Carolina Shed

There's an amusing story behind this 10x14 acrylic. When I put it on the old Art Show on Disqus, it was titled Tractor Shed. A savvy user commented that, due to its isolation, it was more likely a fertilizer shed, as these had a propensity to explode. She then included a photo of an exploded shed. I commented 'My poor shed. . .'

The sky was completely dropped; scanner must be getting old, because it doesn't handle pink well.

Hobby Horse

The universe on its appointed round
looks down upon the suffrance and moves on.
If I be quite proud, it looks on blankly
and should I laugh, the universe hears naught.
Yet, even so, I'll be a little proud
and play the antick to quicken this heart,
the mind and passions will be satisfied.
But on the wheel of memories I'm broken:
In journeys through fragmented hills
I've passed the vexing cave,
court of the banished king.
Rosalind, you followed in exile;
why do you now haunt every chamber
of my mind and leave me opening doors?
Were the lover's unsigned note,
the unmade bed to sadden me?
You took that day the first man before you,
as a ruffian in the alehouse chooses.
Child of a misogynist, turn to me.
How will your wrastler lover be tomorrow?
Are not your sisters silenced in the end—
Upon the falsehood through the night I brood.
I nod, and Rosalind and hour dissolve.
Dance, morris-men, dance for the universe,
lest the light and the fire of the sun
collapse into darkness with dreams.

Ed's Comma Clinic

Janine Davies decided to end the year with another magazine interview of the Wicca Horror Show. It wasn't the show's Goth-glam hostess that intrigued her as much as its cynical producer; his ascetic wit hit the right note with homemakers taking a coffee break. She took the stage chair backed against the second-floor patio doors and waited for Ed to perch on the stage edge.

Ed got down to business. "Get that painting appraised before hanging a two-dollar tag on it at your garage sale."

"Sound advice." Janine wrote it down, grinning. "Not the voice of experience, I hope."

"Nah. I watch TV."

Janine checked her notes. "I'm  not familiar with this 'Soma Beach' reference in Saturday night's script."

"There's no such place," Wicca said from her corner wing chair. "It means he's a soma beach! Ha ha ha!"

"Wise guys," Ed groused.

Janine had given up trying to interview the mercurial hostess. The woman might come out of the vampish dress, but she never came out of character. Undead mage indeed.

"Here's one," Wicca offered. "If you dream you're two inches tall, watch out for the cat."

Janine pretended to write it down. "You've. . . .had such dreams?"

"Yowzuh bowzuh!" For Janine's benefit, Wicca clarified. "That's like when those Thunderbirds puppets sign off with 'F A B'. No one knows what it means--maybe short for 'fabulous'--but that's a fussy thing for a spaceman to say."

Ed grimaced. "Getting back to Earth-if you don't pick up pennies, you won't fall for the penny-glued-to-the-floor gag." He took a bow. "When you jog, don't let the abs bounce along for the ride--keep 'em taut."

"Let me catch up," Janine said, scribbling. "This could signal the onset of writer's block."

"It heralds writer's block," Ed countered. "Word economy conveys ideas fast enough to visualize. Carry that far enough and you get poetry."

Wicca rolled eyes. "Watch out for him. He loves to teach."

"I do have trouble with commas," Janine admitted. "Take this line from another article: 'The storm brought wind and hail later'. Does it  need a comma?"

"Of course." Ed shrugged. "Wind and hail are in the future. Put a comma after 'wind', and you bring 'wind' into the present."

Janine wrote: "Without the comma we have 'The storm brought wind and hail later'."

"You need a comma after comma," Ed pointed out over her shoulder. "Otherwise it says 'without the comma we have', making 'comma' the subject, with 'wind and hail' as the consequence. Weird!"

"Ayehhh. . . ." Wicca put hands over ears and sashayed out.

"Short attention span," Ed said.

Janine rose, notepad in hand. "Where is she going?"

"The break room." Ed waved her to follow out of the studio and across the hall. "Your readers should like this."

Wicca got into a box of chocolate booze bottles, this one a variety of scotch recipes from Scotland. She unwrapped one, bit off the chocolate cap, spat it onto the table. The helmeted dwarf sidekick, Hecabano, avidly scooped it up. He did the same for the small discarded bottle after Wicca took the shot.

