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I wrote about my first Samhain celebration but I wanted to share a few photos from Halloween that I think you may enjoy.

David and Arthur went all out again. Their place is the highlight of Halloween in our small town of Arlington, VT, in a historic home built in the 1700s.

These guys are great friends and my partners in crime on the big day. Lol.

My son Sam was here on Halloween and saw that the costume I bought for Nelly didn’t fit so he got out my sewing machine, took the outfit apart, cut it, and sewed it back together! What the actual fuck??

I asked him when he started sewing, and he told me he sews all the time using Marty’s mother’s old singer. This was news to me, and it makes me laugh when I think about it.

I hate using my machine; he told me it didn’t work because I had it threaded wrong. That’s me, not a mechanical person at all folks.

I’m heading north to Rutvegas , Vermont, today to make a delivery and visit the craft stores in search of things for this year’s Christmas design.

One thought before I go: Instead of being depressed that it’s getting dark early, think of how cozy it is this time of year and embrace the idea of hygge.

If you are new to my page, here is the definition of hygge and pronunciation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygge

Hygge changed my dread, despair, and depression from early November through March last year.

Make each season something to be grateful for, and appreciate that you are alive and get to experience it.

You may still say, “bullshit or fuck her,” as I would have, but if you can’t appreciate the seasons, then moving somewhere they don’t exist is my only advice.

The colder months are for candlelight in the evenings, comfort food, a comfy warm blanket, starting a new book, hobby, or project, and not feeling guilty about slowing down and resting.

My dinner last night was incredibly delicious and easy to make—hygge on a plate!

This is clean eating , and we use a cut of steak called teres major, which is a lean cut of beef from the shoulder. It’s as lean and tender as filet mignon but with a beefier taste.

Teres major is known as the butcher’s cut, and after eating it, you’ll know why.

Here are the links to the recipes I used for last night’s dinner.

http://Creamy Parsnip Puree – A creamy side perfect with turkey or beef. Creamy Parsnip Puree – A creamy side perfect with turkey or beef.

http://Mediterranean Steak Mediterranean Steak

https://foodbyjonister.com/recipe/sweet-maple-roasted-brussels-sprouts/

Since I had them on hand, I threw in a few leftover bacon bits to the maple brussel sprouts.

I hope you try one or all three of these recipes during the winter months. Parsnip purée was my favorite bite of food in 2019!

Follow a hygge page on social media, and you will understand what hygge is all about: feeling content, warm, and cozy.

Enjoy your week guys! 🧡

I’ve always enjoyed this time of year not only because of Halloween but also because it is a time to remember those who came before us or All Souls Day.

When I was little whenever we visited my grand-pop’s grave, I looked at all the old mausoleums while walking to the water spicket to fill up the flower holder that slipped down into the earth.

I wonder if the people inside the fancy, schmancy, tiny marble houses had people visit them. We went to the cemetery with Nana once a week.

There were never any flowers around the mausoleums, and we never saw any visitors. I would say hello to the people inside and tell them I’m sorry no one was visiting them.

I would wonder who all the people in the graveyard were since some of the graves were very old.

I also wondered who my people were since I was adopted. It bothered me a lot.

Now that I have my family history on both sides, I have an idea who my people were now and where they came from.

Before that, when I learned about the Mexican holiday celebrated on November 1, Dia De Los Muertos, it resonated deeply with me, but I didn’t know why.

I read and researched about the holiday celebrating those who came before us and wondered once again who came before me.

My attraction to sugar skulls and the Day of the Dead strengthened each year, and I longed to know more about my ancestors.

Finally, I had my family history but it didn’t seem to fit into the Mexican cultural holiday for me. Maybe because I felt silly since I’m not Mexican.

Then, this year, it happened when I discovered I was not only a witch in this lifetime, but I knew I was in other lifetimes.

This spring, summer, and fall were different for me. I felt connected to the earth, to the plants, trees, rocks, birds, and other small animals I started noticing outside.

I felt deep inside that this was me, not just in this lifetime, but I had experienced all of this before, too many times to even imagine.

I have many friends who are witches, and they always post pagan holidays and celebrations on their Facebook pages.

I’ve heard of Samhain, celebrated on November 1, but I never knew what it was except that witches celebrated.

This year I learned that Samhain pronounced sow-wn marks the end of the year or cycle when things die and things are out to rest until spring

The holiday is celebrated with harvest feasts that date back centuries in Ireland. Yes, I am 78% Irish.

