Angry doesn't even begin to cover it

The last time a political cause crossed this blog was in June when I shared my action towards having Bill-C311 passed by the Senate.  The bill was the Climate Change Accountability Act and it was an important step for Canada who is not living up to our potential in changing our impact on the earth.  I was horrified to learn that the Senate killed the bill in mid-November.  Without debate, without commitee meetings offering alternatives or alterations the Senate calculatedly waited until the Conservatives would have a majority and voted the bill down.


All the emails that I sent to those Senators fell on deaf ears.  The Harper government is a disgrace to this nation.  I can not find one redeaming quality that he possesses.  There is a UN Climate Change Summit being held in Cancun beginning today. John Baird Canada's minister of the Environment might as well stay here and go visit the oil sands...or go lounge by the pool at whatever Mexican resort he is staying at.   I am embarrassed by our country's leadership on this issue, probably the most defining moment in the 21st century is passing us by in a blur of oil soaked, greedy and shortsighted "leadership." 

The warmth of the coming holidays dulls the anger slightly for me, but I could not let this issue that I have been writing about for many moons now go by without a word of outrage.  Other than embarrassment and anger I simply urge anyone out there to remember that we can vote these people out of government.  Harper is not doing his job to any degree that I consider acceptable.  If you feel the same way please put your feelings out there and vote them out of power a.s.a.p.

News of note

I just wanted to share that I've been asked to contribute to the Pagan Parenting Resource Blog.  I was honoured to be asked and in order to keep things clear in my mind I've developed three areas that I will write about for each of my three endeavors.  Here I of course pour out the jumble of my mind in everything from mothering to politics to my personal pagan path.  At PaganPages Ezine I write about day-to-day pagan parenting covering topics like Blessingways, family values, and general parenting issues from a pagan perspective.  At the Pagan Parenting Resource Blog I've decided to share a monthly crafting/art project celebrating nature, the festivals or the seasons.  There may be overlap in places but for the most part that is my plan for keeping the content in each place unique and fresh.  I have just posted my first post to Pagan Parenting and have shared a tutorial for making a Tree Advent Calender with your kids.  Please check out the site as it has some great contributors and content.

Art of the Month: Bathroom edition

Today I'm sharing my latest finished project from Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Materials into New Family Treasures.  I created the very cozy towel rug from a thrift store towel and a vintage sheet.  I changed the dimensions so that it fits perfectly in the small space between our toilet and wall in front of the tub.  Dave later informed me that it wasn't wide enough for him to feel balanced on....so the next one will be slightly wider.  This project is really quick I did mine in an hour and a half and it is really easy to throw into the wash unlike the rubber backed rugs that tend to disintegrate over time. 

 

 I love that you can get such instant gratification from a project like this.  And I love the feeling of the terry cloth circles under my feet.  I have plans for at least one more of these so that I can rotate more frequently and because my other rubber backed mat is not going to last much longer.  These mats are certainly the most economical and homey feeling that I've come across.  And they dry really quickly too.

belly update: 22 weeks

Since those around me have begun to comment on how my belly has popped this week I thought a belly update was due.  My body feels like the baby is much bigger than he is.  Did you notice I said he there....yup it's another little man for us.  I had a feeling actually that it was a boy this time.  I was told by a little old lady in a dream early on in the pregnancy and then again in my trance journey at Samhain.  So when the technician paused the screen to show us the evidence it was pretty obvious to eveyone and I was not surprised.  Not having a girl is slightly sad....but I'm so thrilled with having two boys.  I really don't think that I was meant to birth a girl and so boys I will raise, happily.  I could have a girl in the future but I have a feeling that I would end up having 12 boys or something like that instead.  And so, I'll stick with two boys thank you very much.
I feel so grateful that I have a healthy, happy boy inside and outside me.   I recently came across the journal I kept during Kyan's pregnancy and it was interesting to revisit the emotions that I was dealing with at the time.   Adding another one to the mix of three that we have here feels exciting...I know that much work awaits but that is ok, I'm up for the challenge.

to bed with you

I've had a plan to make a harvest table runner for 2 years now.  Last year I washed this piece of fabric in preparation but I had no idea what to do with it after that. 

