December 29, 2013

A New Year, A Blank Page

As the year comes to an end, I have been looking back at 2013; I have to say it had it's highs and lows. I thought I share a few of both with you.

I'll start with the lows, first up family drama, I'm sick of it and sick of being put in the middle of it. Next is my health it's really sucked this year, I started out the year really good, my weight was at an eight year low, my diabetes was under control, I was extremely active and felt great. Then came July and I found out I have an issue with my heart that causes my heart to go into overdrive for no reason at all; this caused me to go on a new medicine that in 6 months has caused me to put on 30lbs and I have had to slow down a lot.

Now for the highs, I'll pick up with my health, diabetes is losing the battle to control me and my life. Next, through blogs, Facebook and Youtube I have met some wonderful people that I now consider friends. I also one my very first give-a-way and discovered a wickedly delicious e-book.

2014

As my pick above shows, I'm starting 2014 with a blank slate, I do not make resolutions I set goals; this year those goals are simple.


  1. Take control of my health.
  2. Be more active.
  3. Write more.
  4. Be true to me.
  5. Blog and Speak from my heart.
I hope you all have a safe and blessed new year. With the New Moon that's accompanying the New Year, I hope for new adventures and new beginnings for all.

Blessings

Ash-Lynn


December 22, 2013

A Homemade Yule, Surprises, and a Give-A-Way

For the past 5 years I have belong to a special circle of women, traditionally every year on Yule we get together and exchange gifts that we made for each other. This year was much the same, good friends, food, and our gift exchange only this year my BF Laura had a few surprises for me.

As you can see these aren't all homemade...

Laura made us all beautiful boxes to keep our treasures in, "D" made us each beautiful yule ornaments, and Rae made us some very yummy cookies. I myself made everyone a hot back to warm their bones.

After the gift exchange Laura call me to the side and gives me an additional gift bag, it contained a beautiful butterfly ring, she also indulged my skeleton key fetish with a lovely lock and key necklace and earrings, then there was a very special surprise, a bracelet but not just any bracelet; I have been watching this little girl for a while at our local witchy shop, but did not have the funds to make her mine. Well Laura being the wonderful friend she is decided I must have her.






 Now I must tell you of an amazing read and Give-a-Way. First the amazing read is Magaly Guerrero's "Thorn In Red", this is an amazing story; it's full of adventure, blood, love, and butterscotch kisses, oh and did I mention blades and axes.

To celebrate the "Thorn In Red" release Magaly is doing an awesome Give-a-Way. to find out more head on over to her blog and give it a look. You can click on the image below to find Magaly's blog and info on the give-a-way.


Good luck and many blessing..... and READ THIS BOOK!!!

December 20, 2013

Homemade Fun For Yule!!!

Got into the spirit of the season and made Homemade Yule ornaments for the ladies in my circle, I had a blast doing it and wanted to share them with you.

Dough made and ornaments cut out and ready to bake,

Painted and ready to go to their new homes.

I thought I would share the recipe I use to make these in case you want to make some of your own.

Ingredients & Supplies:
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1 cup water
  • cookie cutters
  • paints and other decorative accessories
  • yarn, twine or string for hanging
Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325ยบ.
  2. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl.
  3. Add in half of the water, then gradually add in the remaining water.
  4. Kneed the dough until it is smooth (10 minutes or so).
  5. Roll out dough on baking paper to use with cookie cutters, or press the dough into various shapes. Get creative!
  6. Use a straw or toothpick to make a hole to hang the ornament once it’s finished.
  7. Bake the ornaments until hard and dry (about 45min – 1.5 hours, depending on the thickness of the ornament).
  8. Allow to cool.
  9. Decorate with paint, glitter, beads, buttons, feathers or any other fun accessories.
  10. If you want to preserve them for a long time, allow all the paint and glue to dry and then coat with a clear acrylic varnish.
I hope you enjoy making these, I know I did. Have a very Blessed Yule my Beautiful Souls!!!

December 17, 2013

OK Universe I Hear You!!!

I'm pretty sure this is going to turn into a rambling post, but I need to get this out. I am in need of a major change, a change in both my insides and outsides.

Image found on Google, words added by Ash-Lynn


My Insides...

Are messed up and twisted, I feel like something is missing or lost in me; but what? I know it's not in my marriage, that part of my life is amazing, in fact my personal life is pretty good right now; the only major thing that is a constant in my life is family drama, but we all have that from time to time.

I think, no I know the only thing I have been lacking in lately is my spiritual side, I have spent so much time in the past few years trying to get my health back on track that I let that side of me slide.

I know from how loud the universe is yelling at me that I need to get back on track and back in balance with my spiritual side and with the universe. I'm not sure how I'm going to do this yet but I do know I'm going to reconnect and find this part of me again. I'm going to start this by getting back to the basics and letting the universe guide me from there.

My Outsides...

