“The moon is full,
and so are my dreams.
Silence is deafening,
and madness wakes,
always howling answers.“
Late Night Thoughts 1 (5/19/2011)
Author: alexiselizabethaella
I enjoy traveling and adventure, Dungeons & Dragons, beekeeping, lucid dreaming, camping, and hoarding books like a dragon. (Last best guess the count is around 4,500.) I am an agnostic pansexual Ravenclaw, who is married to a Hufflepuff that looks like Dexter Morgan.
Letter in the Mailbox (03/29/10)
Leaving the house, I stopped my truck at the end of the driveway to check the mailbox. I was expecting a book. It had arrived, and I held the package and sorted through the rest of the mail.
I came upon an envelope. I flipped it over and there was no writing or address or return address. Nothing identifiable of any kind. It did not look like it was from a business. I opened it up and caught a glimpse of neat lines of handwriting across blank white paper folded crookedly.
My brain reeled. My stomach lurched. My heart jumped as though struck by lightning and it beat with the force of a war drum in my ears. My voice caught in my throat and my breath stopped in my lungs.
For a moment I was frozen in time, standing by the road, haphazardly holding an armful of mail and staring down at the letter in my hands. My brain processed as my eyes read back and forth across the page. Trying to comprehend, trying to identify the handwriting. For a second to which seemed as though in eternity, I thought it was yours. The familiar lean and curve of your letters across to page in black ink.
Everything came together in my mind at last and I realized that the letter was not from you. It was someone else’s familiar handwriting. For only a moment in eternity I had lived with hope and excitement and exaltation and shock. The years of restless lonely longing and silence suddenly forgotten and at an end.
And in an instant all of the things I had been feeling turned to sadness.
Sleepy Hollow 10/2017
I was visiting Washington Irving’s home Sunnyside in Tarrytown New York for the second time, back in 2017. It was October, and they were having a festival and home tour at his estate. There was a booth set up with various activities, and one of them was creating a poem from scraps of paper. So mine was obviously centered around Irving’s most famous Headless Hessian of Sleepy Hollow.
Evocation to the Morrigan (1/16/2018)
Morrigan
Dark triple Goddess, you who make men nervous with your commanding nature,
Endlessly admired by women, powerful Celtic Queen of fate.
You who are worshiped before and upon the field of battle, and can turn the tide of war with a wave of your hand.
I hail to you!
May your many aspects of war, death, fate, and prophecy guide me through the battle of my life.
Morrigan
You who are known as Badb, the hooded crow, the grey wolf of destruction,
You who are known as Nemain, the eel of frenzy and venom.
Your Banshee cry making soldiers fall to their knees, attack their allies, or die of fright.
I hail to you!
May my ferocity and bloodlust match yours, and may you guide me to never be outmatched in battle.
Morrigan
You who are called Macha, defender of our lands and sovereignty
Ever-changing in form, water Goddess of fertility.
The watcher of the cauldron of regeneration, and guardian to the rivers and lakes.
I hail to you!
May I follow your example of courage when defending what is mine or those I love.
Morrigan
Celtic Goddess who reigns supreme during the cold darkness of Samhain.
Mistress to the night, you walk in a cloak of terror casting your curses.
You that chooses who lives and who dies upon the field of battle,
I hail to you!
May you allow me to honor you with fire and blood.
“A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas
I started this book right after Christmas, and have just finished the fourth in the series, and am about to start the most recently released book. This isn’t the usual type of genre I read, but after seeing all the hype about it on the internet and #booktok, I decided to give it a try. This is what I would consider Fantasy/Romance. There are spicy sex scenes, but the book is also full of magic, war, politics, interpersonal relationships, mythological creatures, trauma, Fae, travel, and beautifully described locations. I have been plowing through these fairly quickly, and have really enjoyed the story. The initial books are from one character’s point of view, but later in the series the chapters vary for whom you are reading from. There are some amazing quotes and dialogue, good representations of various forms of trauma and mental health, sexy men, and bad villains who don’t deserve to be redeemed. Overall great read so far. It’s defiantly fantasy, and I wouldn’t say its a standard “romance novel”. Though there is a major love story theme, it walks hand in hand with the plot line of war.
“Children of Blood and Bone” by Tomi Adeyemi
I finished this book a year or so ago, after reading about it online and then my Cousin ended up buying a copy for me for Christmas. I have never read a fiction book so completely seeped in African culture and Mythology, and it was pretty amazing. The story is full of magic, action, love, quests and adventure, war and warriors, mystery, Gods and Goddesses, ancient relics and ruins, and defiantly checks all the boxes. The narrator who does the audiobook for Audible is amazing as well, and really helps with some of the pronunciations, and adds to the immersion of the story with her thick accent. The sequel is currently in my “to-be-read” pile, and I can’t wait to find out what happens. Highly recommended.
