Blessed Samhain

Samhain - November-Coming-Fire [full album, HQ, HD]

[We are in the home stretch of our campaign.Now at 58% with four days to go! Consider donating to The Wild Hunt. You make it possible for us to continue to provide a platform for our communities important news. What better way to celebrate this October season!Donate to a news organization that supports your spiritual community.Donate to The Wild Hunt today.]

Today is when many modern Pagans celebrate Samhain. This holiday marks the start of winter and the new year according to the old Celtic calendar. It is a time when the ancestors are honored, divination is performed, and festivals are held in honor of the gods. Samhain is also recognized as the final harvest before the long winter ahead. It is perhaps the best-known and most widely celebrated of all the modern Pagan holidays.

Samhain- colored pencil on linen [Susan Korsnick, 2016]

During this season, other celebrations and festivals are also being held such as Velu Laiks (the time of spirits) by Baltic Pagans, lfablt or the Scandanavian Sacrifice to the Elves, Winter Nights by satr, Foundation Night in Ekklesa Antnoou, Allelieweziel by the Urglaawe tradition, Fete Gede by Vodou practitioners, Da de los Muertos for followers of Santeria and several indigenous religions in Mexico and Latin America, Diwali for Hindus (beginning Oct. 30 this year, it runs for five days) and the astrological Samhain on Nov. 6 for some Witches and Druids. Finally, in the Southern Hemisphere, many Pagans are currently celebrating Beltane.

Here are some thoughts shared by Pagans and polytheists about this time of year:

On this day, the world of our physical reality and the world of our spiritual reality come together and communicate. It is a time of connecting with our ancestors and offering gratitude for their part in our lives. I always incorporate a knotting/braiding activity in my ritual. I take three pieces of red yarn or ribbon about 20 inches long and begin braiding them and knotting in groups of three, with each knot, I invite and say aloud the name of the ancestor to my ritual celebration. I recount how they have positively impacted my life and offer gratitude for their presence in my life now and when they were alive. When I am done, I place the braid on my altar for the year to represent how they are woven into my life and to keep that energy alive. Katie Pifer, What is Samhain?

In Urglaawe, the Wild Hunt is Holle gathering up the souls of the Dead, and then on Walpurgisnacht she grinds them in her mill so they can go on to the next life. I like that better than the idea of Vallhalla, which I always thought seemed too Christian-influenced. The thing is, once youre ground in the mill, what is left of you? Is it anything recognizable as being you anymore? The person you were still becomes just a memory. Amanda the Conqueror, Celebrating Allelieweziel this year

I got up early and before going to work I shaved my head, as I often have on this day as well. I like hair on ones scalpmine and others (other hair? Not so much!), and so I didnt want to do it, and in fact I really dont like doing it (and I like doing it even less on-my-own/without assistance), but it wouldnt be a sacrifice (in the modern colloquial sense) if it werent difficult. But, it is an important sign of mourning, an important aspect of Egyptian sacerdotal practice (though I am not entirely hairless at the moment, like they were), and it also ends up giving me a small pile (and smaller every year, sadly) of materials to give in offering at various places in the future. P. Sufenas Virius Lupus, Sacred Nights of Antinous 2016Death of Antinous

Samhain Altar [Wilhelmine, DeviantArt]

And, Siobhan Johnson suggests 10 things to do on Samhain.

Many people who have been active members of our collective communities have crossed the veil this past year, including:Carl Llewellyn Weschcke, Marc Pourner, Scott Walters, Richard Reidy, Daniel Kaufman, Jean Williams, Crystal Tier, Morgan McFarland, John Belham-Payne, A.J. Gooch, JD Taylor, Gavin Frost,Lydia Miller Ruyle, David Babulski, Nikki Bado, Michael Wiggins, Scott Symonds, Lady Epona, John Ravenmoon, Charlie Murphy, Margarian Bridger, Tisha Gill, Fallon Smart,Seb Barnett, Lady Flora, Bryan David Zell, Carole Kitchenwitch. There are also many otherswho have not been not named here but who have touchedour individual lives, our practices, and our communities. What is remembered, lives.

May you have a blessed Samhain. May peace fall upon you and your beloved dead during this season. Let this be a new cycle of quiet joy and renewed blessings for all of you.

Support The Wild Hunt! Donate Today.

Source: http://wildhunt.org/2016/10/blessed-samhain-6.html

Continue Reading ..