Are in need of a complete makeover, I need to drop at least 50lbs and tone this jelly belly up a lot. I have had a lot of changes with my body in the past six months. In late June, early July I was diagnosed with Supraventricular Tachycardia(SVT) and was put on a beta blocker to help slow down and regulate my heart, the down side to this is beta blocker have an awful side effect, hunger ie weight gain; and this sucks.

I have put on 30lbs on top on the weight I already needed to lose, and that's not cool. I have cried over this and been depressed about it for a while, buy now I am going to stop whining and do something about it.

So starting with the new year I will be giving myself over, on both my insides and outsides, I am determined to get my weight down, and keep my diabetes in check; I'll be eating even healthier than I already do(been slipping on that too) and exercising my butt of(literally). The hubby says he will help me and fully support me in this and help me stay on track.

In the new year I hope to find a new me, and maybe just maybe find parts of me that I thought I had lost to me forever.

Do you ever feel like your lost or in need of a change?


December 15, 2013

A Beautiful Tree and My Granny's Balls

The Witchletts and I spent the day together laughing and decorating our Yule/Christmas tree, we had a blast; here is our finished tree....


Yes your seeing right, that's R2D2 with a Christmas hat on, his outfit changes throughout the year. I keeping with the fun I thought I would share my Garnnys recipe for rum balls with you, they are so yummy.

My Grannys Rum Balls

Ingredients 
  •  1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup rum
  • 1 (16 ounce) package vanilla wafers, crushed very fine
  • 2 cups finely chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar for rolling
Directions
  1. In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt evaporated milk and chocolate chips, stirring frequently until smooth. 
  1. Remove from heat and stir in the crushed vanilla wafers and Rum until well blended. 
  1. Roll the dough into small balls and roll the balls in chopped walnuts, then in confectioners' sugar. 
  1. Store covered in the refrigerator. 
Enjoy and Many Blessings

December 13, 2013

Oops, sorry.....

I am so sorry for all the changes on here the past few days, I thought I liked the green/orange theme I made but, I just could not live with it, it was to bright. I really like the calming colors I have chosen for the current theme.



I hope you like the new theme I came up with, not sure if I'll be adding a background yet or not.

Have a great weekend, only a week till Yule..... are you ready?

December 5, 2013

Living Pagan in a Christian World


The Holidays are upon us once again, and that means putting up the Yule/Christmas tree, spending time with friends & family, cards, presents, yummy food, and STRESS!

In my home we celebrate the holidays as one big celebration, and we tend to leave religion out of it. I'm pagan, my husband is a non practicing Catholic who leans heavily towards being pagan, and our daughters have pretty much decided to walk the same path; our families on the other hand are very Christian.

I have come up with ways over the years to try and celebrate both Yule and Christmas and keep everyone happy, I did a post last year on the subject titled "Celebrating Pagan Holidays In A Christian World"

Though those are all good ideas and have worked to keep our families happy over the years, somehow I am left feeling let down by the lack of my spiritual side in my celebrations; so this year my goal is to incorporate more of myself and my beliefs into our celebrations.

Now I have to decide where to start, any suggestions?


December 1, 2013

Happy December!!!

YAY!!! it's December, that means only 21 day's till Yule and 25 days till Christmas; are you excited Yet?

I know we are, with the cold weather it even feels like the holidays are coming. In honor of the upcoming festivities I will be decorating my blog as well as my house. I am so excited or the holidays, what will you be doing to welcome the season?




November 15, 2013

Her Tears Make Me Smile...

I used to worry that due my upbringing that I would not me a good mom, but today I have come to the reality that I just might be doing a good job after all.

Let me start with I don't normally discuss my views on politics, and I don't consider myself aligned with either party; I am independent with moderate conservative leanings. That being said, I am and have always been a huge follower of the Kennedy family, in particular JFK, Jackie and their children.  

Next week in the 50th anniversary of JFK's assassination, so naturally the TV has a number of specials on the Kennedy's and the assassination. I was watching one such show with my oldest daughter today, and right towards the end they where talking about how much the nation lost that day, we where all changed forever; you know the normal stuff. I look over at my daughter and she is just balling, I mean huge tears rolling down her face; I ask her "Are you crying because the President died?" she says "NO!" really angrily and then said "All they keep talking about is what the nation lost and what the nation is going through; don't they know two children lost their dad?"

This image is not mine and I do not claim any rights to it.

My heart just swelled so big, I was in awe: this child whom I had carried, given birth to, and raised for the past 17 years had just shown more compassion and empathy for 2 children she had never met, then most adults I know have ever shown; it's like she was feeling their pain.

I knew at that moment I had done something right, I have been told so many times that I was wrong, or did something wrong that I had just accepted it as fact. But not this time, this time I know I did something right, in fact I did something perfect.

Not to leave them out my younger daughters (12 and 14) have very special things about them as well and they all make me proud, I'm one lucky Momma!!!

November 9, 2013

UnThankful.....

With Thanksgiving coming up I've been seeing all these daily post of what all my friends are thankful for, and that got me thinking about what I'm thankful for....and I came up blank.


