Almost Empty Nest

I heard people talk about the "empty nest syndrome," and honestly never gave it much thought. My daughter Abagail has been the center of my life since the day she graced me with her birth. Every day is based on Abagail. I try not to spoil the child, now young lady, but it is difficult, however, she truly still graces my days, and most of the time, appreciates what she has. She seldom asks for expensive or extravagant gifts, but I do find the greatest enjoyment in treating her, when the spirit moves me. And we giggle as we love to find bargains in the strangest places, witch a witch loves. FYI, a witch hates to get ripped-off! It is comforting to have my daughter to confide in, as she is the one person I trust most in my life. That's a lot for a sixteen year old to be, but that is my Abagail, and I am very proud to be her mom, or MaMa as she sometimes calls me.

Yesterday, Jemini's daughter, Eve asked Abagail to help her move to a new apartment in Philadelphia. Of course, Abagail was happy to help, and asked if it was alright with me, they would probably stay overnight in the new apartment. I was delighted for the two girls to spend some time together and agreed for her to go. Eve is a very responsible, smart, doctor to be. I will introduce her in an upcoming post. So Abagail packed an overnight bag, a hug and kiss, and she was off. It just so happened I had scheduled a grooming for my two little boys/dogs, so they were gone for the day too. Well, let me tell you, this was one quiet house. I didn't have any visitors, mortals or otherwise, yesterday. It was solemn. I was overjoyed to have the boys back last night, there was some life back in the house, even if they are little devils.

I'm not sure about this empty nest theory, if your children leave, why do we have to stay behind in the nest? And become what, an old woman with cats? My boys will never go for that. I by no means expect Abagail to stay home with me the rest of her life, I want her to fly, to live, to be everything I never got to be, but I don't think I want to stay behind. And no, I'm not dragging on her coat tails, or broom bristles, but if 40 is the new 20, and 50 is the new 30, and all that jazz I think I still got it, and honey I'm going to fly when the nest empties out. When my Abagail is ready, I'll always be here for her, or somewhere, within broom distance. I'll always be her MaMa. I love her more than I love myself. I'm not waiting for that west wind to blow, I'll be way a head of it.

A Salty Pirate

AndToday the heat wave continues, so instead of putting myself back in the frying pan, I've decided to stay home and put on a fresh brew, seems like quite a few of you out there could use it. Besides, I had enough of that 'Sam Champion' and 'Fiona' heat yesterday, so I'm enjoying both the air conditioning and the steam off my cauldron, its good for my complexion, especially after yesterday. And I'm just catching up, or ketchup, as Abagail used to say. And as I'm mixing and measuring I'm thinking about someone I saw yesterday as I flew by, across town.

As a passed a very fine men's dress shop, an older man was just stepping out and made a right turn on foot. He was dressed in cutoff jean shorts, a ragged button shirt, and sandals and a black captains hat. He had a full white beard and white hair, a bit long peeking out under his hat. A bit scruffy to be shopping in such a fine store, I thought, but I recognized him immediately. Someone long gone from me, someone gone to a new place. I remember being in his company, and his distinct smell of cherry tobacco, and he still held that curved pipe. As he aged, he self described himself as a bit of a salty pirate, he loved the sea and sun. He loved to read and cherished old leather bound books. There were times we spoke for hours about anything from world history to our family tree, he had a wealth of knowledge. He may not have been a rich man, however, he did find life and lived it.

As I passed him, he didn't turn and look at me, he just raised his arm, lifting his elbow, swinging his hand back, holding his pipe with his other hand. I watched the curls of smoke circle above his head, as he disappeared into a side street and vanished from sight. Was he checking up on me? Or passing through my life again? Either way, I was happy to see him. When I returned home later in the day, I smiled at his pictured in my kitchen. He famous words, 'Well, you know...,' I swear I heard him whisper.

I suppose I better get some salt for my brew, sea salt that is. And my book, the big book, where did Abagail put it?

