With apologies to Sid and Marty Kroft

Challenges, Pallenges; There Ain't No Rhyme for Challenges

Somewhere in the recesses of my mind is a  Sid and Marty Kroft show with "Witchipoo" singing "Oranges, Poranges", a Cockney speaking  kid in a Dutchboy bob, a magical flute and (my favorite) "Evil Trees".

I know someone in the blogosphere will enlighten me as to show title, actors, characters, etc.

I wish they wouldn't, but someone will. Some things are inevitable and must be accepted with grace.


My cousin, Hal, lost his battle with cancer on January 17th in Eugene, Oregon. Today I took my mother, the last of her generation, back to the homestead in Eakley, Oklahoma for his service at the little Methodist Church.

It's a two hour drive (one way). We couldn't go the usual way because of construction on the interstate, so I mapquested an alternate route on my iPad, closed Safari, took Mother to breakfast, and started out to the homestead.

We couldn't get the app to open on the road.

So I called my brilliant sister-in-law and had her give me directions from her computer, that I relayed to my 90 year old mother to write down as I drove north trying to meet the 1:00 deadline (no pun intended) for getting "to the church on time" (Sorry, Lerner-Loewe). It's just that the directions didn't seem quite the same as the ones I had stored...

I got lost. Three times, I got lost. Two convenience stores and one saloon later, I made it to Eakley, Oklahoma. 1:06 in the afternoon.The service was to start at 1:30 and had been moved to the church, as opposed to the originally proposed graveside. No problem.

It was a very simple service. The urn was at the front of the little white clapboard church.  Only one song on the tape player (Amazing Grace), Hal's exwife gave a glowing eulogy. His friends told stories of hunting and fishing in Canada and Alaska. The service ended with Masonic Rites. It was quite nice. Hal would have liked it. It's a pity he wasn't there.

Literally. His ashes are still in transit somewhere between Eugene and Eakley.

Going back home I did not get lost.  I saw a red tail hawk on the right side of the road perched in a tree top, and at the next intersection I turned right. I was on the 281--where I was supposed to be. At every intersection I needed to turn, a red tail hawk perched on the correct side of the road. Then a bluebird flew in front of the car. I didn't think much of it until a large crow flew in front of the car. Mother asked me why I slowed down and I told her to look for a cop car. Four tribal complexes and three casinos later, there was the sheriff's car in a speed trap. Thanks to the wee birds for the heads up on that!

Healthwise:
I bought "Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health" by Gene Stone on the recommendation of my doc. (Kindle edition, $6. The basic premise is that big pharma wants us to be unhealthy for the sake of profit). He had asked during my infamous follow-up about my diet, and I told him I was in the process of reducing/eliminating animal protein in my diet. It also turns out we are both going 90 miles to the nearest Whole Foods store to do our shopping. I have eliminated beef, reduced dairy to 2 ounces 1% milk with my oatbran, but the cheese will be hard to give up. Wheat I can do without, now that I have found rice pasta. I am still consuming bison and venison, but only once a week. Eggs will be reduced to twice a week. It is a work in progress.


Completed Reading:
Amy Stewart's Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's MOther & Other Botanical Atrocities
Now to build a Borgia Bed of poisonous plants.

Najood Ali's I Am Najood, Age 10 and Divorced
I know it's poorly educated men and women, I know it's cultural tradition, I know it's an alien concept of family honor, I know, I know, I know, but...STILL! I want the weight of a Louisville slugger in my hands and the opportunity to teach some men the true meaning of honor. Some women, too.

Still reading:
Gene Stone's Forks Over Knives (I'm in the recipe section now).
Palin's Craft of the Wild Witch
Ransom Riggs' Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

The Reading Challenge

This week in reading paradise:

The Primitive Witch's Handbook: The Essential Guide for the Primitive/Country Witch in a Modern World
compiled by Andrea Dean Van Scoyoc.

As I dance a primitive path, this little gem resonated with me. The author doesn't yield to man-made redes, pageantry, rituals, ritual garments, priestess hierarchies, and a slew of other directives commonly found in the published works concerning the craft. The only deity is oneself. Do  what you feel is right, and ignore the opinions of others--this is your craft.

I like her.


Dracula in Love, Karen Essex.

A light, easy read. I was irritated at Drac at the end of the novel, though. Never before have I wanted to bitch slap a character in a novel.

You decide.

