Ok, so the ABV was ~12.5% .. SG was 1.022 before adding in 5lbs more honey, mixed with spring water to 1 gal. Current SG is 1.050. I also removed the original vanilla bean sometime last week or so. And added a new one this eve.
If anyone knows how to calculate the corrected Gravity for ABV calculations, please let me know.
Summary:
OG: 1.117
SG (before back sweetening): 1.022
SG (after back sweetening): 1.050
I’ve been seriously itching to get back into my coding…
I have a temporary website here: http://wulfeweb.110mb.com/ that I’m trying to use as a sounding board for myself. But I invite all of you to look it over and give me your thoughts.
I will be obtaining a full-fledged website roughly in March..
They don’t exist yet(there will be two) but I have my eyes set on these two domain names:
VampyreBytes.com and WulfeWebDesigns.com
The latter will be for business use, I think, and the former doesn’t really work for a spiritual site, so I may need to come up with a third name to use, if I go with a spiritual/magic(k)al website…
My RPG website really didn’t get much use, and I don’t play White Wolf currently anyway, and I don’t really need a D&D site. So I have no idea what to do with VampyreBytes.com once I purchase it.
Soooooo… have y’all got any good ideas for a name for my spiritual/magical site? Or uses for VampyreBytes.com?
((cross posted to my LiveJournal and PN feel free to comment at any of these locations))
Noting major, just racked from primary to secondary.
Current SG: 1.080 corrected to 1.081 current ABV should be somewhere around 5%.
Now comes the LONG wait.
So, There are literallythousands (or more) Baby Name web sites.. and as many books…
So why, on the Green Earth Goddess would I want to start such a list here?
Easy, I want to compile a list of baby names that *I* like, that I can offer to my wife so that we can find one we might almost agree upon.
This list is only for girl names, as the next boy child will be Steven Leo. If there’s a chance for another boy beyond that, I’ll compile a similar list of boys’ names.
I’m not organizing these in any way on first blush. I may come back later to edit it into alphabetic, or preferential, or by country or something, who knows.
Arianrhod
Brighid
Branwen
Hega
Hege
Erin
Elizabeth
Riahnon
Faolyn
Faelyn
Fíona
Maeve
Siobahn
Gudhrun
Berit
Birgit
Elsa
Inge
Ingeborg
Runa
Signe
Signy
Sigrid
Sigrun
Solveig
Thora
Tora
Toril
Tyra (/teer-uh/)
Vibeke
Ulrike
Ulrica
Tala
Nokomis
More to come when I look through my books at home…
Of course, I’ve promised “more to come” before… Hmmmm
My recipe:
15 lbs local wildflower (mostly clover, I’d guess) honey (processed)
1 long vanilla bean, split open.
2 tbl bee pollen (yeast nutrient)
1 pkg of Lalvin K1-V1116 yeast.
Spring water to 5 gallons.
Brought ~1.5 gallons water to near boil, tossed in the bean for a small portion of this time, then tossed it into the honey in the primary.
Honey, hot water and vanilla bean… mix until well blended in, no extra thickness near the bottom.
Add rest of cool/room temp water to 5 gallons.
Added bee pollen.
waited until cooled to 106F
sprinkled yeast on dry.
OG: 1.110 (corrected to 1.117)
Will ferment completely dry, and add in another 5 lbs honey when fermentation nears completion … whenever that may be …
((Cross posted to my livejournal))
Well…. unless work lifts the restriction of no personal electronics, there will be no more “In the Crypt”.
Broadcasting from home just doesn’t work, with the kids sleeping and the stealing of “alone time” with teh wife.
If I happen to become suddenly wealthy, and have no need for a job, I may well be able to start my own station, but in the mean time… There is no point to it.
If I happen to find a job where I can broadcast while working, I’ll start up again.
But in the mean time, I just can’t.
I’m sorry to those look forward to my silly shows, my ridiculous rantys and mediocre music. I’m also sorry to those that had always wanted to listen, but never got the chance, and to those who didn’t even know about it yet.
