Home Shrine

     My home shrine is conveniently located on the corner of the desk in my bedroom.   The computer takes about half the space and my shrine the rest.   Above my altar, is a sign which cannot be seen which says, “Sit a Spell”.  My shrine is an eclectic mixture of store bought pieces and inherited items.   My tree is an artificial tree with a star on top.    Pieces of yarn and knitting which were made as offerings to the ancestors sit in the branches.   The little red cupid was found in a box of tea.  The cauldron was given to me by a friend.   The white well was made by son, as was the purple offering bowl down at the bottom.   The oil lamp and the coaster it sits on have been dedicated to the Shining Ones.   My fire is represented by a white candle in a selenite candle holder in a blue, green, and silver bowl; thus, I have a dual representation on my desk, of both the microcosm and macrocosm.   Candles to represent, land, sea,  and sky line the wall,  along with clusters of amethyst,  some citrine,  a quartz point,  and a piece of tektite.   The hand-knitted bear is my representation of my work with the Nature Spirits and my animal guide.   It has a working space for omen taking, writing, and larger offerings.
     I am very comfortable with the spot that it is in, because I do most of my writing on the computer.   Eventually I would like to get a couple of shelves to put up family portraits and pictures of the ancestors.  I am also contemplating moving the “Sit a Spell” sign to over my bed and moving the metal triskele wind chime over the shrine, but have not done so yet.

Bunny vs. Human (Round Two)

     A rabbit was back in my garden this evening when I went out to water.   I have a feeling it was contemplating eating one of my green onions, and then to hide its mischievous nature sat on it when I came out the door.   The stalk was broken,  of course.   I said good evening to my hopping friend, and pointed it to my son who was oblivious to the brown fur ball sitting in my onions.   He decided to be helpful and chase it out.   As for the green stalk, I quietly harvested and washed it.   The little one had his first taste of home grown green onion and winced.    I took a taste and immediately thought of my twice baked potato recipe.   We both said prayers of thanks for the first fruits of garden- his to the garden angels and mine to Don and Beli and the nature spirits.   I left what was left of the onion as an offering.   It was gone a few hours later.   I am not sure who won this round whether or not it was me or the rabbit.    Perhaps, we both got a taste of the goodies yet to come.  

Bunny vs. Humans (Round One)

Last night, I went out and checked on my garden.   I found a medium sized rabbit sitting in the midst of my lawn, nibbling on grass and weeds.   I tried to have a long talk with it.   I admired its beauty and I admired its bravery.  I even encouraged it to nibble on the grass and weeds, but leave my garden alone.   We could be friends,  I thought -just don't touch the garden.   It just sat and watched, it's nose occasionally twitching.   Earlier in the week, after my cucumber seedlings went missing, my son and I had teasingly made remarks about bunny stew:

"Please, my garden you should eschew

Or you shall be made into bunny stew".

This morning, however,  I felt sickened.   I found a rabbit and a small mouse carcass around the house.    I doubt it was the rabbit from last night.   It was probably a few days old, but for the most part it had been stripped bare.   The mouse had been a rather fresh kill.   I felt guilty.   Had I unwittingly invoked something which was killing the cute fuzzy suburban creatures?  Kill them before they eat my garden-suburban warfare?   Or was this just nature's way?   It's most likely the latter, but being the softy that I am, I feel guilty.   I realize that the rabbit fed something else, and that there is probably an overpopulation of rabbits in the area.  I saw the flies and the ants eating away at the carcass.  They, too, needing food.   I understand it on a  rational scientific level, but sometimes, watching it and feeling it in action are two very different things.   This is what I am trying to wrap my head around.  Perhaps, its just the recognition of it, too.  It's not something we think about on a normal basis.   Later today, I will try to gather some rabbit fur, and leave an offering for the spirit of the rabbit.  May the rabbit spirit find its peace.

Blessings!
Stonegiver

Old Oak

 My neighbor's oak trees :)