Lady Heather's Domain: My life in a Nutshell

What a great fireworks display!  We really enjoyed watching this (we were not there of course). I had a great birthday going to The Old Spaghetti Factory for an early dinner and relaxing with my hubby.  I got a beautiful calendar..   I am excited to start a new calendar year and to start exercising more!  Happy New Year!

Today is Winter Solstice otherwise known as Yule.  My hubby, son and I celebrate it as our main winter holiday.  We still have Christmas stockings on Christmas morning but today is when we each give each other thoughtful or handmade presents. I enjoy Yule because it lets us get away from the hectic Christmas season.  We plan ahead because we know there is not last minute Christmas Eve shopping for us. This year our family Christmas Gathering also was on Yule.  We had a wonderful time and I found that my allergy shots are really working as I did not need to take any allergy medicine or inhalers while at my brother's house where he has cats that previously had sent my allergies through the roof. I brought rolls, mashed potatoes and a Yule Log cake for dessert. We came home and celebrated Yule privately.  Each of us liked our gifts and were thrilled at how well each of us knew each other.  We will gather and eat dinner.  Laugh and joke...

Full Oak Moon is the full moon before Yule.  The oak is a symbol of strength and eternity. When the winter is in full reign over the Earth, it is important to remember the oak’s endurance. To survive the trials of winter, people must find within themselves the oak’s great strength. It is important at this time of year that roots are pushed deep into the Earth so you can survive through the storms - no wonder it is a time of family gatherings and sharing of resources (Thanksgiving, Holiday events and such) - we need our families and they help us find our inner strength when the world around us seems brutally cold.

Beaver Moon, sometimes called Frost Moon is usually the full moon in November. From Wikipedia: Two reasons are given for the coupling of the November moon with the flat-tailed aquatic animal: (a) November is a month when many hunters used to set leghold traps for beaver, [1] and (b) November is a month when many beaver families are especially active in rebuilding their beaver lodges and dams . [2] Much of the mammals' building and repair work takes place by moonlight, because the beaver is primarily nocturnal . Both explanations implicate November's position as the last full month before the coming of winter , as beaver (which do not hibernate ) need to have ready access to food during the cold months, and need to grow an especially lush pelt of fur so as to be prepared. By the traditional valuation standards of the fur trade , a late-fall beaver pelt was worth more than a pelt harvested during other seasons of the year. I have started re-organizing the house and...

So this year my seeds of intent were: 1.  To become more physically, mentally and emotionally healthy. 2.  To focus on helping my son into adulthood and being present with him and understanding of his limitations and abilities. 3.  To find a way to become a therapist in the direction in which the Goddess leads me. 4.  Continue to let go of the past and learn to live in the present and not to spend too much time obsessing about the future. One thing that I have learned to trust although it is still really hard is that when you put an intention out there and focus on it, you have to understand that it may not come to fruition the way you planned or thought it would.  1.  I started walking.  I have not been as consistent as I have wanted about it but I am making progress AND I did a 5K walk this year.  I also have been getting allergy shots which have paid off already in helping me in this fall season to breathe.  I continue to work...

The Hunter's or Harvest Full Moon is the first full moon after Mabon (Autumn Equinox).  The Hunter's Full Moon is named because the full moon give light to hunters tracking their prey before the cold winter settles in.  They are able to stock up on the protein they will need to make it through the winter. I myself am doing that in a manner of speaking.  I went to the conference to "stock up" on more learning material and to socialize before the cold settles in and we look inward and do less outside socializing and more family bonding.  I have started setting up my new office and making sure I have everything I need to do therapy. I find this a good time to seek out that which you will need in order to work within yourself during the dark time of the year the time of reflection and integration of new ideas and work from the previous year.  I am working on writing and organizing so that I can continue to work on myself. I am also starting again...

  The last several years I have been away from home on Mabon.  This year is the same - I am at the ATTACh Conference and this year it is in San Antonio, Texas. I find it interesting that my harvest always seems to fall when I am at the conference.  That is not to say I am not harvesting a lot of things.  Quite the opposite.  This year has been really interesting.  A few weeks ago I got involved with a small group of people who saw some things we felt were wrong and we got together and reached out to the rest of the membership.  At the board meeting this weekend, they listened to our voice and we exacted change!  I also got calls from a few potential clients so I feel like I am really reaping the fruits of my labors! I am really thrilled to be living life this way - by the wheel - it just works so much better for me.