((Cross posted to my LiveJournal and my PN blog))
Fehu, fee, feo, feoh
Phonetically similar to English F.
Fehu means cattle. It represents wealth, in a household context.
In the old world as well as in the modern, Money = Power, so it is also a rune of power.
It can be used magically for drawing money, or securing an investment. It represents financial security.
To focus the energy of Fehu into an amulet, you can devise a chant the name Fehu (pronounced similar to fay-WHO or fay-OO) and the sound combined with the standard Old World vowel sounds (fah, fay, fee, foe, foo)
The chant I use is (phonetically):
faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo,
fah, fah, fah!
faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo,
fay, fay, fay!
faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo,
fee, fee, fee!
faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo,
foe, foe, foe!
faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo,
foo, foo, foo!
faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo,
ahf, ahf, ahf!
faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo,
ehf, ehf, ehf!
faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo,
ihf, ihf, ihf!
faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo,
ohf, ohf, ofh!
faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo, faaaaay-ooooooo,
oof, oof, oof!
faaaaaaaaaaaaaaay-oooooooooooooooooo!
I also use “Ek, Beowulfe, vitki, ristar runa FEHU!” meaning (roughly) “I, Beowulfe, magician, write/carve/create the rune FEHU!”
And here goes an attempt at a modern rune poem for Fehu.
Fehu
Money may comfort you,
But it brings the beggars to your door.
ll post a second installation to this later.
I forget what all I promised I would post, and it is time for me to pack up my stuff. I’ll try to get an image posted in this post and in the next soon.
This is a somewhat tweaked version of teh handfasting ritual found in “Witches’ Circle” by M. K. Simms.
[Cleanse the area with besom, incense, and salt water.]
Maiden [lighting the altar candle]: This space is cleansed and purified. Star Point, Spirit of the Ether, Powers of Spirit, Be with us and watch over this circle tonight.
East [lighting the eastern candle]: Guardian of the East, Powers of Air, Be with us and guard this circle tonight.
South [lighting the southern candle]: Guardian of the South, Powers of Fire, Be with us and guard this circle tonight.
West [lighting the western candle]: Guardian of the West, Powers of Water, Be with us and guard this circle tonight.
North [lighting the northern candle]: Guardian of the North, Powers of Earth, Be with us and guard this circle tonight.
Priest [lighting the Goddess candle]: I call to thee, my Lady, please come and witness our rites in this Circle tonight.
Priestess [lighting the God candle]: I call to thee, my Lord, please come and witness our rites in this Circle tonight.
Circle Casting [Taking the sword and tracing a circle around. Starting in the Northeast, and going clocklwise]: I conjure here, a Circle of Power, a boundary between the world of men and the realms of magick; a meeting place of love and joy and truth; a shield against all wickedness and evil; an area of protection that will keep the power that we raise within. This circle is cast, we are now between the worlds.
[The one who drew the circle opens a door in the circle for the couple to enter. They are greeted at the door by the Crone.]
Crone: Know now, before you go further, that since your lives have crossed in this life you have formed ties between each other. As you seek to enter this rite you will become a focus for the power that has been raised herein, and those ties are strengthened.
With full awareness know that within this circle you are not only declaring your intent to be hand-fasted before your friends and family, but you speak that intent also before your Goddesses and Gods.
The promises you make today are the ties that are bound here greatly strengthens your union; they will cross years and lives of each souls growth.
Do you still seek to enter this rite?
Couple: Yes, we seek to enter.
Crone: And how do you enter?
Couple: With Perfect Love and Perfect Trust.
[Crone takes couple to altar.]
Priestess [to Crone]: Wise Woman, do they know the full significance of what they seek?
Crone: Yes, for I have questioned them and told them the meaning of this rite.
Priest [to couple]: And do you still seek this hand-fasting?
Couple: We do.
Priestess [to Maiden]: Take them to the guardians to seek their blessings on this union.
East: What do you seek from the Guardian of the East?
Couple: We seek your blessings of this union.
