Tag Archives: Nature

September 16, 2026 · 10:48 am

Sewing and misadventures – oh my!

Greetings darklings:

Let the countdown begin! Hah, I bet you thought I meant the countdown to Samhain .. well, that too. I meant the countdown to the upcoming release date for The Cult of the Spider People, October 5th! That is three weeks away. Are you as excited as I am? 

The Mourning Tide will be published in October, too. Two novels in one month! I am very fortunate. Alas, I shall have no book contract when these two are done. I have a new idea for a horror novel. This one will be AMAZING! The question is, where I submit it when I am finally finished revising it. I want to aim for a traditional publisher. I plan to take all the time I need to edit and polish Blood & Incantations as best I can before querying agents. 

I signed up for MasterWriter. I will try it and see what I think. I am impressed with it so far. Last night, I was just out on an what I would call- Unsought for Adventure. We went on this brutal terrain trail. We had never done it before. The light was gone quick. We got lost. Spruce tree branches barred the way ahead or whipped my face. We relied on Derrick’s cell phone light. We fought our way over rough rocks, huge tree branches, roots, massive uprooted tree roots, marsh. It was nasty. We were lost when the gods above decided to send us an angel along with his sweet, white, four-footed shaggy companion – a darling dog named Jericho. She was so sweet. Jack and Jericho helped us find our way back to the path and to the parking lot. Never again. Penny is so relieved to see me- I am the provider. We would have been fucked if it were not for Jack. We planned originally to make our way back to the car within 20-30 minutes. We are okay now and about to enjoy hamburgers. We did not see any wildlife that wanted to eat us. I am so relieved to be back. I took a hot shower for my achy bones. Saved by Jack and his sweet shaggy dog.

I have decided to sew a witchy dress for The Witches Ball, and to wear all the time. The dress will be simple, witchy and elegant. I want to save as much money to make it as possible. I may have mentioned this in a previous post. I have gathered all the pdf paper pieces – 95 of them, to be exact, and cut most of it out. It took me three hours to arrange the patterns today and I was still not finished. I was so close to being done, but the creative room at the library was closing. I will return next time it is available  and this time, I will bring the black bedsheet. I know you want to scoff or laugh, but I just don’t have the budget for tons of fabric. I have to be frugal. The front and back of the dress will be simple and elegant, and the sleeves will make the statement. 

The Lou Duggan Creative Studio is my creative home away from home. I love it there. I am always there. I can do any creative project I desire. I could do it at home, but I most certainly do not have the room to make my projects. This dress, for example, is a huge pattern project. I mean it is too big, it is unreal. 

If I have enough fabric left from cutting the body of the dress and the ruffles, then I would not need to buy black cotton from the fabric store. I really hope I don’t have to. The black bedsheet is cotton fabric and not being used. Why not? The sleeves will be expensive. The bedsheet is a queen size and I need almost 4 meters of fabric, 3.9. I may have enough. The sleeves will be made from black velvet and organza. I was going to use chiffon, but changed my mind. I will also use an elastic casing and interfacing to give it stability. I have to wait to buy the rest of the sleeve material, but it will be worth the wait. Then, the spiderweb lace on the sleeves and maybe the collar. I want to sew on a double ruffle at the hem of the dress. I think it will be beautiful. The elastic casing is for the two sections of the upper and lower sleeves. I want to use the arwen pattern for the lower sleeves, even though the pattern does not call for that. It is my dress and I have enough sewing experience that an alteration like that will be easy to do. I think that will be far more feminine. 

I can’t wait to see it on my dress form. I am sure it will be beautiful! 

I guess this is what happens when you’re a serious writer. Most of my writing is out in the world. I have to create more content. It feels so good to have this problem. 

Till next time…

Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

 

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June 26, 2026 · 12:27 pm

Why Spider Horror Thrills Readers

Book Cover of Cult of the Spider People featuring the Arachnas spiders.

Cover art for Cult of the Spider People.

 

Greetings Darklings:

I am quite happy today. Though it was more expensive than I would’ve liked, I purchased the domain for this blog site. Now it truly is mine! The website address is now: theparanormalquill.blog. 

Today’s post will focus on our famous eight-legged friends, spiders. Spider horror thrills readers. Spiders have always scared people and shall continue to. Spiders are uncanny and cause a knee jerk reaction. They have too many legs and eyes. They are quiet and cunning. People are scared of being bitten by them. Horror movies are made about spiders that cause nightmares long after the movies are over. They build webs and are a lethal predator and yet they never make a sound. It’s no wonder they make people nervous. 