The day is also about remembering and celebrating those who came before us, just like in Dia De Los Muertos!

In both celebrations, a place is set at the table for our ancestors, and their favorite foods or foods from the harvest are served.

After discovering so much about myself, it was important to me to celebrate Samhain this year.

I planned a Samhain dinner immediately following trick or treating. I researched Samhain recipes and traditions and realized I already had everything on hand to make my feast or dinner.

I invited our friends David and Arthur from next door to join us for a late supper. They go all out on Halloween like I do so I knew they would appreciate coming over to eat.

I set a place for all of our ancestors. We ate outside on our deck since the weather was unseasonably warm.

I made a butternut squash lasagna with layers of cheese, roasted butternut squash, and other roasted veggies made into the sauce, as well as a sautéed mushroom, shallot, and spinach layer. It was topped with a lovely béchamel sauce.

Wow! It was so damn flavorful and delicious. It meant a lot when Marty told me how much he loved it since I wasn’t sure he would even like it.

Here is a link to the recipe if you are interested in trying it out. https://www.feastingathome.com/butternut-lasagna-with-mushrooms-and-sage/

I made a simple salad of greens tossed with sliced onions, diced apple, and candied pecans and dressed with a maple balsamic vinaigrette.

For dessert, I made individual ramekins filled with pumpkin custard. Both were home runs along with the lasagna.

I worked hard on my Samhain dinner, and for once in my life, this celebration felt right. I was so into this meal that I forgot to take photos.

My Samhain celebration was right for the little girl in the cemetery and for the confused young woman who shot back tequila shots wishing she celebrated how the Mexicans did.

Not only did I think about my blood ancestors but also of my adopted family members who have passed.

I thought of my own past lives and celebrated who I was in those.

This year of monumental transformation felt like it was the end of the year or another turn of the wheel for me.

I finally feel like I belong to a group and can celebrate those who came before me like people have done probably since civilization began.

Last night around 9 pm, while Marty and I were packing up and getting him ready for the last outdoor farmers market the next morning, poor Nelly got skunked.

I felt something was wrong and I called her to come. I saw her in the soft light with her head down. She began walking towards me.

A moment after I called her we got a strong smell of a skunk. Nelly loves every creature and knows no meanness but only love.

I walked closer to her and saw she was foaming at the mouth. I didn’t panic.

When she stepped into the light of our back porch lights, her face was covered in a yellow spray and her eyes were closed.

I called out to Marty, and he immediately started taking off his clothes and got her into the outdoor shower, which he still uses daily. (Not me!)

This is our first time dealing with a skunk so my first thought was to grab tomato juice or in my case bottles of purée which I gave to Marty.

Crouching down in the shower, warm water cascading on her with the handheld sprayer, he rubbed the tomato purée into her fur, rinsed her, and repeated.

Next, I grabbed her doggie soap and he lathered her up and continued to rinse her. She was such a good girl and trusted him completely.

I grabbed big fluffy towels for each of them. Nelly shook out most of the water and we wrapped her in the towel and brought her inside.

She took the spray of the skunk directly to her face. Her eyes were stinging and she was in pain. This was heartbreaking to say the least.

Most of her fur smelled like her doggie shampoo, except her face, which had a sharp smell unlike anything we’d smelled before.

I texted Martin and he said to use hydrogen peroxide. I quickly looked up what to do and made a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap.

I carefully applied the mixture to her face and wiped it off several times while Marty held her wrapped in a fresh towel.

The smell was getting better but still had a long way to go. I applied the solution one more time, and we decided that was enough for the night.

Marty slept downstairs with Nelly holding her tight. She was exhausted, confused and scared. I slept upstairs since and missed sleeping with the two of them very much.

This morning, Marty decided to go to the Troy market despite the skunky smell we both thought we had.

When he went out to his vehicle this morning to continue packing up, the smell of skunk was inside since the lift gate and doors were open when the skunk sprayed. Ugh.

After he set up at the market, he asked someone if he smelled like skunk, and they said no.

Poor Nelly’s little smushy face still smells but not as bad as last night. I plan to reapply the solution this afternoon.

I’ve been sitting with Nelly after I fed her breakfast. She seemed like her normal self, but I could tell her eyes were still irritated.

What a traumatic event for a pup that doesn’t know pain, but we remained calm and, most importantly, made her feel safe with us.

I’m sure there were things we could have done differently, but we acted with our nurturing instincts and the love we have for her.

Damn…it’s always something.

