Hello friends - I wanted to pop on here to give you guys an update on where I've been, which is not something I usually do. But this time around, I have had so many external life events hit me like a ton of bricks that I am truly incapable of posting and I wanted to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for sticking around while I'm going through this period of transition.

Starting at the end of July, I have had back to back intense things happening in my life. First, the garage of my building burned down. No one was hurt and thankfully none of my stuff was in there as it wasn't my garage, but it took out both the electricity and WiFi for over a week, which left me calling the company every day to harass them about repairs, trying to find other confidential places to work (since as a therapist I can't just go to a cafe), and largely not being at my house. Then that same week, my mom was unexpectedly diagnosed with breast cancer. It is stage 1, but her treatment plan has been more complicated by a number of factors and I am her primary caregiver. We don't live in the same city, I don't have a job where it is easy for me to take off of work, and - those of you that have been with me a while know this - I had cancer myself 10 years ago so this is bringing up a lot of trauma from that time. I ultimately believe she will get through this, but it is a lot. Then I had my car break down and need a new alternator, which one of my partners was able to fix thankfully but still had my car out of commission for multiple days. Then I had to make the painful decision to end one of my 3 year+ relationships for a number of reasons, but there was a final straw regarding my birthday which was especially hurtful. And finally, right after that breakup, I came down with an awful cold that I am still currently battling, probably because of all the stress from the last handful of weeks taking a toll on my immune system.

I'm telling you all of this not for pity, but because I know I'm not the only one going through it right now. And also to thank you for hanging in there and having faith that I'll be back to creating soon. I have so many things I want to be doing, and it's been very hard to not be able to lean into my creative outlets. My mom is about to have surgery at the beginning of September and then I am traveling to the UK for SJ's wedding (many of you probably know her but she's one of my best friends through Youtube that I've known for over a decade now), but I am hopeful that after I return, I will be able to get back to my creative outlets, reading more again, etc.

If you are also going through a lot right now, please know that I am sending my love. We'll get through this.

See you soon.

xo Sam

Hi all - at this point, my personal celebrations of the Wheel of the Year are just disappointing. I was all geared up after the move to be ready for summer solstice. I have great outdoor space, I'm close to a number of friends at my new location, and I had plans for a little bonfire. The weather had been lovely the day before. I woke up on the day of the Solstice to.... rain. And 65 degrees F. I tried to still muster up the energy to do something to celebrate, but not being able to even see the sun in the sky, it just didn't happen for me. Bonfire plans were cancelled and I spent the day inside working on an editing project. Maybe this year is just not going to work out for me for witchy holiday celebrations, since I have not yet been able to celebrate one this year. Thankfully, they are a season and not just one day, even though we do tend to celebrate on one day. So let's see what the focus is of this season.

NORTHERN HEMISPHERE: SUMMER SOLSTICE/MIDSUMMER

The Solstice is, you guessed it, another fire festival. These spring and summer holidays especially tend to be fire festivals. The Solstice is the longest day of the year and a celebration of the sun and the peak of summer. This has always thrown me off, as for me, June never seems like the peak of summer. Instead it seems like the very beginning. So knowing the days get shorter from here is not my favorite. But we still have plenty of sunlight ahead and that is what this celebration is for. Much like Beltane before it, this is a holiday that is a celebration of fertility (particularly the peak of the growing season), as well as the connection to the fae. When thinking of the wheel of the year, I like to think of balance. The light half of the year tends to be about fertility and the fae while the dark half of the year is about rest and the dead.

For reading during this season, focus on action - whatever that means for you. Maybe a fast-paced thriller or scifi. Or maybe continue the romance streak you had earlier in the year. Maybe a book with short chapters that is easy to fly through. Or a short book altogether. For non-fiction, the focus should be action as well. Maybe a how-to, or something more action-based than just theory.

Outside of reading, this time of year is about being outside and soaking up as much of the warm weather as possible (even if you hate being hot like I do). Go out and commune with nature. Spend time in a garden if you have one, or have access to one. Go to a local body of water. Make the most out of the extra hours in the day.

