Chi Surrounded in Nature

The squirrel I had found back in the month of November has found herself out in nature. It is where she belongs, but her departure was not intended by any means. I've been known to take Chi outside on my shoulder. Generally, she is quite satisfied with perching there until we wander our way back inside. The most she ever wandered off to was 5 ft away sniffing the items on the porch. However, yesterday I took her a bit farther from the porch than she was accustomed too. Jason came out to meet us and she playfully jumped back and forth from his shoulder to mine. At some point something frightened her and she jumped to the ground. Next thing we knew she took off across the street, behind a building and up a tree. I was terrified. She had never been outside for long and least of all for the night.

We tried to coax her down, but she refused to budge. After dark fall there was little we could do. We retired for the night. I woke up earlier than normal to go in search of her. I found her hiding in a tall oak tree behind a house at the end of the street. I offered her pecans and called to her. She ignored me and continued to hide in the tree where she was considered safe. Finally, she moved out of sight and that was the last I saw of her today. I'm not sure if she will come back or even knows where "home" is. What I do know is that she made it through the night and that she is at the age where they commonly leave the nest. There is a good chance her natural instincts will kick in and she will survive.

However, I still worry about her and always will. I was, in a sense, her mother. I dread the idea of her not finding a shelter against the Winter weather or having enough food. At this point there is not much I can do except  pray and leave food out for her. So that is what I shall do. Hopefully, I will see her again. She won't be hard to tell from another squirrel. She seems to be the only gray squirrel in the neighborhood as all the others I've seen were fox squirrels. If she comes to my feeder or climbs a nearby tree - I'll know its her.

Where ever you are Chi, you will always be in my heart. I love you.

The Sun is Shining

The sun is shining outside and today I was well enough to enjoy it. I went out into town with my Mother and niece for the later half of the morning. I really enjoy their company on days like today. It is a beautiful day and although it is Winter the weather is nice outside. Truly a benefit of living in the Eastern parts of Texas. The weather doesn't get too chilly until about January.

Jason and I also aided our upstairs neighbor in treating a wound on her feline friend. Her vet instructed her on wound cleaning, but kitties can be rebellious when dealing with these types of issues. I did Reiki on the feline while they did the cleaning and wrapping of the infected location. Chelsea was very surprised at how calm the cat remained during the ordeal. Reiki really seems to have this affect on injured and sick animals. I believe they sense the energies and realize that those around them are only there to help when it is used along with medical treatment.

After the kitty was taken care of, I then tended to my potted plant garden. My catmint and peppermint, which I purchased at the fall plant sale, are thriving. I had to relocate them into bigger pots. I did this for the sage I have growing as well. The sage was planted from seeds back in the Spring. I'm very pleased with how well it has grown and my ability to keep it healthy. This has been the first year I have truly tried to grow herbs. Next Spring I hope to start up more from seed. Makes it where I can hardly wait the coming of Spring and all the new possibilities it will bring for my gardening.

The Healing Sun

The sun has amazing healing benefits. My great grandmother used to tell my mom and me this. I figured it out for myself years ago when I had come down with a cold that I couldn't shake. I crawled out side and just laid in the warmth of the sun. My mother insisted I must have been very ill to have gone into the sun light like I had. I wasn't known for sunbathing. After that day, I have continued to use the sun's healing abilities.

Today was one of those days. I have not been getting out of my home as much as a should, so upon attending a holiday party I caught a cold. I have always had a weak immune system. So while I was visiting my mother today, I sat outside on the back steps to soak up some healing rays. The warmth hit me and instantly I felt a little better. My mother then insisted that I go onto the swinging bench and lay down for a bit to get all the vitamin D I could. I did. 

Before long I was in dreamland and Jason came outside to join me on the swing. He rubbed my back and told me to just rest until I felt better. I napped for about half an hour like that. It was the best nap I have had in a long while. It was a very peaceful and joyful moment even though it was all due to me catching a simple cold. Goes to show how many moments that are worth remembering come at unexpected times.

