Reclamation

I found my word for the year in a different approach than I usually do. I pulled all 26 major arcana cards from The Intuitive Night Goddess Tarot deck held them in my hands and gathered energy. The word came to me before I pulled the card...reclamation. I still shuffled and pulled a card, and there she was (traditionally the devil card) renamed Reclamation. The insight before the insight left me all tingly, I felt this last year I had lost my power.

rec·la·ma·tion

/ˌrekləˈmāSH(ə)n/

the process of claiming something back or of reasserting a right.

We are already into the second month of the year, and I finally got around to this sharing. January has been busy. We have been working on small indoor repairs and painting. There's a long to do list to get to but once that is done we will be on a more even keel, or a bunch of something else's will pop up. An attitude of gratitude to insert here for we have things to take care of. A new year and new opportunities ahead. If you would like to share your word of the year drop it below.

Forever 21 Twice & January's Intro

Hello January, welcome 2022 and winter... sort of. The last day of 2021 was spend shopping for essentials due to the fact everything federal including Aldi's grocery would be closed on New Years Day. Stayed up to watch the ball drop, which glitched on tv at count down time but was brought in with fireworks and gunfire from the the neighbors promptly at midnight. Then off to bed we were 20 minutes later. The next day was an early morning yard work day prepping for the cold snap that would arrive the next day. We were sweating in shorts and tank tops while covering pipes and weather proofing the garden. Still experiencing spring days with cold snap nights. But I'm not complaining, these days in the yard are glorious.

My new outdoor boots I received for Christmas from my Renaissance man. Will be rocking them when it actually gets colder, they are super fuzzy and fur lined all the way down.

Lets all have a laugh at the tiny greenhouse I purchased on amazon for my plants pictured in the back. Realizing it was not adequate for all plant coverage, the husband quickly propped up an old shade tent and covered it with tarp.  

The kitchen always has something green growing on. Garlic bulbs were sprouting so I transplanted to soil and will transplant again later. I'm thinking of experimenting with growing sprouts and microgreens while outdoor grows are limited.

The second day of the year brought about me being forever 21 twice. This is also when Winter arrived with it's 38 Degrees for the high. Cozy inside with family, cake, and gifts was how I spent it. {L} made my cake and decorated in pink and gold around the house. Can you see in my eyes the manifesting for the year.

We don't take down the Christmas tree until after my birthday because it then becomes a birthday tree. The night was spent cozied up catching up to the drama of The Sweet Magnolia's in book 6 of the series and drinking some bubbly lemonade tea (still sober). Cheers to the New Year all my blogging friends! I truly deeply appeciate you sticking around with me for another year and many adventures.

Evolution of Change

 Transformation, the necessary shifts to become new or experience a re-birth. The butterfly and the many metamorphic changes to gain your wings comes to mind. On my personal soul journey I have recently been taking blows from the Universe. My social media identity and online presence has taken a hit. Gypsy is deemed a slur across the board and "Gypsy Spirit Rising" has been my self expression for years. Alas I had been advised to change my branding or be banned from some social media outlets I enjoy. Another deep taking away from my soul is the fact I will not be able to work the Texas Renaissance Festival this year due to mandatory vaccination and new regulation for us Rennies running the show. This will be the first time in 3 years since I've not worked fall weekends.

So what shall this Gypsy whose spirit has risen to a higher plane of existence do? I'm walking the plank and diving off the deep end. And as the water hits my face and my whole body immerses into the water, I swim deeper into the abyss. My eyes open and I ponder all that lies beneath the surface and discover the cleansing and quenching of water for this Summer has burned me with it's fire. Emerging back to surface as my higher self into Dreamy Boheme. Will you continue this journey with me? Same soul, but elevated spirit. Welcome to Dreamy Boheme's Into the Mystic .

Some found nature while tending to my gardens.