If you can't stand the heat AND Thanks for nothing

It's me, Fiona.
Oooh, boy. Is it just me, or is it getting hot around here? "Hot", as in what Sam Champion predicted for the weather, but also as in oppressive, can't stand the weight of the situation, emotion, I can't breathe, I think I'm having an anxiety attack combined with heat stroke, my temperature is rising, omg, someone get fire hose kinda hot.
Yeah, it's been a fun couple of days.
Why's our temperature rising? There's only so much we girls (women, I mean women) can take. Yeah, we've got the brooms and the long hair, the pointy boots and Dixie has the holy water and all, but let's face it, we can't change the world. There's just too much crap out there, and frankly, some of it doesn't deserve our attention. That being said, the "others" (those pesky people who are responsible for casting the evil eye on us, rambling on about lies in foreign tongues, stealing Abagail's cell phone, throwing sand at my sweet daughter, insulting us and overall just making us really mad), well, they just won't let up. Nope, they really get a charge from raining on our parade. So, in the spirit of Sunday night, I'd like to offer some friendly Fiona advice to the "others". BACK OFF. NOW. Don't look at me like that. Don't talk to me like that. You put that sand down and get away from my little girl. I mentioned once before about the boomerang that karma is. Something tells me it sucks getting hit upside the head with a runaway boomerang.

One other thing. Dixie and I today were outside, right about high noon. We were suffering... both of us from Sam Champion heat and "pesky other" heat. I admit, it was all getting the best of me and my blue eyes were sad enough to betray me and cry. I was looking for something. Advice, reassurance, a tissue...something from Dixie. She gave me nothing but silence. In the moment I was hugely annoyed. How could she give me nothing when I needed so much? Time passed, some clouds rolled in off the Atlantic. I threw myself in the pool, toweled off and I realized, she gave me silence so I could hear myself think. Think about what to do next... which quite simply was to put one foot in front of the other, walk down to the shore, take a deep breath, hug my babies and give thanks. And realize that the others can only effect me if I let them. Kill them with kindness. Be the good witch I am. That'll show 'em. Hah!

So, Dixie. Thanks for nothing. Best thing I had all day. xxoo

Intuition, Part II

When someone invades your privacy, and crosses the line, it can be quite disturbing, not just for witches but mortals as well. When Abagail's phone was stolen I was taken back to say the least. How could someone take something that didn't belong to them, something that they knew was so valuable to a teenager? Everyone knows how a phone, especially a 'I Phone' is their life line, they keep everything in it. Besides it being a big expense for them, it takes month for them to replace all the information they have in that phone. And what is it worth on the street? Its just down right mean.

Abagail, sweet as she is started praying to St. Anthony, who always helps in finding lost items. I, on the other hand, started rubbing my temples with my long fingers and closed my eyes, and tried to envision the thief. I massaged my temples harder, and thought about where Abagail was when the phone was stolen. And soon, without my crystal ball, wow, I thought for a split second a saw who it was in their little foreign SUV traveling on a nearby highway. Well, I just gave them a little jolt, as if they went over a speed bump, out of no where.

Guess what? Someone called the store where Abagail works and said they must have taken the phone by accident. Abagail is so pleased, and thanked St. Anthony, me too. You should try it.

PS I see you, MB

Intuition

Everyone has those gut feelings that tell you something, Right? Well the important thing is to not ignore them while at the same time not let them drive you too crazy, you know what I mean? You can't keep questioning if every feeling is a gut feeling, it could just be bad Greek yogurt.

Yesterday morning, I was getting ready to leave my house and I had the feeling, like someone was going to take something from me. It really bothered me, so I made an additional effort to put all the little trinkets away, I don't have much, and told my watch dogs to be on the look out. I double checked the alarm and the locks, on my way out. I was going to call Abagail to tell her, but I knew she would tell me I was being silly and everything would be fine. A half hour later, she called, quite upset, someone stole her cell phone. I was speechless.

Last night, Abagail said her best friend was on her mind, who she had not spoken to in over a week. When she called her, she was with her boyfriend, and couldn't talk. This morning Abagail got a call from her friend, her boyfriend broke up with her and she was hysterical crying. Abagail was speechless.

I am not saying you have to have ESP, or you need to get out your Crystal Ball, I could do that, but when you get that feeling or 'intuition' hits you, don't let it knock you off your heels, go with it. Yeah, make the call, put the trinkets away, do what you have to do. And that reminds me, I have to pull Angelica's ear, she's off travelling the globe with her new beau, Giovanni, to far to travel by broom.