Winter with a Squirrel

It seems that the Goddess had a very unique plan for me this Winter. A month ago, I came across a little squirrel. It laid on the ground motionless huddled next to a piece of fire wood. She was so young that her eyes had not opened yet. Jason and I took her home with us since we had also found a sibling already dead.

We named her Chi, which is Japanese for energy. The name suits her well as squirrels are an active creature. She has come to believe I am her mother and finds it amusing to climb up and down me as I do my cross stitching. Chi also fancies the Yule tree in our living room, but that comes as no surprise.

So aside from getting ready for the Yule Sabbat, I have been learning first hand about my little animal totem and enjoying her company. I do believe though that she enjoys the hand picked acorns over my company at times. At least this year's Yule Sabbat is bound to be filled with laughter and entertainment on a level I have yet to have seen before.

Distractions

Life is full of distractions. These distractions have walked into my life yet again, and while unwelcome, they always seem to have a role to play. I've never been good at discovering their purposes until time has pasted enough for them to be clear, but I have learned that as they come to flow with them. I will admit that I do not flow as gently as I'd like as everyone is resistant to change and the unwanted distractions that come with modern life. The main thing is to remember that the God and Goddess know what they are doing and all will be revealed with time. Until then, I cross my fingers and hope that my hair doesn't turn gray in my 20's.

Beautiful Day

Today has been a very beautiful day, and one that was quite enjoyable. I spent the day with my fiance and a good friend of our's family. We ventured out to the local Farmers' Market where I picked up some cinnamon honey scones, dragon's blood scented goat's milk soap, and homemade salsa. It was very lively this weekend as it was their Fall Harvest Fling. It was actually my first visit to the market, but now I believe it will have to be a Saturday tradition.

Once we had bought our share of things from the Farmers' Market we headed off to the Native Plant Center. They were hosting a Fall plant sell! I couldn't resist myself and purchased some Catmint, Peppermint, and Wild Greek Thyme. I also got to spend a short time visiting my Mother and Father at the location as they were taking part in a booth for the Pineywoods Beekeepers' Association as my Father is the president for it. My Mother gave me some money for my plant purchases and some of her honey for our friend's mother.

In all, today was a wonderful beautiful day. Now, I think it is time for a cinnamon honey scone and some cold lemonade.

Fall Has Arrived

Fall has arrived and is early this year. After the last rain, which only lasted a short while, the temperatures of the days have fallen. The air outside this morning was crisp and you could smell the fall in the air. This means it is time to start preparing for the new season. Summer has ended and hopefully the fall crop for my tomatoes should be here soon. I think what I will miss most are my Summer hummingbirds when they begin to fly South, but the finches will be coming my way shortly after they leave taking their place at my feeders. Until then, I think I will enjoy my evenings sipping on some tea outside watching the world as it changes around me for Fall.

Rain Has Come At Last

I don't think I've ever heard the plants rejoice so much. After so little rain this Summer the sky finally poured down on us due to a tropical storm that came inland. I've never seen my sage plants perk up so quickly! The hummingbirds on the other hand were not so happy with the wind. I hope they all found good shelter for the storm. I just pray that it keeps raining. It would be nice to be out of our burn ban.

Introduction

I know introductions are normally found at the beginning, but I seem to have a thing for the unnatural. I just couldn't get myself to create my first post as my introduction. Seemed a bit too expected if you ask me and the one thing I know about the world of magick is you should always expect the unexpected. So here is my introduction, but you will find it reads more like a story. The story of me and how I came into the Hedgewitch Way.

