annabelburton

new videos

2010-03-14T22:57:00.003Z

Youtube have been changing their site again so the new video is showing Sagittarius,but of course all the signs are there. Boy was it windy this time! But I think the wind noise drowned out the aeroplane noise!

I have decided to write the daily for Saturday as a double entry to include Saturday and Sunday, and this is slightly longer than just the single daily.

I am remaining very busy and it's great to get feedback from people weeks later, keeping me posted after they have had a reading about how certain things are turning out. It's a big deal to have an astrologer look at your chart and something that you want to consider carefully. The good news is that nobody has ever regretted it, at least when I have done a reading or consultation, which is as it should be. Be aware of scams on the internet and make sure you can check the credentials of who is doing your reading.

I am proud that I am a Fellow of the Association of Professional Astrologers International, which only accepts fully qualified astrologers.

When is a good time to get a reading? Anytime!

March

2010-02-28T23:20:00.002Z

Here we are and another month has gone. and it still feels wintery. Caught the snow again in the latest video although this was filmed last week. A few snowdrops are showing themselves now but no signs of daffodils yet.

I have had many people getting in touch for a twelve month forecast - I think people instinctively feel it is a time of change and uncertainty and a heads of of what's coming. It promises to be quite a volatile year, and we have already seen some massive earth changes, with icebergs the size of Luxembourg and the two huge earthquakes this last few weeks.

ooops!

2010-01-31T11:06:00.003Z

Although yesterday was glorious with a beautiful clear blue sky and it being a Saturday, unfortunately my other half, Simon, who does the filming for the videos, managed to delete some important files off the computer. He spent a frustrating few hours downloading software to try and retrieve said important stuff and was unable to. Fortunately, Monday's film was still on the camera so we didn't have to do it again but it made me realise how hazardous this is! We must be mad! The weather had been really too grim to go out and film until yesterday and while we end up with a 10 minute long film for youtube, most of that time is spent waiting for the noisy aircraft to get out of the sky!

Screeches from buzzards and sparrow hawks, the tinkling of a stream or the rush of wind or dogs barking is fine, but aeroplanes are a big no no!

Right from the start, we had the view that astrology is so all encompassing, it seems somehow a little contrived to do the horoscopes from a nice safe studio space with no connection to the world outside, so we have a deliberate policy to include the elements and the seasons, and so give people around the world the experience of our neck of the woods. Sadly the disconnect from the real natural world is a little thin for many, so this is our way of giving it back to people again. Maybe the actual horoscopes then become kind of incidental.

And now he has been out again first thing doing more filming to replace that which was lost. It's a labour of love. But the results are great!

time flies

2010-01-25T21:18:00.003Z

but we are still in winter. First little shoots are appearing and I am thinking of compost heaps. Wow that is a complicated subject!

pic is of a little dog I made the other day. I think this move of Jupiter into Pisces is going to get everyone's creative juices flowing, to be honest, not to mention helping out as much as possible with the victims of Haiti (occuring just around the eclipse in Capricorn).

new year and all that

2010-01-14T11:04:00.002Z

We expect things to be different and with expectations comes results. Really we make the stuff in our lives, but sometimes fate/nature comes along and changes things and we are back down the pecking order of the universe again. So along came the snow.

Personally, I love it, it's magical,beautiful and covers a multitude of dying vegetation and grey pavements, but of course there are those who see this amazing natural phenomena as the enemy with which they do battle.

And then there are the truly awful disasters like the earthquake in Haiiti. How unbelievably devastating. The only good out of this is the desire for people from all over the world to send out practical help and the need to make things better. If nothing else, an awareness of someone else's tragedy links us to all humanity.

And then there is gratitude. I am grateful that I have a wonderful family, my health and the ability to reason. Hmm it's all quite sobering.

The Aftermath

2009-12-27T09:07:00.002Z

My daughter calls it 'beige food' and it's the stuff that comes from Iceland (supermarket) and eating too much of it leaves you in a kind of lethargic stupor. Added to that, there is a fair amount of wine flowing and continuous munching on chocolate, crisps and even a cold sprout or too. 2 days on a diet like this and I am less energetic, very wound down, and not particularly motivated to do too much. Yes, it's like a holiday!

Christmas was joyful and probably the least stressed ever since the present buying bit has gone minimalist by mutual consent. Weeks off making stuff has paid off and my family are delighted with their scarves, wall hangings, jewellery etc. (at least they appeared to be!).

Since my kids are all grown up it's a joy to spend Christmas night with no TV, but reminiscing about daft episodes of their growing up years, and then to put the world to rights, finishing off with hilarious episodes Vic Reeves from youtube.
Let's make the season of joy and goodwill last a bit longer than Boxing day.

Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T09:29:00.002Z

Well, that came around quickly and it's been a dramatic build up here in the UK, with pictures of snow and ice, treacherous conditions and travel misery, or that is how the media paint it. And of course, it's a nightmare if you have personally slithered into a mishap (which I nearly did the other day). But last night, near midnight, I stepped outside the door and relished in that very special hush of a land lightly covered in snow and felt the stillness of the cold air. The trees, now bare of leaves, where silhouetted against the gloom and there was a magical quality in the air, which took me back to my childhood. I will never forget the stories of Narnia, and feeling the fur coats at the back of the wardrobe before stepping out in the crisp air of a winter wonderland. Such was the writing of CS Lewis that I was with Lucy and Peter etc and experienced everything they did.

How amazing life can be when you see things through the eyes of a child. It's not just a robin that happens to land on a branch near you, but Mr Robin, coming to check you out and say hello. Old trees are not just old trees, but the keepers of ancient wisdoms and if you stand near their gnarled trunks, their knowledge can seep into your subconscious and you learn about the land.

So for all the grown up kids, forget shopping, stuffing turkeys and new iphones, just remember what Christmas was like when you were little. All the very best wishes love Annabel

a day to myself

2009-12-11T18:55:00.003Z

and I have never been so busy. Wrote a list and ticked things off. Usually I don't need to write a list but I have lots of things I needed to complete for Christmas. My extravagance has been Italian plums which I have made into jam (since I am giving mine away for Christmas).

Loved finishing off a machine embroidered picture for my youngest, and now I may have time time to dip into Carl Jung, metaphorically speaking (he is big on metaphors and symbols). I dreamed I lived in a building that used to be a shop, but now cleared out with nothing in it. Gradually, people came along to offer their help, just little bits at a time, and I survived. Just. When I woke up I had the wherewithal to make a cheese sandwich and a cup of tea, and I had a cat. How nice.

Christmas countdown

2009-12-06T11:18:00.003Z

Discovered steampunk the other day, and yes, it is a bit late in the day and where have I been, but this year we are drawn to a steampunk Christmas. My take on this is to get to the local antique/junk/charity shops and buy stuff for people that is OLD. Failing that, it's a knitting needle thing, which I am now entitled, since I am a granny.

My eldest daughter has bought her fella a gorgeous pair of brass and leather binoculars, and we found a delightful piece of Scandinavian pottery for someone else. I am finding the whole commercial build up quite overwhelming, because there is so much in the way of wonderful stuff to spend on that it would be quite easy to bankrupt yourself buying for just one person.

Enough of all this - Christmas is a time for kids and Santa, and the baby Jesus and talking animals, angels and magic, and the smell of pine and spice. I love squashy presents, still wrapped, and the imaginings of some luxurious, sensual something that I would never buy myself. The presents under the tree hold the potential for what could be and this year, I will try to put off the opening, savouring each one and enjoying the experience. As kids we used to watch the oldies do this and wonder at their restraint. Our own presents and had been ripped from their wrappings at the break of dawn, if not before and it was all over in a flash.

That's one thing I have learned over the years; some things are really worth taking slowly and savouring.

what's happeneing?

2009-11-18T09:02:00.004Z

Jessica Murray

Recently I was asked to a short overview for 2010 for a magazine, and I looked at the transits of both Saturn and Jupiter, specifically. Just plotting where these two planets will be gives a great insight into our experience. Saturn through Virgo corresponded with the credit crunch and global recession, and brought a kind of mindfullness about frugality, make do and mend and taking care of health issues. Recently there have been debates on swine flu, care of older people etc. Virgo is concerned with these matters and also, being ruled by Mercury, communication, research and so forth. Excess and waste is not what Virgo is about and Saturn restricts and restrains even further.

So 2010 is likely to bring its own challenges and the summer months could be quite dramatic. For in depth views regarding this, it's worth checking out Jessica Murray's writings, as above.

Meanwhile I am staring out the window at an impossibly wet and dreary day. Typical November!

folksy

2009-11-08T10:36:00.000Z

shop name Cherry Tree !

going back to the beginning

2009-11-04T11:36:00.003Z

I was lucky to grow up in the country side, and I could play in the woods and down by the river, which indeed I did. I can't remember being told what I couldn't do which gave me a pretty amazing freedom, probably not available to kids these days. In such a background, there was a seamless link to my world and the world of Grimm's fairytales and strange woodland tales of elves and the secret elementals who live in these places.
It may comes as no surprise then that one of my memories was waking up in bed at night (I must have been about 6) and there, at the bottom of my bed was a strange glow of light, bright enough to illuminate the paisley pattern on my eiderdown but not enough to fill the room with light. In the midst of this danced 5 or 6 transparent, gossamer like fairy creatures, hovering about six inches above the bed. I watched in amazement for several minutes, making sure I was wide awake. I closed and opened my eyes again and they were still there.

