"Cat Nights"...Hmm...

Today I learned of a new term: “Cat Nights”. I came across a little blurb about this specific date that falls toward the end of Summer, on the Farmer’s Almanac site. Both intriguing and rather ambiguous, the short bit of info on the subject seemed more anecdotal than anything. The origins of this night are credited to an “obscure” folk legend, though no actual folk tale or lore is actually presented. What follows is what said ‘blurb’ shared, along with a few thoughts of my own:

Tonight, August 17^th, is when “Cat Nights” begin. The “obscure Irish Legend” states that a witch could turn herself into a cat 8 times, but during the 9th time on the night of August 17^th, she could no longer change back into human form. This is said to have started the old saying about a “cat having nine lives”. It also mentions that as this night leads into a period of “yowly” cats, it made people suspect that said cat was actually a witch on the prowl. (Sounds like the cat's in heat, to me.)

This is the kind of legend/lore/history of a pagan nature or otherwise, that I enjoy reading up on and learning about. I immediately did some net surfing to try and locate a specific legend, or any other info that would clarify things. I came up with zip. The majority of the posts I found on other sites copied the Almanac post verbatim. Color me disappointed.

In terms of the little bit of information provided, I can only fill in the holes with products of my own grey cells. A witch turning herself into a cat…okay, I get that. I have seen that mentioned many times in many different places. Cats are historically Witch familiars, so a familiar once being an actual Witch could fit into the realm of folk lore and legend.

This is how I am interpreting the number of transformations given by the Almanac: A witch can only make 9 cat transformations within a year.  The last one (last chance) would absolutely fall on the night of August 17^th. If the Witch chooses to transform 9 times, then she is basically saying that she knows that she will not be able to assume human form again, so she is accepting continuance of life as a cat. How else should one interpret that part of the tale? I just read the Almanac’s blurb again, and that’s how it reads to me. August 17^th appears to be the time when the ‘change-into-a-cat’ countdown starts over…which begs another question. If a witch turned into a cat 8 times the previous year, does her countdown cycle start over, or is she rendered unable to change into a feline ever again? 

Inquiring minds wanna know! I would really like to know what the specific origins of “Cat Nights” are. If it is indeed based off an Irish legend, what legend? And where can I find it? I am intrigued enough to want to see some specifics. No, I won’t lose any sleep over it, but I would like to know. If you know of this “obscure” legend, and could clue me in, I would really appreciate it. 


(For the actual Farmer's Almanac blurb: http://www.almanac.com/calendar/date/2012-08-17 )

The Mystery of The Clicking TV...

I had something weird happen about a week and half ago, and it's still on my mind. I'm trying to come up with some sort of explanation for it.

I've been having a lengthy stretch of insomnia, which is not uncommon for me. If I do get any sleep, I usually conk out in the morning anywhere from 3:00 to 8:00, and it's only for a few hours of not very restful half-sleep. The night in question was no different, and I conked out around 5:00 am on the living room sofa.

So I'm about an hour to an hour and a half into my usual sleep pattern. Asleep, but more in that in-between Alpha State than true slumber. I was having some odd dreams. These days when I do dream, it is bound to be a weird one. I'm laying there and distantly hear a click, followed by a kind of silence. Then there is another click and the background noise of the TV that has been there ever since I drifted off is re-introduced. At that point I really have no idea what is going on. Then there is another click, the low voices in the room disappear (I had turned the volume on the TV down in hopes that I would eventually fall asleep). However many seconds later, another click, and the murmur of the TV voices returns. As I focused more on the clicks, etc., I was gradually pulled back into the room. It happened again a few minutes later. 'Click'. The room became silent. 'Click'. The TV voices were chatting away again. I hadn't opened my eyes yet, and I was feeling slightly creeped out. It happened again. I wanted to open my eyes, but my lids were beginning to glue themselves shut in avoidance of what I might see.