Spiders represent the dark side, like bats, snakes, gargoyles, witches, demons, sharks, wolves. The side that most people do not like to think about. Spiders are deadly predators and kill many other insects. We owe a lot to spiders yet people drown them in chemicals like Raid or scream and freak out if a person thinks they walked unwillingly into a web. Yes, spiders make people uncomfortable. 

The webweaving arachnids are misunderstood. They are not portrayed accurately in Hollywood movies. In reality, spiders are generally harmless, they are solitary and just want a quiet space to build their webs and hunt their prey. People are just as frightening to them. Spiders are not interested in humans as prey. Spiders want to hide from humans. If you see a spider in your home, thank it. That means that the eight-legged, web weaving arachnid is hunting insect prey. You may then have fewer pests in your home. The misinformation presented in the media has portrayed spiders as very unfavorable, no thanks to Hollywood. 

I rarely ever harm a spider. They consume a lot of insects. Hopefully, the collective impression of spiders will change for the better. They want to have nothing to do with people. Only a few spiders are actually poisonous such as brown recluse spiders and black widows. The venom of a black widow spider is fifteen times more poisonous than that of a rattlesnake. The venom is a group of potent neurotoxins known as latrotoxins which attacks the nervous system. 

In my horror novella, the Spider Queen possesses the most deadly venom of all the Arachnas. The females are more deadly than the males. Aranya, the Spider Queen, is chained up because the Spider King desires her purer blood/ venom. He only seeks to corrupt it. When she refuses him her venom, he chains her, until she gives in but that never happens. But Aranya resigns to be chained as opposed to what would happen once the venom was corrupted. She reclaims her throne when Piper frees her. 

In general, most spiders are harmless and prefer to hunt other insects. They are quiet and reclusive. They build magnificent webs. Spiders are quiet and cunning. I hope people begin to view these quiet tiny hunters as allies, not enemies. 

I used these same exact psychological triggers to design the shifting, nightmare realm of Arachnall in my book The Cult of the Spider People. 

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch

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March 29, 2026 · 5:21 pm

Faerie Queen in Spring )O(

Early spring blossoms

Merry meet all,

Snow coats the streets and sidewalks, determined to resist spring. The Pagan Association of Nova Scotia is hosting a Beltane Ball in May. I bought a ticket and I was completely inspired to work on my costume. I want to be a Faerie Queen! 

Although the event is in May, I”m busy preparing for it now. Faerie Queens are busy. I’m seized with inspiration. I pored over pinterest fae photos to get inspiration, including the faerie art by Brian Froud.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a beautiful purple/ pink faerie dress. I examined the dress more closely and I noticed it’s in need of repair. The elastic in the casing in the sleeves was expired. I whipped out my sewing tools and patiently seam ripped the sleeves. I decided that clear elastic was too frail, even for a Faerie Queen. The sleeves are fixed. I want to add longer lower sleeves to the dress and make a shoulder ruffle. The faerie dress is fragile. The sleeve ruffle might stabilize the fabric. I lightly touched up the edges of the sleeves and bodice using clear nail polish to prevent fraying. I sewed  beautiful lavender colored embroidered flowers to the front of the faerie dress. That made the dress look even more beautiful. I want to sew a zigzag stitch to the dress hem. I sewed a shimmery trim to the dress hem. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also made a lovely hobo bag. I didn’t want to carry around a backpack all night, especially since I may be wearing faerie wings. I sewed myself a lovely magical hobo bag. I just love it. The faerie dress and the slip need more mending. 

I sewed a short overskirt to the faerie skirt and trimmed the overskirt with ribbon. The overskirt isn’t visible with the faerie dress, but I am sure if I dance or something, it will be visible then. The deep purple overskirt sprinkles faerie glitter everywhere. 