"The Old Evil Eye"

Quite some time ago, I told you about my friend Mario, who had given me the Evil Eye on the chain, for protection. I had said I wasn't finished with this topic. I know alot of people believe in the evil eye. Many people wear the eye around their necks and on their wrists, but I was wondering if you really know what it means. Do you? It dates back to before 2000 BC to many different civilizations. To place the evil eye on someone is really very simple if you have the blood line of these early civilizations, or that of the 'ancient one', that being a witch or a priest. It can be put on someone unintentionally, by the gaze of their magical eye or from too much love, i.e. in the case of a newborn child. Ever hear the phrase, 'love them to death?' When it is unintentional, the effects may vary from bad headaches, migraines, bad luck, and sometimes sickness. When the evil eye is intentional and performed by a witch, YIKES, then the same effects can occur plus sometimes disease, wasting away, and even death. And the witch, will and can choose an exact date and time for it to take effect. The evil eye can be placed on adults, children, livestock or even a simple possession such as a car, boat, penny, key, etc. simply by looking or gazing at them with envy. Hey are you thinking, hum this may not be a bad a idea, a little bad luck for you know who, maybe a bad headache why not, payback time? Careful dearie. And I hope you are not out there holding a mirror, staring into it, checking to see if you have the evil eye. Are you trying to make all kinds of dirty looks at yourself in the mirror? No, don't show your teeth, we are witches, not vampires. It's all in the stare, a steady stare. But please be careful.

Now maybe your on the other end of the broom, thinking, maybe you have been cursed with the evil eye, there are ways to check to be sure. The first way is with Virgin Olive Oil and Holy Water. (From now on keep these two items in your pantry, always). For this to be performed correctly, it should be done by a priest or a witch. The individual holds the Holy Water in a glass, as the priest or witch places one drop of the oil in the water. If the oil floats, there is no evil eye present, no worries. However, if the oil sinks, the evil eye has been cast on the individual, oh my. The second way to verify is by using two drops of oil in the Holy Water. If the oil stays separate, there is no evil eye, if they merge together as one unit, the evil eye has been cast.

Today everyone talks about prevention, and even this we can stay one step ahead of. So if you feel someone is trying to give you the evil eye, don't just stand there, that's right, stand up for yourself and fight back; make the sign of the cross with your hand and point two fingers, the index and pinkie finger towards the source of influence (the person, priest, or witch--don't worry it won't be me), trying to give it to you. Another way to avoid it is by the Talisman. This is the disk or ball that is dark blue, light blue and white, representing the "Evil Eye." This Talisman should send the gaze back to sender.

Now to ward off the evil eye, traditionally keep charms and amulets handy. The Cornicello or Cornetti, little horn, a gently twisted horn shaped amulet made of gold, silver, or red coral is the most popular. However, we modern day witches prefer a red ribbon underneath our clothes to protect ourselves. A red bow is many times placed inside a new car, to keep the evil eye away. Or how about some red nail polish on fingers or toes, that will do the trick. I also have a cross hanging outside my front door to protect me and my home. Never be unprepared, sort of like always have your boots on and your broom handy.

I have given you lots of information here that can be dangerous, so please be careful, keep the charms and amulets on you and those you love, get an 'Evil Eye' even a little one, and most of all remember its all the eyes. Feel like a witch yet?

PS I'm still not finished with this topic, I have to tell you have to remove the spell of the 'Evil Eye.'

Tangled Up With Ivy & Everyone Loves Larabee

Have you ever had to deal with Ivy? I mean real ivy, that grows outside, in your garden or on your house, or anywhere you don't want it? Something like English Ivy climbs vertical surfaces and can be difficult to eradicate. Or there is the famous Poison Ivy, growing more horizontal, a bit invasive, effecting your whole garden if you don't have a handle on it. It's anxious to touch you, to release that unforgiving poison. Now, I am not calling my dear niece in anyway difficult or poisonous, of course I love her to death (she's ageless, mind you). Just remember the ivy in your garden, if and when, you ever meet my niece. Now, let me tell you about her, she carries traits like her mother, Angelica. Yes, she is tantalizing, but she is hypnotizing as well. Her dark, dark, black hair against her cream complexion, that has never seen sunlight, with her naturally red lips, is the likes of a true Chanel model (major plug). As a young witch in her early twenties, she has accepted who she is and embraced it, after years of being shy and meek. Ivy has truly stepped out, she is absolutely vibrant, she goes after what she wants in life, she gets on her broom and goes for it, no kick stand required. However, beware, she can get under your skin, a great talent, hence her naming. She loves to meet new people and explore the world outside. Ivy loves to talk and is very much a member of our sisterhood. And although we were not ready to introduce Larabee to the blog and the public, dear Ivy just could not help her self. Love you dearie, xoxo. So hence, without further ado, next up is Larabee.

