Monday Musings - Halloween!!

It's here!  Happy Halloween!  Blessed Samhain!!

It was quite a whirlwind weekend celebrating Halloween.

First, I had the day off on Friday. This was a very good thing for me because I had much to do.  KD had a couple friends over Friday night to celebrate the upcoming holiday.  It was a very informal gathering, but I still had to get food, clean the house, decorate, etc.  Also, I had a few things I still needed to get for the silent supper.

Friday night, KD had two friends over.  We had snacks and they basically just hung out.  It was a gorgeous night and would have been a great night for trick or treating!

Saturday morning, Angelle, her two friends, KD and I got up early and headed to Valley Scare in Minnesota.  We drove to Shakopee and checked into our hotel.  It was a cool, rainy day, but we went to Valley Scare, anyway.  Nothing could really prepare me for the fun I was about to have there.  If you have never gone to Valley Scare, the actual name of the amusement park is Valley Fair.  First, the decor!!  Kudo's to Valley Scare for going all out with decorations for the holiday.  From the moment we entered the park we were in awe.  Skeletons and jack-o-lanterns everywhere.  It was really quite beautiful.  The girls kept saying how it felt like we had gone to Halloweentown.  It really did.

Since the haunts didn't start until 7:00 p.m., we walked around for awhile.  We got to preview "The Chateau", the mansion where the vampires live, during the daylight.  Again, we were wowed by the decor.  It was quite beautiful in there.  We rode a roller coaster and some other rides.  Then the 17 year olds found the makeup and effects kiosk.  They were offering fake scars, bullet wounds, etc. there, and they all took advantage of that.  You will see Angelle's lovely head wound in the photos.

KD and I weren't interested in getting makeup done, so we went for a walk and found a couple great rides to go on.  There were these adorable antique cars you could drive around a track, so KD got to drive me in one of those.  She said it was time I get used to her driving since she will be getting her permit in a couple years.  Yikes.

We left the park and got some supper, then headed back.  Finally, it was time for the haunting to begin.  Valley Scare is full of "scare zones", sections of the park decorated and "haunted" by particular monsters.  There was the cemetery full of corpses and ghosts, the "Carnevil" full of, you guessed it, clowns!  There was abnormal alley where the humans affected by toxic waste were there to scare.  Those alone made it so much fun, but then we got to go into the haunted houses.  We were lucky enough to have the Fright Lane pass with the Skeleton Key.  That meant we were in the fast lane so didn't have to wait in lines and it also meant we got into special rooms at each haunt.

The first haunt we toured was "Zombie High".  Very well done.  In the skeleton key room, I had to dig through a bug-infested corpse to find a key to open a vault to open a door with something in it we had to eat.  The entire time a hungry zombie was in a glassed in booth waiting to eat us.  If we lost, we were going to be eaten, but if we won, we would be spared.  I got the key (the bugs were kind of slimy, not sure if they were real or not), got the vault open, then the door slid open and they said we had to "eat it".  There was something in a plastic cup, so I said "Angelle this is you", because she will pretty much eat anything.  She picks up the cup, screams, and drops it.  Then I become the bad parent and start yelling at her saying "You failed at the eating.  I would have eaten it!!", etc. etc.  It was the adrenaline and the heat of the moment, I think.  I picked up the plastic cup, but whatever had been in it was gone.  The zombie got out and apparently ate us.  Angelle said it was some kind of a small white bug and it was moving.  She's not terribly fond of bugs, so she dropped it.  In retrospect, I feel really bad for yelling at her.  It was really fun, though!

After that it was time to go to the "Divination" room, another skeleton key zone.  There were two drag queens reading "tarot cards".  The one who read our cards was very funny.  It was pretty crude and somewhat inappropriate, but we all had a great time.

I won't go into detail about the other haunts because there were 6 different ones and 6 skeleton key rooms as well.  But I'll share a few of the highlights.  One was being tried, found guilty and "hung", at the "End of the Line", complete with execution hoods over our heads and nooses around our necks.  I have to admit that probably bothered me the most of anything we did that day.  The floor even dropped a half inch or so underneath us.  Scary.