Thought & Emotion

The wind bustling through my woods sounds like the rolling of ocean waves. Which brings up the emotion of missing home something fierce. We took for granted the ability to take a daytrip to the coast , or the closeness of everything for that matter. My heart yearned to seek solace and escape to country living... and that is what we got. Yet still my heart is all over the place,  I'm a true Capricorn with a gypsy soul! So I do declare on this day this statement of my life:

I Escaped the Ghetto

   And Retreat To the Woods 

To Retire At the Beach 

Adjusting is hard for all of us as of late. Ruminating over all we've ever known or experienced all our lives thus far has left me feeling some days if I had made the right decision to uproot the family. I know my reasoning's are just, but damned if I don't put myself in a vortex of doubt and sorrow. So onward we must go with our choice of change. And it's not all tears everyday, we have come to the conclusion that once we put our mark, essence, and magic into the homestead it will feel more like home. Since we have moved into the house a little over a year ago we have projects needed to be finished indoors and out. Time and money {that lovely pair} are what's needed to get the ball rolling again. It was 70 degrees this morning at 6:00 a.m., Spring in Texas is just around the corner. Time to jot all the to- do's down so they can grow into fruition. Lets see what sprouts!

P.S. I'm feeling lifted now that I released my true feelings out.

I'm Here.... Just Not Here

Hey folks just a note to say I haven't completely dropped off the blogosphere. If were friends on social media you might have seen the things Iv'e been up to. Life has been hectic with ups and downs. As I go about the day I want to blog away about the day but never get the chance. The summer days just keep floating by and I seriously cannot keep up with it all. I guess you can say I did move states and get what I wanted, but I need to find balance and focus. I plan on visiting your blogs and seeing what ya'll been up too soon! Just dropping some sentiments and random here just to let you know I'm still here.

Texas Sunset At Golden Hour

So Long October

2017 in general for me has not been very kind , but October...well that was a deluge of a shit storm. In a nutshell, my son moved in with my Dad earlier than expected, the grim reaper paid a visit to my friends and family x4, and this whole home selling with all the stress has my saying good riddance to a month I usually indulge in, hallelujah to the flip of the calendar page.. Lets take a moment of peace for all the stuff going on globally as well.

I didn't want to start this post on a downer but the reality of Holly will be more apparent from here on out, isn't this what blogging is about in it's true essence, being vulnerable and sharing with  the world and having support from across the globe in return? Seriously I appreciate our blogging tribe so much words are not available for the expression here.

. Now On To Casa Sol y Luna News .

The house echoes deeply with all the bins packed up. A time warp happens when I walk into the rooms, different essences of decades are present in this house which was built in 1946. I have a deep connection with this home, even though it has only been 9 years. We are on a little more than a week left here then early next Saturday morning we will be hitting the road onto our next chapter in Texas. I cry everyday because memories will just hit me out of nowhere, and it's hard to leave my son behind but I know it is for the best.

I'm also pretty excited to move to the country, our little homestead here was just a taste of what real homesteading is all about. Living off the land in a beautiful country/ farm setting has been our retirement dream and the fact this dream is coming to fruition excites and scares me all in one. I'm a type A control freak and I have no knowledge our control off what is on the horizon. This is going to be a crazy ride, but I'm bringing you all along with me. Oh how I'm going to miss California!

Sipping On Truth Elixer

It has come to my attention by my  daughters that I do not keep it real on my blog. Everything you see is real but at an edited version of myself. It's that small girl wanting to be polite and lovely so people will like her. Seriously at 37 I still can't get over that nice Holly image I throw out there. Don't get me wrong I can be as sweet as pie when I want to. So I'm going to lay down some truths and it will reveal how real my blog will be from now on.

1.  I live in the Ghetto, it has been referred to as the deepest part of hell. Traveling to the coast is a great relief to get the family out of the hood and into a different scenery for awhile. My yard is nice but a few streets over are hookers, tweaks and lost teenagers trying to figure out life in all the wrong ways. My sons high school is straight out of Freedom Riders and Dangerous Minds. We would move if we could but money is the obstacle that holds us back.

