ABC Wednesday - X is for Xanthus

I love this myth about the loyal, strong, mytical and beautiful horses:

Taken from Wikipedia: In Greek mythology, Xanthus and Balius were two immortal horses. Poseidon gave them to King Peleus of Phtia, as a wedding gift, when Peleus married the Ocean goddess Thetis. Peleus later gave the horses to his son Achilles who took them to draw his chariot during the Trojan War.

On the powerful image above, you see Automedon, Achilles' charioteer, controlling the horses.

Greek myths are simply wonderful and so rich, can't never get enough of them.


For more X posts, visit the ABC page, created by Denise Nesbitt, and join the fun!

Etsians together to help the Gulf

Every cent counts. So Etsy created a special collective shop to help the gulf coast to recover from the BP oil spill. All proceeds will be reverted to the cause.


I just donated two items that are highly related to it.

My Water God:




And my Gaia Goddess:



If you're also an Etsian, please consider donating one or more items, and if you are not, but love handmade art, visit the shop and take a look around. You will surely find something special that will warm your heart and help Mother Ocean at the same time!

Lucas' Dreamboard

Lucas decided joining the Full Moon Dreamboard again (I had to copy and paste the images here, he wanted to google the images and I couldn't find a site to upload the board). He came up with this:

LUCAS’ DREAMBOARD

HAPPY WORLD

Wish everybody a beautiful Full Moon (with eclipse as a bonus!).

The Weekend in Black and White

My brother took this photo many years ago, when he was living in Bahia, northeast part of Brazil. I always loved it.

For more Mono photos, visit the new main page hosted now by Dragonstar, and join the fun.

... And A Nu(de) Motivation's giveaway

The wonderful and challenging new blog A Nu(de) Motivation is hosting their second giveaway, this time with a beautiful photography book, Visions of the Goddess, signed by the authors! To enter, simply ask a question to the girls that are participating in the weight loss challenge. Join the fun!

Mother Moon's Giveaway

... And talking about giveaways... Mother Moon is giving away three awesome prizes to celebrate her first blog anniversary. Check it out unitl July 18th, you won't regret it!

... And more giveaway goodies at my door

I was super-lucky to win more awesome prizes almost in a row, and two of them arrived exactly on Yule evening. Is there a better day to get goodies from witch friends? :)

First I got this lovely porcelain vintage heart box from Jaz, from Octoberfarm. It's so delicate and beautiful!

Jaz was sweet and sent some yummy treats to Lucas, who was like daydreaming over them...


Right after that, we got this oh so beautiful witchy brooch from Linda, from Olde Baggs 'n Stuft Shirts:

As you can see, it is in a place of honor, at my big green candle, bringing me good vibes during my rituals and prayers.

But the best part of her parcel was given by her wonderful granddaughter, Gerea. She was so beautiful and sent Lucas a protection spell into a sweetly crafted spell holder, so my little witch could read it before sleeping and keep it safe under his pillow without messing the spell paper. I translated it on the back of the paper, and my little witch is reading it every night, he adored the feeling that someone almost his age cared to create this magickal tool to help him to get over his hard times and worries. Now he's all proud having a big sister in the U.S.:



And just to close the day, Holly - as usual - also spoiled my little witch with these cool temp tattoos, that he immediately got to his hands to show off at school!


It was great getting all this love from across the ocean, I was much in need of this! So thank you, awesome ladies, who brought smiles to our faces at Yule evening! :o)

ABC Wednesday - W is for World Cup

My little witch is enjoying his first World Cup - as you must notice, Brazilians are nuts about soccer. Well, actually this is his second Cup, but at the first one he was only three, and really didn't enjoy it. Last Sunday we went to my sister's and watched Brazil x Ivory Coast playing at my brother in law's cousin's right next door.




What Lucas loved more than the game was the complete drumset they have, since their daughter's bf has a rock band and rehearses there. So every time my team scored a goal, he would run and play loud while everybody was celebrting - "almost" a John Boham...





He's having lots of fun at each game, cheering, whistling and making noise with our friends... I bet he'll remember this Cup when he grows up...



