Well, this is it!

On April 7th, I'll be switching over to my brand new domain!  It's pretty.  I like it.

I'll also be having a giveaway for my new eCookbook, which will be released that same day!  The catch is - entering for it will be done over at the new site, so you'll all have to come see it if you want to enter!

In the meantime, I'm looking for people to guest post on a specific subject - spirit/totem animals.  If you are interested, message me with the new Timeline message option on my Facebook page.

Busy, busy, busy!

How is everyone else doing?

The Dreaded Sick

Since Friday, I've been trying my very best to pretend to be among the living.  I've generally been acting pretty zombie like.  I haven't been sick thankfully, but Brianna got Croup.  It's been a fun one, I tell ya.  She would only sleep an hour, or an hour and a half, at a time.  She would wake up, cough like mad, and then cry and say "no way, no way" over and over.  It was heartbreaking.

Sean of course is still working 6 days a week, and he still helped out more than he should have, but it just wasn't enough sleep.

Last night, though, Brianna slept through the whole night!  It feels so awesome to get a full night of sleep.  I love it.  I love sleep.  Sleep is awesome.  Brianna is still sick, but getting better finally, thank the Gods.

Now that I'm (almost) back to normal, it's back to catching up on housework, which has been sorely lacking over the past 5 days.  Heh.  It shall be a full day (or two) of cleaning to get everything back to normal.

I also started some of my seeds growing.  We are finally going to container garden this year.  The soil is bought (ours is really bad where we live), we have all the containers.  We are just waiting for the weather to warm up.  Anyone else here just starting their gardening for the year?  What do you grow?

Blessed Ostara!

Ostara Blessings to all my Northern Hemisphere friends, and a Blessed Mabon to those friends in the Southern Hemisphere!

Hope everyone has a lovely time today with whatever they have planned.  We will probably bundle Brianna up and take her out to break the ice on the puddles if it gets a little warmer - it will be good for her throat.  As I type this, I realize I haven't really blogged since this all started, but Brianna has croup.  It feels like it has been forever, but really it has only been since Friday.  She is getting better, but still coughing like mad.

We are planning on doing a family Ostara ritual within the next day or so, depending on how the muffin feels.  What do you all have planned?

A PSA

For some of you, this will be a repeat, but hey.  Repetition is good for the memory, right?

How many here saw Teo Bishop's blog post on changing his name?  The Gods always seem to work these things out well, because this was perfectly timed for me to read.

You see, I've been considering something similar.

Not legally changing my name, because I don't really need to. However, I've been thinking about a switch to the longer version of my name for some time now, which is Anastasia.  "Stacy" doesn't really fit me in many ways anymore.  Needless to say, this has been a very difficult decision, and after talking with many friends and family members, I've decided to go ahead and do it.  If someone wants to know the personal reasoning behind it they are more than welcome to message me, and I'll tell them what I feel comfortable telling.

Suffice it to say, I'm not the person I used to be.  I feel that my name should reflect that.

I will say this:  As I have already talked to many people I respect about this, I feel I have all the thoughts and opinions I need to make this decision.  This was in no way an easy decision - taking a step away from who I used to be - but a necessary one.  If someone (yay for trolls) decides to post a negative comment, I will delete it without posting it.  This is going to be a happy time for me.  Support, however, is always welcome.

Over the next month or two, there will be changes made slowly.  My Facebook accounts will reflect the name page.  My G+ and YouTube accounts will change, so keep an eye out for me to post the new links to those.  I will keep the name Stacy for my writing, and so nothing in that arena will change.  Over the next 6 months to a year (it depends on how much time I have) I will be moving this blog to my own domain - it will be an interesting switch.

For those who know me personally, while I would prefer to be called by my new name, I will not be upset at a slip up.  I'll probably only gently correct it.  Stacy is still part of my name, after all.  There are a few people I don't expect to make the change.  If they do, it will surprise the heck out of me -  like Sean, and my parents.

