Lady Lavendar Bloom's Diary

Last day of week this week and very
happy for some much needed rest and
vacation time ahead.

Got some wonderful craft books at the
library to get inspired for crafting for
the holidays and enjoyed a super yummy
hot chocolate at a nearby bookstore cafe
at lunch.

Packing tonight...better take my winter
coat as the temps up north near Rochester
much colder already. Also make sure to bring
my journal and a good book.

It will be a short vacation but want to make sure
I have enough time with family as well as time to
self connect in nature and meditate and relax.

Ill hope to write in my Live Journal but if I do not get
to Have a Blessed, Joyful, and Abundant Thanksgiving! :)

Busy weekend and now two day work
week. Looking forward to having some time
off work and going home up to Western NY
to visit my parents and family. Also
will be seeing a very dear old friend
and my best friend from high school
I reconnected with after 7 years so very
happy about that. Thanksgiving always a
nice time of year to contemplate what I
am thankful for and see family. I am going
to make a gluten free pumpkin pie this year
with my mom. My first Thanksgiving gluten
free but can still eat a lot of delicious
things with mindfulness.

The holiday season always brings feelings of
joy, excitement, warmth, sharing, and magic as
well as some nostalgia and a little melancholy
for me. Trying to focus on the positive joyful
aspects of this season.

Cold and windy November day and will make
sure to get some hot chocolate tonight after
work. :)

The day is rainy and grey and feel quiet
and introspective.

So many beautiful and magical Christmas/Winter
decorations in the windows of Soho already. Feels
to early with the Fall foliage still out and still
warmer 50s for November before Thanksgiving. Still
very lovely. Anthropologie had a gorgeous winter window
displays and a fairy tale like magical looking sparkling
wintry, snowy canopy bed as a floor display. So lovely.
Id like to get my holiday shopping and crafting done
earlier this year.

Tonight I will go shopping and begin to prepare to bake
for the market this weekend. Also spending some time this week
preparing for my first gluten free Thanksgiving upstate with
family. I want to make a gluten free pumpkin pie, cornbread,
and maybe stuffing.

Perfect time of year for such yummy baking!

Sunny but cold today and warmed up
with some yummy carrot ginger soup
from Whole Foods and a coffee and
delicious organic dark chocolate
after. Yum!

Craft event at Etsy was really fun
and definitely plan to make is a more
regular weeknight creative event for
myself.

I am still enjoying the new moon Scorpio
energy and would like to do more meditation
and journaling around it tonight.

It feels strange to already see so much
winter and Christmas decoration out
here in NYC even trees decorated in shop
windows. Yes it does make me inspired to
shop early for Christmas and get crafty for
Yule this year earlier as I have often
procrastinated to long.

Feel happy to feel a peaceful feeling of
space and not being drained by any negative
people in my life now. I feel I am carrying
less energetic baggage and have more energy for
myself and my own endeavors and dreams. Feels good.

Very sunny and 60 today. Rainy weekend
but it was a good one. I enjoyed dinner
Friday and the Met Saturday seeing art including the
Vermeer show with an old art school friend
from Cleveland. It was good to see some art. Have
been really wanting to paint again for the
joy of it lately.

Yesterday was lovely and mid 60s and I took
a sunny Fall walk in my neighborhood and
caught up on things at home. Last week was so
busy it was good to rest.

Tonight I am looking forward to going to Etsy Labs
open craft night and learn how to make a hand bag.
I have put a bunch of open crafting events, classes,
and December holiday fairs for the rest of the year.
Jump starting my creativity with crafts more and
connecting to other crafters.

Have to think of making Yule cards and or gifts
this year as well as some holiday baking. We will
be doing another market day in Brooklyn selling
baked goods this Saturday. Excited for all this
creativity flowing!

New Moon in Scorpio today and would like to do
a ritual later of letting go of anything, dark,
toxic, and negative and beginning new projects
and fresh starts.

So glad it is Friday after a very long work week.
Happy Friday the 13th! :) Feel tired on this
cool grey windy and rainy type day.

Tonight meeting up with a dear old friend from
my art school undergrad painting days at the
Cleveland Institute of Art. Look forward to that.
Have not seen her in a few years. It is always
good to reconnect with old friends in person.

Last night was a nice night of klezmer music
with Isle of Klesbos with my gf. That was nice
and reminds me how much I enjoy live music.

Feeling a need to be more in tune with my
inner self this time of year and create time
and space for quiet, meditation, journaling,
creativity, and just tuning in to my still small
voice within. Time to be self loving and nurturing
and a good friend to myself. Time to give more
to myself and meet my needs for change rather
then being so outward focused on others and the world.
I guess a period of retreat for a bit and slowing down
and self connecting. Feel like there are things I need
to let go to move forward and new things I need to
make space for.

