Astronomer's Table

What is it about the stars that makes us feel the need to understand them?
Why did those people (men mostly) many centuries ago want to learn about them and plot their positions on their charts?
Why do the planets fascinate us so much...as they travel along their path around the sun?

I have no real understanding of these things...
But they still fascinate me...

And there could not be one amongst us who has not gazed out at the Bat black night sky and wondered...
Some of the things we see up there...may have expired long ago...gone out in a glorious blaze of glory...which may never have been witnessed by a human being...
Some stars...by the time we see them twinkling...are already long gone...

It makes the things down here on this small blue planet of ours seem very insignificant...
That a star so bright could be gone without being wished upon...

So...for those of you with a little magick in your souls...
If you get the chance... step out into the beautiful darkness and look upon the vastness of the night sky...
Hold up your heads and stretch out your arms as wide as you can...and wish upon the first star that you see...
And remember...it came a long way to see you...

Litha...or...Waiting for the day to begin...

Hello there my pretties!
Are you all enjoying the Summer?
Seems like I haven't been around here for a very long time...
Life's like that sometimes...if you don't hold tightly to time...it has this way of escaping your grip.

Of course I haven't been totally idle (no eye rolling you lot!)...I have been doing some arty things...although these days...I just seem to let it lead...with me following behind trying to catch up with it...

I posted the origins of this painting on the PAN blog here
She is obviously the bottom sketch...and I knew that she was in just the right pose for a laid back faery...so...gave her a couple of toadstools and here she is...finished...I think...

In the beginning...I thought that she was waiting for something...but couldn't make my mind up what or who...she seems to be looking across into the distance...and of course...there is the answer...she is waiting for the sun...

She is a Fae of the Midsummer...a Solstice Fae...and she is watching the sun rise on this special long day...presumably she is resting...before the faery revelries begin...

It is long known that these little beings can really party...
Maybe...one day...they will let me join in with them again...I'm not too fussy about the size of the cakes...and I don't drink the hard stuff...so I wouldn't tread on any of them by mistake...
If I cross my fingers...maybe this year...

I have a dear friend called Linda...who each year celebrates the coming of the Fae...she lives with her Grandchildren in New Mexico...where the faeries sure know how to party...and everyone gets to see them...if you would like to join in...here's how you get there click

If I don't see you again for a while...
You know where I'll be...
Happy Midsummer Solstice my faery friends...
Hold on tightly to time...and sprinkle faery dust in your wake...

Please Help The Whales!

Care 2 are spreading the word about the sneaky way that certain countries are trying to bring back whaling...
I've copied the page for you to read...
If any of you would care to help these beautiful creatures of the deep...
PLEASE sign the petition on the care2 site...it doesn't cost a penny...
So do please take a look...
Here's what they say...

Stop the Sell Out, Save the Whales!

Target: Madam Minister Ilse Aigner of Germany
Sponsored by: International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

A massive new threat against whales has recently surfaced that would wipe out the international ban on commercial whaling.

A 'behind closed doors' proposal between Japan, Germany, the United States and other governments would legitimize the cruel commercial slaughter of our ocean's great whales for the first time since 1986 -- undermining decades of hard-won protections for whales.

Please sign the letter to German Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Madam Minister Ilse Aigner, to stop this sell-out of the whales. We must act quickly!

Dear Madam Minister,

Disturbing reports indicate that you may be supporting an international agreement permitting Japan and others to resume commercial whaling.

We respectfully urge you to prevent the sell-out of the whales as outlined in the "Compromise paper" of the IWC Chairman which is currently supported by the German government.

In addition I want to ask you to do everything in your power to uphold an effective moratorium and finally end commercial whaling in the 21st Century.


Thanks everyone...on behalf of the whales...
Here's the link to the petition site http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/175446210?z00m=19842944