Hello & Blessed Be!
I am Selene. I've been walking the path for 24yrs now, mostly solitary but recently with a coven. Guess you guys can figure out I qualify for cronehood, young crone, but crone never the less. I'm lucky enough to live on my own little farm where I have plenty of room and privacy to conduct my rituals and work my spells in peace--mostly. More about that in a minute. I'm single after my ex left 12 yrs ago and my adult son lives with me and helps on the farm. He is also Pagan. So I don't have any negative influences on my magick. We co-exist with raccoons, opossums, squirrels, hawks, one giant crane, and multiple deer. And therein lies the rub (that's an old expression for you young ones-lol) because today begins deer season. It was 6:30am when I started this msg but I've already had to cast the 'puter aside to go outside & confront hunters on my land! They know they're not supposed to be here! My land is posted & I have 2 horses who live in their pasture (where the deer like to roam) so I have concerns about their safety. Not to mention my own. That shotgun blast was close! I took my own pistol outside (for safety) and yelled at them to get off my property! No more shots but who knows where they went. Best go check my horses. Here's hoping I don't get shot-lol. One of the many "benefits" to living way out in the country, close to nature, and closer to the God and Goddess. Blessings to you all,
Selene, the Witch of the Western Woods
Welcome to the site. You seem to live in a lovely place. I, too, live in the countryside. But here in England, hunting is against the law; with or without a shotgun!
Merry Meet Brysing,
Thank you for the reply and the welcome. It's always nice to be welcomed to a new group by someone who is already established. Yes, I live in a lovely little corner of the deep South--Alabama but shhh, don't tell anyone, they think we're all inbred down here and that none of us know how to read! LOL Of course watching the football fanatics here I can understand the sentiment. I don't know why I thought you there in the UK could have hunting guns! Guns just seem natural to us; we grew up with them. Daddy often hunted and we had venison to eat during lean times. My neighbor has a custom rifle rack on his tractor! ROFLMAO! But I understand why we have coyote and several venomous snake species that it would not be unusual to encounter in your hay field. Awhile back we had some students from our sister city in Japan visit and all they wanted to look at was the gun-lol. Neighbor asked did they want to shoot it but they all took a pass. Funny stuff.
I am a somewhat old-fashioned witch myself. I comprehend the allure of vamps, etc. but it's not my cup of tea. The magick I work aligns itself with the Universe & therefore takes some time to manifest. And while magick can solve a lot of problems, I'm in the Craft to follow my spiritual path so I'm more often focused on ritual. At present though I'm going through a bit of a rough patch which has proved resistant to more mundane solutions so...let's just say that magick calls.
I'd love to hear more from you and about your beautiful corner of the world. BTW, horses were fine & no more shots were heard on my property today. Hehe, nothing like an old shrew screaming her head off at dawn to scare off a couple little boys with grown up toys;-)
Blessed Be,
Selene
Well, regarding guns. It is illegal to own a gun in the UK. But there are many illegal guns about! Used for crime! Some shotguns are legally licensed for farmers to shoot "vermin", usually foxes amongst the chickens! But they are strictly monitored by the police.
I live in a small village on the outskirts of Leeds. I am surrounded by farms, three riding schools, and a lake. Every evening I have two foxes, a male and a vixen, come to my door to be fed. Not enough wild food for the hundreds of foxes in this area!
Most of the wildlife here is now asleep for the winter; and the native birds are hungry!
Foxes sound adorable! We have a couple juvenile raccoons who are living in a den underneath a juniper bush next to the front porch. When we have leftovers that don't go in the compost (I don't like to put meat into our compost-we put the compost in the garden) we put it at the edge of the den. There is also a very large possum who trundles around (read that begging) and we often leave out scraps for him. Maybe we shouldn't but so far they've kept to their wildness, not getting close enough to touch & I don't think they are going other places to beg where they might get killed. And, yes, I feed the birds stale bread, etc. I feel very grateful that I'm allowed this interaction with the wild things. Your place sounds lovely and private-a good place for a witch to think...or to get quiet and listen.
Blessed Be, Brysing. I'd like to be friends, unless that is forbidden. Seems we have quite a lot in common. Just haven't had a witchy friend in a very long time. Friends (or in my case acquaintances) are fine but there is always a distance I keep. So it's nice to chat and not have to make sure you have on your "witch" filter. Down here, Goddess forbid you say something like...Goddess forbid!lol
Anway, hope you're have a blessed day,
Selene