So, I hope you all follow me across the interwebz as make this change, and subscribe/like wherever I end up.

Thanks, all.

The Sunday Dinner

There have been numerous sources state about the detriment it is that families don't eat at the table together anymore.  Something that I haven't seen a lot of though is the lack of Sunday dinners.

It wouldn't even have to be on Sunday.  Any day.  The whole family, gathering together for a special meal - not your normal weekday fair.  Maybe the Grandparents would come.  There would be a tablecloth, maybe even those special salt and pepper shakers received as a wedding gift, used only on what is deemed a special occasion.  The places are set just so.

It ceases to be a meal.  It becomes a ritual.  The ritual of the Sunday dinner.  Or Friday dinner, or Wednesday dinner.  Whatever works for the family.  It's more than just food, or the day it is on.  It is about community, and communal eating.  We aren't that far removed from societies who would live together, learn together, and survive together as a family.  Cooking and eating was communal - part of the reason potlucks are still so popular, I suspect.

The Sunday dinner gives us that time to be with the rest of our "tribe".  In a group with many ties together, by blood or choice.  It gives the opportunity for us to gather as we once did - as a community.  Pagans are awesome at this - we are seemingly addicted to potlucks.  So why save the communal eating just for major events?

What do you think?  Does your family still have a Sunday dinner?

Sabbat Cooking - Beltane!

Hey, All!  Guess what's here?!

This cookbook is filled less with seasonal things (although they are still there) and more with foods specific to symbolism.  Spice, Aphrodisiacs, and pure deliciousness.  


Here is the blurb from it's page:  
"Beltane - the time of year for honouring love, fertility and the sun. Beltane foods focus on spice and aphrodisiacs - with seasonal foods mixed in. 

This eBook contains recipes for appetizers, side dishes, mains, and desserts. Recipes with oysters, fruits, and oats, amongst many other ingredients, can all be found inside. Also included are the magickal properties in many of the ingredients, as well as ways to utilise them while cooking. This interesting eBook is a great addition to your collection. "

It's set to be released April 7th - it's coming up quick!  


Closer to the day I'll be posting a picture of one of the recipes here...or, if you want to see it early, you can "like" my author page on Facebook, where it is already posted!

Goddess Bless,
Stacy

Timeline

Well, I've taken the plunge.  Upgraded to Timeline for my Facebook Page.

I'm not sure I like it, but since they are forcing everyone to make the change I might as well get it over with.  Apparently, it makes it more difficult to use Networked Blogs...we shall see.  I'm going to be in the process of switching my Author page over as well, but I'm a little stumped on what to use for a cover image.  Any suggestions?

By the by, I may be MIA for a day or two.  Our gentle snowstorm which started yesterday evening is slowly turning into a raging blizzard, so our internet might go out.

Goddess Bless,
Stacy

Vlog # 2

Hey all.  Second vlog went up today.  The editing is kind of....bad.  Yes.  Bad.  I'm getting better though, lol.

Thanks for watching!

Goddess Bless,
Stacy

Liturgy: Coming of Age

First, some awesome personal news - it is official, we no longer have any debt except our house - no credit card debt, no consolidation loan debt - It's all payed off!  We are still kind of in shock.  Now, on to the post! 'Tis a short one today.  

As in my previous post on Liturgy, I talked a little about the coming of age ritual(s) I want to write for my reference book.  So, what makes a child come of age?

For a girl, the main indicator is menstruation.  For boys, there is no physical marker - unless you wish to go by the not-oft followed thought that the main indication for boys is their first wet dream.  There is the option to go by age for boys - 13 being thought of as the proper age.  Yet, what about mentally?  Both boys and girls go through mental changes at this time.  Maybe they finally get their own house key, stay up later, are able to finish what they start (most of the time).

So here is my next question for you:  In your opinion, what things mark a child's coming of age?

Goddess Bless,
Stacy