Monday, September 29, 2014

Grimoire's Sneak Peek

October is a month of many celebrations and observances. It is: National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month; Cookie Month; Vegetarian month; Sarcastic Month; and Popping Popcorn Month. In addition to all of those are the more well known: Domestic Violence Awareness Month; Lupus Awareness Month; and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. October also includes: Name Your Car Day; Fire Prevention Day; Moldy Cheese Day; Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day; Wear Something Gaudy Day; and Increase Your Psychic Powers Day. Not to be forgotten, it also includes: Bosses Day; Mother-in-Law Day; Columbus Day; Sweetest Day; Oktoberfest; and of course, Samhain or Halloween. 

This last observance is the focus of our October 'Stone of the Month': Jet. Jet is known as a witch's stone. It is believed to bind spells and to provide protection from psychic attacks.
 
Be sure to check out Madame Z's post later this week. She will tell all about this amazing stone. (She takes her teddy bear to work with her everyday.)

Monday, September 22, 2014

Tomatoes, Camping, and Itty-Bitty Scarves

The past couple weeks have been very busy around here. Hubby and I took what is most likely the last camping trip of the summer. It's very hard for me to leave work behind and just relax, so I took along some yarn and knitting needles. Now I have a collection of itty-bitty scarves and hats just waiting for some itty-bitty snow people. The finished Christmas and Yule ornaments will be for sale at ravenheartdesigns.etsy.com.
 
 
After our vacation was over, we made one last outing to the CSA farm and stocked up on tomatoes, squash, and a few other veggies.
We are now up to our eyeballs in tomatoes to can and squash to freeze. It's a lot of work, but worth it!
 
As we have been working our way through our bounty of veggies, Grimmie, never one to miss any possibility of excitement, has added his invaluable support. However, he quickly became worn out from watching the humans' work and had to find a place to chill.
 
The rest of the staff, allergic to anything resembling housework, have been nowhere to be found.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Madame Z's Corner: Autumn Jasper

Madame Z provides monthly posts featuring a different healing stone each month. She gathers her info from many different sources including the books: The Pocket Book of Stones; The Way of the Green Witch; Healing Crystals and Gemstones; The Essential Guide to Crystals, Minerals, and Stones; and Grimoire for a Green Witch; the websites: That Crystal Site; Wings of Spirit; and Healing Crystals for You; as well as relying on personal experience. Healing stones are not a substitute for medical treatment. Anyone with serious medical or emotional issues should consult with a health care professional. When purchasing a healing stone, it is best to buy the stone you are drawn to. Healing stones should be cleansed and charged periodically. We cleanse our personal stones at least once a month, and sometimes more often if we feel they need it. Cleansing can be accomplished by holding the stone in a stream of water. A natural stream is best, but since most of us do not have access to one, filtered water is a good substitute. Stones that include metals should not be placed in water because of the risk of rust. These stones can be placed in dirt or smudged with white sage. To recharge the stones, place in a sunny window or in moonlight for a few hours.



 
Our spotlight stone for September is Autumn Jasper. This stone is appropriately named as it contains many of the colors associated with the season. Jaspers in general are known as the stone of selflessness and are thought to be good grounding stones. They are also known as slow, gentle healers. Because they bring about changes slowly, they are considered good stones for those who are very sensitive to energies and who may not be able to tolerate a more invigorating healing stone. Jaspers are believed to encourage a connection to the Earth, to balance Yin and Yang energies, and to align all the chakras. They are also considered protective stones and are believed to stabilize and cleanse the aura of negativity.
 
Autumn Jasper in particular is thought to clear away negative energy, both inner and environmental. It is believed to provide support during stressful times and to inspire tranquility and a feeling of wholeness. This stone is also thought to enhance perception, to stimulate interaction, to dispel critical thinking, and to calm the mind. Autumn Jasper is believed to remind us that we are all connected to the circle of life.
 
Physically, Autumn Jasper is thought to combat dehydration, to treat disorders of the nervous system, brain, and thyroid, and to treat gastrointestinal issues. It is also considered to be helpful with insomnia, and is even thought to soften and smooth the skin.
 
Jasper is even helpful to the plant community. It is believed that burying a jasper stone in each corner of a garden will encourage a more balanced harvest.
 
Jasper is associated with all chakras. Our experience with this wonderful stone is that it brings a feeling of emotional balance to the body. The human staff member is very sensitive to energies and some stones are too strong for her to tolerate. Jasper was one of the first stones she was able to use for her own healing. We know it as a very gentle healer.
 
Cleanse jasper with warm water and charge with sunlight.