"Eeergg." Wicca's mouth went aslant. "Scratch this one--tastes like bacon." She unwrapped another.

Ed swept an arm in flourish. "Some freak show, eh? And those booze bottles cost better than sixty bucks."

"I'll bring her one," Janine said, jotting it all down. "Maybe that will keep her seated long enough to try another interview."

Thinking of New Year's

As I sat at an outdoor table in Paris, musing and listening to the life around me, a charming voice stirred me.
"Bonjour, Monsieur. May I sit here? The others are taken."
"Why, yes!" I said, looking at the gentle figure before me.
The beautiful young lady wore a hat; but it was then, when she removed her hat, hiding it from others as she sat, that I saw it — a corkscrew in her forehead.
"You are from...?" she asked.
"Yes...yes," I stammered.
"Where are you from?" she persisted.
"The States... States," I replied, glancing at her eye and back to the corkscrew.
"I would like to go there some day. But I could show you around Paris. First, please, do be gentle and remove the corkscrew," she said. taking my hand and leading it to the horrifying spot.
Everything froze. My heart fell. I didn't want to lose her; but this! I began to pull.
"Stop! You are hurting me!" I thought I heard her whisper.
Never good with corkscrews, I twisted and turned and yanked it. She fainted! Blood poured all over! People screamed. I fled.
From that day on, I could never again look at a corkscrew to open a bottle of wine. Now, I drink only champagne.

(Though mine, I'm not so perverse. The theme was one of several from an association's contest long ago which just flat died. No results given.)

Friday Night Frights Presents: Scene One, Take Two

Perhaps it's fortunate that there is no such thing as time travel. After all, a slight change in history has awfully big repercussions. Take the example of Perseus: long before the Romans knew his nemesis as Medusa, the Greeks knew her as Magera. Suppose our enterprising young hero decides not to do the will of the gods, but opts instead for a mutually beneficial business arrangement. It's a decision that will long outlive him.











Six elite warriors crept through the lair of the gorgon, instructed to keep their eyes down. They were already unnerved by an echoing hiss and mocking laughter. An arrow from nowhere claimed its first mark.

Perseus leaped to the fore and dropped his sword. "Hear me, Magera! There is no need for anyone else to die here today, including you!" The laughter went silent, and Perseus could practically feel the arrow winging its way toward him. "How would you like to get even with Athena who betrayed you?--to outlive all the gods of Olympus?"

The words came from everywhere and nowhere. "Face me, Perseus."

He kept his gaze down, seeing her lower coils slither into view.

"You may safely look upon me, mortal. I will know the truth in your eyes, for if it is not there, my face is the last thing you will ever see."

Perseus forced himself to slowly track his gaze up her body, struck by what the legends had said about her beauty--it was unmatched. As long as she wanted it that way, and if you could get past the undulating black serpents. "If the kraken destroys Thyatra, the world of men falls. Hades will bring his minions into the light, and all will be a charnel house. Not even you can stand against them. The gods will withdraw to Olympus, safe from both Hades and the men who will one day reckon with their capricious cruelty."

"Speak further," she commanded.

Perseus watched for any forward thrust of the serpents, signal that she was about to unleash the petrify curse. "We can transport you there. . .your safety is guaranteed."

More mocking laughter. "I need none of your charity, as I will go there by sea. But I cannot face the kraken beneath the waters, as he will destroy me before I draw near. I shall await him ashore, where you will keep your people away from the old temple of Artemis."

In planning to get this far, Perseus hadn't considered the aftermath. "And when the kraken is destroyed?"

"We shall see, for in making your offer, you have freed me from these confines." She slithered out of sight.

Lysander, the expedition captain, ventured forth to take an arm. "Perseus, you may have just made things worse."

"I think not," he said. "We can't be sure we'd have succeeded in taking her head. Besides, I'm counting on her sense of adventure. She's taken hundreds of men--where's the sport in that? Let her test her limits, and be avenged on the gods."

Off the coast of Greece, present day.

Max led Jenny, his fiancee, onto a snow-covered causeway. At the end sat a squat lighthouse about three stories tall. Frigid waves slapped at snow-capped stones littering the waters, wafting steam to obscure the morning sun. Max followed the hand rail, struggling not to slip on the ice. A panorama of distant rocky isles almost compensated for the arduous trip from the U.S.