I told my mother of this spectacle and she wasn't surprised at all and totally accepting. I have never doubted it myself, but was loathe to share the experience with too many people. Until now. Neptune has just turned direct so perhaps more revelations to come.

inner visions

2009-10-28T09:31:00.002Z

I was talking to somebody yesterday who looks after phone lines for tarot, psychic and astrology readers. He was saying that now most people are searching for a psychic reading which includes tarot, rather than astrology. I think astrology, for a long time, has been haunted by those rational scientific types who demand proof and explanations of how it works, and astrology, wanting to be accepted by the so called main stream has struggled to fit itself into the scientific paradigm. It's a bit like putting a quart into a pint pot.

Today I listened to an interview about Carl Jung, the so called father of modern psychology and this man explored his inner world of dreams, fantasies, symbolism and his soul. Sadly in out rational society many of us have lost contact with that essential side of our selves. Here there is a richness and abundance of wisdom and intuition that can be tapped and explored. I think astrology and Tarot do this, and of course the psyche is what this is about.

I am exploring these other methods of delving under the surface, or should I say returning to this, since this has been part of my life since I can remember and I have had countless extraordinary experiences that simply cannot be explained. Perhaps now is the time share them x

what's happening?

2009-10-26T11:08:00.002Z

Many people have said what strange times we are living in at the moment, and I'm aware that I haven't blogged for a while. Distractions mean that my focus has been elsewhere and exploring all sorts of possibilities. A friend of mine is experiencing a growth in her business and finding that much gets more. A news item on the BBC today showed that all you can eat buffets are booming! so much for lean times and hardships!

I am discovering the huge amount of food available just now from excesses (yes, chestnuts are falling form trees and being swept away as garbage until I came along and gathered some up and made a wonderful vegetarian burger with tofu and sprouted mung beans)

so what's happening? Saturn is moving out of Virgo and into Libra and we can use our natural creativity to find solutions to problems. Cooperation and sharing of resources means that everyone benefits.

I had an intriguing link to a past life this weekend, which has helped me understand some things. Astrology is the key.

problems and solutions

2009-10-09T09:51:00.002+01:00

Today, because of the abundance of sweetcorn at this time of the year, I have been forced to try different ways of having corn rather than on the cob. A response to a situation that in this case, comes from my veg box.

Sometimes we are handed certain circumstances which can be a blessing in disguise although they don't appear to be. I know of several people who have recently taken voluntary redundancy due to the credit crunch,d and this has been the starting point for a whole new adventure. This morning I hear how Ellen Macarthur saved her dinner money to buy her first boat. Even a child with no pocket money found a way to fund her dream. This is hugely hopeful for the rest of us.

Whatever our circumstances we have within us the power to change them for the better, if we wish. And sometimes it takes a massive leap out of your comfort zone to do it. My own choices are often made after a special dream, as well as seeing what the astrological picture is too. It's not always down to what is logical, financial and sensible.

I love the Archers on the radio and for those who follow this, Peggy is faced with the prospect of having to sell the village shop as it's not making enough money, and yet provides employment and a valuable service to the village. You make think I have finally lost it, and yet I live in a little village with a wonderfully stocked village shop. I hope they are making money and I certainly use it for buying the essentials when I run out. Personally, it's worth it to keep these small establishments going rather than selling your soul to the massive multinationals.

For those who support human size endeavours and the sense that you are helping your local community, then please do what you can to keep these little businesses going, for all our sakes.

meanwhile, the soup is smelling good!

mercurial world

2009-10-02T13:29:00.002+01:00

Thought I would check out where Mercury is today (22 degrees in Virgo sextiling Mars in Cancer). Today the London Evening Standard is going to be FREE. I have never read this paper but understand, as the editor has just said that Londoners are by and large a sophisticated lot and enjoy their 'proper' newspaper, rather than the usual slightly downmarket freebies. But of course, it will only be free to readers since they will then have to go through loads of advertising to get to the bits of news and the newspaper itself will have a rather good revenue stream. Wonder if others will follow suit?

A bit like websites really. We decided from the start that we wouldn't have banner ads, and other stuff that websites are jammed with now, and we have borne the cost of running annabelburton.com and her sister sites for over a decade, so it is always with gratitude that I get orders from people for readings, forecasts etc. This ensures that the hosting costs are paid and the website pays for itself. Sad but necessary in these times. And of course the dailies, and monthlies are here too. I have to be a bit passionate about what I am doing and I KNOW there are many people out there who do love my services. So it was great to get the following this week: 'Thank you Annabel for the answer to my question. I have listened to it 3 times now today and am hearing more with every go....I became instantly so very glad that I wrote to you, because it just hit the spot- you understand so well and your entire message was really taken to
heart.'

So what about Mercury? Well this planet symbolises the written word, information, newspapers and commerce - all rather integral I would say, although Jupiter usually refers to publishing (as in bigger books that have more permanence). Linking to Mars? Bringing it all home, tribal family gatherings, activity, linking to the past.

busy time

2009-09-30T21:18:00.002+01:00

Catching up with myself is taking a while, and this week I have had more than the usual readings to do, which is great. The Sun is in Libra and people start thinking about their relationships. Such a complex subject!

