#Tumblr ~ My Week in Review

I've discovered that my pretty Tumblr page is a delightful spot to post a week-in-review (I usually do this on Wednesdays)-- all the things I've worked on all over the internet; things going on at the moment personally that I might not talk about anywhere else (Do I have your attention yet?); breaking news; and any other stuff that comes to mind-- This week, included with all the regular activity, I think I'm coming down with something & I have discovered that I might not be Ex-Wives Club material....[to read more, follow the link]

My Week in Review...click  Here

Pavin' the Way ~ Part 2 (video)

For those of you following the saga of our construction and road work out here in Sunset Addition this Spring, you'll be happy to know that after almost 20 years of having a gravel road run in front of our house, we now have a brand spankin' new paved road here. (Yay!) I'm sure we'll have less dust in the house, and we won't have to put up with all the mud during the rainy season.  It was fun watching the process, and I caught a few minutes of it on video, while they were pouring and paving right in front of our house.

Around Town with The Spiritual Feminist ~ Photo Blog!

 

My daughter picked me up this morning for a round of shopping and lunch– and I took The Book with us (The Spiritual Feminist).  This was a Hoot!!  Following are photos of our jaunt, the places we went, and the people we saw…Welcome to Fremont, Nebraska (USA)!

 

 

First stop ~ THE BLUE BOTTLE ~ 529 N Main St #5 ~ Ask for Ginger!

 

 

Besides my favorite cappuccinos, what do you think you’ll find in The Blue Bottle?…Blue bottles– of course!

 

 

HARVEST HEALTH ~ 419 N Main St

 

 

Besides lots of Healthy Stuff, we found crystals and incense, and quite a few surprisingly Cool and New-Agey items. Yay!

 

 

SECOND LOOK ~516 N Main St ~ very cool consignment shopped filled with all sorts of treasures and good deals!

 

 

On the Lower Level of Second Look with the Proprietor!

 

 

“Andy” has been selling hotdogs from this stand AT THE CORNER OF 6th & MAIN for 30+ years!!

 

 

This building is actually For Sale and is my Dream Location for a Tea & Tarot shop ~ it’s an ivy covered cottage of a building, like something right out of a magickal movie!!…Where’s my Financial Backers?

 

Fremont Police Station

 

 

To the Men & Women In Blue!…Support your local Law Enforcement. I know, there’s been lots of bad press lately, and there are a few bad apples in ANY occupation. But the majority of Law Enforcement officials work hard and risk their lives To Keep Us Safe! (Hey, MOM! This ones for you ~ My Mother is a Retired Police Officer)

 

 

This sign is Right Outside MICHAEL’S JEWELRY ~ 540 N Main St ~ omg, if this were only true!! :)

 

 

PRECIOUS TREASURES CO-OP SHOP ~ 405 N Main St ~ Make sure you’ve got plenty of time to browse in here at your leisure, it’s a treasure trove all right!

 

Okay– ‘nough running around.  Everyone was getting hungry and foot weary (yes, that’s a real thing).  We finished off our outing– where?  At McDonald’s…of course!

 

_________________________

 

The Official Release Date for The Spiritual Feminist
is April 24th!!

 

Hooza!!!

 

 

Thank you to my daughter, Laura Thome, for the photography!

 

This is something I've NEVER done before-- reposted a blog from one of my sites to another.  I usually just post a link from one to the other, but I wanted the photographs to be available to you right here, right now!  This is such a monumental event in a writer's life, the Release of a Book...it is akin to giving birth, and there's almost as much chaos and hoopla leading up to it.

 

Enjoy the photos-- and BUY THE BOOK (or the Kindle edition)

 

Women...you will be touched, you will be inspired, you will be re-empowered, you will find healing and a sense of spirituality like nothing you've ever experienced-- Believe Me!

 

Blessings to you all,

Amythyst

 

 

It Cannot Be, That I Am He...

It cannot be, that I am he,
on whom thy tempest fell all night.

 

~ George Herbert (The Flower, 1633)

This blog post is about women and friendship, and the disappointment of it all. 
This blog post is dedicated to LC.

I had a friend.  I thought she was a spiritual sister and we would be friends through the rest of this life's journey, till we were old and gray, and bent, and wrinkled.

 

I had a friend.  I thought she knew me, through the depths of my soul, all that I am, all that I aspire to be, all that I wish I were.

