InTENTionality

We set our tent in the branches of a mother maple at Local Farm... a rosy women's space; fluid and free, like our spirits on this warm and breezy day....  Then we repotted house plants

...giving them fresh soil and more space to grow and thrive...

...adding tokens and trinkets ... and a drink of fresh water.

...We finished our fun with a finale feast of pomegranate pops and blueberry muffins. For some, it was a triple header...

inTENTs Experience!

A complete solar eclipse occurred with this Pisces Super New Moon orbiting especially close to the earth, so that her gravitational pull on our bodies and psyches is especially strong.  According to Simone Butler in Moon Circles, this astrological configuration is the perfect time to say NO to whatever things, relationships, actions, and habits that no longer serve our higher selves in order to make way for new insights, healing, and inspiration. She says, "Sometimes YES begins with NO," and recommends giving our souls space to grow and thrive, much like the plants we repotted!

Monkeyshines, Valentines

When she lived in Wisconsin, Grandma Jean and her artist friends always got together this time of year to make valentines. After moving to CT, she tried to continue the tradition by inviting us to celebrate the February new moon by making valentines. Remembering our first gathering of that nature, Rachel organized another new moon valentine-making adventure this year.

Rachel and Darwin had colored thin pieces of cardboard on their woodstove so the crayons melted making vibrant colors, so we could make heart-shaped cut-outs.

Harriet showed us how to use a template to fold and cut two pieces of paper to weave together to form a heart.

We learned to weave our cutouts into heart shaped pockets.

We used Grandma Jean's heart-shaped paper punch to make many small hearts,

Made messes and music,

And decorated lunar postcards.

Inspired, Rachel and Darwin went home and incorporated what they had done into a project for 100's Day: a 10 by 10 woven grid with 100 hearts pinned on!

February 8, 2016  was also the "Chinese lunar New Year," based on the New Moon heralding spring. In the past, this was the only festival for which farmer's would leave their labors to celebrate. The festivities would last for two weeks/the full moon. It remains a time of honoring one's ancestors and deities, as well as holding family reunions. Because the color red represents good fortune, many people give presents of cash in small red envelopes. According to Chinese astrological tradition, this year (4713) is the year of the fire monkey and we can look forward to a year of intense confrontations, great technological advancements, and of women coming into their power.

Big Fish on the Rise

Astro Feng Shui practitioner, Simone Butler  notes that this month's new moon in Capricorn is the ideal time to move forward into our work, self-esteem and higher calling. She recommends "tooting our own horn" by boldly writing a letter or making a blog or facebook post about an issue that really matters to us. And/or showing confidence in our own abilities by approaching an authority about supporting our work.
        I chose this time to post on our local chat group in support of short term rentals. I daily skim over the posts and usually dismiss them, feeling like a big old trout hiding at the bottom of the stream under a rock.
This time, the hue and cry from our local inn-keepers that "its not fair" they have to meet health regs and pay fees that Air BnB's do not, got to pestering me just enough to write about what a wonderful service short-term rentals provide my visitors from out of town... I watched myself slowly leaving the shadows and rising toward the bait... feels good to have writ my peace (piece?) May I continue to sing out this month! In my community and as part of the choir.
     Thank you Simone! I draped the horns of Babe the Blue Ox with red fabric to bring a little fire to my aspirations!

More New Moon Light

Inspired by last month's felted wool lanterns, we worked together to create a lampshade by using a bigger balloon. It was so big, it took three of us to lay and suds the wool in place...

Meanwhile, in Falls Village, New Moon wood sprites set up a red tent along a woodland path to surprise unsuspecting hikers and left notes of appreciation for their "victims"

Brother Energy in the Red Tent!

We welcomed in the New Moon and the New Year by setting up our red tent in the woods at Isabella Freedman....

 

where we sang songs, shared stories...

rolled with our brothers like a pile of puppies...

patted out the mother rhythm on each others backs...

walked around Lake Miriam...

and joined the greater community for tashlich/casting our regrets and shortcomings into the water...

so that we can start the New Year refreshed, inspired, burden-free,

and enLIGHTened!

Dasher Lickin' Good

First,
we mucked 
the cow shed.

 Then we set up our tent.

Rachel and Darwin gave us their specially concocted base for frozen honey berry yogurt.

We cranked 

   and cranked 

and cranked,          

UNTIL...

 YUM!

New Moon Mardi Gras

Setting Up

Planting Seeds

Indoor Industry

Pancake Feasting

Lots o' Latke!

In honor of Hannuka, Tal and Aby made traditional latkes with potatoes and flour, Rachel made SCD latkes with carrots and parsnips.

Darwin helped set up the red tent

We feasted

Lynn and Dody made pressed cookies...

Rachel cut Margaret's bangs and pierced Debra's ears

our new look for a new moonth

Shana Tova

We danced in the Jewish new year... 5772!

x

Baked moon cakes for the first time.

Served tea

and feasted!
We'll be making more moon cakes next month on Oct 26, and as we near All Hallows Eve and the thinning of the veil between worlds, we'll put on masks to try out other ways of being, so we can
... decide
Which is right
And
Which is an Illusion*
(Moody Blues: Nights in White Satin)