Monday evening, the sun sinking in a ball of orange flame outside my window.  The sky is lit up in shades of pink, red, purple, crimson, and violet.  Beautiful.  All else is in the summer shade of shadow-twilight.  That shade that appears when the sun is low enough that it isn't that much visible from the ground unless you have a clear view.

 

Just wanted to drop a couple lines here.  I went to the Maryland Renaissance Festival yesterday and dropped $291 on a beautiful black wool cloak.  Gorgeous.  I have two additional items from this same vendor that I've bought over the past couple of years.  I love their clothing.  I just wish that this year, it might be cold enough to wear them.

 

I am also freaked about Tropical Storm Rita and what she might do.  Both to my beloved Key West and to the Gulf States.  Where is she going to go?  I am praying that the darkling city of New Orleans is spared this time.  She is nearly 90% pumped dry, and it is possible she might recover somewhat before too long.  I hope so.

 

Blessings and Peace,

 

Salem

I am weary, exhausted.  I don't know if it is me, or if it is the world, but I can hear the ticking of the clock, and it feels as if the world is winding down.

 

The skies are grey, with flecks of pink light trying to break through.  The horizon has blended with the sky become nearly invisible.  The world waits, waits, waits.

 

The season is tipping into blackness, night where spirits prevail, wailing from their lonely shadows, hoping to catch the attention of a lonely soul on this side of the veil.

 

I am tired, exhausted, and the comforts of sleep call to me.  I need much rest, though my brain begs to differ, firing up and keeping me awake into the dark, deep, long hours of the night.  The flickering light from the ever-present candle at my bedside creates gloomy shadows to keep me company; shadows that undulate and move to smother me.

 

Rain clouds gather, darkness falls soon, night-things gather, spirits surround...I welcome all, I welcome all.

 

Yours, in the gathering gloom...

 

Salem

September sun setting, humidity slowly receeding from the air.  Thoughts of pumpkins and cider, autumn colors swirling.  Spirits stirred by the coming darktime.  Night falls, stars shine like white diamonds.  Black as pitch, the feeling that someone is watching you from the shadows.  And knowing it's true.

 

The smell of woodsmoke from the fire.  Candy apples.  Halloween decorations.  The smell of patchouli incense filling the air.  Dreams...just out of reach.  Omens and signs.  A raven splits the grey sky.  Brown autumn leaves scurrying along the sidewalk.  The crunch of dead leaves in the forest.

 

Birds in flight, in a line heading south.  Wondering what they know.  Wondering if they would share their secret?  Collecting autumn leaves and seed pods for display.  Wearing wool sweaters and fancy cloaks.  The twinkle of purple Halloween lights.  Orange, Yellow, Red, Brown, and a little left over green.  Red and yellow trees and green grass.

 

Halloween, Samhain, All Souls Eve, All Souls Day, The Days of the Dead.  Scrying, Ouija, Tarot.  The Dumb Supper, leaving food for the souls of the departed.  Magick, mystery, midnight, the Witching Hour.  All these things await us, soon.

 

Love,

 

Salem

Just a few words today.  Things are fine.  Work has been exceptionally challenging, but that's good.  Plenty to keep me fired up.

 

My Mystic Swami Ouija board was set up on the table in the library for display.  It's beautiful, and at the price I got it for, $26.00 U.S., an incredible bargain.  It must have good vibes, because Sieggy, one of my two cats, laid down on it while I was in the library.  To me, that was a good sign. :-)

 

I missed the witches' gathering at 13 Moons last night.  Those gatherings are always intersting.  Lots of conversations, lots of points-of-view.  Entertaining to say the least.  I need to stop by to see if my ordered copy of Penczak's "The Temple of Shamanic Witchcraft" has arrived, or my "Revelations Tarot" set by Zach Wong.  I hope so.