Look forward to a quiet and creative weekend at home.

Had a few lovely days of Indian summer
in NYC and cooling down a bit again today.
I took a lovely late Autumn walk in the park
before work. Good to hear the birds sing and
leaves rustle in the breeze and fall to the
ground.

I spent some time writing down my intentions/goals
for this new pagan year. I feel more clear then I have
in a long time. I feel I have cleared out a lot in
my life that was draining me or not aligned with
my priorities this year.

I have also really cleaned out any toxic people
in my life and have made extra room for new, positive
connections as well as old positive ones. It feels
good to have more freedom and not dragged down by
any negative people. Life is too short and precious!

One thing I'd like to do more this year is to get
involved more with the local craft and pagan community
here in NYC. I put some open craft group activities down
so far on my calendar for November and October and also
would like to attend a Yule ritual with a local group
this year along with my solitary ritual.

Preparing for Thanksgiving right now. Going to be
baking for another market day in a few weekends and
planning some gluten free things to make for Thanksgiving
with my family my first one gluten free.

Also working on some ideas for winter and Yule crafts
as well as paintings. Really have the urge to paint again.

Have a blessed day!

Yesterday and today felt like summer
in November here in NYC with 60s and sunny
weather. Almost 70 today. I am enjoying the
warmth along with the late Autumn foliage.

I really want to do some more baking
and cooking with pumpkin and all the
lovely squashes out now. I have collected
a few recipes and will make them next weekend
for acorn and butternut my favorite. All these
lovely colors make me want to paint again.
I will work on doing some painting this winter
when it is time to be indoors more and be
creative.

The yoga workshop I did Friday was wonderful
and gentle. Saturday I caught a show of Maurice
Sendak's work which was very good. Sunday was a
restful day at home.

I feel my life is aligning more with my values
and priorities and that feels good.

Sunny Autumn day but quite cold and
breezy. Sleepy Friday and glad the weekend
is here!

Taking a yoga workshop tonight with my gf and
tomorrow going to see a show on Maurice
Sendak's work in Soho. Also looking forward
to resting and working on art and craft
projects. As the late Fall and Winter approaches
I will be focusing on the creative indoors.

Just feeling a need to slow down and get
in touch with my creativity and my introspective
side during this time of the year of the wheel.

I feel a bit sad but also released from this
situation with my now ex friend. It was just
becoming toxic for me. I feel free and more
light and can focus my energies on more positive
friends and open space up for other positive
connections now that I have cleaned the last of the
negative people from my life that drained me. I
am aware enough who brings my energy up and who
does not now.

I set goals for the new year in the Wiccan wheel
this week and feel excited for the future. No
time to stay in the past.

Happy weekend!

Yesterday I felt not well and my
stomach nauseous all day. I went home
and rested and took a hot lavendar and
salt bubble bath. Getting to be that
wonderful bath time of year. I take them
regularly at night with candles and
sometimes incense to recharge as well as
when I do self blessing and for ritual baths.

I had a very upsetting experience with a long
time friend of mine who is clearly no longer
a friend and has become toxic in my life
yesterday as well. I am feeling relief at letting
this friendship go at this point and making
space for more positive people in my life that
are supportive, loving, compassionate, caring,
and friendships that are two way streets. I will
no longer tolerate people who are controlling,
abusive, manipulative and or have to always have
things their way like this ex-friend in my life.
Life is short and I'd like to give my energy to
people who nurture my spirit and bring joy into
my life and intimacy.

Feeling better today and took an Autumn walk
around the park all yellow with leaves and
that felt good before work.

Tonight is weekly meditation class which I always
look forward to!

I am ready to embrace this dark time of year.

Letting go......new beginnings...freedom.....release
...fresh starts.

My long weekend away to the Berkshires of
Massachusetts was wonderful and relaxing. The
Fall foliage was so lovely to see on the bus
ride up from NYC and in the area I stayed. I
enjoyed taking nature walks and took photos
of all the colors. I felt inspired to paint
after all the beauty of nature and will have
to begin doing some painting again. As the
weather gets cold and winter arrives it is
a perfect time for painting and crafting.

It rained on Halloween eve but I still had
fun wearing my witch costume and spending
time with my gf having a cozy Halloween eve
at our room at the Inn.

I enjoyed a solitary Samhain ritual on my
own as well and honored my ancestors and those
who have passed on as well as thanked the Goddess
for this years blessings and reflected on this next
years cycle.

Today was hard to be back at work and get used to
the time change and have it be dark when I
leave work. It is the dark time of the year
which makes me sleepy and want to hibernate
more after work.

