I am currently listening to New World Witchery and Cory and Laine are recounting adventures in New Orleans.  I, unfortunately due to work being extremely nuts was not able to share my thoughts via sound bite, so I thought I would review my own journey to NOLA here.

This trip was combined with a visit to my mom's place in Florida.  So, passing through NOLA first, arriving a couple days ahead of PPSM4 made me able to spend some great time with some wonderful friends and meet new friends too!

The first portion of the journey was spent exploring cemeteries and the city.  This was my fourth visit to New Orleans so I'm fairly familiar with the general territory but not since my first visit to NOLA over 20 years ago have I been to a cemetery.  St. Louis No. 1 is amazing and a must see but I have always wanted to visit Lafayette No. 1 as this was the location that Anne Rice envisioned as the resting place of the Mayfair family in The Witching Hour and subsequent books in the series.  And not far from there the mansion that inspired their creation.  I visited both this trip. 

I ate more beignets this trip than I ever have!  LOL.  At Café DuMonde one rainy evening it was lovely, warm and foggy and little did I know that the warm weather we enjoyed the first couple days would give way to some chilly temps by the time we all got down to visiting!  I revisited beignet land with Velma, Kathleen and a friend, then again with Velma although we didn't have beignets the last time.  We ate at the Gumbo Shop, had breakfast at The Camellia Grill (if you are ever in NOLA check this place out!), went to loads of art galleries and of course, magical shops.  I had my very first taste of Absinthe at the Old Absinthe House and was just as enchanted by the making of it as by the magical way it made me feel.  LOL, tipsy.  So, amazing food, great people, a ghost tour and lots and lots of walking were all a big part of the journey. 

What I love about New Orleans is that you can do something different every time you are there.  I wonder if I will ever get to do everything I want to do in New Orleans?  I'm not sure, but I marked some stuff off the list this time for sure!

Below is a link list of our generous sponsors and contributors to the fabulous bag of super swag that Cory put together.  Thanks to everyone that contributed to this wonderful experience! 

So the pendulum sways....  While in New Orleans recently we happened upon a lovely rock shop.  I was fiddling around touching various gemstones and  I lost myself in thought and being mesmerized by all the shiny things (captain) ;)....

And a glittery little pendulum caught my eye.  I normally am drawn to stones of watery color.  You know, greens, blues, even purples...  But this was a beautiful, earthy orange colored stone, almost the shade of say, Georgia clay or the Grand Canyon.  And in it were flecks and sparkles that glistened and glinted off the shop lights.  I picked it up and let it rest in the palm of my hand.  It felt good and solid.  The shape of it fit my palm nicely.  I had thought that on this trip I might find a new pendulum.  I have one that was a gift to me from my Reiki Master.  I keep it in a sachet in my truck so that it will always be with me during the day and use it with the horse that I lease or when away from my alter/home.  I have another that I am making myself to keep downstairs in our basement for when I do my morning ritual and I have been wanting a third to keep on my main alter upstairs.  It would seem that I had found my new pendulum.  I considered this.  I don't like to make hasty decisions on things like magical tools and most of my stuff is handmade by me or I have received as a gift at one time or another. 

So, I spoke to it.  I introduced myself and explained that I had some questions for it.  Most people already think I'm nuts so I don't suppose any of this embarrassed them anymore than normal.  I asked it to show me various things.  Things like how it would tell me yes, no, or even let me know that it either could not or would not answer me.  It told me these things readily.  Hmmmmmmm.....

It was only then that I even looked at the label where it had rested.  Goldstone.  Hmmmmmm again....  Attributes?  No clue.  So, I trusted the stone and my answers and thought about the adventure of getting to know it as I made a beeline to the counter to purchase my new pendulum. 

I have since found some very cool information on Goldstone, also known as Aventurine Glass, including an awesome blog entry by C.L. Matthews: 

House of Daedalus Blog

It is a lovely, lively little pendulum.  By far the most outgoing one I have.  I think my Goldstone must be like Christmas lights, always twinkling and lifting my spirits.  Right now it is resting on my main alter, beside my handmade counting beads and on top of my wooden box that holds my tarot decks.  Can a stone be happy to see you?  Everytime I get it out it seems happy, like if it could speak it would say hey howya doin' today Gilly?  LOL.  By contrast my traveling pendulum is more....about the flow.  I feel like it says peace be with you and like that peace radiates from it. 

Interesting these different personalities.  Once I finish making my morning ritual pendulum I will be interested to see what personality it has.