There was the skeleton key room in "The Chateau", where we were offered drinks of "blood" in a shot glass.  If we drank the blood, we got to keep the shot glass.  I'm very proud of all of us in our group because we all drank the "blood".  What was it?  Well, it sure tasted like I would imagine blood would taste.  A lot of iron.  It really was not a pleasant taste.  Luckily I had tic tacs.  What a fun experience.

Probably my favorite haunted house was "Humane Habitat", where we were led through 5 different cottages (the last one was the skeleton key room).  There were human/animal hybrids there and it was a really good scare.  The skeleton key room was finding your way through a pitch black cottage using hearing and touch.  There were some great scares along the way.  Then at the end, you got to do the scaring for the next group.  I backed up and let the girls be at the control board.  It was so funny to watch the next group go through and get scared on the monitors.

Valley Scare is a great time and I strongly recommend it to anyone.  KD wants to go again next year and so do I.  It might become a new tradition for awhile.

Sunday night was the 2nd annual "Cedar Valley Silent Supper".  There were 25 living guests in attendance.  As before, it was a wonderful time with some improvements made to the whole celebration.  "Po", my human skull, took the place of "spirit" at our table.  He made a very nice addition to the experience.  After the silent supper which was served backwards (with music including a song by David Bowie and one by Prince), Shelby and I read fortunes for everyone who wished.  I continue to be very impressed by Shelby's gift of "Lithomancy" divination.  Everyone loved her sessions.  When I was reading someone's cards, they said "Oh, that's very much like what her reading said.", referring to Shelby.  Shelby and I just looked at each other and said "That happens quite a bit".  Very affirming when two readings done with different methods turn out to be so similar.

Many thanks for DuRaae Davis and KD for helping with the decor.  The decor was even better than last year because of their gift for making a space a beautiful place to be.  I could not have done it without them.  Many thanks to Shelby for providing readings after the supper.  Many thanks to the Waterloo Community Playhouse for the rental of the room and to "Moment in Thyme", my awesome caterer who is so good at accommodating my very unusual supper.  Can't wait for next year!!

Now tonight is for relaxed fun, Halloween candy, horror movies, and maybe some trick or treating. Stop by to see my spooky yard and trick or treat at my door.  I will have candy and goodies!!  Hope to see you tonight.  Happy Halloween and Blessed Samhain to you all.  Enjoy the holiday!!  Enjoy the photos from our "Valley Scare" experience below.
.

Witchy Wednesday

Happy Witchy Wednesday.  Saturdya was the "Witches' Walk" in downtown Cedar Falls.  It was so much fun to see people dressed in their best witchy attire.  There was a lot of black and some lovely witch hats.  I spotted Zhanna there wearing a great copper crown with antlers which she made herself.

I'll share a few photos from the day.










Here is Zhanna looking mysteriously witchy with her antler crown (which she made herself) and and crystal ball.















Of course, Shelby Davis and I were reading fortunes that day. Here are Shelby, DuRaae and I in our witchy outfits.



















The lovely Shelby doing a Lithomancy reading for a fellow witch.

















I had to do a "Witches' Walk" selfie.  I do love my hat.















It's almost Halloween!!!  I can hardly contain myself.  Do you know what you are wearing for your holiday festivities?  Feel free to share below.  My daughters, a couple of their friends and I are heading to "Valley Scare" on Saturday.  We originally were going to all wear costumes for the day, but then I read the FAQ section on their web site.  It says guests are not allowed to wear costumes inside the park during the Halloween season.  I understand the reason.  It's so that workers are easily distinguished from guests.  However, we had already planned our costumes so were a bit disappointed.  We decided we could still wear our clothing from the costumes (since they are very much like our regular clothes anyway), and maybe bring our masks, accessories, in a bag and find an opportunity at some point to put them on.

Anyway, I'm sure you're wondering what our costumes are going to be?  This is all Angelle's idea (leave it to a teenager), but we are going as the Gotham City Sirens (and a couple friends), but making the costumes steampunk.  Yes, I guess that's a thing.  The picture to the left is not us, but this gives you an idea of what Steampunk sirens would look like.

I thought I would look up some good sites that sell Steam Punk clothing today.



Some of the most reasonable Steampunk items I found at Good Goth, one of my favorite sites for all witchy and fun clothing.  Here are a few things from that site.


The "Ashes to Ashes" dress.  Very cute and would also be perfect for the silent supper.

















