Just a placeholder, really

while I try to figure out why I have less time for writing now that I have no children here at home.

The picture above is our remaining Japanese red maple, in all of her glory. Alas, they are not long lived trees and this one is beginning to show the ravages of age. But in the meantime, isn't she beautiful? The suggestive rock formation in the foreground is marking the direction north on the outer edge of the circle.

I Have Friends Who Write Books

The book is well written, fast paced, and funny as hell. Don claims that "The Law Is My Shepherd" is fiction. But I suspect that many people familiar with certain sections of Northern New Jersey will argue that this police procedural involving the undead isn't a fantasy work. Either way, it is definitely worth the read. Look for it (and buy it, really!) at Lulu.com.

Way Behind...

Which is better than left behind, I suppose.

There was a phenomenal storm here the night of the Full Moon/Equinox (which, as of this writing was nearly 2 weeks ago). While the torrents of rain didn't continue for more than an hour, the thunder and lightning stuck around long after the rain moved off. And what thunder and lightning! I love those types of storms.

Because the weather turned "bad" my neighbors all went indoors earlier than they usually do, and that allowed me to have more privacy outdoors-or so I thought. But whether it was the storm, or the Equinox, or the Full Moon or the combination of the three, my yard was very crowded. It was as if the lightning had rent the veil between planes or the change in the atmosphere allowed me to see those beings that might always live near me, but that are normally beyond my vision. Most of these beings ignored me, as I suspect they usually do. I wonder, too, how much of the crowdedness had to do with the fact that our land management (if such a pretentious phrase can be used regarding property of barely half an acre) doesn't make the spirits uncomfortable; my neighbors yards certainly seemed less busy than mine. Unless the Devas were throwing a party?

The circle was clear and empty, but when I stepped into it, I was surprised. There, standing directly to the west was a woman. Or, what I thought was a woman, except she was about 10 feet tall, taller than the trees of the circle in that section. She was solid, manifested and clearly "there" unlike the more sylph-like spirits partying elsewhere in the yard. Tall, solid, dressed in silvery grey apparel, over her crooked arm was a basket? Or a shield, with a basket embossed on it. While she was solid, what she carried, wasn't. She stood and watched, saying and doing nothing. She seemed satisfied and pleased, but was non-demonstrative. She vanished as I was closing the ritual. I have no idea who she was, nor how to find out. Anyone have any ideas?