This Weekly Witchy Challenge - Catch Up has been hard for me. I am not feeling particularly creative as I struggle to hold on to all of the good progress I have made since December. I knew I would end up waiting until the last minute on this one because I didn’t even make it to the Group Ritual this past week. (Although I did have coffee and meditation that day. 
)
The two I am doing are “Weekly Witchy CHALLENGE- Giving Gratitude” and “Weekly Witchy CHALLENGE- Books, Tomes, and Tales”. (The hyperlinks are quick links to the relevant sections of this post.)
First, let me start with saying thank you to the people that replied to Brianna with their own entries.
- AliceInWonderdab, christina4, Thank you for the pictures and for the ideas for altars.
- Wade, thank you for your openness - both in sharing and in exploring your questions about the recipies/cooking
with your ancestors. - Stephanie, I love using Tarot as a means to divine the future. Your cards are beautiful.
- Thank you for the beautiful poem, NickWick. Also, you are better at the knots than I am - which is why I haven’t done that challenge, yet.
- Speaking of knots, Saulamay, your bracelet is awesome.
Has the lotion had time to set? - Kasie, your words for the tea blessing are moving, as always. I count myself blessed
when I read anything written by you. - I never thought you would miss a challenge, TheTravelWitch.
Thank you for these challenges week in and week out. I don’t know how you do it but I am thankful for the work you put in each week to keep this coven growing. - Krissie, thank you for the elements/astrology information.
More than that, thank you for all of the crafty resin ideas you have shared with us lately. You are a true gift to the coven. - While it was too late in the day to use it as a start of my day, when I watched @SilverBear’s Starting the Day With Gratitude , I knew I would have to practice her advice the rest of the day and into my tomorrow. Thank you, Laurie, for all of the positive mental health tips and tricks you have shared in the past year. Your videos were needed more than you will ever know as so many of us struggled with being stuck inside, anxiety about the future, and physical ailments taking on our mental health.
Giving Gratitude
Infinite Roots, the Spells8 coven, I have said this in the past, but thank you. Your warm welcomes to me and to everyone that joins, your generosity and encouragement to all that need it, and your knowledge and wisdom you share with the rest of us all create an inviting, safe space for eclectic witches.
While the moderator team and Francisco deserve endless credit for the site and the forum, it is people (like the ones I mentioned above) that have done much to expand the coven into what it is today. We learn from our leaders, yes, but you are role models in your own ways. Thank you.
Books, Tomes, and Tales
I’ve bought 17 books since my tax return and stimulus payment were both deposited in my checking account. So many at once (plus the fog I am in) has made it difficult to settle on just one to read. I need to pick one because I am almost out of time for the latest book club. Thankfully, my 
of 
means I am pushing through for the book club.
This time around, I am reading either A Guide to the Good Life by William B. Irvine or Brave Surrender by Kim-Walker Smith. Who knows? 
Maybe I will review two books like I have in the last two book club reviews.
The first one was recommended to me by my therapist. She is big into Stoicism and believes it will be important guardrails to my more recent nihilistic leanings. The second continues my love of my previous faith and learning how it helped, instead of hurt, others who still believe the Christian beliefs. I am always moved by stories about personal journeys and how those journeys helped them become better people.
There is no way I will have both done in 4 days, let alone today before the challenge ends. I will be using the review period to finish them and review them. Then I will get started on Book Club 6 and try to get ahead like some over-achievers 
. (Totally kidding, @Jewitch. I did it the last two times myself. I wrote the reviews in private Facebook posts, then copied them here when the review times finally came. 
) I am hoping this is enough for the Book Lover badge, though, because I have been coveting it since I saw it on some of my friends in Spells8. 