Our sister Larabee is a pretty little thing, at just over five feet she keeps the perfect little home, is the perfect little wife, and the perfect little mom. She goes spell to spell with Jemini on who's the true red head. Larabee loves to laugh and make you and your children giggle. Now Larabee has been married for quite sometime now, but she has chosen a different life than the four of us. She has chosen the mortal life. Although she is a witch like us, she has married a mortal, has two mortal sons, but her daughter, Devin at eight, already, swings a broom. Usually daughters are initiated at sixteen into the sisterhood, no, not this child, she's already a full blown witch, do doubt about it. Larabee tries very hard to be the "Betwitched, Samantha" but some days it just doesn't fly. She does keep the mirror in her foyer, like Angelica to send all that bad energy out, as soon as it enters; and the brooms are always handy in the front closet, when she needs to exit in a flash. Larabee also plays the "Stepford" role, you know, Miss PTA, baking cookies with the neighbors for the holidays, the house you want to go to, with the best decorations and candy on Halloween. Yeah the kids may want to come to my house for Halloween, but these aren't decorations, they are up year round. Anyway, every now and then we will fly by, and things may be a little off key at Larabee's, maybe someones misplaced a shoe. Suddenly she starts to lose it. Well all hell breaks loose, she'll raise the roof right off that perfect, light blue with white shutters and gingham curtains, ranch until the dust settles and those mortals start thinking some sense. See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya...

She cast a spell

Dixie is a huge Marilyn fan. I wanted to share...

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

Night, ladies.
Fiona xxoo

Dear Fiona, I just want to add a few more of Marilyn's words,

I stood beneath your limbs
and you flowered and finally clung to me
and when the wind struck with...the earth
and sand-you clung to me

Never forgotten, wonderful, fabulous, one with nature, one with...,
good night one and all,
Dixie

Light the night

It’s me, Fiona.

I’m writing from my porch. My little children are sleeping and I’m seeking tranquility on a rocking chair.

All is still. All is quiet with the exception of the singing frogs in the distance. The moon is a sliver, just enough light to fly by, just enough to see through to tomorrow.

Suddenly before I my eyes, I see the magic. Fireflies, first one or two, then literally a hundred at least, lighting up the night right there beyond my porch.

I smile to myself, give a nod to the moon and a wink to my sisters who aren’t immediately with me. Give thanks.

I know the message of the fireflies. And make no mistake, they are fireflies, not lightning bugs. Oh no, different animal entirely. Fireflies contain the magic to give light in an otherwise bleak and dark night. They’re little sentinels, mini air borne light houses that illuminate not only a mid summer’s night, but also the psyche.

In all the far reaching darkness that is night, these infinitesimal flying beacons offer enough light to see the way. I’m going to follow them and see where they lead.

Night, sisters.

Mercury is a Rising!

Have you ever felt like everything is off? I am sure you have. But I mean really OFF? The planets must be aligned or something crazy like that. Angelica lost one of her prize pups, her Rottweiler, Damion. The sweetest rotty you ever meet and a great protector, heartbreaking. My broom is flat out on the floor, I have to wait for the next full moon to re-charge it, what a bummer! My dogs are refusing bacon? Unheard of. I even got mad at Abagail last night, oh the carrying on with those mortal friends, drama, drama, drama! And I know its June but the mercury just keeps on rising, no cool breeze; humidity, no, not good for my hair, ugh! Is that Solstice coming, or it all those Warlocks stirring up the atmosphere for Fathers Day this weekend? Whatever, I think it will round the corner soon. Fiona bought me a bouquet of hydrangea's yesterday, that looked absolutely dreadful, pitiful and lump. Abagail wanted to toss them. I place them in cool water, and this afternoon they look like they were just freshly picked. Abagail said, just now, 'mom, you have the touch.'

I think I need a change of scenery, so I'm off to the corner tea shop for a cup of tea and some fresh crumpets. Alittle fyi, most tea shops of owned and operated by those possessing a broom, of course its not just tea leaves, you cannot be that naive darling. Actually, Angelica's daughter, Ivy is set to open a shop in the near future, I will keep you well informed of the time and place. Now, won't that be fun, sort of like a official meeting spot. Wickedly cool. However, in the meantime, if you see a blond dressed in black with black stiletto boots, (perhaps odd in the heat we have been having), introduce yourself and please join me. I would love to chat and hear about your day...

I think I have to come up with a plan to take on a few warlocks. Any ideas?

Wave Your Wands! Jemini's Landed!

Well, it seems that the time has come for me to finally prove to any of the naysayers out there, that there truly is a JEMINI. Please do not infer that my delayed arrival suggests apathy on my part. In actuality, as the "Highest Flying Witch" I have been conferred with the intrinsic ability and privilege to pop in and out! Rest assured that inspite of my alleged absence, I am always metaphysically privy to the thoughts, emotions and actions of my sister witches. Succintly, I am just a quick broom ride away!

For right now it feels good to be on solid ground. I have a tendency to suffer from motion sickness and while I rarely encounter upper level turbulence, my last few years have been "WICKED"! Even "Good Witches" must be wary! Case in point, the iconic Glinda! She never anticipated the coming of the Wicked Witch of the West! Certainly never in Oz! Moral of this story: Keep your Good Witches close and your Bad Witches Closer! Hence my tendency to fly high on my "supercharged, need for speed, 12 cylinder broom! It gives me credence and attitude! Even a good witch deserves a little "necessary evil" now and then! Its included in the "supersized" witch package!

Seems that my broom is revving up! Never deny your broom! It will always take you where you need to be! To my wonderful, irreplaceable and precious sister witches, "Keep your eyes on that cauldron!" P.S. Make sure Fiona lets the broom do the flying!

Please, let me introduce you to "Angelica"

Yes, I have been procrastinating, dragging my feet a bit, but it is time, for the world to be introduced to "Angelica." As the middle sister, Angelica stands out and can take center stage letting the world know what she has to offer. She always keeps a positive outlook that works towards fulfilling her dreams and those dear to her. Her daughter is Ivy. Angelica, of course has the moon is her eyes, but she also possesses a sparkle that can hypnotize you. She is strong, captivating, and is a true old world witch. She has the recipe for the perfect potion that will camouflage an apple, a box of chocolates, or a five course dinner. She is absolutely dazzling, tempting, and utterly irresistible. She will reel you in, like a helpless puppy dog. She lives in a great big house up in hills, she always has something on the stove. No, not like like that nasty old witch from the Gingerbread House, my sister is young and beautiful. When you knock on her door, and Angelica opens it, even without magic, you would want to go in. She surrounds herself with little puppy dogs and I sometimes wonder where did they all come from...

She will post shortly, and you can send her your comments, she would love that.

FYI Angelica doesn't keep a broom by her front door, as you enter her home to the right is a great big mirror. The mirror reflects any bad energy that tries to come into her home. Another sign of a true witch.

Get on your (rain) boots

it's me. Fiona.

Several times today, once by a total stranger and two other times by people I consider family, I was pretty badly insulted. It wasn’t like someone said they didn’t like my shoes or something. No it was far worse than that. Frankly, the stranger guy I couldn’t care less about. He’ll deal with his own karma. You know what they say about boomerangs.

What bugs me is that someone i love, and who I believe should love me unconditionally in return, passed judgment in a way that’s hurtful and cruel. They said things that cut to the bone. Really bad, wounding, horrible stuff that neither I nor my sisters would ever even consider saying to the Wicked Witch of the West (and you know how we feel about her! Eek) Basically I was made to feel like crap. Have you ever wondered if other people enjoy making you feel like crap just so that in some twisted way they can feel better about themselves?

You may have noticed that I haven’t acknowledged receipt of their cruel, damaging and hurtful words. I listened for as long as I considered necessary, then I looked away and thought of the blue place I know where everything is good. How did I shut their words out? I was wearing my boots. My favorite animal print rain boots. Actually, today I had to put on my full foul weather gear. I find that such gear, though not always figure flattering, goes a long way to protecting myself against mudslingers, mean people and anyone else who’s out to hurt me. You see, once you’ve got on the rain gear, all the bad stuff can just kind of drip off you… then you can leave it on the floor like the pile of crap that it all is.

Ten Minutes, Can You Live With it?

Its so strange how something as simple and quite often unnoticed, as ten minutes could change our lives. Think about it, what do you do in ten minutes time? Take a speedy shower, there's the ten minute manicure, feed a baby a bottle, wait for you morning bus, put your make-up on, give your child a bath, make a telephone call, make a sandwich, make a purchase in a store, the time is almost nonexistent. We hardly even notice the minutes that pass. Now what if those ten minutes could change your life, if you miss someone so much that your heart is aching, you feel like you cannot breathe, you cannot think and you feel sick. Is it love? Or is it lust? Does it matter? What is that voice of reason, and who has the authority to give it? Someone in an unsatisfying relationship? Or someone who really loves and cares about who you are, a beautiful alive person with endless boundaries. Who is to say what is right and wrong? Remember there are no coincidences in life, everything happens for a reason. So ask yourself, if you can live with the change this ten minutes will make in your life. If you accept it and those consequences it will bring, embrace it, open your arms and your heart, and enjoy probably the best ten minutes in a very long time.

Flight school

Fiona here.
Some quick thoughts on flying.... and i don't mean flying far, far away, Dixie

1. You must believe you can fly. Willingness isn't enough. You must have full conviction, full belief in yourself and your broom. Otherwise, you'll never take off.

2. You must imagine in your heart and mind the wind in your hair, the clouds floating away below you. Envision the flight.

3. You must set your GPS. Joy riding, although tempting, isn't recommended on brooms. To really fly and to really let your broom do it's magic, you have to know where you're going and what you're planning on doing and finding once you get there.

4. Know that you can't fall off the broom. No one can knock you off.

Keep these points in mind and remember that brooms come well equipped with air bags.

Happy flying.

And you are…?

Hiya. Fiona here.

Me and the girls, we have this cousin. Her name is Jezebelle and she’s on our mother’s side of the family. In case you’re wondering, she’s most definitely in possession of the broom. She’s gorgeous, has blond hair down her back, witty, funny, devious and couldn’t care less about what people think. We love her.

Jezebelle has a tattoo, Several in fact. Personally, I think the whole ink on skin thing is way cool, and someday I really want to have one of my own. I know exactly what it’ll be and exactly what it’ll say. But I digress. Of the several tattoos that grace Jezebelle’s creamy skin is one in particular that I’d like to discuss. It’s on her ankle and it’s quite simple: her name “Jezebelle”. Now, I remember when she got it and those far too simple to understand thought it odd for a girl to have her own name tattooed on her ankle. Silly fools. They mock what they do not understand. I got it right away and I think it’s worth sharing.

You see, Jezebelle knows who she is. She knows herself so well that she took the initiative to write it right there on her ankle. It was her way of flipping the bird to the world and saying, “This is me. Don’t like it? Tough eye of newt. Back away from the ankle.” I love it. It’s so her. She’s not trying to be anyone else but herself. Pure, proud, beautiful, watch-out-world-cause-I-don’t-signal-before-I-turn Jezebelle.

In my quest for understanding, Jezebelle has taught me a lot:

Be yourself. Know who you are and never be anyone but that woman. Embrace your heart. Tell the world who you are. Write it where everyone can see it.

Thanks Jez.
Xxoo Fiona.

Resistance training for witches

You know, figuring yourself out can be kinda rough. Figuring yourself out when you’re a witch with four witchy sisters, a little easier. Sounds like a Visa add:

Accepting who you are, $100,000
Liking what you are, $500,000
Having a coven of sisterly witches at your disposal, PRICELESS

But before I contact the Visa PR people, I think I want to extrapolate a little here. Even though, as Dixie said earlier today, we are ageless, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t take many turns of the old calendar pages for us to fully understand who we are, what we are. If I’m honest, the first little whispers came to me many moons ago. Increasingly the whispers got louder, the wind a little wilder, the feeling in my heart and soul more immediate, until nothing I could do would quiet the voice inside. It was a desperate cry from within, a kind of let me out or else I might just turn to dust pleading.

Now of course there are times in life when all we want to do is hop on the broom and take the first wind gust that comes blowing through the hollow. Desirable? Absolutely. Reasonable? Not so much. There are times when it’s necessary, indeed indicated, that you must put the broom away for a little while. Not far. Certainly not in the closet, but just somewhere out of the way a little. You can still see it, feel the bristles, check the battery levels, calibrate the GPS, yada yada. It doesn’t mean you’re not a witch. You can take a broom away from a witch, but you’ll never get the witch off her broom.

I’ve been struggling a little lately. I want to get on that broom and go. Yes, even us ageless, fabulous, dragon slaying girls struggle every now and again. The struggle is mine and it remains to be seen how much of myself I’ll be able to compromise, even if it’s just for a very little bit. It’s like that whole thing with how that horrid old wicked witch of the west (no relation to us, duh… she’s from the other side, YUCK) couldn’t survive water. Fact is, had she dipped her toes in, just an eensy weeny bit, she might have conditioned herself for when the deluge came. For now, my struggle is only going to be solved through a little conditioning. Eensy weeny, super extra small doses of the thing I can’t bring myself to live with. Need to build my resistance, so I can be the resistance against the deluge that awaits. I’m not giving in, I’m just getting ready to go.

The girls are watching my broom for the time being. They are ready to shine my boots and build a fire for the brew. They've got my back, no matter where i'm going.