2.  I cuss, even at my kids. Anger and  my over all chalingo has me saying some pretty colorful phrases that makes squeaky clean Moms break their necks in Walmart lines and shoot me the death stare  ( don't ever try to patronize a witch with you glare honeys you don't want me to look into yours). Bumping gangsta rap while dropping off kids at school is common. Tupac is my favorite poet.

3.  I'm a medical marijuana patient. Bipolar depression and  nerve damage due to TIA strokes has me finding holistic relief with CBD & THC. Now that is what I call reefer madness. I do get some shit about this from people but my kids are relieved that their Mom can have a drop of oil or an edible that will take me from wanting to no longer be on earth to being a compassionate functional parent. Worry not I am responsible with this and will suffer through the day with pain until I know I won't have to drive someone somewhere.

4.  Can you come out and play? Most time it's a no, I'm an introvert. I've missed out on many family functions and don't visit friends, but sometimes I just cannot go out of the house or be around people. Phone conversations are hard. In public I will not speak until spoken to and with my perky nose this has people thinking I'm stuck up!

5.  Oh the wrath that happens if you put the dishes away other than there designated spots or the towels aren't hung straight. That's right I have the affliction of O.C.D. The house is usually tidy and if I get an unexpected visitor this throws me into panic mode.

 So now you know Gypsy Spirit Rising isn't all sunshine and rainbows, and everyday is a struggle one way or another. I'm awakening in all aspects of my life and the rawness of what it's really like from my end of things is something that doesn't need to be tucked away and hidden as if it's an ugly shame. I'm unapologetic because my humanness is showing.

"Capturing Peace"

P.S. Sipping on truth elixer is a metaphor not a drinking reference, that is one demon I have been able to conquer.

Hallow Miscellany

The past two days have been an autumnal dream with the breeze making everything dance around me. Short lived is this, a tease if you will of things to come. Still going hard with  90 plus degrees the rest of the week. Don't get me wrong I do enjoy Indian Summers which this most likely will be again. Oh how mother nature loves to mess with my mind. Fall is in the air.....some days, and is creeping into the homestead as well. Below is random hallow miscellany.

 I found this guy at the Dollar Store and he was the only one. I might just have to check other stores because these are poseable and would be awesome in pairs around the house.

 Iv'e taken up cross stitching again which I haven't done since my early twenties. It started by making items for an Autumn swap and I realized I still enjoy keeping my hands busy ( even though it does hurt to do so).

 This skull banner was bought at the Goodwill and is displayed across the tele to show the size and detail, but where it's going to be hung is still a mystery.

My intentions for the stop by the thrift store was to find some fall reads suggested by Goodreads becuae  my local library branches didn't carry any of them so I tried my luck elsewhere. I know your not supposed to judge a book by it's cover but that is exactly what made me grab this book. It's Stephen King and you can't go wrong with him right?

{ Other News }

 So some hallow goodies have made their way into the home before the intended Autumnal Equinox, and it's a good starting point. Turns out  September is not a slow down time and weekends are full of events to attend. Holly the Hermit must come out and socialize face to face which is really hard for me if I haven't let you in on this secret before. If it's family members I'm okay and mostly comfortable but new faces and situations start the heart pumping so loud  my whole atmosphere buzzes to a hum and I can't quite focus. I do a lot of grounding and wrapping myself in a protected bubble before I step out into the world. Well this post is full of miscellany isn't it? Have a great Hump Day and I hope the weather is treating you well in your corner of the world.

Just checking in

School has officially started for all four of the children, and Casa Sol Y Luna is silent (except for Pandora playing whatever MY heart desires in the background.) Even though there is four drop offs , four pick -ups at four different school's I think the school year started off well, and I got this.

{ San Francisco Love Tours Bus....wish I had one of my own, maybe one day }

So now that I have the house to myself I realize it is stuffed with so much. There are six of us living in this little humble homestead  and I look around and question "do we use this, do we need this ?" Being the one who does everything around here I realize if I can't keep up with it all and the thought and visual chaos of it all stresses me out , then it's time to purge! Instead of spring cleaning , I'm fall cleaning which is just as important because another turn of the wheel is approaching. This is my mission this week, so if you don't hear from in a few days I'm probably lost in a heap somewhere.