The "Black Rider" coat.  Very nice.

















The "Bloody Dead Walker" trench coat.  Love the color and texture.





















I love the colors of this dress, too.

Here's a lovely velvet burgundy coat.
















Steampunk is all about accessorizing.  This is the "Clockwork Bat" necklace.  Very nice.













You really must wear a hat if you're going to go Steampunk.  Here are a few hat options from the Medieval Collectibles site.  You can find them here: Medieval Collectibles

So, there you have it.  Steampunk is a very fun style to try sometime.  Perhaps mix it up with another style like we are doing for Halloween (by the way, I'm going to be Cat Woman).  It's all about texture, fabric and accessories.  Have a wonderful witchy Wednesday, watch "American Horror Story" if you are so inclined this evening and gear up for a fabulous Halloween weekend coming up!




.

Tarot Tuesday 10/25/16

Today for Tarot Tuesday, I've asked Shelby Davis, fellow gypsy wagon fortune teller, to share her experiences.  To see her story, please scroll down, as first I will share the meaning of "Judgement", today's tarot card.

Judgement is all about forgiving and being forgiven. KD and I recently went to a shamanic workshop. During that workshop, we went on a guided shamanic journey.  On my own personal journey, I was forgiven by my ancestors, then sent way back in time to an ancient ancestor whom it was then my duty to forgive.

Forgiveness has great power.  Personally, I find it to be a very difficult think to do.  But it is a necessary difficulty.  In order to truly close the door on your past and move forward, you really do have to shed it.  You shed your past in the way of forgiving both yourself and those who have wronged you.

What in your past is holding you back from moving forward?  That is the question this card is asking.  It is time to heal from those wounds and wrongdoings and truly move forward.  Healer, heal thyself.  The past is the past.  It is no longer necessary to hold onto it.  Some doors may be closing in your life, with new and exciting gates opening to new worlds for you to explore.  Remember that with every ending comes a new beginning.  New beginnings are exciting opportunities.  Move forward with joy.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to share the wonderful story from Shelby Davis of To Our Moon and Back.  Sit back and enjoy reading about how she got into divination and how she has personally connected with lithomancy.

Hello, readers! I am Shelby Davis. I am a student at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, Ia and a Health Market clerk at the Cedar Falls Hy-Vee. I have known Crystal for many years now. She was the woman who introduced me to Tarot and helped me to realize my gift of intuition. Although we met during a production of Alice in Wonderland at Black Hawk Children's Theatre in 2012, it wasn't until two years later that our families would come together on a more person level. 

In September of 2014, Crystal contacted my mother to ask if I would be interested in doing Tarot readings with her and her daughters in a gypsy wagon recently built by the folks out at Harris Haven Haunted Funeral Home in Evansdale, Ia. While I was immediately interested, I was also very intimidated: I knew very little about divination, let alone Tarot reading. Putting that fear aside, I decided that it was worth a shot, so a week or so later, I got dressed up and went along with them. When we arrived, we were all given a tour of the wagon, along with a basic run-down of what they were hoping we could provide for them and add to the attraction, and sent off on our way. Inside, Crystal handed me her Halloween-themed deck of Tarot cards and a cheat-sheet she had printed out for me to base my interpretations off of. She explained the basics of the readings, gave me a reading as an example, and asked if I was ready to try it out. I hesitantly claimed to be prepared and took the first group that arrived. I don't remember exactly how that first reading panned out, but I'm sure I was nervous and glanced down at the sheet in my lap often. The first reading ended, and another group took their place, then another, and another. As time ticked on, I gained more confidence in myself and didn't feel the need to glance at the sheet as often. At the end of the night, Crystal complimented me on my reading. She said that I was a natural and that my intuition was strong. That made my confidence in my abilities soar and sparked a flame in my that I felt had always been simmering, but never brought to flame. 

I continued to go out to the wagon and read with the Waltz ladies more over the next few weeks, loving the way it felt to get positive and surprised reactions from the people I read. I had a gift that I hadn't known about prior, and it was exhilarating. Once October came to an end, and Harris Haven closed for the season, I began researching Tarot decks, searching for the perfect fit for a deck of my own. After scanning and sifting through hundreds of different decks online, I finally came across one that stuck out to me. The "Wild Unknown Tarot" became my deck of choice. I absolutely fell in love with the artist's organic designs and simplistic color scheme. I received the deck as a Christmaspresent that year and immediately went to work familiarizing myself with each and every card.