Here are my sister and me (I always wear the same tee and sweater on all the games, I'm a very supertitious witch when my team is playing) right after the end of the game, when I had a good reason to smile, with our victory over the violent Ivory Coast team. Now we need to cross fingers for Friday game to be as good as this one so we stay in the Cup.

For more W posts, visit the ABC page, created by Denise Nesbitt, and join the fun!

Merry Litha/Yule and a reminder

I wish everybody a beautiful Summer Solstice. Hope you all celebrate both work & leisure on this day with joy and care.

Here we will be heading to the Winter Solstice instead, and we have our Yule trees on our altars, as Lucas always "demands". Our old loved ornaments are on, and I'm about to place his new runes set as a gift under his tree in a few minutes. Tomorrow night we'll perform our little ritual, lighting a candle with carved symbols. I couldn't afford to prepare any special meal this year, but it's okay, my little witch doesn't mind, and the spirit of the sabbath will be here anyway. Blessed be!

*********

And just to remind, tomorrow as well I'll be focusing on the Ocean healing ritual, as I posted here. If anyone else wants to join me, even if for some minutes meditating, be welcome.

Monochrome Weekly

Lucas took this photo a very long time ago, when we still lived in Rio. It looks good in mono.

I dedicate this post to Aileni, my Irish witch friend... I'm glad you're back.

For more Mono photos, visit the main page, hosted now by Dragonstar, and join the fun.

ABC Wednesday - V is for Van Gogh

Ah... Van Gogh... My favorite artist. I "discovered" Van Gogh when I was 10 years old, and fell in love with his unbelievable impressionism and sad and misunderstood life. Since then I collect books about his life, have two old books with reproductions of all his unbelieavable art - have I said that already? - and I cherish "Letters to Theo", the touching and heart-breaking set of letters he wrote to his brother, who was his best friend and supporter. So much you can learn about his soul by reading his thoughts. One of my childhood dreams is to visit his hometown, Zundert, just to visit his house, rebuilt in 2007.

There's this fun and almost unknow painting he created when was still an anatomy art student in Belgium. Love it! He had a dark sense of humor, which is not a surprise:


And his shoes... There's something about this I can't explain, moves me:



And I can't listen to Don McLean's song, Vincent (beautiful name, btw), without getting this knot in my throat - such deep and beautiful lyrics that translated so well his troubled heart.

For more V posts, visit the ABC page, created by Denise Nesbitt, and join the fun!

Meeting at the water

I was reading the most touching posts about fellow pagans and non-pagans who took their time to meditate and focus on the healing of our Mother Ocean. Though I do believe that the huge amount of energy raised will surely have some kind of positive impact on this sad disaster, I also believe that, due to the absurd/critical situation, only once is not enough - there's too much damage done, too much death vibes surrounding the area. I simply can't stand watching any more photos or images of the lovely lives so helplessly dying at the Gulf.

So I decided making it a weekly ritual at home. Once a week, on Monday (day dedicated to the Moon and to Water element), I'll be focusing over my cauldron filled with water & salt. I'll be talking to the Gods, sending my tiny participation to clean and heal the Ocean, that is hurting and silently screaming in pain. It's the very least I can do from such a distance.

Meet us at the Water

>> UPDATE: We did our little ritual this morning. Lucas made a drawing of the ocean with the leak on the left side polluting everything. He put it on his altar, and we prayed over the cauldron full of salty water. Then we placed his drawing outside on the ground. The rain took a long time to fall, opposite from yesterday, when it would never end! It will stay outside for the night, and then, what's left will be put in the garden. It's never too early to teach kids about the damage human can make to Nature, and that each single action/intention to protect it does care. I felt somewhat drained after this ritual, but I think it's just natural, the negativity of it all ends up surrounding us. So I closed the bedroom door behind, and we played for some time with his wooden soccer field at the family room, to laugh out loud and recharge ourselves.



Today I'll join this wonderful Divining Women group to send healing vibes to the ocean where she's hurting more now, the Gulf.
It's beyond heart-breaking to watch helplessly the many wild lives that are suffering right now due to human's stupidity. The whole ecosystem is up-side down in a way I've never seen before.

