Wednesday, October 27, 2010

More Treasure Hunting...


Saturday was a perfect day for yard-sale-ing.  How cool is this little bark Faery (bird) house for $0.25?


A nice, tinkle-y wind chime for $0.50...


 A better view...


I collect sets of vintage reindeer, so I grabbed these up for $1.00.  They are adorable!


A wool, Mexican blanket for $1.00...  in perfect condition.


Four little frogs to hide in my potted plants... (and to keep the real ones company that live there now.)  $1.00 for all...


I'm not sure about this... I try to stick to my rule of not buying anything if I don't LOVE it, and I'm not sure I love this.  But for $1.00 (it was marked $2.00),  I couldn't leave it there.  It might end up in the potting shed...


One embroidered doily and three embroidered table-runners, all for $1.00.  Two are not in great shape, so they will be added to the stack of goodies I am saving to make my next crazy quilt.  


I don't understand why people would want to get rid of this stuff, but I guess I'm glad they do!  Such tedious work, and so beautiful...



Two glass bunnies for spring-time...


Now for the Treasure Trash...  One nice old, chippy metal tray that has already found a home above the pantry...


Someone thought this deserved to go to the landfill - in brand new condition!  Now it has a happy home in my craft room...  And it is on wheels!


Someone else obviously didn't know that you can cash in paperback books at the used book store, so that is just what I did... for a credit of $44.00!  There were 24 of them in great condition, but I kept a couple that looked interesting.

MOON SONG #13

You knew it was coming...

Peace, love, and happiness,
Earth Mother

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

So is it mantel or mantle?


Whatever... this is my Halloween/Samhain one...  Click for a closer look.  The only items that were purchased this year are the orange doilies, $1.00.....


...this black and gold, etched metal goblet/vase for $0.50...


...and this brass and iron mini cauldron for $0.50.  So I *almost* kept my promise not to buy any Halloween decorations this year!  The spider web is new this year, but I made it from old stuff.  I guess the beads are new as well.  They are old Mardi Gras beads spray-painted black.


We are starting to see some good fall color around the place.


Boy, am I going to miss this view.  


The leaves are everywhere, and it will only get worse from here!

Peace, love, and happiness,
Earth Mother

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Recent Garage Sale Stuff and Treasure Trash...


 One fugly lamp.... free.  This will soon be transformed into a shabby chic treasure.


Love the flowers and leaf pattern.


It actually works, so no rewiring will be necessary.  The glass globe also lights up.


So the transformation begins.  I will keep you updated.


One old twig basket for the garden... free.  


An old rusty lunch pail.... free.  


Plant stand for the potting table.... $1.00.  Some paint maybe?


I love love love it when fabulous treasures find me.  This was $1.00!  I couldn't tell what it was when it was in the plastic bag, but I could see the fantastic detail on the links and that is all I needed to know.


Click for a closer look.  Yes, I did the happy dance when I figured out that it was a necklace.


I showed it to a jeweler friend, and he said that it isn't silver (who cares, it ROCKS!), but it is old.  Most likely from India.


The butter dish is silver-plated... $2.50!  The set of four appliqued napkins was $2.00.


These doilies are now part of my Halloween mantel decorations.  They were $1.00.  This set of hand-appliqued napkins was $1.00.


A embroidered, square table-topper with what looks like hand-made lace trim.  There are a few small moth holes in it, but for $1.00 who cares? 


The Old Hippie has been asked to drill a hole in the bottom of each of these.  Perfect for a kitchen window herb garden.


This lace panel curtain was $0.25.  I just couldn't leave it there....


I'm a sucker for lace....

MOON SONG #12 of 99


Peace, love, and happiness,
Earth Mother

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Our Ghost...


Yes, we have a real ghost.  Or maybe ghosts.  Or maybe some sort of manifested energy.  I dunno exactly what, but we do have something with us in our home.  I know this qualifies me as a total flake, but there really is no denying it now.  (And I love flying a freak flag anyway, so it satisfies.)  