I am so proud of my faerie leaf mask. It turned out better than I expected. I don’t have the skills to work with leather (yet), so I used the cardboard from a cereal box. I painted the mask green using three coats and let the paint dry between coats. I used a scissors and an exacto knife to cut it out. I found a pattern and etched in the fine arched lines of the mask. I cut out the eyes. I used a hole punch on the far sides of the mask to be able to secure ribbon when I want to wear it. I plan to add moss, leaves (lots!), and feathers. I’ve decided to use artificial oak and maple leaves and glue them on with a hot glue gun. I promise to add photos when I am done. I also have to get my mitts on a pair of faerie ears. I found my faerie wand and wings. The fae gifted me a twig and I want to add it to the crown. I can’t wait till I get to Michaels arts and crafts. I glued green felt oak leaves, artificial leaves and flowers to the mask. I love how it looks. I have to make the large green felt oak leaf more stable and created a green butterfly from clay. I adhered a clay loop to the butterfly so I could hang it from a chain. The butterfly had to be secured with hot glue. I secured two long green velvet ribbons to the mask. I glued two green felt maple leaves to the back of the mask. I want the front and the back of the mask to look great. I repainted the back of the mask. I touched up the black paint on the mask with gold acrylic paint.  I painted a clear sealant to the mask. That makes it permanent and it also added a nice shine to the mask. The mask looks even more amazing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The corset – I seam ripped the fasteners on the corset. I’m installing eyelets to use as fasteners. Yup this sure is turning out to be a faerie queen costume. Today I installed the eyelets and laced up the bodice. I love how it’s all coming together. 

 I want to add herbs, gemstone chips and a tiny scroll to a small vial with a cork top, and coat green and purple candle wax on the cork, then insert a jump ring to attach to a chain, add another jump ring at the bottom of the vial, then add another fairyish charm such as a butterfly/ fairy feather or a gemstone. One vial is a gift for my friend and the second one will be for me. 

Today I attempted to sew the crinoline sleeve to the dress.  I could not sew the long sleeves to the shorter sleeves because both sleeves needed an elastic casing. I will use a safety pin to adhere the lower sleeves to the upper sleeves. The lower sleeves are beautiful. I did finally finish mending the slip, sewed in the zigzag stitch at the hem of the faerie dress, and sewed the shoulder ruffles but I still have to sew them onto the sleeves. I may have to sew by hand because my sewing machine does not like crinoline. I glued a few flowers to the dress. The faerie dress was a lot of work to repair, but I learned a lot in the process, so that made it worth it.

My crown

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I bought these beautiful butterfly clips which I will adhere to the dress. I have the faerie wand, mask, ears, wings and gown. The last detail I have to work out is a crown. I have a few options: the gold Arwen crown, a circlet, the circlet that came with the wings. I’ll figure it out. I have a few options for how to style my hair and makeup. I still have lots of time. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I want to coat the frayed parts of the faerie dress with clear nail polish. The fabric is fragile and tends to fray, so that should take care of it. I glued the fairy wings back onto the poor fairy. She can now fly and flit over tops of flowers or sip honey nectar tea. I touched up the faerie house a little bit. I painted a white crown of thorns with a spellbinding mixture of brown, green and gold. I love how it turned out. It looks regal, and earthy. The gold enhances the earthy brown color nicely. 

I sewed a second corset today. The corset is black with embroidered butterflies. I had to sew the black mesh fabric to natural black cotton because I didn’t want the interfacing to show. I sewed the lining separately then sewed them together. I had to make a slight adjustment to the corset size. Once I figured out how much extra fabric I needed, I stitched that to the corset. I have to install the eyelets. Then it will be complete. It looks great with the faerie dress and skirt! I used a pdf underbust corset pattern from Etsy. 

 

 

 

 

 

I finally installed the eyelets into the corset. The corset is complete. It was a lot of work to do that, but well worth it. I love how it looks now. Sweet and edgy. I set up my work area at the table, and hammered the grommets into the fabric. I hammered on a cloth covered board. I could see the indents from the hammering. I am happy the corset is done now. I chose deep blue velvet ribbon for lacing the corset. The corset looks beautiful. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I made a jar of faerie dust for a friend and I’m soon making one for another friend. I bought miniature bottles with chains from Michaels. I love that store! I ground chamomile, calendula, elderflower, lavender and rose petals to a fine powder then added the ground herbs to the jar. I sealed the jar with beeswax. It really looks like faerie dust. Well, it is!

 

 

This faerie queen will celebrate Beltane in style with my beautiful Beltane gown. Till then,,…

 

Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

 

 

 

 

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December 24, 2025 · 4:39 pm

My yule celebration )O(

Merry meet all,

I have been busy preparing for Yule. I was hit by a big creative bug. I sewed myself a lovely moon cushion, dried orange slices which I will soon make into a garland, and crafted lovely gifts for my friends. I created the gifts for my friends with love. 

My moon cushion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I gathered pinecones and cleaned them, then baked them in the oven. I sprinkled sweet orange essential oil, cinnamon and clove bud essential oils onto the pinecones. I arranged them in a basket and set the basket next to our decorations. 

