Grey Catsidhe's 21 Days of Solstice Music!

Apologies for the delay but I've been feeling ill.  Thanks to all my readers on blogger, lj, and facebook for your support for this series, and even some suggestions!  I've got a few more songs coming up later this week, but I wanted to post a couple new ones that I discovered through The Juggler.


"Santa's Pagan Too" by Emerald Rose.

I sometimes feel jaded by the trickery associated with parents performing as Santa.  This song reminded me that Santa is really a spirit who can possess or inspire us to give.  Sometimes his image, like so many, is used to excuse materialism - but I don't think that's really what he's about.  Santa stands for generosity, fun, the magic of childhood, and good family memories.  Still, I think I would go about the tradition differently should I ever have children of my own.


"The Solstice Song" by Finvarra’s Wren.  A lovely folk song that looks forward to the spring, much as our ancestors would have done this time of year.

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Personal Growth

Today was a stressful day.  It was, as I told my husband, the Monday of Mondays.  Getting to work was not difficult, but once I was there it was one thing after another.  There was a lot of absenteeism today.  Many people are out with whooping cough which is kind of uncomfortable.  I took my lunch break to run some errands.  I sent my grad school application off which was good.  The rest is in the hands of the administrators and the Gods. I then took some time to make what I thought would be a quick business call.  It turned into a very long and stressful exchange, but supposedly everything was rectified.  A second time.  Gods willing, everything is fine and I will get my bloody certificate of authority so I can legally sell at the upcoming craft show!  Everyone was very kind, patient, and helpful so I can't fault them too much...

I've come to accept that it's going to take me awhile to finish my Initiate Study Program.  Hell, it took me at least a year to delve into my DP, and three years after that to finish.  I took my time.  Who can blame me?  I was working on my first degree while working part time and maintaining various hobbies.  Working full time while attending grad school?  I know I'm going to have my hands full.

I am finding myself less resentful and guilty for my limited Druidic studying.  I do what I can.  I do my short daily devotionals, I pray, I make offerings to Brighid when I sew, and I do my weekly ritual complete with ogham reading.  I practice bits of kitchen magic here and there.  I try to make time for meditations and walks in the woods.  I listen to Pagan music and podcasts.  I alternate fiction with Pagan studies when I read before bed.  I get in touch with my inner self and the spirits through my art.  That is how I am living and experiencing Paganism now.  Do I feel like I could do more?  Sure.  But I'm not beating myself up over it now.


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Grey Catsidhe's 21 Days of Solstice Music!

Don't you love those traditional, non-denominational winter songs?  They can make us nostalgic, connect us to family and friends who celebrate Christmas, and help us find the positive in all the snow we have to shovel.  Up here in the North Country, we have a lot!  Be that as it may, I love leaving my home in the morning to see a frosted forest.  If you look at the snow just right, you can see it glitter like magical fairy dust.

Enjoy this old favorite - "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" - by Dean Martin.





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Continuation of Crafty Goodness

I forgot to add a few things.  Here's more that I made this weekend!

Five new Goddess dolls.

A dark brown catsidhe with pink wings.

And finally, a demonic catsidhe.  OMG isn't he amazing?  *fiendish grin*  

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My Weekend Thus Far...

...has been spent sewing.  I did mention in my last post that I also worked on my grad school application, but a majority of my time was spent preparing for the upcoming craft show.  I did a lot of work, especially yesterday.  Some things aren't done yet, but here's what I did complete.  I apologize that some of them are a bit hard to see.  I need to make a light box.

A small teddy bear.

Side of a small black dragon.  It will eventually be turned into an ornament.

The front of the mini dragon.

A pixie.  She will also become an ornament.

Mini wizard.  Another ornament.  

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Grey Catsidhe's 21 Days of Solstice Music!

I'm a little behind in posting Solstice music, and for that I apologize.  I've had a lot going on - namely preparing for a craft show and filling out a grad school application.  Enjoy a triple dose of Yuletide cheer!

Faith and the Muse - "A Winter Wassail."  I adore this tune.  Solstice isn't complete without it!

"The Holy and the Ivy" - a traditional holiday piece.

This song is one of the best examples of how Paganism influenced early Christianity.  Most people miss that it is as overtly Pagan as Christian, what with the rising sun and running deer imagery.  Not to mention that holy and ivy were very sacred plants to many of our ancient ancestors and have nothing to do with Christianity save the symbolism borrowed from earlier cultures.  I continue to love this song as it is common ground for my family and I to meet on.


Finally, a "Paganized" version of a Christmas hymn - "Gods Rest Ye Merry Pagans." Somehow...  this just works.  I really like it.  :)


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Grey Catsidhe's 21 Days of Solstice Music!

It's December 2nd and we inch ever closer to the Solstice!  Today I'm posting one of my favorite holiday songs.  While technically a Christmas song, it appeals to my Irish blood as it's by the Pogues and has the sound of an old Irish bar ballad.  "Fairytale of New York" tells of the failed relationship between lovers.  I'm not sure if they're both immigrants, or if one was and moved back home.  I find it interesting that it's one of the most popular holiday songs in Ireland and Britain, but it never gets played on US radios.  Perhaps it's the cursing?  I must admit, the unconventional but nostalgic vulgarity of the song is part of the appeal to me.  It sounds so different from the other holiday music on the radio - and let's admit, most of that is just rubbish!  Listen to this instead.  It's a wonderful story with some great Irish sounds.



"Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues and featuring Kirsty McColl.

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