A Day of Jemini's

Well, yes you guessed it, Jemini is a Gemini and today is her Day, and of course it is a day of great celebrations. Although she has yet to post, she is very much a part of this blog. She is our backbone. As our leader, she has laid the so called 'yellow brick road' for us to travel to get to this point in our lives. Mind you, some days have not been easy, and we continue to fight the fight, battle through days on occasion, but we brace ourselves, and stand tall and proud and somehow survive. We never consider ourselves lucky. Luck is something that happens by chance. A lucky charm may bring you luck, but luck is good fortune or success. We, the five sisters feel we were brought together for good reason, we all have qualities that are similar yet we are very different, and we thrive on those differences to appreciate, love, listen, learn, and cherish each other. We take life as its worth, everyday a gift to be shared. There are no coincidences, everything is very well planned out. There is a reason for everything, nothing is by chance.

However, somewhere along the way we have lost track and bearings of where we fall in the so called 'Age Time Line.'You understand, as witches, we are ageless. And alittle FYI, we don't need the old Adams rib, WTF, (Honey, those days are long gone), we all do with one less, thus keeping us quite svelt, (if I do say so, myself). I am not saying, we don't need men in our lives, but we are not needy, codependent women. We can survive on own. Believe me, we do like to have handsome, strong men at our side. We may not be exactly human, but we do appreciate the finer things in life, thank you.

So as I peer into my Crystal Ball and see my gorgeous Jemini, I wish you true happiness, love, and eternal beauty. I hope all your dreams will always be fulfilled, and I pray I never have a day without you. And to anyone else sharing a Birthday today, Happy Birthday and what a coincidence...

The weight of the world

Fiona here.

Chatting with Dixie the other day. You must know that not only is she extremely skilled with the broom and brew, she’s also quite the excellent source of good advice. In my experience, if she doesn’t have an answer, she’ll look for a solution under a rock in her garden or in the grinds of her coffee. But I digress…

So I was trying to figure out what I was gonna do with my life. I was trying to get my head around choices, decisions, effects, affects, yada yada. My question to her was whether she thought one scenario outweighed the other. “Fiona, she said, “neither scenario trumps the other. Nor can you try to weigh one against the other. You’re talking about life, not produce or ingredients for a spell. The choice, your choice, what’s best for you and those you love, will present itself. The answer will become obvious because it’s the only one that will eventually make sense to you. The answer to what’s giving you premature wrinkles will be the only one you can live with.”

Then she told me to stop thinking about choices, decisions, effects, affects, yada yada. She told me to live my life everyday. Adore the ones I love. The answer will come. I paused and listened (because nothing bugs Dixie more than not listening to what she’s got to say, she’s a witch of few words, so when she speaks, you had better listen). I was in my car. Driving past a pond. As she finished talking , a mother goose and her three fuzzy goslings toddled across the street in front of my car. Clearly planning on reaching the other side.

Thanks Dixie.

Are we Witches or what?

Fiona has a very dear friend who asked for some prayers today. Abagail came home and saw me flipping through the 'big book' on the table and asked what was going on? So I told her about the prayers. Abagail, alittle witch that she is looks at me with that face like you have to be kidding me, and says, "Mama, last I checked we were witches, not nuns." Of course, my dear, and although it may not exactly be your traditional prayer, everyone can reach out to some higher being when in need. I use some additional tools to help those prayers along, so they get there asap. So out came my holy water, and as I stood outside in the rain I performed a little ritual to help my little friend along. Sometimes you can feel so helpless when people are hurting, that is if your heart is big enough. A big heart is a full heart that still has room for more.
Still thinking about you, holy water is still out. And to the higher power, thank you.

How much is that love in the window?

Fiona here. This evening's question....What’s the price of love? What would you be willing to do for it? Would you, could you, risk everything to be truly happy? If you knew, because sometimes we just know in our hearts, in our blood, that eventually everything would work out, would you take that leap and risk falling without a safety net? You can only regret the things you don’t do. I cant live in fear. My sisters are flying beside me. Wing men? Nah, broom girls. 6ECFE54PHBZQ

the talking mirror

Fiona again.
the girls and i were chatting yesterday, a little phone, a little text, a little bbm (yup, even we witches are wireless subscribers) and we came upon something that gave us pause- the notion of knowing "who you are". hmmm, that's a good one. now Dixie already touched on the point about being your own worst enemy, so we're not gonna be that. but how do we figure out who we are, truly? i suppose that in those silly old fairy tales, the kingdoms from neighboring lands were pretty good estimations of who you are, providing you were one of the pathetic princesses stuck in the tower, guarded by the dragon, waiting for the horse and the dude. no, we're not gonna be that or do that either.

