Cottage Tales - Minoux and Esmerelda

One warm morning at the cottage Minoux was busy exploring after breakfast.  She was doing her pouncing exercises in the garden when Witchy landed gently beside her sitting on Esmeralda, her broom.  

"Whoa!!"  Minoux squeaked in surprise.  "You were flying!"

"Well, of course we were.  How else does a broom get around?"  Esmeralda answered.

"You talk too!"  Minoux hopped back a bit.  Witchy dismounted Esmeralda and put her into her cupboard by the door, leaving it open so that Esmeralda could see things going on in the garden.

"Do all brooms fly and talk Witchy?"  asked Minoux.

"No, only Witch brooms do."

"Oh."  Minoux, then got distracted by a butterfly going by and she went to catch it.  Witchy smiled after her cat and went in to get busy with preparing supper.

Before long Minoux remembered the talking, flying broom and went back and sat in front of it.  She didn't move for the longest time, just sitting and watching carefully to see if Esmeralda did anything else surprising but as usual after flying Witchy, Esmeralda was actually having a nap.

Minoux very carefully stood up and moved step by step

closer and closer to Esmeralda.  She was careful not to make a sound and the broom was sleeping pretty deeply as it had been a long flight this morning.  Minoux touched the broom bristles softly.   Nothing.  She batted it a little harder.  Still nothing.  She got really brave and pushed it as hard as he could and with a slipping motion Esmeralda fell to the ground.  She woke with a start just as Minoux jumped on to sit on the bristles.  "Young cat, are you trying to fly on me?"

"Can I?"  Minoux was really excited.

Esmeralda lifted slowly up only about six inches and hovered there.

"Wow!"  Minoux put her claws out into the straw and tried to keep her fur from all standing up.  It was scary to be above the ground even if it wasn't very high.

"That is as high as you go young cat until you have a long talk with Witchy, only familiars can fly with their witch on a magic broom."

"What's a f-f-f-am... whatever."  Minoux sputtered.

"A familiar, young cat, is a cat or other such creature that helps a witch with their magic or in Witchy's case helps a fairy godmother with her magic."  

Minoux pictured herself flying on Esmeralda, seeing everything below so little.  It would be a lot of fun to fly.   "Do you think I could help Witchy with her magic?  I mean, I love living here and helping with the mice and all but I didn't know I could do other stuff to help too."

Minoux went to find Witchy in the cottage.  "Witchy?"

"Hmm, yes Minoux?"  Witchy was peeling and cutting up pears for dessert.

"I was talking with Esmeralda, well... actually I kinda knocked her down, well, by accident, well, not really... but I was sorry she fell but I sat down on the bristles and she lifted up and hovered just a little but said that if I wanted to fly more than that I would have to be a familiar.  I don't know what that is but I would like to find out. Is Rufus a familiar?" 

Witchy put the work aside and dried her hands, she sat down on a kitchen chair and patted her lap.  Minoux jumped up and sat looking up at her.  She smiled.  "Well, Rufus is my familiar right now and no witch or fairy godmother has two at a time but I am sure that you could be an assistant to Rufus and there is a lot you could learn that would mean you would learn enough to fly on Esmeralda from time to time.  It would be a little while before you would be able to use your magic to keep seated on the end of the broom when we travel but you would never have to worry about falling or anything like that.  You would have special errands to do when Rufus is busy else where helping with spells and other magic."

"You mean like when you moved Aunt Clara's cottage here?"  Minoux cocked her head to one side.

"Yes like that."

"Could I fly on Esmeralda by myself sometimes too?" 

"Sure, once you train up a bit you will have the magic to fly on your own once in awhile."  Witchy gently petted Minoux.  She began to purr.  Witchy put her nose to hers.  "I take it that is a yes to be a familiar's assistant." 

Rufus entered the kitchen just at that moment.  "I have an assistant?"  He looked around for another cat in the room but only saw Minoux on Witchy's lap.  "Who?"

"Me! Silly!"  Minoux answered.  Rufus sputtered.  

"Y-y-y-you?"  he fell over laughing as hard as he ever had.  Until "Ooofff!"  Minoux jumped from Witchy's lap onto Rufus.  