The wind snatched away Jenny's misted breath. "Okay, tell me why we're not in Hawaii?"

"I wanted to see the ruins of Thyatra. See that big formation out there? It's called the kraken rock, supposedly because it resembles a monster head."

Jenny squinted at gulls wheeling about the barnacle and seaweed coated mass. "If that's a mouth, it's a dangerous place for gulls to nest."

"How the mighty have fallen," Max quoted. "Souvenir hunters long ago chiseled out all the teeth."

"You're in a funny mood today." Or was he? He wasn't smiling.

Max took her hands. "Jen--I want you to know what you're getting into. My dad just passed the baton, claims he's descended from Perseus."

"The guy who teamed up with a gorgon?"

"Yep. The most recent bad guys to go down were on an enemy sub. That's one petrified crew that will never be found."

Jenny still believed he was kidding. "I guess that makes you heir to the family secret."

Max assumed a look of dread at something behind her. "Looks that way. The gods of Olympus are gone, but magic remains."

Forcing herself to turn, Jenny beheld the snaky-haired apparition arising from the mists.

"The family secret," Max announced. "Let's take it slow, and try not to get the day off to a bad start."

Skyscape: Home By Six

This 16x20 won first place at the hospital craft show. The lab manager was so pleased, he ordered pizza for lunch for the whole crew. Being on night shift, I got one of two pieces held back for me and a tall redhead who served as my 'partner in crime', as we called each other. It's the original design that launched any number of alternate takes of all sizes.

Christmas Traditions

As a Christian, and a reader of Celtic/ Pagan traditions of which in a time before Christianity came to the British Isles, many of these have carried over because it's a significance of our historical heritage. It's the joining of Christianity as the sole faith/ belief that Jesus is our Savior.

Of course we have connections to the old faiths, because they were carried over. The Gaelic traditions are still evident in small pockets of Ireland because they carried it over into Christianity. God is good, God is wonderful. Once we were one with Nature/ God. At this time, we are one with God, and his extension of love through the baby. Why is Jesus different? Because he came across space & time to our Earth home. Supernatural exists. We should always try to be one with Nature, thank God for the bountiful crops and such etc.

Let God into your house, read a script of the Bible...let your heart be warm.

Merry Christmas!

https://www.sacredearthjourneys.ca/blog/traditions-and-symbols-of-yule/?fbclid=IwAR1xzN0V9JVpcVueTMceh6weOEgFxxvXRUA6PP0JJmPMlwY08WkrVvo46Xk

Traditions and Symbols of Yule

When the days grew colder and the nights grew longer, people of ancient times would light candles and gather round fires to lure back the sun. They would bring out their stores of food and enjoy feasting and festivities. Dances were danced and songs were sung and all would delight in decorating their homes.

Evergreens for Yule

Evergreens were cut and brought indoors to symbolize life, rebirth and renewal. They were thought to have power over death because their green never faded, and they were used to defeat winter demons and hold back death and destruction. Because of their strength and tenacity, they were also believed to encourage the Sun’s return.

Christmas Holly

Holly, which represents the masculine element, was often used to decorate doors, windows and fireplaces. Because of its prickliness it was thought to capture or ward off evil spirits before they could enter a home and cause harm. The holly leaves, symbolic of the Holly King, represent hope, and the red berries represent potency.

Holiday Traditions: Mistletoe

Mistletoe, which represents the female element, also holds much importance as it was used by Druid priests in special ceremonies during the Winter Solstice. They believed that its green leaves represented the fertility of the Mother Goddess, and its white berries, the seed of the Forest God or Oak King. Druids would harvest the mistletoe from sacred oak trees with golden scythes and maidens would gather underneath the trees to catch the falling branches, preventing them from falling to the ground; for if this happened, it was believed that all sacred energy in the plant would pour back into the earth. The branches and sprigs were then divided and distributed to be hung over doorways as protection against thunder, lightning and other evils. Mistletoe was also worn as an amulet for fertility, or hung above the headboard.