 

There is talk of visiting the Renaissance Festival in Maryland this weekend.  I always have a terrific time, and there are always true witches and pagans thrown into the mix.  I think a couple of years ago however, somebody complained when they discovered the little shop that had the witchcraft books.  But the complaint's must have fallen on unsympathetic ears, because those books were still there last year.  I am looking forward to purchasing another cloak, maybe one not quite so heavy.  I have a cloak and a short hooded jacket, both are beautiful, but the weather was too warm much of last year to wear them.  I hope for some icy weather this winter. :-)

 

Tonight, in the immediate, I need to rest.  I haven't been sleeping all that well since Katrina.  Now we have Hurricane Ophelia to content with...not to mention Hurricanes Nate and Maria.  At least the last two are not headed toward the mainland.  But Ophelia...well, she could prove to be a little bit of a problem.  I can't recall a time when there have been three hurricanes all spinning in the Atlantic.  And more are promised.  What are they going to do if they run out of names before the season ends?

 

Peace and Blessings,

 

Salem

Just wanted to drift in and leave a few lines.  Been both a busy and quiet work day.  Been kind of sleepy, not sure why...well, I had to get up early to pick up a Quija board I won off of Ebay at the Post Office, and still make it to a 10:00 a.m. meeting.  I made it, but was about 10 minutes late.  No problem, didn't miss anything.

 

Been contemplating the upcoming fall, where things are going, where I am going, what I need to do to prepare.  How to weather the upcoming strange times ahead.  Of course, like most everybody, I have been conserving, both gas and money.  Trying to use less lights in the evening, make all my stops going to and from work...little things that add up in big savings.  I am waiting for the weather to permanently break for the season, in which case I can cut off the air conditioner at home.  It is still too early, what with the temperatures in the 80's and higher.  By the end of the month, things will have improved, and I might not have to cut the heat on until November, like last year.

 

I've been looking a year ahead, trying to imagine a New Orleans that has people in it again...that is striving to regain its individuality, magick, and mystery.  I know that day will come.  I think that in the future, if the government can get the city back on track, New Orleans might be one of the safer places to live...the levees of course being completely updated and repaired.  And real estate, once the ground contaminants have been removed, will be a bargain.  Actually, homes in the New Orleans area are a bargain anyway.  Ever checked them out on Realtor.com?  http://www.realtor.com 

 

Witchily speaking, I am mentally moving into the fall...my house over the next month will be transformed into a welcoming fall haven, and then again at the beginning of October, with Samhain coming up so quickly.  Of course I am still studying, scrying, and working on devotions, poetry, and my BoS.  I stay busy, but in an enjoyable sort of way.  I look forward to bringing this website up to speed.

 

Blessings,

 

Salem

I know I am supposed to be following the cycle of the seasons, the Wheel of the Year, but I am so ready for fall.  I've already begun a little bit of fall seasonal decorating. :-)  I bought two new table cloths with fall colors and put one of them on the table in the library.  Which then meant I had to move the Ouija waiting on the table, because the cats kept wanting to jump up and lay down on the new table cloth.  I am really, really trying to hold off until Mabon to put up the wreaths, and the fall colors, and then, October 1st, out comes the Samhain decorations.  I've been snatching up a few new decorations every week for the past three weekends.  I am definitely going to have a very Samhain-oriented home for October.

 

I would also like to find and participate in some Halloween/Samhain events, locally, or at least within a reasonable travelling distance.  If I could afford to, I would be in Salem, Ma. for the Festval of the Dead.  There are a number of events being held there that I am attracted to...the Spirit Board discussion, the Ghost Hunting evening, the Seance, and of course, the Witches' Ball.  Probably not this year, but hopefully next.  I don't want to keep putting this off, because who knows what next year may bring?

 

Peace,

 

Salem

That's always the best way to get started. :-)  Puts me in a great mood. :-)  More on what this blog is to represent in the coming days.  Suffice to say...I am a 45 year old male American Witch from the East Coast.  I have a great life, job, friends, family...wonderful pets and lots to say.  So, look out over the next few days as I get it all together.

 

Blessings,

 

Salem

I am a witch.  I have been practicing witchcraft for over 15 years.  I have a great life.  I walk the worlds of magick, mystery, and the everyday, which isn't as average as we would like to believe.  I have more than one blog and I hope to link this blog and my other Witch blog together.  I hope that you will follow me on my journey through the world of the physical, spiritual, and psychic.

 

Blessings,

 

Salem