Dixie's hung up on that talking mirror thing and she's had her eye on one on ebay for months now. i'm not sure it's ever gonna come up for auction though. i told her that a talking mirror with anyone's voice but my own coming through the little speaker under the glass doesn't interest me.

my point? who are you? the good witch you see in the mirror. i spent years avoiding that mirror because i was afraid that what i saw wouldn't be what everyone made me believe i had to be. here's the exercise: stand in front of your mirror (jemini advises to make sure the lighting is complimentary) and take a good long look. look into your eyes, peer into your soul. study your face and look for the happiness, sadness, frustration and faithfulness. accept who you are, even with the chicken pock scar on your cheek. you are who you see. not what anyone else tells you. be proud in your determination. be proud for standing up, turning on that light and looking. as gorgeous as we are, it ain't always pretty. listen to what the voice in your heart says as you look in the mirror.

i'll tell you something: i know who i am. it's written on my heart, behind the moon shadows in my eyes. i love the person i have become and who i will continue to evolve into. that's for me to decide. me. not so bad if i do say so myself.

No Worries My Dearies

I'm still thinking about that wind, and how its stirs your mind, the way I am stirring a fresh brew. And all it is, is foolish worries. Worrying doesn't change anything but the way we feel inside. It gives us that bad stomach ache, like when we have had too much chocolate cake, or a bad headache from too many rich French truffles. Worrying doesn't ever make our hearts so happy that our feet never touch the floor for days, no, just aches, pains and wrinkles. So why let it have its way, be in charge! Don't be your worst enemy. Join me as I stir my brew, alittle milkweed for ego strength, alittle oak for endurance, a pinch of rosemary for security and my favorite a bit of St. John's Wart for safety and security. Stir to the left and to the right, don't ever let it boil over, and simmer over night. Half a cup in the morning mixed with chamomile tea and kiss those worries goodbye my dearie. But be careful who you kiss tomorrow, everything has a side effect...

knowing thyself... let me introduce myself

hello. i'm fiona. dixie has told you about me. let me fill in some details. there's a lot to learn, so i'll start slow.

first off, there's something you should know. my sisters and i (and abagail), we are all strikingly alike, but at the same time powerfully different. you'll get to know them later, but for now there are a few things you'll need to get straight about me.

I have blue eyes. remember when dixie mentioned about the moon in the eyes thing... well, I think she got that when she was recently looking into mine. just as the shadows from the clouds blocking the moon cast silvery shadows on my lawn outside, my eyes (to those who know where to truly look) can reveal a half (or so) lifetime of hopes, dreams, fairy tales, disappointments, regrets, victories and desires. my heart is filled with emotions, sometimes so much that my eyes leak the excess that cannot be contained.

and before i go any further. the fairy tale thing. please. big, BIG point of contention. fairy tales sell tickets to theme parks. they confuse little girls. me and my sisters always liked the villains, especially Milleficent. dixie is looking into getting a talking mirror. jemini has her own poison apple tree out back. the way i see it? screw the fairy tale. don't wait for the horse and the dude riding it. waiting for a magic slipper? me and the girls like Neiman or Nordstrom (great return policy). get your own damn shoes. make them stilettos. failing that... get your boots on.

one last thing for tonight. you're never to young (or old) to be a witch. my little one, Emie, doesn't even reach my hip and already she's showing her power. she stops traffic, makes the sun peak out from the clouds, casts a spell over all who behold her... has a certain little flip of the head that gets her sun kissed hair out of her eyes, just so you can see the moon peaking out.

that's all for this evening, wind is calling. time to fly. gotta meet the girls.
more tomorrow.

The Wind

Sometimes the quiet of the night is not so quiet. As you lie in bed and listen to the wind, sometimes you really have to listen to what it is whispering to you. It can speak volumes. The trees sway, and the shadows cast playful images in the darkness. What is that wind saying, what is it stirring up in your mind, why can't it let you be? On nights like this, sleep is not always an option, as your broom dances at the door. Take flight if you wish to clear that pretty head so you can get that beauty rest you so deserve. Tomorrow will be a new day, start it off with a spell, just for fun.

Go Away

Awhile back when I moved into my beautiful home, my cousin gave me a house warming gift. Knowing, the witch I am, and how I may not be the most social person, not that I am the least bit scary, it was a stake with the words "Go Away" at the top. Of course I loved it. I placed it outside at the foot of my path, most people, don't even notice it. It's alot like the broom at my door, until the other day, some one noticed the sign, and then the broom. I was swept off my little heels. She even asked where I got the sign, and that in itself was a true sign. I looked into her eyes, and there was the glow of the moon. A witch, Abagails friends mom, a surprise yaya, but I have known all along we are not alone. Do you have the glow of the moon in your eyes? Write me and tell me, I need to know.