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE: WINTER SOLSTICE/YULE

On the other side of the world, you are experiencing the darkest days of the year. From here, the sun will start to come back. Winter Solstice is about the hope of welcoming the sun back. But there's still rest to be had. Now is not the time for a lot of movement or action. It is instead about sitting on the lessons you learned during the rest of the year, and contemplating them. You aren't even to the point that you are planting the next seeds yet. Instead, you are reflecting.

For reading, I recommend something slow, whether that's fiction or non-fiction. Something you can take your time with and absorb. Maybe something you've been putting off for a while. Now is the time.

Outside of reading, this time is all about rest. Don't try to make winter anything that it isn't. You are a mammal. Mammals are supposed to rest. Everything in nature is resting and storing up energy. Indulge in more naps if you need to. Do quieter hobbies or activities. Don't fill up your calendar. There is time for all that action during the rest of the year.

xoxo Sam

Hey all - another delayed witchy holiday post. This one because I was moving literally on May 1st and have since been unpacking + gearing up for BookNet Fest this weekend. All of that combined with getting items needed for this specific apartment (a frustrating after-moving task), my laptop charger breaking, and Tali having a UTI and going to urgent care (she's fine now - on antibiotics)... Needless to say, I haven't been online much. And so far this year, life and external forces have prevented me from celebrating any of the wheel of the year so far this year. But I am hopeful about summer and fall, especially now that I'm settled.

NORTHERN HEMISPHERE: BELTANE

Beltane is a fire festival halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice, and in the modern definition, it represents the first spoke in the light half of the year. This is when we really start to see it warming up and spring is definitely here, even if the chill is still hanging on in your neck of the woods. Spring flowers like tulips and daffodils have sprouted and the sun continues to shine later into the day. Many people start their gardens right before or right after this time (for me in Chicago, many people consider Mother's Day to be a good marker for when to plant seedlings and have them survive). Like many of the festivals during the spring and summer months, Beltane is primarily a fertility festival. In various traditions around this time, a May Pole is danced around, which is a phallic symbol, and there are various stories of different gods and goddesses unions being celebrated around this time. But fertility can mean many things. It is primarily about growth, and now is a good time for lighting that creative spark.

For reading this month, because Beltane is the most "passionate" of the wheel of the year holidays, it is a good time to involve some romance in your life. Now, if you want to keep it simple and just read a romance book, great. But if romance isn't really your thing, you can take this whatever way you want. For non-fiction readers, engaging with the history of marriage or even about relationships outside of romantic relationships. Fiction readers also don't have to go the romance route entirely. Maybe choose a book set in a setting you find romantic, whether real or fictional.

Other than reading, you have a plethora of activities to engage in that coincide with spring. Last holiday, at Ostara, I encouraged you to start coming out of hibernation and begin the spring cleaning process. That's sometimes a long process so keep it up! With moving, I have been continuing to make adjustments to my living space and it feels very aligned with spring and nesting :) Continue to be out in nature. Get to know what birds start coming through your area at this time. Pay attention to local plants. Slow down and notice the changing weather. Do things to spark your creativity. The veil is also thinner at this time of year, much like Samhain is on the opposite side of the wheel. But this time of year, I find the veil is thinner in relation to fae and otherworld creatures vs ancestors. Both are present, I just find ancestors to be moreso in autumn. So if it aligns with you, take some time to get in touch with your local land spirits this time of year.

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE: SAMHAIN

Ah Samhain - the most classic of the wheel of the year holidays. This time of year is all about releasing, reaping the final harvest, and settling down into winter. The leaves are falling from trees, animals are going into hibernation, and everything is starting to slow down. This time of year is about those final preparations for winter.

Reading wise, this is a good time for finales. Finish up a series, or finally DNF something you've been hanging on to. Maybe unhaul some books that have been taking up space and don't resonate with you anymore.

Outside of reading, now is a good time to get in touch with ancestors and the past. The veil is thin at this time of year, and it is a great time for introspection and ancestor work. Take up (or return to) journaling or a tarot practice. Make plans for how you are going to lean into winter and enjoy it for what it is. Say goodbye to this years growing season and take those lessons with you.

See you all at the solstice!