 

 

I had a friend.  She was a confidant for this life's stories, a co-conspirator for projects and whims and dreams.  She was my rock. She was my joy. 

 

 

And then a change began.

 

 

It was very subtle at first, a different nuance in her voice, the way she spoke to me, the way she looked at me, little things she said that I should've taken note of but didn't.  It grew slowly over time with less contact, fewer and fewer invitations, a slow distancing.  I puzzled over it, but I brushed it off as my imagination and continued to plod along in life, which in the summer of 2012 included filing for divorce and all the tension and stress that goes with this transition.

 

Pretty soon, The Change could not be ignored, so negative was the energy.  And also the fact that my soon-to-be ex-husband began a closer friendship with LC and her fiancé, JC.  I guess I thought this was just that strange phenomena that goes with divorce, when people choose sides, even when people don't want to and think they can remain friends with both.  The oddest thing about this was that LC had never really taken a shining to this man (my ex-husband); so I couldn't understand why she was embracing him in friendship now.  It was puzzling.

 

When The Freeze began, it encompassed not only my Ex-Friend, but people who knew both of us.  I found that individuals who would normally stop and speak and talk to me when we ran into each other in the store suddenly started avoiding me, blocking me on social sites.  They would be uncomfortable when I was the first to say "Hi" whenever we would bump into each other, and I'd stop, expecting to chat, to have normal conversation. They were shifting from one foot to the other, looking past me, looking at the ground, wanting desperately to escape.

 

I didn't understand.

 

And I did not know why my friend stopped being my friend.  There were no disagreements between us, no harsh words, no harsh actions.  Nothing.

 

It has haunted me...until now.  Someone finally had the courage to come forward and tell me.

 

The rest of this post is an open letter to LC:

 

I had listened to people tell me for the past two years, "She's jealous of you.", "She's jealous of you.", "She's jealous of you."

 

Jealous?  Jealous how?

 

Jealous of what I do?  Jealous of what I am?

 

I didn't understand, and I brushed it off.  I really had no idea what was going on in your mind, why and how you could so suddenly turn from my dearest friend to someone so filled with hatred.  If you had any idea of all the moments I spent mulling over in my mind what I could have possibly done to damage our friendship, what I could have possibly done to make you feel this way...I had no idea, but that didn't mean I stopped thinking about it.

 

And then I was told, finally, just a few weeks ago, during a chance encounter.  And I was left absolutely aghast, absolutely floored.  I would never have thought of this scenario in a million years.  And the sad, sad thing about it is that it's not true.

 

And I am left to wonder:

 

Did you just perpetuate this rumor to ruin my reputation and alienate people from me? 

 

Or did you really believe it?

 

No, LC, I have never viewed your fiancé as anything more than your partner.  I have never harbored romantic feelings for this man.  I have never approached this man in any way that could be misconstrued.  I have never been around this man when you weren't there.  He was actually inconsequential to my life, part of it only because he was part of your life.

 

JC called me on the evening of September 24th, 2012, to wish me Happy Birthday.  I had been waiting for your call all day.  I was surprised to hear his voice, because I was expecting yours.  But I thought he would wish me a perfunctory Happy Birthday and pass the phone to you.  We chatted for two or three minutes, then I said, "Can I talk to L?"  He paused, "Well, umm...well, ummm...She's asleep."

 

I thought this was odd, but it was just JC, so I didn't think anymore of it, and we hung up.  I thought, and my girls thought, that he might have made this birthday call because he felt bad that you didn't.

 

And that is all there is to it.

 

 

An epilogue:

 

Two scenarios apply here, and only you know which one is correct...

 

If you deliberately started insidious and untrue rumors about me, shame upon you.  May the cancer of your lies crawl from your chest, up your throat, to your tongue, and may you lie no more.

 

If you actually believe that I was "after your man", then I have to wonder why.  Why would you think such a thing?  And why couldn't you simply ask JC about the matter, which would have easily cleared things up-- unless he had his own ulterior motives for making that telephone call. 

 

This revelation has brought disappointment, shock, and dismay...but it also brings Closure.

 

Regards,

Amythyst

 

At Home with the Hatayamas ~ (video)

Wedding Blessings (photo blog)

I was honored when asked to officiate the wedding of a dear friend and her remarkable fiancé.  They are an amazing couple, and this experience was really quite magical.  As this bride began her walk from the grape arbor to the medicine wheel, where her groom was waiting, I saw in this woman all the beauty that exemplifies Womanhood at it's most profound and glorious.

