Wildcrafting

I do a lot of wild crafting out here. There are many resources around, if you look in the right places. One of my favorite things to Wild Craft is the desert sage. It makes wonderful sage sticks. Over the years, I have found that the best time to gather the wild sage that grows rampant and plentiful around here is during the Full Moon In May. June works too, but if you wait too long, the sage gets to big, or too old, and isn't as *soft* as it is in the beginning of the season. I like to go out and search for the softest tops I can find. Then come home, and spend the evening during the moon tying all the bundle's together. Then hang them up to dry. There is nothing like smelling the drying sage, or seeing it hang around the house while drying, to get you in that *witchy* mood!
I try to gather enough to last me the year. I am usually cutting it close, like this year, because I also like to share, if anyone is in need of some smudging sticks. I have found that even my non-witchy friends and family, like to use sage, to raise the vibrations in their homes once in awhile. Everyone likes a pick me up!
Out here, I have even known people who like to use sage brush, as their christmas trees! While we have never tried that, it is a true western christmas for those that do.

About.com has an article explaining Wildcrafting for those who are interested in learning more about how to do it. Here is the link

http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/herbalism/p/Wildcrafting.htm

The Native American's have the corner stone on smudging. Since we live right off one of the largest Reservations in the U.S, it is widely accepted here. They use the sage burning technique's along with sweetgrass and other herbs, in their Sundance ceremonies, along with many others.

http://www.sagesmudge.com/2010/10/how-to-perform-a-native-american-smudging-ceremony-a-traditional-ritual-for-spiritual-cleansing/

There are many other wildcrafting idea's, herbs and plants to be wildcrafted. Pine needles, juniper berries, wildberries of a variety of kinds, as well as many other plants and herbs. But sage is my favorite. And an annual outing, that I look forward to, every year.

~Road Trip~

Yes, today Hubs and I are up for a road trip. Not that it is one either of us are looking forward to, because we're not. Hubs has a dentist appointment today and last night he was talking of running away to get out of it. ha! Not happening. He's been down for the past 5 weeks, first with the tooth, then with the flu, then back to the tooth again. That sucker is coming out of there. TODAY! After taking him to the doctor on Valentine's Day, and have been pumping him full of antibiotics ever since. We have to do this road trip. Yes, the dentist is a 3 hour drive away, my car is covered in snow this morning. Have been hoping since V-day, that the weather would hold out for this dentistry trip....but of course it's not going to. Mercury is retrograding after all. At least he got the new tires put on this past weekend. We are as good to go, as we're going to get. So we will be heading out, for our long days trek this morning, right after we get the Son off to school. Wish us luck!

 

~Full Snow Moon~

The Full Moon was spectacular last night! Probably one of the reasons why I had so much trouble getting to sleep. But it was coming up, long before the sun went down. Was huge in the sky. I love taking pictures of the moon. It is so big, and bright in the Wild West. One of the many reasons, I love it out here. 
Moon photography is one of my passions. Trying to get just *The* perfect picture to capture, what my eyes are seeing.
~Blessed Full Snow Moon~

~Coffee Time~

A Morning person....I am not! As I sit here this morning, sipping on my first cup of coffee...wondering why, sleep was so elusive to me last night. I just savor the aroma of the cup.

The sun is breaking over the horizon, looks like it will be a beautifully cold crisp morning out there this morning, in the Wild west. But it still doesn't matter. My eyes are barely open. I am inhaling the java as I type. Getting my son ready for school, and then myself ready for work. I just dread getting dressed and going outside this morning.

I went to bed early, but was still awake at 1 a.m. And when I looked at the clock at 5 a.m. and felt just as awake as 1 a.m. I knew that this morning, when that dreaded alarm clock went off...that I would be sleeping so good, that getting up, would be like ack!.

Happy Monday! argh! The only day of the week worse than Monday is Tuesday.   

Ramblings introduction

Where to start?

Rambling along in the Wild Wild West is the best place, I suppose. My husband and I have been out here now for 16  years. We both grew up in the midwest, and so it was quite a culture shock to us, when we moved out here. This many years later though, we love it, and couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Fresh, clean, mountain Air. There is nothing quite like it.

Meandering along a cold mountain stream, I can never help but to kick my shoes off and go splashing through!

Stopping to admire Mother Earth's little treasure's along the way...

And reveling in the Fire in the Sky at night...

Truly just a walk outside, and you can have all the Elements at your finger tips. Earth/Fire/Air & Water...

These are the ramblings of this Wild West Witch....