I am happy to have given help and important insights to people in this area and of course, the most important relationship is the one with yourself. Finding peace within and acceptance of who you are can take time. Fear brings about defensive behaviour or nervousness gives rise to an overdoes of chatter. Listening is so very powerful and being listened to is a way to be acknowledged, understood and validated. Astrology of course picks up on the essential energies which manifest as events or feelings within a person's life. Cosmic conversations...

Equinox time

2009-09-21T10:19:00.009+01:00

Yes, it is only 3 months until the shortest day and I have been busy!

My latest scarf is done, inspired by the amazing Sophie Digard, and yesterday I salvaged some fading hydrangeas from my non-garden to make a nice display with wild rose hips, ivy and something else. I wanted to make an effort as my dear old tutor was coming for tea. He is like the original Dumbeldore and deserves freshly brewed Assam tea in a china cup with freshly made cup cakes (recipe from the Hummingbird Bakery cookery book) and of course fresh flowers.

It was wonderful catching up and see how everyone is coping with the Saturn/Uranus opposition. this has stirred things up and the paradoxes are aplenty with some crazy ideas. Out of all this chaos a new way of being will emerge and I am confident that while there are plenty who are of the same mind set as me (caring about the planet, each other, the need for personal responsibility, the re emergence of frugality and thrift, the honouring of the precious and old, there is a equally opposing mind set who do not care about the planet (witness those who chuck litter out of their cars for starters) who blame the government,their parents, the rest of the world for their current dissatisfaction, and who spend lavishly on the latest gadget or gizmo just because it is the latest and simply put themselves first, end of.

So this is where we are at now, with choices (aren't we lucky!) and maybe having to do things differently but enriched because of it. I always think that if something comes easy it's not appreciated, but that maybe just me. Still, while I can appreciate the flight of a dragonfly, smell the damp of the earth and feel gratitude for a sunset after a lovely day then I'm happy. (and secretly I had a bit of a splurge with my daughter on Saturday and we did the girly thing of trying on stuff, and even bought a pick and mix with nougat and fudge, yummy...)

more plums

2009-09-11T19:04:00.004+01:00

There is such a glut at the moment and since our neighbours have now gone to France until December, they have asked to pick up the windfalls. I shall be making more jam and couldn't resist taking a picture in the evening September sunshine.

Yes these are out of focus, so need to be viewed with Monet vision. And now the light's gone after a spectacular sunset.

five hours doing the same thing

2009-09-08T20:35:00.002+01:00

This is unheard of for me and probably for you (this excludes what you would do in a day job, which may of course be more than five hours doing the same thing).

But supposing you had uninterrupted time and nowhere to be, how would you use that five hours?

I just received an email from a fabulous life coach called Annabel Sutton, and she told me about a workshop she has just been on. The initial task is to be somebody that you are not usually, so if you are naturally shy and retiring, you get to be outgoing and chatty; maybe you are exactly that, then in this workshop you stay back a little, and let others take the stage.

It strikes me that this is a great idea and one we could encompass on a regular basis. hence the importance of me spending five whole hours doing just one thing (my attention span is usually 20 minutes max).

Astrology is about creating and being creative and that means experimenting to a certain extent, to get in touch with who you really are. This completely knocks on the head the preconceptions about age (like you are too old for this or that, or even too young!) the best time to do stuff is probably now and most things you do not have to ask permission (unless you are a little kid, in which case you wouldn't be reading this blog).

And since this is getting way too word here is a picture of my latest blanket

connections

2009-09-05T08:40:00.002+01:00

One of the things I enjoy doing more than anything else is consulting with clients. Although my website is world wide, still people contact me from a few miles away, who have never found it, and we have a telephone consultation. With the plethora of ghastly premium rate services where people have to take a random stab at picking a consultant who may be less than experienced, incompetent and at best vague and under pressure to keep you on the phone, the relaxed and uplifting conversation I have with people who get in touch is one that we both gain so much from.

If I had to choose an astrologer or a psychic, I would find the experience daunting. I would want someone who is skilled,professional, warm and caring, and accurate. How would you pick that out of the countless ads and hype on the web and in magazines? Personal recommendation is invaluable too, and some people come to me through contacts I have made previously .

David was one. He had worked for years in a business where the owner was retiring and he had been offered first refusal on buying it. He wasn't sure whether he could take on the responsibility and whether this was the right time, so we looked at his chart and planned the best approach with this. Together we worked out a solution and I gave him tips and links to business advice that he would need. He was delighted that this astrology lark wasn't just a load of mumbo jumbo, and went away fired up that this was indeed a golden opportunity for him.

And then there are those who need relationship advice, people who are stuck, people who want to know the all important WHEN something is likely to come into being, and so on.