Congratulations to the happy couple, may your life together be Charmed.

So mote it be.

This slideshow created with Smilebox

Book Launch Party!~ Hooza!!

Thank you to Moon Books, and John Hunt Publishing;
and thank you to my awesome publicist Nimue Brown!

I posted a while ago on Facebook about the Book Launch Party tonight for The Spiritual Feminist.  I’m looking forward this evening to fun with family and friends– some picture taking for my publicist!– and good food and drink.  Thank you to my daughter, Anne, who had a special cake made for the evening– it’s designed after the Book of Shadows in the movie Practical Magic (and I’ll bet this is a first for the ladies here at Hy-Vee’s Bakery in Fremont NE!)

Thank you to John Hunt Publishing, and Moon Books, and my awesome publicist Nimue Brown!

Happy Sunday, everyone!!

BOOK Launch Party!!
Sunday, April 12th, 6pm
Applebee’s Restaurant, 3420 Elk Lane, Fremont NE

Sunday Drive (photo blog)

We just got home from our first jaunt of the year around Fremont State Lakes and some of the adjacent neighborhoods (lake homes).  We wound up our tour with chocolate ice cream cones from Runza.  I have a lot of photos of the lake taken during the "on" season-- late spring through summer; and I even have a set of beautiful winter photos of the lakes and that area; but this is the first time I've been out there this time of year-- no longer winter, but too early to really be leafed out and fresh...It's an odd "tween" time.

I don't know what these pretty lavender blossoms are but
this field is just a few blocks south of our house.

The Stump
(What is a stump doing on a sandy beach?)

Hooza!!!!...We've reached the Summit.
(on so many levels, in life, in love, in accomplishments, in experiences)

Some roads are not made of brick, and they are not yellow; but
they will lead you on just as many grand adventures.

Joe & Amythyst

There are cactus here, and I'm not sure if they are native to this area or not.
I know they are native to western Nebraska, but they look out of place here.
Never-the-less, they thrive.  I know there's a lesson here somewhere.

This photo is a study in contemplation and balance.

This is the only blossom I saw today-- an early dandelion, with a small bee in the center.

Emma

I stood on this shore and snapped several photos, trying to capture the black ducks
and the white cranes.  This is as good as it got.  It does not do them justice.

The Lock Ness Monster at Fremont State Lakes???

We got stuck at the train crossing just coming out of the lake area. 



You can click on the photos
to make them BIGGER
 

Another Book Review! ~ for The Spiritual Feminist

Great Review!…”Feminists” come in all ways, shapes, and forms– sometimes they’re not at all what you expect.

Follow the link:  click  Here

Amythyst Raine-Hatayama

 

A Radio Interview! ~ Radio Amerika Now

I’ll be a guest on Radio Amerika Now, 11pm-midnight CST, Saturday, April 11th
Follow this link:  click Here

Barbara & Sammy

 

Confessions of a Pagan Mom~ Confession #10

This post is titled "Confessions of a Pagan Mom~ Confession #10", but a better title could have been "Beware the Witch".

So here you go, the last in the series "Confessions of a Pagan Mom":

Confession #10:  If you piss me off and I give you Food or Drink, beware; the witch in me rises to the surface.  No, of course, I've never harmed anyone, nor would I.  I'm a pacifist, a PETA embracer, a Flower Child-- a by-product of the Hippie transition of 1969 (the year I stood at the edge of teen-ager'dom), and I'm empathic (a new-agey label that could also be translated in more mundane terms to "Someone who is Super Sensitive to other peoples feelings and emotions").  And as I keep telling people, though I know there are some out there who just won't believe me-- "I'm NICE, damn it."

But if you piss me off; if you're rude, judgmental, cruel, nasty, or just plain Mean...Don't eat or drink anything I serve you.  It might not be harmful, but there could be a serious "Ick Factor" involved here.