A basket of pinecones

I made two new green felt christmas tree decorations. I traced a christmas tree onto green felt, cut it out, sewed the christmas tree leaving an opening to add the batting, and then sewed it shut. I sewed on a loop at the top to hang the green felt tree at the windows. 
Herbs are for Yule/ Winter Solstice! I have had a great time first foraging for wintry herbs such as juniper, white spruce, balsam fir, northern white cedar and rosemary. I dehydrated oranges. I made smudge sticks with bay leaves, the dried oranges and the foraged herbs. I used the dried oranges to decorate presents. I created a winter lantern with bay leaves, rosemary, lavender, pine and cedar. I glued found twigs to a small glass jar then painted them gold. It looks great! I tucked in fairy lights in the lantern- looks magical! I created herbal tea blends to give as gifts with hibiscus, orange, cinnamon, star anise, juniper, nutmeg, cloves, liquorice root, chamomile, calendula, elderflower, elderberry, echinacea, rooibos. I wish I could keep the tea blends! Dried oranges make great gift ornaments too. So pretty. I sewed tea cozies for two of my friends and added a tea blend. I even sewed tea coasters to go with the tea cozies. Now I want to bake gingerbread cookies. I put love and intention into everything I did. Herbs are great and I may be old school here, but I did not use a blender or a coffee grinder. I ground the cinnamon, juniper berries, star anise, reships with my mortar and pestle. I stir and grind and work in my intention and energy. I can’t wait for my friends to get my gifts.
I planted sprigs of sage, thyme and lavender and mint in a pot to have fresh herbs over the winter. I made a lavender ‘wand’ to help me with stress over the holidays.
I saved tiny sprigs of the above mentioned herbs, put them into a tiny jar with a cork top, then sealed the jar with candle wax. I  brewed a jar of apple cider liquer and I am steeping a batch of elderberry and calendula cold and flu elixir!
This will be the best yule/ winter solstice ever. I wish you all a magical holiday season. Blessings.

The best way that I celebrated the winter solstice was with the druid coven by the ocean. I have not woken at 6 am in a long time, but I did and it was so worth it. There could not have been a better more spiritual way to celebrate Yule, in my opinion. I loved it. Yes it was early in the morning, but who cares? I know it was cold, but that is to be expected. I had a great time. I loved watching the sea birds soar over the ocean, and the big waves crashing over the rocks. The Solstice, the changing of the seasons is old as time. We were carrying on a tradition that was very likely old as time, too. Chanting and drumming at that lookoff spot just felt so good. I’m sure I spotted an eagle!

The spot where the coven celebrated the solstice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The wind prevented us from enjoying a bonfire, but we perservered.  Afterwards, everyone left and those remaining, including Brian and Karen and a few more friends, we had coffee and a nice chat at Brian’s house. That was the best Solstice celebration I got to enjoy in a long time. Being out in nature to honor one of the earth’s natural changes felt like the best way to honor it. That is the way it should be. 

Now we can all relax and rest during the holidays. I am sure many of you are enjoying a nice, festive dinner with your loved ones. For those who are all alone during this time, you matter. You are important. For anyone who misses their loved ones who may have passed, I know, I am right there with you. I miss my grandparents. Wish they were here. 

I wish you all a magical, memorable Yule time! Blessings and love and light. 

Blessed be, Spiderwitch

 

 

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September 28, 2025 · 5:23 pm

Hiking on the Trail

Merry meet all,

Yesterday I went on an amazing hike at Lunenburg. I took a lot of photos during the trip. I feel great now. It was an hour drive to the hiking trail. The trees were very colorful with rich foliage. I spotted deer in a field. We arrived at the beach. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The waves crashed over the shore. I love the sound of the ocean waves rolling back over the rocks. I just love that sound. My guy and I parked and strolled over to the shore. I collected a few rocks. I did not see much shellfish left behind by the seagulls. However, there were lots of rocks. I wanted a new paperweight. We strolled a long, long way along the shoreline. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barnacles, seaweed, rocks and driftwood were scattered over the shore. The sky was clear and the sun shone. It was all so beautiful. We then reached a steep hill and decided to hike up the hill. That was cool. The only thing I was not down with were ticks. Yes Nova Scotia is crawling with ticks. We reached the peak but after a refreshing snack, we did not decide to keep hiking. By then, I was thoroughly worn out. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would love to share the photos of the trip with you, my dear readers! See above. Today I went to a mystic moon faire. I wore my new green dress from HolyClothing, a blue witch hat and I carried a broomstick. I saw my Mom on the way. She was such a bitch, and never even said hi to me. She just bitched at me about me having the nerve to wear that outfit in her neighborhood. Uh like… okay. I could not even give a frig of what she thinks of my outfit. I can’t believe her. Whatever. I am what I am. 

