Hi, folks!
Last Minus Tide of the cycle at 10:45 AM of -0.3 feet. The shop opens at 1pm. Spring hours are 1-6pm Thurs.-Mon. Featured photo by Ken Gagne. Sewing Workshop 3pm.
[posting at 6pm] It’s been overcast pretty much all day with a decent breeze. There’s a light drizzle now, not enough to more than dampen the pavement, but you can see the little circles on the puddles. 57F, wind at 0-15mph and gusting, AQI 7-31, UV7. Chance of rain 98% today and tonight. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY until 5am on Sunday. Today’s gonna be wet. Tomorrow, too. We’re looking at 1 1/2 inches of rain over the next couple of days. Forecast – Today(59/54) Rain, pretty steady and heavy at times. Tomorrow(57-49) Rain again. Mon(58/47) AM showers, then cloudy. Tue-Sun, dry, but mostly cloudy. Highs from 61-65, Lows from 51-56.
Oregano (and bitter-cress, that went for soup!)
I wrote so much on Thursday that it just seemed like nothing else really happened. I know better. We made a chicken and rice dish for supper, and Tempus took off early to do the bulk route, but that’s about all I can think of.
I had no trouble waking up in the morning, but then kept falling asleep at my desk, yesterday. Once I had my 2nd cup of coffee I was able to keep going, but it was a struggle…and I’m not sure why. At night, I have trouble sleeping, but daytimes I’m dozy. Go figure! I chased Tempus off the snooze for a bit. He fell asleep in the car a couple of times last night… No, he was parked, but still…. I was trying to write. Thankfully, I’ll still be able to edit…some of the mis-typing… Urk. So I started trying to enter more books from the stuff Tempus brought from storage…. Well, I guess it was one of “those” days. <sigh> …and went to sleep sitting at my desk…. I think it was an hour…. obviously the shop was *not* busy!
I’m supposed to make sesame chicken again for supper. I’ll go start once Tempus is awake and then back from the bank.
Today we’re supposed to be open at 1pm. I’m hoping I’ll actually be able to *do* something today! I have more books to work on, plus plant stuff and Sewing Workshop at 3pm. I’m not planning anything during that time, just whatever walks in, although I want to keep going on the little Bartholomew Baby smocks if no one shows up.
…and so you know. I’m not commenting on the shootings because it hurts too much. I am anything but indifferent.
Tempus is up and off to the bank. I’ve started the marinating on the chicken. I’m glad we already have rice to go with it… one less things to do…. Ok, he’s back. I’ll get this out and go cook.
A pic that I got of the sunset on 6/3/15
Today is the birthday of Socrates, the Athenian philosopher who has set the tone of this field of study for well over two millennia, now. He is credited with inventing the Socratic method of questioning., a technique that gets the student to tell the teacher the answers rather than simply absorbing them. After a large political fight he was sentenced to death by the politicos in Athens and famously drank hemlock. I guess our politicians ought to be glad we don’t live back then! The fight was between pure democracy, which wasn’t working, at least in part because of the same inequality issues that we’re facing today, and oligarchy/tyranny (rule by class or by one strong leader). Socrates wasn’t on the side of democracy, which startles folks, today. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrates
Today’s Plant is Pearly Everlasting, Anaphalis margaritacea, sometimes called Life-Everlasting. The “everlasting” part of the name comes from the fact that the flowers dry well and can be used as decorations during the winter months. There are a number of medicinal uses for this plant, particularly as poultices and often as a decoction added to a hot bag of some sort (iow, put it on a washcloth, warm and put a heating pad on top of that) for bruises, sprains and to the chest for bronchitis, among others – Feminine, Venus, Air – Add to spells that are long-term. Can be useful in a sachet/potpourri/amulet since the flowers will soak up essential oils and release the scent over time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaphalis_margaritacea
Jarilo’s Day – Kresen (June) 4 – Today is dedicated to Jarilo, the God of the Sun and fertility. Slavic people celebrate this holiday with festivities and dancing on a grand scale. “…As we approached, we saw about 4,000 men and women who had gathered together from all over Rus. It was some holiday, and we feared, when we saw how these manic people celebrated this day by erotic dancing, singing, and loud and high shrieks of delight.” (Gerborod, July 4, 1121).
Spring hours are 1-6pm Thurs.-Mon., although we’re often here later as the days get longer. Need something off hours? Give us a call at 541-563-7154 or Facebook message or email at anjasnihova@yahoo.com If we’re supposed to be closed, but it looks like we’re there, try the door. If it’s open, the shop’s open! In case of bad weather, check here at the blog for updates, on our Facebook as Ancient Light, or call the shop.
