finally, after some time had passed, Persephone tasted six seeds of the pomegranate  This act defined her sexuality and of Pluto as her husband. It also ensured her separation from her mother, Demeter, for a month for each seed. This myth was used by the ancient Greeks to explain the creation of spring and winter.

Well that is the story from the oracle deck. If you know of anything different or the symbolism of pomegranates popping up in my daily life please let me know. Hope all of you enjoyed this. Love and Light....

Pomegranate

I found this article online and had no idea of the different folklore that accompanied the fruit. My grandmother just always told me that on Halloween to slice one in fours and put them in the 4 corners outside your home. That way the spirits who walked the earth that night who are no invited into your home can eat and keep going without stopping to haunt you. She was a very superstitious grandma but I still do as she did to this day. Here's the link but the article is below. Enjoy!!!

http://www.squidoo.com/fruit-folklore

Pomegranate

Ancient red fruit, with many seeds that symbolize fertility.

The Pomegranate was often used as a herbal remedy to lengthen life and restore vigor, these qualities often made it a symbolic link between the living and the dead.

To the Romans, the pomegranate signified marriage, and brides decked themselves in pomegranate wreaths.

Pomegranate seeds appear in the famous Greek myth of Demeter, goddess of the harvest, and her daughter, Persephone...

"One day, Persephone was picking flowers in a field, when Hades, the King of the Underworld, seized her and carried her to his dark underworld to be his wife. Grief-stricken, her mother, Demeter, killed every living plant on earth and refused to let new crops grow. To prevent man-kind from starving, Zeus ordered Hades to release Persephone. However, before she was released, Hades tricked her into eating seven pomegranate seeds, "The Fruit of the Underworld", this condemned her to life in the underworld for four months out of every year. For those months (winter), the world is plunged into a dark cold emptiness, but when Persephone returns to her mother each year, the earth again begets flowers, fruit, and grains."

"A single fruit grew on that tree, a bright pomegranate fruit. Persephone stood up in the chariot and plucked the fruit from the tree. Then did "he" prevail upon her to divide the fruit, and, having divided it, Persephone ate seven of the pomegranate seeds." - The Golden Fleece by Padraic Colum (1881-1972)




In Greek myth, Orion's wife was very beautiful, even rivaling the beauty of Zeus's wife, Hera. For her daring to compete with Hera, her children were killed and she was persuaded to believe herself the culprit. In agony, she threw herself from a cliff. The location of her blood was where the first pomegranate tree grew.

In the modern-day traditions of many Greeks, it is customary to adorn the holiday table with pomegranates. The Greeks consider the pomegranate to be a symbol of abundance; a fruit that spills over in plenitude and good luck. They are set out in honor of the fertile land and its bounty. Pomegranates also make an appearance during weddings, funerals, and New Year celebrations.

Pomegranates in China are associated with fertility. One of these fruits, shown half-opened, is often a wedding gift, it means a hundred seeds, or more completely, a hundred sons. The word for seed and sons in Chinese is "zi", it is also the word for "sons."

Religious Symbolism
To the early Jews, pomegranate seeds were an affirmation of their faith. Each pomegranate was believed to contain exactly 613 seeds, a number that corresponds with the number of commandments in the Torah. This belief was once so strong that the Old Testament calls for the pomegranate's image to be woven into priestly robes.

The pomegranate may also be the original fruit from the Garden of Eden, making it the representation of all that is forbidden. One taste of its ripe seeds and all knowledge of death, sex, and sin are suddenly clear. However, this didn't stop early Christians from idolizing the fruit.

Christian art, often depicts the Virgin Mary with a pomegranate, either in her hand, or nearby. This was to symbolized the Virgin Mary's power over life and death, as well as the seed that bore the Son of God.

Ancient Arab women used pomegranate seeds to predict their own fertility. The pomegranate was dropped on the ground, in the center of a circle. When it broke open, the number of seeds that landed outside the circle, was the number of children she would have.

Pomegranates are a Chinese Sign for Fertility

Makes a Great Wedding Gift!

Albuquerque Pagan Pride Day!!

September 30th was our annual Pagan Pride Day. I went late and left early cause I had a sick kiddo at home and didn't want to leave her alone that long with grandma, especially since she was starting to feel under the weather as well. But we had a great time and it has gotten so huge. I remember the very first one. It took up one corner of the park. No stage, kids corner, altar set up in the middle and maybe like 6-7 vendors. Now there were two stages one at each end of the park, took up the entire space of the park, nurses station, bathrooms, kids corner like always, petting zoo, and like 20 vendors. And food too!!!!! It's so neat to see how it's grown in the last 5 years. Love and Light to all my tree loving friends out there.......................