Tonight catching up on emails, Facebook, and
my Live Journal. Made some Mac and Cheese and
enjoyed with a pumpkin ale. Perfect comfort
food. :)

Finally had some sun and blue skies
after a rainy week. Beautiful golden leafed
day. My last work day of the week.

Trader Joes to get some food for my trip
as well as check out their Autumn foods
like pumpkin butter after work tonight. Then
packing for my three day getaway to Massachusetts
for Halloween and Samhain. I am sure to watch
one more spooky Halloween movie before bed tonight.
Edith Wharton ghost stories are just wonderful
and love the Victorian spookiness. Always a favorite
writer of mine.

I will be offline starting tomorrow and return Monday.

Have a very Happy Halloween!

Samhain Blessings!

The week has been speeding by and finally some
quiet time tonight to write and relax.

My weekend Dia de Los Muertos event was fun. I dressed
up as a spooky feathered hat witch and my gf too....
very gothic style and we made chocolate cupcakes with
chocolate hazelnut frosting as well as spice cookies
all gluten, dairy, and egg free to sell at my friends
event. It was her art opening and an early celebration
for Day of the Dead since her painting are of skeletons
and quit beautiful and spiritual. Not scary at all but
filled with light. They remind me of Alex Grey's art. T
he performance and music was fun too. Only bad thing was it
rained very hard Saturday night so not as many people
came to the event. Still it was a great pre Halloween type
art and costume event.

Sunday I was wiped out and rested at home most of the day
and cleaned up my art and study area so I can do more creative
work the next few months.

The Fall foliage blossomed over the weekend in NYC and I
enjoyed a sunny cool Fall day walk around Washington Square
Park.

Today I woke up to a very grey and very rainy dark day.
I felt very tired and dragged myself to the subway.
It was also very busy at work thanks to my office cutting
our part time help for now due to the sinking economy
and cutting back on costs. Makes my job more busy again.

Feel a bit melancholy and nostalgic today and also tired.
May be the weather or my period being very hard this
week making me feel depleted.

This year has flown by and I am not quite ready to
say goodbye to October already my favorite month of the
year. I will be taking Friday off and going up to
Massachusetts the Berkshires with my gf probably the last
time this year. Ill miss all the Halloween festivities
in the city but am sure Ill find some happy haunting
in New England. :)

Sent my Halloween cards out today and wearing Halloween
socks for fun. One pair for each day of this week since
I have collected them.

Perhaps this time near Samhain is thinking of those gone
and no longer with me but in spirit...my grandmother,
grandfather, aunts and uncles and other who have passed
on. I will make sure to take time on Samhain to honor
them and reflect on them and my ancestors. I am missing
them and feeling their presence.

I am also thinking of re-connections this year I have
made to people of my past and that has been a very
happy thing. I also wonder about those I will
probably never see again but miss very much in my life.

This is the time to think of these things.

Tonight I think I will curl up with a coffee and
some Edith Wharton ghost stories and just relax into the
Victorian era.

Cool grey Friday. 70s yesterday and sunny.....
50s and grey cool weather today. Very changeable
Fall in NYC. Yellow leaves were blowing in the
breeze off the tree onto the sidewalk as I walked
to the subway this morning. Felt like a perfect
Autumn morning.

Feel sleepy today and ready for the weekend to start.

I will be baking cupcakes (gluten free and vegan) with my
gf for my friends Day of the Dead art opening. It will be
a fun event including costumes. Looking forward to it
and wearing a costume for the festivities. Tonight I will
put my costume together and begin the baking. I have some
skulls to decorate and paint with flowers to decorate our
cupcake table. It is nice to do something so creative as
well as collaborative with friends. I have not done that
in a long time.

Besides this I just plan to relax this weekend. Maybe enjoy
some pre Halloween ghost story reading and a spooky movie.
Also maybe some crafting. Just allow myself some much needed
unplanned Sunday time.

Warmed up to lovely 60s here. I enjoyed
a pumpkin spice latte and a sunny day walk
to work through the Greenwich Village. The trees
are still mostly green here besides a few yellow
trees turning. NYC Fall usually comes at Halloween
as the temps don't get cold enough for frost til then.

I feel super accomplished completing my Level 3 final
project, final lesson, and internship class on the moon
cycles that I am excited to teach for my priestess studies.
Feel happy to feel the experience of accomplishment and
proud of myself.

Now need to focus on finishing some Fall craft projects
that I have not gotten to the past few weeks and to
more Autumn baking. I am wanting to make butternut and acorn
squash baked and in soup. Yum! And All things pumpkin. Found
some great recipes to explore.

I am enjoying putting a Halloween music play list together
just for silly fun today when work is slow.