"Stop laughing!"  Minoux yelled.  "I can to be a help and besides that I want to fly on Esmeralda."  

Rufus swallowed the last chuckle.  "Oh, you met Esmeralda."  He remembered how much he wanted to fly.  He liked Minoux a lot and realised that she really could be a help.  "Of course you can help and I bet you will be able to fly in no time"

Tarot Tales - The Devil

"Ohhhhh no, another scary card!"  Rufus covered his eyes with his paws and tried to hide under Rowan's powder puff chair.  Witchy reached out and pull Rufus gently out and uncovered his eyes.  "Yes, this card is a little scary but it is a warning card really.  When you see this card in front of you it is a warning."

Rufus's eyes grew round and big.  "Really!?!?"  He sat down on Witchy's lap.  She reached over and straighten Rowan's puff chair.  Good thing the little pixie was out in the garden or she would have gone flying.

"Yes, see he is intriguing, powerful, compelling.  He looks compelling and attractive.  The mask adds to his mystery it also warns us that this man is hiding something.  He is wearing a pentacle, giving a hint of his earthiness and sensual pleasures.  However because his eyes are blinded, he goes after these pleasures blindly, without consideration for anything else.  He is obsession, bondage and destructive practises.  He is what we can become when our lives becomes totally out of balance."

Rufus looked at the card again.  "So last week was perfect balance and this week is totally unbalanced.  That does make sense."

"Yes, the Devil warns us of doing things to extreme - eating, working, exercising, playing.  Anything that is completely out of control." 

"Like when the baker in the village ate all the chocolates in the chocolate store when he got locked in?"  Rufus asked.

"Something like that.  If he had continued that way, then, yes the devil had gotten out of control.  Good news for the baker was that it only happened that one time."  Witchy smiled.  "You have to take heed of the message and moderate your behaviour.  Keep watch for obsessions in your life.  Do not let any belief or practise overshadow all other aspects of your life or your responsibilities to yourself and others."

"So, okay I should stop doing stuff just for fun because that can lead to extreme stuff."  Rufus said firmly.

"Well, yes and no, sweetie.  You can't be so afraid of pleasures in life out of fear of addiction that you suppress all desires, even healthy ones."

"Oh, right, balance in everything."

"Yes, like the witch Sybil Leek was quoted in saying, all things in moderation, even moderation."  Witchy picked up the card and put it on the altar, lighting the candle with a breath.  She put last week's card away and thought about her own habits.  She was trying to find her balance between reality and the forest and food and exercise.  It was not an easy task at all.  Rufus jumped to Witchy's shoulder and curled his tail around her neck.  He began to purr in her ear.  "It will all balance Witchy.  I know it."

Happy Mother's Day

To all those Great Moms out there

Behind the Hat - Musing by Me

Okay, there is a site I belong to so that I can just write my thoughts.  I don't use the site for what it originally is intended for (that I will explain later) but more for musings.  One day, I thought, how silly is this.  I have a perfectly good blog of my own to put my musings if I so desire.  I know this is a place for imagination and stories from the Cottage but behind there is me and I thought I could share this with Witchy and on Saturday have a post from just me... Alicia... the lady behind the hat.  So, that being said if you are here only for Witchy that is fine too, you can just skip Saturday.  

  So, beginning today just stuff I wonder about.  

I have a favourite comedian that I like that once mentioned that he just wonders about stuff and that wondering becomes his routine.  

I wonder about stuff too.  

Like how is it that we have become so untrusting of ourselves.  If we are not eating on a program, or tracking what we eat or just eat because we are hungry and we like that food, we are doing something wrong.  I mean, even if you give up dieting or say you have given it up and are just going to eat well, you still find books on eating well, eating clean, eating... well... whatever way is being told as being healthy.  My mother just had her physical and all her numbers are good.  Blood sugar, cholesterol and all those things.  What diet does she follow?  What plan?  What type?  Actually once her marriage to a man that insisted that she starve herself was finished and she began to trust herself a bit more, she eats what she likes, she eats when she is hungry and she makes her own meals by buying stuff that is the bargain that week.  She is on a tight budget so she would never buy anything out of season. She always has one meat, one vegetable and one potato, cooked all different ways but that is supper, sure sometimes there is rice or noodles but you get the idea.  She has survived cancer several times and at this point in her life.... she is just fine.  