I bought a cool black cat print tea cozy, a crown, a wand, incense, a spider charm,  gold and silver candles, and an Edgar Allan Poe teatowel. 

Well Samhain is right around the corner! I intend to fully flaunt my witch hat. Stand tall and proud. Unite, dear Witches. We all need to support each other. I plan to enjoy Samhain as much as I can. I wish October was all year long. I could live with that. 

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch 

 

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December 2, 2024 · 4:43 pm

The Yule Spirit )O(

Greetings darklings:

I’ve been in the Yuletide spirit lately! I have completed all my xmas shopping (my list of who to buy gifts for is short!). I have already decorated the tree, brewed a pot of simmering potpourri on the stove and wrapped gifts. I am going to try to be as eco-friendly as I can this holiday season. Here are some ways I have tried to be more eco-friendly-

  • I bought only what I needed for baking, gift wrapping and decorating. 
  • I recycle, reuse and repurpose. For example, I often use, clean and reuse my mason jars.
  • I use my Goth tree every year. I leave it up all year and decorate it for Yule when the holiday season arrives instead of killing a real tree. 
  • If I have leftover wrapping paper for gifts, I save it for the next holiday in the broom closet instead of throwing it away.
  • I have saved any cedar, juniper or pine needles from last year to use this year in more simmering potpourri recipes.
  • I have composted the herbs I used to make tinctures and herbal oils. They will eventually return to the soil next spring. 
  • I shopped local stores instead of shopping on Amazon. 
  • That kept the money in the local economy. 
  • I used the same tree decorations that I have always owned instead of buying new decorations I don’t really want. 
  • I attended the local Have Yourself a Gothic Little Christmas (fun!) and supported local artists and kept the money in the local economy. 
  • I foraged local herbs instead of buying. them online. That saves me money and lets me practice my foraging skills. 

I live on a tight income. It’s better to help the local economy and shop locally rather than giving more money to Amazon, who doesn’t need it as badly. I certainly believe in that. 

I have made more headway with the Arwen dress. I am almost done sewing the dress. I visited my Mom this weekend and we worked on the zipper and the sleeves. It feels so good to have that done. Now I can move on to the smaller though no less necessary projects for the dress. I want to sew the second collar to the bodice that goes with the dress. I want to sew a white trim onto the dress under the collar. I want to finish sewing the grey lace trim to the grey sleeve lining. Then I plan to snip any straggling threads and do a final check then it is time for the Grand Reveal! I have a lot of blue tricot knit fabric remaining. I may make a skirt or a shawl to go with the dress. I want to sew blue lace to the shawl too. 

I bought green plain cotton fabric and a flannel green snowflake print fabric. I plan to sew a tablecloth with those fabrics. I bought green thread too. One fabric is plain and the other has a print. I will just hem them both and layer the printed material on top of the plain. If I want to, then I can use them for a different purpose any time of the year that way. 

I’m drying pears in my dehydrator today. I will use the dried pears in a fun festive holiday drink. I hope to brew a few festive holiday drinks. I attended the Have Yourself a Gothic Little Christmas event. I bought a lovely herbal tea, gifts for my friends and a mousepad, bookmark for me, a cauldron oil burner, an obsidian crystal ball for me,  & a Witch’s broom. I had so much fun. I even signed Christmas cards but I can’t mail them with Canada Post. So sending the gifts/ prezzies to my friends is postponed. I hope they understand. I can’t do anything about the strike. 

I can count on Amazon though. I am hosting my first ever book launch this month for my novel The Cult of the Spider People at Trident Cafe. The event occurs on December 18th. I hope there is a good turnout of people. I can’t wait to get to sign books. I have to promote my novel and let people know I am alive and exist and have a novel out. 

Speaking of books, I picked up Jonathan Maberry’s book Shadows and Verse: Classic Dark Poems with Celebrity Commentary. I have always enjoyed poetry and so this book will make a great winter read this holiday season. He produces nothing but the best in poetry and fiction. I am sure the book will be a classic treasure for years. 

I just came in from being in my backyard. I emptied the herbs that I used for making tinctures and oils into my compost tumbler. I turned the compost tumbler several times. That makes sure it will all be blended well. It will all hopefully turn into composted soil next spring for my garden. I left the Samhain pumpkin to compost right where my haskap bush used to be before that creep ruined my bush. I left the pumpkin there to add the nutrients to my haskap plant, which will hopefully grow back next spring. 