*** Update: the inside of my truck smelled like skunk too. The scent lingered on me which Kathleen smelled when she first arrived.

I left the doors open to hopefully get that smell out.

We celebrated our 35th anniversary on Monday with Noah, Sam, and Aja. Marty works as the school nurse on Mondays at our local middle and high school.

Mondays are my day to clean, do projects, do laundry, and cook if I am in the mood. Sometimes, I make deliveries and shop.

On Monday I was in the mood to cook. I made a big pot of sauce on Sunday and fresh pasta on Monday morning.

For our anniversary dinner I made a tiramisu which is a favorite for all of us. It may have been my best one yet. It was all the love I put into it.

I know people are thinking, “Wow, I thought she was on a diet and she’s eating tiramisu with spaghetti & meatballs?” You bet your ass I am. Also, I am not on a diet.

Clean eating for us isn’t about staying away from fattening or carby foods, nothing is taboo that is made with real ingredients.

Clean eating is about choosing the right combination of real foods all the time.

It’s about choosing the right fats and avoiding saturated fats. It’s also about getting enough protein, fresh fruits and veggies, and foods that contain pre and probiotics.

Having a healthy gut is very important to me and my body now. I never had one before. Everyday we eat two forkfuls of jarred sauerkraut right from the jar.

Sauerkraut is something we both love and it’s so good for you! I know I lot of people don’t like sauerkraut let alone on its own, but some of us do.

Kimchi is another fermented food that is also great for you. I’m on the lookout for one right now.

How about yogurt and granola? We eat a bowl almost every day or cottage cheese.

What’s the deal with fermented foods? They are full of live and active cultures just like what’s written on yogurt containers.

Fermented foods help strengthen your immune system, helps with digestion, is an inflammatory, helps to control blood sugar and is great for your gums just to name a few things.

So what does fermented foods have to do with tiramisu? It’s all about eating a well balanced diet in moderation and avoiding processed foods full of chemicals-it’s not a diet.

Hey, look, I’m no hypocrite; I know processed foods full of chemicals taste good; hell, I grew up with them.

I still long for pizza bites or a Twinkie if I wasn’t gluten free but processed foods with chemicals are wreaking havoc on our bodies and health.

When faced with my lung disease diagnosis I had to make a choice to live a life with limitations or not.

I chose not and have never felt so good or treated my body so well before.

Tiramisu and sauerkraut are both best left eaten on their own for maximum enjoyment. I’m not that whacked out. 😜

When the month of October rolls around, some people think about flannel shirts, hoodies, pumpkin spice, and bonfires.

Other people like me, immediately think of Halloween, witches, goblins, ghouls, superheroes, princesses, and other costumes.

In 2018, we were vendors at the indoor Schenectady Farmers Market, which is held inside Proctor’s Theatre.

One of the vendors’ names was Carmen. Something about him seemed almost mystical to me.

He was a handsome young man with fair skin, long, wavy brown hair, and a beard.

His hair, skin, and voice were all soft, but there was something about him I couldn’t put my finger on.

Carmen was a jewelry designer who sold gorgeous earrings, bracelets, and necklaces.

I would go over each week and say hello to Carmen, chat for a minute or two, and look at his jewelry. Everything was beautiful I told him numerous times.

That Christmas, Marty gave me a necklace that Carmen designed. It was a crescent moon with a purple stone hanging from the moon.

The necklace came with a very dainty, thin silver chain, which I broke within a month.

I am many things, but dainty isn’t one of them. I am very hard on jewelry and other things, not on purpose.

I put the necklace in my jewelry box and forgot about it. I found it last week when I went through my jewelry to charge under the super full moon.

When I looked at the necklace, I was taken aback. A million things started running through my head.

Since I “stepped into my magic” in August, I’ve joined some Facebook witch groups for all kinds of witches.

Yes, there are all sorts of witches, although most people think about Wiccan witches who belong to different covens. Hollywood capitalizes on that kind of witch.

There are green witches, kitchen witches, sea witches, cottage and kitchen witches, Celtic and faery witches, eclectic witches, and many more.

I’m self-classified as an eclectic witch who works alone and doesn’t belong to any coven or religion.

Eclectic witches use different modalities, techniques, and beliefs, such as working with angels, reiki, shamanism, and healing.

This was me before I knew I was a witch. Did Carmen know I was a witch?

Marty told Carmen when he was picking out a piece of his jewelry for me to choose whatever he thought I’d like.