I mean seriously blank. I was like WTF, this time of year is my favorite time of year and I can't let this happen. I decided I needed to purge all of this crap out of my life so I could get back to enjoying the things I love. So the start of that is my UnThankful list, I have made a list of things I am UnThankful for, the things I want out of my life. I also did a small ritual that involved burning said list as a way of purging those things from my life.

I wanted to share the list with you as a final step of purging, healing, and moving on so that I can be happy and enjoy life again. So here it is below.

UnThankful

  1. I am UnThankful for the constant family drama that tries to consume me.
  2. I am UnThankful for my stupid neighbors who let their sick(parvo) dog run loose in my yard and on my porch, forcing me to confine my dog indoors for a while.
  3. I am UnThankful for my heart medicine who's lovely side affect makes me feel like I'm starving all the time.
  4. I am UnThankful for being forced to stay in the broom closet.
  5. I am UnThankful for a certain family member who says she loves me in one breath and then sets out to make me miserable with the next. 
Hopefully in a day or two I'll make a new list of things I am thankful for, and getting things in order for Thanksgiving and beyond.

November 4, 2013

Really? What's Next?

The past few weeks have been so stressful, that the stress has literally exploded through my pores(acne).



I have dealt with my ailing mother(she has COPD) being in the hospital for a week with pneumonia, which all by itself is stressful. I had to get three daughters ready for Halloween, plan a party for my eldest 17th birthday, help out a friend with a haunted graveyard, and find time to celebrate Samhain; along with my normal day to day stuff.

With all that going on our AC went out, I know in most of the country is having nice fall weather, but along the Gulf Coast it's sometimes warm even in Dec. So we went a few days being mildly unconformable before it got fixed. Turns out a squirrel had chewed through a wire outside, so now I must deal with nutty squirrels. 

 I also had to deal with a cousin who thinks everything should be about her. Let me explain, she calls and tells me this long drawn out story and then ask my opinion. I start to give it to her and she jumps my shit, because I see both sides of the situation; she screams "Why can't you just ever take my side in things." I tried to explain that I don't work that way; I try and see all sides of a situation no matter who's involved. Well she was not hearing it and hung up on me. She does similar things all the time. 

Well this caused huge family drama because her mom lives with my mom, so it caused them to argue; something my mom did not need with just getting out of the hospital, which in return caused me stress because of my mom's failing health.

Then to top it all of I have to keep dealing with my ass-hat of a ex-husband, you would think after 13 years he would get on with his life and stay out of mine. 

As I sit here writing this with blood shot eyes (yes from crying) and looking hideous from being so broke out, I can't help but think things have to get better. So tonight after my hubby has gone to work and the girls are in bed asleep, I will be doing my part by taking a de-stressing and cleansing bath; then tomorrow while they are all out of the house I will be breaking out the sage and cleansing the entire house. I will leave the rest to the universe and her wisdom.

Sorry I ranted for so long, but thank you for listening.

Ash-Lynn

October 31, 2013

Samhain Blessings


I hope all of you have a very blessed Samhain. Don't forget to say hello to your ancestors today/tonight.

Many Samhain Blessings

Ash-Lynn

October 29, 2013

Skeleton Keys To Change

I have been seeing keys everywhere the last few months, but not just any keys: skeleton keys. So I decided to do a little research and find out if they had any meaning or symbolism.

It's not the best, but the Image is by Me(Ash-Lynn)
The information I found is that Skeleton keys are most often used as talismans. Skeleton keys relate to doors & gateways, and opening them, they can also mean change.

Romans used skeleton keys as a symbol of Janus, the god of doorways. (He kept out unwanted energy from the home.) Greeks used the keys as a symbol of the goddess Hecate, (she unlocked the mysteries of magic.)

One way to use a skeleton key as a talisman is to charge it with positive energy and carry it with you, when you're looking to go from an old situation and into a new one. such as a job or relationship. Using the skeleton key as a talisman can help you make the change more easily, because it represents the "unlocking" of new things.

So then I ask myself "what does this mean to me?" I first started seeing them just before I decided to change the name and direction of my blog. And recently my family and I were given the opportunity to go from living in a 3 bedroom 1 bath home into a 4 bedroom 2.5 bath home, the move would not be imminently and we would definitely need help to make this huge change in our lives.

I made the skeleton key talisman in the pic above and will be keeping it with me at all times in hopes that it helps us with this change.

My question to you is, "do you ever have signs or omen pop up into your lives and if yes what do you do about it?"

October 20, 2013

Deliciously Dark Literature

Ok so after my last post was so dark and depressing, I decided to share a 2 of my Deliciously Dark Literary favorites with you. The first is a new love and the second is a long time love.

The first item has become an addiction compliments of our wonderful party host Magaly. Yes, I'm talking about "Thorn In Red" . I was drawn into this story from the first post, and week after week it became my literary drug; and Magaly just kept feeding my addiction in that wicked way she does. I have read it at least a dozen times and can't wait to see where the series will go next. 