Till next time, my dear readers

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

 

 

 

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February 21, 2024 · 2:25 pm

Aliens monitoring Earth or not?

Merry meet all,

I can’t wait for spring. I mean like I really can’t wait for spring. I know I am not the only one. Anyone who has to deal with cold temperatures and snow shares in my pining for spring. I can’t do much foraging as everything green is buried under snow. I am so happy that winter is temporary. 

I am starting seeds in ziploc bags. A few marshmallow root seeds have germinated! I planted them and put the germinated seeds under my grow light. Marshmallow is a lovely herb and I look forward to watching her grow and helping the herb grow as beautiful as it can be.

Today’s post is about aliens. I am fascinated with aliens and I believe that they exist. I hope you enjoy it!

Alien mothership lurking in our solar system could be watching us with tiny probes, Pentagon official suggests

News

published
Artist's illustration of a large alien spaceship above Earth.

Could an alien mothership be hovering around the solar system, sending out tiny probes to explore planets? According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible. 

In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood, exploring the region by the means of “dandelion seeds” — small spacecraft that can gather and send back information, similar to the way humans send out spacecraft to explore planets.

Avi Loeb, an astronomer at Harvard University, and Sean M. Kirkpatrick, director of the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) — established in July 2022 by the Department of Defense (DoD) to detect and study “objects of interest” — released the draft, Physical Constraints on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, on March 7. It is not an official Pentagon document but was carried out in partnership with the DoD. It has not been peer-reviewed.

Loeb is known for his research into ‘Oumuamua — an interstellar visitor from beyond the solar system. Astronomers first detected the cigar-shaped object in 2017 and originally thought it was a comet. However, its elongated shape, its lack of coma (the cloud of gases that envelope a comet), and the fact that it was accelerating away from the sun raised questions about the comet theory. Loeb suggested instead that ‘Oumuamua was an alien spaceship. 

Six months before ‘Oumuamua’s close approach to Earth, a small interstellar meteor measuring around 3 feet (1 meter) wide smashed into Earth. This meteor, IM2, was not related to ‘Oumuamua, but it got Loeb thinking. 

Graphic illustration shows 'Oumuamua as a long and flat space rock against a starry background of space.

 

The interloper ‘Oumuamua continues to puzzle astronomers and astrophysicists. (Image credit: Bjorn Bakstad via Getty Images)

That coincidence inspired him “to consider the possibility that an artificial interstellar object could potentially be a parent craft that releases many small probes during its close passage to Earth, an operational construct not too dissimilar from NASA missions,” Loeb told Live Science in an email. “These ‘dandelion seeds’… could be separated from the parent craft by the tidal gravitational force of the sun or by a maneuvering capability.”

In the draft paper, Loeb and Kirkpatrick looked at Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs, the government’s preferred term for UFOs) confined by known physics. The authors suggest the dandelion seed probes could reach Earth for exploration without being detected by astronomers as they would likely be too small to reflect enough sunlight for survey telescopes to detect.

“Equipped with a large surface-to-mass ratio of a parachute, technological ‘dandelion seeds’ could slow down in the Earth’s atmosphere to avoid burnup and then pursue their objectives wherever they land,” they wrote.

Aliens would likely want to explore rocky planets with an atmosphere in the solar system, the authors propose. From a distance, Venus, Earth and Mars would all look appealing, with Earth being of greatest interest once aliens found signatures of liquid water. The alien civilization that created the probes would not need to be on the mothership. It would be unlikely that it could even communicate with the probes. 

The alien civilization may not even exist anymore. Most stars in the galaxy formed billions of years before the sun. A habitable planet with intelligent life could have been sending out probes long before Earth formed. Searching for “resembles checking our mailbox for any packages that may have accumulated over time there, even if the senders are not alive anymore,” Loeb said.

Since first suggesting ‘Oumuamua was an alien spaceship, Loeb has faced criticism from the scientific community. One Perspective article published in Nature Astronomy in 2019 said the idea ‘Oumuamua was sent to Earth on purpose was “provocative” and “baseless.”

In 2021, a letter published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics dismissed the idea on logistical impracticalities of interstellar travel: “Given the likely cosmological timescales required to traverse between stars, we conclude that it is unlikely that ‘Oumuamua has been sent by an extraterrestrial civilisation and more likely that it is just an unusually shaped rock, which has happened to wander into the solar system.”

Another study, published on March 22, 2023, explains ‘Oumuamua’s strange movements as the likely result of hydrogen off-gassing — again refuting the alien spacecraft theory. 