Then I had a thought. I fell asleep on the sofa. Maybe I still had my glasses on which could also mean that I still had the remote on me? Maybe during my sleep I had wedged the remote in a way that when I moved I was turning the TV on and off? Made perfect sense...except for the one fact that I could definitely tell I wasn't wearing my glasses. Okay...well, the remote then. It had to be the remote. Mustering up an uneasy courage I opened my eyes. The lamp on the end table at the sofa end where my head had been was on. So was the television. My fluffy purple blanket was partially draped over my lower legs and partially on the floor. Nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary in the room. I looked on my lap and under some of the folds in the blanket for the remote. Nothing. Then the TV went off. I got a slight chill, but I wasn't freaking out. Standing up, I lifted and shook out the blanket, probed between the sofa cushions looking in every possible hiding place...nothing. Then the TV 'clicked' back on. Where was that darn remote? I rechecked around the sofa until I plopped onto it in bewilderment. It was then that my eyes went to the surface of the coffee table...where both of the remotes sat undisturbed...side by side.

This was too weird, and a little unsettling. I was completely awake by that point. This was most definitely NOT a dream. I looked directly at the TV for the first time since I had opened my eyes. It 'clicked' off.

My eyes went to the cable box on a lower shelf of the stand the TV is on. It was on per usual. The culprit could not have been the cable box. Anyway, if the cable had gone out, it would not cause the power to the TV to shut off. About 30 seconds later the TV came back on.

Picking up both remotes (we have one that came with the TV, and the cable remote we got from Comcast), I used each one to turn the TV off and on. They both worked fine. After I did that, the TV remained on and the strange happenings stopped. The strange energy in the room stuck around for awhile, too. What had just happened?

To say that I remain puzzled is an understatement. I cannot definitively say what was going on. It all remains a mystery. I'm open to any theories if anyone has one.

Is It Live, Or Is It Swamp Gas...

..I came up with that phrase when I was giving a friend of mine some specs on the theater poster for the second production run of my play "Rednecks & U.F.O.'s". That's kind of the eternal question for a lot of people. At least for me, and some who have never had a face to face with an alien grey, or one of the other alien species described by abductees. Truth be told, the whole concept of beings from other planets stopping in for a visit intrigues the hell out of me. Do I think it's possible? Why not? Who's to say that there aren't technologically advanced races on other planets out there (in one solar system or another) who fly to other parts of the universe(s) to scope out what's going on "over here"?

First, let me say that any person who doesn't acknowledge the likelihood of there being life on other planets...well, that is just plain ignorant. There have been recent discoveries of planets deemed habitable light years away from us (Gliese 581 g; 54 planets in the 'Goldilocks Zone' outside of our solar system). Maybe they can support life...maybe they already do. Will we find out? I doubt that space travel will advance that far within the remainder of my life time. (Bummer.) However, the thought of that happening in the future is really exciting. I wish I could go along for the ride.

The "alien presence" has been historically documented for ages. Whether one believes in the accounts or believes them to be myth is up to the individual. Ancient Egypt (the pyramids); 'Chariots of the Gods' (the land drawings on Nazca Plains in Peru); 'Missing Link' (a widely held theory that aliens genetically engineered Cro-magnon man). Spend some time on Google and you'll find theories that range from the fascinating to the absurd. In more contemporary times there have been occurrences of the odd and disturbing that have been attributed to aliens...animal mutilations (cows being the most prevalent), crop circles (I think these have pretty much been debunked), etc. The most prominent claims of aliens visiting the Earth have been those of abduction.

I have done quite a bit of reading about supposed alien abductions, some more believable than others. There were some that reeked of possibility (Betty and Barney Hill being one). Probably the main abduction story that rings as close to true as any of them is the case of Travis Walton. My reason for writing this blog entry is that the Travis Walton story was featured on the 'Today' show a couple of days ago. They are doing a series of stories called, 'Unexplained Mysteries'. A visit to Snowflake, Arizona, to check in with Travis marked the first episode of their featured series. (You can find the video segment at the bottom of this post.) His 'event' happened in 1975. A logger, he was on his way home with the team he was working with. They were driving through the national park they were working in, and they saw a glow through the trees.

The above video is from the movie 'Fire In The Sky' (1993), a feature film based on Travis' story. The clip is of the scene where Travis gets abducted. From what I've read in interviews with Travis, the movie account seems pretty accurate as to what he, and the witnesses, say happened.
Travis was gone for 5 days. Based on his memory from that time, he experienced some pretty scary stuff. Hollywood has a tendency to "spice things up" a bit, so there is some definite creative license used here. That being said, Travis's account is pretty intense.