Me and my girls at PPD!

One of the many belly dancers with her partner. The big snake, lol!!!!

This guy was just chilling with his owl in the middle of everything.

Chang O

So I recently purchased a new Goddess Oracle Deck by Kris Waldherr and in the deck of 80 cards I probably know 15-20 of the Goddess'. So I decided to learn as I pull from them. So here we go...........


SEPTEMBER
September's Goddess is Chang O "Queen of the Moon"

Around the world, the moon is associated with numerous objects. The fanciful believe it is made of cheese because of its pocked surface. Others claim to see the face of a man in the moon. In China, the moon is associated with a celestial white rabbit, who is said to reside there with the goddess Chang O in a palace built of fragrant cinnamon wood.

Every September (odd I pulled her for this month) when the full moon is at its most brilliant, the Chinese honor Chang O with a moon festival. This celebration also celebrates women and features family reunions. Besides gathering to admire the moon's luminescent brilliance, people bake special round treats called moon cakes, which are filled with delicious red bean paste. As people eat them, they are reminded of Chang O, queen of the moon.

WOMEN, FAMILY, CYCLES-Celebrate your femininity with pride

 You can always find out more with online searching here's a link I enjoyed reading about Chang O.

The moon festival in China

Hope you all enjoyed this. Let's see who I study up on in October. Love and Light my friends.

I LOVE MERMAIDS!!

The story below this video and picture is why I identify myself as a mermaid (siren). A good friend of mine April Bottomley gave me a book that had this story as a gift back in 1989 or 90, and at the end of the story she wrote in "me too". I felt so much love in that gift and small comment that ever since then the Mermaid is one I love and wish I was. Guess I should learn to swim first, lol. Yeah no comments on that one folks, hehe......Enjoy!

Mermaids by Robert Fulghum 

“Giants, wizards and dwarfs was the game to play.
Being left in charge of about eighty children seven to ten years old, while their parents were off doing parenty things, I mustered my troops in the church social hall and explained the game.  It’s a large-scale version of Rock, Paper, and Scissors, and involves some intellectual decision making.  But the real purpose of the game is to make a lot of noise and run around chasing people until nobody knows which side you are on or who won.
Organizing a roomful of wired-up gradeschoolers into two teams, explaining the rudiments of the game, achieving consensus on group identity–all this is no mean accomplishment, but we did it with a right good will and were ready to go.
The excitement of the chase had reached a critical mass.  I yelled out:  “You have to decide now which you are–a GIANT, a WIZARD, or a DWARF!”
While the groups huddled in frenzied, whispered consultation, a tug came at my pants leg.  A small child stands there looking up, and asks in a small, concerned voice, “Where do the Mermaids stand?”
Where do the Mermaids stand?
A long pause.  A very long pause.  “Where do the Mermaids stand?” says I.
“Yes.  You see, I am a Mermaid.”
“There are no such thing as Mermaids.”
“Oh, yes, I am one!”
She did not relate to being a Giant, a Wizard, or a Dwarf.  She knew her category.  Mermaid.  And was not about to leave the game and go over and stand against the wall where a loser would stand.  She intended to participate, wherever Mermaids fit into the scheme of things.  Without giving up dignity or identity.  She took it for granted that there was a place for Mermaids and that I would know just where.
Well, where DO the Mermaids stand?  All the “Mermaids”–all those who are different, who do not fit the norm and who do not accept the available boxes and pigeonholes?
Answer that question and you can build a school, a nation, or a world on it.
What was my answer at the moment?  Every once in a while I say the right thing.  “The Mermaid stands right here by the King of the Sea!” says I.  (Yes, right here by the King’s Fool, I thought to myself.)
So we stood there hand in hand, reviewing the troops of Wizards and Giants and Dwarfs as they roiled by in wild disarray.
It is not true, by the way, that Mermaids do not exist.  I know at least one personally.  I have held her hand.”

Easy and Pretty

I have a few of these hanging in my kitchen window. Try it out, I'm sure you will like it.

Blessings....

Sea Witch Cottage: Mermaid Dive Painting

Check out my lovely friends blog. She did this for me and I'm so excited.

Sea Witch Cottage: Mermaid Dive Painting: I painted a new painting this week. This is from the view of a deep sea dive in a cave and looking up to the Moon, and seeing a family...