Below is Magaly's description of this series and a list of the chapters...


Thorn in Red is an accidental web serial. 
I created a scene for a writing contest, and thought that it would be as far as I would go with the Thorn family. Then Mattalina Thorn gets a red dress hoodie… Someone she loves is knifed-up… Her mom and aunt might be missing… And when the seventeen-year-old goes searching for answers, she finds violence and blood instead. Mattalina also finds herself lips-to-lips with Bran Van Dyke…  
1. “Brownies, Brews and Blades”
2. “Thorn at the Story Cauldron”
3. “Tea with a Thorn”
4. “A Sock Full of Pennies”
5. “Kissing, Not Singing”
6. “Flashed Back”
7. “Shaken”
8. “Skin Deep”
9. “Full of Wooden Handle and Sharp Blade”
10. “By Blood and Word”
11. “Tears and Tales”
12. “Crimson in the Woods”
13. “Thorns and Steel”
14. “Wildwoods Cave”
15. “Blood, Blade and Butterscotch” (final installment in Vol. 1 of Story Crafters)
If you have not read it yet you are missing the most Darkly Delicious thing on the web.

The next item/person on my list is Lestat de Lioncourt. I first met Lestat some years ago, when I was gifted a book called "Interview With A Vampire". Lestat was so deliciously dark in that first meeting that I had to have more, so I continued to see him through book after book, over and over again; still to this day when the mood is right and I need something truly dark and oh so delicious I'll pick up one of his books and say hello. 

You can find Lestat in the following books

Interview With A Vampire
The Vampire Lestat
Queen Of The Damned
The Tale Of The Body Thief
Memnoch The Devil
Blackwood Farm
Blood Canticle 

Do you have a favorite darkly delicious piece of literature? 

This is my forth post for the "All Hallow's Grim, So Dark So Good 2013" blog party, If you want to read post from others participating in this blog party, go to Pagan Culture and scroll through the side bar.   

October 17, 2013

Embracing The Darkness Inside

Most if not all of us have it, that place in our minds where we keep them......... You know the Dark Thoughts, the ones we run from, the ones that remind us of the pain or hurt we have suffered.


Some people try and lock those thoughts away, or dwell on them to the brink of self destruction. Then there are the ones who embrace the darkness and grow from it, learn from it and let the darkness brink them to the light.

I am such a person, I choose to embrace the darkness and grow from the pain of my past experiences. It took a long time for me to do this, due to childhood abuse and abuse at the hands of my ex-husband; I walked in the darkness for a very long time.

My ah ha moment came about a year after my divorce. I was dating a wonderful man(my now husband), but I was not 100% committed to the relationship. I was always waiting on the darkness to come, so much so that I nearly drove him away. Then one day while talking to my aunt she said "Ash-Lynn if you don't let go of the past, you will always be the victim".

Hmm could she be right? I decided to test this theory of hers. So I sat down with my wonderful man and shared my past hurts with him, I explained, the reason I always looked like I was waiting to be punched in the face, was because I was. He was amazing. He held me and we talked for hours; then he did the most amazing thing, he held my face in his hands and said "I would die before I hurt you or let anyone else hurt you, I love you!" 

That day I took my first step out of the darkness and started to heal. Don't get me wrong it's still there, that dark place in my mind; lurking, waiting to overwhelm me. I still visit the darkness from time to time, we all should. The trick is not to stay there, take a look around, reminisce, and when you have found what you were looking for in the darkness, let it bring you back to the light.

I wanted to share my story with you not for sympathy, but to show you that the darkness is not always bad, it's there to remind us of who we are, where we came from, and how far we have come in our lives. So, don't run or hide from the darkness, embrace it, learn from it and always remember with out the darkness we can't see the light.  

If you liked this post and want to read more about the Darkness check out the "All Hallow's Grim 2013.....So Dark, So Good" blog party over at Pagan Culture. Just scroll through the side bar to see what other have to say about the darkness.

October 14, 2013

It's All About Balance

Today is day 2 of All Hallow’s Grim 2013… So Good, So Dark, and I wanted to address the common thought of all things dark are evil and all things light are good; more specifically finding the balance between the two.

“Good and bad is tricky," she said. "I ain't too certain about where people stand. P'raps what matters is which way you face.” - Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad
Are you a Good Witch or a Bad Witch? Neither, I'm a balanced Witch. Let me explain. I believe all people not just witches have a good side and a dark side, some people only want to walk(or think they walk) only in the light or good side, others are walk a dark path(maybe they wanted a cookie), but I choose to straddle the the line between the two.

I do my best to raise my daughters with morals, but I also teach them to never take crap from anyone. I have to admit some days and some people make raising them this way and walking this line very hard at times. On more than one occasion, I have been tempted to go full on evil, but I will not set out to harm anyone; I am not above giving Karma a helping hand. 