Spring Break ....Breakdown

Oh how nice of the public school system to give students two weeks off for spring break/vacation. "We will have so much time to spend with the kids to bond and vacation as a family",they say. Are there really family's out there that have it all together all the time and it's bliss and butterflies all day? Well sorry for the heavy dose of sarcasm but it is day 1 and the kids already broke me and honey this is in no way a vacation. Just keeping it real folks, I'm a 24/7  mom and I feel like heading for the hills..literally.

Perhaps we need a change of scenery, an adventure, wide open space to be wild. Camping sounds good..no camping sounds great. Mental bubble just burst over my head, weather still a little chilly, hubby still has to work, etc, etc, etc. What really makes a camping experience anyway? A tent, fire, nature, crafts, stories, food...wait a minute, seems all this could possibly lie outside my backdoor! The gray clouds seems to have parted just a little. Camp  Sol Y Luna (aka this little homestead ) sounds very interesting. I have planning and Pinterest perusing to do. If you don't hear from me in a few days don't bother sending a search party these darling children of mine are carnivores and have the ability to consume me whole.

~ A side note worth reading ~

Seriously folks I love my children and would do anything for them. This rant is way of sneaking off for a few minutes, locking my door and getting out my current frustration. In the process an" aha moment "occurred and I'm excited to pull it all together. If you feel me can I get a hallelujah, now get back to parenting, where not on vacation  (wink).

P.S. If anyone knows of free or low cost things to do in Sacramento during these next two weeks...hook a mama up with the info. Thanks in advance.

Wise Words To Live By

A case of the Monday's

I had a hard time getting out of bed this morning. I set the alarm for 5:00 a.m hoping to get up and start a new exercise plan for the the month. Not till 6:00 a.m did I pop open my eyes and groan, my husband says "it's a Monday". Now I realize why I love Fridays so much, for me it's the end of the work/school week and into a different flow. Mondays are the jump right into the ocean and navigate, explore, do until you can surface and relax on the island for the weekend (metaphorically speaking). With that being said hello to a new week and a glorious start to summer.


Casa de Sol y Luna has been bustling these days or should I say the past few weeks. The kids will all be out of school in a week and half and I seriously don't know what were going to do over the break. A lot of home improvement projects have been going on to create a backyard oasis for all the summer fun and relaxation. There finally is a resemblance of a garden. later post with pics will follow.

On a more personal note June for me is going to be a month of rebirth and spiritual overhaul so to say. I have a confession to make about my sobriety from alcohol that almost made it to four months. High stress modes and bi-polar resurgence has led me to grab the bottle and try to drink down the insanity.  Sometimes we fall off the wagon and bump our head to realize that the new path we were traveling is really worth the  journey.

I've recently discovered two new souls in which I can connect to and are a new source of motivation and inspiration. I really can't recall how I came across Erin Stutland and the Say It, Sweat It, Get It Challenge but I'm up for the challenge that starts today! The other beautiful lady who's vlog always has a great message right when I need it is Spirit Junkie Gabrielle Bernstein. Maybe these ladies  have something you need in your life right now.

May love and light fill your week and new month with blessings. I'm looking forward to transformation on the highest level.

Checking In

 So here's a post of miscellany. Just stopping in to say hello to everyone. The past three weeks has been a mixed bag of nuts. I've been suffering from muscle strain in my neck and shoulders from a workout obviously gone wrong. The garden is still a dry un- mowed un- plowed plot of grass. An addition of two extra children for the week has kept me on my toes, I forgot what it was like to have a baby even though my last child is 3 1/2 yrs old. I did get the chance to sneak away to the beach for a Mother's Day weekend getaway, which I hopefully get around to posting before the nostalgia has left me in a fog. Here's hoping everyone has a memorable weekend full of rest and adventures. Signing off to plop down in bed and have magical Full Flower Moon dreams.