The movie got panned for the most part, but I found it interesting. I think the skepticism of a lot of people out there kept the reviews in the realm of disbelief. I recommend it. Knowing it's backstory makes it worth the watch. The case of Travis Walton is said to be the only documented case of alien abduction. There were half a dozen witnesses...the guys working with him that day. In the video segment from a couple of days ago, the interviewer asks him if his experience still stays with him...if it has effected his life? What a dumb question. I don't know if I would ever be able to sleep through the night again after something like that.

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Was Travis Walton really abducted on that evening in 1975? His fellow loggers say he was. Travis' neighbors in Snowflake...the one's who told him they didn't believe, now say they do. The story feels like it leans more towards the positive side of the truth meter. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm an open minded person who suspends my belief/disbelief until most things are proven to me one way or the other. On the case of Travis Walton, the only ones that know and will ever know what really did happen that night are those that were present. A fascinating tale nonetheless.

I DO Believe in Fairies, I DO, I...well, maybe not...

There is nothing more magical than a forest filled with the possibility of fairies. From J.M. Barrie's mischievous Tinkerbell, to the Fairy Queen Titania in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", fairies have been occupying the world of fantasy and wonder for a long time. I've often ventured into that realm through my own imagination. But, casting the fictional/imaginary aside...do fairies really exist?

Recently, I was about to make my usual 'well wishes for the weekend' post on one of my Facebook pages, so I was "Googling" some fairy art for a picture to add. I had just typed "fairies" into the search box, and as I was scanning my results I came across a photograph. It didn't really look like much. A bit blurry, with some distorted shapes in it. I hovered my cursor over it, and there was a picture description of it being an actual photo of fairies. "Real" fairies. Okay, that peaked my curiosity. I went to the page and found a lot more photographs, said to contain actual images of different types of fairies. Were they photographic evidence? Really? The photographer was adamant that they had a clairvoyant say beyond the shadow of a doubt that the oddly shaped and out of focus blobs are definitely fairies. Huh...okay...hey, maybe they are...maybe they aren't. As someone who has distaste for people scoffing at my beliefs, I certainly don't want to poo-poo anyone elses. It's just that when I looked at those photos, they looked doctored to me. I'm just sayin'...

Fairies have many names (wee folk, fair folk, Fae, among others). Different cultures might include more types of mystical beings under the moniker of 'fairy' (i.e. gnomes), but it is pretty universally thought that they are supernatural, preternatural, ethereal creatures. Some cultures think of them as actual races independent of humans. Others think of them as 'spirits'. Some think of them as evil. That they abduct babies and small children while leaving changelings in their place. If you sense fairies are near, it is recommended that you not lie...they hate lying, and there will be dire consequences if they catch you in one. Others think of them as tiny whimsical and cute winged...people. For as many happy and cute fairy tales, there are just as many dark ones. Fairies are indeed the subject of myth and legend. Were these ancient tales of fantasy formed from actual contact? Personally, I can't answer that. Nor can anyone that has never encountered these questionable and elusive creatures.


I would say that the most famous account of supposed evidence as to the existence of fairies, is the story of the Cottingley Fairies. Photos taken of two school age girls posing with "actual" fairies made quite a stir in 1917. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a big believer of their story, and even wrote a book called 'The Coming of The Fairies' to support his beliefs. (At the link reachable by clicking on Conan Doyle's name, you'll find more of the famous photos.)
To this day the photos still draw attention and spark the imagination. However, the photos that amazed people in 1917 don't have the same shock value they once had. I think just about anyone who looks at them will automatically think the fairies to look like carefully placed paper cut outs. There are still some that think them to be real, but I think those people 'want' them to be. I can kind of understand their feelings. That would really be cool.
There are two films based on this story, 'Fairy Tale: A True Story' & 'Photographing Fairies'. Unfortunately, I was unable to find a trailer for 'Photographing Fairies'. I recommend it even if you are not interested in the fairy angle...it's a great film.

While I was surfing around looking up some more info on this subject, I came across some tabloid fodder from the UK. A highly publicized story in Derbyshire, England. The remains of a fairy had been found while a man was out walking his dog along an old Roman road.

Pretty cryptic, huh?