East: Blessed be this union with the gifts of the east. Communication of the heart, mind, and body. Fresh beginnings with the rising of each sun. The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences. [East wafts air at couple with feather….Maiden leads them to the next quarter.]
South: What do you seek from the Guardian of the South?
Couple: We seek your blessing of this union.
South: Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South. Warmth of the hearth and home. The heat of hearts’ passion. The light created by both to brighten the darkest of times. [South offers a candle to the couple, to feel the warmth. Then the Maiden leads them to the next quarter.]
West: What do you seek from the Guardian of the West?
Couple: We seek your blessing of this union.
West: Blessed be this union with the gifts of the west. The deep commitments of the lake. The swift excitement of the river. The refreshing cleansing of the rain. The all encompassing passion of the sea. [West sprinkle water on the couple, and then the Maiden leads them to the next quarter.]
North: What do you seek from the Guardian of the North?
Couple: We seek the blessing of this union.
North: Blessed be this union with the gifts of the north. Firm foundation in which to build. Fertility of the fields to enrich your lives. A stable home to which you always return. [North offer sea salt for couple to taste, then Maiden leads them to the altar.]
Priestess: You have received tools from the Guardians that will help you build a successful union, yet that is all they are — tools. Tools that you must wield together in order to create what you seek in this union. I bid you to look in each others eI will.
Priestess [to Groom]: Will you cause her pain?
Groom: I may.
Priestess [to Groom]: Is that your intent?
Groom: It is not.
Priest [to Bride]: Will you cause him pain?
Bride: I may.
Priest [to Bride]: Is that your intent?
Bride: It is not.
Priestess: Will you share each others pain and seek to ease it?
Couple: We will.
Priestess: And so the binding is made.
Priest: Join your hands.
[The orange cord is draped around the their hands.]
Priest [to Bride]: Will you share his laughter?
Bride: I will.
Priestess [to Groom]: Will you share her laughter?
Groom: I will.
Priestess: Will you both look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?
Couple: We will.
Priest: And so the binding is made.
[The yellow cord is draped around the their hands.]
Priest [to Bride]: Will you burden him?
Bride: I may.
Priest [to Bride]: Is that your intent?
Bride: It is not.
Priestess [to Groom]: Will you burden her?
Groom: I may.
Priestess [to Groom]: Is that your intent?
Groom: It is not.
Priestess: Will you share the burden of each so that your spirits will grow in this union?
Couple: We will.
Priestess: And the binding is made.
[The brown cord is draped around their hands.]
Priest [to Bride]: Will you share his dreams?
Bride: I will.
Priestess [to Groom]: Will you share her dreams?
Groom: I will.
Priestess: Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes?
Couple: We will.
Priest: And the binding is made.
[The blue cord is draped around their hands.]
Priestess [to Groom]: Will you cause her anger?
Groom: I may.
Priestess [to Groom]: Is that your intent?
Groom: It is not.
Priest [to Bride]: Will you cause him anger?
Bride: I may.
Priest [to Bride]: Is that your intent?
Bride: It is not.
Priest: Will you take the heat of your anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?
Couple: We will.
Priestess: And so the binding is made.
[The red cord is draped around their hands.]
Priest [to Bride]: Will you honor him?
Bride: I will.
Priestess [to Groom]: Will you honor her?
Groom: I will.
Priestess: Will you strive to never give cause to break that honor?
Couple: We will.
Priestess: And so the binding is made.
[The purple cord is draped around their hands.]
Priestess: The knots of this binding are not made on this plane. Either of you may drop the cords, for as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union.
[Immediately after saying this, she and Priest lift the hands of the couple with cords high in the air, to the applause of all. Then the couple ties the cords together with one center knot and places them on the altar. Because they will need their hands free of the exchange of gifts.]
Priestess: What gifts have you as tokens of your love?
Couple: Silver wedding bands.
[Bride places ring on the finger of Groom.]
Bride: I give to you this ring as a symbol of you as my priest and partner, my lord and lover. I give you this ring and also call you my husband and companion, for it symbolizes the cycle of the never ending nature of my love for you.
