There's a cold rain falling on the sands of Pendragon Hold today. And, according to reports from my family on Facebook, there is snow falling in Houston, a place, much like the Jacksonville area, that normally never sees it. The last time it "snowed" down here was the year I first came to Florida from Alaska. I guess I brought it with me. At any rate, there wasn't a lot of it, it mostly just iced up the roads, and the ensuing chaos was a sight to behold, especially from the viewpoint of one who was used to driving on ice as a matter of course. What Southerners don't know is that you don't apply the brakes AT the stop sign on ice……you start easing onto it half a block back, and studs on your tires help a lot. Slip sliding away………he he………

As far as anything else of note……well……lessee…….what CAN I say? THE Dotter is heroically slaving away at her new job, but isn't enjoying it, no more than THE Wife did when she was trapped in it for all those years. Folks, if you don't already know this, take this to heart; RETAIL SUCKS. However, there is the sweet smell of hope upon the breeze in regards to her getting a better job. Let me just stick with "hope" and leave it at that. There are other dramas I could report on but won't, as drama is a dish best served by it's own cook, and I tread in that kitchen at my own peril. Let's just say that life is not always perfect, but it IS life, and the alternative is…well……

We took advantage of a VERY narrow window of good weather last night to hold a Full Moon Rite here in our sacred circle. It had stormed the night before, and the weather really sucks today, but last night, the clouds moved off, the sky was clear, and Momma Moon graced us with the silver light of her full glory. We accepted some guests and made our wishes beneath the gaze of our Goddess, and all told it was a pleasant night to be Wiccan. If Christians can become one with their God the way we become one with our Earth Mother, then all power to them. It is indeed a powerful feeling.

Already the Christian/secular holiday of Christmas is going full-tilt boogie. The volume of holiday music was so loud over the overhead speakers at the hospital that even the doctors started getting annoyed and the calls to the front desk started getting hot and heavy. Of course, Walmart is already decked out in full holiday commercial "Buy THIS for your loved ones" displays. Considering just how bad our economy is right now, with SO many breadwinners out of work, it would be nice if the media and the commercial sector would get a clue and tone down this capitalist madness. We just can't afford this spending orgy that Christmas has become, and it's time for all of us to really re-examine what this holiday should really be about. I grew to hate the hypocrisy of this holiday even long before I converted to paganism, but even now I recognize that the essence of what this holiday is supposed to represent got hijacked by the commercial sector and made into something ugly, not necessarily the fault of those who think they follow the tenants of Christ, the "Son of God". Perhaps a healthy boycott of these spending frenzies could moderate this greed for once. I think Christmas should be about families loving each other enough to set aside petty differences and coming together to celebrate their love for one another. And to eat turkey. Lots of turkey. And gravy…..

However, we here at Pendragon Hold will be celebrating Yule, a true pagan sabbat, that was the original boilerplate holiday hijacked by the Christians to celebrate the birth of their savior. We here at the Hold don't believe that we needed to be saved from anything except perhaps our baser human nature. We have our Yule log from last year which we will burn on our fire, and we will make a new Yule Log to guide and protect us throughout the challenges we'll face in the next year. However you celebrate this December, we here at Pendragon Hold wish you and yours the very best that life can afford you, and will even wish you all, if it be your path, a very Merry Christmas, and a very happy New Year.