We finally got out to the lake on Saturday.  The pop up tent that I bought just for this activity held up great against the strong winds.  I swam with my long finned flippers for about 1.5 hours.  My legs are sore, but it was great resistance exercise.  Normally it's hard to get me out of the water--I can be in from dawn to dusk, and on into the night.  My summer nickname was Orca for a reason.  But after swimming with the flippers, I was out after 2 hours.  Honestly, the only reason why I took the flippers off was because I could feel blisters forming on the tops of my feet, and I didn't want to risk an infection from the lake water.  I was the only adult and the one who had to drive home (6 minute drive, but still).  Hoping to go back at least once this week. My 13-yr-old and I had an interesting conversation.  He said something that I already expected, as he's always been more scientifically minded.  He's an Atheist.  ...

  Happy Vestalia (June 7-15th)!  Hail Vesta and the Vestals! On the 9th, a red fox crossed my path, which was very cool.  Then later that night, I had ritual with my online grove.  Although Tuesday was a bit of a struggle, by then I still hadn't reworked my ritual and I was battling a headache.  We've been having a lot of storms lately, and it's normal for me to have one until the storm arrives. However, my joints haven't been hurting!  For about a month and a half, give or take, I've significantly cut down on my sugar--minus the good sugars found in fruits.  I haven't gone cold turkey because that rarely works for me, I just cut more than half down on what I was eating and drinking.  Boy, have I been losing weight!  I haven't even started swimming regularly yet!  Less weight = less joint pain.  I haven't needed my cane in a couple of weeks.  I've also been eating more fresh raw veggies, too.  Gotta replace that processed ...

Around noon, a thunderstorm rolled in.  Hard and heavy.  I gave an apple to Thor for protection and galdred runes over our leaky-too-small-for-frame-screen-door that maintenance installed not too long ago.  In return, Thor instructed me to collect some storm water.  My eldest quickly put a bowl outside for a few minutes, and then collected it.   I brought the bowl into the kitchen and asked for Thor's blessings over the storm water.  He did. I dipped a Mjolnir pendant into it 9 times, and set it on my ADF altar to dry.   I traced a Mjolnir with this blessed Storm Water on myself, my cat, and my kids. I poured most of it into a bottle, with a label, and Thor showed me one of my plants to pour the remainder. Now I have some Thor Blessed Storm Water to be used....soon, I imagine.  It won't keep forever.  Storm Water is very potent, and good for protection and cursing.  It can be mixed with other waters for a boost. Guess we'll see...

Today I sat outside in the sun.  For about a month, I've been working on turning my pastey white skin tan...or trying to.  Once the lake water is warm enough to swim, I'm going to be spending a lot of time there, and I'd rather not turn into a lobster.  Anywho, when I do go outside, I greet Sunna, set an intention, set a timer on my phone, and either meditate/trance or read.  Today I chose to read: Edda by Snorri Sturluson.  Not my favorite author, but an important one to read (I'd rather be reading Dr Jackson Crawford's translations of Snorri).  I'm familiar with the stories and mythology, as it would seem that every author who writes about Norse Paganism and Magik has to talk about the mythology.  Can't have one without the other, which is kind of annoying to be honest.  But, hey, makes a book go faster when you're skipping parts that you've read multiple times. As I sat there, soaking up Sunna's rays with the intention of healing and protecti...

  First, a belated Blessed World Bee Day and...oh shoot, I can't remember...Mother's Day was one...I think there was another.  Hm.  Well, belated happy days. Wednesday was my kid's last day of school, but it was also very wet.  Last night we had our First Fire and Last Day of the School Year Celebration. I had planned on etching symbols into the metal of the fire pit, but I couldn't find my etching tool.  I think I packed it away with my Valkyrie Shrine.  Instead I went to my magikal cabinet for dried flowers and herbs.  I selected based on energies: Peace Joy Love Healing Protection Psychic Strength Good Abundance Good Health All into my orange coconut bowl.  With my fingers, I stirred and mixed the flowers and herbs together, repeating my intention for the mixture... Offering to the Hearth Kindreds and Spirits To dedicate the Fire Pit To anoint our Family, Home, Vehicle, and lot Tracing with my finger into the mixture, I galdred the runes as the...

 Here's a Community Reading for yall, through the Moonology deck: Sister Moon, what's your message for the community on this Dark Moon? "Eat fruit" "Eat well" The card I've pulled is: New Moon in Gemini - Communication is key. Funny enough as I locked in and shuffled, I kept seeing Facebook--just a general page.  No one in particular.  I guess this could also represent social media in general. "Ground yourself before communicating.  Also write a letter or a journal entry before messaging that person.  Don't just listen to respond, actually listen to learn.  Don't just spit out words like an angry parrot; think about your words, your tone, whether or not you make sense.   Socialize, but do so politely.  Remember your manners.  If the other person is rude...simple walk or scroll away."  Sister Moon, do you have anything else?   "No."   Thank you, Sister Moon. --------- Now for my personal message from the Kindred. "Don'...

 I'm reading Morgan Daimler's post: Being in Service to the Other and having some thoughts about my own clergy path.  So far I've only read Part 1, but in it she talks about the difference between Serving the Community and Serving the Other.   In January 2022, I was ordained by my Gods to serve Them and the Other.  From there I launched my search for ethical, legit pagan clergy courses and programs, because I wanted to learn how to be an efficient, legal, and ethical pagan clergy member for my communities.  For the most part, I had the sacerdotal stuff done, but I needed more education and training for my human communities. My Gods said that wasn't necessary to serve the Other.  I already had the knowledge, skill, and training to serve Them.  They didn't care about the pastoral work. I was Their Priestess, Their Oracle, Their Seidkona. Yes, but to deliver Their message more effectively, I felt that I needed to learn how to work with people bet...

Happy Belated Mothers Day to those who observe.  My weekend was pretty nice.  On Saturday, we had finally had a nice, dry--but windy--weekend day.  So I tried out an pop up tent that I got for visiting the lake beach.  It's big!  It'll totally fits our cooler, stuff, and the 4-5 of us.  It's short, so I can't stand in it, but that's fine.  I got it to keep our stuff somewhat secured and to give us a break from the sun to rest, eat, and hydrate.  Our cooler will be heavy enough to keep it from blowing away--I have long tent pegs, I just don't know if they'll work in sand.  I'll try those out, too.  My midkid also has big rocks that we can try, too.  Now to have more warm days so the lake gets to comfortable swimming temps. I also thought I had trouble getting up from the ground, turns out that I can get up from the earth just fine.  It's hard man-made surfaces that I struggle with.  Hurts my knees.  No give.  Wher...

 Due to Bluesky's NSFW posts, I decided to delete my account.  I hate when people/bots don't label their posts, because I have--er--had a lot of words blocked.  I used to love Bluesky because I could block certain words and curate what I was seeing, well for the most part because it doesn't work on images.   I don't know why Bluesky thinks I want to see some mostly naked women sitting on toilets, someone popping a boob out in public places, and Furry Porn, but I really really don't.  No matter how many accounts I block and report, more just randomly show up.  I don't know if that's just what Bluesky is: NSFW, Furry Porn, and politics.  I see more sexual posts than the artists and spiritual folks that I follow.  It's basically Meta.  They say Bluesky doesn't have an algorithm...are you sure?  With Meta, even if you click a post to block, it thinks that you want to see more and more of that kind of post.  Even if you just hover...