I use so many different skills and experience to help people with their lives, and draw on my knowledge of self employment, being a parent, being widowed, being divorced, being creative, being on TV, being curious about the world and being a little bit psychic (who isn't?).

Here is a secret - I am far more likely to be reading historical novels and thrillers, magazines like Country Living,and Psychologies than Prediction or Spirit and Destiny.

At one point I read loads of self help books by people like Louise Hay, Susan Jeffers, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra etc. and then I figured to leave all that, read Bill Bryson, Tess Gerritsen and Khaled Hosseini and work out my own spiritual and philosophical viewpoint. Now I feel authentic, probably politically incorrect, definitely imperfect, but by and large guilt free and happy. But then I understand my birth chart and live with all of it, good, bad and ugly.

And now it is fun Saturday - time to shop!

big fat Pisces Full Moon

2009-09-04T10:46:00.002+01:00

Saw it last night, just dipping in and out of the clouds. Pisces is like the sea, full of potential and wonder and much of it hidden from view. Can be dangerous too, so it's easy to get mesmerised but dreams and wishes and possibilities, without the substance to make it happen.

The weather is wild and windy and the tiny cherry tomatoes are clinging on while my bigger tomatoes are taking a battering. The cucumber plant has given up after producing two magnificent and tasty cucumbers (thanks).

Meanwhile, I have much to do.

Autumn

2009-09-02T09:20:00.004+01:00

It's strange that every year Autumn starts on 1st of September. It's like we are programmed at the start of the school year to think falling leaves, iron grey skies and a drop in the temperature so goodbye summer and hello to Christmas cards in the shops. How scary!.

My neighbour gave me a box of plums so I have been attempting to make chutney. It's turned out fine if a little runny and of course there is satisfaction in getting something for nothing. Like the internet.

There are likely to be more subscription websites and web owners try to claw back the ever increasing costs of running a website. Mine has been free for over 10 years with daily changing content (some commitment!) and in that time my kids have grown up, gone to Uni, left home, got jobs and homes of their own and settling down. And I continue to write my daily horoscopes! In all that time youtube, facebook, twitter and all have come into being, iphones have been invented with itunes etc, peace has come to Northern Ireland, and a war still rages in Afghanistan, Michael Jackson has died, and we have a black American president, we are using plants for fuel, and chickens are horribly intensively reared (room for improvement there) and the ice is melting.

A woman on the radio was talking about giving up writing weekly column after 30 years, but daily is something else. And of course there are the weekly video horoscopes. Soon I will be doing longer and more detailed versions for those who wish to subscribe to Astrology Secret, and we will continue to film in the outdoors, whatever the weather to give a real feeling of being connected to the real world, rather than the safety of an artificial studio environment. The underlying message is that astrology is about real life with its sunshine and showers.

Mars and scary Pluto

2009-08-25T08:38:00.002+01:00

I read today that Britain is becoming like America with its violence and gang culture. Not good. Mars opposes Pluto and that violence is buried deep. The psyche is in pain and wounded people and animals thrash out.

So what to do? We cannot change the world but we can change ourselves. Those who have an interest in astrology are unlike, I am supposing, to be not also interested in beating up their fellow person. But putting aside what is going on in a negative way around the globe, let us just think about the perfect and natural and good.

Venus is coming to the end of Cancer - it's like girls in the kitchen baking cakes and good things to feed the bellies. That's me for now: I am gathering fruits from the hedgerows and making jams like mad. Yesterday I found a branch that had broken off from the tree by the sheer weight of damsons on it. Now I have run out of jam jars.

By the way if anyone out there would like me to send a pot of home made jam just email me at anna@annabelburton.com.

oooh colour!

2009-08-17T10:33:00.007+01:00

I am now making a bag to go with the corsage for this do I have in a couple of weeks. I have found some more old buttons and stuff and this is the work in progress. Also love the colours of the victoria plums with the little deep purple damsons I collected earlier this week.

Shimmer

2009-08-16T21:54:00.005+01:00

Today I have been working with beautiful fabrics from my stash to create a corsage. I have a wedding to go to and wanted something to brighten up a fairly simple dress so am pleased with the results! And now I am making an evening bag to go with it, using a few bits of vintage as well.

This afternoon, a dragon fly flew into the house. I have never had the chance to see one up close and they are incredible. Its body had turquoise markings and its eyes were like looking into a hologram. We managed to trap it in a jam jar and set it free. It was huge; its body about 5 inches long.

Today I had an Italian lunch with some good friends. Starting in the Autumn I will be putting on workshops in the room upstairs in the restaurant with the wonderful Olivia Stefanino Be your own Guru. Watch this space, especially if you can get to Chester! would be great to see you!

harvest time

2009-08-09T22:19:00.003+01:00

It's been a blissful day, warm sun, bees and butterflies and combine harvesters. And I have filled in my tax return!

