Countdown to Lughnasadh

I bought some new candles today for my altar because I prefer tapers to the pillars or votives.  Votives will burn down okay but the pillars only burn in the center.  I also found some new candle holders that I love.  Now I just need to prepare the altar for Lughnasadh.  We'll be making the corn dollies tomorrow night most likely.  I'm going to be low key this year because this has been the week from hell and I'm just not prepared.  I'm going to print out the story of Lugh and his foster mother and read it to Zach and Tom if he wants to participate, then we'll talk about our "firsts" this year:  first open celebration, first garden in a long time, etc.  I was thrilled to find I have a first harvest after all.  I was afraid I wouldn't have anything but I have 2 zucchinis and some beans that are still on the bush that I will pick tomorrow.  Exciting.

I have some prayers I plan on using privately (unless Zach and/or Tom want to participate with that, but I doubt it.)  I'm also going to bake bread and leave some out for the faeries and the God/Goddesses along with some wine if I can get to the store to buy some.  I can't drink it (damn it!) because of my diabetes medication but maybe one sip since I was allowed that sip of communion wine.  Zach loves it so he'll be glad to do that.

The rest of the weekend will be getting better organized and cleaning up inside and out.

I really need to explore awen, too, as I need to appeal to my muse to help me creatively. 

I was pondering today all the changes in my life since renouncing Christianity and embracing Paganism and I really do believe I'm a better person for it.  I know that my marriage has improved from the change.  Which totally amazes me as Tom is still nominally Christian.  But he really didn't like me as a Christian because I was so obnoxious about being "right" and being fundie.  So he's all for this and is encouraging both Zach and me at every opportunity.

Well, I'm working on my crane bag now.  I'm using the Green Man chart by Sharon Clark.  I plan on making it a drawstring bag but because of the size of the chart and the yarn I'm using, it's going to be plenty big.  Which will probably be a good thing.

I lost some minions readers on my mundane blog.  I suspect it's because I'm out over there as well although I don't discuss it much.  But I don't talk about church anymore and I do talk about Pagan things I'm making.  I'm finding that I just don't care and I love feeling that way.  I can't get over how relaxed and content I am and how easy it is to let it all flow over me without getting me irate or hurt.  I know it might not last forever, that I will find something to explode about, but at least I'm not letting the little things bother me anymore.

Off to knit and watch Fellowship of the Ring commentaries.  I'm making progress on the Sweeping Statement tabard-like thing I'm knitting as well.