As Autumnal Equinox approached I hatched an idea of what I'd like to do.  Embroider two words on yellow fabric and attach them at either end.  After getting Gratitude done I thought I'd also like to do some relief transfer with leaves and fabric paint onto the plain yellow.  I thought it would give another dimension to the piece.  And this is as far as I got...

I pressed some leaves and started the A for Abundance.   Having all of three harvest celebrations (not including Thanksgiving) I thought I might get further but I guess it was not to be.  So now this project is folded up nicely and placed back on the shelf to slumber through winter, spring and summer until the fall leaves turn again.  I just can't bring myself to work on seasonal projects in the wrong season.  Not to mention that I have a thousand other projects that I'd love to be doing as well.  But I have the distinct impression that next year at this time we will have enjoyed our fall table runner and it won't matter one bit that it took me three years to make it.

In the works...

Written Tuesday morning...
We've been a bit under the weather around here for the last week.  Ky's cold is now a fever and sore throat so the rather busy day that was planned is now a quiet one instead.  There is a flux of things moving in and out of here:  Letters, packages, projects, gifts.  We have meetings, orientations, concerts and dinners planned.  November is often busy for us with birthdays and outings and this one is no exception.  A highlight of this month will be Friday for that is the day that we get to see this babe in real time.  We are also going to find out the sex and I am really excited.  My to do list is not getting shorter but instead is getting a bit jumbled in my head.  I've had lots of work in the last 2 weeks which is great for the bank account but is not so helpful in keeping me on track with all my other work.

Written today, Wednesday...
What a difference a day makes.  I am tentatively putting it out there that I think Ky has recovered.  He certainly seems more of his chipper self today.  And with the sun that has decided to grace us out there I feel like I might be able to scratch some things off the list today.  There are updates being made around our co-op over the next months regarding our water supply.  Today our water is off until 3 p.m.  Preparing for such things is not always easy with a young child but somehow we'll get through these days.
I am starting to plan Ky's birthday party for December, it will be the first big one that he's had.  I don't plan big bashes every year but this one will be perhaps a fond farewell to Ky's train passion.  He's still into them but he's been showing signs of diversifying his tastes a bit.  Also I'm of course thinking of Yule and gifts and such.  The budget is a huge factor this year as we are trying really hard to get our spending under control so that we have money to save towards future plans.  I always take such things as a challenge and I was proud of my work last year visiting Craft Fairs and keeping the budget strictly.  This year I have challenged myself to stay out of malls, or at least big chain stores for all of the gifts.  So far so good.

Well, this has been a ramble post, proof that my brain is still not entirely focused....hope your week is shaping up to be a bit more cohesive than mine.

My Beloved Dead

This year I have chosen to honour two wonderful friends who recently crossed over.  At Spiral Dance two weeks ago I honoured my friend Phyliss who was a very dear family friend and my mom's best friend for many years.  She died almost a year ago after a battle with Cancer.  She was a generous and opinionated woman after my own heart.  We miss her very much but know that she is with us still.

And just last week my long time friend May passed.  She lived a long and vibrant life.  She loved to knit and had an ability to see things from a young perspective despite the difference in the generations that we came from.  She was ever so dear to me.  One can only hope to live life as fully as she did in the midst of a wonderful family and an optimistic outlook.

 

You have been called from the place of your dwelling,

After times, after duties, after separations,

May blessed soul-friends guide you,

May helping spirits lead you,

May the Gatherer of Souls call you,

May the homeward path rise up under your feet

And lead you gladly home.

-Soul-Leading for Someone who has Died

by Caitlin Matthews

Our Halloween

Our weekend had its challenges but we all had a great time.

There were parties and sparklers

Hot chocolate, fireworks and trick or treating

Pumpkins and of course candy

I'll share more later in the week about our spiritual celebrations as well.  Hope your Halloween was fun and spooky.