I often meditate to help me to walk my line, to keep my balance. I say my line because it's a line I have drawn for myself, it's where I have found my balance, and have my moral compass set to. Not everyone has the same line/moral compass. What some may find bad or wrong, others are ok with doing. It's up to each of us to find our own balance, I find my balance in my family and in nature, I also find it in the wonderful community I have found through blogs, Facebook, and YouTube. It helps to know their are others out there walking a tightrope, and trying to stay balanced.

Where do you find your balance?


Stop by Pagan Culture and read more from the wonderful bloggers who have joined the "All Hallow's Grim" blog party, just check the side bar for more.

October 13, 2013

Watching From The Darkness & Shadows...

The Party has started!!!! Magaly at Pagan Culture has launched the All Hallow's Grim 2013 blog party. 
The aim of All Hallow’s Grim 2013… So Good, So Dark is to use our artistic power, intellect and heart to create posts that show the delicious goodness that blooms in the dark.
With that in mind, I have been trying to figure out what I wanted to write about on day one of "All Hallow's Grim" and I decided to share one of my banners and a true ghost story.


14 years ago, while I was pregnant with my middle witchlett, My oldest daughter 3 at the time; woke me up in the middle of the night and told me she saw a man watching me sleep. I naturally freaked out and called my then husband home from work. 
When he got there he checked the entire house, doors windows, yard, the barn where our horses were kept and there was no sign that anyone had been on our property or in our house. This would be repeated a few more times during my pregnancy.
About a month before the baby would make her grand debut, while at my ex's aunts house helping her go through some old family photos, My daughter jumps up and takes a picture from her daddies hand and says "that's the man who watches mommy sleep" we all just stared at each other is amazement because the man is the picture was my husbands grandfather and she had never met him; he died 6 months before she was born, and that was the first time she had seen a picture of him. 
We all just sat there thinking, well that's really odd but kinda cool at the same time, then we got another twist thrown at us; our daughter was not do to be born till mid April but she decided to show up almost 2 months early at the end of February and to all of our amazement not only was she perfectly healthy she was born on her great grandfathers birthday. 
I like to think he knew she would come early and that he was watching over us to make sure she was ok. 

A few things have happened in my daughters and my life since this story, my oldest daughter has developed a love for the paranormal, my middle one soon to be 14 is the living embodiment of her great-grandfather and I have learned that our love ones never really leave us, they're just waiting in the darkness and shadows to watch over us and keep us safe.

If you want to read more post from the All Hallow's Grim 2013, So Dark, So Good blog party just click here and check out the side bar for Party Post.  


October 1, 2013

Welcome to October!!!

I am so excited that October is finally here! The veil is thinning, the air is turning crisp and cool, and my oldest daughter is turning 17; oh, did I mention Samhain is right around the corner?


I'd also like to mention a few other great things happening this month: first, Samhain's Sirens has kicked off the Witchy festivities with a bang and by bang I mean 2 awesome give-a-ways, so if your not following them you should start do so quickly so you don't miss anything.

The next thing I am so excited about is the wickedly talented Magaly Guerrero @ Pagan Culture will be finishing up the first part of the journey that is Thorn In Red, I have grown quite addicted to this twisted take on a classic story, and I can't wait to see where she takes us next.

There is a lot more I could gush over, but I'll save that for another day and post; for now, I will show you the Witchy finds I made today.

I got these awesome cookie cutters at Joann's

Went to a new(only) Witchy shop in town and picked up the two lovelies above

I also got this lovely bloodstone, and it's friends Moonstones, and Garnets 

I hope you are all having a wonderful start to your October, I know I am.

Blessings

Ash-Lynn

September 27, 2013

The Road Not Taken

In reading the poem below again for the billionth time (it is one of my favorites), I have decided to take the road less traveled by and do things my way and not what everyone thinks I should do. Today is a new day and as of today I will no longer be stepped on, talked down to, or made to feel like I am less than anyone else. I will hold my head up high, speak my mind, and be the me I want to be.

Image From Flickr
The Road Not Taken 
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,And sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claimBecause it was grassy and wanted wear,Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodden black.Oh, I marked the first for another day!Yet knowing how way leads on to way I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. 
-Robert Frost

This poem has always been one of my favorites, ever since Ms. Smith my 5th  grade teacher introduced me to Robert Frost. I've understood the meaning of the poem for some years, but never how it applied to my life till now; so I would like to say, thank you Mr. Frost for such a wonderful poem and thank you Ms. Smith for introducing me to the works of Mr. Frost and thank you Universe for opening my eyes to it's meaning in my life.

September 25, 2013

What a difference 20 years can make

So if I flashback 20 years ago, I was a shattered person, stuck in the worst kind of relationship, and I had just been told I would never be able to have children. To me, my life was over; I was just going through the motions. just kinda living a half-life.

Found this pic on Google, if you know the artist let me know.