NFL Notes: Patriots Trade Jamie Collins to Browns

Gottlieb: Patriots trade Jamie Collins to the Browns

The Cleveland Browns have acquired linebacker Jamie Collins from New England, a person with knowledge of the trade tells The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because the deal has not officially been announced. Tuesday is the NFL"s trade deadline.

A second-round draft pick in 2013, Collins has been one of the Patriots" better defensive players for just over three seasons, but his rookie contract ends after this season. The Patriots will get a conditional third-round selection for Collins, 27.

Collins missed one game this season with a hip injury. He has 43 combined tackles and two interceptions.

At 0-8, the Browns certainly can use an infusion of talent, and Collins immediately becomes their best linebacker.

Earlier this year, the Browns sent linebacker/defensive end Barkevious Mingo to the Patriots.

Titans: Wide receiver Andre Johnson retires

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Star wide receiver Andre Johnson is retiring after 14 seasons in a career mainly spent with the Houston Texans.

The 35-year-old Johnson is a seven-time Pro Bowl player now with Tennessee. Titans general manager Jon Robinson said in a statement Monday that Johnson "in my opinion is one of the best to have played the game."

Johnson ranks among the top 10 receivers in NFL history in career catches and receiving yards. He had 1,062 catches for 14,185 yards and 70 touchdowns.

After 12 seasons with the Texans, Johnson played for the Indianapolis Colts last year before joining the Titans this season. He had nine catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns this year.

Published 5 hours ago

Source: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/sports/csn/eagles/NFL_Notes__Patriots_trade_Jamie_Collins_to_Browns-399354671.html

Continue Reading ..

Broward natives Anthony Rizzo and Mike Napoli man first base in Cubs-Indians World Series

Katie Talks Beer Pong And "Grease" With Anthony Rizzo

Donna Torres and Laurie Rizzo, both longtime Broward County residents, have spent decades attending their sons" baseball games, first traveling all over South Florida and in recent years all over the country to do so.

Until this week, though, they hadn"t been to too many of the same games.

Torres" son is Cleveland Indians first baseman Mike Napoli, a Hollywood-born Flanagan High alumnus. Rizzo"s son is Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo, a Parkland native and former Douglas High standout. The pair of Broward boys are facing off in the World Series, tied 1-1 as it shifts to Chicago for Game 3 on Friday.

"To watch him play as a small child in T-ball and now he"s in the major leagues and has gone to the World Series three times, I"m pinching myself constantly," Torres said. "If this is a dream, don"t wake me up."

Both families have temporarily abandoned Broward to spend much of the month on the road. For the Rizzos, it has been mostly Laurie and Anthony"s father John, with brother Johnny and his family including 9-month-old Vincent, Anthony Rizzo"s nephew jumping on board for the World Series. Vincent, by default one of the youngest members of the long-suffering Cubs fan base, has already been to Opening Day and the World Series (and four major league stadiums in all).

Napoli has a rotating contingent of 8-10 family members coming to watch parents and stepparents and siblings and cousins and it"s become something of an annual tradition. Napoli has made it as far as the ALCS in 2009 with the Los Angeles Angels, the World Series with the Texas Rangers in 2011, and the World Series again with the Boston Red Sox in 2013 with shorter playoff stints mixed in before this one.

Throughout his years as a ball-playing vagabond, Napoli has developed a certain reputation: fun-loving off the field and baseball-mashing on it, blending in seamlessly to any clubhouse he walks into.

In fact, the description Tyler Munro the Flanagan coach in the late 1990s and early 2000s offers of a teenage Napoli mirrors the one you might hear today of the 34-year-old version: a natural leader who was really good at baseball and really good at cutting loose. Oh, and he had a more legitimate beard than pretty much anyone else in the dugout, coaches included.

Munro coached Napoli for two years before the Angels drafted him as a catcher in 2000. Between those seasons, Munro asked Napoli to shed some weight. Napoli showed up for his scholastic swan song as a "svelte 205" pounds, as Munro put it, and batted leadoff something Munro wanted him to do after opponents pitched around Napoli too often the season prior.

That spring, Napoli totaled twice as many stolen bases (30) as he did home runs (15) as the Falcons won their first district championship.

In May of Napoli"s senior year one month before he went pro the movie "Gladiator" came out. The Flanagan baseball team went to see it as a group. It struck Munro that one of his players was a lot like Russell Crowe"s character, Maximus, who was forced to fight to the death in Roman gladiator arenas.