Still, the Pentagon has taken a renewed interest in studying unidentified objects over U.S. airspace in the previous year. Since the AARO’s founding last summer, the office has opened more than 360 new investigations into alleged UAP encounters reported by U.S. military personnel. About half of these have been explained as “balloons or balloon-like entities,” while the other half lack sufficient data to conclusively resolve.

Editor’s note: This article was updated on Mar. 27 to correct a typo. A previous version of the story said most stars in the solar system are older than the sun; the text now reads “most stars in the galaxy.” The sun is the only star in our solar system.

This article was originally posted on Live Science.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Credit given to: https://www.space.com/alien-mothership-lurking-in-solar-system-pentagon-official-suggests

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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November 26, 2023 · 3:46 pm

The Beauty of Winter )O(

Merry meet all,

Nature is beautiful in the winter, in fact even more so. Maybe I’m biased because I live in an area where I am surrounded by nature but that is what today’s post is about; the beauty of winter. 

I made the whipped herbal butter! I love how it turned out. I used fresh sage and thyme leaves from my Mom’s garden. I also have been out foraging on the nature trail. I was inspired by a blog post I found on the web. Here is the link: https://dandelionherb.com/2021/12/17/yule-bundle-a-winter-solstice-ritual/?fbclid=IwAR2IFnttsUSQEO3XhnXjHk6SE4CqOSpZ2q5NXGTTMq0dlnFO8w4ZeLFtLTo

I decided I would try that craft. I was nearly frozen by the time I arrived home but it was worth it. And my coffee maker was on when I returned. 

I gathered branches from several trees and stored them in a cheap cloth grocery bag. I gathered birch, silver birch, witch hazel, maple, oak, eastern hemlock, eastern white pine and elderberry. I also gathered a lot of burning brush. Once home, I washed and dried the leaves and bark. I was totally awed by how beautiful everything was: the trees with their gorgeous colours of bark, the varying shades, leaves. Some of the bark was white, silvery white, brown, red, grey. It was all so gorgeous! I even scored a beautiful piece of birch bark. I let everything dry and then stacked the bundle of bark pieces together. I bound it all with a strip of the lovely brown muslin I dyed with acorns and secured it all with white string. I think it all looks so beautiful. I don’t want to burn it. The temperature now is too cold for too many outdoor activities, as reluctant as I am to admit it. I glued the birch bark to the bundle using a hot glue gun. The bark bundle is so lovely. I sprinkled rosemary essential oil to the bundle. Now the bundle smells divine!

The rosemary essential oil is making my kitchen smell amazing! I am cool with that. Rosemary is the herb of remembrance. Winter Solstice is a good time to remember what we can be thankful for and the abundance in our lives. We can also remember our loved ones, those who are with us now and those of who have passed. The dark half of the year is for the spirits and witches, to honour the spirits of those who have gone before us. 

I foraged a LOT of fiery red burning brush leaves. Once the leaves are dry, I plan to press them into the poetry book that I bound recently. They will look beautiful in the book. I removed the herbs and flowers I pressed from my large red Jane Austen book and now store them in wax paper in a large labeled envelope. I don’t read the Jane Austen stories (though it probably be good if I did), but I do use the thick book- I swear, the spine is at least 4- 5 inches in thickness, for pressing leaves and herbs. They were all so beautiful that I want to share them here with you! 

Enjoy! Blessings, Spiderwitch

Sage & Dill

Pressed goldenrod

Beeswax coated leaves

Raspberry leaf

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November 20, 2023 · 6:04 pm

Autumnal Inspirations )O(

Nature trail in autumn glory

Merry meet all,

Outside, it’s snowing. The sky switches between overcast and clear blue. One thing is for certain: winter is on its way. I still have the itch to grow herbs and I am scratching that itch by growing basil, mint and oregano. The basil has grown up several inches and the mint and oregano are just germinating. I have a grow light that heats them and guides the seedlings to grow their very best. That is the key to growing herbs in the winter. They sit at an east- to south facing window to get the most sunlight as well. 

I have begun a Pinterest board. I want to share the beautiful photos of herbs and flowers I have and all the crafting I have done. I have so many photos and now I can share them with the world. I hope people enjoy them. Here is the link: https://www.pinterest.ca/heddyjohannesen/flower-magick/

I did make the eldeberry recipe. I don’t think I boiled down the elderberries mixture quite enough. I never can quite get it to a syrup. It tasted divine anyway! 

