Fasting

I've decided to spend the weekend fasting. Mostly as a way to clear my body of toxins, but I still view it as a spiritual action. Something about fasting has always been spiritual to me.

Now don't start thinking this little squirrel is on a water only diet. That wouldn't be a healthy choice for me at this time due to my infection and such. So I'm on what is commonly known as a modified fast. Basically I'm allowed fresh fruits and veggies, juices and one small meal of brown rice in the evening. When I was younger, I would do fasts of water and juice only. Of course, that was back in the days before my car wreck and antibiotics.

I started this fast because I realized I've been on antibiotics for nearly a year now. At times the long use causes me to feel ill as long exposure can kill out good bacteria in your body and lower your immune system. So, while on this fast, I am drinking a probiotic lemon ginger tea each morning. My goal is to jump start my body for some extra healing.

Like I said earlier this is also a spiritual action, so this means I'm doing daily prayer and meditation. I'm reading some spiritual articles and keeping myself focused on my path. There is something about fasting that makes me feel strange to not pay extra attention to my spiritual side during the task. Maybe because I view it as a form of self discipline that is in line with spirituality.

 I'm hoping to keep this practice active in my life more often. After the weekend, I will wait a few weeks and repeat this fasting. I think it will very beneficial for me in so many ways.

A Little Too Normal

Life has become unusually normal for me. In fact, some might even say too normal. Nothing of true interest has been occurring and I'm always busy with regular life things. Most exciting things was getting to perform my first wedding as a Wiccan clergy, but even that doesn't seem all that strange anymore. Its like I've hit a spot where things are okay and all is well. Only I seem to almost find it a bit disturbing.

Maybe this little squirrel is just used to things that drive her nuts. lol.

Morning Walk

Lately if I have been up early enough in the mornings, I've been going on walks around the neighborhood. This, of course, started from Chi running off. I take food out with me to leave for the squirrels in the area in hopes that Chi will find it. Since she went missing, I had not seen her even with all the walks I have made. It caused me to be discouraged for a while and I wasn't making my walks as much. 

However, today I was up bright and early. I was worried that Chi might not be finding food without me leaving it out so as soon as there was some light in the sky out I went. I came across a squirrel that I see every day. I call him Chet as that is the best name I could come up with the second time I meet him. He really seems to like the food I leave out and watches me intently. After seeing him try to blend into the tree he was staring at me from, I noticed movement to the side of me. I turned to see a smaller squirrel running around in a tree. It sure looked a lot like Chi, but I couldn't be 100% sure. The morning light was getting brighter, however, it was not enough to see the colors in the little squirrel's fur. I tried to follow her, but she was just to quick for me to keep up. Her movements were very Chi like and were different from the fox squirrels I keep identifying around the neighborhood. So, I'm praying it was my Chi as that would mean she has been finding food and keeping warm. Either way, I left out some extra food at the base of the tree where I spotted her first. 

Who would have ever thought, I'd miss a squirrel so much? 

Chi Went Missing

Yesterday evening, I took Chi outside. I've done this many times, but mostly just out on the porch. This time I thought I'd walk her to the back of the building and then back inside. I just wanted to get her used to the outdoors. Well, I didn't but her in a harness or use a leash. That was my big mistake. Jason came outside and while she was running back and forth on us she jumped down on the ground. She suddenly became frightened and ran off. We followed her to a tree that she climbed at the end our of road. We tried for hours to get her down, but before long it became dark. There was nothing we could do until morning.

I woke up around 6:30am and went looking for her. I found her in an oak tree. She saw me but refused to come down. I tried offering her pecans, which are her favorite treat, but she still won't come down to me. Around 7:00am she moved around in the tree a bit, and I lost sight of her again. I waited until about 8:00am before going back home.

I couldn't stand the idea of her being out there and was back searching for her within the hour. I looked for an hour but didn't see a trace of her. I walked up and down the area near the oak tree. Nothing. Saw lots of adult red squirrels, but no Chi.

I'm glad she made it through the night, but I'm so worried about her. I know I planned to release her back into the outdoors at some point, but not like this. She has no shelter for the Winter. I'm scared for her. It doesn't help that I became attached to her and now miss her. She was like the baby I never had. She was my little girl and I worry I will never see her again. I fear at this point we will not be able to catch her and bring her home.

I pray to the Goddess every second that she will care for my Chi and allow her to be a happy squirrel. I pray that one day I will see her again all grown up and healthy if I do not find her to bring her home. I love her so much and will keep her in my heart forever.

Holiday Madness

I am so thankful the holiday season is over. Yule and Christmas caused more stress this year than normal. At least that is how it seemed. I've decided that next year everyone is getting homemade gifts and if they don't like that idea, then oh well. Too many people I know view it as a "look how much people sent on me" or "look how much I spent on you". Its all about the price tag and self worth....and the newest latest hot items on the market. What happened to the true meaning of this holiday season? And I'm not talking about the baby Jesus bit. I'm talking about enjoying your family, sharing hot cocoa (or in my case sugar cookie tea*), celebrating in love, spending time with friends and giving gifts because you want to...not because you feel you have to give them. That is how I want to celebrate the Yule season next year.

*Sugar cookie tea is my pick of hot cocoa only because I am allergic to cocoa. It bites. 

Things I've Learned About Squirrels

So having a bouncing baby squirrel around has made me realize that I did NOT know that much about my totem before. I've learned lots of new things about squirrels that I would not have been able to any other way. Here are some of them:

• Baby squirrels will suck their fingers while they sleep.
• Squirrels do not open their eyes until five weeks old. (Chi opened hers on Nov 18th.)
• Pecans are a great treat for a squirrel.
• Squirrels will grunt when unhappy about something...like being picked up to go back in their cage.
• When scared a young squirrel will jump on to the closest familiar thing...or person.
• Squirrels are ticklish and they don't like it. lol
• A squirrel is more curious than any book gives them credit for.
• When threatened a squirrel will either run away or attack the other animal forcefully before running off.
• Even a sofa is suitable for storing acorns for the Winter. lol
• Squirrels have a very stubborn and willful personality.
• You can teach a squirrel to beg for treats.

As I learn more about squirrels, I'll add more facts to my blog. As for now, that is it. Thanks for reading!

Not So In Tune

So this squirrelly pagan has decided she isn't as in tune with Nature as she used to be. When I was younger, I could look at the sun and from its height be able to figure out when nightfall would hit. As a kid, I could sense if it was cold or not by just looking out the window. I was also able to move quietly through the woods without disturbing anything. Today, well I can do none of these things. lol

It seems that the older we get, the more out of tune with our world we become. The stress of life makes us go a little nuts and we forget to keep our connection to the natural order of things. We get so caught up staring at bills that we forget to do our part in the big picture because we focus on little things.

I miss the concept of village living. The idea that you live basically so to stay in tune with the natural cycles and community is a major value. I'm not talking about community as in the local town fair, but where people actually help each other. A wise woman I know was talking about how it really did take a village to raise a child, but that tv is doing that now.



It is a sad world we live in. Children are raised by tv and public schooling. Adults forget their connection to each other and the Earth. At this rate mankind is doomed....and if I don't change some of my habits I'll be no different than any other adult who is blind to the beauty of the world.

Now onto a better topic! The baby Chi!

Chi still hasn't been able to be taken by a Wild Rehab center or person, so she has been helping me play on my computer....or at least messing up my desk drawer. So cute! :)