• The target:  one of my ex-husbands.  His crime-- incorrigibility.  I don't know what century this man was born in, but no, women were not put here to be at your beck and call, to be yelled at and intimidated, or to be belittled and controlled.  What an idiot.  Before serving this glowing specimen of chauvinism a cup of coffee, I spit in it.  And I watched with great relish as he drank this special cup of coffee to the very last drop. (Ya, okay, there might have been an ancient curse thrown in there somewhere, involving some sort of chant thrown in for good measure, with some name-dropping of ancient Egyptian deities or something.)  All I know is that Revenge tasted just as sweet and yummy as that cup of coffee.
• The target:  one of my ex-mother-in-laws.  Her crime-- actually, she hit all of the above...rude, judgmental, cruel, nasty, and Just Plain Mean.  I've never met a colder crueler individual in my life.  She reinforced my belief in some sort of inherent evil in the world.  She was Snow White's nasty step-mother and Godzilla all rolled into one.  But I digress.  Okay, she's in My House, on My Turf-- I already like how this sounds.  She has belittled and insulted my children, tried to turn my husband against me, and made it her Full-Time-Job to bring me to my knees and destroy that enemy...Self-Esteem.  This unfortunate woman accepted my offer, a cup of coffee.  No, I did not spit in it-- really, give me some credit for imagination and creativity.  This time I dipped my dainty little pinky finger in Something Really Icky, and I placed my finger on the rim of her cup, circling it widdershins (semi-clockwise to the muggles reading this), and this time I don't think, I KNOW, there was lots of chanting and mumbling and cursing and invoking, and other stuff.  And I'm pretty sure Marie Laveau's name came up.
• The target: one of my ex-husbands.  His crime-- hmmm, I don't think this pertains to this incident, well, wait-- it could have been that I had some doubts here about fidelity.  This is when he was a bit younger and seemed to have a roving eye and an unquenchable sexual appetite.  Actually, I suspect when he was a young buck, out in the backwoods, he probably f***ed anything that moved.  But this is just speculation, and I'm only dealing with what I was actually witness to and what involved me directly.  Again, I digress. Anyway, so I decided to do what I  warn almost everyone else about doing (we never listen to our own advice, almost never).  I cast a love spell, the strongest that there is, and yes, it involved Something Icky and Something to Drink. No, I'm not going to tell you what any of the Something Ickys are, I don't want to give away all my magickal secrets!  But when I cast this spell, because actually that's what this was, the timing and the universe lined up perfectly:  It was during a Full Moon, which fell on a Friday (Venus, loves spells, and all that, for the muggles unaware of this), and the date was significant, the number or something, though this was so long ago, I don't remember now.  If this man still can't get me out of his mind, this spell (and that special glass of Coca-Cola) are probably the reason.

I have to add a footnote about the first incident and "spitting".  I was told a story, long after my own experience had taken place, of a not-so-distant relative who did this very same thing when asked to fetch a drink for a very nasty individual (a teacher or something, I think it was).  Anyway, I had to chuckle to myself at the time, but I didn't confess my own actions to the story-teller.  I laughed at their story and thought to myself, either me and my not-so-distant relative are the epitome of that famous saying "great minds think alike", or we're both just real poops.

Cheers!...Join me?

 

Paving the Way (photo blog)

Home Sweet Home

We've lived in this house for 20 years.  We're just outside city limits, and when we first moved here, everyone in the neighborhood had a septic system.  City sewer was put in 10-12 years after we arrived, and what a relief it was!  This housing division is almost "hidden"; it's a residential area tucked behind businesses that line Highway 77, as you come into Fremont from the north.  Our roads are gravel-- and we've put up with tons of blowing dust, dirt, and mud ,all depending upon what time of year it is and what kind of weather we're having.  But soon, this will all be a thing of the past.

They are paving our roads!

The first street done-- by the Little White Church. 

A "before" picture, 1/2 a block east & 1 block north of us.

Yes indeedy.

Big Trucks and Equipment sitting quiet on Easter Sunday Morning.

Large pipes that are going to be our new drainage system out here-- instead
of running rainwater through open ditches...but we will miss the tadpoles and toads!

More equipment and Stuff.

The road two blocks north of us-- our road will  be last, because we
seem to be a main drag for all the equipment and traffic.

The road one block north of us-- they're next!

And they aren't kidding!!



Our Street! (standing at the east end of the block, facing west)

Our house is the 4th one down from here, not really visible (sort a, kind a, if you
know what to look for-- big and brown).  This is an awesome sight, all these
big concrete thingys sitting in our ditch!

Couldn't resist!-- I had to look through the hole. :)

Our neighbor's flag...Goddess Bless America

 

 

You can click on the photos
to make them BIGGER.