Fast forward a few years, and the universe decided that I was not meant to live a half-life and granted me the best and most glorious gift, the gift of motherhood. Though still stuck in a horrible and abusive marriage, I now had a reason to live, a reason to dream again. Then, miraculously, the universe decided "Hey, lady, it's time to throw you a curve ball" and bam! Daughter #2 came in 2000, so I went from being told "You will never be able to have a child" to being the mother of two beautiful daughters.

The year 2000 was full of changes for me; I became a mom for the second time, got brave enough to end my marriage, and get myself and my daughters away from the abuse. I also fell in love with my soul mate, and started down the path to my life, a whole life, a life worth fighting for.

Jump ahead to 2002, and I became a mom for the 3rd and last time to the most beautiful baby girl. By this time I had fully dedicated myself to walking a pagan path. I had known for a very long time that I was a Witch, but due to living in the deep south and having a very Christian family, I was not just in the broom closet, I was all the way in the back hiding behind an old, dirty mop.  

The past 20 years has been full of ups, downs, surprises and heartbreak. Of all the changes that have happened, I would say the biggest one has been "Me" I have learned to love with my whole heart; I have embraced who I am and love and accept the person I've become.

Image from www.vanessaroy.com.au
And who am I today? I am a 40 year old wife, mom and a very proud Witch. I am happy, secure in who I am, and I know that I may not be where I thought I would be, but I am extremely happy to be who and where I am.

This is a glimpse into who I am, I hope to continue sharing my adventure with you.

Blessings

Ash-Lynn

September 24, 2013

New Beginnings, New Name, New Me!!!




Which Came First, the Witch or the Housewife? In my case, they came to be at about the same time, and I hope to meld both of those worlds together my everyday life and the Witchy one; I hope you continue to take this journey with me as I start this next chapter.

I know I said it would be a few days/weeks before the new look, name, etc. was ready, but the creative juices would not stop flowing and I just kept working. I hope that after some 40+ hours of being awake and working nonstop, you enjoy the new look and name as much as I do.

I still have some tidying up to do, but first I must sleep; then it will be back to writing and sharing my life with you.

Many Blessings

Ash-Lynn

September 23, 2013

Changes Coming Soon.....

I have had a lot on my mind lately, My health, turning the big 40, and this blog; or I should say this blogs name. Let me explain...

When I first started this blog, it was to go along with a forum I was running with some friends; and the name "Cauldron Of Pagan Ways" fit perfectly, because we all came from different backgrounds in the pagan spectrum; now, however, the forum is no more; and this is now my personal blog, and the name just does not fit anymore.

Image found via Google


So I have decided to change the name of this blog (I have picked a new name,but for now it's a secret), and quite possibly the look. As of right now, I have no plans on changing or deleting the FB, though I may change its name as well. I will be implamenting these changes over the next few days/weeks. Please bear with me while I make these changes.

What you can expect:

1. New Name and Look 
2. Post will vary from personal to pagan, and everything inbetween.
3. There should be no downtime, but if there is I will let you know ahead of time.

Thank you for your patients and understanding while I make this transistion.

Many Blessings

Ash-Lynn

September 22, 2013

Blessed Mabon!!!

The sky is turning dark, there is a chill in the air, and once again Persephone has returned to her husband in the underworld.

Image from Google. If you know the artist please let me know so I can give full credit.

Today is the Autumn Eqinox/Mobon, it's the time of year to check your stock and prepare for the long cold winter, a time to rest, relax, and refelect on the past year, it's a time of balance. Today is also known as the Witches Thanksgiving, give thanks for your blessings, big or small. 

My plans are not massive for today, I have beans on cooking, and will be making a delicous apple cake this afternoon. I will be taking a lovely walk in the woods later(if the rain holds off). No matter how you plan on celebrating today, I hope you have a wonderful and blessed Mabon.

Many Blessings

Ash-Lynn

September 5, 2013

A Prayer to the Dark Mother

Mabon/The Autumn Equinox is a time for honoring the Dark Mother(Persephone for me), here is a great Prayer to her.  




Day turns to night,
and life turns to death,
and the Dark Mother teaches us to dance.
Hecate, Demeter, Kali,
Nemesis, Morrighan, Tiamet,
bringers of destruction, you who embody the Crone,
I honor you as the earth goes dark,
and as the world slowly dies.





August 26, 2013

A Family Mabon

Image From Google


With Mabon coming in a little less than a month, I decided to share a few ideas with you, to help you incorporate your family into your Mabon celebrations.






1. Make a Family Altar - have your children collect acorns, pine cones, or draw Autumn leaves to use a decorations for you altar.

2. Get your Family cooking - get your spouse and children in the kitchen to help you cook your Mabon feast.

3. Make Gods Eyes - Here is a link that shows you how to make them - They are fun and easy.

4. Since Mabon is the "Witches Thanksgiving" before your meal go around the table and have each person say what they are thankful for.

5. Decorate your home for Autumn/Fall - get you families help making decorations with an Autumn theme.


These are just a few idea's I would love to here yours.