I'll play my humble part, meditating over my chalice of water on my altar, lighting my candle, performing a little ritual to focus on Her healing. My little witch wants to make a drawing of the polluted Gulf and place it outside so the heavy rain that don't stop falling here will wash and clean it away.

This affects all life worldwide, so if you can, join this call, bring your energy and be part of the chain.

Monochrome Weekly

I think I have already posted this one at Monochrome... But bear with me! I just love this photo my brother took of my daddy. If I'm an easy-going witch, it's his fault (and mom's, of course). He was the coolest guy in Earth, always with a sweet word and that smile, a man who deeply loved and was proud of his wife and kids. Miss him... But I'm happy I had long years to enjoy his company, learn and have fun with him!

For more Mono photos, visit the main page, hosted by Aileni, and join the fun!

Proud son... Prouder mom!

I got moved last afternoon when I went picking up my little witch at school.. There was this ceremony where all fundamental grades gathered to receive a certificate for their Cultural Marathon that is held every year. 50 questions encompassing subjects they study such as maths, portuguese and english, history, geography and sciences. Lucas won the first place of his grade! He got all questions right, and it was sweet to watch him shyly walking to the stage to receive his certificate and a kiss from the teachers. This surely will help a lot on his last troubles at school, remember? His self-steem now is over the top! LOL

Btw, I didn't update you guys on his last trauma: his art teacher, who's also the phsycologist, told me last week that he's reacting very well to his own problems, and his drawings show no sign of anger, anguish or anxiety. Just the usual skulls, castles, pirate ships, dragons, sea monsters and warriors he loves so much creating. He's still a little bit fragile at home, specially at bed time, but his confidence grows each day. That was really and only a bad phase, but obviously I keep a sharp eye on him, and make him feel loved as he must be.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

ABC Wedsnesday - U is for Underground

When I was thinking what could I bring to this week's letter, I immediately thought of Underground, by David Bowie.

This groovy song is from the fantasy movie Labyrinth, released in 1986. A story within a story, just the way I like it. I remember watching this movie just because Bowie was the bad guy, and the soundtrack was his. I so love the chamaleon, and I danced Underground many times in front of MTV. Actually, I still dance it, for my little witch's despair! ;o)

For more U posts, visit the ABC page, created by Denise Nesbitt, and join the fun!

My B-day!

It's my 41st b-day today! I'm like a child, I love spreading the word for everybody to see! If a dog crosses my way on the street, I tell him too! LOL

Going to have a special lunch at my sister's, so we can celebrate both my and my niece's birthdays - she was born when I was 18, two Gemini! We'l have chicken strogonoff and two cakes, the one bove made by mom (my favorite one, filled with dulche de leche & prune in its liquor), and a chocolate cake. I'll be in heaven... :o)

Monochrome Weekly

Meri, I hope Aileni is okay pretty soon, I'll be lighting my candle... Send our love to him!

I think I have already posted this one some time in the past. But I love it! Lucas and his first smile, when he was a 15 days old tiny little witch. :o)



For more Mono photos, visit the main page, hosted by Aileni, and join the fun!

.. And more giveaway goodies arriving at Mosela Street

This time it was the adorable Lion cabochon I won from Marie Segal, the incredibly talented artist and sweet soul from Art from my Heart.

She knew I planned to give it to my little witch, since he is a Leo, born in August. Then she turned it into a magnet that he could place to his altar's cauldron.
He was thrilled opening the envelope...



And finding a lovely card specially made for him!



The lion magnet was immediately put on his place of honour:



And she was sweet by adding an extra gift for me: a cute Magick stone that I loved and is now on my altar, just by my big candle and bottle of plants:



Marie has an Etsy shop where you can find her gorgeous art!

Thank you for the gifts, Marie, you made our day! :o)

ABC Wedsnesday - T is for Trees

Everybody must have already noticed that I love trees... And Petropolis gives me this chance of being surrounded by thousands of trees of all types, ancient ones, young ones... I feel this need of having them around me. At least one single tree to hug!

So here are some of my favorite ones, along the city's streets. All the photos are, obviously, by Lucas. When we go outside, I simply let him carry the camera and go clicking around - he's way better than me on this! LOL











For more T posts, visit the ABC page, created by Denise Nesbitt, and join the fun!