I'm speechless!!! Best birthday ever!!! Thank you so much Goddess Aquarius.....)o(

Its coming up soon.

Yikes just 3 more days and this Virgo turns 39!!!! My last year in my thirties then a few more to pass and I'm headed to my crone stage. Hope this year is a good one for me.

Love and Light my friend......

Mel

Don't miss Friday night's rare blue moon beauty

Don't miss Friday night's rare blue moon beauty

Blue Moon

My plans for tomorrows Blue Moon Esbat. Hope you enjoy the video.
Love and Light.........

School Shopping

So we had a failed attempt for school shopping the other day. We could not find anything the girls needed but in the middle of everything we needed to sit down and recharge with some good eats. And of course it never hurts to top it all off with a chocolate chip cookie that is the size of your head!!! LOL....hope everyone had a great day today.
Love and Light....

Black Cat Appreciation Day/ I didn't know......

Witch Cats Blog: Whoa, how'd I miss that?: Black Cat Appreciation D...:   "Black Cat Appreciation Day" was last week ~ August 17th to be exact! Good Goddess, how could I have ever forgotten THAT day? LOL! ...


The above was taken from my friend Kim's blog and oh my I can't believe I missed it as well. Thanks for posting Kim.
Love and Light.....

 Above me and my familiar Little Bit who passed March of 2011

"RIP" Little Bit Montoya Sep.1998-March 2011

Dragonfly

So the other day while watering the pond and the turtles I came across a huge reddish orange dragonfly. 

He was not afraid of me at all in fact as I was holding the water hose and he took 3 drinks from it. I looked online on what they meant or symbolized and it seems depending on where you're from there are different meanings. Some good some bad. 

Being part Native American they believe its a sign of good luck so I'm gonna go with that one but I was wondering what everyone else thinks. I asked this on my YouTube channel and got nothing but positive feedback on the symbolism. 

Below are some pics I would say he was about 4" long and his wing span was about 5" or more. You can actually see his eyes that's how close I could get to take a pic.
Hope you like the pictures, hope everyone has a great weekend.

Love and Light,
Mel 

Sunshine Blogger Award

The Sunshine Blogger Award

So the other day I was given yet another award from my Blogger friend Kim from her blog Witch Cats Blog it's the "Sunshine Blogger Award", yay. So thank you so much for this. It lightened my day.

Now, the rules for accepting this award are as follows: 

1.      If you are nominated, you must blog a post linking back to the person/blog that nominated you.
2.      You must answer some questions, nominate ten fellow bloggers and link their blogs to the post!   
3.      You should comment on your nominees’ blogs to let them know you have nominated them. 

Here are the questions:

1. Who is your favorite philosopher? My grandmother : )
2. What is your favorite number?  3 (mother, maiden, crone/me and my two girls)
3. What is your favorite animal? Koala Bear (they are so cute)
4. What are your Facebook and Twitter URLs? This blog and Youtube is my main page http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDesertSiren73/featured  no Twitter and facebook not on there that much..
5. What is your favorite time of day? Dusk
6. What was your favorite vacation? Taken only 3 my whole life, none are my fav thus far.
7. What is your favorite physical activity?  Zumba
8. Favorite non-alcoholic drink? Cherry Icee
9. What is your favorite flower? Morning Glory
10. What is your passion? Healing Arts

Ok and now here are the blogs which I nominated:
1) Egyptian Paganism
2) Hedgefaery Herbals
3) Life of a Domestic Witch
4) Magick and Spells
5) Sea Witch Cottage
6) A fine and private place

So I dont follow that many blogs so I can only list ten that I nominate. Hope you will swing by their blog pages and check them out. Blessed Be......

*(Please feel free to decline this award if you so wish to as I understand that some bloggers do not choose to participate in any kind of blog awards for their own personal reasons.)

Love and Light to All!!!

Monday already...

Just wanted to jump on and wish everyone a great day today and an even better week ahead. My household is getting excited for the upcoming of the Blue Moon, Pagan Pride Day and Samhain. We cant wait!!!!
Here's a little pic to put a smile on your face.

Love and Light,
Mel

Wow I was nominated!!! Woohoo!!!

How cool is this?!!! I am so excited and honored

 

that my fellow Blogger friend Kim from

The Wiccan Life 

nominated me for a 

"Very Inspiring Blogger Award!! 

Wow I'm so speechless and thankful for this. 