"We had the Gladiator," said Munro, who now teaches and coaches in Colorado. "Napoli would grab the bat to be his weapon, and everybody else would follow."

Seven years later and a few minutes up the road, Rizzo put the finishing touches on his sparkling Douglas career. His last two years of high school, before the Red Sox took him in the sixth round of the 2007 draft, Rizzo decided he wanted to give up football to focus on baseball.

Elliot Bonner, then and now a coach for the Douglas football and baseball teams, understood.

"When he told me he wanted to go from one to the other and stick with baseball [it made sense]," Bonner said. "Obviously, I was a baseball coach. I could see he could play."

Rizzo"s decision was a good one. In the nearly decade since graduating, he has beaten cancer, gotten traded to the San Diego Padres, established the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation to support cancer research, been traded to the Cubs, and emerged as the first of Chicago"s many cornerstone pieces.

Now, he is competing against Napoli, the two continuing a recent trend of Broward first baseman playing in the World Series.

Last season, Eric Hosmer (American Heritage in Plantation) won with the Kansas City Royals. The year before that, Hosmer"s Royals lost to the San Francisco Giants and Michael Morse (Nova High in Davie), a part-time first baseman. The year prior to that, Napoli won it all with the Red Sox.

Even aside from the first basemen, this World Series has a decidedly South Florida flair.

On the Cleveland side, reliever Andrew Miller among the stars of these playoffs is a former Marlin, part of the return in the Miguel Cabrera/Dontrelle Willis trade with the Detroit Tigers in 2007. Reliever Dan Otero is a Miami native and Ransom Everglades High product, while catcher Yan Gomes played at Miami Southridge High and Barry University.

For the Cubs, outfielder Albert Almora Jr. is from Hialeah and suited up for Mater Academy Charter. Another outfielder, Chris Coghlan, was the 2009 NL Rookie of the Year with the Marlins.

Several other players on the teams have ties to other areas of Florida.

After the series, Napoli and Rizzo will both eventually return to Broward. Napoli has tended to bounce around in recent offseasons, but his mother said he never misses a Christmas.

Rizzo still calls Parkland home during the winter, with all three Rizzo clans the parents, Johnny"s family and Anthony living within one mile of each other.

That"s just how Mom likes it.

"The old Italian way," Johnny Rizzo said.

For now, though, more baseball and more travel. And more bits of Broward on baseball"s biggest stage.

"We"ve been going to baseball games since he was little," Laurie Rizzo said. "And we"re still at baseball."

thealey@sun-sentinel.com, @timbhealey

Source: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/fl-world-series-south-florida-1028-20161027-story.html

Continue Reading ..

Jason Witten isn"t "Hercules" but starting streak says otherwise

Dak Prescott"s 31-Yard Pass to Jason Witten & TD Pass to Beasley! | Bengals vs. Cowboys | NFL

FRISCO, Texas -- The last time Jason Witten did not start a game for the Dallas Cowboys, rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott was 11 years old.

Just let that thought linger for a little bit.

On Sunday, Witten will make the 203rd start of his career when the Dallas Cowboys take on the Green Bay Packers, tying Ed Too Tall Jones for the most in team history. Jones would have had more if not for his one-year foray into boxing, but his starts spanned 1974-78 and 1980-89 seasons.

Witten has already played in more consecutive games than any player in team history (Sunday will be his 209th). When the Cowboys play the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 30, he will equal Lee Roy Jordan"s team mark for most consecutive starts at 154.

He has already started more consecutive games than any tight end in NFL history.

When it was mentioned that this will be the 203rd start of Wittens career, fellow tight end Geoff Swaim gave an incredulous laugh.

Thats unreal, Swaim said. Two-hundred-and-whatever games, no matter how you get them, is unbelievable. But hes been able to do that with the amount of bumps, bruises and injuries that go undisclosed. Thats crazy. Its a testament to how hard he works and then his level of toughness and how much he cares to be on the field for his guys. Unbelievable, man. Hes a leader, a guy you look up to. I dont know if youre ever going to get to that level of that toughness but you certainly aspire to be some of the player he is definitely.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said of veteran TE Jason Witten: "He"s exactly what you want in an NFL football player and his approach is like nothing I"ve ever seen."Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports

The last time Witten did not start a game, Bill Parcells was the Cowboys coach. It came Dec. 10, 2006 when the Cowboys opened in a four-wide-receiver formation against the New Orleans Saints with Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn, Patrick Crayton and Sam Hurd.