Went blackberrying and made pots of jam and a crumble. And a ring cushion for a friend's wedding. No wonder I'm tired!
It's amazing how many hours can get lost in making stuff.

work in progress

2009-08-05T10:04:00.003+01:00

this is an ongoing blanket, soon to be completed. My last one sold on ebay and another one has been requested. This is a very slow occupation, which is an odd thing to do for a Gemini, and yet it teaches patience, some thing I have to work on. I like the contrast with a fast moving environment and living in a world of sound bites and quick glimpses of bits and pieces of life. Gone are the days where Japanese craftsmen spent years honing skills in making swords, and people spent a lifetime building a cathedral. Maybe I am trying to put the brakes on a bit as we go hurtling through space.

I am in the process of growing a tiny cucumber at last, although the aubergines are disappointing. But then this climate is hardly Mediteranean. Ah well, trial and error.

a little bit of sunshine

2009-07-31T10:21:00.005+01:00

It's turning out to be a mixed bag of a season and today for a brief spell, the sun is shining. I have planted out some more peas having reaped all the pods from the last couple of plants. I am amazed at the speed the runner beans are growing - they are true sprinters (or runners!) and when your back is turned, whoosh, there they are!

I cooked some of these up with new potatoes and served with tuna, boiled egg and assorted leaves to make a good healthy supper last night.

Listened to the radio about new ways of learning - now that we are all becoming familiar with bits of information (facebook, twitter etc) and sharing it, it seems the heirarchy of learning is breaking down and it is becoming much more organic and democratic. More signs of the Aquarian influence I think, and a perfect manifestation of Jupiter (global village, cross culture and media) in Aquarius.

Sun spot activity is non existing which coincides with our current economic down turn apparently.

Just found this delicious site at rocket gardens where you can order your very own instant garden kit, all organic and suitable for little growing areas, and big ones too. I am becoming a bit obsessive about growing my own!

seaside

2009-07-26T20:37:00.005+01:00

What a journey! Good job we packed sandwiches, chocolate biscuits and a flask of coffee, since the trip down south took many hours. Still it was worth it. It was a flying visit to pick up car parts and have abreath of sea air too. Stayed in a delightful and old fashioned B and B without a sea view but with the sound of seagulls day and night!

Watched the sun set over Brixham harbour in the company of next doors little tabby and more chocolate biscuits. Too a detour over the Dart and had a quick look at Dartmouth, collected a couple of pasties to take home and did the vid for next week's horoscopes.

fun trips

2009-07-22T08:54:00.004+01:00

I am off to Devon at the weekend, and it seems everyone else is as there's no room at the inn so settled for B and B instead. We will have to lug around a load of greasy car parts as this is the reason for going, but the added benefit is that it is the most fabulous part of England and I am spoilt for choice where we can visit in a few hours but fancy Dartmouth and a bit of Dartmoor would be good. Video scopes will come from this part of the world, weather permitting.

I have finished my blanket too so that will go up on ebay soon. It's weird, I finish one and can't wait to start others. I used to be the same about painting pictures. Maybe it's because I have such a massive stash of wool.

Poor Dearest Daughter has gone down with swine flu, although this thing appears to be a walk in the park for some and a living hell for others. Who knows how we will all be afflicted.

Astrologically the Jupiter/ Neptune conjunction is the link. Jupiter makes things massive and Neptune symbolises viruses and the strange way they morph and know us out. These two are in Aquarius and the same point was hit by Uranus back in 1918.

saturday mornings

2009-07-18T17:57:00.003+01:00

I love Saturdays and there's nothing better than mooching around the market getting bits and bobs, and also collecting new wool. Went to my favourite haunt today and they have stacks of mohair but I'm not into that at the moment. Still, picked up some nice oddments and I am making a blanket for the new baby.

Also I promised myself that I would make some muffins. I haven't done this before so I searched on the internet and found a great recipe for blueberry muffins and they turned out great! I stuck half of them in the freezer for later.

And then I had a mooch around Borders, which is where half the North West went to as well. It's great to see so many little sprogs with their Dads looking at books, and causing mayhem. The handicraft section is now squashed in with the diets and healthy living bit which is handy for me. The astrology bit now fights for space with grimoires and Gothic fantasies. Makes sense, I guess, although I am more of a healthy living type than a dark mythic person, though this has its place too. Doesn't quite feel the same when you get stuck into this stuff and little pink clothed children are running around yelling at the tops of their voices. I wonder if there are spells for turning kids into muffins.

I wanted to get the new Country Living mag and I had seen it Saisnbury's but didn't bother to get it, and now I can't find it. The American one is just not the same!

men on the moon

2009-07-16T08:29:00.003+01:00

This week everyone has been reliving the amazing moment when Man Walked on the Moon. People are sharing their memories of what was an incredible and emotional time. The astrology chart shows a beautiful configuration of profound potential and harmony and Saturn, symbolising earth and what restricts us, is clearly unaspected in Taurus. We had freed ourselves from our earth base. The Moon is in the sign of Libra; balance and harmony.