[Groom places ring on the finger of Bride.]
Groom: I give to you this ring as a symbol of you as my priestess and partner, my lady and lover. I give you this ring and also call you my wife and companion, for it symbolizes the cycle of the never ending nature of my love for you.
Cakes and Ale [couple silently blesses cakes and ale, then feeds/offers to the rest of the group]
Priestess [holding broom]: This broom represents the hearth and home, and the woman who traditionally in charge of it.
[Priestess places broom on the ground about halfway between the altar and the Eastern Guardian.]
Priest [holding sword]: This sword represents protection and the man who is traditionally responsible for the protection and the man who is traditionally responsible for protecting his family and their home.
[Priest places the sword which is across the broom. Following the old pagan custom symbolizing the commitment of bride and groom to the establishment of home. Bride and Groom hold hands clasped around their cords and walk the circle three times, jumping the broom and sword each time while everyone else applauds.]
Priestess [extinguishing God candle]: My Lord, thank you for being with us tonight. This rite is ended, but remain with us, if you Will.
Priest [extinguishing Goddess candle]: My Lady, thank you for being with us tonight. This rite is ended, but remain with us, if you Will.
North [extinguishing northern candle]: Guardian of the North, thank you for being with us tonight. This rite is ended, but remain with us, if you Will.
West [extinguishing western candle]: Guardian of the West, thank you for being with us tonight. This rite is ended, but remain with us, if you Will.
South [extinguishing southern candle]: Guardian of the South, thank you for being with us tonight. This rite is ended, but remain with us, if you Will.
East [extinguishing eastern candle]: Guardian of the East, thank you for being with us tonight. This rite is ended, but remain with us, if you Will.
Maiden [extinguishing altar candle]: Star Point, thank you for being with us tonight. This rite is ended, but remain with us, if you Will.
Circle Closing: The circle is opened, but unbroken. Merry Meet, Merry Part, and
All: Merry Meet again!
Welcome to the first installment of The Runes.
I am going to try to share my views on the 24 runes of the Elder Futhark.
I will include names, translations, literal and esoteric meanings, as well as my own personal understanding of each rune.
I will attempt to also create a new rune poem for each one as it relates to the modern day.
I may also include one or more of the original rune poems for them.
This first installment will cover the basics of the runes as a whole.
DISCLAIMER: The “facts” I list here are from memory and from 10 tears of study, however, I have not picked up a book more recently published than roughly 1996 or so. Scholarly study since that time may well have proven older beliefs wrong. Also, since it is from memory, and I am only human, I may be remembering things incorrectly.
There a number of variations on the runes, varied by time and locale.
Generally there are accepted 3 main variations (and offshoots thereof.)
The Elder (or Germanic) Futhark, the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc and the Younger (or Viking) Futhark.
The Elder futhark used 24 shapes, while the Anglo-Saxon futhorc added some totalling 33 at most, and 26 in the least. The Younger futhark reduced the numer from teh Elder to only 16.
Runes were used as an alphabet, and as a means of magical writing. The runes of the Anglo-Saxon futhorc were primarily used for mundane writing, which is the reason for the addition, for phonetics, to describe the differences between the languages. The Younger runes were more for magical purposes, and as such, the number was reduced, and my runes did double duty when it came to phonetics.
For these posts, I will deal with only the Elder Futhark, and will only make passing remarks comparing them to the other two primary sets.
The 24 runes of the Elder futhark are typically arranged in three groups of eight, these groups are called “families” or more correctly “aetts.”
First we have Frey’s aett: Fehu, Uruz, Thusisaz, Ansuz, Raidho, Kenaz, Gebo and Wunjo.
