Simplifying Life - Mark II

ceridwen

hi Greenshield

Re patio-growing - the last few dregs of plants in pots are still out there at present. Was planning on starting off some seeds last weekend - but though I'm reckoning on planting them indoors - I looked at how cold it is all round and thought I'd give it a coupla weeks before I do so. I've got a Patiogro thing - to do a bit of vertical gardening - ie shelving thing with greenhouse covers - but its not one of those mini-greenhouses. Its a lot more heavyweight and has got a collection of mini 4" depth containers for planting shallow-growing crops in. Think it said its got the equivalent of 18 square feet of growing space - so I'm thinking salads and maybe some edible flowers. Its just come and I'm still looking nervously at the darn great boxes its in at the moment - but must get my act together and start unpacking as its cluttering up my little house (or to be more precise my little dining room - which I try to keep clear of things - as its basically my meditation room and supposed to be a haven of peace and quiet!).

Websites/blogs:

Two blogs by pagans you might like:

http://somersetseasons.blogspot.com/

(a very gentle little "meander through her days")

http://solsticedreamer.blogspot.com/


A more "intellectual" type blog - by one of Britain's chief druids:

http://philipcarrgomm.wordpress.com/

(errr....he DOES have rather a preoccupation with nakedness........)

and a Celtic website:

http://www.celtnet.org.uk/celtic/

firework

ooh, thanks for those links Ceridwen, funny that was just reading this thread yesterday and realised i don't actually know what a "Pagan" really is ( had some vague notion it was someone who didn't beleive in God... confused with heathen or just plain confused...! or maybe something to do with devil worship - think Dragnet with Tom Hanks/Dan Akroyd:rotfl: ). then decided this was probably not very accurate and decided to try and find out more... googled it and clicked a link for wikipedia and couldn't make head nor tail of what it was all about:rotfl: .

so have added those links to my faves list and have a read later - i don't mind owning up to my ignorance, only the other day someone tried to explain to me the difference between Catholics and Christians. don't ask me about it - it all went over my head and i'm still non the wiser - (don't even try to explain Protestants lol! oh, dear, should've paid more attention in school, mind you R.E. in those days was not the all encompassing inclusive thing it is now...

Gigervamp

I love those tents at the Featherdown farms. I keep showing hubby the brochures in the hopes that he might not mind that type of camping. Mind you, they are a tad expensive, especially for camping!

Regarding using imagination in cooking, I find that the the most fun meals to cook are the ones where I have to make something from what's in the cupboard, /fridge and freezer. I like to get creative!

Gigervamp

Don't worry Firework, paganism has nothing whatsoever to do with devil worship! We don't believe in the devil, he's a Christian concept.

mary43

firework - I can sympathise with the confusion =never been really sure myself - I'll have a look at those links if only to satisfy myself and my curiosity.

Greenshield - good to see you. You sound as if you've been really busy. We've been making the most of leftovers as well..........amazing what can be concocted from odds and ends.
Must admit to being the worlds worst in the kitchen department so OH takes care of that but I can, if need be, rustle up something from nothing, as mum used to say.
Talking of Mum, she's not so good - heard yesterday that she has problems breathing, doctor was called and she's got some fluid on her lungs. She's been given some tablets and he'll see what she's like in 48 hours....I've been prepared for the worst now for the last 18 months since she became bedridden but she keeps hanging on. Must be some strength somewhere.

Well not a lot done on any front today (again) apart from making two easter cards (can't believe it took all morning!) but school being closed due to the weather meant our young lad was in and out all the time and needing attention. Weather seems to have improved round here now........snow melting away but this morning the roads were very icy..........not a safe place to be. Least we've had blue sky and sunshine which helps.

ceridwen

firework - now you've got me confused - "difference between Catholics and Christians"..........errrr.....but Catholics ARE Christians (one of various types of)

Well......what would I myself say if trying to define the word paganism......a very "broad church" for a start-off with a variety of ways of looking at things - but I saw a sentence which I think would be universally agreed:

"Any number of spiritual (traditions/faiths/groups/philosophies) that hold in common a reverence for nature, the connectedness of all people and living things, taking responsibility for one's actions, freedom of self-expression provided no harm comes to oneself or others."

That sounded reasonable to me.

One attitude that would be held in common would, I would say, be to disagree with the attitude that the Earth and all the other species on it are there for the benefit of just one species (ie us). We share this Planet with every other species on it - and other species and the Planet itself have rights and needs. (Bad way of phrasing it I guess - but sums up the gist of what I am saying I guess.).

Liked the phrase about "taking responsibility for one's actions" - that would be a common attitude I would say - how does one define that? Not doing something/thinking something/whatever just because its "the done thing" or someone in authority says so.

Hmmmm.....goes off for a think.....

ceridwen

...wanders in again....still thinking......

Think maybe someone else needs to have a go at defining paganism. I would just describe myself as "veering in the direction of........and attracted by the emphasis on Nature and self-responsibility.....veering....veering..." Think maybe there's no one convenient "label" I could use for myself.....hmmm...

Another blog - of a different nature - that I found on a sidebar to the ones I gave and that might be of interest:

http://ancestral-celt.blogspot.com/

ceridwen

hMMM....still thinking...and wondering what I can find on YouTube. I have become a bit "wary" of giving YouTube links latterly - but this one will be okay to reproduce I know. Its not an explanatory one - except at a feelings level - but well...feelings are all a part of it arent they? and I think its rather nice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqO93g-FofA

mardatha

thought I'd just come in here with a big wooden spoon and say... What about spiritualism ?
Look up the 7 principles of spiritualism & tell me what you think of them ..

Aril

Hello virtual friends:j:j

If you ask 10 people to define Paganism 10 people will give you 10 differing defintions. Take the simple approach and find what resonates with you. My path is just that "my path" and my interpretation. Likewise I respect other people's sets of beliefs [not just paganism] so long as it doesn't promote harm to others. My main tenet is that I do not try to force people around to my way of thinking nor do I expect people to try and do the same with me. Overall I think any set of beliefs that upholds tolerance and positivity towards fellow man and our beautiful planet has to be a good thing especially during this turbulent period in which we find ourselves. As others have written about this week I always find this thread uplifting and I am hopeful that the changes being wrought at moment will have positive repercussions. If, like me, sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed by it the one thing recent events have shown is just how interconnected we all are this latest quote is along these lines and made me feel uplifted
In some mysterious and wonderful way you are part of everything and in that same mysterious wonderful way, everything is a part of you.
Nippawanock, Arapahoe
Arilxx
PSMy simple pleasure today has been to come home and see the snowman that the small person and his best friend built today.....and in true small boy fashion the head has now been recycled and thrown as a huge snowball :rotfl::rotfl: