10 Children’s Books You Should Read As An Adult

Someone shared this on facebook and I was intrigued which books The Autism site had picked, here are their top 10:

1. Where The Wild Things Are

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Oh Max. He just wanted a little independence! At the end of the day, while it is nice to have people listen to you, the ones who are willing to give you some tough love are worth fighting for. After all, if they stuck around while you were causing a wild rumpus, they must be pretty special.

2. I’ll Love You Forever

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As a kid, this is such a reaffirming book, with the message that your parents love you even when you flush their favorite watch down the toilet! As an adult, this book is an insightful reminder how we are to love our parents as they age, and the role of caretaker is sometimes reversed. Go ahead, grab some tissues when re-reading this one!

3. Goodnight Moon

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Now, you may be thinking, “seriously? Goodnight Moon?” And my answer is a resounding, “you bet.” Here’s the thing; when was the last time you stopped to be thankful for the moon? This book is an excellent reminder to slow down at the end of the day, and take stock of what we are thankful for.

4. Where The Sidewalk Ends

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Dear Mr. Silverstein, my childhood would have been vastly different had you not blessed the world with your words and drawings. Rest in peace. Seriously though, all of Shel Silverstein’s books are golden. He has such a gift for taking apart the world and repackaging it in such a way that is, admittedly, a little strange, yet simple to understand. For a list of the most treasured Shel Silverstein quotes, check out this article!

 

5. The Little Engine That Could

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This is one of those books that you just know is going to stick with you for the rest of your life. I can’t even begin to count how many times my mom quoted, “I think I can, I think I can,” when I was complaining about how I will never be able to finish this homework, or memorize that piano piece in time for the recital. Annoying? Yes. Effective? Absolutely.

6. Oh, The Places You’ll Go

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This quote says it all. You are smart, and you are able, so go out there and live!

7. Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

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I think my parents first knew I was a realist, (or as some people call it, a pessimist) when I chose this as my favorite book in 2nd grade. The struggle is real, and Alexander is such a champ. He even learns a thing or two about how maybe, just maybe, the way to handle bad days isn’t by running away, but by facing them head on.

8. A Series Of Unfortunate Events

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Confession: I love these books. I love the weird quotes and descriptions that make familiar situations seem strange and new, and the strange experiences oddly familiar. If you haven’t already read these books, I highly recommend them, even though they are aimed towards junior readers.

9. The Giver

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This was my first introduction to dystopian literature, and I ate up every word. While the purpose of this book is to show that we need to experience that bad things in life in order to truly appreciate what makes good things good, this lesson hits us differently as adults. For most of us reading this in 5th grade, not many truly terrible things had happened to us; so while we could appreciate the theory of what Lois Lowry was trying to say, as adults we have actually experienced tragedy. And we may need some reminding of why pain is necessary.

10. Winnie-the-Pooh

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Such wisdom from a forrest full of characters. Pooh and his friends encounter some unique situations, and teach us how to deal with different kinds of people from the melancholy (Eeyore), to the anxious (Piglet), and even our hyper-active friends (Tigger).

Read more on the original post.

 

I will do my top 10 soon, it only includes 1 of these, can you guess which one? 

 

Love Dotty xx

Sometimes when things are falling apart

Darling it's OK to have a wobble, to feel not quite right, its OK to grieve, to cry, to feel sad when things are not going the way you would like. One day you will look back and realise it was all part of the plan, you are exactly where you are meant to be right now, no matter what you are going through, we have your back, we love and support you.

Take it one day at a time, just breathe deeply and know you are safe. 

Love Dotty xx

Make 2016 your best year yet in life or business!

I joined the academy about 5 weeks ago after quitting my full time job at the council, I wanted to work for myself which I had done in the past but not had lasting success, it kinda peaked and ebbed a lot, well I wanted to do it properly, I want to make my dreams come true, I want to be able to help support my family and help the boys set up for their early adult years without getting a job they hate.

I knew I had to get my arse into gear and do it properly, not just be half hearted with it. I wrote a post here about how I discovered what I wanted to do. Through the academy I have got such a supportive of magical women who are there at all different levels of business and life to advise and help. It is truly is amazing what I have achieved in such a short time with Leonie's help and the help of the academy, anyway the whole point of this post is, we are all very excited because an integral part of this is the magical workbook, ta da!!

How good are they?:

 “The 2016 Create Your Shining Year Biz & Life workbooks and brand spankin’ new weekly planner are incredibly popular & useful tools to help you plan out & make happen your most incredible year in life or business (or both!).

Over the last seven years, thousands of women have used these goals workbooks with the most amazing results. It’s the best planning tool available to help you make your year your most exceptional yet!
Used by entrepreneurs, artists, mamas, creatives, coaches, teachers and women of all ages, the Creating Your Shining Year workbooks + daily planner are filled with powerful worksheets to help you create your amazing new year.

I know we haven't finished 2015 yet, but a little forward planning never did any harm, right? ;)
Printing out Leonie_Dawson’s 2016 Life + Biz Planner, has you oohing and ahing over every page!

Love Dotty xx

Becoming a goddess

I went to an amazing dance, drum and meditation workshop last night at Chakra studios in Penwortham and I woke up this morning realising the goddess inside is slowly blossoming and I am letting her out into the world without shame or embarrassment. The fine balance of my inner child, goddess and woman is pulling and pushing, I am learning to align myself so each and every wonderful part of me blooms.

Sometimes I feel like I am watching from the outside, peering in and this weird creature trying to find herself in a sea of devastation, trying to access all this amazing energy that shines from lightworkers, I realise that the words I use have changed, that the universe has opened it portal for me to enter and this is weird to people, this is like I am wearing a costume in a play written by someone else.

But I feel so myself now, I feel like this is the true me that has come out and wants to encourage other women to do the same. be brave, be fearless (I still wobble when I get the look or the comments from the level 1s) I am not wholly confident (even though you guys looking in would think I am).

I wonder about going back, can you go back once your eyes have been opened, can you undo all the knowledge?  I really don't think you can, I think that you have come so far and you can only go forward.

Women have so many identities, so many strings in the bow to keep going, carers, mothers, friends, sisters, nurses, cooks etc we have to be all of that plus so much more.

Helpful links for you

Some things that are helping me massively right now are:

Leonies Business Goddess eCourse

Lynn Avis angel Goddess

My beautiful yoga teacher

Circle of stars life letter

and many beautiful gorgeous goddesses that are doing amazing things in the world, thank you all for just being <3 br="">

Sending peace all over the world not just Paris

Sending peace all over the world 

Not just to one country but to all countries, not to one type of people but to all people, not to favour one religion but to all religions, not to who is right or wrong, not to who is poor or rich but to everyone no matter what their circumstances. There are many bad things happening everyday all over the planet, the media only seem to report on the ones they choose to, the ones that have a hidden agenda, we are all humans, we are all living in this world, not matter what colour our skin, no matter where in the world we live, no matter what language we speak, no matter how we die or what or who killed us, we all have families, mums, dads, brothers, sisters, children that will miss us. If everyone put down their weapons, if everyone woke up tomorrow and agreed to love and help each other, war wouldn't exist. The greed, the governments and the elite few who want us to be puppets and hate, are the only ones gaining from these disasters and war.

Did you know around the world this week as well as the Paris killings, Indonesia is burning  , 41 people have been killed by bombs in Lebanon 4 killed in a bomb attack in Thailand 18 killed and 41 injured in Baghdad bombing 3 dead in Turkey after roadside bomb explodes a father and son killed in Israel in drive by shooting 

It's not only humans that are suffering , more than 200,000 acres of rain forests across the world have been destroyed today, 
259200000 animals (not including sea creatures or fish) have been slaughtered today, that means more than 3,000 animals die every second in slaughterhouses around the world.

795 million people in the world do not have enough food or any food to eat today.

At least 2714 people will sleep rough in UK tonight (this figure is probably higher because there is no real way of recording the exact numbers.

I could go on and on at the devastation and destruction in our world, everyday tragedies happen and no one notices unless it is on the news or plastered on facebook.

So what can YOU do?

 Start with you and your behaviour and check your own opinions, that's how you can change things, start with teaching your children everyone is beautiful and peace is the only way. Share love, compassion and be helpful. Don't believe everything you read/hear/see especially on the news (which is owned by 6 companies). Don't feel helpless, you can make a difference, lead by example, do the things you can right now, for example help an elderly neighbour, teach someone how to cook from scratch, make a packed lunch for a homeless person, speak your truth and talk to people about what is really going on and share your knowledge, don't watch the news, don't read those crappy magazines like That's life ( I had to google real life magazines because I don't know the names of them but I have seen the rubbish stories on the front when I'm in line in the supermarket). They fill your head with fear. 

There are plenty of wonderful things going on in the world too, plenty of people making a difference. Be one of them.

Love Dotty xx




 

Butterfly Spirit Animal & Totem

 

We was having a bit of fun after tea, doing quizzes and I discovered the spirit animal quiz. Imagine my suprise and delight when my animal came out as a butterfly! So I'm sharing it it here as a reminder for myself, plus info for you lovely folks too. Have a go and see what spirit animal you are.

 

This was found on the Spirit animal website:

The butterfly is one of the most emblematic totem animals symbolizing personal transformation. If you see the butterfly as your totem or spirit animal, pay attention to the areas in your life or personality that are in need of profound change or transformation. Perhaps, this animal totem guides you to be sensitive to your personal cycles of expansion and growth, as well as the beauty of life’s continuous unfolding. An important message carried by the spirit of the butterfly is about the ability to go through important changes with grace and lightness. 

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Butterfly Symbolism

What is the meaning of the butterfly? This animal totem is primarily associated with symbolism of change and transformation.

• Powerful transformation, metamorphosis in your life, personality
• Moving through different life cycles
• Renewal, rebirth
• Lightness of being, playfulness
• Elevation from earthly matters, tuning into emotional or spiritual
• The world of the soul, the psyche

A secondary meaning of the butterfly is about finding joy in life and lightness of being.

The butterfly is a symbol of powerful transformations. By analogy to the development of this animal, the meaning associated with the butterfly emphasizes the ability to move from one state, perspective, lifestyle to another.
When the butterfly comes into your life as spirit guide, you may be going through or expect important changes in your life.  More than changes in your environment, the transformation the butterfly totem points to are more internal: They could be related to your own perspective on a subject, aspects of your personality, or personal habits. Personal transformation is emblematic of the butterfly symbolism.
Do you want more abundance and success in your life? Your personal vibration frequency could be the thing holding you back. To start raising your energetic frequency today, you’ll want to download the Energetic Breakthrough Kit from Christie Sheldon. This proven method includes a few things but most of all check out the heart center awakening meditation! Click here to get your free energetic breakthrough kit.

Butterfly totem symbol of joy and lightness of being

When the butterfly shows up in your life as a spirit animal or totem, it might indicate the need to look at a conflicting situation with more lightness and different perspective. This totem animal is symbolic of lightness of being and elevation from the heaviness of tensions.
This power animal invites those who have a connection with it to bring joy and bliss into their lives. Butterflies often have bright colors. By extension, they are associated with aliveness and brightness. The message of this totem animal is to lighten up and add more color to your life. Perhaps it’s time to express yourself more fully and show your colorful personality.

The Butterfly and the world of the Soul

In many traditions around the world, the butterfly is a symbol of the soul or soul world. For example, in Chinese symbology, it can represent immortality. For the Japanese, a white butterfly symbolizes the soul the departed ones.
In Ancient Greece, butterflies represent the psyche or soul, and its attribute of immortality.

Calling the butterfly totem for support

The butterfly is a powerful animal to call when you need support in times of transition, whether it’s at work, in a relationship, or when you’re doing inner work. Great ally during intense periods of personal transformation, it will add ease and lightness to the process.
This power animal is a good inspiration for adding more color into your life and self-expression. Those who have the butterfly as a totem animal may be naturally inclined to express themselves openly, to reflect their colors into their environment.
Do you want to have more success and joy in your life? The best way to do this is by learning more about your name through numerology. It is a 4,000 year old science that can help you learn the meaning of your name, because your name was no accident! All it takes is your name and date of birth, click here to get your free personalized numerology reading.

Losing friends and don't know why?

I always say friends are like flowers, some are annual, so only around for a short time, some are bi-annual so they remain in the background, popping up now and then and then there are perrenial friends, who are there for you always, as we change and grow on our journey some friends, even perrenials wont 'get you', they just won't understand why you have changed. They may feel hurt because they are stuck (but don't know it) and feel the distance between you growing bigger.
  

It is not your job to 'fix' them, it is up to them to accept you and your changes and also to work on themselves why they feel this way (sometimes this won't happen of course and you end up parting ways). Once you become awakened or conscious, you can't go back. 
 I have had friends, ones that I have known for 12+ years say hurtful things, like 'why are you wearing THAT!? you're not in costume you know' or when I was being picked up by a friend for a day out 'You're not coming out like that with me, go back in and put normal clothes on'. These 'friends' thought it was ok to speak to me in that way because 12 years ago I wore jeans and a T-shirt and they are still stuck in that time.

I also love the eye rolling, when you talk about something like how your job is now being an artist. They patronise you with comments and sometimes even offers of money 'if you are struggling' (even though I haven't mentioned anything about money, just my passion for making beautiful art).

Understanding levels

We have to understand though, that we have come a long way and grown on our paths in life and some people are still at a crossroads or stuck in a dead end. 

My yoga teacher summed it up really well, she said we are all on levels, level 5 being the highest spiritually awakend, level 1 is your average un-concious, robot like person (when I say robot I mean stuck in the 9-5, watching tv, listening to the news) when dealing with people if you class them as a level in your head, it makes it easier to understand where they are coming from and to have empathy for the words they speak or there actions. 

I have been doing Leonie Dawson's business goddess Ecourse (which is amazing by the way) which says you are the average of the 5 people you spend most of your time with, so choose carefully!

So going back to my yoga teachers level idea, you need to discover which level you are and then surround yourself with your level or higher to enable you to grow. 

As you proceed, on your journey, it's sad to say farewell to old friends but it is also important for you to realise this is not your fault, you haven't done anything wrong, you are not a bad friend, life changes, people change and some remain exactly the same (I am sure you all know someone who is living the exact same lifestyle now, that they did in there early 20's. We are meant to evolve, we are meant to learn, we are meant to change. So do it safe in the knowledge that you will make new friends who resonate with your soul.

Unleash your power

Everyone has a gift to give or share with the world, some people know straight away what that gift is, others need time to grow and figure it out, some people don’t ever know they have a gift because they never work on themselves, I am guessing because you are reading this you don’t fall into the last category.

Inside you is amazing power, the power to heal, the power to make wonderful things happen, the power to choose your destiny.

To tap into this power will make you very happy, fulfilled and rich in all aspects of your life.

I have 2 sayings

1. Thank you

2. What’s the worst that can happen?

These words have propelled me throughout my awakened life and will continue to do so for ever more.

Throughout everything I have learned the number one thing to make you brilliant is gratitude, being thankful and believing you can do amazing things turns your life around,  being thankful everyday about all things makes you a happier and positive person, this in turn makes you attractive, fun to be around, makes you capable of achieving all your dreams, unlocks areas in your life you didn’t know could be amazing, and makes you open to opportunities and have the courage to go for them. 

Make sure you use the words ( and mean them ) Thank you, every day, all day from the minute you wake up “ thank you for granting me another day”, “Thank you for a bed to sleep in” to last thing at night “ Thank you for all the abundance I have received today”, “thank you for  a good nights sleep”

What's the worst  that can happen makes you think of the truly horrific, the absolutely most hideous outcome, then you always (normally) realise that it isn't that bad after all, this eleviates the worry factor and makes you more inclined to take a chance. 

                         Photo found on Manifest your dreams

Be positive. Believe that you can do it! Don’t focus on the negatives. Your brain doesn’t have an image for words like ‘won’t’ &  ‘don’t’ so when you say things like ‘I don’t want to fail’ your brain has to actually picture you failing which then takes your focus off your goal.

Like a butterfly emerging....

Do you remember the post I wrote about following my dreams? well if you are a regular reader you may of noticed a makeover on the blog, I have spent the past couple of days re-branding to fit in with me and my journey, when I started blogging 5 years ago I was a very different person to who I am now, the old image doesn't fit anymore, it served its purpose for who I was then but now I am emerging like a butterfly into my own being.

I did a makeover on my website and Etsy page plus my Facebook pages too, phew I have been busy!

I am trusting in the universe that my dream can come true, I have signed up to Leonie's Academy to guide me on my way and I have even cleaned my home from top to bottom to give me the boost I need to get creating in a more organised way. I feel I have grown up and realised who I am and what I'm meant to be doing this past year. And I love it!!!

I wanted to share these cards I finished last night, I am in love with the rainbow colours on these.

You know change is a good thing but sometimes it's hard when you have to leave others behind, I am sorry to any readers who feel they don't resonate with me now, who may think I'm to woo woo for them or who are thinking, "where has this come from". It's been a process and I have been scared almost, of changing my online presence in case I upset any of you, but I was only upsetting myself by not being who I really am meant to be at this moment. This hasn't suddenly happened, I have been keeping my inner thoughts to myself and now it's time to speak my truth, so if you don't like me or the things I am discussing then I am sure there are other wonderful blogs/social media sites who will fill up your heart with love, go find them and have a wonderful time.

Love Dotty x

Magic is within

Menstruation truths

The more in touch with myself and the universe I have become, the more sensitive I am especially around my period, for a couple of days leading up to the blood flowing, I am ratty, weepy and feel off balance, then when my blood flows, the lower back ache begins, I cry a lot, I think of all the tragedy in the world and feel helpless. I wallow in my own world for a couple of days, I choose to keep my pj's on and watch films, mainly romance or happy ones, I nap, I knit or crochet or draw. It never used to be this way, before I was 'aware' I used to plow on with life and shout, scream and cry, mainly though I was a real grumpy bitch to live with. I believed I was conditioned that PMS is OK and that it was like this for all women (at least that's what the media portrays).

I am still not as crunchy as many women when it comes to periods and menstruation blood, I still use unbleached pads, I would like to make my own to reuse when this box runs out, I don't fancy a mooncup as I get cramps and think it would feel uncomfy to me. A couple of cycles ago I used some fabric to collect my blood and put it on the soil where chili peppers are growing, this did feel a little weird to me but I felt connected, this last cycle I had the urge to squat outside and let my blood drop on the earth (I didn't do it because my ego wouldn't allow it in case the neighbours saw).

I am on a journey, as we all are though and one day I will go with the flow and do exactly as my body wants. Until then I am really glad of the way the Internet connects us to others who are further on their journey to inspire us and make us feel like we are still OK.

The magic of menstruation

I love Wild Woman Speaks Blog, she speaks so much truth.
This is an extract of one of her posts:

Here are the top five things I've learned about the magic of menstruation over the course of my experience in naturalizing my moon cycle:

1. Women are powerful when bleeding. When I think of women's power while bleeding, I always think of this quote by Mary Crow Dog in her book, Lakota Woman: "Menstruating women should not take part in ceremonies because a woman's period is considered so powerful that it wipes out any other power and renders rituals ineffective."
In many cultures that came before us, a woman was considered to be extremely powerful while she was bleeding. This is far from the case in our current society, where women's menstruation has come to be considered essentially a pathology. Certain cultures even believed women's menstrual blood to be the "Amrita" or nectar, containing magical healing properties. We can learn from these cultures who have come before us as we choose to re-sacralize our moon cycle.

2. Women are highly intuitive and even psychic whilst bleeding. I find that when I'm on my moon cycle, I enter an even more heightened state of intuition. I believe that all women are highly intuitive by nature, but my experience has shown me that it is even more increased while we menstruate. I feel far more "psychic nudges" while I am bleeding, and feel that I receive even more clear readings on people and guidance toward what is next on my path in life. This is not uncommon for women to experience feelings of being "psychic" while menstruating. It simply requires a deeper level of listening and opening to receiving the wisdom that is available to us during our moon cycle.