Now to start working on my Day of the Dead and my Halloween
costumes!

Cold, grey, rainy weekend and I was feeling
very run down by Friday night. I rested indoors
all weekend and took lots of vitamins and got
lots of sleep. I think it was a mild cold.
Feel much better and more rested now. I did
accomplish a lot with my Priestess studies projects
and that felt good.

Today is very sunny and warming up again this week.
I enjoyed a warm lunchtime Fall walk. I love to see
all the Autumn and Halloween decorations in the shop
windows and cafes/restaurants. Especially in the East
Village today. Love the feeling of the season. I got a few
things for Halloween and Day of the Dead Costume event
this Saturday where we will be selling gluten, egg, dairy, wheat
free cupcakes and cookies for my friends art event. Looking
forward to dressing in costume to and being crafty for it!

Enjoying this New Moon in Libra energy since yesterday and
connecting to creating balance today in my life.

Grey 40s and cold again. Looks like weekend
same and rain on way again. Today I wore
jeans and my cowboy boots for first time since
Spring. On to wool stockings too and gloves and
hats. At least no snow yet in NYC. I am not ready
for it. Still enjoying Fall.

Some foliage coming out in Washington Square Park
on my lunchtime walk. Felt cozy leaf peeping and
holding a hot cup of coffee from one of the coffee
carts. Peaked into one of my fave thrift shops to
do some Halloween costume searching. Already found
a cool feathery black witch hat last weekend at the
drug store. Now want to create something witchy
and fun to go with it. I am going to be doing a Day of
the Dead costume and art event selling cupcakes and cookies
next weekend so get to dress up. So much fun! Ill be
away for Halloween this year but still plan to dress up.

Looking forward to a weekend of no commitments. Just
time to cuddle with my gf when it is cold as well as relax
over a cozy mystery-I am reading Jasmine Moon Murder by
Laura Childs and now addicted to her series
http://www.laurachilds.com/teashopmys.html. Makes me want
to own a tea shop and live above in a cozy nook.:)

I also will be putting finishing touches on my Priestess Level
3 project, doing some crafting with my newly arrived supplies,
probably baking Autumn yummies, and watching the History
of Halloween and other spooky films on Netflix.

Excited to have a restful, creative, and spiritual weekend.

Also Happy New Moon Libra Sunday October 14. Time for a new
moon ritual.

Cold 40s and damp rainy Fall day. Feel a bit run
down from the weather and a stressful work week.
Plus have been staying up too late at night. Happy
tomorrow is Friday! Ready to go home and rest warm
at home. Wish I wore wool stockings, boots, and a scarf today.
Getting to be hot bubble bath time!

I made gluten free pumpkin muffins and pizza Tuesday
night and was fun to be creative that way. My craft supplies
from Dharma Trading arrived and excited to start using
them. I am exploring natural dyes and hand printing
fabric.

Saw an inspiring art show at the New Museum today of
Dorothy Iannone's work. I like her style a lot. It was
good to see art. Have not been lately.

It will be 40s and cold rain next few days so
perfect time to craft, do art, and work on finishing
my final Level 3 Priestess studies project on Ch'ang-O
and Moon Goddesses and Ritual.

Nearing hibernating at home time too. The older I
get the more I am becoming a homebody. :)

Enjoyed the long weekend and was happy to
have yesterday off for Columbus Day.

The market Sunday was fun and went well. We
plan to continue to work on selling gluten, dairy, egg
free baked goods and I plan to also start selling
my crafts online. Feel inspired and excited.

Worked on my Goddess studies and almost
finished with Level 3. Also enjoyed
resting, reading, and just having some cozy
down time over coffee at home. Got quite cold
yesterday and going to have some 50 degree
days this week. Time to wear scarves, stockings,
and hats.

Picked up two books from library today One on Victorian
ghost stories and one of Edith Wharton ghost stories. Can't
wait to read some spooky 19th century tales for Halloween time!
Also have some spooky cozy mysteries to read and time for
some ghostly and witchy movies. Got Witches of Eastwick
coming this week from Netflix to start. Hope to get out
my Halloween decor tonight.

Thinking of baking on this cold Fall evening gluten free
pizza and pumpkin muffins. Yum!

Very happy it is Friday after a very busy week
and a three day weekend ahead with Monday off
for Columbus Day!

Ill be selling gluten,dairy, and egg free baked
goods for the first time with my gf at a new food
market in Brooklyn Saturday. So excited. once I have my
Autumn crafts going Ill be selling as well along
with the baked goods and food. I love baking too.

Also look forward to some time to work on spiritual
Priestess studies and crafting this long weekend! Feeling
positive, inspired, excited, and creative and see the
start of some dreams coming to fruition! :)