By Fire Well and Tree

  Photo by Erik Karits: https://www.pexels.com/photo/landscape-nature-water-blue-17590944/ When I searched for free stock photos associated with "Virgo" I got many pictures of damselflies like the above. I have no idea why, but they are beautiful.... And apologies for the less than spiffy title :)  Anyway... So for this "moonth," we are holding on to Leo for JUST a little bit longer.  The New Moon in Leo on August 16. SUPER early in the morning. My phone app said it was today!  The New Moon in Leo focuses on self-expression, creativity, and leadership. As you set your intention for this moon, it may be good to meditate on the right use of your power and personal will.  If you know what house your moon falls in that can help. Mine is in the sixth house ALL month, focusing health and habits, routines, etc. and I am SORELY in need of working on that. First Quarter moon (August 24) has the sun finally moving into Virgo, and square the Moon in Sagittarius. The fricti...

  Photo by James Wheeler: https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-wooden-dock-414612/ Blue moon you saw me standing alone Without a dream in my heart Without a love of my own Time to get to the moon names this upcoming "moonth." For the Gauls, we are beginning Elembivios "the many-sided Month,"  That is one translation anyway, there are others.  One that is somewhat relevent  is the "Month of Claiming" associated with the grain harvest.  Our grove has chosen to honor Nantosuelta. Her name translates to "winding river," and those can have many sides?  Her iconography often pairs her with Sucellos, suggesting a link with fertility, and also has ravens.  Personally, I see her in a similar light as the Morrigan, mostly because of the ravens, but there's nothing in the lore; it's just my personal inpsiration.  At our Druid moon rite, we "dancing the flow," of life, of the river, of whatever.  Our grove is also sponsoring a festival during...

Borage  Hello!! Post festival droop is a real thing. I had wanted to do a review of the latest  festival I attended, Sirius Rising, but I jumped right into a surprise party planning and execution, and juggling family and misdirection, and haven't had a chance to really GROUND back in to the mundane.  I'll be heading to another one next week, so I need to get some stuff off the blog-plate. First, we moved into both a new calendar month and a new spot on the wheel of the year, at the same time.  The rune pulled at Yule for August was Ingwaz which is about the best rune you could pull for the beginning of the harvest!  Literally the name of an Anglo-Saxon deity, and associated also with Freyr, this rune can sometimes be about fertility but also about the frith and fellowship that comes with the harvest. This is the time for fairs, and I'll do another post some day comparing ancient and modern fairs, but both are about larger communities coming together, to meet, to...