Blessings to you Goddess Kim 

for brightening my day!

Now, the rules for accepting this awesome 

award are as follows: 

1) Display the award logo on your blog 

2) Link back to the person who nominated you 

3) List 7 things about yourself 

4) Nominate 15 others as well for this award 

and link to them 

5) Notify those bloggers of their nominations 

and the award's requirements 

Okay so ~ 7 things about me ... 

1) I have been an Eclectic Solitary Pagan 

for 

about 13 years. You could call me a 

kitchen/green/gothic witch 

that brings 

in Native American teachings along 

with passed down family Curandera techniques 

and also 

works with the Egyptian pantheon. 

Whew that's a lot to chew, lol. 

2) I'm a single mom of two gorgeous girls. 

One is 16 years old and the other is 5 years old. 

But my boyfriend of five years does help 

me out a lot with them. 

3) I have taken care of my elderly mother for 

the past 15 years. 

And we have learned to 

coexist being that I'm Pagan and 

she's 

Christian. I think that's how we all should be. 

Love and accept each other for what they are. 

4) I LOVE MERMAIDS!!!! 

5) I love to draw and make crafty things. 

6) I have a total of six half siblings. 

Three boys and three girls, 

two of the boys have departed from this 

realm but 

I shall see them again one day. 

7) And the most embarrassing thing to reveal. 

I love reality tv, 

yup I'm an addict, lol. 

Okay that's it, so now my nominees for the 

"Very Inspiring Blogger Award." are: 

1) Sea Witch Cottage

2) Priestess of the Light

3) Diary of a Familiar-in-Training

4) Witch Kitchen

5) Sofibelle's Magickal Realm

6) A Natural Witch-Grimoire of Life and Practice

7) Ask Faeries

8) Life of a Domestic Witch

9) Come Sit a SPELL....

10) Free Spells Daily

Now I dont have a total of 15 because I do not 

follow 

that many blogs but if I could nominate 

Kim 

@ The Wiccan Life blog again I would!!!! 

Her blog is so active and lovingly awesome.

Okay that's it for me, check out some of the blogs 

I nominated, some are not really active but they 

are still awesome to read. Blessed Be and enjoy. 

Love and Light... 

Meladee

The Desert Siren

Kids are funny.

So this will be a quick and small post about a moment that happened today.

Well my oldest daughter (16 yrs) and my hubby were sitting talking about tattoos. Well my hubby has a ton of tats on him and my 16 year old got her first one for her 16th birthday. Yeah I know that's a little to young but that is what she wanted and I had to approve the size and image. And myself have a small one on my left shoulder towards the back.

Well my 5 year old is sitting there and gets this huge pout on her face and when I asked her what was wrong she said "I dont have a tattoo, I'm not like the rest of the family".
So my foster son (who has tats as well and is an artist himself) pulled her aside and gave her a pretend one of her favorite character (Hello Kitty) which made her oh so happy.

Now what to do and say when it washes off. *UGH*

Hope everyone had a fabulous week and an even better weekend to come.

Love and Light.....

My new project...

So as I was surfing the web the other day I came across an awesome pic which has inspired me to do a new project in the house.

I will include the pic below but it is of a family tree. It's such a wonderful idea and awesome way to set pictures up of all loved ones. Living and passed.

I'm not much of an artist or painter but my best friend who is said she would come in and help me. Now we both have crazy schedules and she's allergic to cats (I have a ton of cats) so this will be a tough one to get done. But I have hope. My goal is to have it done by 2013 but my dream would be to have it done in time for Dia de los Muertos but we shall see how it goes.

Wish me luck!!!!

Mama duck syndrome....

OK so I have been lucky enough to be a stay at home mom for the last year. And I do love my family and pets but sheesh I cant get them out of my butt!!!!
Seriously every time I turn around or step back I step on a pet or family member. That is still okay with me but even in the bathroom no peace.
When I'm in the shower at least 2-3 people have to go in there and the cats meow and scratch the door if they are not in there with me. Even during my private moments people and pets are in there. Nothing like seeing your kitty pop up from between your legs or have your teen daughter take a seat on the floor to talk to you. I'm like "really" I just want to take a poop in private!!!!!
The only time I get left alone is if I'm doing housework cause no one wants to be a part of that! Whew think I need a glass of wine to unwind and laugh at my family cause I have a little buzz, lol.
So sorry this was just a little venting blog. Hope everyone has had an awesome week and an even better weekend to come.