3. Women are inclined to self-heal during their moon cycle. My experience of my moon cycle has been that any challenges in my life that I have yet to deal with, come up to be addressed when I am bleeding. If there is a conversation I've been putting off having with someone, an issue arising in my work, or something in general in my life that doesn't seem to be in the flow, that challenge comes straight to the forefront during my moon cycle. It feels like it comes straight to the surface, asking to be dealt with or healed so that I can move forward into the rest of my cycle operating with clarity.

4. We self-cleanse when we menstruate. That's right, our menstrual cycle provides us with a free monthly physical AND emotional cleanse. When we menstruate, our blood is carrying all kinds of toxins out of our body with it. How magical is that? Not only does is our body naturally ridding ourselves of toxins during our menstruation, but I believe our moon cycles are an opportunity for emotional "purging" of sorts. Think "PMS". While our moon cycles can be deeply pleasurable, they are often a time when we release intense anger, rage, sadness, grief, etc. I see this as an opportunity where we can "feel it to heal it", in a sense, allowing ourselves to release the emotion.

5. Women's bodies are synchronized with the lunar cycle. A woman's menstrual cycle as a whole is structured to follow the same flow as the lunar cycle. Traditionally, women tended to bleed with the New Moon and ovulate with the Full Moon, our bodies cleansing and renewing with the dying back of the Dark Moon and coming to fertile abundance with the growing Full Moon. The average woman's menstrual cycle is 29.5 days, as is the lunar cycle. I find the connection between our menstruation and the lunar cycle to be so magical, knowing that our bodies are cosmically connected to the Universe at all times. Looking up at the moon (or lack thereof depending on the phase) is a beautiful reminder of the magic that lives within our body as a woman.

Read the whole thing here

Love Dotty x

Samhain blessings

Happy belated Samhain

I spent the day cleaning my living room and giving the summer altar a much needed clean and setting it ready for the dark nights, Autumn and Samhain. We lit the fire for the first time this year and remembered loved ones who are no longer with us, I got my knitting out for the first time too and knitted up a gorgeous headband but when I tried it on it didn't suit me at all, so it will be going up for sale in my Etsy shop soon.

We only had one trick or treater this year too which was a blessing as the dogs get really edgy when the door keeps going, I did some healing on my youngest son who is having a bad time lately, I did it in secret though when he was in bed because he doesn't like any of my 'fairy crap' as he calls it! (charming I'm sure) #keepingitreal

So what on earth is Samhain?

Samhain (*Note: Samhain is pronounced sowen, soween, saw-win, saw-vane or sahven, not sam-hayne)
Halloween, Winter Nights, All Hallows Eve - October 31st
Other names for Samhain include Samhuin, Samain, Saman, Oidhche Shamhna, Hallowe'en, Halloween, Hallows, Hallowtide, Shadow Fest, Allantide, Third Harvest, Harvest Home, Geimredh, Day of the Dead (Feile na Marbh), Feast of the Dead, Spirit Night, Candle Night, November Eve, Nutcrack Night, Ancestor Night and Apple Fest.
Christian names for it include All Hallows Eve (although some churches fix that as November 7), Hallows Eve, Santos, Devil Night and Mischief Night. It is also called Martinmas, but that is properly the name for the actual cross quarter day which occurs when the sun reaches its power point in Scorpio. Some church calendars fix November 11 as Martinmas.
Samhain (Summer's End) is one of our four Greater Sabbats, the highest holy day of witches. It is a cross quarter day, situated between Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice. Samhain is a major festival with several aspects. It is new year's eve for witches, as well as our third and final harvest festival. Samhain inaugurates Winter, is the final chance to dry herbs for winter storage, and a night when fairies supposedly afoot working mischief. It is also the Day of the Dead for us as it was for the Celts, Egyptians and ancient Mexicans, the night when we remember our loved ones and honour our ancestors. We also celebrate reincarnation and note the absence the Sun (the god), who will be reborn at Winter Solstice as the Child of Promise. Astrologically, Samhain marks the rising of the Pleiades. 
Read the rest of this wonderful article on  The white goddess.co.uk

How did you celebrate?

Love Dotty x