The Midsummer's Night Masquerade : 11/26/13

Favorite Sunsets and Sunrises

And because I'm still up... I thought I'd share with you all a collection of my favorite sunset and sunrise photos...and even some lightning, which I've photographed since I first moved into my apt. back in Jan. 2013.
-These are taken in Casper, WY from a 3rd story balcony using a Nikon L120 Coolpix -with the dusk setting.

*I have been photographing clouds and sunsets, and the sky in general, since the early 1990's starting with my first camera: a small, cheap, 2nd hand, blue 35mm. Before I was even 10yrs old. The passion for it is still there for me, but now I finally have a really good, consistent, vantage point from which to capture excellent vistas of the sky.


Aug. 4th, 2013 7:32p -sunset

Aug. 11th, 2013 at 8:31p

Aug. 19th, 2013 at 7:01p

Aug. 29th, 2013 at 8:26p

Sept. 29th, 2013 at 5:58p

Nov. 17th, 2013 at 6:54a

Nov. 19th, 2013 at 7:01a

Nov. 19th, 2013 at 7:03a

Altars: Prosperity -Oct. 2013

I've been going through a rough patch for a few months now and felt I could use a little help from Goddess/the Universe. So one evening, feeling particularly inspired, I decided to sit down and create a small Prosperity altar/spell for myself and I have to say, not only am I quite happy at how nicely it turned out, but it's also been very productive and helpful when I've truly needed it.

*This is my first ever Prosperity spell/altar and I think it's proven to be a successful one.

I figured setting my Prosperity altar on top of my already existing Samhain altar was as good a place as any.:)

*This small/miniature Prosperity altar is sitting in a terra cotta plant-platter. There is decorative white sand spread all over the bottom of the planter in a thick layer. The large white candle in the center is my Moon candle...a while ago I inscribed the glyph of the triple moon onto two sides: )O(
Two long, green, taper candle-sticks and a small green candle around the Moon candle are here to represent abundance and growth and money (green). I sprinkled a variety of copper and silver coins around the base of the candles...a couple quartz crystal points, and two copper and two silver plated leaf pendants. There's an empty tea-light tin filled to the brim with honey, a found remnant of bee or wasp nest (I think it's actually wasp, but we'll pretend it's bee), and a small heaping of corn kernals.
(-the significance of the honey/corn/and bee nest is the correlation to the color yellow/gold...which is standing in to symbolize gold/money)
I've got 3 dried Bay leaves, each with $100 to $1000 written on it in green ink and job/money/happiness also written on them.
I have a small jar filled with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground chives, gold glitter and two very shiny copper pennies, between the two green candles -these herbs are said to symbolize/attract wealth/money.
I've sprinkled the whole thing with gold glitter -further symbolism and later on I placed a green ribbon around it all.

-Created and set in motion during the night of the Full Moon.

There is energy in colors and herbs and crystals...and symbolism. A lot of magick is held together with correlations and symbolism...as long as the intent and the will is there.

Unfortunately, I let the large white pillar candle burn for far too long and it ended up literally flooding the altar:

And spilling over onto the altar below...

-I've got plans to eventually melt the wax down and try to save most everything out of it. I've got some nice jewelry pieces in there, not to mention various coins and crystals, and I wouldn't mind saving that bit of hornet's nest, either.
The fun part is going to be getting the wax out of the altar fabrics below it.:/

Altars: Samhain 2013

As I've posted in the past, periodically I like to create altars...usually for seasonal changes or for a particular Sabbath. This is not only a Spiritual exercise, but also an artistic one for me...it's a creative expression of how I view that particular season or Sabbath or theme...using the materials I have available to me at that time.

Creating an altar can take me anywhere from 30mins to up to two or three hours...depends on how involved I am and what my end-product goal is. Generally, I have a rough image in my mind as to how I want this altar to look, but as with any project I start, these things can take on a life of their own and turn out rather different from my intended idea.

*For those of you not in the know, here's a general description of the purpose of Samhain, generally pronounced: SAH-win
You can read about it, here: Samhain

This is, currently, my 2nd ever Samhain altar and I'm quite pleased with it.

Aside from the fun little Halloween elements such as the cob-webbing, the pumpkins, the gnarled tree in the background, and even the skulls; I brought in quite a few "Witchy" elements: the cauldrons, bundle of sage, labyrinth, Tarot cards and gazing-glass. I have a sea-shell full of sea salt and bay leaves as well as, incense sticks and quartz crystals.
For honoring the dead, I wanted to pay my respects to my kitty, Gizmo, who sadly passed away Dec. 2012 due to some recurring growths in her nasal passages. I have her ashes and her collar as well as, her favorite grooming brush beside her photo. In the small cauldron in front of her photo is a tea light candle sitting on top of a pile of catnip -which she loved.

The Obligatory 'lit altar' shot:

These next are detail shots from the altar:


My little girl, Gizmo. She passed away Dec. 2012, those are her ashes in the tin to the left of her photo.


I like to have various items on my altar for symbolic purposes. Samhain is a good time for using divinatory tools, such as Tarot cards.


Isis, the Egyptian Goddess, patroness of Magic and Protector of the Dead. She resides over many of my altars, but especially my Samhain altars. I like to place photos and trinkets of loved ones who have passed on near her, as though she is enfolding them in her protective embrace.