When I opened the gift, Marty told me he let Carmen choose the necklace, and frankly, I was a little bewildered.

Why did he pick this for me I wondered. It wasn’t like any of the other pieces I said I loved when I was looking at the necklaces myself.

Last week, when I took the necklace out of my jewelry, I gasped and said out loud, “It’s a witch’s moon crescent!” Holy shit!!

Did Carmen really know?

I replaced the broken chain and used a piece of leather cord so I could wear the pendant after I polished it up and charged it in the moonlight.

The next day, I found a silver necklace chain that appeared out of nowhere. I’m not lying, guys. It was in a small bowl where I keep my rings. Again, holy shit!

I was sad when I found out that Carmen and his best friend Ashley’s business AMC, Ashley met Carmen, closed in 2022.

Yesterday, I looked up Carmen on Instagram. I found him and his new business, Phases with a store in nearby Lake George, NY, along with others in Wildwood, NJ, and Florida.

His focus is now on his love of amethyst, mindful pieces of jewelry and decor, yoga, meditation, and finding peace.

Wow. I’m going to answer my own question. Carmen knew.

Today is our 35th wedding anniversary! We started dating in January 1985. My heart skipped a beat the first time I saw him, and I got butterflies in my belly.

We married on October 21, 1989, and we moved to Vermont. We were a family of two until December 1995 when Noah was born.

We remained a family of three until August of 2000 when Sam was born. Then we were a family of four until the boys began leaving the nest.

As empty nesters, we were back to just the two of us at home. It was hard for me when the boys grew up, went away to school, and went out on their own. I was sad.

Now, I am happier than I have been my whole life. My boys are both successful, hardworking, polite, and respectful gentlemen. What more could we ask for?

Then, Noah met Aja, and we became a family of five. The sadness I once felt has been replaced with joy as I watch our family evolve.

As for the two of us? This is the beginning of the best time of our lives as a couple.

After 35 years, we still laugh and joke around all the time. We work hard together and make a great team. We continue to balance each other out.

We enjoy the simpler things in life now and appreciate everything we’ve been blessed with. We know the best is yet to come.

After 35 years of ups and downs, arguments, and making up, we’ve been through births and deaths, good times and bad, but through it all, we still love each other, and more importantly, we still like each other.

Marty still makes my heart skip a beat, and when he looks at me a certain way, I still get butterflies in my belly.

Happy Anniversary Beeky! 🥰

***I left out our beautiful pets over the years and kept the post to my human family even though they were/are important members of our family as well. 💔❤️

We had a new customer at the feeder yesterday! I think after reading about red-bellied woodpeckers it could be a female but I’m still not sure.

All the other birds take turns waiting both patiently and a few impatiently at the feeder, except when the woodpecker was eating its breakfast.

Not one smaller bird was waiting in the wings, but when the woodpecker flew away it went back to business as usual at everyone’s favorite breakfast spot.

I can’t even tell you how much fun it is watching the birds and finding out more about them.

I’m not sure if it’s because I am older or are more content living a simpler life, finally being who I was meant to be, or that I appreciate all the small things in life and find beauty in nature.

It’s probably all of the above.

I laugh every time I see this meme on my newsfeed. Have a great weekend guys! 🍂

My son Noah and his fiancé Aja were on vacation in Cancun last week, and Noah popped the question; she said yes!

I was the first to know since he used my Mema’s engagement ring. When I took it to the jewelers to be size, polished, and have the stones checked, I cried when I got back in the truck.

They were tears of joy. I spoke with my Mema and thanked her for giving me her ring when I was a young woman. I’ve kept it safe for all those years.

Noah is very traditional and nostalgic and so is Aja. The ring is a simple but beautiful design with small diamonds set in white gold.

My grandfather was a blue-collar worker, and this modest ring was what was in his price range.

Although the ring is over 100 years old, its meaning is priceless.

I was worried Noah or Aja would think the ring was cincy because it didn’t have a big diamond, but it was the opposite, Aja loved it and appreciated it was Mema’s ring.

She texted me and showed me her hand with the ring on. I was so happy it fit her perfectly!

She told me she loved it, and she had no idea and was so surprised. I cried happy tears.

After meeting Aja for the second time two years ago. I knew she was the one and they would be married. I also felt that she’s been part of our clan before.

Marty and I are thrilled about the engagement and couldn’t be happier for them.

Noah did everything the traditional way, asking her dad for permission and asking her grandfather since Aja is very close to him.