Next comes Heimdalr’s aett: Hagalaz, Nauthiz, Isa, Jera, Eiwhaz, Pertho, Algiz, and Sowilu
Tyr’s aett comes last: Tiwaz, Berkana, Ehwaz, Mannaz, Laguz, Inguz, Dagaz, and Othala
The runes also form pairs in two ways, first in a linear way, grouping Fehu with Uruz, Thurisaz with Ansuz, etc. Secondly they can be paired first to last, with Fehu and Othala, Uruz and Dagaz, etc. I have seen them grouped by threes as well, following a vertically linear pattern, but I never really found that grouping to work for me. Grouping in threes results in groups of Fehu, Hagalaz, Tiwaz; Uruz, Nauthiz, Berkana; etc.
The various ways of grouping the runes is for esoteric/magical purposes, and may well be a modern invention (aside from grouping into aetts, which was found in runic inscriptions frequently.)
I think it best to present each of the runes individually at this point, and contiue with groupings afterwards.
I don’t know how often I’ll be posting runes, but each one will have its own post, as will the groupings afterward.
If this comes out anywhere near respectable, I may have to record it and upload it somewhere.
This is a rough draft. I just let it flow out me, and onto the screen. If you have any suggestions on how to make it better or improve the flow, please leave a comment. If you use it and it helps, please leave a comment. If you use it and it doesn’t help, please try a second time, then leave a comment with your overall results, good or bad.
This meditation works best if you are lying down and someone else guides you through it, but it should work well enough if you sit comfortably and read it to yourself (ignoring the close your eyes part.)
First, try to get as comfortable as you can, and close your eyes. Good, now being to imagine the most peaceful place you can think of. It may be quiet forest glen, or a beach by the water. Maybe you prefer a high mountain top, or soaking up the heat of teh sun from sand in a desert. It doesn’t matter where you go, just that it is the most peaceful place you can imagine.
Begin to explore the place with your senses. Let the sights, sounds, scents envelope you. Feel the elements of the area, experience them as though you were really there.
Now, slowly take everything in. Breathe in the air, the smells and tastes. Soak in the feelings of peace that this place is offering to you. Let the sounds pour in through your ears, take all of the sights into your mind. Coalesce these sensations into a bright, pure light.
Let that light fill you. take it in, and let it build up inside you, filling you up with peace and tranquility. The Light will start to pool down in your toes. This is ok, it will fill you completely. As it begins to fill your body, you must let the pressures, stresses, and negativity of everyday life flow out. With each breath you inhale take the light and let it fill you. As you exhale, push the negativity out. Let it flow out of you with each breath. Breath in the light. Exhale the stress. Inhale the peace. Exhale the pressures.
By now you should notice that the peaceful light has filled your feet and is continuing to fill you working its way up through your legs.
Breath in the light. Exhale the stress. Inhale the peace. Exhale the pressures.
Continue letting the peace flow in and the stress flow. Continue breathing in the light. Exhale the darkness.
As the peace fills your groin and belly, and flows through your chest you should be mostly relaxed.
Let the peacefulness surround your torso, filling not just your belly and chest, but also your back and spine.
Soak in the light, let it fill you. Push the darkness out, you don’t need it, it can be purified here in this place of peace. You can change all your stress and pressure into peace and tranquility here.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.
The light fills almost your entire body by now. Flowing down your arms, into your fingers, filling your hands, and filling your arms.
All that is left to fill is your head, your mind. Let the light fill your neck, and up the back of your head, flowing down over your face, peace comes to your chin, and to your mouth. The light fills your forehead and your nose. And now with another breath, let the relaxation fill your eyes, and exhale the last of your stress.
You are completely at peace. This place is your sanctuary. You may return here at any time, and exchange all of your darkness for light. Relax with your light for a while. Remember every little detail of this place. Every time you return here it will become easier and easier to exchange the stress for peace. Take the sights, sounds, scents, tastes and touches of this place and let them share your peace, as they are sharing their peace with you. Rest here as long as you need to.
When you are ready, slowly tense and release every muscle in your body. As you tense up, your are pushing out any last bits of stress or pressure you may have left. As you release, you allow the peace to seep into you, like water into a sponge. Slowly open your eyes, taking that Peace with you as you leave this place, knowing that if you ever need to, you can return here again, at anytime, just by closing your eyes and allowing it to be.