Me on the other hand I have ridden the diet merry-go-round since I was 13 and the only thing I have gotten out of it... is fat.  I decided to get off it.  I never realised how hard it was to just trust myself.  I had to find other blogs, books and websites about how to trust myself and that it was okay to stop the diet ride.  I just couldn't let go and trust myself that what I was thinking was right until I read that someone else said it was right.   

Then I started to think.... maybe I will get HUGE if I just stop.  What about all the friends I made who are just as obsessed with all of this as I was and am trying to stop.  They will just hate me if I don't want to talk about what I weigh or don't weigh.  If I don't track every mouthful and every minute I walk or exercise for the sole purpose of being able to track that I did.  I panicked and threw money at WW to say... please take me back... I ran back to the free site... nearly confessing that I was climbing back on.... although another person writing about staying on her 'lifestyle' program said... there is no wagon.  (Like the kid in The Matrix - There is no spoon)  

Confessing... Forgive me WW and SP for I have fallen

I have eaten food without tracking

Walked for the fun of it and didn't map it

I have not drunk water for every minute of every day

I have not counted my glasses of water

I eaten what I liked

Actually felt hungry 

If I actually drank all the water I have been told to AND all the green, white or whatever tea is good for you.  I would not be able to go anywhere because I would need a bathroom constantly.  I like to go on car trips, I like to enjoy the travel not be looking for a bathroom (usually at a gas station that you wouldn't let a dog lift a leg on) every single moment.  I use to drink when I was thirsty.  I knew my body knew what it needed and I trusted myself.  

Sometimes I wonder if we stopped focusing on what the media and big business wants us to (like when did having blinding white teeth become a must) what would we actually see.  It is like if we are kept paying attention over here... we won't look over there and see... what?  

I love the commercials that say if you take their pill for heartburn you can eat all the garbage your body doesn't want.  

Really?  Take this so you can be a pig.  Which actually isn't very nice for the pig because he or she would not eat something to hurt itself on purpose. 

There were commercials that told you to use something so strong that your body would not be able to sweat (something that is apparently a sin) and can last for 24 hours, that way you can't even sweat while you sleep.  Okay, that is bad too?  

I was just going to jump into another musing but I will wait for another time.  What is the conclusion about today's musing.  Only that I am going to try with all my might to get off the diet merry-go-round and all it's hidden ones too that hide under the umbrella of - healthy life-style.  You see since being on a weight loss plan has become a bad thing they changed the name to sound better.  After all what would happen to that huge business if people no longer read books on what they should or shouldn't eat, diet, healthy or lifestyle and just did what they knew was best for them?  People might just look over there...

Friday Websites - The White Goddess

"The White Goddess Pagan Portal

The White Goddess Pagan Portal, is an online resource for Pagans, Wiccans and Witches, providing in depth information on a varied range of areas, including, Moon Phases, The Sabbats, Book of Shadows and a Forum for the serious discussion of Pagan topics.

It is the aim of The White Goddess Pagan Portal to promote a friendly and enjoyable environment for the discussion of Pagan Paths. You will come across a diverse cross-section of opinions, some of which may conflict with your own personal beliefs."

What a huge website.  The above piece is from the About Us page.  It is a wonderful resource to read, use and enjoy.  

The White Goddess

Take a look at a lovely site full of great resources.

Cottage Tales - Rufus's Arrival at the Cottage

Minoux was sitting beside Rufus as Witchy was putting away the morning dishes.  "How did Rufus find you here at the cottage Witchy?"

"Awwww do you have to tell it?"  Rufus was trying very hard not to look embarrassed.  

"Why?"  Minoux asked, "was it awful, horrible, traumatic?"  Her eyes got bigger with each awful word she could think of.  Witchy laughed.  