Over the past two years, I have had very little time to connect with my deck, causing me to fall out of practice. When Crystal inquired with me as to whether I would help her with readings at Harris Haven again this year, I was tempted to decline. It did not feel right to me to go out there and fake readings for everyone, knowing now how deeply connected I am to divination. On a whim, one night, I asked Crystal what she would suggest for me to overcome my nervousness. She suggested that I look into other forms of divination: that maybe Tarot reading just isn't for me. I took her advice and dove into researching the topic. Once again, I was met with dozens upon dozens of styles and types of divination, but none of them felt like the right fit. And then, I came across of variation that immediately drew me in - Lithomancy, or reading of the stones. I pulled up various articles on the practice and quickly discovered that very little is know about its origin. Even modern practices vary from culture to culture, as well as amongst casters (the individuals who read the stones). I did, whoever, find that there is a form of Lithomancy used in Wiccan and Neo-Pagan practice that uses 16 stones; one in the center to represent the person being read, and fifteen which are cast and read. After righting out a list of the meanings of each of the 15 stones, I sorted through my personal stone collection and found perfect fits for each in less than ten minutes. I sat with my little pile of stones for a while, pouring over the meaning list I had written, quickly committing it to memory. I then moved to the carpeted floor of my bedroom, placed my center stone, gathered the other 15 up in my hands, and cast them down from just above the center stone, and did a reading for myself. I was astonished to find two things. 1. I had almost no trouble interpreting the meaning of the stones and their patterns. 2. The reading was EXTREMELY accurate. I excitedly called my mother in and did a reading for her, which yielded a similar result. She even cried as I read her because elements of her past were coming through. I was so excited. I contacted Crystal and let her know that I would absolutely be joining her to read for the Halloween season. 

Over the last few weeks, I have done fifty or more individual readings. This past Saturday alone, I read fortunes for a combined total of 8 1/2 hours. In all of those readings, I could guess nearly 80% of them have landed and resonated with the people I read. The moment when the stones connect with someone, and that person turns to their group with an astounded face, is the moment when it is reaffirmed for me that I am on the right path. I have had numerous accounts of people thanking me for the clarity or peace-of-mind that my readings provided for them. It feels so fulfilling to know that I am helping people, even if just by being someone they can share their troubles with. Knowing that I am able to provide a sense of comfort is a gift I will never be able to repay. Instead, I will continue to give, to read and to bring peace and joy. 

I am honored to have been asked to be a contributor to this week's blog post. Thank you to Crystal Waltz for all she has done for me and my family in the past two years. Her constant friendship and unwavering loyalty have been a blessing and a light in times of darkness. 

You can meet me and get a free reading by coming out to the Harris Haven Haunted Funeral Home in Evandale this upcoming weekend, Friday and Saturday night, starting at 7pm, as well as Monday nights at the same time. I look forward to seeing what the stones say for you!

Monday Musings - Tales From the Gypsy Wagon (and Witches' Walk)

Hello and welcome to another spsecial edition of "Monday Musings, Tales From the Gypsy Wagon".

Friday night was another crazy busy night in the gypsy wagon at Harris Haven Funeral Home haunted attraction.  It was a great night, too, with many people walking out talking about how "spot on" their readings were.  Before I began reading, I even told the fortunes of some of the employees at Harris Haven, including the "chainsaw guy", who I listen to all night as he chases guests around the gypsy wagon.

On Saturday, Shelby Davis and I read fortunes for the Cedar Falls Downtown Witches' Walk.  That was such a blast!  We donned our best witchy attire.  Shelby took the morning shift from 10:00 - 1:00 and I gave readings from 1:00 until 5:00.  There were some very special readings that day.  It was nice to be able to read the cards in the light.  After I laid out the five cards, I would find myself automatically reaching for my light to read them since it is so dark in the gypsy wagon.  Then I would remember I didn't need the light at all.  I was outside in the daylight and could read the cards just fine!  We are such creatures of habit.  I enjoyed doing a little walking and shopping while Shelby was reading.  At "Main Street Exchange" I found some great treasures.  There were two small skull statuettes, one made of Jade and another of a black marbled stone.  I gave the black one to Angelle, who had had a somewhat disappointing weekend, and kept the jade one for myself.  I also found some great spiderweb tablecloths which I will use at the Silent Supper on Sunday.  I loved seeing the people dressed as witches out and about enjoying the festivities.  I also bought some delicious popcorn and caramel apples from "Here's What's Poppin'".  Many thanks to them and to the Cedar Falls Downtown for letting us set up our table there that day.

