This is a long post, lots happened yesterday. It was a glorious day, sunny, warm, and the land was gorgeous and the gentle energy that envelops you when you enter the property of the Longhouse was once again most welcomed.

The other day I went to see my acupuncturist. I’ve been suffering from terrible headaches that have appeared to be from a mechanical problem and holding stress in my neck. The pain has radiated from the the base of the occipital bone and been tough to fight. The next day it was somewhat better but yesterday, the second day the headache was gone.

She, the acupuncturist, a beloved friend, also thought that perhaps I hadn’t finished processing certain feelings left from the breakup last winter. And she was right. The tears just flowed out during the session. She had me go home and do a Triple Level Grid Cleansing. She also said it was time to banish the ex, Narcissus. That I should have done it a long time ago. Okay. I was tired of banishings, so tired of drama, so tired of a lot of things, had at one time hoped we’d be friends, that I had never done an actual banishing. So on Friday I did the Grid Cleansing and the banishing.

On an aside because this is the not the topic of this post, Narcissus showed up at Concentric Circles. Which didn’t really surprise me. Didn’t follow the banishment to the letter but he doesn’t know that he’s been banished from my presence on all levels for a mile from my body. But he did stay away from me personally (except for the time when he got in line behind me at the restroom. Stupid, stupid man, there are five other bathrooms on site, walk away. He said “hi” and I walked away.) For the most part he stayed well away and he didn’t show up in a single ritual circle which pleased me greatly. For what it’s worth, I really appreciated that. Ruth was able to return a piece of his artwork to him on my behalf and I felt lighter immediately.

Back to the other thing. One of energies called up in a Triple Level Grid Clearing is the archangel Michael. Now, there was a time when I stayed away from angels. First because I thought they were just too fluffy bunny and second because I considered them to be a Judeo-Christian belief deity/thought form. (as most of you know Jesus/Jeshua is one of my deities but that happened much later) In Outer Grove training, because I was also so very resistent to Ceremonial Magic, I was of course, assigned the ritual circle casting the week we studied Ceremonial Magic and ideas. I had to learn the LBRP and cast a circle based on the Key of Solomon. And I was enlightened. I discovered a power source and a surge of energy completely unexpected and when that circle was finally cast and closed in my practice session, it clanged. Seriously. When I did it in group two days latter, one of the others said she heard it clang. I had said nothing of my experience. At another rit when the arch angels were released? A group of Harley’s out on the street revved their engines and drove off. We all stared around the circle with big eyes and busted out laughing.  Nothing fluffy about that stuff, not one bit. And they spoke to me in way I could appreciate.  Biker angels. Yeah.

A few months later I was in France for the Christmas holidays visiting family. I took a couple of days for myself and went to the medieval town of Beaune to visit the still standing walled city center and the Hospice de Beaune. A fan of the artist Rogier van der Weyden I was looking forward to seeing his triptych of the archangel Michael. And I got to see that. It snowed the days I was at the city and it was as if the universe arranged for a special showing just for me. I practically had the town all to myself on that first day. Standing in front of the painting of Michael I was awestruck. His wings were covered with eyes and his stare was very direct. His power unmistakable. And I believed that he was a being that had been in existence long before the Judeo constructs. That they discovered him they didn’t create his thought form.

Because of my experiences with the angels in that six month period, I’ve come to see Michael as my strongest and most influential and powerful guardian angel. He comes when I need him, all I have to do is ask. I have others, mostly female, some once alive, some not having incarnated. One is my Nana. But she is not a sword wielder. Her energy is there for loving me and caring for me when I’m feeling unworthy and less than. She hugs me and comforts. But Michael? He comes roaring down with sword and says “Where are they? I’ll keep ’em away.”

So, when I think of angels, I think of Michael. A very powerful being with a sword that cuts away all but truth. A protector with the willingness to go to battle (loved the movie Michael, BATTLE!!!!, but I digress). And so I was happy to call upon him Friday for the Triple Level Cleansing. As I was finishing the cleansing I heard in my head, “The chicken man’s name is Michael.” Whoa. No shit? As usual my first instinct is assume I’m just projecting. But time has shown that usually those flashes are psychic and they are time and again spot on correct. Mostly I go, hmmm, I’ll be paying attention now. Let’s see how things go. And I promptly forget about it. Which is good, it’s good not to focus too much on those things. I want them to come naturally and not create them. Create them in the sense that I start looking under every rock and behind every tree. If it is true, I want it to just appear. So. I forgot about it.

Yesterday Ruth and I arrived on site early. Merchants got to come early. There were two men unpacking their cars and no one else. I stopped and smiled and asked them if this was where we were to park. And recognized them as the band that I heard playing at Pagan Pride. They were playing at Concentric Circles. And I said “You’re the band __________.” Why yes, yes we are. The first one was already at my car window smiling like the sun and the second walked over doing the horned god symbol. We laughed talked for a moment. I parked, they went off to find out how best to set up. I turned to Ruth, “OMG he’s cute! What an attractive man.” And realized that one of them heard the entire thing. Awesome. *laugh*

We went about our afternoon setting up, meeting old friends, goodness I ran into a lot of good friends. My Outer Grove coven was casting one of the many circles that day so it was old home week. And I knew that I really did want to be with them. I missed them. Tears flowed all day. Tears of gratitude, tears of longing, tears of remembrance. Tears when the Lady wished Her Lord adieu. Tears when the bounty of the season was passed for cakes. Tears when the Lord blessed me and said “Plant wisely.” Tears watching my beloved High Priestess invoke the Goddess. Oh, goodness I miss her.