"Well, I think it was a little embarrassing for Rufus, but he was just a kitten at the time.  As I remember it was at the beginning of the harvest."  Witchy sat down and began to tell the tale.  
                                                    ***********************************************

The First Harvest celebration down in the Village had come and gone and Witchy, Rowan, Aunt Clara and Pook were all very busy in Witchy's garden.  Now it was the time that Rowan let Witchy in the garden for harvest time. 
                                                   
At the First Harvest celebration Witchy had traded candles and soaps and other crafts she makes for a sack of wheat, as well as other items that they couldn't grow in the Cottage garden.  She had gone to the mill and had the sack of wheat ground into flour for her breads and baking in the winter months.  Each day from the first of August until the garden was empty the friends would get up early in the morning harvest as much of the crops that were ready including the apple, peach, pear and gooseberry bushes.  At the beginning of the summer when the berries were ready Witchy had made jams and jellies as well as butters.  The cellar beneath the cottage was where the shelves were for storing and the root cellar for the onions, potatoes and squashes.  Potatoes were dug up and put down in the root cellar bins and so were the onions and squashes.  Although Witchy could fly to town in the winter for supplies if necessary the friends grew nearly all the food for the winter.  In the summer the work was easy and only a few days at a time, now that the leaves were starting to turn there was work to do nearly every day.  Harvesting was done in the early morning and so was cleaning and preparing the veggies for canning.  The large cauldron was outside at the fire pit where in the evening when the temperatures were cooler was where the canning was done.

Oh, yes it was a busy time.  Witchy cleared out cupboards and shelves with the help of Aunt Clara.  Shelves in the cool cellar were washed down and ready for all the coming harvest.  Anything that had missed the cleaning out in spring was found now and put either in the compost pit or if it could be used again or for patching or cleaning was done.  Things that were no longer needed was taken to the harvest fair in October and sold so that others could use it.  Oh yes, the friends of the cottage didn't waste anything.  Woren out clothing was cut into rags and made into rugs or bags or pillow covers.  These would be sold at the fair too.  Whatever wasn't harvested by Samhain would be left in the garden for the forest.  Most times they did get all of the harvest in but always left something out for the forest.  When Witchy got the flour ground she also picked up a sack of bird feed for their feathered friends in the winter months. 

Rowan oversaw the harvesting, flitting from here and there, pointing out what was ready and guiding what to do.  When a crop was coming cleared the remaining stocks and leaves were dug deep into the soil by the Pook Bear.  Aunt Clara did the canning and Witchy did the washing, cutting and preparing.  Each using their best talent to see that the winter months would be cozy and comfortable.

Witchy also stocked her craftroom with wool and the rags and other supplies needed for quiltting, knitting and wood-buring projects.  Candle making and soap making were outside in the outdoor kitchen done in the fall month before the winter snows came.  As each day past, each shelf filled up and basket and cupboard.  All of the friends slept deeply and well as they were well and truly tired by the end of each day. 

Witchy patted her friend Pook Bear's furry cheek as he ate his large meal.  She knew he would be going to his cave deep in the forest and going to sleep soon.  She would miss his company and wisdom during the winter.  "I always miss you my friend."

The bear's eyes twinkled with fun.  "My spring feast will be in no time at all.  Seems the wheel turns faster and faster with each year."  Since the bear was asleep for Yule, Witchy and her friends had a special springfest when he woke up with lots of food and his Yule gift waiting for him.

As they were working in the garden one more Witchy heard a sound.  She looked around and couldn't see anything, she shrugged and went back to work.  She heard it again, she looked around.  It sounded like someone calling for help, but she couldn't see anything.  She got up and stretched her back and made her way towards the compost pit.  "Help!"  a small voice called as she got closer.  The pit was pretty smelly in the heat but the voice came from the depth of it.  "Please help.  I am stuck."  With her garden gloves on Witchy moved some of the decaying foods and leaves until deep in the soft pile she saw a pair of eyes starring up at her. 

"Goodness!  What happened to you?"  As she reach in she grab a soft tiny body and pulled.  Out came a very bedraggled kitten.  She carefully cleared off the worse of the grunge off. 

"I got lost and I was looking for a home and suddenly I fell into the pit and I couldn't seem to get out, the more I tried the deeper I got."  The little kitten didn't even want to start licking his fur.  "Yuck, how am I ever going to get clean?"

"Well,"  Witchy took a breath.  "I know you are probably going to hate this idea but I think the only way is a bath."

The kitten looked horrified.  "You mean like in water and everything?!?!" 