They both gave their blessings. Marty asked my father for permission too. Noah is so much like Marty.

I am so proud of him and of us for raising two young men with old-fashioned morals, values, manners, respect, and work ethic.

What else could a mom ask for? I’m so excited I will finally have a daughter too!! 💕

Ask any of my belly dance friends I’ve had for 20 years or my old boss whose business is a hotdog cart about my ability to change weather patterns in our favor.

As a psychic, witch, medium, a healer, or a person with spiritual gifts, or whatever you want to call me, I work with God, the angels, and love & light. All for the highest good.

I found this on my newsfeed this morning and have never written about it before. I forgot about it since it’s been so many years since I used this ability.

I work with the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. I put a photo of the Holy Family in a window in the direction of the event I need good weather for.

I put the photo up days before an event and pray to the Holy Family setting my intention.

I thank them and continue several times a day. It truly is a miracle to me. I don’t do it for trivial reasons, just for important events that can’t be changed.

Just think how powerful praying or manifesting is when setting crystal clear intentions.

Gratitude, faith, and love are bigger than the intention itself.

October has opened my connection to the other side greatly and setting my intention to open the veil to the other side.

This came out of no where while I was sipping my morning tea.

A psychic man once told one of my friends also with spiritual gifts, that I had no idea how powerful I was.

Almost 20 years later, I am just beginning to believe him a little. It’s weird, to be honest with you, but I finally accept who I am.

*** I always pray for places that are directly in the path of horrific storms but fear and negative manifestations from the media and so many people cancel out the good manifestations ten fold.

I have written about my spiritual gifts as a healer and medium in the past. I am a reiki master, and I can clear and balance my own and other people’s auras and chakras.

I also use shamanism to travel through time and space to other realms with ease to receive messages from my spirit guides or to work with stuck ghosts or souls to cross over to the other side.

Recently, I’ve been able to go back to past lives and learn more about who I was, what I did for a living, and how I died.

I discovered a week ago that my name in another lifetime was Izarra which means star. I was a basket maker. I was stoned to death.

I was in a dream-like state for days, thinking about it. I felt all the feels from that lifetime. This is all new to me.

When I was little, like 4 or 5, I had vivid memories of that lifetime. This recent finding confirmed how I felt when I was little.

I am also an empath. I didn’t realize how much of an empath I am until recently.

After receiving a message that it was time to “step into my magic”, I opened the veil to the other side.

I can close or open the veil as needed which I’ve been able to do for years. I kept the veil closed when we started the business so I wouldn’t be distracted.

I close the veil whenever I am ill or not in a good mind space so I won’t be vulnerable.

Right now, during October, the veil between our world and the other side is thinner, especially from October 15 to November 10.

However, the veil is at its thinnest on Halloween, and the same thing occurs in May.

Back to being an empath, I’ve always been someone who strangers look at or come up to, either asking me questions, thinking I work where we are, or being told people’s life stories.

I have strangers tell me things such as the death of a loved one or other tragic things. One man told me I have a “useful” look to me.

With the veil open I am able to feel other people’s feelings. This can be a good thing or a curse sometimes.

I can tell when someone is lying or full of bullshit. I feel sick and dizzy when I am around negative energy whether it’s a person or in objects.

I cannot go into an antique shop for as long as I can remember. I can feel negative energy in people’s furniture and I am able to remove it easily if asked to.

I remove negative energy from anything we get that is used. That goes for clothing, jewelry and other things.

Yesterday, I visited Marty at the Troy Farmers Market. Fuck, there was a lot of energy there. Last night, I felt drained.

My ability made me feel if people were genuinely happy to see me after such a long time, if some people were phonies, or didn’t give two shits to see me.

You can’t bullshit an empath. Period. Empaths are usually authentic people and can’t stand being around dishonest, fake people.

Empaths are truth seekers, which makes sense. That’s why I wrote about the truth behind the glitz and glamour of Vegas three years ago.

This is why when I worked for companies I was very good at interviewing and hiring employees.

I guess I’ve been an empath my whole life, I just didn’t have a name for it.

Today is our day of rest. I need to recharge my batteries and hunker down. I am thrilled it’s a cold and rainy day.

It’s a hygge day—a cozy day to just “be.”

I’m braising a brisket for dinner with carrots and polenta. It smells amazing in here.

I have an essential oil autumn candle burning and the fireplace is on. Nelly keeps going from Marty to me for cuddles and snuggles.

It’s a perfect day. A day I needed after a day full of vibes. 😌