emabeesart

[emabeesart]

The River

On the drive up to the mountain, traveling back home after going to see the stars in the dark skies, there is a nondescript turnoff from the road. It’s rocky and dusty and you have to be careful not to bottom out. There are two small clearings along the river, well worn from use as off-road camping sites. There are Spruce and Cedar, and Nootka Rose. The shore of the river is rocky, and narrow…

[emabeesart]

Mugwort Dreaming

I harvested some mugwort today, fresh from the small patch I am nurturing in my herb garden. I currently have it in an old whiskey barrel because the guy at my favorite nursery, Calendula Farms in Tacoma, WA, warned me it can spread and take over like mint. At this point I kind of wish it did! [mugwort harvest from my herb garden in the back, on Puyallup traditional land.] It’s the first…

[emabeesart]

Autumnal Equinox 2024

Autumnal EquinoxThe withdrawingThe darkeness envelopingThe inward journey [Early Autumn Oracle Cards by Maia Toll, from her book,“Wild Wisdom Companion.”] The autumn equinox truly feels like the beginning of “my” time. It marks the start of the nights being longer than days, the cooling, and the inward drawing. Returning our energy to our roots, like oak, birch, beech, and larch. Let yourself…

[emabeesart]

In Memory of the Hollow

[train tracks between Puyallup & Sumner – not the exact place this poem is about, but not far and quite similar. This place could meet a similar fate soon. – on the ancestral land of the Puyallup Nation] In Memory of the Hollow It’s one of those morningsThe mist hangs like heavy laceAcross the low parts of the valleyIn the cleavages and dips of the landFog resting before the sun swallows itThe…

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Lughnasadh 2024

The garden update from Lughnasadh Eve, is green lush, in bloom, and the beginning of the wind-down of summer. Yesterday, August 1, was the celebration of Lughnasadh, also known as Lammas, or the beginning of the harvest season. It marks the halfway point between the Summer Solstice (Alban Arthuan/ Litha) and the Autumn Equinox (Alban Elued/ Mabon). Lughnasadh to me is sunflowers, marigolds, and…

[emabeesart]

In the Mystery

She spoke in the voice of 1000 setting suns Her wide ocean hipsMountainous arms stretchhair of moss and soilCrowned by a ring of all the flowers of the earth Stars and fireflies adorn her sacred locksHer lifeblood golden, of the sun’s rays and the salty tears of weeping.Tiny feet of salamanders dance out the beat of her heartRedwood and Sequoia and willow bones Strength and power of the whales,…

[emabeesart]

Alban Heruin 2024

Today is the Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere, the longest day and shortest night of the year. It is also known as Alban Heruin by Druids and some Celts. The sun opens her arms wide, taking up space today stretching wide and vast. Barely time to sleep, the summer energy rising. We’re also almost at a full moon, tomorrow night it will be full. [Summer Solstice 2024, Duwamish Land] This…

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Gardening Vegetables

#StoriesOfHawthornHouse I came home from a difficult day and long week at work and I am sad, broken-hearted, raw, exhausted, tired, stressed, and anxious. My ancestors tell me to go outside and be with the life that is in my back yard. Look at a tree, flowers… I check in on my tomato plants, herb garden, zucchini, squash, green beans, snap peas, snow peas, bush beans, pole beans, pumpkins,…

[emabeesart]

Pulling Bindweed

#StoriesOfHawthornHouse My nemesis in the garden is bindweed, Convolvulus arvensis. When I first moved into my house several years ago, it had taken over a maple tree, and a pile of yard debris that covered the back corner by my shed creeping behind the shed and across the patio next to the shed. On gardening forums, people refer to it as “the devils weed,” which feels entirely accurate. It’s…

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~*Beltane *~

This year for Beltane, I cooked a feast: a whole roast chicken, mashed potatoes, stuffing, made-from-scratch gravy, and steamed veggies., served with special grapefruit Italian soda from Trader Joe’s 🙂 [Table setting for Beltane 2024] This was also the first time I’ve celebrated with anyone else, a friend came over for the meal, and the fire circle afterwards. A few days before I had gotten a…

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Alban Eiler (Spring Equinox)

This year on March 19, the Spring Equinox, known as Alban Eiler, or Ostara, is the transition between late winter and early spring periods. It also marks the day, along with the autumnal equinox, when daylight and nighttime are equal lengths. Now, the days will continue to get longer until the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. I went to a park near my house (on Puyallup ancestral…

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EmaBee Inspiration: Humberto Ak’abal

Happy Humberto Ak’abal Day! Humberto Ak’abal Day was on January 28, so this post is a little late, but still worth celebrating. He is a Maya K’iche’ poet from Guatemala. According to Wikipedia, he began writing his poetry in Spanish because he was ‘illiterate’ in his mother tongue, but eventually started to write in K’iche’. He translated his own poems into Spanish to make them more accessible…

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Imbolc 2

Imbolc is half way between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, one of the quarter days between the major solar calendar holidays in the Northern Hemisphere. Depending on your geography, climate, and location, this is often seen as the ending of Early Winter, and the beginning of Late Winter. In some places it is known as the beginning of Spring and you can begin sowing the earliest of…

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Alban Arthuan - Yuletide

“All of our lives eventually end, and some of us have these great beautiful moments of freedom.” – Margaret Killjoy, “Cool People who did Cool Stuff” podcast, episode from Dec 17, 2023. I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts this morning and had to pause to let this sink in. There is so much oppression and the idea—the dream— of freedom sometimes feels so distant, the longing so…

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TatS- Samhuinn

This is the Samhuinn (or Sauin or Samhain), also known as Alban Elued (or Eluid), and closely associated with Halloween, and All Hallows’ Eve, which marks the midpoint between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice. It is usually celebrated on November 1st. It is associated with the following: Element: Water Suit: Cups Major Arcana: The Moon & The Sun Preceded by: The Star Succeeded…

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TatS - Autumnal Equinox

This is the Autumnal (Fall) Equinox, also known as Alban Elued (also spelled Elfed or Eluid), and known by some as Mabon, which marks the midpoint between the Summer Solstice and the Winter Solstice. It usually occurs around September 22nd or 23rd. It is associated with the following: Element: Water Suit: Cups Major Arcana: The Tower Preceded by: The Cernunnos Succeeded by: The Star Leading…

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TatS - Lughnasadh

This is Lughnasadh, also known as the Lammas, the midpoint between the Summer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox, and is usually celebrated around August 1st. It is associated with the following: Element: Fire Suit: Wands Major Arcana: Death & The Fferyllt Preceded by: The Hanged Man Leading Court: Queen of Wands Leading Pip: Six of Wands Supporting Court: King of Wands Supporting Pips: 4,…