It was, all in all a wonderful day. I sold some pouches and bartered the black wand bag for a wand. While making those bags I had my other friend Ruthie in my mind’s eye as I was making it. She makes the loveliest wands and I thought for sure anyone with a wand from Ruthie would want one of my wand bags. Turned out it was Ruthie. I got a wand that is just gorgeous and she got a bag she was drooling over. I got some greeting cards with photos of the 8 sabbat altars and altars to the 4 elements. Part of my space was taken up with things perfect for a pagan yard sale and I came home much lighter there too. I made enough to cover my event costs, my purchases, and my dinner from Friday night plus a little bit more. Basically I broke even and that’s a great day.  (I just found a check in my bag, I did more than break even. It was a good harvest indeed)

But wait, there’s more.

So, I’m in the bathroom after running into Narcissus and I’m shaking.  Totally didn’t enjoy being in his once again oblivious and thoughtless presence.  I called on Micheal the A.A. and did another grid cleansing.  I asked for a sign that everything was going to stop being so nerve wracking, that better things were coming and soon. And to please help me stop shaking and feeling nauseous.  I walked out of the longhouse and over towards the merchant booths. As I passed the band they broke into the song

Halleluah

I adore this song…  Ahhhhhhhhhhh.

After enjoying said band’s music from afar, they were well behind the merchant area, I went over after wards and struck up a conversation with said cute man. What a lovely smile he has. There was something very grounded about him. I told him about coming out after praying to the archangel Michael and hearing the song.  He’s pagan but I wonder what he thought of that. I’ve got the feeling he is a Druid and that we might have some friends in common. So we were chatting and I felt that I must give him my name. I extended my hand and said, my name is ___________. And he? Took my hand and said, “Hi, I’m Michael.”

They are playing at our local Witches Ball in three weeks.

P.S. I related this to my HPs while her husband was there. And he said, I’m Michael. And I said, no, you’re MIKE. And you are certainly not the chicken man. You be laying with another. But her eyes. Got all sparkley. She is a very sparkley woman but she amped it up. Hmmmmm.

P.S.S.  Sorry, The Michael, I’m pretty darned sure it isn’t you either. And it’s certainly not my bro Mike although I love him dearly.  Just for the record and all.

This weekend turned out to be very busy for me and I ended up not going to either of the events I planned on going to.  Rat City Roller Girls, they are from our local neighborhood White Center which any long time local knows we call Rat City (just not into that kind of energy on Saturday, it was raining and wanted to cocoon so gave my ticket to a friend) and Mabon Ritual (again with the energy).  Instead, I stayed home and worked on my brother’s website (happy birthday bro! Better late than never.) and finished up the pouches for the Concentric Circles event this coming Saturday.

What else did I do?  I made pumpkin bread, a recipe that worked out this time thanks to Greg at The Flaming Rose and Silver Ravenwolf.  It is Yuuuuummmmmmy.  I took half the loaf to my next door neighbor and she exclaimed out loud that she’d been wondering what I was cooking.  😉

In the background you can see my napkins.  These napkins?  Cost me next to nothing, come in a huge variety of colors and prints, and are the craft of the week for all you crafty geeks.

Go to Joann’s and get yourself some fat quarters. They are the perfect size for napkins. When they go on sale for 99 cents I usually stock on a few.  The napkins in the photo are my autumn napkins, more of which you can see below.

And then I hem them.  Sometimes I use a sewing machine and sometimes I stitch them my hand.  The red and gold plaid is a thicker fabric than the regular cotton, more of a homespun, and those I tend to hand stitch, it keeps the homespun feeling.

As I was taking pictures of the new pouches this morning, I looked out the window.  There was squirrel foraging for food and I noticed that his tail is extra extra bushy.  Miss Mitty hasn’t had a hairball in two weeks now and her fur feels very thick right now.  I have this feeling we are in for an early winter, a winter that will be bringing us more cold and snow than we had last year.  Mind you, before you folks in the Midwest and the East freak out, the Pacific Northwest had an extremely mild winter last year.  We did get snow in the mountains but the lowlands at sea level just got rain, lots of it.  This year I suspect will be different for us.  I can see that squirrel snug in his bed with that thick tail covering his nose.  And I found myself thinking that here it is, the day after Mabon and I’m thinking Samhain in a huge way.

Bloggers everywhere are noticing the thinning of the veil and today, it thinned in my neck of the woods. Ooooh. My favorite season.

And don’t any of you go giving Miss Silver any grief.  Her work might not be deep but in my opinion it is excellent and those who give her trouble ought to actually go read her works.  The things she’s been accused of saying?  She didn’t say or it was taken out of context. ESPECIALLY the book Teen Witch.  Much maligned she is and I will defend her when the opportunity arises.

So, I sit here working on images for the blog, pricing pouches and getting ready for Saturday, listening to Blackmore’s Night (who I love, Ritchie you rock and Candice, who knew you were so very deep AND beautiful?  Obviously Ritchie did, but you won me over), drinking apple cinnamon tea from my favorite autumn mug and dreaming of the coziness that is this season.  And, now that the pouches are done and all the stuff I promised other folks is done and I am waiting for new work, I am letting my mind wander and bubble with whatever project I absolutely must do next.  I think it will be a black witch dress for myself.  Tight bodice, tight sleeves with cuffs, and a full skirt.  Yes, that might be it indeed.