We have been seeing odd things since we moved to this house in 2006, but always the sort of things that we could dismiss as our minds playing tricks.  Until the last few months.  On Monday evening, the Old Hippie was making a sandwich at the kitchen counter.  I was in the adjacent laundry room.  I turned to look into the kitchen and clearly saw an opaque, white form in the opening between the kitchen and the den, about six feet from the Old Hippie's back.  As I focused on it, it quickly moved around the corner into the den and out of sight.  I didn't see any specific features, just an amorphous form.  It was about the size and height of an adult, but there was nothing below knee level. The movement was as if it "walked" around the corner.  Okay, really creepy, right?  But I didn't feel anything - no change in energy, nothing at all. 

About two months ago, the Old Hippie had gotten home before the CritterBug and me, and he was in the back bedroom.  He heard a door shut, and voices, then sounds from the kitchen like groceries being unpacked.  He assumed we had arrived home, so he went to greet us, only we weren't home yet.  This has happened a few more times since then, and he clearly hears a woman's voice but cannot make out any words.  Needless to say this freaks him out so much so that he has had to leave the house for a few hours.

A month ago, as I walked into the master bathroom, there was a white flash that flew out of the bathroom at about knee level, and my instant reaction was to jump out of the way.  Then I just stood there asking myself what-the-hell just happened. This same thing happened months ago to the Old Hippie, only it came into our bedroom from the patio door, and it was at shoulder level and bigger.  There comes a point that you have to admit to yourself that yes, this all sounds completely bat-shit crazy.  I don't know if I would believe someone telling something like this, but when you know, you know.  

 Now this next thing is by far the creepiest.  Because it wasn't white.  It was shadowy.  And smaller.  And watching.  A while back I was in bed reading with the bedroom door cracked about a foot.  I saw a shadowy something about 3 1/2 feet tall looking at me from the opening.  As I focused on it, it moved out of sight.  A few days later I was in bed reading again.  There is a long mirror mounted on the wall opposite the bed which reflects the shelves beside my bed.  I saw the same sort of thing in the reflection of the mirror meaning it was right beside my bed.  Again it moved away when I focused on it.  Again, seriously creepy. 

So with the veil between the worlds being the thinnest on Friday, I am expecting more of the same.  Our house was built only six years ago, but it was built around the frame of an older house that was moved to this location.  I regularly do home cleansings, and I have several forms of protection in place.  So what do you think?  Have you had a ghost experience? 

Peace, love, and happiness,
Earth Mother

Monday, October 11, 2010

Reconsider Columbus Day...




More:


The Truth Behind Columbus Day



Happy Columbus Day?


This one is good, if you can get through the death metal background music....
Columbus: Continuation of a Genocidal Legacy 


Peace, love, and happiness,
Earth Mother

Friday, October 8, 2010

Meteor Shower Tonight... Meh...


Don't expect too much, though.  The peak is only estimated to be ten per hour, but with the new moon, conditions are best for viewing.  The radiant point of the Draconid meteor shower almost coincides with the head of the constellation Draco the Dragon, in the northern sky.  That’s why it is best viewed from the northern hemisphere.  This shower is a real oddity, in the respect that its radiant point is highest in the sky as darkness falls. The shower is definitely a sleeper, producing only a handful of slow meteors per hour in most years. But watch out if the dragon awakes! On occasion, fiery Draco has been known to spew forth hundreds – if not thousands – of meteors in a single hour. An outburst is not predicted for this year, but then, one never knows when an outburst may occur.  In certain years, the Draconids have suddenly sprung to life. In 1933, for example, the meteor shower reached a peak rate of a hundred meteors a minute, while in 1998 viewers saw as many as 500 meteors an hour.  Since the new moon was last night, we’re guaranteed of dark nights for observing these meteors. Unlike most meteor showers, more Draconid meteors are likely to fly in the evening than in the morning hours after midnight - good for us old earlybirds! 

Look northward for the very slow-moving Draconid meteors on the evenings of October 7 and 8.  

Mark your calendar now for next year's Draconids.  It is predicted to peak at 120 per hour!

MOON SONG #11 of 99


Peace, love, and happiness,
Earth Mother

Thursday, October 7, 2010

You know that she's half crazy, but that's why you want to be there...

Not a moon song, but a song that I have always loved......

 
 
Peace, love, and happiness,
Earth Mother

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Guilty Pleasures...