Now 40 years later, Venus returns to the same point in Gemini and the Moon is in Cancer and Saturn is in earth Virgo. This is a very different world.

The Moon symbolises the feminine and it is a masculine act to thrust upwards in rockets and stick flags in her soft surface but intriguing that since then we have not made a later attempt to land. The power of the earth rise picture the year before triggered a world wide ecological movement towards caring for our planet and the Moon's role is to reflect back to us what we cannot see for ourselves. How powerful!

The Moon in astrology also represents what is hidden and our connection with creativity, spontaneity and what we need to feel nurtured and cared for; from seeing the wonderful blogs out there celebrating simple creative processes, beautiful hand made items and fantastic photographs of our world and nature, we are tapping into this element of our being, creating a balance against the world of trouble and strife depicted in the media. Check out the ones I am following below.

This next week there is an eclipse and New Moon in Cancer. This is a time of potential and creativity and a time where we can consciously create a world of our choosing. Focus on what you want to bring into the world.

eating stuff

2009-07-14T10:20:00.003+01:00

nice ideas here

Still harvesting the peas and parsley, but not happy with my runner beans, which have masses of flowers but seem to be dropping off before the beans appear. Glad to have a drop of rain to save me watering. The cucumber has finally got going and at the weekend we had our first stuffed courgette.
Recipe: simply cut courgette in half lengthwise, scoop out flesh and fry with chopped onion, mixed herbs, chopped tomato and 1 clove of garlic and stuff into courgette shells. Pop in the oven on baking tray with cubed butternut squash and chopped green pepper on the side. Sprinkle with olive oil and more herbs, and then add a couple of chunks of St Augur cheese on the courgettes at the end of cooking. Serve with fresh green salad. Lovely jubbly.

two days old

2009-07-12T10:30:00.007+01:00

And she already seems a wise old soul, switched on and always on the go. Last night I crocheted a tiny beanie hat for her, since her Mum and Dad want to take her out amongst the trees and fresh air as soon as possible.

the colour purple

2009-07-10T23:17:00.002+01:00

Loved this vibrancy, how brave, how gorgeous, what a riot! (shame about the seagull poop on the wall... must have been blown away by the colours too...) Love wishy washy as well.

more seaside pics

2009-07-10T23:03:00.004+01:00

We went to Anglesey and had lunch in Beaumaris, a mooch around Menai and beachcombed at some beach which I love but cannot name. We watched storm clouds brewing, coming from Ireland, but somehow avoiding us.

away day

2009-07-10T21:17:00.007+01:00

Just fitted in the trip out and came home to the happy news of the new baby! Aquarian Moon and Cancer Sun and Gemini rising. This little girl is going to be such a character!

New Baby

2009-07-10T11:08:00.002+01:00

The little one has arrived so now I am a granny! Just getting my head around what this actually means. Mum, Dad and daughter are all fine and hopefully will be seeing new family tomorrow.

Here are my first three pea pods just harvested.

2009-07-09T07:11:00.001+01:00

FREE hit counter and Internet traffic statistics from freestats.com

2009-07-09T06:33:00.000+01:00

I don't know what it is with me at the moment, but I was up at 4.30 am, but thought it was 5.30, so have just been sitting here doing crochet and fancying a boiled egg and soldiers and marmite for breakfast. The weather looks fine so it's off to the seaside later.

I have been tootling around the internet and came across a gorgeous website selling vintage fabrics Donna Flower. I realise I have an irrational passion for such things, and love art deco, as well as French peasant style, 1950's botanical Paul Klee inspired stuff, and secretly loved chintz when Ikea were telling us to chuck it out. Here is a little picture my Mum did when she was at art college doing fashion drawing back in the 40's.

The Times and these times

2009-07-08T09:44:00.000+01:00

I had a phone call this morning from my son (Capricorn) who is just about to head off for a break in Mexico with his wife (see pic). He just wanted to say bye for now, and we discussed the new family baby who still hasn't made an appearance yet! As my son will be away when the baby is born (his niece/nephew) he asked me to get a copy of the newspaper on the day of birth. We agreed that the best paper to get would be The Times, and he, with a long view, thought that once this child grows up, there would probably be no newspapers.

I remarked that my son was born during the winter of discontent in the late '70's, where there were no computers, no mobile phones, and I wouldn't have been able to do this (like,blog or have a website), or indeed talk to him on his iphone from the airport.

It's a fascinating time for new babies to come into the world - we are in an eclipse season (7th July through to 6th August, when there are 3!) which brings revolutionary shifts and changes. this month, the Cancer/Capricorn energies are strong linking where we have come from, our roots, our families, and our tribe, to where we are going to in the bigger world (Capricorn). It's time to have plan, to plot out the intentions and not leave things to chance. Once we have created a map, then it is so much easier to follow it. The hard bit is knowing which is your own map.