Bathtub 02/15/2022
Advent Devotional: 2nd Sunday
A few years ago I began writing Advent devotionals for my family and friends to use. I am personally agnostic but as a child/teenager was raised in the Christian faith. I still enjoy the tradition of the Advent wreathe, and light the candles year to year. Each devotional is specific to the particular theme of the week, and includes Bible verses, prayers, and Christmas carols to sing or listen to. Depending on the specific branch of Catholicism, the theme of each week in Advent varies slightly. I made a personal and Executive decision in choosing which theme to go with for the particular week, while trying to keep it as accurate as possible. These are meant to help those along who want to do something “more” during their lighting, or who don’t have any other material to refrence from. It can be printed off and read together as a group, or done alone. I hope you enjoy.
(Advent Week 2, Second Sunday)
-The “Bethlehem Candle”. Representing faith, preparation, & prophecy.
-Light the first purple candle from last week. Now light the second purple candle. Hold hands (if you want to) and do the readings.
-The themes of the second week of Advent are ones of prophecy, anticipation, and preparation. Prophecies prepared, taught, warned and encouraged people about important events, usually related to their faith. It is about having faith when you are surrounded by mystery and doubt, and a miracle appearing in our life when we least expect it. We have open eyes and yearning hearts, that this might be the Advent to realize the promise of our faith, and to prepare for all the good that will come as a result.
-It is the time of year where we have begun our preparations for the celebration of Christmas. The shops are full of gifts that we might give or receive. Streets are decorated and choirs fill the air with festive song.
-In this season of expectation we prepare to for the birth of the son, and for the Christmas season. We prepare to welcome faith and light into our homes, our hearts, and those often hidden parts of our lives. Jesus entered this world as vulnerable as any one of us. We have our own vulnerabilities-our fears, our insecurities, our sins-all that can separate us from faith. We cannot comprehend the reasoning, only marvel that faith can be strengthened in us by a swaddling babe born in a stable.
Bible Verses: (These were long passages so I referenced them for you to look up, vs putting the entire section.)
-Read “Joseph accepts Jesus as his son” Matthew 1:18-25
-Read “The birth of Jesus” Luke 2:1-21
Family Prayer:
-Stir up our hearts, O Lord. We remember Mary and Joseph, and give thanks for their faithfulness, and courage. Stepping out into the unknown with only the strength of God’s Spirit. We pray that their example might be the pattern of our lives, that we might be ready to listen. And then having listened, to act on any opportunity to strengthen our faith. As we prepare for Christmas, we remember another, John the Baptist, who would prepare a way for us, so our hearts would be ready to receive the light of the One who was to come.
Personal Prayer(s):
-Now is the time to pray any personal prayers you wish. This can be done aloud individually, with a group leader, or silently in your hearts. Prayers should be mindful of the theme of this Sunday.
Music:
-“Mary did you know?” (Penantonix or Carrie Underwood are great ones to listen to)
-“Silent Night”
Advent Devotional: 1st Sunday
A few years ago I began writing Advent devotionals for my family and friends to use. I am personally agnostic but as a child/teenager was raised in the Christian faith. I still enjoy the tradition of the Advent wreathe, and light the candles year to year. Each devotional is specific to the particular theme of the week, and includes Bible verses, prayers, and Christmas carols to sing or listen to. Depending on the specific branch of Catholicism, the theme of each week in Advent varies slightly. I made a personal and Executive decision in choosing which theme to go with for the particular week, while trying to keep it as accurate as possible. These are meant to help those along who want to do something “more” during their lighting, or who don’t have any other material to refrence from. It can be printed off and read together as a group, or done alone. I hope you enjoy.
(Advent Week 1, First Sunday)
-“The Prophet’s Candle”. Representing Hope (or promise)
-Light the first purple candle. Hold hands and do the readings.
Bible Verses:
-Isaiah 9:2
“For The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; and upon those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. For to us, a child will be born.
-Romans 13:11-14
“It is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and darkness.”
Family Prayer:
-For now is the first Sunday of Advent-a time representing Hope, and all that goes with it. The longest night is yet to come, but thereafter, the Sun returns and we are born again into the light of longer days. We have hope for the bonds we shall form as our family and friends join together in festive celebrations. We have hope that we have enough food and warmth to gaurentee our survival through the long Winter. We have hope for the eventual return of spring and the birth of new life after the long quiet slumber. We have hope for all the blessings and miracles that will come to us this Christmas.
Personal Prayer(s):
-Now is the time to pray any personal prayers you wish, for yourself, your family, your friends, your life. This can be done aloud and everyone shares their own, or silently in your hearts. One person can also lead a group prayer. It’s whatever your group/family wants to do. Prayers should be mindful of the theme of this specific Sunday of Advent.
Music:
-Sing the Carol together: O come, O come Emmanuel
-Or listen to- Awake, O Sleeper by Ike Ndolo
Howl (03-24-2011)
And then, in total darkness except for a light pole next to their house; it began.
A solitary howl; slow and deep, and then another voice broke out, and another. Until the howls of the wolves filled up the air and sky around us, filling in all the places between the trees and within my own body.
Their deep booms and high yips and guttering throat calls and chanting, fitting together in perfect time. A choir of ghosts. Wailing cries of wandering souls in the night.
Then, without any sign of a change, they crescendo, all howls becoming one. The voice of a great and ancient god, a sound that makes my very atoms vibrate.
There is not an instrument made by the hands of man that could come close to creating the sound of a wolf crying. A familiar call to my soul.
AEL Library & Archives 