One of the more memorable readings that day was a lady who had both parent cards come through in her reading.  As it turned out, her parents are both deceased.  She got a very clear message in the reading from both her mother and father.  There were some tears and I actually got chills.  So meaningful.

After reading for so long on Saturday afternoon, I decided not to go to the gypsy wagon that night and luckily for me, Shelby was able to be there.  I was pretty exhausted from the Witches' Walk and needed a little down time.  I have asked Shelby to blog about her experiences reading for both the Witches' Walk and also for the gypsy wagon that night.

Sunday night I was back at the wagon from 7:00 until about 10:30.  It was another fabulous and very busy night.  For my first few readings, the danger card kept popping up.  I was starting to wonder what that was all about.  It seriously was in my first four or five readings, which is fairly unusual for it to pop up that much.  Finally, after about my 5th reading, as a lady was leaving the wagon, one of the steps that lead up to the wagon broke.  Luckily, she was okay, but that does sort of explain the possibility of danger lurking for so many people.  The owner of the haunt wasted no time in getting that step repaired right away.  Kudos to Harris Haven.

A mother and son came in to have their fortunes told.  One of those rare things happened again where they get the exact same cards, but not necessarily in the same spot.  Again, we all watched him shuffle those cards.  They agreed that they were very close and they both thought it was really cool. It's so crazy when that happens.

A young man and his girlfriend came in.  As I was reading for him, his center card was the woman. When reading for a man, if the center card comes up as a woman (the center card is the card that represents the querent), I usually tell him it means that he is in touch with his feminine side.  As I was explaining this to him, he said it actually made a lot of sense because he was a transgender who had been born female.  Very interesting!!  And also very cool.  They were an awesome couple and I enjoyed reading for them very much.

I enjoy reading for everyone.  I have never had a bad experience.  As I have said before, sometimes people come in with the purpose of debunking the fortune telling experience.  While I don't always appreciate this, I can say that I have never encountered anyone being rude to me.  I feel a connection with each and every one of the people I read for.  While I don't always understand their readings, they will often say that it is meaningful to them, and that's what counts.

Last night was the last night I will be able to read in the Gypsy Wagon this year.  Halloween weekend is going to be very busy for my girls and I.  The Silent Supper is on Sunday.  Shelby will be in the gypsy wagon doing her lithomancy readings on both Friday and Saturday night for sure.  The haunt is open on Thursday, Sunday and Halloween night as well.  I'll do my best to get some psychic readers in the wagon on those nights, but for sure it will be staffed Friday and Saturday, so be sure to stop by!

Freaky Friday

Happy Freaky Friday!!

Today, I am going to skip my regular "what's freaky" post and just post about some of the happenings going on this weekend.

This:  Tonight (Friday), tomorrow (Saturday), and Sunday nights starting at 7:00 the gypsies will once again be in the Gypsy Wagon at Harris Haven Funeral Home reading fortunes.  There is no charge, but tips are greatly appreciated as we are volunteers and do not get paid otherwise. This is an incredible deal.  Getting psychic readings can normally be fairly expensive, anywhere from $20 - $100, depending on who does the reading for you.  While there, please grab our business card.

This:  This is new!  "Witches' Walk".  Thanks to Shelby Davis (for coming up with the idea), Jenny Bagenstos of "Here's What's Poppin'" (for agreeing to let us read fortunes outside of her fabulous shop), and Community Main Street (for approving it), "Three Witches" and Shelby will be reading fortunes at the Cedar Falls "Witches' Walk" on Main Street right outside of "Here's What's Poppin'", the best popcorn store ever.  The "Witches' Walk" will take place on Saturday (tomorrow) from 10:00 - 5:00. Shelby will be providing her lithomancy readings from 10:00 until 12:00 (or a little later) and I will be providing Lenormand card readings and pendulum dowsing from 12:00 on.  Again, there is no charge, but please consider leaving us a tip as once again, we are volunteering.  We expect it to be busy, so might have to have a notebook handy to keep a queue if we have a big line.  Shelby's readings take about 20 minutes and the Lenormand card readings I give take around 10-15 per person.  Please stop by, buy some popcorn and get your fortune told by the witch at the table.  Lucky you!  You get yet another chance to have your fortune told and for a very reasonable price.

