It's raining again, a heavy, clinging rain like those of Autumns always are. It's already gotten so cold here, 2 frosts last week: Mabon has arrived. The energies as of late are so... weighty. Autumn tends to be like that. A hard season of change that demands the waning Solar energies get on with it ...and get out. The Moon also wanes. Perhaps it is these two combined that makes the now so trying. Perhaps dear Jupiter, His back turned to us, is also having an effect.

My optimism, at the moment is fading. There are energies at work that drag and pull, like swimming in a dress. Break free and swim to the surface, or be dragged to the bottom to drown. 

I dreamt of picking four-leaf clovers last night. They were Autumn clovers, changed and thin, drying and cracking. I found three, but then the third one disappeared and I couldn't find it again, though I looked all about.

Old demons cling hardest when you're finally to be free of them for good. Shadows of last Summer are appearing again, digging in their claws, letting their presence be known. Shake 'em loose, just shake 'em loose. The surface is just ahead, shake 'em loose and swim. The Sun is shining just beyond, and four-leaf clovers only grow in the sunshine...

Kids and crafts naturally go hand-in-hand, and magickal crafts are no exception! Making charms, such as amulets, talismans, and wards, are a great way to not only teach your children magick but to recognize that magick is a part of every day life. 

Children are naturally tactile: they like to feel things, be it touching objects with their hands, or feeling the movements of their bodies as they dance and run about. Keeping their hands active is a great way to keep them interested and focused, focused enough to notice the slight energy changes that occur when they really concentrate.

I am a big fan of salt-dough. It's easy to make and lends itself well to a wide variety of projects. But, best of all, making it can easily be rendered a magickal process and it can be used to make magickal objects. Scrying bowls, candle holders, offering bowls, and Sabbat decorations are all possibilities. This is is an example of using salt-dough to make magickal charms. 

The Sun creeped in through the closed shades, casting golden lines upon the honey colored wood floor. The house was quiet, most of the family was still asleep; muffled snores could be heard through a closed bedroom door. 

From outside, the sounds of traffic were a low murmur. Larger diesel vehicles could be heard shifting gears as they went up or came down the hill in front of the house. Children gathered at the ends of driveways, proudly sporting brand new backpacks overloaded with shiny new school supplies. Filled with nervous excitement, they would pose for one more picture for their mom, casting sideway glances, hoping that the school bus full of kids wouldn't happen upon this embarrassing scene. But not at our house.

I'll warn you now by stating that this probably isn't going to be a constructive post, there won't be anything learned for either of us. Now that you're properly prepared, let us continue, shall we?

This past Dark Moon time was not a pleasant one for me. Mercury went direct, the Moon went Dark, Jupiter went retrograde, and I happened to be in the grips of a 6 months postpartum hormone imbalance; all this within the same 3 day period. Yeah, fun times. All attempts at grounding did not help as much as I needed; I was still shaky and scatter brained. Several headaches, too, and Reiki barely helped. But, the Moon waxes strongly, and I am feeling better now. I've also given up coffee (which I only drink postpartum in hopes of staying conscious) because I've noticed I'm becoming addicted to sugar (which must go in coffee because coffee is... not as pleasant as it could be....)