Beltane Blessings

Flame Dahlia

Deer Mushroom

Texas False Dandelion

Red Chanterelles

Giant Leopard Moth

P.S  I cant believe this is my first post of 2024! Mama & Nona hood keeps me pretty busy. Toddler years are upon us. In August our eldest daughter will bring into this world our first granddaughter. How blessed to have one of each!The family and the garden is growing. The poem of Beltane Blessings is from my instagram, you can connect with me there as well. Just keeping you posted and trying to be more present here.

 

December Garden Notitas

Sweet Potato Vines

  

Loofas

 

Tomato & Railroad Vine

Zinnia

Bok Choy

Zucchini & Lettuce 

Carrots & Basil Pots

Snapdragon & Lavender 

Mustard Greens & Kale

Bell Peppers 

Lupine

 Today was a beautiful spring like day in the garden. Although it is December the garden is still green and flourishing. Just thought I'd share a few plants and blooms. We are still getting a few migrating monarchs, and the bees are buzzing about. The garden is my therapy, and I realized this as I haven't been there for a few days. As I opened the gate and strolled myself and the Bambino ( Strega Nona's little apprentice) into the radiant fragrant space we tend to together, the real world and it's troubles released of my shoulders. The sun warmed our bodies and souls.

Silver & Gold

We have put up the glow layer of white Christmas lights and our Christmas decor inside the house. The center of the kitchen table is full of items to be crafted, when I get around to it. I acquired these vintage tart tins at a community storage unit sale a few years ago.  I'm thinking ornaments and jewelry trays. December is upon us and it will probably be hustle and bustle. Posting of decor and crafts will be soon to come.

The family( minus two of our adult children).We wish you an upcoming season of comfort & joy. May we also hold space and compassion for humanity. Extend your hearts and hand when you can.

Merry Making - Marigold Magic

Calendula from my garden

Ingredients: Marigold Oil, Beeswax, Lavender Essential Oil

Literally made with Love

Tin Time

The holidays are just around the corner, and when I can find the time I love merry making of crafts, tinctures, lotions, and potions. Even though the weather has been great out here, everyday chores have our hands drying out , and a few of us are getting small cuts and burns. Marigold Magic salve to the rescue. I extracted calendula flowers into oil. Those baby food jars come in handy for everything! Then melted some beeswax into the oil in a double boiler with a few drops of lavender essential oil for fragrance, the ingredients shown in the photo are not exact measurements. Poured into 2 oz tins, and then labeled for gifting. P.S. we've already started decorating for Christmas. A week ahead more than usual but hey we have been in the spirit , and they way life is we will do all the things that bring us joy when the heart calls it in ♡ 

 

 

 

I love a misty fog morning that reminds me of San Francisco. A fire is off in the distance and it smells of Christmas with the mingling of smoke & pine. The temps are warm however for this is really Fall in Texas. The light being earlier by an hour is a pleasant experience by me and the birdsong in the distance. Right now I'm entranced between states & seasons, a wild mix in my realm. Good morning from my neck of the woods 🌲  

Creating Under the Cancer New Moon

Sage & Rosemary Smudges

Ponderosa Pine Besom w/ Galveston Shell

Cempazuchitl _ Marigold

Common Sunflower

Marigold & Sunflower Oil Infusion

The Garden in late Spring

Todays energy had me gathering and creating. The garden has been very abundant in herbs and flora. The vegetables are currently under attack by a rabbit, caterpillars, and moles. Not much has been posted this year about "Strega Nona's Garden", because I have been busy being Strega Nona, Mom, Wife, and keeper of the grounds. I do consider myself blessed I get these precious moments and memories. {L} has graduated high school with her cosmetology license, and doing an amazing job at being a new Mom. I have one kid left in school, can you believe it? {M} is in Jr High when school starts up again. The older son & daughter are adults and have been on their own for a few years. Time sure does fly by, the memories remain full of nostalga and heartache as parenthood changes in stages and ages. Everything must grow, and with these hands I still create. 

I'm Still Here .... And There

  

A Note:

 I'm still here in bloglandia, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth just been orbiting around quite a bit. Summer is sizzlin and I plan to catch up with you all soon.

 

Let The Gardening Commence

2nd Yr. Asparagus 

Planting 3 Varieties of Onion

Last weekend I got back into the swing of working on the garden. There is plenty of green that survived during the winter such as chives, herbs, and plants in pots. The asparagus was harvested twice so far. The busy work was putting seeds in trays and pots for transplants in a few weeks. The weather is cold mornings , warm daylight, then back to chilly winter nights. The garden is getting an expansion. The Hubby is relocating the existing post and extending it to the trees in the back. It's crazy to think that the extra space I'm gaining is the size of our old garden at Casa Sol Y Luna. Every thing is bigger in Texas 😉 The extra space will allow for more pots, flowers, greenhouse, tomatoes, and I'm putting our wooden picnic table in there. As every year I strive to become more self sufficient with our own food harvest so fingers crossed this is a successful year of bounty and beauty. 

Green Blessings🌱

23 & Me

Welcome 2023, a New Year and my solar return.

Major Arcana pull for the year #2 High Priestess

I officially became a Nona!

Finally getting around to posting. January has been eventful so far with birthdays and transitions. December and Christmas were joyous and busy with doula care. I'm immersing into new roles that fill my spirit and deep rooted ancestral knowledge is emerging. I hope to get on here more this year and share the journeying forward of the Wise Wild Woman. 

When in Brenham - Blue Bell Creamery

1101 South Blue Bell Rd, Brenham TX 77833

Refrigerated delivery truck 1936

Beautiful stained glass panel in entrance to visitor center

Full of books, I had to look

Baseball Museum

Elevator to top floor, we used the stairs

Art on the wall

Ice cream parlor seating

Salted Caramel Brownie- the newest flavor & Cherry Vanilla

Ask any Texan and they will hands down say Blue Bell Ice Cream is the cream of the crop and the best ice cream in the country. Bluebells  are also the official state flower, and I've yet to do iconic photography during bluebell season, maybe next spring. The Blue Bell Creamery has been on our to do list for summer since we've moved here, almost five years ago can you believe it? We had a little time to kill before an appointment so we stopped in on a still very hot fall day. This museum and factory is pretty easy to do under an hr. We did a self guided tour, and then treated ourself to $1 scoops at the parlor. The observation deck was closed this day so that will have to be on the next trip.

Of Thrillers & Flowers

 

These floral sprigs were originally bought to make Renaissance garlands for this Fall. At last I will no longer be working in the realm. I can't stand on my feet for hours on end anymore due to my varicose veins in my right leg, and a prolapsed uterus. Also I'm my daughters doula and she's in her third trimester.  Womb care love on both ends.

No waste around here so I created two floral Halloween Fall buckets and a matching wreath for the door. We have since taken out our Halloween bins and decorated inside and out. This year it feels slight for some reason, but will have a layer of birthday Halloween decor thrown on it for {M} at the end of the month, my All Hallows Eve baby. The ofrenda is being started as well, the ancestors are always coming through and we want them to feel the extra honor and love this year.

I put a side list of the books I'm reading or rather being read to, on the right of the blog. Getting my Mexican / Latin literature on, traveling through time and spaces, sacred and connective. I have Audible with credits through Prime and have been enjoying poetry and stories through headphones while doing housework and outdoor care. The two books above I selected for my hammock and comfy reading. Some thrills and chills for the season. I'm really intrigued to read Dyer Lane as it is based on a place from my past. A few years ago I did a blog post about this haunted tragic place which can be read here, Tragedy's of Dyer Lane.

Happy October beginnings, it's finally feeling like Fall.