Love and Light.....

Friday the 13th once again....

Just wanted to wish everyone a fun and safe Friday which happens to be the 13th. Below is a pic that made me crack up. Hope you enjoy it as well.

Love and Light....

Yes I'm a HOT WITCH!!!

LOL, yep cause it's gotten to 107 degrees where I live.
Ugh so strange I was born and raised in the desert and I've never liked the heat. I can see a big change in our Mother Gaia as it has never been this hot for so many days straight and gotten there so fast. Our winters here are colder. No snow but last year we got a lot of freezes and I have never seen that before.
Even at 8pm it's still very hot. My honey works nights and gets home around 4:30am and we have to water then or at 9pm. Either way we are doing it in the dark.
4th of July is coming up and that is my mothers birthday and we are trying to think how to pull off her being comfortable and cool while having a bbq. Sheesh I just dont know.
Well whatever your plans are I wish everyone a fun and safe 4th please watch your fireworks/embers cause our mother earth cannot afford to have more fires going on then she already does. And lets send some good energy out there to help all who have been affected by these forest fires.
Love and Light.......

HAPPY DADS DAY!!!

First to my man witch, my love. Thank you for opening your heart and loving my girls like they were your own. We all love you so very much. xoxoxoxoxoxoxo.............................

And to my mom. If it wasn't for her love and strength I wouldn't be the woman that I am today and I'm proud of how I turned out thanks to my mother. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo.................

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL, LOVE AND LIGHT...................................

Last weeks full moon.

Well last weeks full moon was the first Esbat where I did not do any ritual but the energy I got was crazy good and creative. So I ended up working in my BOS, made candles in orange peels and sea shells. Made dream pillows with my oldest daughter, organizing my herbal shelf, made a new working candle and we did make wishes with our flying wish paper. If you don't know of flying wish paper or have never done it I highly recommend it. Especially if you have young ones. I buy it at my local metaphysical book store but I've seen it at book stores and you can order it online. I will even put a video I found on YouTube so you can see what I'm talking about. I will also add pics of that nights house happenings.

And the following day was Venus in transit but sadly we missed it cause we had a family appointment which was at the same exact time as the event but I've seen a few pics and vids of the transit and what a wonderful sight. I did find one pic of it that I really like.

So all and all not to much to say. I'm looking for a job again and have a few interviews coming up, wish me luck. I figured since the baby will be in school mama needs to keep herself busy so I don't feel so lonely throughout my day. Oh how fast they grow. 

Well that's it for now friends.

Love and Light.....

Below is a video link on You Tube of FlyingWish Paper. Go check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x90oN4NWX0

Venus in Transit, LOL........I love this pic!!

My two helpers. Helped with my BOS and candle making. 

My new working candle with lavender, glitter, rose petals and I hand carved moon and star. 

Well I wanted to show you the orange and seashell candles and the dream pillows but my upload is being a butt, lol. So maybe I add it later. Hope everyone has an awesome week ahead. Blessings.....

Catching Up....

So looking over my blog I noticed there were many events/memories that I did not blog about. So this one will be a catch up blog so if its a little long I'm sorry. I think there will be more pics than anything, lol.

First I noticed nothing was said about my Ostara. It was quiet and lovely. I made Ostara baskets for my two daughter and my mom. We colored eggs and ate a ton of candy. We left the dinner for Easter as I'm trying to accommodate my moms beliefs as well plus that is how I was raised so we honor both Pagan and Christian holidays in my home.

Below is a pic of our Ostara table.....

Next is a couple of pics of my youngest with her Ostara basket. She's funny, after she got it she said she couldn't wait for her Easter basket. I told her she got an Ostara basket and that was it. She turns and tells me "No that basket was from the Goddess, I'm waiting for the one from the bunny now." Oh boy kids........

Next was Beltane and the super moon. We had a lovely time but both of the girls did go home sick. They came down with a 24 hour flu bug. But the sabbat and super moon where still filled with magic. Below is a picture of my personal altar at home and the Maypole at the Beltane celebration.

Super moon pictures. Sorry camera cell phones don't do it justice at all but I'm happy I got a few pics of it.

Oh yeah and back tracking even further to Earth Day. We all went to IHOP for an extra early breakfast and we all ordered the Lorax breakfast and planted our seeds they gave us that day. Now after all these years I can finally say I ate green eggs and ham. Yay!!

That's it folks. I think I'm all caught up for now, lol. Thanks for tuning in. Blessed Be!