A UK artist and magician, Dan Baines, had created the creepy find. He posted the pictures on his website with a fictional account of how they were discovered, and the photos quickly gained attention. He would soon post a statement coming clean, and calling it all an April Fool's Day prank. However, the pictures continued to circulate sans his statement. Some thought the model was such good quality (too good) and the story was so convincing, they believed that it was all real. Even with the artist's statement, people still believe in it's authenticity and have even cried Government conspiracy. In April of 2007, the model was sold for 280.00 pounds on EBay, and is part of a private art collection now. Yet another example of people needing to believe. 

Now for the most compelling argument as to the existence of this fantasy creature. The dragonfly. We've all seen them. Depending on where you live, you might see them many times a day.

They buzz around you as if checking you out. sometimes in small groups, sometimes solo. I've always loved to watch dragonflies. Beautiful bright colors. Large beating wings. There is just something so special about them. Very hard to get photographs of, too. The times I've had a camera on hand, I've never managed to get a picture. They would hover as if waiting for me to get ready, and when I was set to snap they would zip off.

There are many 'believers' that say fairies most often appear to us as dragonflies. Here's one account:

"In the spring of 2000 I was walking in a sheltered part of a creek surrounded by woods with my two small children and my best friend. We were in awe of our surroundings and we all felt as if we were someplace magical. As we were turning to leave we realized that we had dragonflies on all sides of us. I pointed across the creek to a large bunch of them when one of them landed on my finger and sat there for a minute. The children swear that they could hear giggling. There was a rustling in the brush all around us as if there were many little things running around, but the sounds weren't like the animal sounds we knew. All of us knew that we had entered a secret place of the faery. None of us will ever forget that day, and we have never been able to find that place again."

- Shawna, http://www.fairygardens.com/sightings/adult1.html

So...will I be able to look at dragonflies the same? Probably. Unless, of course, one alters its appearance and appears to me as a little human with wings. That ability is called Fae Glamor. They can shift their appearance to suit their needs. That might be why there are so many varying descriptions of fairies from the beautiful to the hideous. The only rather universal reports have been to the mischievous nature of them. They are known to like to "play" with humans....poking, prodding, and the like.

Now that I've done some looking around and reading about the existence of fairies, what do I think now? Do I believe? At this point, it's just a romantic notion. I think it to be highly unlikely. As someone who leaves just about anything to the realm of possibility, I don't claim disbelief often. However, I'll keep the door on this topic cracked a little. There's a tiny part of me that hopes I'm wrong. ;)

Examining the Pistillate Strobilus...

This evening I was sitting in the living room watching the tube, and enjoying one of the scented candles I recently bought on sale at Walmart. Candles are one of my favorite things, scented candles especially. I have always gravitated to the 'Tree' based scents. Pine, fir, cedar, balsam...Yankee Candles has always been my 'go to' for finding a lot of variations of these scents. However, Walmart has been carrying a line of Better Homes & Gardens 'stuff'. They had a bunch of BH&G items on sale right after Christmas, and the jar candles were marked down to $2.48. Can you say, Score! I lucked out and got the last two of the Balsam & Cedar wood candles. That's what is "all flamey" (as Willow Rosenberg would say) in the other room. There has always been something soothing about that scent. Actually, I've always had a thing about trees in general. Mostly of the pine variety.

I've got a black metal basket on the dining table filled with a favorite by product of the trees around the abode here...pine cones. There are times when there is an abundance of pristine cones littering the ground. On one of my walks a few months ago, I noticed that a grouping of trees that line the marsh had dropped a load of cones. There were literally hundreds of them, and they were in great condition. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to collect a bunch. After taking a detour back by the condo for some plastic grocery bags, I started what was to be a tricky cone harvest. Savannah is a popular stop for birds that are migrating before Winter hits. No idea how many sparrows and/or starlings were hanging out in the tree tops, but I did have to dodge some bombing attempts. I managed to leave the area crap free, and with a couple of bags of cones. I had initially thought I would make something out of them...maybe decorate them and make them into ornaments. After more consideration, I decided I liked them just the way they are. So there they sit in the aforementioned basket.