Love & Light,
Anja
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Today’s Astro & Calendar
Moon in Leo
Waxing Moon Magick – The waxing moon is for constructive magick, such as love, wealth, success, courage, friendship, luck or healthy, protection, divination. Any working that needs extra power, such as help finding a new job or healings for serious conditions, can be done now. Also, love, knowledge, legal undertakings, money and dreams. Phase ends at the Tide Change on 6/14 at 4:52am. Waxing Crescent phase – Keywords for the Crescent phase are: expansion, growth, struggle, opportunity. It is the time in a cycle that you gather the wisdom learned in the new phase and communicate your intention to move forward. Light a candle. Write or read an affirmation. LISTEN & ABSORB. Commit to your goal. God/dess aspect: Maiden/Youth, energy and enthusiasm – Associated God/dess: Artemis & Apollo, Mayet/Djehuti, Freya/Frey. Phase ends at the Quarter on 6/7 at 7:48am.
The waxing crescent Moon reappears in the western evening sky this week, as lunation number 1230 gets under way. The “lunation number” is a running count of lunar months starting at each new Moon. It’s also called the Brown Lunation Number; it began with the first new Moon of 1923, the year when Ernest William Brown’s improved lunar theory (precise mathematical model of the Moon’s orbit) was introduced to compute the Moon’s position and phases for the major national astronomical almanacs. Other lunar-month counting systems are also used. The one boasting the highest count is the Hebrew Lunation Number, starting with the zero mark of the Hebrew calendar on October 7, 3761 BC. We’re beginning Hebrew Lunation Number 72,464. A lunar month (synodic month) averages 29.530575 days long. By comparison, our civil calendar months, ranging from 28 to 31 days, average 30.436875 days long in the Gregorian calendar now in use. This means that any given phase of the Moon occurs about one day earlier each calendar month on average.
After dark, the crescent Moon forms a long isosceles (two sides equal) triangle with Regulus and Gamma Leonis (a little fainter) to the Moon’s upper left. The Moon is at the long end of the triangle. Tomorrow evening the triangle will be much shorter and flatter, but still isosceles.
The Milky Way and Summer Triangle – The summer Milky Way hangs above Lake Alqueva, part of a dark-sky reserve in Portugal. The brightest star of the Summer Triangle, Vega in Lyra, lies near the top left of the image. Deneb in Cygnus appears to its lower left and Altair in Aquila resides to their lower right. – Miguel Claro
As we count down the last 17 days to official summer (the solstice comes on June 21st ), the Summer Triangle stands high and proud in the east after dark. Its top star is bright Vega. Deneb is the brightest star to Vega’s lower left, by 2 or 3 fists at arm’s length. Look for Altair a greater distance to Vega’s lower right. Altair shines midway in brightness between Vega and Deneb. If you have a dark enough sky, the Milky Way runs across the lower part of the Triangle, from side to side.
Saturn, magnitude +0.7, glows in eastern Capricornus a good 40° (about four fists) right or upper right of Jupiter before dawn. The little star 2° to Saturn’s lower right is Delta Capricorni, magnitude 2.8.
Runic Half-month of Othala/ Odal/Odel 5/29-6/13- The rune Odel signifies ancestral property, the homestead, and all those things that are “one’s own”.
Saturn Retrograde at 2:47pm (10/23)
Pluto Retrograde (10/8)
Goddess Month of Hera runs from 5/16 – 6/12
Celtic Tree Month of Huath/Hawthorn, May 13 – Jun 9
Color – Brown
©2022 M. Bartlett, Some parts separately copyright
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The very old hawthorn at Saint-Mars-sur-la-Futaie, France, planted in the 3rd century!
Celtic Tree Month of Huath/Hawthorn, May 13 – Jun 9 – I am fair among flowers – Color: Purple – Class: Peasant – Letter: H – Meaning: Being held back for a period of time – Hawthorn – Like willows, hawthorns have many species in Europe, and they are not always easy to tell apart. All are thorny shrubs in the Rose family (Rosaceae), and most have whitish or pinkish flowers. The common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.) and midland hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata (Poiret) DC.) are both widespread. They are common in abandoned fields and along the edges of forests. Both are cultivated in North America, as are several native and Asiatic hawthorns. Curtis Clark
Huathe – Hawthorne Ogam letter correspondences
Month: April
Color: Purple
Class: Peasant
Letter: H
Meaning: Being held back for a period of time
to study this month – Ur – Heather and Mistletoe Ogam letter correspondences
Month: None
Color: Purple
Class: Heather is Peasant; Mistletoe is Chieftain
Letter: U
Meaning: Healing and development on the spiritual level.
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Tides for Alsea Bay
*
Day High Tide Height Sunrise Moon Time % Moon
~ /Low Time Feet Sunset Visible
Sa 4 High 3:25 AM 6.8 5:33 AM Set 12:47 AM 15
~ 4 Low 10:45 AM -0.3 8:56 PM Rise 9:49 AM
~ 4 High 5:40 PM 5.7
~ 4 Low 10:46 PM 3.5
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Affirmation/Thought for the Day – May our lives be marked by love, generosity, and the power to work for justice. Blessings of this new day.
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Journal Prompt – Personal taste – Should animals be used for medical research?
