"What greater gift than the love of a cat?" Charles Dickens
First of all, I want to thank everyone who left such kind comments on my Practical Magic Blog Party post. Blogland is filled with amazingly talented and creative women and I had such a good time looking at all the posts! I can't wait until the 'Witches Tea Party Under a Halloween Moon' on October 29 and 30 by Anna of Frosted Petunias. (Click on the button on the top right hand side of this page if you're interested).
"There's a little witch in every woman." Aunt Jet
I was cleaning the glass in my studio...
(unfortunately, unlike the woodwork in the aunts' house, it doesn't clean itself). I was caught up in the reflections in the large bell jar. Reflections, like looking into candle flames or the flames in a fireplace, can take you to other places, you know...
Because they're so mesmerizing, you can...What was that noise?
Broom fell...company is coming!
I must hurry back inside and get ready for a party!
Must make sure all the candles are lit...
I want it to look warm, inviting and pretty for my guests.
I think this is the best use for a birdcage, don't you? (That was the only part of the book and movie that I didn't like. Poor dove...)
This faery is supervising everything I do, and wow, can she be bossy! Happily, the Faeries seem to like my little cottage and studio; I see them all over, including in the woods that surround my cottage and by the stream that you have to cross over to get to my cottage.
Let's see...well, I'm low on some things, but I have enough of the right herbs and potions if we want to do a few spells.
I wonder; perhaps my guests would like to borrow some of my moon jewelry? It's so much fun to try on! Choose what you like, please...there are necklaces, bracelets, rings, and brooches.
Hmmmm...how did my husband's badge get in there? Like Sally, I fell in love with a law enforcement officer, something I never, ever thought I would do. And yes, he is cute...in a Penal Code sort of way! ;-) We've been happily married for over thirty years.
Like Sally Owens says "Magic isn't just spells and potions. Your badge? It's just a star, just another symbol...it has power because you believe it does." I'd better get this back to him.
Whoops! I almost forgot...
Midnight Margaritas! Can't have a party without those!
So please, make yourselves comfortable and have as many margaritas as you want. These margaritas will never make you over-intoxicated, just magically happy...and they NEVER cause nasty things like hangovers!
Have a wonderful Autumn and an especially magical Halloween! Blessings to all (including my husband who, since I sprained my wrist, did all the cleaning and heavy lifting for this post) ~~~~~~~ Victoria
These are little wild Asters. They grow all over up here, and they are another sure sign that Summer is gracefully yielding the stage to her sister Autumn. 
I took this around midnight on the 10th, so she wasn't completely full yet. It was very windy, but maybe all the dust in the atmosphere is what gave her the beautiful golden glow. Although...when I was just looking at her without using the camera she looked white. The more I zoomed in, the more colorful she became.
Nearly 3,000 flags...one for every person who died on September 11, 2001.
Autumn passed by sometime last night, caressing a few leaves here and there with her chilly hand. She only stayed for a brief time.....
and she kindly left some brave little Impatiens still blooming, leaves and blossoms untouched by her cold fingers. She took her leave quickly though, having urgent business at higher elevations and areas far to the north of here. But she won't stay away for too long; she wrote that message clearly for all to see on the leaves.
More red Penstemmon, lighting up the shade. It's almost done blooming now, and I'm seeing little lavender asters popping up here and there, a sure sign that autumn is on the way. I'm praying that this autumn is like last year; cool and wet instead of hot and dry.
Eolande was a gift from my sister. Her name means 'violet flower.' Since she's holding violet colored flowers, I thought that was a perfect name for her.
Photo above of Norman 
Photo of Georgie. 
Photo of Lars Olaf 
Photo of Martha Mae 
Photo of Olivia 
Give them the fishies.........................NOW! 
This is Rillana, and she usually lives down by the stream. However, it's very hot today, and the fish are being particularly rude. You know...leaping up and making huge splashes trying to drench her, sneaking up underneath her when she's hovering over the water and blowing bubbles up to startle her.
This is a faerie my husband gave to me. She looked to me like a Faerie that you might encounter in Hawaii, maybe because of the little band of flowers around her ankle, so I named her 'Paili' which means faerie in Hawaiian. Or so one Internet site claims...
"It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon humans' hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanates from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit." Robert Louis Stevenson
I took this around 4:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon. I have my favorite spots in the forest where I could (and sometimes do) sit for a couple of hours and watch the late afternoon sun paint ever-changing landscapes simply by moving its light. The flowers are red penstemon, a favorite of the hummingbirds. I tried to capture an image of the the little red and green jewels as they darted around the penstemon, but all I got were red and green blurs. Ah well, perhaps another day...with a different camera!