Since I have always liked pine trees and pine cones, I have been meaning to do some research into any symbolic meanings they may have. Figured the time was ripe, so I've been doing some surfing around. My usual insomnia has me up anyway...might as well make my sleepless night a productive one.



It turns out the pine cone is rather special. The pineal gland gets it's name from the pine cone as it resembles it's shape. The gland is seated between the two brain hemispheres. If it's not ringing any bells for you, it is also known as the "third eye". It is integral to our production of melatonin, and regulates the rhythms of our sleep. It registers our exposure to light, so it uses that as a means of regulating how much melatonin to produce...less light = more melatonin. The pineal is also seen as our receptor for 'Spiritual light'.

The connection/relationship between the pineal gland and the pine cone is not just that they resemble each other. The pine cone also reacts to light levels. They open up when it's sunny, and close up when it's overcast. It all deals with the seeds contained within the cone. Sunny days are better for spreading the seed. Think of it as an external reflection of the mystical aspects of the pineal gland.

One site had this meditation dealing with a pine cone and the pineal. I enjoy meditating...think I'll give it a go.

• Find a pine cone and place it before you in preparation for your meditation
• Light a candle while setting your focus upon expanding your consciousness
• Cast your physical and spiritual eyes upon the pine cone and observe it in the candlelight
• Envision the pine cone opening itself to the Light and warmth of the candlelight
• As you continue this solemn, calm perception, begin to see that pine cone within your mind
• Nestled warmly, snugly between the two halves of your brain, get a clear visual of that pine cone within your mind’s eye
• Now visualize your inner pine cone opening gently to take in nourishment from Divine light
• See your pineal gland (pine cone) radiating and stimulated from the calming light of the cosmos
• Continue to enhance this meditative experience according to your own impulses and requirements.
• When you’re ready, conclude your meditation by centering yourself back into your common reality – resurface & reaffirm your bodily presence.

"The ancient Greeks and Assyrians viewed the pine cone as a symbol of masculinity because of its phallic shape. It formed the apex of the thyrsus staff, which represented both fertility and immortality. As the emblem of Artemis, it represented feminine purity. It was also the emblem of the Roman goddess Venus (Aphrodite). In Christianity, the pine cone forms the crown of the Tree of Life. Symbolizes immortality and fertility." (http://www.heraldryclipart.com/symbolism/p.html)

On a site devoted to the discussion of "Secret Societies", a poster asked about a masonic temple he had been in. He had noticed that the entire ceiling of the first floor (the area open to the pubic) was covered with pine cone images. Someone posted this in response:



"Operative Masonry, in the fullest meaning of that term, signifies the process by which the Eye of Horus is opened. E. A. Wallis Budge has noted that in some of the papyri illustrating the entrance of the souls of the dead into the judgment hall of Osiris the deceased person has a pine cone attached to the crown of his head. The Greek mystics also carried a symbolic staff, the upper end being in the form of a pine cone, which was called the thyrsus of Bacchus. In the human brain there is a tiny gland called the pineal body, which is the sacred eye of the ancients, and corresponds to the third eye of the Cyclops. Little is known concerning the function of the pineal body, which Descartes suggested (more wisely than he knew) might be the abode of the spirit of man. As its name signifies, the pineal gland is the sacred pine cone in man--the eye single, which cannot be opened until CHiram (the Spirit Fire) is raised through the sacred seals which are called the Seven Churches in Asia." (http://altreligion.about.com/?once=true&)



The pine cone also represents phi. Investigating this almost shorted out my sleep deprived, caffeine filled brain (I have to drink coffee to take the edge off of the sleepless-ness...caffeine ceased to work for me years ago, but it seems to be helping me maintain some semblance of alertness instead of lethargy). Phi deals with rather intense mathematic formulae, and rather than spending some time trying to relate the pine cones involvement, I have listed a couple of links here...the second one is a real doozie.

http://www.dyarrow.org/phi/phi5.htm
http://tribes.tribe.net/mayawisdom/thread/fb5f4883-716e-4728-80eb-ee87214ef172

I could go on and on with information I've found online about the pine cone and it's symbolism....but I won't. At the core of the majority of it is it's relationship to the pineal gland, and the mystical side of the glands use. I've always known that there was more to the pine cone as far as history and spirituality is concerned. Just didn't realize as to the volume.