botanical illustration experiment...

lessons in patience......

blue swimmer crab....

work in progress....dragon....

I've had a fascination for dragons since I was a kid, drawn them endlessly to try and capture an essence of their character. the fact that they are often demonised probably has, apart from the fact they can do it so well, been closely related to the dragon or serpent as a symbol for the earth, and hence earth based belief systems, which have got rather a bad rap over the last few hundred years. But stuff is shifting a little these days and the earth stories are starting to be told, and heard, once again. Saint George might do better to chow down with his wounded target, and ask why shes so pissed off, rather than sticking his spear through her and gloating, from one endangered species to another......  

tatu design...

tickletank....

Tickletank rocks!

Heres a link to a short video about 'tickletank' an inspiring home and garden, built out of  an old cement watertank.....enjoy!
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening//video_index_August2008.htm

Hedge o love...





garden chair....

Circle drawing taster....

Starting this year with my lovely wemoon diary, which is northern hemisphere based, and wanting to connect some of the nature honouring rituals therein with southern hemisphere home, i felt it was as good a time as any to wrap my brain around the cycles of the seasons, sun and moon, as markers for potential times to get down in sacred space. Sanctuary and sacred spaces are a global phenomena, to ponder and encourage our earthsoul, what we are doing with our lives and where were headed. Many pagan  folks do this by creating a temporary circle outside time and space, to commune and hang with cosmos, spirit and goddess...
like a port-a-temple.
When I cast a circle, I visualise the circle forming, as I gradually invite in the four directions, with corresponding elements of life to support and bless it. For example, the sun always rises in the east and sets in the west, thats universal, but in Australia he moves in a northernly arc through the sky, so I would walk from East (place of beginnings) to the North and flow on. For us its hottest in the north towards the equator, hence we get the correspondance of North with Fire. So as I greeted and honoured the north of my circle I would invite in the element of fire with its energy and vivacity. Another example Ive already touched on is East as the place of beginnings, like the rising sun potential is alive, a babes first breath, a sprout emerging, fledgling taking flight. East Im associating with air, but could also associate with water, living on the east coast. So as u can see correspondances could vary...
East=Air
South=Water
West=Earth
North=Fire.
In terms of direction for opening out the circle, Id simply go in reverse, farewelling and thanking the elements as I go. Ending up back in the place that was east, beginnings but is now a circle open but unbroken.
Gotta say Ive made the mistake of doing ritual without casting a circle, and it can be messy. Edges tend to blur and the lines between realitys get blunderous, partially why Im revising and writing this! So heres a wee honouring to those whove shared their circle ways, thanx.
Its a bit of a mindbender translating northern hemisphere dates to southerly ones until you let go of the clock and sync in to the cycles of sun and moon, then it plain ol makes sense. For example the midwinter solstice celebrated in the northern hemisphere is at the same time as our midsummer but 6 months off our midwinter.
In Australia...
Midsummer Solstice = 21 December / 0 degrees Capricorn
Lugnasadh= 1st February / 15 deg Aquarius
Autumn Equinox= 21 March / 0 deg Aries
Samhain = 30 April / 15 deg Taurus
Midwinter Solstice = 21 June/ 0 deg Cancer
Imbolg = 1st August / 15 deg Leo
Spring Equinox = 21 September / 0 deg Libra
Beltane = 1 November / 15 deg Scorpio