Making Pretties

Been working on getting the house in order. I finally finished a pair of cross-stitched pillowcases I started over two years ago. I know, I'm bad at finishing my projects, but I'm hoping I can work on that. Now with the pillowcases done I'm crocheting a lace border to sew onto the edge. I found a free pattern online, and after fixing the errors I've been speeding through it.

I plan to chart it out, and once I do I'll post the pattern for anyone who wants it. I think it will definitely compliment the duvet cover I finished just about a week ago.

In order news, Monday was Lammas. Lammas celebrates the first harvest of the season, and specifically the grain harvest. Since the only thing I have planted right now is a pepper plant that hasn't started fruiting yet, I celebrated by making a cornsheaf loaf. The loaf is shaped like a bundle of grain, and mine turned out very well. I didn't follow the recipe exactly, which called for 5.5 cups of white flour. Instead I used 2 cups whole wheat, 1 cup spelt, 1 cup buckwheat, and 1.5 cups white flour. I used more oil and water to compensate, and the bread turned out as delicious as it looks.

Interestingly, I did a little research on spelt and buckwheat, since I knew very little, and it turns out buckwheat is currently being researched because it has a compound which may help treat Type 2 Diabetes and PCOS. That's right, soba noodles are magic.

Imbolc

Did a bit of pre-Spring cleaning today: vacuumed, did all the dishes, folded laundry, cleaned some of the frig, and scrubbed the floor. Then I just sat there, basking in the joy of a clean house, until Elliot got home and I had to mess it all up for dinner. I realized that the milk was still good, so I put it to use making dishes for Imbolc. I made my favorite, Swedish pancakes, but I also have skansk grot in the rice cooker for breakfast tomorrow. I was also going to bake bread, but we just ran out of propane. I'm trying to decide between a creative solution and just wanting until morning when I can get more propane. I should probably just wait. To be honest, I think Imbolc is my favorite holiday, it's optimistic and forward looking, it's about anticipation. Eat good, rich foods, give thanks for handling the winter thus far, and know that change is coming.

Astrology: Where Liberal Studies Meet Math and Graphing

So I decided to sit down and recalculate my birth chart again. It doesn't change, but it helps me double check the math and refresh my memory. This time I didn't do any fancy shit. Just the ten "planets," and that's it. (Yes, planets have to be in quotations if the sun and moon are "planets.") I skipped drawing in the aspects and just charted them, since they tend to make the graph cluttered and hard to see. For the first time I noticed the pattern of my graph. Every "planet" but two are all to one side of the graph. I have eight "planets" in four signs, which is an unusual grouping. I also have what's called a stellum, which is three or more "planets" in one sign. Reading through the interpretations, I have a major contradiction in my personality. I would be an extrovert with many friends, charismatic and the life of the party, if I could get over my crippling shyness, fear of talking, and escapism. Ah yes, I have a fun chart.

Meditation

Sat down and meditated today for the first time in a while. Oh, I'll slip into a trance while hiking, or while making bread. But I rarely go into my visualizations anymore. It was enlightening, but not pleasant. I've been trying to get deeper into my faith lately, and I have made some progress with understanding how I see religion. Thinking back to a conversation I had with Jesse, I may try doing a group feast for Imbolc. Most holidays center around gathering friends together, eating, and getting drunk. That may very well be the oldest human tradition when it comes to celebrating. And Imbolc is a good holiday. I have never been very open about religion, even when I followed a mainstream religion. Maybe that's a habit best broken.