To the birds I'm the Feeder Lady, to my street I'm the Neighborhood Witch, to my coven I am High Priestess Iris Moon, but to me I am just simply Sarah. Sarah the Hedgewitch, well, Urban Hedgewitch. I grew up my whole life outside a small town. It was common to see birds, deer, raccoons, and many other wildlife, but it wasn't until I was older that I learn to appreciate what is around me. It seems these things escape the eyes of normal folk, and I was no exception until a few years ago. While I was in college I began noticing the birds that stayed during the Winter at my parent's. This was the first time I ever noticed them really. I'd been a witch for many years, but for some reason I had missed one of the biggest lessons of being a witch. I had missed the lesson on being in Nature and really opening your eyes. However, the birds figured it was time for me to stop living with my eyes closed. It started with a Bobwhite. Three actually. They were huddled together in the backyard keeping warm. I had never seen one before so I memorized their every detail and then made a quick stop at the local bookstore. I purchased a book on bird-watching and some bird seed. And that was the start.

The Bobwhites left after the Winter, but I continued to identify the local birds. I'd spent my whole life listening to their morning songs, but had never thought to see which bird sang what song. It wasn't long before I discovered we had a nest of Eastern Phoebes near the back door or that Red Hawks flew in the skies often on my way to college. In fact, I believed the Hawks were telling me something. They were just everywhere that Spring. I finally tried to count them on my hour trip home for college only to find that I had spotted over 14 hawks. I from that point on figured it was an omen. I was right. The hawk was one of my animal totems, and this lead me on the path to research Shamanism.

While Shamanism is a fascinating path not everything in it was for me. I had already fallen for Wicca many years before this. Wicca was always a path that fit me. Honestly, I've been Wiccan my whole life, only when I was a small child I had no name for it. Shamanism always seemed a close second though. I had already mixed some Shamanic beliefs into my practice but it wasn't until after Sept 2007 that I fully embraced this.

On Sept 5, 2007, I was in a car accident. I had hit a tree when my car had gone off the road for reasons I will most likely never remember. It wasn't just an accident you walk away from either. I was badly injured and informed later that I would never use my right hand or walk ever again. I was 20 years old. However, what doctors seem to forget is the power of belief. I rejected their projections of my future and, as a Witch is often known for doing, changed the outcome. But it did not come easily, but the Goddess was with me each day. She sent me Eastern Phoebes to wake me each morning and in the evening two beautiful White-tailed Deer would come to our feeders. Alice and Amber is what we named the two does. They really seemed to love eating from your hand and weren't scared one bit of my wheelchair. I will never forget this period of recovery I went through. The birds and deer were a blessing in a time of pain and fear.

I did learn to walk again and have most of the use of my right hand back. It has been slow and I have had many downfalls and several surgeries since the initial accident. It has made me slow down and grow as a person. After all what is a Witch to do with so much free time? I had finally gotten the chance to do and learn all that I had always dreamed of. I learned how to crochet, cross-stitch, identify most of the local birds, sew using a pattern, cook all kinds of dishes, and garden. I also got the chance to learn how to make new friends in new places since my boyfriend, Jason, decided he wanted to take care of me full time and moved me into an apartment in town. It isn't the same as living near the woods where wildlife runs rampant, which is one of the reasons I say I'm an Urban Hedgewitch instead of a traditional one. Well, aside from the fact I am also a bit modern in my Hedgewitch practices.

However, I'm still new to the Hedgewitch way. This blog is meant to be a collection of writings involving my trip on this road. I know this path is right for me. I can feel it. Everything that lead to it wasn't just for nothing. It was the Universe showing me my way and I accept it with all of my soul.

Chatting with Hummingbirds

This afternoon I had an interesting chat with one of the local hummingbirds. They had disappeared after spring only to show back up last week asking for their feeder to be refilled. Of course, I did so. It is deathly hot outside. Today I went to check on them. Make sure the feeder was still in good order for them, when one decided to chat with me while he drank. He answered all my questions with a high pitch chirps and chitter sounds. It seems they are in need of a second feeder according to him. Says there are too many males looking for a feeder of their own to guard. So, I guess I know what I need to do.