This:  Did you watch the "Rocky Horror" remake last night?  I was impressed.  It was fun, energetic, campy, and very true to the original.  My only criticism is that I prefer the original Magenta to the one in the new version.  It seems to be a matter of personal preference, though, as my daughter loved the new Magenta.  Okay, her hair was very cool.  The new "Columbia" was outstanding, though!!  If you missed it last night, be sure to catch it when it airs again or is available on Amazon.  The "Usherette" might have been my very favorite part.  The Waterloo Community Playhouse will be putting on this show in January.  Auditions are at the end of November if you are interested in being a part of it.  It's sure to be a great time!

Enjoy your freakiness today.  Come out to the "Witches' Walk" tomorrow for some great deals, chances to win great prizes, get some delicious popcorn and have your fortune told.  It's sure to be very witchy.  I hear there will be prizes for best witchy attire, so dress the part!  See you this weekend, I hope!

Witchy Wednesday

Happy Witchy Wednesday, everyone.

Today I found a cool shopping site called Cat Coven Shop.  I'll share some of the very cool dresses and t-shirts I found there.














This is a very nice bat pillow.  I love the stars and crescent moon on the wings.  This design is also featured on t-shirts and dresses.














Great skull design on this t-shirt.


















Coffee or tea?  Either way, they have a t-shirt for you.  The tea shirt is to the left and there is also one that says "Give me coffee or give me death".  Cool.

















If you are a cat person, I really think this site is for you. Personally, I don't have any cats, but I do have two dogs and a duck and a gecko.  Still, I love the cat witch shirt.
















I love memento mori and how cool to have memento mori on a t-shirt.


















The very cool designs on this site are also featured on dresses, pins and patches.  Here are a couple of their nice dress styles.  You should check them out!!

Saturday is the "Witches Walk" in downtown Cedar Falls. There will be special deals in all the cool shops there and you can even get your fortune told outside "Here's What's Poppin"!!  From 10:00 - 12:00, Shelby Davis will be doing her lithomancy readings and from 12:00 - 2:00, I will be doing Lenormand card readings and pendulum dowsing.  If you've been wanting your fortune told, but haven't wanted to come to Harris Haven Funeral Home Haunted House, this is your chance.  We are not charging, but are accepting tips which would be greatly appreciated as we do not get paid otherwise!

Wear your best witchy attire for a chance to win prizes from various merchants and stop by our table on the sidewalk for your free stone or card reading.  I'd love to see you there!!

Enjoy your witchy Wednesday.  Maybe watch American Horror Story tonight (I know I am going to) and I hope to see you on Saturday dressed in your witchy finest.

Tarot Tuesday, 10/18/16

Today's card drawn is "The Magician".

The Magician is a card that is all about taking control of your life and making higher and better use of all of your power. This power includes spiritual, emotional and otherwise.  Often this card signifies new beginnings and great expectations.  It is considered to be a very positive and powerful omen when it shows up in a reading.

It is possible that you may be noticing many synchronicities in your life.  These may point towards deep and spiritual events taking place.  You should be feeling very strong right now, able to meet your challenges.

Work and money should be on the upswing right now.  It doesn't matter if you don't foresee a way for money to be coming to you.  Have faith that it will.  There might be some surprises in store.  Something will appear that will allow you to make more money.  Be sure to take advantage of it.  You have the ability to succeed so believe in yourself.

If you have been thinking of undertaking some sort of spiritual study, now is an excellent time to do so.  A spiritual teacher may appear in your life now.  This person will be an excellent mentor and will help you to see things more clearly.

Consider what it means to manifest things into your life.  Look up the power of manifestation and think about what you have been doing to have control of your life.  Chances are, you can do even more.  Your life is yours and you really do have the power to control it.