I had a McDonald's double cheeseburger for lunch.  Epic fail for the Earth Mother.  That is quite a guilty pleasure for me considering that I detest fast food, the fast food industry, and industrial farms, but there I was in the drive through, giving my order to a little speaker box.  So much guilt over a $1.00 purchase.  No doubt I will beat myself up about this for the rest of the day, but life goes on....  

Then I started thinking about all of my other guilty pleasures...

Oprah

(Who doesn't love a barbed penis?)

South Park
(and Victorian Industrial music in general.  Boy, this chick has got some rage.)

Watching bootleg movies on ch131.com during my lunch break...

Boy George and Culture Club...


Taking I-420 to an outdoor concert...

Drag Queens...

Stealing Gideon Bibles...

(Dirk Diggler and Reed Rothchild, oh my!)

Rock Star  by Nickelback

Dirty Dancing, Footloose, Top Gun and other sundry 80's movies...

and the ultimate guilty pleasure:  ABBA

What are YOUR guilty pleasures???

Peace, love, and happiness,
Earth Mother




Thursday, September 30, 2010

No Flaming Marshmallow Bombs... Sigh....


This weekend will be my youngest son's first time at Boy Scout camp, and it looks like the weather will be nice.  The Old Hippie cannot attend with him, soooo.....  guess who gets to go?  Moi!  And I couldn't be happier about spending time with my CritterBug.  One problem has been identified so far - there is a burn ban for the area in which the Scout camp is located so there will be no campfires.  No smores.  No flaming marshmallow bombs.  No fire meditation.  This will not get us down!  It may get a little chilly when the sun goes down, but we will go prepared.

MOON SONG #10 of 99

Old funk puts me in a great mood.  I want to get out bell-bottoms, Dr. Scholls clogs, and a halter top!  

Peace, love, and happiness,
Earth Mother


Wednesday, September 29, 2010

The Secret Life of Garbage...


Trash, Inc. The Secret Life of Garbage is a program that is airing on CNBC tonight at 8:00 p.m. Central Time.  I think this is one worth watching.

MOON SONG #9 of 99

One more from Stevie... One of my all-time favorites that I cannot sing or even listen to without getting that big lump in my throat...  If you have ever had a landslide (who hasn't?) you know what I mean...  Grab a hanky.

 
Peace, love, happiness... and Stevie Nicks,
Earth Mother
 
 

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Terrible Tuesday...

Horrible week at work....

MOON SONG #8 of 99


Peace, love, and happiness,
Earth Mother

Monday, September 27, 2010

Manic Monday....

Working under a tight deadline at work so I only have time for the Moon Song today!  Be good(ish).

MOON SONG #7 of 99

 
 
Peace, love, and happiness,
Earth Mother

Friday, September 24, 2010

Midnight Margaritas...



Welcome to the Practical Magic Blog Party 2010!!!!!!

Practical Magic Blog Party

The Midnight Margarita scene is definitely my favorite scene in the movie!  I bet I'm not alone!  Margaritas...  not-so-much my favorite mixed drink.  Tequila and I parted ways many years ago.  It was a love/hate relationship.  Occasionally our paths meet again, we do some catching up, wax nostalgic... I romanticize about being young and free in my 1987 Toyota Tercel hatchback and any number of oh-so-fine but malleable boyfriends that I would eventually tire of and toss aside out of boredom... We become instant friends again, like no time has passed at all.  We laugh, we sing, we dance.... but it always ends the same.  Painfully.  And when I wake the next morning (or afternoon), my head feels as though it is in a vice grip, and someone is using a Makita 18V Lithium-Ion Cordless Hammer Driver Drill on my skull.  Buh-bye Tequila, don't come around here no more.




This dark-colored margarita is perfect for 
adult Halloween parties. Rum, (no Ta-kill-ya)
Blue Curacao, grenadine and a homemade
Lime Mix combine for a delicious drink.  If you have
made enemies with tequila in the past, this is the 
margarita for you!






MIDNIGHT MARGARITAS
Ingredients for each serving:
2 ounces dark Rum
1 ounce Blue Curacao
1/2 ounce Grenadine
4 ounces Lime Mix (see below)

Lime Mix:
Blend together 1 cup lime juice and 1 cup sugar until sugar is dissolved.  Keep refrigerated until use.