People are facing challenges and changes with jobs, and the employment situation. By losing a job you can create the circumstances to be self employed, and start your own business. For some, this is a fantastic opportunity. Today the Sun links with Saturn, and Saturn represents time. The clock is ticking.

holiday snaps

2009-07-07T11:03:00.000+01:00

I was trying to sort out all my bits of stuff on the computer - it's such a muddle and like the kitchen drawer, full of odd bits of junk, which are probably not necessary but interesting. Like I have packet of hollyhock seeds which are fabulous flowers but perhaps too big for the space I've got.

Last year we went to Bellagio on Lake Garda, which happened to be the reward for some PR work I had done with a holiday company (nice). The pics are like a tour of eating and drinking stops and I took them on my li'l ole motorola, so not too bad considering. Be nice to go back.

But we are planning a day out in Wales on Thursday. Not quite the same, but if the rain stops then it will be lovely to be by the sea, to watch the seagulls, pick up smooth pebbles and walk on the beach.

high summer

2009-07-06T21:41:00.001+01:00

Went for a walk today and dodged the rain. I love the sky when it is battleship grey and the corn fields are lighter and brighter than the sky. Amazing cloud formations too.
A compromise has been reached on the caterpillar control - no more spray but they are simply being relocated elsewhere. This feels better.

I am inspired by jugs - nearly bought a Berylware one at the weekend.

Uranus is strong just now and stationed in Pisces - explosions and violence around religion is ongoing. Small groups fighting for their voice to be heard, but the time is ripe for alternatives and new solutions.

It's good to find the time to watch birds flying and living their lives.

vintage

2009-07-05T18:35:00.000+01:00

These sweater girls are fab - tiny people in those days, when a 38 inch bust was large. Love the pose.

70's

2009-07-05T18:14:00.000+01:00

I bought a stack of tupperware at thelocal charity shop and my other half was a bit aghast - he is not too impressed with tango, tobacco brown and avocado green plastic containers but I love them! There used to be a wonderful tupperware party lady called Nelly Pledge, and her whole life was tupperware. I am sure she used to drive round Cheshire with a mini full of orders, plastic cake boxes, keepers and whatever else they were! Ah the days of domesticity!

Came across a book from 1979 with some great crochet stuff too

flora and lettuce

2009-07-03T23:11:00.001+01:00

It's funny how you see things and get inspired by the colour or word, or idea. I wanted to make a blanket that's a little bit faded and washed out looking, delicate even, but then it just depends what I have available.
Since my foray into knitting for babes (still don't know who it is who is on the way) then I am looking more at pastels.

As for the home grown stuff, well, we are eating what the little garden produces everyday, although, horrors, the caterpillars and aphids are competing like mad. Had to resort to rather drastic methods to get shut...(Scorpio Moon brings death...)

gifts of icons

2009-07-02T09:40:00.000+01:00

Dylan and Mucha - how sixties! how divine!
and the ipod - my birthday presents

A life more or less ordinary

2009-07-02T07:42:00.000+01:00

Maybe it's me, but the more sensationalist the big world out there is, the more I retreat to the constant, ordinary and everyday. This morning I got up an hour earlier and sat and read a book outside in the early morning sunshine. There is only so much rushing about anyone can do.
Venus is in Taurus and this sign is earth based, connecting us to the natural world, to nature and the little things that are always around but are easy to miss.

I managed to dislodge a tiny spider in its web, suspended from the garden chair to a pot of geraniums. It went into panic mode, scrunched up and then a few minutes later decided to spin its web again. Within three hours everything was back to normal and the web was restored. It's a good lesson!

2009-06-30T22:02:00.000+01:00

The first pea pods are now evident, but the nasturtiums are taking over - next time I will plant less since they grow for fun, but the colours are fabulous.

Broad beans and Libra Moon

2009-06-30T10:53:00.000+01:00

At last the season of broad beans is here! I used to not be fond of these fat beans encased in their strange furry pods but we had pasta, bacon, mint with broad beans for supper. Yum. Recipe is here
http://www.riverfordstockley.co.uk/recipes/

It rained heavily last night, which means I don't have to water today and yet the South East has heatwave warnings.

Today the Moon is in Libra and linking with Jupiter and Mercury - all in air signs for communication. Getting over your highest visions, the dreams of what could be and becoming aware of what is truly creative and fantastic gives a real lift to the spirit. Decided to be friendly with everyone I came across, like the lady in the flowershop; we had a little chat about the importance of having flowers around, and sometimes you have to treat yourself, which I have., now that Amy's flower eating cat, Mr D'Arcy has gone home.

This evening, we have another cat guest to stay, Ayesha the elderly siamese with her own unique foibles.