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Quotes
~ Part of self-empowerment is discovering the divine within. Thou art God/dess. – Kerr Cuhulain
~ Cut hay right after the full moon. – “Old Farmer’s Almanac”, circa 1745
~ I never believed marriage was a lasting institution … I thought that to be married for five years was to be married forever. – Lauren Bacall
~ The fear is worse than the pain. – Shannon Bahr
The Solitary Reaper BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
Behold her, single in the field,
Yon solitary Highland Lass!
Reaping and singing by herself;
Stop here, or gently pass!
Alone she cuts and binds the grain,
And sings a melancholy strain;
O listen! for the Vale profound
Is overflowing with the sound.
No Nightingale did ever chaunt
More welcome notes to weary bands
Of travellers in some shady haunt,
Among Arabian sands:
A voice so thrilling ne’er was heard
In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird,
Breaking the silence of the seas
Among the farthest Hebrides.
Will no one tell me what she sings?—
Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow
For old, unhappy, far-off things,
And battles long ago:
Or is it some more humble lay,
Familiar matter of to-day?
Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain,
That has been, and may be again?
Whate’er the theme, the Maiden sang
As if her song could have no ending;
I saw her singing at her work,
And o’er the sickle bending;—
I listened, motionless and still;
And, as I mounted up the hill,
The music in my heart I bore,
Long after it was heard no more.
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Litha Magick – Litha Recipes
Rose Shortbread – Recipe by Anja – Roses are the ultimate Litha Flower. If you have access to unsprayed roses (or rugosas) you can make a treat that’s perfect for this time of year, or even as a wedding gift.
- 1 cup of rose flowers (red roses or rugosa roses are preferable)
- 1 cup of sugar
- 2 cups (1 pound) of butter
- 3 cups of flour
- 2 cookie sheets
- Mixer
- Pizza or other rolling cutter
- Flat space prepped with foil or something that won’t be hurt by a pizza cutter.
Method
- Prepare your cookie sheets with baking parchment, or be prepared to have very messy pans! …and set the pizza cutter ready.
- Preheat to 350F.
- Prepare the roses by removing the calyx and bits from the center.
- Using small scissors, ship out the white part at the base of the flower.
- Wash your petals off, trying not to crush them.
- Soften the butter. 1 minute in the microwave is good, although it might partially melt.
- Put the butter in a mixer and start it up.
- Run it to “cream”, then slow to the lowest setting.
- Leaving it running add the sugar.
- Add the roses, scraping down until butter, sugar and petals are all incorporated.
- Add the flour, one cup at the time, making sure that it’s all mixed in.
- Divide the dough between the cookie sheets, handling as little as possible.
- Bake one pan at a time until the top begins to change color and the edges brown.
- Remove and quickly flip onto your flat space and cut into 1×2 inch pieces as quickly as possible. Your last few will probably crunch and break.
- Repeat with the other pan…. Btw, don’t try to save time by making the 1st sheet wait while you put the other one in. If you do, you’ll probably break about ½ of them, instead of a just a few.
- Allow to cool and store air-tight.
Cherry Soup
Ingredients:
- • 1/2 pound bing cherries, pitted and stemmed
- • 1/2 cup dry white wine
- • juice of 1/2 lemon
- • 1 tablespoon creme fraiche or sour cream
- • dash of salt
- • honey to taste
Directions: Blend and serve in chilled soup bowls. Top each with quenelle of lime sorbet and mint sprig.
Notes: Recipe courtesy of Chef Garrett Brown, Verve Wine Bar in Seattle. It has not been tested by NPR.
This soup can be served either as a cool first course on a hot day or as a final dessert by adjusting the ingredients, garnish and honey content. Try it with minced shallot, less honey and topping each soup with a pinch of pulled pork for a delicious appetizer. Double the honey and the sour cream contents, and top with coconut ice cream for a dessert soup.
BAKED TOMATOES – Gordon Ireland – Serves 6-8
- 3 whole fresh tomatoes
- 12-oz bag cheddar cheese
- Fresh parsley
- Foil
- Flat tray or cookie sheet
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.
- Shred cheddar cheese
- Slice the tomato 1/2-inch thick.
- Place on tin foil on tray sprayed with baking spray or brushed with oil.
- Liberally spread cheddar cheese on the tomatoes.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle parsley over tomatoes.
Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes
- Small bag Angel Hair Pasta
- 4 Teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 8 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
- 2 cup finely diced onion
- 4 Teaspoon Oregano
- 12 tomatoes, chopped
- 4 Teaspoon Basil
- 4 teaspoon salt
- Cook pasta.
- Drain.
- Chill.
- While pasta is cooking and chilling, chop up all other ingredients.
- Place in a large container.
- Add pasta and stir well.
- Chill for one hour in the refrigerator before serving.
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Silliness – Uncertainty
Heisenberg gets pulled over for speeding and the officer asks, “do you know how fast you were going?”
“No.” replies Heisenberg, “but I knew exactly where I was.”
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