Method:
Fill a shaker with ice cubes, add all the ingredients and shake until well blended.  Strain into a margarita glass filled with fresh crushed ice.

Notes:
You must use the exact ratios to result in this deliciously dark margarita that is perfect for any celebration, but particularly perfect for a MIDNIGHT MARGARITA PARTY!



MIDNIGHT MARGARITAS
 (of the Strawberry and Diet Variety)

5-6 large frozen strawberries
1 cup cold water
1 individual packet of Crystal Light Lemon/Lime Drink Mix
2 heaping teaspoons of Splenda
2 ounces of Jimmy's favorite Tequila - El Diablo
Step 1 - Blend all ingredients until thick and smooth.
Step 2 - Salt the rim of a glass and pour.
Step 3 - DRINK!

Makes one HUGE serving or two regular servings.  Enjoy.....

 Click HERE for the video!


Eye of newt, toe of frog, wing of bat, tongue of dog.
Adder’s fork and blind worm’s sting…
Barbados lime is just the thing.
Fragias salt, like a sailors stubble…
Flip the switch, and let the cauldron bubble!



Peace, love, and happiness,
Earth Mother

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Yes, I'm a Taphophile...


Taphophilia (from Wiki) is a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries.  The singular term is a taphophile.  Taphophilia involves epitaphs, gravestone rubbing, photography, art, and history of (famous) deaths.  An example of an individual's expression of taphophilia is the character Harold in the movie Harold and Maude.  Taphophilia should not be confused with necrophilia, which is a sexual attraction to corpses.


Yep, I'm one.  I love walking through cemeteries and reading the gravestones, trying to piece together the families and their history.  The heavy energy is sometimes very overwhelming, and I have to leave.  Making gravestone rubbings is also a favorite way to kill a Sunday afternoon, although I have had to explain on several occasions that I am not a vandal.  When you clean and prepare a gravestone (remove the mold and lichens) to do a rubbing, you actually prolong the life of the stone by one-hundred years.  Once people understand what you are doing, they don't mind. 


I found these photos online while doing some research on local abandoned cemeteries.  I was unable to find the exact location, but one site said it was in Italy.  There are also some very interesting photos here and here.  Enjoy!  Are you a taphophile?

MOON SONGS #6 of 99

This one reminds me riding in Mom's brand new 1976 Cutlass Supreme.  Good times...

Peace, love, and happiness,
Earth Mother

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Beautyberry...


I have seen this plant all my life, but until a few years ago, I never knew what it was.  All I knew was that birds liked them.  As it turns out, the American Beautyberry (Callicarpa Americana) is pretty interesting.  The leaves can be crushed and used as a mosquito repellent, and the berries can be made into jelly that reportedly has a mild pomegranate flavor.  I have never tasted it, but I will definitely be harvesting some soon for that purpose.  It is growing everywhere around here!  Beautyberry has also proven to be an attractive plant for wildlife within its native range.  Birds - including robins, catbirds, cardinals, mockingbird, brown thrashers, finches and towhees - are favorite consumers of both the fresh berries and the shriveled raisins.  The fruit is loved by white-tailed dear as well, and the fruit will usually last into the early winter. 


It is native from Maryland to Florida and west through Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas.  Beautyberry commonly occurs on a wide variety of sites - moist to dry, open to shady.  It can also be grown in a garden or flower bed.  It is very easy to identify. I have read that the berries do not have any flavor when eaten raw, and have an unpleasant, mealy texture, but taste good when made into jelly.  A very informative video can be found here.


It has beautiful lavender flowers in the spring.  You can root softwood cuttings in sand.  Keep them moist and they should root in one to two weeks.  Beautyberry can tolerate extremes of heat and cold, prefer partial shade, but are more fruitful in the sun if given the proper moisture.


The shrub often volunteers within its range, sometimes so much that it is considered to be a pest.  Seeds are bird-dispersed.  To use as an insect repellent, just crush some leaves and rub them all over.  In this Mother Earth News article, it says that extracts made from Beautyberry can match DEET for repelling mosquitoes.


I will be sure and keep you updated when I make the jelly.  Have you ever made or tasted Beautyberry jelly?

Moon Song #5 of 99


Peace, love, and happiness,
Earth Mother