Two days after that game, Wittens teammate for the last six years, Tyron Smith, turned 16.

Witten has played in 10 Pro Bowls in his 14 seasons. He is one of 13 players with 1,000 receptions in NFL history. He is the Cowboys all-time leading receiver and needs 458 yards to pass Hall of Famer Michael Irvin for the top spot in receiving yards in team history.

But being there every week has mattered most.

I dont want to make it bigger than it is, Witten said. Its not like Im Hercules or something. I think its just, I love to play football and I think anybody thats ever been my teammate ... understands how much I love that. And so when you break your collarbone or you do something like that, thats out of your control. Youre put on the shelf for a few weeks. For me, Ive been lucky from that standpoint, and then when you have injuries you just grind it out ... I couldnt imagine not being out there whether we were Week 16 and out of the playoffs or whether were playing for a championship.

His name was added to the injury report this week because of a chest injury, but he has not missed a practice. He missed one game in his career, as a rookie because of a broken jaw. In 2012, he suffered a ruptured spleen in the preseason but returned to play in the season opener. A year ago he suffered sprains to both ankles, including a high and low sprain on the same ankle, and could not walk back to the locker room on a Monday after getting examined. He practiced two days later.

Different guys at different positions will always have numbers that are impressive whether its passing yards or touchdowns or completions or receptions or sacks, whatever those things are. Theyre always very impressive, but the stuff that I think draws the most respect from people inside of football is the starts, coach Jason Garrett said. Sometimes that requires some good fortune, but I also think the guys that are able to play week in week out are the ones who are most respected. Witts just a rare individual. Hes a great football player; 14 years, 10-time Pro Bowler, arguably the best all-around tight end of his generation. But what he does each and every day is an example to the rest of us, coaches, players, guys he plays with, guys he plays against, he just does it the right way and hes done it the right way for a long, long time. Hes exactly what you want in an NFL football player and his approach is like nothing Ive ever seen. He deserves every bit of recognition he gets.

Travis Frederick has started every game he has played since joining the Cowboys in 2013. To match Wittens current streak, he would have to play in every game until 2025.

Its ridiculous to me but completely shows the person that Jason is, Frederick said. Hes a tough guy thats going to go through anything to do what he can for the team. Theres been some situations he easily couldve said, Hey, Im not going to play this week. Ive got an ankle, or Ive got a knee. Hes a guy thats going to give it all every single time. I cant imagine starting 203 games.

Witten is 34 and is signed through 2017. He is second on the team with 24 catches for 232 yards this season. He has played in all 347 offensive snaps through five games.

As a kid, you just want to play football, Witten said. For me one day it will end, but until the end I love getting the opportunity to go out there and play at a high level.

Source: http://www.espn.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4754871/jason-witten-isnt-hercules-but-starting-streak-says-otherwise

Continue Reading ..

Girl Shot by Police Sniper at Standing Rock Protest

Standing Rock: Thousands of Wild Buffalo Appear Out of Nowhere

Claim: An 11-year-old girl was shot and killed by a police sniper at the Standing Rock pipeline protest site but the media covered up news of it.

Example: [Collected via e-mail, October 2016]

I saw a video on YouTube in which a man was reporting from Standing Rock. He said that an eleven year old girl was shot and killed by a sniper on October 28. I want to know if this is true.

Origin:In late October 2016, a video titled "Police snipers shoot 11-year-old at Dakota Pipeline protests" was shared to YouTube and circulated on Facebook.

The since-deleted video purportedly consisted of an individual providing an account (but not any actual footage) of the supposed shooting of an 11-year-girl by a police sniper at Standing Rock, the site of an ongoing protest over construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

The clip (originally hosted at the URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI_9p5-pEFg) has since been deleted, and we were unable to locate any copies of it. However, the rumor about the young girl purportedly shot and killed at Standing Rock by a police sniper lives on in social media posts.

No news account reported any such shooting, and a concerned public unable to locate the original video asked protest leaders whether the rumor was accurate of anyone involved, those demonstrators would be the likeliest candidates to confirm violent activity at the site of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. As the rumor circulated, protester Dallas Goldtooth described the claim as "misinformation":

The widely followed Facebook page Indigenous Life Movement also refuted the rumor:

Both Facebook pages denied anyone (much less a child) had been killed at the Standing Rock protest site on or around 29 October 2016 and urged anyone interested in the demonstrations to follow official tribal feeds in order to prevent misinformation from spreading.

Originally published: 31 October 2016

Source: http://www.snopes.com/girl-shot-at-standing-rock/

Continue Reading ..

Turkey, pumpkin, and white bean chili with cranberry relish

Five Little Pumpkins | Pumpkin Song | Super Simple Songs

One of my stand-by kitchen recipes, one I make for friends, family and just for myself on a regular basis is my Tuxedo Chili, made with chicken, black and white beans and warming spices. It even won a recipe contest! Its a perfect one bowl meal, filling and comforting and perfect for the first chilly nights. With Halloween and Thanksgiving around the corner, I wanted to give my standard a little seasonal twist. So Ive combined all the comforting flavors of fall into a delicious, hearty treat.

I swapped out chicken in the recipe for the more seasonally-loved turkey, and added rich pumpkin for depth of flavor and a nice, creamy dose of white beans. Once I had the chili sorted, I couldnt resist a sweet and tangy cranberry and cilantro relish to top it off, adding another layer of autumn.

All in all, this makes for the kind of meal I love to serve family and friends. Make a big pot of chili, put out the various toppings and some good bread and let everyone build their own bowl. For an even more thematic meal, make a batch of Pumpkin Cornbread to serve alongside. I think this is the perfect meal to warm up post trick-or-treating or a trip to the corn maze!

Turkey, pumpkin, and white bean chili with cranberry relishServes 4, but this recipe easily doubles

For the chili:2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium yellow onion, finely diced2 garlic cloves, minced1 pound ground turkey2 teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Mexican)2 teaspoons ground cumin1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon black pepper1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon2 cups (16-ounce cans) pumpkin puree1 (15.5 ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained1-1/2 cups chicken broth

1. Pour the oil into a large pot, add the onions and cook over medium-high heat until the onions are soft and wilted. Add the garlic and cook a few minutes more. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon or spatula, until it begins to brown.

2. Mix the oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, cinnamon and paprika together in a small bowl and sprinkle over the meat in the pot and stir to distribute the spices evenly. Scrape in the pumpkin puree and stir well, then pour in the chicken broth and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and add the drained beans. Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover the pot and cook until the chili is thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. The chili can be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to two days and freezes beautifully. Add a little broth when reheating if needed.

For the relish:1/2 cup dried cranberries4 green onions, white and some green parts1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leavesjuice of 1/2 a small lime

To serve:Sour creamLime wedges

1. Place the cranberries in the bowl of a small food processor and pulse to break them up. Cut the green onion into pieces and add to the bowl with the cilantro. Pulse until you have a loose relish. Stir in the lime juice.

2. Serve the chili with a spoonful of the relish and a dollop of sour cream, with some lime wedges to squeeze over.

Related post on The Runaway Spoon: Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce

Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Food/Stir-It-Up/2016/1031/Turkey-pumpkin-and-white-bean-chili-with-cranberry-relish

Continue Reading ..

Tippi Talks: 10 Tippi Hedren Quotes

Living with Giant Lion : Young Melanie Griffith and mom Tippi Hedren with their PET LION Neil

From her early days as Hitchcocks main muse, to her life as a mother t0 Melanie Griffith (and grandmother to Dakota Johnson) and her work as an animal activist, Tippi Hedren has always had something to say. She has tales to tell in her memoir, Tippi(Dey St.), available November 1.Here are some of her best quotes through the years.

My light shines when things get really tough.

I kind of look at my modeling career and the Hitchcock years as stepping stones to what Im doing now.

Hitchcock had a charm about him. He was very funny at times. He was incredibly brilliant in his field of suspense.

Birds I am fine with spiders are an entirely different matter.

Self-belief? My parents gave it to me.

Everything that Ive done in my life was to lead me to my work with the animals.

Hitchcock had a very strange mind.

I know so many people who are eaten up by regret. It manifests itself in so many ways. They either become mentally a bit off, or they get very fat, or they are just horribly depressed.

I had to have help getting up these stairs because Ive been tackled by so many lions and tigers. Really. Im like an old football player.

To be the object of someones obsession is horrible.

Source: http://parade.com/519222/alison-abbey/tippi-talks-10-tippi-hedren-quotes/

Continue Reading ..