Out of the Chrysalis

I don't know what is up with me today I feel a surge and urge to take action in a million different directions. This blog is also being blown by a wind of change, I'm going to put the daily out there and keep it real. I'm often trying to edit and mold according to what others would think or perceive but then what would be the authenticity of my blog. So we will see how this goes and I hope you stick around for the ride. I'm Holly nice to greet you.

Introduction to Yogi Cameron's ____the one plan____

Have you ever had a book that you pick up read a few pages put it away for awhile and then  later pick it up again? The same goes for a course of study your so excited to start and then can't follow through with. This is my scenario with Yogi Cameron's the one plan. The off and on with trying to get grounded into this book had nothing to do with it's content, but my own. Until very recently I had my mind clouded often by the influence of alcohol. I wasn't a stumbling drunk or someone who started the day of with it but consumption still consumed me. Why I chose to be toxic in my mind body and spirit I do not know and I will not blame  hereditary alcoholism. There is such a truth I do know and that is  my husband and I have made a commitment to ourselves and children that we will never go back to that which was so blinding. Seems I have gotten of course but it leads me to getting back into the course. I picked up the book again, and now with my new found self I can begin.

Let me introduce you to the one plan. 

Overview

What if you could follow a program that, like in so many other books, helped you get results in only a couple of weeks? As with these other programs, you could lose weight, attract more beneficial relationships, and find a greater state of balance in very little time. But what if, on top of all that, the program helped you create not just a fast change, but a permanent one? What if you had a plan that has all the benefits of a short-term overhaul but with the guidance necessary to ensure that it's the last program you'll ever need?

Over two thousand years ago, the Indian sage Patanjali compiled what we now know as The Yoga Sutras, a concise text that forms the basis of everything we know today about the philosophy of the yogic path. In The One Plan, Yogi Cameron lays out a fifty-two-week structure based on Patanjali's teachings as well as the ancient medical system of Ayurveda; it delivers the proven authenticity of an ancient path but has been adapted to take your life in the modern world into account.

As a practical and accessible guide to help you improve your life, The One Plan will provide you with specific exercises and regimens for crafting an effective daily routine, tips and reminders for becoming truly grounded in that routine, real-life stories and inspiration, practical tools for responding to life's inevitable struggles and setbacks, and even a section on eating the Ayurveda way. By following the One Plan, you will live a life of health, balance, and purpose.

Your commitment to the One Plan may last fifty-two weeks, but the changes you make will last a lifetime.

( overview link)

I started this new journey on Monday March 3rd 2014, and I'm excited to share this new aspect of my spiritual awakening with you. 

Namaste 

Much Needed Water

I'm looking out my bedroom window and excited that it's grey gloomy and raining. I live in Northern California and it has been declared a drought year. We have had consecutive 4 days of rain but I doubt it will bring us to needed levels. The week to come is also going to be a wet one. So I'm dreaming of fresh spring earth ( I love that smell) and planting a garden for sustenance.

This much needed water will make the soil supple for up earthing and tilling for our gardens. I have big dreams but no actual plan of what exactly is going where. Until then I have been having fun hydroponically growing in the kitchen window. I just drop the roots in plain sink water.

Welcome to my laboratory! Yep that's my dry barren back yard in the background. See why I say little urban homestead, .24 acres of yard and 988 sq feet of home for 6. We are definitely comfy cozy on these days when we can only be inside. Of course I could have the kids go dance in the rain which they did the day before the rain started (wink). Okay back to the window garden. It's quite easy, the celery, lettuce and chives were store bought and when used for cooking I chopped about 2 in. above the root base and added to a container of water. I love to see the emergence of fresh growth. This is a great science lesson for my 3 year old and the older kids alike. The garlic sprouted in a molcajete sitting near the sink. The container on the far right is tomato buds also cultivated from a store bought tomato.

Until I can actually go get my hands into the earth, I will reveal in the little things such as my little green kitchen garden. Green Blessings to all of you. The crazy weather were all experiencing in our neck of the woods or part of the world will soon pass to bring about natures abundances.