Yule Tree: An Important Pagan Symbol

The Yule Tree was also another important symbol in pagan tradition. Originally, it represented the Tree of Life or the World Tree among early pagans. In ancient times it was decorated with gifts people wanted to receive from the gods. It was adorned with natural ornaments such as pinecones, berries and other fruit, as well as symbols sacred to the gods and goddess. In some holiday traditions, garlands of popcorn and berries were strung around the tree so that visiting birds could feed off the tree as well.

To Honour and Protect: The Yule Log

The custom of burning the Yule Log began with the ancient Scandinavians who burned a huge log, felled from and Ash tree, to honour their god Thor. In the Celtic tradition, a continual hearth fire was kept to prevent spirits from entering the home. In order for the fire to keep burning, a large Oak tree was felled and brought into the home where the tree was placed trunk first into the hearth, with the last remnants set aside to burn with next year’s fire. It was also believed that the longer the Yule log burned, the faster the sun would come to warm the earth.

Other Yule Traditions and Symbols

Candles were another way to have an eternal flame within the home. They symbolized the light and warmth of the sun and were used to chase away evils and lure back the returning sun/son.

Wreaths were also traditional in ancient times for they symbolized the wheel of the year and the completion of another cycle. They were made of evergreens and adorned with cones and berries and hung as decoration throughout the home. They were also given as gifts to symbolize the infinity of goodwill, friendship and joyfulness.

Bells were often rung during the Winter Solstice to drive away demons that surfaced during the dark time of the year. They were rung in the morning as everyone began to wake to chase away the dark days and herald in the warmer, brighter days following the solstice.

Elves first became associated with Yule because the ancients knew that the Spirits that created the Sun inhabited the land of Elves. By including elves in the Yule celebrations, the ancients believed they were assuring the elves assistance in the coercion of the Sun to return.

Gingerbread was considered to be a specialty bread during this time since ginger had not been available until the Crusaders brought it back in the 11th century. There were strict laws regarding specialty breads in that time, so gingerbread was only allowed to be produced during the holidays and thus, it became associated with winter and Yule.

Wassail derives from the Old English words waes hael, which means “be well”, “be hale” or “good health”. It is a strong drink, usually a mixture of ale, honey and spices or mulled apple cider. When pagans went into the forest to fell the great oak for the Yule log, they would anoint the tree with wassail and bedeck them with wassail-soaked cakes, thus the ritual of wassailing was born. At home, the wassail would be poured into a large bowl during feast time and the host, when greeting his or her guests, would lift a drink and wish them “waes hael”, to which they would reply “drinc hael”, which meant “drink and be well”.

Carolling was also a popular Yule tradition when young children honoured the Winter Solstice with song. They would go through the villages, singing door to door. The villagers, in return, would reward them with tokens and sweets and small gifts which symbolized the food and prosperity given by the Mother Goddess to all her Earthly children.

Nature Symbols of Yule: Holly, Oak, Mistletoe, Ivy, Evergreens, Laurel, Bayberry, Blessed Thistle, Frankincense, Pine, Sage, Yellow Cedar.

Food and Drink of Yule: Yule Log Cake, Gingerbread, Fruits, Berries, Nuts, Pork dishes, Turkey, Eggnog, Ginger Tea, Spiced Cider, Wassail

Colours of Yule: Red, Green, White, Silver, Gold
Red represents the waning Holly King. Green represents the waxing Oak King. White represents the purity and hope of new Light. Silver represents the Moon. Gold represents the Sun/Son.

Stones of Yule: Rubies, Bloodstones, Garnets, Emeralds, Diamonds

Activities of Yule: Carolling ~ Wassailing the Trees ~ Burning the Yule Log ~ Decorating the Yule Tree ~ Exchanging Gifts ~ Kissing under the Mistletoe

Deities of Yule:
Goddesses: The Great Mother and Earth Goddess, Freyja, Gaia, Diana, Bona-Dea, Isis, Demeter
Gods: Mabon, The Sun God, The Star (Divine) Child, The Oak King, The Holly King, The Green Man, The Red Man, The Horned One, Odin, Lugh, Apollo, Ra

What Yule traditions and symbols still appear in your Holiday celebrations? Did you know the origin of some of these Yule traditions or did they surprise you? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

~ Daniela Masaro and Sacred Earth Journeys