Blessings 

Ash-Lynn                           

August 24, 2013

Do No Harm?

I know that most, if not all, of us have heard the Wiccan Rede, and we all know the most famous part of the rede:

An it harm none do what ye will


But what if someone is harming you, your family, or someone you love? Is it OK to retaliate? I say...


NO!!! I do not mean go out and deliberately harm anyone, but it is perfectly OK to protect yourself and your loved ones. Yes it is OK to stand up for yourself or even fight back when needed, just make sure you do it the right way.

For example, if a person is constantly bringing negativity into your life, home, or job space; simply light a candle(the color is up to you, choose a color that represents banishing to you) write on a small piece of paper what this person is doing and how you want to deal with it, like having them change their ways, or move, or get a job transfer, then put it under the candle and let the candle burn till it stops on its own. repeat if necessary. When your goal has been met, either burn the paper and bury it far away from your home or do what I do, just flush the negativity away :)

There are ways to handle these situations without messing up your Karma. Never, ever wish the person or their loved ones harm, because it will come back to you and bite you on the ass hard.

The most important thing is to THINK before you do anything magical; ask yourself "Is there a non-magical way to solve this?" And if not, how should you proceed? Never, ever act in the heat of the moment; nothing good will come of it.

I do have to say I have been spiteful a few times and wished a certain person uncontrollable itching in their nether regions, but they had it coming! LOL

What is your opinion of the Rede?

August 20, 2013

The Full Moon, A Good Read, and Schools Back In Session

Let me start with happy and blessed Full Moon, I hope it has been a magical day for all of you.

My View Tonight

A Good Magically Wicked Read

OK so over the past month I have been, reading the most magically wicked online series, It's written by the Goddess of all writers Magaly Guerrero of Pagan Culture. The series is called "Thorn In Red" and it is the first story to suck me in like this in a long time. Magaly is updating it once a week on Tuesdays and I literally start checking her blog at 12:01 am on Tuesday to see if it's been updated. If you like love dark fiction with a magical twist then this series is for you. Run, Don't walk to Magaly's blog and read this series.


Schools Back In Session and a Health Update

Monday was my witchletts first day of school for the 2013-2014 school year, and so far everyone is happy including me :P . 

I had my appointment with the cardiologist last week, and as we already knew I have a super fast heart rate. I have been put on a new medicine, a beta blocker and it is taking some getting used to (I sleep a lot, a whole lot) and have to have an echo cardiogram in a few days. I'm hoping that once my body adjust to this new medication that I will be back to blagging on a more regular basis, it may take a few weeks so please bear with me on this.

Again I hope all of you have a blessed Full Moon, and go read Magaly's series.

Happy Reading and Many Blessings

Ash-Lynn  

August 7, 2013

Mabon's Coming!!!!!

I know it's more than a month away but I am so excited that the next Sabbat is Mabon!!! You see Mabon is extra special to me in fact it's is my most sacred and favorite Sabbat, and I'd like to share with you the reasons why. 


Image found on Google
My Mabon story starts back in 2000, I was recently divorced and was at a point in my life where I was starting over and wanted to discover the parts of myself that I had to keep hidden for so long, one of those being my religious/spiritual beliefs. 
I knew for a long time that I had different views on religion and spiritually than my family and most of my friends, and I wanted to learn more about and explore that side of myself. I dove right in searching online, reading books and talking to a few close friends and I discovered that I was drawn to the path of being Pagan/Witch. Not long after this I decided to embark on a year and a day learning process, I did this on my own as I have always been a bit of a loaner.

I learned so much over that year, The Sabbats, Goddesses and Gods, correspondence and so on. As the end of my year and a day grew closer I had the most wonderful things going on, I had fallen in love and was getting married,celebrating my birthday and moving into a new house. I also was trying to decide how and when I would dedicate myself to my new path.
My Year and a day was over on Sept. 19th, to celebrate I got married to my best friend and then a few days later on Mabon I dedicated myself to walking to path of the Goddess & God. Since then Mabon has been my favorite Sabbat, I am so drawn to it, I can't explain how much it means to me. 
Every year on Mabon, my family and I have a feast of red beans & rice, with cornbread. We also make a lovely apple cake for dessert, and I do a small ritual. I truly do love Mabon, and can't wait for it's arrival.

Do you have a Sabbat that is special to you?

Blessings

Ash-Lynn

August 1, 2013

I Heard The Sirens Call and So Should You!!!

Hello my lovely friends. Just wanted to tell you about an awesome blog and it's sensational give-a-way.


What is Samhains Sirens? Well it's a group of awesome group of witches who get together during the month of wickedness aka Samhain, or from October 1st through November 1st; They get together to gift the witchy community with blogs post, giveaways, craft ideas, recipes and music that all revolve around this awesome time of year.

The Give-A-Way

To celebrate not only overcoming their FB page being sabotaged but surpassing their original fan-base, they are doing not one but 5 give-a-ways. These are awesome witches and awesome give-a-ways so head on over to Samhains Sirens and check them and their give-a-way, you won't be sorry. 