Currently reading Poppy Palin's (no relation to the godzilla of Wasilla) Craft of the Wild Witch. Also, Nujood Ali's I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced--OK, not "crafty", but women's rights are up there and if someone doesn't like it, bite me. "Forks Over Knives" was reccommended by my doc. Apparently, I was doing this anyway.

I need to wash my hair before Downton Abbey comes on.

Let's Get Physical!

Birthdays and the annual physical go hand in hand for me. Birthday. Next morning, every conceivable bloodtest ever devised is administered, and the following week is the follow-up with the doc.

Yesterday was the follow up.

Blood pressure: 106/70
Pulse: yes I have one, it's 70. (Sometimes I wonder).
Temp: 98.1
Fasting blood sugar: 99
Everything else was well within the norms. So I'm healthy, right?

Doc: You're post menopausal.
Me: Yep. But I'm no longer a Ph.B.
D: Ph.B?
M: post menopausal hell bitch, thanks to the CPAP.
D: you've had a complete hystorectomy--who did that?
M: Royce Everett. He said he never wants to operate on me again.
D: I know Royce. When was your last mammogram?
M: never had one.
D: with your history? Mother and maternal grandmother? Why not?
M: when was the last time you voluntarily put your testicles into a vise?
D: (pause) My wife doesn't like them, either. It really needs to be done.
M: (longer pause) OK.
D: what about a colonoscopy?
M: (baleful stare and silence) I won't go to the hospital here. The billing sucks. You have to pay up front, then if any other charges get tacked on, the bill goes to a collection agency before they send a bill to you.
D: I have a friend at I--- in OKC. I'd go to him.
M: have him call me.

I hate physicals. I stopped by the deli on the way home and got a slice of carrot cake.
D:

Reading Challenge Update, 13 January 2012

Some of this has been posted on Pagan Culture comments.

I read Kim Harrison's "White Witch, Black Curse" and felt a little lost until I realized that I had missed something--like the first 6 books in the series, maybe? I have a lot of catching up to do on this one. Seems like a rather good read, engaging. I enjoyed this one.


Mary Downing Hahn" "Witch Catcher", a teen novel I'm glad I did not send to a young witchling in the make, as the witches take the adversarial role in the story line. Stepping back from my personal bias, the overall structure is sound. I wouldn't joyously reccommend it, though.


Tess Whitehurst's "Magical Housekeeping" is a definite keeper. I'm no hoarder, but definitely had a clutter problem. Please note the past tense. One little declutter spell later, I was hooked. The trash collectors probably cringe when approaching my house now. Cupboards that hadn't seen the light of day in years are emptied of nonessential stuff. A non-practicing colleague mentioned that she was getting overwhelmed just thinking about her home office, so I gave her a brief outline of the "positive affirmation technique" I had just read about. I saw her last week and she was aux ange about "that declutter technique"; she had cleared her home office, the storage shed, the back bedroom...I have the kindle edition and the paperback (I think it worth the investment).


Bobby Lake-Thom's "Spirits of the Earth: A Guide to Native american Nature Symbols, Stories, and Ceremonies" requires more than one reading, especially if one is pursuing a shamanistic path or a primitive path of singularity. His teachings on recognizing when a cognisant Nature is attempting to communicate through symbolic occurrance is making me re-evaluate some interactions with wild life, flora, and crystal. This one is thought provoking and needs a few days dedication.

And I received "A Little Box of Spells" in the mail today! Thanks, Magaly!

Facing the Year of the Dragon

I have never been a morning person.

However, in the past year I've learned that walking and running interval sprints is best done in the morning. Early morning. Dark-thirty before dawn early morning.

I get cranky if I don't. And the #1 Rule at High School is: DON'T MAKE MS. R CRANKY. Rule # 2 is--well, Rule #2 doesn't matter as long as you follow Rule #1.

Starlight. Moonlight. The change of colors in the sky. The wind. Right now, the very cold, uncomfortable wind. But it's invigorating wind. Birdsong. Owls. Deer. Silence. One with nature.

I really like getting up in the morning, now.

I haven't weighed in or taken measurements. My goal is to eat less processed food (organic frozen dinners I will allow for lunches at work until I get paid and can get the real food to cook). Eliminate processed sugar. Once a week, go meatless, wheatless, sweetless. Not all that hard.  Animal protein is once a day (except for "meatless" day).

I don't think I can eliminate dairy at this point.  Beef is pretty much a thing of the past.  Will still eat bison and venison, fowl and fish. Limit pork.

And if I'm getting up at 4:40, I need to put the trash on the curb, get the cat in and go to bed.