Fortune has shone upon me. I am happy to say that I have a wonderful friend helping me edit my spidery novella. I am so relieved. It is all going so well so far. I really like the changes. I have a strong feeling that I won’t recognize the story once it is all edited, but I will know it is much improved. I can see such a difference already. She is an amazing editor and if I get the book published, I will be sure to mention her in the acknowledgements. I know I need to improve my writing, and she has been so helpful. I just love how much she has helped me so far. Now thanks to Stefanie, the novella has chapters, a revised storyline especially at the beginning, a genre that is very clear and marketable, and it will all hold together more strongly. I can’t ask for anything more. True I am anxious to send it to publishing companies but I know that it will he much improved if I can actually be patient for once in my life. 

She has lightened a huge load off my shoulders. I now know how I can improve my writing. That is my kind of editor. And she is ok with me being neurodivergent. I am in heaven. 

In addition to editing, I am now enrolled in the Business Herbal Course at the Herbal Academy. I received the book that accompanies the course and I am now making way through the Business course. I think it’s awesome that you can have a legit career at the Herbal Academy once you graduate. I want to use the pressed flowers, herbs and leaves I have trapped in the pages of a thick book and laminate them then add the laminated herbs to greeting cards and sell them. I hope this new project goes well. I really need to earn more money. I also want to sell herbal products once I graduate. I have to start thinking seriously about all that. That is why I am so happy to be enrolled at the Herbal Academy. I never want it to end! I have so many things to learn. 

I think that is the point of life. I never stop learning. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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October 19, 2023 · 11:51 pm

Magical advice )O(

Merry meet all,

Samhain is coming! Get on your broomsticks and dust off those cauldrons. Samhain is the third of the harvest Sabbats. I have had a great October month so far. Two stories published, two courses in Demonology and Parapsychology, a Paranormal Symposium and the Writer Digest Virtual horror writing conference. I can hardly ask for more. 

I want to harvest dandelion roots, brew elderberry syrup, hawthorn cordial and puree pumpkins to make delicious pumpkin bread and soups. I am so itching to harvest dandelion roots that I think I will get up early tomorrow morning and do just that. I don’t care if it is raining. The rain will loosen the soil for me. The dandelions have a more concentrated amount of valuable nutrients in them in the fall. Now is the right time. After that, I will dry them in my dehydrator. 

I was on a walk on the nature trail. It was raining so I could not take any photos. The nature trail was resplendent in autumn colours of red, gold, brown and green. Fall is the most beautiful season of all the seasons. I strolled slowly through the trail, admiring the colourful leaves. It was so invigorating! October is a magical month and every single minute of it should be enjoyed. 

Here a few pointers for you while you are casting your spells:

  • If you insist on wearing a robe with long billowing sleeves and you are burning candles at your altar, please at least pin the sleeves up and out of the way to avoid a fire. 
  • Don’t singe your hair. 
  • Shelters often don’t adopt out black cats and kittens during October. They are all too familiar with the horror stories of abuse or see cats returned to the shelter. This has a damaging effect on a cat as the cat will never know what was wrong or why it is returned. Donate to an animal shelter or if you see any sort of animal abuse, be sure to report it. Always have your phone charged!
  • Compost your pumpkins once done. Fill the pumpkins with peanut butter and leave them in the garden for the neighbourhood critters. Don’t use bleach to preserve your pumpkin.
  • Use organic gardening methods to help the pollinators in your garden. Practice bioregional herbalism. Join a community garden. 
  • Light a candle at the window on Samhain eve to aid the lost spirits. 
  • Honour your ancestors with a sincere, open heart. Hold an ancestral supper and leave a spot for them at the table.
  • Don’t feel that you have to spend a fortune to enjoy Samhain. I don’t. I usually use what I have over and over again. I take good care of my magical items. That helps me get more money out of what I spent. 
  • If you truly are weary of some of your magical books, gift them to a coven mate or to the local library. 
  • Don’t rake the leaves! I keep the leaves all year on my garden. They help the soil retain moisture and can be a nesting spot for pollinators. 
  • You can still make it rock if you are celebrating Samhain solo. Or hang out with fellow solo practitioners. They are out there. Just have to find them and you may find you have lots in common!
  • Do try to give out good quality candy to the kiddies who are trick or treating. Compliment them on their costumes. Be patient. They want to enjoy the night too. 
  • Learn a new skill. I borrowed a book from the library on innovative ways to craft smudge sticks and tried it. They are beautiful!
  • Mostly, enjoy yourself. The next October is a long way away. Enjoy it now. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

 

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