"I am afraid so, just this time to get this mess off you.  I promise I will be as careful as I can."

The kitten sniffed the air.  "Well, it really does stink so I guess I have no choice."

Witchy held the kitten out from her and the kitten hung there looking pretty miserable.  The others in the garden saw them as they approached the garden.  Rowan sniffed the air.  "EWWW, what happened to the cat?"  

"He fell into the compost pit.  I am taking him for a bath."   The kitten didn't look up feeling too miserable that to look at anyone.  Witchy went into the kitchen and with a nod filled the kitchen sink with warm water.  She carefully placed the kitten in and with soft homemade soap washed him very carefully.  Soon he was clean and smelling much better and once he was rinsed well she put him on a towel.  He sat down and began licking himself dry.  She picked up the towel and brought him outside and sat him in the sun near the garden and as she went back to work and let the sun and the kitten's washing take care of drying him completely.  Once he was dry and fluffy he looked pretty good. 

"What is your name?"  Rowan asked as he flew over to the kitten. 

"Rufus."  said the kitten.  They could see that the kitten was black, white and orange.  Before he was so dirty that he looked all black.  He also had long hair which you couldn't see earlier. 

Aunt Clara asked "Where do you live?"

Rufus looked a little sad.  "No place.  I was wandering after I woke up one more and found mom was gone.  I had brought her some supper the night before and although she really was pleased she looked kinda sad.  She kissed me good night and when I woke up, she was gone."

Witchy came over and sat down beside the kitten.  "Your mom had to go, honey.  When a kitten brings home his first hunt, he is a grown up cat and mom's have to leave.  It is the way of it." 

"Well, she could have said that."  the young cat sniffed.  "I was worried."

"Perhaps she could have but now you are here.  We have need of a grown up kitten like you to keep the mice out of the flour and the root cellar.  Would you like to stay Rufus?"

"Oh!"  Rufus perked up.  "Sure I would.  Can I stay?" 

Witchy picked him up and cuddled Rufus.  "Of course you can."  Rufus began to purr.  Maybe that compost pile wasn't a bad fall after all.  

                                        ********************************************

"Oh wow!"  Minoux looked horrified.  "A BATH?  You must have been so afraid to have a bath." 

Rufus looked a bit shy.  "Well, the bath was actually better than how I felt and I sure didn't want to lick my fur to clean it and I think that would have made me sick."  

Minoux still looked unsure.  She wasn't too sure if anything could be worse that getting your fur all wet and soapy.  

Tarot Tales - Temperance

 Rufus put his paws up on the table to look at the card that Rowan pulled out, “Whew!  This card looks better than the last ones.”  

Rowan smiled at the young cat.  “You didn’t like Death?”

Rufus put his head down “Not really.  What’s this week Rowan?”

“Temperance, my friend, Temperance.”

“What is that?”  Rufus looked puzzled.

“Well, it means…. “  Witchy began as she came into the room to sit with her friends.

A fiery woman, full of passion and spark, is perhaps an incongruent image for a card meaning moderation.  The gold and silver cups represent extremes.  Temperance means to mix or to blend, as this woman is tempering extremes - any extremes - in behaviour, belief or feeling.  She has learned to temper her life in such a way that she maintains and expresses her passion perfectly.  By learning to do this, she is living her life as fully as possible, with her internal beliefs in perfect harmony with her external actions and with the world around her.”

Rowan frowned “The message seems simple to understand but difficult to practise.  To moderate your life in all ways, physically, spiritually, emotionally and intellectually.  This card speaks of perfect balance.”

Witchy smiled, “Well, that is what we are doing now friends.  We are bringing balance of the Cottage to other areas of our lives.  I mean the way we live here is a wonderful balance of imagination, creation, wonderful meals, walks, learning and friendships.  Everything here is a lovely balance and it needs to be brought out there into reality.

Rufus hopped up onto the table.  “I bet we can do it too.”   Witchy smiled and took the card to the altar, taking away last weeks car and placing Temperance in its place.

"I bet we can sweetie.  I bet we can."  Witchy said as she scooped up the sleeping Minoux, who made a startled squawk as they all headed out to the kitchen to prepare lunches.