Hurricane Ivan Altar and the Guardian in the Window

At Spilled Candy here in Florida, this was the giant pine that sheltered us for many years before Hurricane Ivan toppled it onto our roof.  Given that the tree withstood such high winds, then finally leaned politely onto the roof and snapped at the base rather than crashing through the roof or front door, we decided it would be a fitting memorial to turn the tree into a backyard altar.  This altar is simple, with two stumps as the base and one atop the other two, a rock for North, incense for East, a red candle for South,  a shell in the West, and a pent  in the Center.  Even though we were without electricity for a while and the roads have yet to be cleared of the 6- to 8-foot stacks of debris, we had plenty of candles to get us through the darkness.  (Don't we all?  LOL!)

While many of our friends lost their homes, cars, and all worldly possessions  to Ivan--including one of our Spilled Candy staff members--and many more suffered property damage to their homes--including two more members of Spilled Candy's staff--we felt very fortunate.  Many of our friends across the country worked to protect us before, during, and after the storm. Before we evacuated, we warded like crazy, calling in our angels and our "Spirits of Place" (as Kristin Madden calls them in Pagan Parenting ) to lend their assistance. 

 

 

 

 

 

When we were taking digital pictures of the storm damage, we caught a "face" in one of the windows, the window we were most worried about surviving the storm due to its placement.  No one was inside at the time.  The photograph has been blown up as much as possible without losing resolution (as shown here), and we've also played with the lighting and focus every way we can to figure out the face.  We thought perhaps the image was a reflection from the house across the street, but the house across the street isn't visible from this window.  The view of it is blocked by a thick hedge of trees, including a cedar tree directly in front of the window.  We can discern several standing pines in the window's reflection, as well as the pine leaning against the rooftop.  Standing in the same position, we were not able to capture the image a second time.   In fact, we can place the reflections of everything we see in the window EXCEPT for the face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The face we see is wearing a helmet or hat or some sort.  To some, he looks more like an older man in a hat like my beloved grandfather wore and to others he resembles a warrior or a Celtic God.  The X's on the window were to keep the glass from shattering on the floor if the windows blew in.  And the protection runes drawn on the window were to keep the windows from blowing in. <g>  The ivy growing on the walls is a personal protection symbol I've long used since my guides gave it to me in 1996 , and the ivy here came from my grandfather's house soon after his death. 

Since our return from the evacuation, we've been honoring the Spirits and Deities who walk here.  In that time, hummingbirds have overtaken the yard, a bluebird has been fluttering outside my office window all week, and cardinals can't seem to get enough of our birdbath.  It's Autumn, the time both of gratitude and of culling that which no longer serves us.  Contentment is creeping back.  Joy promises to stay.

Would you like to  see more altars and sacred spaces?