I have been so proud of the little garden I am growing in the green tub from seeds I saved from the small white pumpkin (actually, a gourd) I purchased for my Samhain altar. It was among the white objects on my Yule altar after which I cut it open, removed the seeds, and offered the flesh to the nature spirits. At Imbolc I blessed the seeds. I planted them at Ostara and transplanted them at Beltane. Of the five that sprouted, one broke off at the dirt line and another had its stem belt. The third I gave away to someone to protect, but snails ate it. The two remaining plants grew large and have been blooming. The problem is both are male, and they won't produce pumpkins. After turning Karmalita inside out and upside down over the weekend to find the rest of the saved seeds, I again asked the goddess today for help and began going through everything again. This time I found the them where I had expected them to be. I am trying to get nine to sprout, hoping to grow female plants to cross-pollinate with these, assuming they live long enough.

Over the weekend, I also posted three pieces to PaganPages.org. Needing to learn a new web management system to publish pieces hit me when I was in the throngs of trying to establish myself in Florida, and I let the ball drop. I don't know that I'll get back to writing seven articles month, but it I am motivated to write one more in the coming days, and review an oracle deck when it gets here. I don't expect to come close to mastering this system, but at least I'm not totally intimidated by it anymore.

One that I published was a return-to-sender spell using a compact with mirrors on both sides. In it I put slips of paper with the names the individuals (who all happened to be white men in positions of power bringing about death, destruction, pain, fear, lies, and hate. It was empowering for me to remember there was something more that I could do rather than feeling overwhelmed and helpless to stop their actions. What's happened since brings me a bit of hope. I found the compact at the $1.25 store and have a second one ready to go.

But first, I have a banishing spell to put together for the dark moon.