I am so looking forward to October, and to seeing what they have in store for us this year!!!

Blessings

Ash-Lynn

July 31, 2013

July 29, 2013

I Am Triangle Obsessed!!!!

I mean, seriously, I am! I am finding them everywhere, including on my own body. Last night while helping me put on new heart monitor pads, my daughter starts pointing out that a lot of my moles/freckles are in the shapes of triangles; I told her I knew a few of them did.

Her are two of them I photoshoped them to add the outline.

This got me thinking though, why am I triangle obsessed and what do triangles mean to/for me? I have done research on this, and I know a few things:

They can represent the elements.
They can represent the triple Goddess.
Triangles represent gateways.

I am still trying to figure this out. I've been trying to figure out my past lives, so maybe they have something to do with that, or maybe something to do with my path. If any of you have any ideas I am open to any help.

Thanks & Blessings

Ash-Lynn

July 28, 2013

The Need For Nature

After the events of the past few weeks(with my health), I have had an overwhelming need to be in nature. I have a very special place where I like to go when I need to think or be one with nature; it's a place down on the bay where my daddy used to take me fishing as a child.

Picture Of Mobile Bay - by AL.com
Unfortunately I can't always make it out there, so I have to come up with other ways to be in nature; my favorite way of doing this is putting my bare feet in the grass, dirt, or mud. So that is what I will be doing tomorrow rain or shine my toes will be in the dirt, soaking in all the healing energies the earth/nature has to offer me. 

Nature is a part of all of us, the air we breath, the water we drink, the foods we get eat, and the sun that shines down on us. It's up to us to bring these aspects of nature into our lives, we can do this in many ways like...

Taking care of a house plant.
Walking barefoot in the yard.
Take a walk in the woods.
Go to the beach and watch the waves roll in.

What do you do to make and keep nature in of your life? 

Blessings

Ash-Lynn

July 26, 2013

A New Look

This is just a quick update to explain the new look, I just got the itch to change it up a bit and to change the colors to more calming tones. I really like the way it turned out, I hope you guys like it to.

Many Blessings

Ash-Lynn

July 22, 2013

Full Moon Blessing and A Hiccup

First let me start with wishing all of you a wonderfully blessed full moon!!! Hopefully your view of her is better than mine is tonight, thanks to storm clouds I don't have one.


Even though I can't see the goddess tonight, I know she's there and blessing all of us. Tonight is the last Super Moon of 2013 so enjoy it while you can.

The Hiccup

OK so it's not really a hiccup it's a health issue, namely my heart has decided to run a little erratic. So for the next month I get to wear a shiny new piece of jewelry, ok so it's not jewelry it's a heart monitor and it's a pain in the backside.


I will still be blogging and doing my normal stuff, but if I miss a day here of there I wanted you to know why.


Many Full Moon Blessings

Ash-Lynn

July 18, 2013

Why Are Spiritual Souls from the Times of the Lost Worlds on Earth Now?

Today we have a special guest post, by the wonderfully talented Allorah Rayne, If you don't know her then you should. I will link where you can find her below her post.


July 7, 2013

Dancing Under The Moon - Clothing Optional

Yesterday my friend Kammie posted the following on FB and it got me thinking about the subject of clothing and Pagan's/Witches.


Here in the Pagan community, we like to encourage women to free their bodies from the confines of clothing and to veil for the sake of spiritual protection. But Gods forbid a woman chooses to veil or dress conservatively simply to be modest. She's obviously oppressed by the Patriarchy *rolls eyes* and needs to re-program her mind to let it all hang out. It's not like she has the right to choose who gets to see her body and who doesn't. 
So many times I have heard/read that witches like to dance skyclad/naked under the full moon, I myself have danced under the full moon but never naked; it's just not my thing. I know that some Pagans/Witches think that if you go skyclad during rituals, etc to be closer to nature etc, but it is it necessary.

I personally think how we dress in or out of ritual is up to the individual, just like with anything else that come with the craft. I also don't think anyone should be judged on how they walk their path, because it's just that "theirs".

What is your opinion on this subject, should we "Dance Naked Under The Moon"?

 

July 1, 2013

Rose Quartz Heart, Tea & An Award!!!

First let me start with a huge "Thank You!!!" to the wonderful readers over at Pagan Pages Blog Hop for voting me/my blog as May's Brilliant Blogger for my post "A Thought On Meditation". I am so honored to have received this award, again thank you.

Now I would like to show off a beautiful gift my daughters bought for me while they were on vacation at Disney World. My wonderful and brilliant daughters really know their mom; they bought me tea and not just any tea, it's Alice In Wonderland Tea.

They also bought me a second gift: a beautiful heart-shaped Rose Quartz palm stone; it's full of energy and love.


I hope all of you have had a great start to your week and have a great week ahead.


Many Blessings


Ash-Lynn