Back from the Jersey shore. Much fun was had, many pictures were taken, and I will share them with you tomorrow. I will try to play catch-up with LJ posts as well, no promises.


Michael's grandmother passed on this evening, and he's essentially in the numb stage. Everyone saw it coming, as she'd been in ICU for a few days. She had a peaceful passing.

I had the strangest feeling the last time I saw her. I met Mee-mom three Easters ago. She was getting fairly up there in age, and since that day, she's rarely recognized me because I guess I just didn't stick in her memory. The last time I saw her was about three weeks ago. She seemed lucid and happy, most likely because Mrs. Jamie had been taking her out regularly for hair and manicure trips. She was dressed in a new outfit Mrs. Jamie'd picked out-- a lovely soft ivory blouse and rose-colored slacks that brought out the pink in her cheeks. And she turned to me and waved before she left. It's a good way to remember her.

This weekend:: photographic evidence. Caution:: Many Pictures Ahead.





Heather looks out on the shore of Ventnor City.

( The Redhead Brigade Takes Jersey!Collapse )

The theme for one of my online Pagan groups was altars last week. As my journal has more and more been becoming a spiritual journal as well, I figured that I'd post my response here as well.

What do you have on your altar? Currently, I have a chalice (water), a metal athame, a wooden athame that I use more like a wand, a salt dish (earth), a tealight candle (fire), a bundle of sage (air), a silver candle and a gold candle (my current Goddess/God representation). I generally don't use the metal athame for cutting anything, but I will use it for carving runes during candle magic. There is also a glass plate surrounded by a wreath of dried flowers and a water-holder that I use to either consecrate items with salt water or hold fresh flowers.

Are some items seasonal? Yep. I have a pinecone on my altar now as a representation of the God and summer, and the wreath of flowers changes to a garland of silk leaves in the autumn. I also will use seasonal flowers on my altar, and seasonal fruits now and again.

What do you do with the items during ritual (do some stay and some go)? Generally, the standard altar fare stays, but some things come and go-- items that are being purified or charged, herb charms, bits and pieces of workings I'm doing.

What are some general things to keep in mind when building one? I like to keep at least one item representing each element on my altar at all times. As I'm at college, I don't have room for statues and the like, so size of items is also a consideration. I don't tend to worry about placement of items too much. I arrange things visually and instinctively.

Do you allow others to touch it (this might be a strange question)? My altar's been jokingly used to hold orange juice glasses every now and again (sacred to Oshun! :P), but generally, people don't really ask to touch it. When they do, it's generally to get a better look at the wooden athame. That's okay with me, in general. But I'd say overall, it depends on the person.

How is it set up in your home? In any room on campus I'm moved to, it generally goes wherever it fits. I prefer not to be in front of a window directly, and currently, it's placed between the foot of my bed and my closet.

( Pictures and further explanations.Collapse )

My altar acts as a daily reminder of my spiritual life and as a calming influence as well as a place to store my tools. Two great books I've read about everyday altars are Altars : Bringing Sacred Shrines Into Your Everyday Life by Denise Linn and A Book of Women's Altars : How to Create Sacred Spaces for Art, Worship, Solace, Celebration by Nancy Brady Cunningham.